The Application of Social Network Theory During a Pandemic

This chapter provides a theoretical overview of social network theory, given the widespread of social media during the COVID-19 outbreak. It mainly focuses on three social network theories (the social capital and structural halls, the strength of weak ties, and the small-world). It gives insights into how different researchers have examined these theories during the pandemics and how they have been used in exchanging and communicating information during pandemics. In addition, it reviews previous research concerning how epidemic propagation often happens based on these theories.

The Influencing Factors of Intellectual Property Pledge Loan Trust: A Social Network Theory-Based Experimental Study

This paper studies the behavior of intellectual property pledge loan based on a specific social network and uses the method of experimental research to analyze the impact of factors on the comprehensive trust of intellectual property pledge loan. The results show that if direct cooperation records between enterprises and banks are complete, the larger the scale of cooperation, the higher the trust of intellectual property pledge loans, and the nearer the cooperation record to the present time, the greater the credibility of enterprise cooperation. If there is no direct cooperation record between enterprises and banks, or cooperation record is incomplete, in accordance with the trust evaluation of the recommended members on the intellectual property pledge loan enterprise, the smaller the degree of trust at a certain recommendation node, the lower the credibility of enterprises at this node correspondingly, and the lower the perceived risk tolerance of banks, the lower the cooperation satisfaction in the intellectual property pledge loan enterprises.

Establishing a Theoretical Association between the Need for Social Connectedness and Distracted Driving

Distracted driving, a major cause of road crashes in the United States, includes all forms of activities in which the driver takes his or her eyes or attention from driving. The most prevalent secondary driving tasks are phone use while driving. Phones are not just communication tools but devices that foster social connectedness – the short-term experience that promotes feelings of belonging. This study seeks to understand the role of social connectedness as a factor affecting phone-related distracted driving.We first considered theories that address social behavior as an outcome, and that could be associated with social connectedness and distracted driving. Two theories met these criteria: the social network theory and the theory of planned behavior. The social network theory represents human interactions as nodes and ties while using the nodal and tie attributes as elements that can categorize, analyze and interpret causation. The theory of planned behavior, on the other hand, focuses on the human cognitive process as an explanation for a behavioral outcome. We generated the Bond-Intention Theory, a theoretical synthesis of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Social Network Theory. The Bond-Intention Theory is a parsimonious way of explaining the association of the need for social connectedness and engagement in distracted driving activities. We appraised the current interventions aimed at preventing or reducing smartphone use while driving in the light of this theory and proffered ways at strengthening future interventions using the constructs of the Bond-Intention Theory.

The Mechanism of Entrepreneurs’ Social Networks on Innovative Startups’ Innovation Performance Considering the Moderating Effect of the Entrepreneurial Competence and Motivation

Innovative startups can bring many benefits to society. Drawing on the social network theory (SNT) and resource-based view (RBV), with mix methods approach, this paper argues that as the primary path for startups acquiring external resources, social networks are beneficial to improving innovative startups’ innovation performance. Using a large amount of data from GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor), this paper first runs correlation analysis and regression analysis to empirically analyze entrepreneurs’ social networks’ impact on China’s innovative startups’ innovation performance. The results show that both formal and informal social networks are positively correlated with innovative startups’ innovation performance. Then we consider the moderating effect of entrepreneurial competence and motivation. And the results show both entrepreneurial competence and motivation positively moderate the correlation above. Second, to explore the above correlation’s internal mechanism, we conduct semi-structured interviews with 14 entrepreneurs. Drawing on the resource management theory (RMT) and the process of cross-border knowledge search and assimilation, the mechanism model of entrepreneurs’ social networks on startups’ innovation performance is proposed through content analysis.

EMPOWERING CROSS-BORDER WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS VIA MOBILE ICT: FRAMEWORK FOR MALAYSIAN AND INDONESIAN WOMEN-LED MSMES

Women’s share in the business sector in Malaysia and Indonesia lags behind their male counterpart. However, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) could serve as a game changer to empower women startup and entrepreneurs. The acceptance and usage of Mobile ICT in business operations could empower more women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to grow and fulfill customer needs and wants. However, there is a lack of established models to measure mobile ICT’s role in women MSMEs in these developing countries. Through the review of policy papers and relevant literatures, this study presents a framework to assess the adoption of Mobile ICT in women-led MSMEs factoring cross-border networking. Building upon Social Network Theory and Technology Acceptance Model, this study presents a framework and discusses recommendations for further action to empower women-led MSMEs in both countries by leveraging on cross-border networking capabilities between Indonesian and Malaysian women-led MSMEs. This study highlights the strength of international and cross-border networking among women startup and entrepreneurs where mentoring could happen to empower women startups and entrepreneurs. Keywords: Mobile ICT usage, women empowerment, MSMEs development, workforce digitization, cross-border entrepreneurship, social network theory, startups. Cite as: Tanti, D. S., Nathan, R. J., Sulistyo, P. B., Soekmawati, Hanim, F., & Sarjuni, V. (2021). Empowering cross-border women entrepreneurs via mobile ICT: Framework for Malaysian and Indonesian women-led MSMEs. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 6(2), 340-357. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol6iss2pp340-357

Relation through co-creation: Research on co-creation in the transnational CoTalent project based on network theory

The CoTalent project is a unique collaboration between eight universities (of applied sciences) throughout Europe funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Commission. The objective of the CoTalent project was to use co-creation with teachers and students in order to create tools that would support higher education to foster and recognize talented students. Three toolsets were made with a total of around 920 students and teachers via workshop weeks and so-called multiplier event. This current research projects the impact of the student participants through a social network theory perspective to look at what the co-creation of the CoTalent project can do for them in their professional career (including their education). By conducting eight interviews with the student participants, it became clear the CoTalent network was a unique network that shares the characteristics of both strong- and weak ties. The members involved were of many cultures and origins but simultaneously of a similar mindset which made for a fertile network in terms of productivity to complete the tasks at hand and in terms of the student participant their experience. The participating students mainly experienced growth in soft skills and gained new perspectives through the diverse set of actors involved.

