Online construction of romantic relationships on social media

This study draws on Knapp’s offline relationship development model to examine how people construct romantic relationships on social media, with particular attention to the role of affordances in this process. Based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 30 relational partners, we show that Knapp’s five traditional stages of relationship construction merge online into three because of social media affordances, including searchability, visibility, anonymity, persistence, storage, and editability. These affordances allow users to search and obtain information about potential partners quickly, conveniently, and anonymously before, during, and after the first interaction. They also enable users to initiate or avoid romantic interactions relatively easily, present shared memories, build a sense of togetherness, and edit or erase online content about previous partners. The findings suggest that most participants perceived Facebook, more than Instagram, as a platform of choice for relationship construction. Addressing the interplay between social media affordances, online relational practices, and offline relationship dynamics, the study shows that offline and online spaces are highly interrelated in terms of interinfluence. Therefore, we argue that the merger of stages is not merely a technical rearrangement but an indication of the fundamental role that online practices play in people’s offline realities, including romantic relationships.

Implementasi Teori Penetrasi Sosial pada Pengguna Aplikasi Tinder

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed social behaviour in society. Especially in the process of building relationships with opposite sex, which is usually done face-to-face, is now turning online. This is the impact of the government's policy to limit large-scale social activities to prevent the development of the coronavirus. In 2020, the number of chat exchanges on the Tinder app increased by 23%. Nowadays people prefer to get to know others online before deciding to meet in person. Social Penetration Theory (TPS) can be used to analyse the process of communication and self-disclosure of an individual in building interpersonal relationships. This theory describes a person like an onion that has various layers in it because someone only provides general information in the early stages of a relationship then reveals more personal information when they get close and build trust. This research is different from previous work because it analyses TPS on Tinder application users during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study aims to review TPS on Tinder application users by testing the main assumptions of the theory in relationship development and self-disclosure. This study uses a qualitative approach. Data collection is done by searching for articles journals with keywords TPS and the use of Tinder application to build relationships. The results show that the self-disclosure mediated by digital technology can limit the general and personal information shared by its users. The limitation of it lies in the ability to read non-verbal messages. Gender factors influence how individuals build relationships in the early stages. Men tend to approach women aggressively using jokes or funny statements, while women rely more on subtle cues. Future research can focus on the communication of Tinder application users at different age ranges. This research is expected to be input for research on online communication, self-disclosure and relationship development.

The development and disruption of relationships between leaders and organizational members and the importance of trust

Our contribution lies in extending theorizing on relationship quality, by illustrating how the interwoven relationships between a leader and ‘follower’ may support or disrupt relationship development over time. Based on a study of leaders and organizational members in high-tech start-up firms, we provide concurrently a broader, more in-depth understanding, and therefore a more detailed and nuanced view, of how relationship quality develops or is disrupted. In particular, we highlight the importance of trust, exploring the under-researched topic of how differing interpretations of trust by leaders and organizational members can impact leaps of faith, acceptance, short-term or longer-term relationship quality. The findings address critiques of Leader Member Exchange (LMX) theory as the dominant explanatory construct for relationship quality, and highlight the need for longitudinal qualitative studies to explore the meanings both leaders and individual members of their organization give to their relationship over time.

Trust and Relationship Development Among Users in Dark Web Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Networks: A Literature Review From a Psychological and Criminological Perspective

The increased potential and speed of the Internet has changed the nature of sexual crimes against children. It enables individuals with a sexual interest in children to meet, interact, and engage in illegal activities. The literature review presented here aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge and understanding of trust and relationship development among users of online networks that are dedicated to the sexual exploitation and abuse of children. A systematic search using six databases was conducted to identify relevant literature from a psychological and a criminological perspective. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria that centered around the key aspects of the literature review’s research question, namely, (i) child sexual exploitation and abuse, (ii) Dark Web platforms, (iii) online forums and networks, and (iv) trust and relationship development. Our findings reveal that the engagement in interpersonal communication and interactions with like-minded others serves various functions, including validation, normalization, and support, as well as access to expert advice, information, and material. Dark Web networks are high-stake and risky environments, where users have to manage a continuous flow of threats, with information about others and their trustworthiness being limited. The establishment and maintenance of trust is of social and technical relevance, and users have to navigate a number of demands and commitments. Findings are discussed in relation to theoretical and practical implications, as well as directions for future research.

