scholarly journals An exploratory study of entrepreneurial social networks in the digital age

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Zhao ◽  
Llandis Barratt-Pugh ◽  
Peter Standen ◽  
Janice Redmond ◽  
Yuliani Suseno
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Networks ◽  
Research Stream ◽  
New Research ◽  
The Impact

PurposeDrawing on social network and social capital literature, this study aims to explore how digital entrepreneurs utilize social networks to build their entrepreneurial capability, creating and developing business ventures in a digitally networked society.Design/methodology/approachThe study takes a qualitative approach, interviewing 35 digital entrepreneurs with businesses operating across multiple industry sectors in Western Australia.FindingsThe findings suggest that structural social capital provides a key resource with groups of relational contacts who facilitate in building entrepreneur capability, the venture and customer markets. Relational social capital provides a foundation of trust between entrepreneurs and social network members that is strategically important for digital entrepreneurship (DE). Cognitive social capital provides mechanisms to form relationships based on shared values across social networks.Research limitations/implicationsThe study produces early evidence that in a multiplexed networking world, social capital accrual and use online is different from that of off-line. More empirical studies are needed to understand the complexity of the changing nature of online and off-line social networks, the consequential social capital and their interdependence in DE.Practical implicationsThis is an exploratory qualitative study using a limited sample of 35 Australian digital entrepreneurs to explore the impact of social network interaction on digital entrepreneurs and their ventures, with the purpose of stimulating a social network approach when studying DE. This study confirms the critical importance of entrepreneurial social networks in the digital age and provides empirical evidence that online networks foster business development, while off-line networks feed self-development.Originality/valueThe study contributes to current research on DE as a dedicated new research stream of entrepreneurship. Specifically, the study contributes to a greater understanding of how digital entrepreneurs leverage social networks in today's digitally connected society.

The influence of personality traits and social networks on the self-disclosure behavior of social network site users

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 566-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Yin Pan ◽  
Bin Guo
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
The Self ◽  
Social Network Site ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Network Site

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence and interaction of social networks and personality traits on the self-disclosure behavior of social network site (SNS) users. According to social capital theory and the Big Five personality model, the authors hypothesized that social capital factors would affect the accuracy and amount of self-disclosure behavior and that personality traits would moderate this effect. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted to collect data from 207 SNS users. The questionnaire was administered in university classrooms and libraries and via e-mail. The measurement model and structural model were examined by using LISREL 8.8 and SmartPLS 2.0. Findings – Based on the path analysis, the authors identified several interesting patterns to explain self-disclosure behavior on SNSs. First, the centrality of SNS users has a positive effect on their amount of self-disclosure. Moreover, people who are more extroverted disclose personal information that is more accurate with the level of the cognitive dimension held constant and disclose a greater amount of personal information with the level of the structural dimension held constant. From a practical perspective, the results may provide useful insight for companies operating SNSs. Originality/value – This study analyzed the influence of social capital factors on SNS users’ self-disclosure, as well as the interactions between personality and social capital factors. Specifically, the authors examined six important variables of social capital divided into three dimensions. This research complements current research on SNSs by focusing on SNS users’ motivation to disclose self-related information in addition to information sharing.

scholarly journals Social networks, accessed and mobilised social capital and the employment status of older workers

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 356-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaberi Gayen ◽  
Robert Raeside ◽  
Ronald McQuaid
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Older People ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Weak Ties ◽  
Strong Ties ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of social networks, and the social capital embedded in them, to secure employment if someone had become unemployed after the age of 50 years and to reveal the process of accessing and mobilising that social capital. Design/methodology/approach A case study of a Scottish labour market was undertaken which involved an interview-based survey of those who became unemployed in their early 50’s and tried to regain employment. The interview had structured and unstructured parts which allowed both quantitative and qualitative analysis to compare those who were successful in regaining work with those who were not. The uniqueness of the paper is the use of social network components while controlling for other socio-economic and demographic variables in job search of older workers. Findings Those older people who were unemployed and, returned to employment (reemployed) had a higher proportion of contacts with higher prestige jobs, their job searching methods were mainly interpersonal and the rate of finding their last job via their social networks was higher than those who remained unemployed. Both groups mobilised social capital (MSC), but those reemployed accessed higher “quality” social capital. “Strong ties”, rather than “weak ties”, were found to be important in accessing and mobilising social capital for the older workers who returned to employment. Research limitations/implications This work is limited to a local labour market and is based on a small but informative sample. However, it does show that policy is required to allow older people to enhance their social networks by strengthening the social capital embedded in the networks. The results support the use of intermediaries as bridges to help compensate for older people who have weak social networks. Besides the policy implications, the paper also has two distinct research implications. First, the use of social network component to the existing literature of older workers’ job search. Second, exploring the type and relational strength with network members to explain older workers’ reemployment. Practical implications The paper illustrates that how accessed and MSC can be measured. Social implications As populations age, this work points to an approach to support older people to re-enter employment and to include them in society. Originality/value The paper extends social network and employment literature to fill gaps on how older people require to both access and mobilise social capital. The importance of “strong ties” in the reemployment of older workers contrasts with much of the literature on younger workers where the “strength of weak ties” so far has been regarded as essential for successful job search. Measures are forwarded to reveal the relevance of social capital. The policy value of the work is in suggesting ways to facilitate older people re-enter or remain in work and hence sustain their well-being.