In Favor of Large Classes: A Social Networks Perspective on Experiential Learning

Most of the literature has viewed large classes as a problem and a challenge. Furthermore, large classes are often presented to be an obstacle to students’ experiential learning and a multitude of solutions can be found in the literature to manage large classes; solutions that include innovative technologies, alternative assessment designs, or expanding the capacity of delivery. This conceptual paper advocates that large classes, when used intentionally as a pedagogical tool, can be a powerful means for socialized and experiential learning for our students. In this work we connect the phenomenon of large classes with social network theory and concepts to re-conceptualize large classes as a social micro-cosmos consisting of a multitude of interconnected student communities. On this conceptual basis we offer three positive features of large classes: (i) higher levels of freedom for students to learn in their own terms (ii) learning from a diverse body of students and (iii) the provision of meaningful experiences of learning. We conclude with suggestions that should enable educators in large classes shift from an individualistic psychology-based model of experiential learning to a sociological model of experiential learning.

Social networks and relationships in copreneurial firms: an international study

PurposeThis article explores the small unit of family business – being in business with one's spouse – in Scotland and New Zealand. With reference to social network theory, the research explores if the strong married relationship enhances business or inhibits it due to a hypothesised limiting effect on access to external networks. The paper thus measures the impact of networks on copreneurial business performance and explores perceptions of the copreneurial experience.Design/methodology/approachThe research applies a mixed methodology. First, a quantitative sample of 301 small firms in Scotland and New Zealand is tested for variation in performance and social network reach between copreneurial, other types of family firms and firms with no family links. Thereafter, a qualitative study explores the experience of 101 copreneurs in the two countries, to which a thematic analysis is applied.FindingsNetworks are shown to be central influences on performance, but the paper finds no performance or network reach variation between copreneurial and other business. Nevertheless, copreneurship is perceived both positively and negatively by practitioners and testimonies include explicit reference to strategies to manage home/work tensions.Originality/valueThe paper contributes new data on performance in copreneurial firms in two international locations. Viewed through a social network theory lens, the research shows the utility of networks to business, family or otherwise. The paper also shows that the work/family interface in copreneurial firms is perceived both as an advantage and as a challenge and so requires careful management.

Information seeking and collaborative decision-making behaviour in consultancy project teams: a network theoretic viewpoint

PurposeThis study aims to examine how embeddedness influences consultants' information seeking when making decisions within a social network of relationships, and how these social networks evolve throughout the project delivery stages. The study is grounded in social network theory and examines embeddedness from three perspectives: structural (network cohesion), relational (tie strength in terms of friendship and knowledge awareness) and actor prominence.Design/methodology/approachA social network analysis (SNA) questionnaire was administered to a team of consultants working on a management consultancy project in Shanghai, China. The SNA measures of density, degree centrality and betweenness centrality were used to analyse relationship patterns among project team members, permitting comparison between the networks. Networks were also compared across the three project delivery stages of collect, consider and create.FindingsStructural embeddedness was observed in the active information seeking behaviour among consultancy team members. The moderate network density of the self-organising information seeking networks across the project delivery stages ensures that the team remains connected but avoids information redundancy and overload. Relational embeddedness was evident through the multiplexity of ties among team members with overlapping friendship and information seeking relationships. The knowledge awareness network's sparseness indicates a team of autonomous knowledge workers with distributed expertise. Project managers were the most prominent actors across the three project delivery stages, underlining these actors' relational leadership role.Practical implicationsThe study provides a deeper understanding of collaborative decision-making behaviours in dynamic-project environments. Limited attempts have been made to visualise and analyse the relationships involved in small consulting teams. The novelty of the network approach adopted stems from its ability to offer a structural view of the relationship among consultants, thus offering a distinctive and arguably more complete picture of consultancy team dynamics.Originality/valueThe study validates the social network theory of embeddedness in a real-world collaborative decision-making setting and provides a deeper understanding of information seeking behaviours for decision-making in dynamic-project environments. From a project management process viewpoint, the evolving nature of the information seeking network as it changes across the project stages with associated actors' roles was also visualised graphically, offering a distinctive and arguably more complete picture of consultancy team dynamics.

NETWORK INTERACTIONS WITHIN A REGIONAL COMMUNITY

The communication space of modern society is rapidly expanding its boundaries. First of all, this can be traced in the modernization of old and the emergence of new types of interaction between individuals in the economic, political, social, spiritual spheres of society. The topic of social networks, as one of the areas of research in theoretical sociology, can be characterized as promising and actively developing, that is especially due to the fact that the network theory is the most natural for the analysis of social structure. In a broad sense, a social network is understood as many points (participants of a social system) related to each other to a greater or lesser extent. The first part of the article presents a theoretical analysis of the evolution of social network theory in the works of foreign researchers, describes a graphic model of its incremental development. The second part offers the analysis of the functioning of social networks in the regional communities (Cherepovets, Vologda) on the basis of the survey "Barriers to civil participation and mechanisms for overcoming them at the regional level", which was conducted by the Vologda Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2019. In conclusion, we formulate the main conclusions about the functioning of social networks in given regional communities, and develop recommendations for further empirical study of this phenomenon.