People Who Create Knowledge Sharing Communities

摘要

Web-based knowledge sharing communities, which are supported by countless voluntary Internet users, are in widespread use in our lives. In one of these communities, Yahoo! Chiebukuro, one of the most famous web-based knowledge sharing communities in Japan, interpersonal communication among members is evoked as well as information exchange and accumulation. In this research, we conducted a questionnaire survey of Yahoo! Chiebukuro members. Based on 7989 survey samples, we intended to describe some features of community members, patterns of their participation in the community, and the reasons they joined the community. Results suggest that many members join the community and post their own information with the altruistic motive of helping others.