Journal article
Online Third Places: Supporting Well-Being Through Identifying and Managing Unintended Consequences
Journal of Service Research, Vol.25(1), pp.108-125
2022
Abstract
Unintended consequences of service are important yet infrequently examined in transformative service research. This research examines an online service community that transformed into an online third place, with consumers socializing and forming lasting relationships. Using practice-informed theory-building and an abductive reasoning approach, findings are presented from both manual and automated coding of three qualitative data sets that form the basis of a case study examining an online weight management service forum. Extending beyond current conceptualizations of the third place, this study is the first to propose a framework delineating online third place characteristics and their impact on consumers’ eudaimonic (the capacity for self-realization) and hedonic (attainment of pleasure and avoidance of pain) well-being. Findings show that in the absence of a physical or virtual servicescape, social factors including social density, equity, and personalization are key to constructing an online third place that supports well-being through building social connections and enjoyment. The new framework provides guidance for service managers to transform their online service communities into online third places to support consumer well-being and to identify and manage potential unintended consequences, for example, by ensuring segmentation of the community based on consumer groups’ shared interests and consumer empowerment through participation.
Details
- Title
- Online Third Places: Supporting Well-Being Through Identifying and Managing Unintended Consequences
- Authors
- Joy Parkinson (Author) - Griffith UniversityLisa Schuster (Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyRory Mulcahy (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Business and Creative Industries
- Publication details
- Journal of Service Research, Vol.25(1), pp.108-125
- Publisher
- Sage Publications, Inc.
- DOI
- 10.1177/10946705211018860
- ISSN
- 1552-7379
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Business and Creative Industries
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99541108702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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