The impact of organizational social networks on salespeople’s negative headquarters stereotypes

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 1901-1913
Author(s):  
Babak Hayati ◽  
Sandeep Puri
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Sales Performance ◽  
Sales Managers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Network Patterns ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sales Forces

Purpose Extant sales management literature shows that holding negative headquarters stereotypes (NHS) by salespeople is harmful to their sales performance. However, there is a lack of research on how managers can leverage organizational structures to minimize NHS in sales forces. This study aims to know how social network patterns influence the flow of NHS among salespeople and sales managers in a large B2B sales organization. Design/methodology/approach The authors hypothesize and test whether patterns of social networks among salespeople and sales managers determine the stereotypical attitudes of salespeople toward corporate directors and, eventually, impact their sales performance. The authors analyzed a multi-level data set from the B2B sales forces of a large US-based media company. Findings The authors found that organizational social network properties including the sales manager’s team centrality, sales team’s network density and sales team’s external connectivity moderate the flow of NHS from sales managers and peer salespeople to a focal salesperson. Research limitations/implications First, the data was cross-sectional and did not allow the authors to examine the dynamics of social network patterns and their impact on NHS. Second, The authors only focused on advice-seeking social networks and did not examine other types of social networks such as friendship and trust networks. Third, the context was limited to one company in the media industry. Practical implications The authors provide recommendations to sales managers on how to leverage and influence social networks to minimize the development and flow of NHS in sales forces. Originality/value The findings advance existing knowledge on how NHS gets shared and transferred in sales organizations. Moreover, this study provides crucial managerial insights with regard to controlling and managing NHS in sales forces.

Investigating the online social network development through the Five Cs Model of Similarity

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena-Mădălina Vătămănescu ◽  
Andreia Gabriela Andrei ◽  
Florina Pînzaru
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Network Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Context Similarity ◽  
Research Initiatives ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of five dimensions of similarity (i.e. condition similarity, context similarity, catalyst similarity, consequence similarity and connection similarity) on Facebook social networks development. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with 245 Romanian college students. SmartPLS 3 statistical software for partial least squares structural equation modeling was chosen as the most adequate technique for the assessment of models with both composites and reflective constructs. Findings More than 52 percent of the variance in social network development was explained by the advanced similarity model. Each dimension had a positive effect on Facebook social networks development, the highest influences being exerted by condition similarity, context similarity and consequence similarity. Research limitations/implications The current approach is substantively based on the homophily paradigm in explaining social network development. Future research would benefit from comparing and contrasting complementary theories (e.g. the rational self-interest paradigm, the social exchange or dependency theories) with the current findings. Also, the research is tributary to a convenience-based sample of Romanian college students which limits the generalization of the results to other cultural contexts and, thus, invites further research initiatives to test the model in different settings. Social implications Similarity attributes and mechanisms consistently determine the dynamics of online social networks, a fact which should be investigated in depth in terms of the impact of new technologies among young people. Originality/value This study is among the first research initiatives to approach similarity structures and processes within an integrative framework and to conduct the empirical analysis beyond US-centric samples.

