Development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and
internet usage which have been growing rapidly in the late 20th century raised
phenomena in the social sciences and study of management. One of these
phenomena is the increasing amount of presence and development of virtual or
online communities and forums. Unlike in the past, the development of ICT and
the presence of virtual communities allow internet users to be producer or cocreator
of messages or information. This means that the users –especially those
who are members or engaged in the virtual communities- no longer simply act as
passive recipients of information, but they have the opportunity and can choose to
play an active role in producing and disseminating information within the
community. In the last two decades, the involvement or engagement of members of
virtual communities has become a concern for academics and practitioners in
management, particularly in the field of e-business.
Natural Cooking Club Indonesia (NCC) is one of the largest online
culinary communities in Indonesia, which does not only serve as a group that
provides information on processing and presenting cuisines; but through its
online and offline activities, the community has been thriving as a community that
became a place for its members (even for those who can not cook) to share
information and experiences. With more than 16,000 members in 2014, this
evidence shows interests in the processing and presentation of cuisines has never
declined in Indonesia. In fact, one of the main focuses of entrepreneurships in
Indonesia is dominated by culinary business. With members of NCC as
respondents, this research aims to study psychological engagement of members in
an online culinary community and its impact on their participation and word of
mouth