DOES SIZE MATTER? AN EXAMINATION OF SMALL AND LARGE WEB BASED BRAND COMMUNITIES

We investigate the relationship between brand community identification, brand affect, community loyalty, brand loyalty, brand word-of-mouth and community WOM for online brand communities, through a structural equation model. We address the role of community size comparing small and large web-based communities. Findings highlight that small communities operate differently from larger ones and possess specific strengths and weaknesses. Members of small communities develop higher community loyalty; brand loyalty in small community stems more from community loyalty than from brand affect; small communities engage in WOM for the community more than in WOM for the brand. Managerial implications are addressed.