Understanding the determinants of member participation intentions in web-based time banking platforms: role of perceived trust and perceived risk

Time banking is a feasible solution to alleviate pension pressure; however, a low user participation rate hinders its development. This research centres the factors affecting the intention to participate in web-based time banking. Drawing on stimulus–organism–response framework, the authors develop and test a model that explains how technological support and institutional support influence behavioural intention, mediated by perceived trust and perceived risk. An online survey was conducted on the members of 'Nansha Time Bank' in China, 315 valid responses were received and analysed. PLS-SEM was applied to check the effects of those factors with the intention of the members. Outcomes suggest that perceived trust is significantly and positively related to member's intention to participate, and perceived risk is negatively related to member's intention to participate. Website quality of the platform can significantly increase perceived trust and reduce perceived risk. However, transaction convenience of the platform is found only to have a negative effect on perceived risk. Finally, government support and sense of community are positively related to perceived trust and negatively associated with perceived risk. The results of this study provide knowledge about members' pattern of participating in time banking and implications for better organisation of those web-based time banks.