“Who should I grant access to my post?”: Identifying the most suitable privacy decisions on online social networks

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Alemany ◽  
Elena Del Val ◽  
Ana María García-Fornes
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capital Building ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

PurposeOnline social networks (OSNs) provide users with mechanisms such as social circles and individual selection to define the audiences (i.e., privacy policy) of the shared information. This privacy decision-making process is a hard and tedious task for users because they have to assess the cost-benefit in a complex environment. Moreover, little is known about how users assess the cost-benefit of matching the elements of online communication and their interests. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop and test a research model to understand the impact that the types of receivers and the sensitivity of messages have on privacy decisions.Design/methodology/approachA study was conducted to understand how users evaluate the cost-benefit of the disclosure action in online social networks for the different types of receivers identified and the sensitivity of the message. Data from 400 respondents was collected and analyzed using partial least squares modeling.FindingsThe findings of this study demonstrated a trade-off variance between the perceived cost-benefit and the disclosure of sensitive information with different receiver types. Disclosing personal information with trusted receivers, influencer receivers and receivers from the circle of coworkers had a positive significant effect on social capital building. Conversely, disclosing personal information with receivers from the circle of family or unknown receivers had a significant negative effect on social capital building and even a significant positive effect on privacy concerns.Originality/valueRecent literature has documented the increasing interest of the research community in understanding users' concerns and interests in making the most suitable privacy decisions. However, most researchers have worked on understanding the disclosure action from a user-centered perspective and have not considered all of the elements of online communication. This study puts the focus on all of the elements of communication during disclosure actions, taking into account the properties of the message and receivers and the impact on users' cost benefit value.

The role of district leaders for organization social capital

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edith H. Hooge ◽  
Nienke M. Moolenaar ◽  
Karin C.J. van Look ◽  
Selma K. Janssen ◽  
Peter J.C. Sleegers
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Network ◽  
School District ◽  
School Districts ◽  
School Principals ◽  
District Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Social Capital ◽  
The Impact ◽  
District Governance

Purpose Although it is assumed that school district governance by districts leaders can impact schools’ capacity to improvement and educational quality, there is little systematic evidence to support this claim. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how governance goals and interventions affect school districts’ social capital. Design/methodology/approach The empirical enquiry used quantitative data on district leaders enacting governance as perceived by their school principals. These data were collected among 399 school principals of 23 Dutch school districts in elementary education, using a survey. Social network data on social capital within school districts were collected using a social network survey among educational administrators (i.e. district leaders, central office administrators and school principals). Additionally, examples of the relation between school district social capital and governance at six school districts were described. Findings Results suggest that district leaders can promote the organizational social capital of their school districts through focusing on educational goals. In addition, the findings show that they can reinforce their impact by using interventions varying in coercion level, of which offering support to school principals appears to be “a golden button” to make organizational social capital thrive. Research limitations/implications Limitations to the study are the generalizability of the findings (they can be questioned because “convenience sampling” was used) and warrant a longitudinal design to examine how organization social capital develops over time. Originality/value The study is unique as it addresses the impact district leaders may have on their districts’ social capital by focusing on social network approach in the study of school district governance.

Analyzing campaign’s outcome in reward-based crowdfunding

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 1171-1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Madrazo-Lemarroy ◽  
Karla Barajas-Portas ◽  
Maria Elena Labastida Tovar
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Shared Vision ◽  
Design Model ◽  
Cognitive Dimension ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current State ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to probe how reward-based crowdfunding campaigns accomplish their goal by adopting the theoretical constructs of social capital dimensions: structural, cognitive and relational. Design/methodology/approach The approach used is a design model for concluded campaigns in a Mexican crowdfunding platform, which determines social capital from operating social networks (Facebook and Twitter). By using this model, the associations between the dimensions are revealed, verifying how social capital flourishes during the campaign and how it alters the campaign’s outcome. Findings The findings demonstrate how social interaction through a wide social network (structural dimension), shared vision and values among entrepreneurs and their potential funders (cognitive dimension), and the development of trustworthiness within the campaign (relational dimension) boost the probability of achieving the crowdfunding goal. Research limitations/implications The results inform researchers on how social capital is forged from social networks during a crowdfunding campaign. However, the method must be validated with other crowdfunding models and other social network platforms commonly used by campaign creators. Practical implications Contributions from this paper include tools (design model and evaluation method) associating theory with the crowdfunding mechanism, complementing previous work. Crowdfunding providers, as well as campaign creators, have now an approach to appraise social capital and obtain the desired goal. Originality/value In addition to providing much-needed research on the current state of crowdfunding, this paper analyzes the link between practice and theory, which can be valuable in confining the mechanism to an accurate theory and ensuring the theory’s longevity.

