Abstract
By conceptualising presence as a behavioural construct, this study explores how online leaders’ presence exerts an influence on online communities and their members. Drawing on qualitative research where five online communities were examined, the findings show that online leaders’ presence is identified in different forms which ultimately may have different impacts on the community and its members. Articulations of leaders’ presence online included interactive, instructive, stimulating and silent and for each the leader was found to exert a different influence on online community members. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed and areas for further research are identified.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 490-499 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Behaviour and Information Technology |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Early online date | 7 Mar 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 7 Mar 2016 |