Relationship Development of Foreign Firms Operating in China

<p><b>In a networked market, firms build and develop their relationships with surrounding exchange partners. Despite extensive research on relationships, there is still great potential for researchers to undertake a novel approach to address issues in the field. This study explores the relationship development process of foreign firms operating in China. A fundamental claim of the study is that although the economic and social contents in business relationships are outlined in the extant literature, empirical research treating them as distinguishable and examining them in a separate manner remains uncommon. In response to this, a two-dimensional view is presented to understand relationships and their development processes, by analysing the economic and social aspects separately. Particularly, the study focuses on comparisons between Asian firms and Western firms, between small and large firms, and between manufacturing and service firms, and investigates their differences in developing the economic and social dimensions in the relationship development context.</b></p> <p>The study contains two phases, Phase 1 and Phase 2, undertaking qualitative and quantitative approaches, respectively. In Phase 1, the two-dimensional view is examined in the Chinese setting, and results show that foreign firms put different emphases on the economic and social aspects in developing their local relationships; in Phase 2, it is found that some of the underlying assumptions from the literature that are associated with the three comparisons noted above need to be reconsidered. For example, Western foreign firms appear to emphasise the social aspect of their relationships more than their Asian counterpart at the start of the relationship. Similarly, larger firms and manufacturing firms nurture social content more than their smaller and service counterparts, respectively. These findings are contrary to some of the accepted orthodoxies in regard to firms' relationship development. The results from these two phases respond to the two research questions underpinning the study: 1) Do foreign firms operating in China emphasise their economic ties and social bonds differently in developing business relationships? 2) Are there any differences in the relationship development process of firms that have different nationality and size, and which operate in different industry sectors, with respect to the economic ties and social bonds? If yes, then what are these differences? Discussion of the results for these two questions ties back to the broad research problem of the study – how do foreign firms develop their business relationships in China with local actors? In presenting the findings and insights, the study contributes to the literature in a number of ways that are outlined in the thesis. Most notably, it makes a contribution to the relationship literature, by proposing and confirming the two-dimensional approach to relationship formation and development. Secondly, by exploring foreign firms' relationships in China, the study contributes to the international business literature, providing insights into differences between different types of foreign firms.</p>

Relationship Development of Foreign Firms Operating in China

<p><b>In a networked market, firms build and develop their relationships with surrounding exchange partners. Despite extensive research on relationships, there is still great potential for researchers to undertake a novel approach to address issues in the field. This study explores the relationship development process of foreign firms operating in China. A fundamental claim of the study is that although the economic and social contents in business relationships are outlined in the extant literature, empirical research treating them as distinguishable and examining them in a separate manner remains uncommon. In response to this, a two-dimensional view is presented to understand relationships and their development processes, by analysing the economic and social aspects separately. Particularly, the study focuses on comparisons between Asian firms and Western firms, between small and large firms, and between manufacturing and service firms, and investigates their differences in developing the economic and social dimensions in the relationship development context.</b></p> <p>The study contains two phases, Phase 1 and Phase 2, undertaking qualitative and quantitative approaches, respectively. In Phase 1, the two-dimensional view is examined in the Chinese setting, and results show that foreign firms put different emphases on the economic and social aspects in developing their local relationships; in Phase 2, it is found that some of the underlying assumptions from the literature that are associated with the three comparisons noted above need to be reconsidered. For example, Western foreign firms appear to emphasise the social aspect of their relationships more than their Asian counterpart at the start of the relationship. Similarly, larger firms and manufacturing firms nurture social content more than their smaller and service counterparts, respectively. These findings are contrary to some of the accepted orthodoxies in regard to firms' relationship development. The results from these two phases respond to the two research questions underpinning the study: 1) Do foreign firms operating in China emphasise their economic ties and social bonds differently in developing business relationships? 2) Are there any differences in the relationship development process of firms that have different nationality and size, and which operate in different industry sectors, with respect to the economic ties and social bonds? If yes, then what are these differences? Discussion of the results for these two questions ties back to the broad research problem of the study – how do foreign firms develop their business relationships in China with local actors? In presenting the findings and insights, the study contributes to the literature in a number of ways that are outlined in the thesis. Most notably, it makes a contribution to the relationship literature, by proposing and confirming the two-dimensional approach to relationship formation and development. Secondly, by exploring foreign firms' relationships in China, the study contributes to the international business literature, providing insights into differences between different types of foreign firms.</p>

