The sharing economy in the hospitality sector: The role of social interaction, social presence, and reciprocity in eliciting satisfaction and continuance behavior

This study examines how social factors and value perceptions within the sharing economy shape customer satisfaction and continuance intention in hospitality contexts (peer-to-peer accommodations, coworking spaces, shared kitchens). While prior work has emphasized social exchange theory and self-determination theory, gaps remain regarding which attributes drive intentions to use sharing-based hospitality services and how perceived values (social, emotional, functional) connect to satisfaction and continuance. Drawing on social cognitive theory (highlighting value-driven behavior) and value-based adoption theory (integrating benefits and perceived costs/risks), the authors propose and test a model in which social interaction fosters social presence, which in turn influences emotional values (sustainability, community belonging, trust) and functional values (price, familiarity, accessibility), thereby affecting satisfaction and continuance intention. The study also explores moderating roles of perceived performance risk, social risk, and reciprocity. Explicit aims: (1) identify major attributes of sharing-based hospitality businesses; (2) test effects of intrinsic and extrinsic values on satisfaction and continuance intention; (3) examine moderating roles of perceived risk and reciprocity in the satisfaction–continuance link.

- Sharing economy: Defined as peer-to-peer sharing/lending/acquiring of goods/services, often via multi-sided platforms enabling social cohesion and community. Focus on peer-to-peer and business-to-peer models within hospitality (Airbnb, coworking spaces, shared kitchens). - Social cognitive theory (SCT): Human behavior is value-driven; perceived social, emotional, and functional values are antecedents to behavior (Zhu et al., 2017). - Value-based adoption model (VAM): Extends TAM/UTAUT by incorporating perceived benefits (intrinsic/extrinsic values) and costs (risks) as antecedents to adoption/satisfaction/continuance. - Social interaction and social presence: Social interaction on platforms (exchange among users) develops social presence (salience/intimacy/psychological warmth of others in mediated communication). Social presence reduces ambiguity, increases trust, and may shape perceived values via rich information cues. - Constructs and hypotheses: • H1: Social interaction → Social presence (+). • H2–H4: Social presence → emotional values: sustainability (+), community belonging (+), trust (+). • H5–H7: Social presence → functional values: price/economic benefit (+), familiarity (+), accessibility (+). • H8–H13: Emotional/functional values → satisfaction: sustainability (+), community belonging (+), trust (+), price (+), familiarity (+), accessibility (+). • H14: Satisfaction → continuance intention (+). • H15–H16: Performance risk and social risk negatively moderate satisfaction → continuance intention. • H17: Reciprocity positively moderates satisfaction → continuance intention. - Additional theoretical notes: Trust is central in online intermediation; community belonging fosters satisfaction; sustainability perceptions can elicit positive emotions; economic benefits (price) are key motivators; familiarity reduces uncertainty; accessibility of online platforms enhances value; satisfaction is a strong predictor of continuance intention.

Design: Mixed methods (qualitative interviews + quantitative survey with SEM and multi-group moderation). - Measurement development: Literature review informed item selection; six in-depth, person-to-person interviews with users of sharing-based hospitality services (all Korean, in their 30s) to validate and surface attributes (e.g., accessibility, community belonging, price, familiarity, trust). Open-ended, 20-minute interviews; thematic coding aligned with constructs from extant research. - Measures: Established scales adapted—socialization (Tussyadiah, 2016), social presence (Gefen & Straub, 2004), trust (Hawlitschek et al., 2016), community belonging (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2007), sustainability (Hamari et al., 2016), price (Tussyadiah, 2016), familiarity (Bhattacherjee, 2002), perceived risks (Pavlou & Gefen, 2004), satisfaction (Lamberton & Rose, 2012; Möhlmann, 2015; Tussyadiah, 2016), continuance intention (Nicolau & McKnight, 2006). 7-point Likert scales used. - Data collection: Online survey in Korea via a research company using random sampling; screening ensured use of relevant services within past two years. N=418 valid responses (out of 430; 12 removed for missing data) over 7 days. Demographics: 49% male/51% female; ages evenly distributed (approx. 25% per decade groups from 20s to 50+); 73% university degree; income varied; 55.7% used such services within past 6 months. - Analysis: EFA and correlation analysis (SPSS 20), then CFA and SEM (AMOS 20) to test hypothesized paths; model fit indices reported. Multi-group invariance tests examined moderation by performance risk, social risk, and reciprocity. - Measurement quality: CFA fit acceptable (χ²=2704.316, df=1084, χ²/df=2.495, CFI=0.884, TLI=0.869, IFI=0.885, RMSEA=0.060). Composite reliability (CR) 0.590–0.911; AVE ≥ 0.5 for most constructs; convergent validity supported.

