VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE AND CONSUMPTION PRACTICES: A CASE OF TURKEY

Abstract

The present study aims to explore if virtual communities (VC) take the form of communities of practice. It is also aimed to explore the role virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) play in consumers’ identity and consumption practices. Qualitative analysis of a VCoP revealed that it has the structural elements of communities of practice. The community identity is based on the quest of emancipation, adventure and being connected to the nature. Although the community is not explicitly centered upon consumption-related interests, members represent themselves socially within the context of consumption.