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An online brand community is a network of people who are interested in and loyal to a brand that comes together. The aim of the current research was to identify the dimensions of social capital in online brand communities with an emphasis on customer-based brand equity in Iraqi telecommunication companies. The research was of a qualitative nature and was carried out using the technique of theme analysis. Twenty-five experts in the fields of e-marketing and social marketing, with an emphasis on social networks and the telecommunications sector, were selected by the targeted non-probability sampling method. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were completed when the criterion of theoretical saturation was reached. The data were analyzed with the five-stage model of Castleberry and Nolen (2018). According to the results, 45 final codes appeared, which were categorized into two categories: functional characteristics of the online brand community and social capital of it. The functional features included information functions, facilitating members' activism, facilitating brand affairs, and creating enjoyable experiences. The social capital of the online brand community also included five components of intra-community interactions: trust, common identity, value, and showing the human aspect of the brand. According to the findings, functional characteristics and social capital have a two-way relationship that can develop. Online brand communities can boost brand image and customer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, considering the moderating role of gender, we have investigated the influence of online brand community (OBC) characteristics on customer’s engagement and brand loyalty. In this way, the mediating effect of engagement and the subsequent effect of customer’s engagement on brand loyalty have also been studied. Statistical population of this research is all people who are at least the members of one of the online brand communities. 256 samples were selected and questionnaires were forwarded to them electronically through social networks and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. The results show that two characteristics of OBC, “information quality” and “virtual interaction”, have no effect on the customer’s engagement and on the other hand, customer engagement shows a positive and significant impact on brand loyalty. In analyzing the results of mediating and moderating variables, we found that OBC is influenced by brand loyalty through customer’s engagement. It was also concluded that gender does not modify the effect of information quality and virtual interaction on customer’s engagement.

In today’s competitive markets, companies are increasingly using online brand communities as marketing tools. In order to maintain loyal customers, companies are trying to co-create values between themselves and in particular their customers in these communities. The purpose of this survey is to explain the mediating role of online brand community commitment in the relationship between online brand community value co-creation and brand loyalty. The statistical population consisted of brand customers of social network members. Using simple random sampling technique, 392 people were selected. The electronic questionnaires were analyzed by AMOS and SPSS. The results showed that online brand community value co-creation had a significant effect on brand loyalty with a partial mediation of online brand community commitment and 21.1% of the total effect was explained by the mediating variable. Also, online brand community commitment had a significant effect on brand loyalty. However, the effects of the mediating variable on brand commitment and brand quality were not confirmed. In today’s competitive markets, companies are increasingly using online brand communities as marketing tools. In order to maintain loyal customers, companies are trying to co-create values between themselves and in particular their customers in these communities. The purpose of this survey is to explain the mediating role of online brand community commitment in the relationship between online brand community value co-creation and brand loyalty. The statistical population consisted of brand customers of social network members. Using simple random sampling technique, 392 people were selected. The electronic questionnaires were analyzed by AMOS and SPSS. The results showed that online brand community value co-creation had a significant effect on brand loyalty with a partial mediation of online brand community commitment and 21.1% of the total effect was explained by the mediating variable. Also, online brand community commitment had a significant effect on brand loyalty. However, the effects of the mediating variable on brand commitment and brand quality were not confirmed.