Understanding users’ contribution in open innovation communities: a social capital perspective

Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Capital Perspective ◽  
Innovation Community

Purpose As users often lack the motivation to contribute their ideas and knowledge in open innovation communities, it is necessary to identify the determinants of users’ contribution. This paper aims to examine users’ contribution in open innovation communities based on the social capital theory. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected 474 valid responses from a survey and adopted structural equation modeling (SEM) to conduct data analysis. Findings The results indicated that social interaction, which includes informational and emotional interaction, has a significant effect on social capital, which in turn affects users’ contribution. Research limitations/implications The results imply that companies need to facilitate users’ interactions and develop social capital to promote their contribution in open innovation communities. Originality/value Although previous research has found the effect of individual motivations such as perceived benefits and behavioural control on innovation community users’ behaviour, it has seldom considered the effect of social capital embedded within the social relationship networking. This research tries to fill the gap and the results disclosed the mechanism underlying open innovation community users’ contribution.

Orchestrating an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in an emerging country: The lead actor’s role from a social capital perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 767-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Porras-Paez ◽  
Jana Schmutzler
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Weak Institutions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Resource Endowment ◽  
Emerging Country ◽  
Social Capital Perspective

During the recent years, the question of whether an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem emerges organically or is man-made has been disputed. This paper explores the case of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in a developing country. We argue that in the context of lagging industrial development and weak institutions, a lead actor needs to step in to aid the emergence of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. We argue that only a locally embedded actor who has the resource endowment and the legitimacy to do so can assume such a role. By applying social capital theory, we show that deliberate strategies by this lead actor to densify the social network within the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem will assist in establishing trust and future collaboration, which will result in productive entrepreneurship.

Social capital and export performance within exporter-intermediary relationships

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Carlos Pinho
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Export Performance ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dyadic Relationship ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper draw insights from social capital theory and examines the synergistic effect of several constructs on export performance within the context of exporter–intermediary relationships. Specifically, it assumes that social capital and the set of resources embedded therein strongly influence the extent to which both commitment and cooperation occur, and how these, in turn, impact on export performance. Design/methodology/approach Following a quantitative methodological approach, a survey is applied to a sample of small and medium-sized enterprise exporters, to empirically test the proposed conceptual model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling is used to test the empirical model. Findings The findings reveal that there is a positive and direct impact of social capital on export performance. Results also confirm that the presence of high social capital between exporters and intermediaries affects both high commitment and high cooperation. The study also confirms the mediation effect of cooperation in the relationship between social capital and export performance. Practical implications One possible shortfall of this research relates to the fact that this analysis only incorporates the view of one actor, the view of exporter firms. This limitation could open a rewarding direction for future research, which would be to analyze the view of both sides in a dyadic relationship. Originality/value This paper presents the original approach of looking at the relational antecedents of export performance.

The effects of innovative, consumer and social characteristics on willingness to try nano-foods

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 653-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsin Hsin Chang ◽  
Ching Ying Huang ◽  
Chen Su Fu ◽  
Ming Tse Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technology Application ◽  
Subjective Perceptions ◽  
Perceived Benefit ◽  
The Social

Purpose By integrating the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, technology acceptance model (TAM), and social capital theory, the purpose of this paper is to: develop a model of consumer behavior and trial willingness toward nano-foods from product, consumer, and social perspectives; examine the effects of innovative features, consumer characteristics, and trust in authority on subjective perceptions (perceived trustworthiness and perceived benefit) as well as the social influence on attitudes toward nano-foods and trial willingness; examine the moderating role of product uncertainty on the relationship between these characteristics and subjective perceptions; and examine the effect of perceived benefit on perceived trustworthiness. Design/methodology/approach The results of the structural equation model (SEM), with nano-food knowledge data collected from 431 respondents, supported the research model and revealed the main effects hypothesized in this study and the moderating effect of product uncertainty. Simple slope analysis was further adopted to test the significant moderating effects. Findings The SEM results indicated that innovative characteristics (relative advantage, lack of observability, and novelty), consumer characteristics (perceived technology application), and social characteristics (trust in authority) affect perceived trustworthiness or perceived benefit. Social influence also has a direct effect on attitude toward nano-foods and trial willingness. Product uncertainty significantly moderates the relationship between characteristics (relative advantage and perceived technology application) and subjective perceptions (perceived trustworthiness and perceived benefit). Research limitations/implications With increasing numbers and kinds of nanotechnology products now being developed and sold, it is important to go further to determine consumer perceptions and attitudes toward these. This study, thus, applied the DOI, TAM, and social capital theory to examine this issue. However, other theories might also be used to carry out research from other perspectives. This study should, thus, be seen as preliminary, and it is hoped that more works will discuss consumer attitudes toward nanotechnology products in the future. Practical implications When a new nano-food is introduced, the current study suggests that food manufacturers use the description on the package as a communicative tool. Detailing the advantages of nano-foods on food packages might be a useful way to enhance trial willingness and to reduce the fears and insecurities related to the use of nano-related products. In addition, if food manufacturers could cooperate with organizations or individuals seen as having some authority in this area (e.g. nanotechnology researchers) in order to disseminate accurate information about nanotechnology and related food products, this might be an effective way to increase sales and profits. Originality/value This is the first paper integrating the DOI, the social capital theory and the TAM to empirically investigate consumer willingness to try nano-food products.