Digitally shaped ethnographic relationships during a global pandemic and beyond

Social distancing and public safety measures enacted in response to COVID-19 created a surge in methodological “advice” for researchers facing disruption to fieldwork. Resources and publications frequently encouraged changes vis-a-vis digitally enhanced methods or employment of digital ethnography. For ethnographers, the establishment and maintenance of ethnographic relationships in pandemic contexts restricted to virtual interactions has not been thoroughly explored, leaving those trained in recruitment, rapport-building, and field engagement with fewer resources to navigate this integral topic. Here, we provide insights into how ethnographic relationships may be developed when there is limited access to the field and traditional relationship building is not possible. We argue that as ethnographic methods change and adapt, so too must perspectives on ethnographic relationship development. By closely examining ethnographic relationships confined to digital spaces in the context of the Tennessee tornado recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this project sheds light on how to overcome this challenge.

Impact of digital technology on velocity of B2B buyer-supplier relationship development

Purpose This study aims to examine how the widespread adoption of digital technology (DT) in business-to-business (B2B) markets affects and, in particular, increases the velocity of relationship development over time. Design/methodology/approach A literature search was conducted to develop propositions concerning DT’s effect on the various stages of an existing B2B buyer-seller relationship development model. A group of 55 experienced practitioners was used to obtain reactions to the propositions. Findings DT affects buyer-seller relationship development by reducing the time needed to initiate and advance through sequential relationship stages. Agility in the decision-making process fosters stronger inter-firm relationships and influences other important attributes of B2B relationships, such as organizational commitment, organizational embeddedness, trust and value creation. Research limitations/implications A broader, more diverse sample of commercial buyers and sellers is required to permit testing the generalizability of the study’s findings. Practical implications DT affects the speed and agility of B2B relationship formation regardless of stage. As DT evolves in the age of Industry 4.0, an understanding of the effects of DT will aid managers in assessing ways to leverage its potential and apply appropriate DT strategies throughout the B2B relationship process to capitalize on current and future business opportunities. Firms need to explore the positive and negative effects of the digital revolution on managers within their supply chain networks. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that specifically addresses DT’s impact during the specific stages of the relationship development process.

Innovativeness and Church Commitment: What Innovations Were Most Important During the Pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented need for innovations in churches around the world. Organizational innovativeness, a precursor of successful innovations in organizational contexts, is rarely studied in churches. This study of American church attenders (N = 244) found that perceived innovativeness of churches (conceived of as the elements of a church’s culture which promote innovation, specifically, creativity, organizational openness, future orientation, risk-taking, and proactiveness) was a very strong predictor of church commitment (conceived of as intentions to stay in the church, r = .60, p &lt; .001). Of the moderators examined in this study (membership tenure, age of participant, church size, and gender), only gender moderated this relationship; the relationship between perceived innovativeness and church commitment was stronger for females than for males. This suggests that innovations that facilitated relationship development and relationship maintenance had the greatest impact on church commitment during the pandemic.