1.

Research suggests (Wann-Yih Wu and Badri Munir Sukoco, Why Should i

share? Examining consumers motives and trust on knowledge sharing, 2010) that
consumers motivations to share their knowledge in an online community are
multidimensional (Mayer, J.D., Faber, M.A., & Xu, X.Y. Seventy-five Years of
Motivation Measures (1930-2005): A Descriptive Analysis, Motivation and Emotion
(31:1), 2007, 83-103.) and depend on basically three human motives, related to
achievement, affiliation, and power, which are consistently reported as
determinants of social behaviors (Sokolowski, K., Schmalt, H.-D., Langens, T.A., &
Puca, R.M. Assessing Achievement, Affiliation, and Power Motives All at Once: The
Multi-motive Grid (MMG), Journal of Personality Assessment (74:1), 2000, 126145.). Findings indicate that achievement motive plays the most important role in
online community members being motivated to share their knowledge, and leads to
their intentions to participate, recommend the community, and remain loyal to the
brand. In addition, it indicates that the positive effect of members achievement
motive on knowledge sharing and other behaviors related with brand community
tend to be strengthened when members have more trust in others. Each motive was
measured with respect to approach (two items) and avoidance tendencies (two
items). The items were modified in order to suit the context of an online brand
community. The conclusions were as follows:
Firstly, the achievement motive has a positive influence on either members
knowledge sharing or behavioral intentions. People with high achievement motive
enjoy a sense of competition, challenge, and accomplishment of goals in order to
gain a feeling of competence (Ardichvili, A., Page, V., & Wentling, T. Motivation and
Barriers to Participation in Virtual Knowledge Sharing Teams, Journal of Knowledge
Management (7:1), 2003, 64-77). In an online brand community, members can use
discussion boards or forums as the channels in which their achievement motive can
play a role. Therefore, online brand community members inner motive to establish
themselves as experts can be achieved in this manner.
Secondly, the affiliation motive negatively influenced members knowledge
sharing and
behavioral intentions. People may prefer not to provide and share their know-how,
including information related to products, in order to maintain their unique status as
was found with the survey group of IPhone users in Thailand (Muniz Jr., A.M., &
Schau, H.J. Religiosity in the Abandoned Apple Newton Brand Community, Journal
of Consumer Research (31:4), 2005, 737-747.). It is possible that they do not trust
the outsiders, and particularly newcomers, who might steal their valuable
knowledge. These reasons are believed to be the cause of the hesitancy in sharing
and participating behaviors of high affiliation members, and the decline in
recommendations of the community.
Third, the power motive has no impact on members knowledge sharing
behaviors, but moderately influences their behavioral intentions (Fller, J., Jawecki,
G., & Mhlbacher, H. Innovation Creation by Online Basketball Communities,
Journal of Business Research (60:1), 2007, 60-71). Members, who frequently
exchange their knowledge with others, or even with the company, tend to have

more participation within the posting board, are more loyal to the community, and
have a greater willingness to recommend the community to others as found with
VW's community (Brown, S., Kozinets, R.V., Jr., & Sherry, J.F. Teaching Old Brands
New Tricks: Retro Branding and the Revival of Brand Meaning, Journal of Marketing
(67:3), 2003, 19- 33.) and Apple Newton's community
Fourth, the research results also show that members knowledge sharing
positively influenced their behavioral intentions. These results are consistent with
several prior studies in various fields. For example, the study (Bagozzi, R.P., &
Dholakia, U.M. Open Source Software User Communities: A Study of Participation
in Linux User Groups, Management Science (52:7), 2006, 1099-1115.) indicated
that those members who frequently share their knowledge tend to participate more
and are more loyal to the community.
Finally, different levels of trust moderate the positive effects of achievement
motive and knowledge sharing behaviors. Specifically, when the members perceive
that others have higher or equal abilities in sharing their knowledge in the
community, members achievement motives tend to have a stronger influence on
their knowledge sharing behaviors, and members are more likely to participate,
recommend, and remain loyal (Mathwick, M., Wiertz, C., & de Ruyter, K. Social
Capital Production in A Virtual P3 Community, Journal of Consumer Research
(34:2), 2008, 832-849).
Marketers should pay attention to the highly achievement-oriented members,
since they dedicate the most time to helping the other members and even the
company, through their contributions and participation. By letting these customers
interact, marketers and R&D people can gain more insights for their new and
existing products, such as in the case of the new VW Beetle or Nike. Moreover,
hardcore members should be recognized by offering opportunities to upgrade their
knowledge by sending information related to current or forthcoming products,
allowing them to update their knowledge and always be a step ahead of the
ordinary members (Vargo, S.L., & Lusch, R.F. Evolving to A New Dominant Logic for
Marketing, Journal of Marketing (68:1), 2004, 1-17).

