Idea Generation in Virtual Communities for Innovation: The Influence of Participants’ Motivation on Idea Quality

Abstract

Virtual Communities for Innovations (VCI) are becoming increasingly popular as platforms for firms to engage customers in generating new ideas. While several studies have explored the various motivations of user participation in VCI, the relationship between the motivations and the outcome of interest - the quality of the ideas - has not been explored. Scholars and practitioners have a strong interest in understanding the influence of motivation on quality of ideas. These as valuable insights will help firms who run VCI and are interested in harvesting ideas of good quality from it create effective incentive strategies for generating good ideas. In our research, we hypothesize that certain motivations influence idea quality, while others do not. We find empirical support for the following motivations influencing idea quality: (1) demonstrate personal capabilities and skills through their ideas (capability signaling-motive); (2) get recognition of third parties through their ideas (recognition-motive); and (3) have fun in developing ideas (fun-motive). However, we find no evidence for the influence of customers’ altruism (altruism-motive), nor of customers’ desire for improving and enhancing existing firms’ products by submitting ideas (Product Improvement and Enhancement-motive).