Consumption community and social identity

The key objectives of the research is to examine the impacts of consumption community and underlying motivations for joining consumption communities in consuming masculine products among Korean female consumers. This study is the first to link a consumption community to social identity theory. To find an answer to our research questions, the study uses Korean Harley Davidson female riders who ride the American heavy motorcycle in a consumption community to answer the research questions. Harley Davidson is an icon of masculine products due to the size and the powerful engine of the motorcycle. A hermeneutic approach is adopted to understand Korean female consumers’ motivations in joining consumption communities and their perceptions about riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle. A hermeneutic method uses personal in-depth interviews to elicit the behaviors, values, and motivations that researchers are trying to understand (Kozinets, 2001; Thompson et al., 1994). The hermeneutic method is appropriate when researchers are attempting to understand motivations, values and beliefs deeply embedded in a person’s mind (Thompson et al., 1994).