Commercializing Online Communities: From Communities to Commerce

This article presents a theory of dynamic virtual communities. It places the communities into a matrix according to the commercial purpose and organizational structure. The model is then elaborated upon to show the dynamic nature of virtual communities. The descriptions of the model attempts to show the differences between different types of communities from a common point of view. The model attempts to show the criteria for using communities in electronic commerce. The paper does not attempt finite definitions of the community at any given stage but rather shows the differences, which exist, in virtual communities and their different functions.