Constructing social networks and mobilizing social capital

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 164-178
Author(s):  
Donghui Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Academic Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Actors ◽  
Cultural Affinity ◽  
Social Capitals ◽  
Han Culture ◽  
New Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the life worlds of Tibetan students who participate in China’s inland boarding programs and seek to understand the social networks they develop in the Han-culture dominant school settings. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on ethnographic fieldwork with two Tibetan students (Dorji and Lhamo) in a Beijing inland boarding high school. Findings This study found that the Tibetan students are capable social actors who construct two kinds of social networks, the “we” group (co-ethnics) vs the “they” group (cross-ethnics), and mobilize different social capitals strategically. The former provides them with emotional support, cultural affinity and a sense of belonging, while the latter helps them achieve instrumental outcomes, such as Mandarin proficiency, academic improvement and broadened horizons. Research limitations/implications However, the group boundary they draw between the two kinds of networks reflects the futility of government efforts to promote interethnic integration through the inland schools. Originality/value The issue of minority students as active agents in constructing social networks and mobilizing social capital in unfamiliar sociocultural settings is a relatively new research area (Reynolds, 2007; Holland et al., 2007), whereas the Tibetan students in China are among the least known in the existing scholarship.

scholarly journals Don’t you (forget about me)

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 761-790
Author(s):  
Ce (Jacky) Mo ◽  
Ting Yu ◽  
Ko de Ruyter
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Distribution Channel ◽  
Marketing Channel ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Channel Networks ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relational Outcomes ◽  
New Research ◽  
The Impact

Purpose To advance research on channel relationship management, this study aims to test for the impacts of a channel member’s perception of exclusion from a supplier’s distribution channel networks (i.e. out-of-the-channel-loop perceptions [OCLP]) on supplier–channel partner relationships. The authors also systematically develop and empirically validate a scale to measure OCLP. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports two empirical studies. The first develops a new scale for OCLP, following established approaches. The second tests the hypotheses. Survey data from a sample of channel firms operating in four industries were subjected to partial least squares modelling in the test of the hypothesized main and moderating effects. Findings The authors developed the new scale, including eight items, that capture OCLP from both social and economic perspectives. The results also show that OCLP has negative impacts on channel members’ psychological and behavioural outcomes (satisfaction, information sharing, positive word of mouth), after controlling for the effect of perceived unfairness. Channel partner perceived peer support emerges as a boundary condition of the impact; perceived informational support attenuates, whereas emotional support amplifies, the impact of OCLP. Research limitations/implications This study suggests new research opportunities for explaining business-to-business marketing relationships using newly conceptualized OCLP. Practical implications This study highlights that suppliers must recognize the potential for negative consequences of OCLP and manage these perceptions to minimize the negative implications. For suppliers, this study also offers several tools for managing OCLP. Originality/value This study introduces ostracism concepts to marketing channel literature to study a potential detriment to channel relationships. The proposed scale captures channel partners’ sense of exclusion from supplier relationships. It provides initial insights into the direct impacts on channel relational outcomes and associated boundary conditions.

Discovering the underlying dynamics of crowdfunding networks: entrepreneurs’ ties, crowdfunders’ connections and community spin-offs

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-298
Author(s):  
Ciro Troise
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Spaces ◽  
Funding Success ◽  
Research Stream ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the underlying dynamics of crowdfunding networks. The study examines the impact of actors’ connections, i.e. entrepreneurs’ ties and connections between crowdfunders, on funding success, i.e. the funding amount collected at the end of crowdfunding campaigns. Furthermore, this research explore the role of communities within crowdfunding platforms. Design/methodology/approach The study leverages the network theory and uses a quantitative methodology based on a regression analysis (ordinary least squares). Data collection was done through Ulule, a leading crowdfunding platform in Europe. Findings The research provides a description of the structure of crowdfunding networks and their communities. The results show that actors’ connections play a key role in affecting the funding success. Both the entrepreneurs’ ties, i.e. the connections of the entrepreneur before the launch of the campaign and the connections between crowdfunders, i.e. the ties established within crowdfunding communities (redundancy and effective size), positively affect the funding amount collected at the end of the campaign. Research limitations/implications This paper has useful implications for several stakeholders such as entrepreneurs, platform managers, communities’ managers, policy makers and authorities. Entrepreneurs should expand and strengthen their ties before the launch of the online call, while managers of platforms/communities should stimulate connections between actors, in particular between crowdfunders within communities, and improve the online spaces of campaigns with new dedicated sections or specific forums. Policy makers and authorities should design specific policies, favor the rise of new types of entrepreneurship (e.g. community spin-off) and support the development of new tools and communities. Originality/value This is one of the first empirical studies that explore the underlying dynamics of crowdfunding networks. Results revealed by the analysis might steer other scholars’ interest towards this research path. The connections between crowdfunders within the communities have been neglected so far. This research proposes an original network approach based on typical network parameters. The study sheds some light on the importance of actors’ connections and adds new knowledge in a recent research stream that is still in its infancy.

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