A Theoretical Method of Measuring Virtual Community Health and the Health of their Operating Environment in a Business Setting

Virtual communities exist within the business community and within businesses themselves. They are a key part of the knowledge transfer system within a business. Companies invest money in supporting the virtual communities, not just the internal ones but external ones as well. Companies tend to invest only in things which bring a net return, so their investment in these virtual communities suggests that many companies believe there is value in them and that they will have a net positive return on their investment. Because there is perceived value in business-based virtual communities, there needs to be a way to measure their health and provide those making the investment with information related to the health of their communities. ABSTRACT