A Research on Value Chain Structure of the Performing Arts Consumers' Social Media Usage - Application of Means-End Chain Theory and Involvement

This paper aims to analyze the role of social media for the performing arts audience and search the potential of it as a new means of their cultural experience. In addition, it explored the differences between the value structure of current performing arts audience and that of potential audience by applying the concept of involvement. It also analyzed the correlation between the consuming of performances and social media usage. Means-end chain theory was applied to derive the value chain structure of social media. The results demonstrated that the low involvement group used the performing arts and social media for networking in the sense of social communication. By comparison, the high involvement group attempted to acquire large cultural capital through the establishment of extensive social capital. They sought the aesthetical pleasure in the process of utilizing social media and found a new meaningful way of enjoying culture.