Metaverse for Marketing in the Public Sector: Implications on Citizen Relationship Management

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how citizens perceive application of the metaverse platforms for city marketing and investigate factors that affect overall attitude for citizen relationship management in the public sector. In particular, this study investigates the following: i) how factors including perceived city brand value, public service, emotional value, experience, personalization, economic value, social value, and cultural value on overall attitude and ii) how overall attitude affects intention to use of metaverse for the public sector and citizen satisfaction. This study conducted an online survey with the assistance of a well-known research firm. This study applied factor, ANOVA, and regression analysis to test hypotheses. The results found that effects of perceived city brand value, emotional value, information, economic value, social value, and cultural value on overall attitude toward metaverse application for the public sector showed significance. The results provide managerial and policy implications for the public sector on how to apply metaverse to provide public services and enhance engagement with citizens. The results also provide implications which aspects should be considered to enhance citizen relationship management and to build the better city brand value by applying metaverse.