2.
Privacy presents a big challenge in consumer markets as marketers try to
take full advantage of technological possibilities presented by internet and database
marketing while respecting the rights and concerns of ordinary customers, People
are concerned about abuses of their privacy while at the same time recognizing the
benefits that accrue from the intrusions described Graeff and Harmon (Timothy R.
Graeff and Susan Harmon, Collecting and using personal data: consumers
awareness and concerns, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 19, Iss 4 pp. 302 318, 2002). Marketers need to act in order to avoid further tightening of restrictions
on such practices, Saying when how the data is being collected should be an
automatic assumption in consumer marketing. Next, they should be told how that
information is intended to be used once they have got it. Option of opting out of
giving information is a good business sense and it is a legal requirement in Europe.

It is better to reward a consumer for parting away from information owned by

him/her through indirect rewards like discounts etc. Finally it should be reported and
used in annual report to build the impression of responsible data collection and use
3.
While more consumers research privacy policies before using an app, the
language often is so vague that they dont understand with whom their personal
information is being shared by data brokers, and how or if its protected
(http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54bd7e65e4b08185611f929a/t/553f9aa2e4b
0a8d8b1a8328a/1430231714796/jingit_privacy_whitepaper.pdf). While the Fair
Credit Reporting Act has helped ensure transparency among companies that sell
data for credit, employment and insurance purposes since 1970, no such protection
applies to the sale of data for marketing and other purposes. However, that may be
changing.
The 2012 study by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concluded that too little was
known about the practice of data brokers that focus on providing data for marketing
purposes. In 2014, the FTC released a report entitled Data Brokers: A Call for
Transparency and Accountability that carefully examined the practices of data
brokers. The report, which focused on companies such as Acxiom, DataLogix and
eBureau, found a fundamental lack of transparency within the data broker industry.
It concluded with recommendations that the industry adopt best practices on
transparency that help inform and protect consumers. It also strongly urged
Congress to enact legislation that would provide consumers with access to their
data as well as the ability to opt out of having it shared for marketing purposes. A
new paradigm for privacy is needed in this warp-speed electronic landscape. The
foundation is built on four core tenants context, transparency, control and respect.
Context is a foundational starting point. Transparency and control go hand in hand.
Respect results from the first three context, transparency and control. When
consumers feel respected, brand loyalty inevitably goes up. At present, the norm for
information sharing and privacy is out of balance. The current system tips the scale
in the wrong direction. Consumers are not in control, they lack choice and they
dont receive value or respect for their personal information.
4.
Experian have released a new piece research that explores how consumers
share data, much of which is generated through social networks, and looks at how
marketers can use this data to engage consumers (Charlotte Henry,
http://wallblog.co.uk/2012/09/03/how-consumers-share-and-what-marketers-mustdo-to-engage-infographic/, September 2012). While younger people are far more
comfortable with the idea of sharing data with brands, high numbers of people from
all age groups are happy to share information and engage with brands, so long as
they trust them. Trust is vital in encouraging consumers to share personal data with
brands. Younger customers have grown up sharing information online, are more
comfortable sharing data with brands. Ultimately, respondents from all groups were

far more likely to share insights with brands that they believe will use their data
responsibly and in an appropriate manner.
Bibliography
1. Wann-Yih Wu and Badri Munir Sukoco, Why Should i share? Examining consumers
motives and trust on knowledge sharing, 2010
2. Mayer, J.D., Faber, M.A., & Xu, X.Y. Seventy-five Years of Motivation Measures
(1930-2005): A Descriptive Analysis, Motivation and Emotion (31:1), 2007, 83-103.
3. Sokolowski, K., Schmalt, H.-D., Langens, T.A., & Puca, R.M. Assessing
Achievement, Affiliation, and Power Motives All at Once: The Multi-motive Grid
(MMG), Journal of Personality Assessment (74:1), 2000, 126-145
4. (Ardichvili, A., Page, V., & Wentling, T. Motivation and Barriers to Participation in
Virtual Knowledge Sharing Teams, Journal of Knowledge Management (7:1), 2003,
64-77
5. Muniz Jr., A.M., & Schau, H.J. Religiosity in the Abandoned Apple Newton Brand
Community, Journal of Consumer Research (31:4), 2005, 737-747
6. (Fller, J., Jawecki, G., & Mhlbacher, H. Innovation Creation by Online Basketball
Communities, Journal of Business Research (60:1), 2007, 60-71
7. Brown, S., Kozinets, R.V., Jr., & Sherry, J.F. Teaching Old Brands New Tricks: Retro
Branding and the Revival of Brand Meaning, Journal of Marketing (67:3), 2003, 1933
8. Bagozzi, R.P., & Dholakia, U.M. Open Source Software User Communities: A
Study of Participation in Linux User Groups, Management Science (52:7), 2006,
1099-1115.
9. Mathwick, M., Wiertz, C., & de Ruyter, K. Social Capital Production in A Virtual
P3 Community, Journal of Consumer Research (34:2), 2008, 832-849
10. Vargo, S.L., & Lusch, R.F. Evolving to A New Dominant Logic for Marketing,
Journal of Marketing (68:1), 2004, 1-17
11. Timothy R. Graeff and Susan Harmon, Collecting and using personal data:
consumers awareness and concerns, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 19, Iss 4
pp. 302 - 318, 2002
12.
http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54bd7e65e4b08185611f929a/t/553f9aa2e4b0
a8d8b1a8328a/1430231714796/jingit_privacy_whitepaper.pdf