- Structural model fit acceptable (χ²=1356.893, df=608, χ²/df=2.232, CFI=0.928, TLI=0.921, IFI=0.928, RMSEA=0.054). - Supported paths (standardized β, t): • H1: Social interaction → Social presence: β=0.904, t=11.596, p<0.01. • H2: Social presence → Sustainability: β=0.722, t=10.657, p<0.01. • H3: Social presence → Community belonging: β=0.830, t=11.121, p<0.01. • H4: Social presence → Trust: β=0.838, t=10.569, p<0.01. • H5: Social presence → Price: β=0.654, t=9.813, p<0.01. • H6: Social presence → Familiarity: β=0.674, t=9.922, p<0.01. • H7: Social presence → Accessibility: β=0.634, t=9.543, p<0.01. • H10: Trust → Satisfaction: β=0.312, t=4.815, p<0.01. • H11: Price → Satisfaction: β=0.106, t=2.344, p<0.05. • H13: Accessibility → Satisfaction: β=0.419, t=5.597, p<0.01. • H14: Satisfaction → Continuance intention: β=0.917, t=16.136, p<0.01. - Non-significant or weaker effects: • H8: Sustainability → Satisfaction: β=-0.006, t=-0.138 (ns). • H9: Community belonging → Satisfaction: β=0.140, t=2.297 (positive; table reports t=2.297). • H12: Familiarity → Satisfaction: β=0.077, t=1.021 (ns). - Explained variance: R²(SP)=0.817; R²(SUS)=0.702; R²(CB)=0.402; R²(TR)=0.427; R²(P)=0.454; R²(FAM)=0.689; R²(ACC)=0.521; R²(SATS)=0.754; R²(CI)=0.842. - Indirect effects (selected): Social interaction had significant indirect effects on emotional (sustainability, community belonging, trust: β=0.652 to 0.757, p<0.01) and functional values (price, familiarity, accessibility: β=0.591 to 0.643, p<0.01) via social presence. Social presence affected satisfaction indirectly through trust (β=0.261, p<0.01) and accessibility (β=0.266, p<0.01). Trust and accessibility affected continuance intention indirectly via satisfaction (β=0.286 and β=0.385, p<0.01). Total effects on continuance intention: βSI=0.630**, βSP=0.697**, βSUS=-0.006, βCB=0.129, βTR=0.286**, βP=0.097, βFAM=0.071, βACC=0.385**, βSATS=0.917**. - Moderation: Multi-group analyses showed no significant moderation by performance risk (Δχ²(1)=2.587, p>0.05) or social risk (Δχ²(1)=1.954, p>0.05) on the satisfaction → continuance path; reciprocity significantly moderated this path (reported Δχ²(1)=5.079; authors indicate support).

Findings support the central role of social interaction and social presence in shaping how consumers evaluate and continue using sharing-based hospitality services. Social presence robustly enhances both emotional (sustainability, community belonging, trust) and functional (price, familiarity, accessibility) value perceptions. Among these values, trust and accessibility are strong predictors of satisfaction, and satisfaction, in turn, is the dominant driver of continuance intention. Economic benefit (price) has a smaller yet positive effect, while sustainability and familiarity did not significantly translate into satisfaction in this model, suggesting that while consumers may perceive these attributes, they may not directly influence satisfaction once other factors are accounted for. Mediation analyses indicate that social interaction exerts meaningful indirect effects on downstream outcomes via social presence and value perceptions. Reciprocity strengthens the satisfaction–continuance link, highlighting the importance of mutual exchange norms in sustaining participation. Practically, operators should cultivate rich social presence (e.g., multimedia listings, responsive communication), build trust (transparent information, reliable service), and enhance accessibility and platform legibility to boost satisfaction and repeat use. Theoretically, integrating SCT and VAM clarifies how social processes on platforms translate into value perceptions and behavior, with satisfaction mediating these effects.

This study contributes by identifying and validating key social (interaction, presence) and value-based (trust, accessibility, price, community belonging) drivers of satisfaction and continuance intention in the hospitality sharing economy. It demonstrates that social presence is a pivotal antecedent of both emotional and functional value perceptions; trust and accessibility, in particular, drive satisfaction, which strongly predicts continuance intention. Reciprocity moderates the satisfaction–continuance link, underscoring the role of cooperative norms. The research advances hospitality and sharing-economy literature by integrating SCT and VAM, testing a comprehensive model with mixed methods, and evidencing mediation and moderation mechanisms. Future research should: (1) examine cross-country and cross-platform generalizability; (2) analyze sector-specific differences (peer-to-peer accommodations, coworking, shared kitchens) rather than aggregating; (3) track actual repeat behaviors beyond stated continuance intention; and (4) further unpack how sustainability and familiarity may influence satisfaction under different conditions.

- Sampling confined to Korea; findings may not generalize to other cultural or market contexts. - Three hospitality sectors were combined into a single dataset; sector-specific effects were not examined. - The outcome variable was continuance intention rather than observed repeat behavior. - Platform/business selection was based on researchers’ recognition of societal presence, which may omit other relevant services or platforms.