Using ZMET to Explore Exchange Experience for Applying in Location-Based Service

摘要

Presentation is one of the ways to promote the exchange of available resources and to maintain social interaction. The progress of technology, convenience of transportation and space-time compression also enhance interpersonal exchange. In general, people in a group are more concerned about each other, and they conduct exchange and care programs through gift-giving. Exchange has been not only viewed as a norm, but also included social links and structure. Mobile devices and position systems allow participants of online community to be able to know each other in real life anew. Thus, understanding the application of mobile community local-based services and principle of exchange among groups would contribute to the circulation of available resources. Through the review of literature, the study helps understand the relationships between gift and exchange, the mobile community, and the application of local-based services. And the use of qualitative in-depth interviews with supplemented illustrations can guide participants to a more intuitive response to the survey. This study uses the ZMET method proposed by Zaltman and Coulter, which collects data of users' needs for exchange service, obtained in non-verbal method. Then, applying the reciprocity of the exchange theory as scope in analyzing the interactive relationships in online community with local-based services, the study hopes to understand more of location-based services, combining the principles of reciprocity and functions of online community, in hope to enable users to exchange items (or even labor) and create opportunities in using local-based exchange services to solve problems in life. This study is a pilot study, and aims to construct an exchange model that can be applied to local-based services, to provide a reference for conducting follow-up research. The results are as follows: (a) the types of exchange resources between online communities include direct and indirect recognition of each other, and (b) the establishment of principles for exchanging available resources among people.