Understanding users’ participation in online health communities: A social capital perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Informational Support ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Online Health Communities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Health Communities ◽  
Social Capital Perspective

Due to the intense competition, it is crucial for online health communities to facilitate users’ participation and retain them. Drawing on the social capital theory, this research examined users’ participation in online health communities. The results indicated that social support, which includes informational support and emotional support, has a significant effect on social capital, which in turn affects users’ participation including health knowledge acquisition and contribution. The results imply that online health communities need to create a supportive climate in order to develop social capital and facilitate users’ participation.

scholarly journals Social capital stories behind young women’s drinking practices

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Godwin ◽  
Judy Drennan ◽  
Josephine Previte
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Social Marketing ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderate Drinking ◽  
Meso Level ◽  
Friendship Groups ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the meso-level social forces that influence moderate drinking in young women’s friendship groups through the application of social capital theory. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative inquiry was undertaken utilising peer-paired and small focus groups to explore young women’s drinking choices within their existing friendship groups. Guided by emic and etic perspectives, friendship groups were analysed to inform archetypical representations that illustrate group-level social capital exchanges. Findings The approach led to identifying four social capital and drinking archetypes. These archetypes indicate social capital-led “influencers” and “followers” and highlight the displays of capital practised by young women in alcohol consumption contexts. Research limitations/implications The social marketing insight drawn from this study of young women’s drinking behaviours will inform social marketers on future strategic directions about how they can use alternative methods to segment the social market of young female drinkers and develop value propositions that will motivate them towards adopting or maintaining moderate drinking practices. Originality/value This study contributes to social marketing theory by demonstrating the worth of social capital theory as an alternative lens for social marketers to apply in explorations of group influences that shape behaviour. The research findings in the paper demonstrate how deeper theorisation provides rich insight into the meso-level, complex behavioural influence which effect young women’s alcohol consumption.

scholarly journals Blockchain adoption in supply networks: a social capital perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Galati
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Supply Networks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Brokers ◽  
Social Capital Perspective

Purpose This study aims to contribute to the early but fervent debate on blockchain and supply networks by proposing a novel theoretical perspective on blockchain adoption grounded on social capital theory. In particular, it seeks to answer the following question: what is the role of social capital in shaping the decision to adopt blockchain in supply networks? Design/methodology/approach Multiple case-studies, based on interviews performed with managers of eight firms, were used. Findings The social capital theory emerged as an additional but necessary lens to investigate blockchain implementation in supply networks. The intuitions proposed highlighted the importance of managers’ sensemaking for investigating technology adoption. Relational capital emerged as a necessary but not sufficient condition to adopt blockchain in supply networks. In addition, it is argued a relationship between competitive opportunities at the firm level and the idea to adopt the blockchain. The opportunity to act as “Tertius Gaudens” or as “Tertius Iungens” information brokers in supply networks should severely affect firms’ proneness toward the adoption of blockchain solutions. Originality/value This is one of the first studies in the literature investigating blockchain adoption in supply networks from a social capital perspective. It introduces new issues to the debate related to the role of blockchain in the supply chain by discussing the role of goal misalignment and competitive advantage, which emerged as crucial for shaping the decision to adopt blockchain in supply networks.

From social capital to consumer engagement: the mediating role of consumer e-empowerment

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rania B. Mostafa
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Consumer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Bonding And Bridging ◽  
Social Capitals

Purpose This paper fulfills a prominent need to examine some overlooked predictors of consumer engagement in an online setting. This study aims to explore whether and how consumer e-empowerment mediates the influence of social capital (bonding and bridging) on consumer engagement with the Facebook brand page. Design/methodology/approach Based on an online questionnaire survey, data obtained from 369 Facebook users were analyzed by using structural equation modeling to empirically examine the proposed framework. Findings Results support an influential mediating effect of consumer e-empowerment to the social capital -consumer engagement link. Specifically, the effect of both bridging and bonding social capitals on consumer engagement is partially mediated by consumer e-empowerment. Research limitations/implications The social capital notion is powerful for managers, as it indicates significant results for the firm due to investments in social media brand pages. Such social capital transmutes into consumer engagement via consumer e-empowerment. Therefore, this paper provides a guideline for managers when investing in social media sites. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need to study how social capital may affect consumer engagement. The paper is a leading study in investigating the direct and indirect (via consumer e-empowerment) effects of bonding and bridging social capitals on consumer brand engagement.

