Open AccessAdapting and Validating Scale of Customer Engagement in Online Travel Communities
Author(s) -
Peter J. Mkumbo,
Dandison C. Ukpabi,
Heikki Karjaluoto
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
european journal of tourism research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.467
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1314-0817
pISSN - 1994-7658
DOI - 10.54055/ejtr.v25i.416
Subject(s) - customer engagement , exploratory factor analysis , scale (ratio) , confirmatory factor analysis , marketing , psychology , measurement invariance , affection , advertising , business , social psychology , geography , computer science , world wide web , cartography , social media , service (business)
Increasing attention towards customer engagement has caused its measurement to remain a highly debated issue among scholars. This study adapts and validates measurement scales for customer engagement in Online Travel Communities. It builds on previous studies on scale development for customer engagement. Data were collected from 450 members of Online Travel Communities in eight countries: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong (Chinese territory), New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The process of adapting and validating the scale involved exploratory factor analysis, testing for differential item functioning, examination of item response theory, confirmatory factor analysis, testing for invariance and criterion validity. The results found that three dimensions (affection, absorption, and interaction) suitably and adequately measure customer engagement in Online Travel Communities.