Indirect impact of employees’ social capital on their income at Dong Thap Muoi, Long An Province

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-17
Author(s):  
Pham Tan Hoa
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Indirect Impact ◽  
Strength Of Weak Ties

The study aims to examine the direct impact of social capital on the employment and income of workers. The research model is built based on Granovetter’s theory of the strength of weak-ties relationships, Putnam’s social capital theory, and the results of some related previous studies. The study used secondary data collected from 1,197 workers in the Dong Thap Muoi region of Long An province. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to analyze the data. The results show that social capital has a positive impact on the employment and income of workers, in which the trust factor has the most substantial influence. From the research results, some recommendations are proposed to increase work efficiency and increase employee income.

Retailers' CSR: the effects of legitimacy and social capital

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyoung Kim ◽  
Sejin Ha ◽  
Clarissa Fong
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – This study aims to investigate consumer perception of community and employee oriented CSR program, and examine how retailers' CSR activities lead to social (i.e. legitimization) and financial support. Further, by taking the social context into account, this research examine the moderating effect of consumer engagement in community social capital on the relationship between perceived retailers' CSR action and retailer legitimization. Design/methodology/approach – Pre-test was conducted with 144 students to validate the measurement model. A total of 220 responses from US consumers were used for the main-test, and multiple group analysis in structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed in order to test the structural model. Findings – The result indicates that when retailers are perceived as adhering to social norms through their CSR actions, they gain legitimacy and support from the consumers within the community. Further, consumer social capital moderates the relationship between perceived CSR and retailer legitimacy. Practical implications – Findings of this research can provide retail marketers with practical implication in developing their CSR strategy catering to the community members. Understanding consumers with higher level of social capital investment will increase the capability and effectiveness of the retailers' CSR activities. Originality/value – This research offers theoretical contributions to the current research stream of CSR studies by testing the moderating effect of consumers' engagement in the social environment on consumers' legitimization and support toward retailers that perform CSR activities. This study also provides new perspective on assessing the outcome of retailers' CSR actions by focusing on both social and financial dimensions.

Does supplier opportunism lead to buyer opportunism? A social capital perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 362-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus Steinle ◽  
Holger Schiele ◽  
Tobias Bohnenkamp
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Behavioral Approach ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supplier Relations ◽  
Social Capital Perspective

Purpose In light of increasingly tight buyer–supplier relationships, opportunism is a problem of increasing relevance. So far, opportunism has mainly been researched as a detrimental action by suppliers and interpreted with an institutional economics lens. Recent conceptual work, however, has argued more for a behavioral approach to operations management, suggesting benefits of taking a social capital perspective on opportunism. Based on a large empirical sample of buyer–supplier relations, this paper aims to provide an empirical study using social capital as theoretical lens. Further, it analyzes both supplier and buyer opportunism at the same time. Design/methodology/approach The paper, through following a quantitative approach, considers the interacting dyad of buyer and supplier opportunism, its antecedents as well as its performance implications. Findings Findings did not support the expectation that supplier opportunism will be countered by buyer opportunism in a single relationship. However, social capital in the form of cognitive and relational capital has been found as a good predictor of opportunism. This study proposes new measures for structural capital. Further the study confirms the detrimental effect of opportunism on performance of the buyer–supplier relationship, highlighting the mediating role of innovation as building block of relational competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications Previous studies on opportunism in buyer–supplier relations were mostly transaction cost-oriented, thus neglecting the behavioral aspects of exchange processes. Introducing social capital theory revealed to be a rewarding amplification of the perspective. Next, most research up till now was focused on explaining supplier opportunism only. This study contributes by analyzing both sides of the interacting dyad. Finally, this research closes a research gap by not only explaining the occurrence of opportunism but by also testing its performance outcomes. Accordingly, this study contributes to the opportunism literature, social capital theory development and to the management of buyer–supplier relations. Practical implications Building up cognitive and relational capital is likely to be a tool to reduce the danger of opportunism – both with the partner firm, as well as inside the own organization. As such, firms need to make sure that both forms of social capital are present to a higher extent. If this is not the case, opportunistic actions on both buying and supplying side might occur which have damaging impacts on the generation of innovation as well as the achievement of strategic advantages. Originality/value While previous studies have focused on explaining supplier opportunism, an analysis of both sides of the interacting dyad between buyer and supplier opportunism is missing. Not only does this research provides further insights with regard to the latter, but further considers the role of social capital as underlying factor explaining both buyer and supplier opportunism. Also, this research answers the call on more research about the relation between opportunism and performance, specifically focusing on innovation and strategic advantage generation.

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