Recent work has demonstrated that many social networks, and indeed many networks of other types also, have broad distributions of vertex degree. Here we show that this has a substantial impact on the shape of ego-centered networks, i.e., sets of network vertices that are within a given distance of a specified central vertex, the ego. This in turn affects concepts and methods based on ego-centered networks, such as snowball sampling and the "ripple effect". In particular, we argue that one's acquaintances, one's immediate neighbors in the acquaintance network, are far from being a random sample of the population, and that this biases the numbers of neighbors two and more steps away. We demonstrate this concept using data drawn from academic collaboration networks, for which, as we show, current simple theories for the typical size of ego-centered networks give numbers that differ greatly from those measured in reality. We present an improved theoretical model which gives significantly better results.

Ego-centered networks and the ripple effect

Purpose – Numerous electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) studies have been conducted to examine the effectiveness of persuasive eWOM messages. Despite the impact of eWOM messages in decision-making processes, few researches have directly tested potential antecedents of persuasive eWOM messages among message recipients in social media context. The purpose of this paper is to critically discuss and examine the determinants of persuasive eWOM messages when message recipients intend to accept and use eWOM messages. Design/methodology/approach – The authors reviewed extant literature of eWOM and proposed hypotheses regarding persuasive eWOM messages in social media context. A survey of 78 respondents was conducted and the data were analysed using SmartPLS. Findings – This study found that argument quality, source credibility, source attractiveness, source perception and source style are critical antecedents of persuasive eWOM messages. The PLS results suggested that source credibility (trustworthiness), source perce...

Examining the antecedents of persuasive eWOM messages in social media

The expectation-confirmation model (ECM) of IT continuance is a model for investigating continued information technology (IT) usage behavior. This paper reports on a study that attempts to expand the set of post-adoption beliefs in the ECM, in order to extend the application of the ECM beyond an instrumental focus. The expanded ECM, incorporating the post-adoption beliefs of perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment and perceived ease of use, was empirically validated with data collected from an on-line survey of 811 existing users of mobile Internet services. The data analysis showed that the expanded ECM has good explanatory power (R 2 = 57.6% of continued IT usage intention and R 2 = 67.8% of satisfaction), with all paths supported. Hence, the expanded ECM can provide supplementary information that is relevant for understanding continued IT usage. The significant effects of post-adoption perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment signify that the nature of the IT can be an important boundary condition in understanding the continued IT usage behavior. At a practical level, the expanded ECM presents IT product/service providers with deeper insights into how to address IT users' satisfaction and continued patronage.

The effects of post-adoption beliefs on the expectation-confirmation model for information technology continuance

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the general and specific gratifications obtained from using microblog and WeChat. Design/methodology/approach – To shed light on the difference of gratifications to use microblog and WeChat, 18 interviews with social media users in China were conducted. Findings – Results reveal that three types of gratifications were obtained from using both microblog and WeChat: content gratification, social gratification and hedonic gratification. Also, the strength and components of each gratification for microblog and WeChat were different. Content gratification plays the most salient role in using microblog, while social gratification is the most important for WeChat usage. In addition, content gratification of microblog usage is related to information seeking and information sharing, while social gratification of WeChat usage is constituted by private social networking and convenient communication. Furthermore, content gratification of WeChat usage refers to high-qu...

Uses and gratifications of social media: A comparison of microblog and WeChat

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of trust management on the fundraising performance in reward-based crowdfunding. Design/methodology/approach – A research model was constructed based on elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and literatures with five hypotheses developed. Data were collected from www.demohour.com - the first and one of the largest reward-based crowdfunding platforms in China. In total, 829 reward-based crowdfunding projects were analyzed to test hypotheses. To test the hypotheses, partial least squares was used to analyze data of entrepreneur/sponsor profiles, entrepreneur/sponsor behaviors, and crowdfunding projects. Findings – Results indicated trust management significantly promoted fundraising performance via central (entrepreneur’s creditworthiness) and peripheral (entrepreneur-sponsor interactions) routes. The peripheral route (entrepreneur-sponsor interaction) showed significantly higher effects than the central route (entrepreneur’s creditworthiness). The...

The role of trust management in reward-based crowdfunding

Purpose – Based on social conformity and social value perspectives, the authors aim to empirically examine the critical role of social influences on Twitter user behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – An integrative structural model is developed to explain how social influences, which are divided into social conformity and social values, work with other salient factors such as the utilitarian and hedonic values to affect the use of Twitter. The partial least square method was used to verify the proposed model with usable data from 204 adult Korean Twitter users. Findings – Social conformity positively affects the frequent use of Twitter and it is mediated through perceived values such as the hedonic, utilitarian and social appearance values associated with Twitter use. While social appearance negatively affected the trustworthiness of information shared on Twitter, the social capital effect on Twitter use was insignificant. Research limitations/implications – This study has some limitations for general ...

Why people use Twitter: social conformity and social value perspectives

This study examines the factors affecting users' adoption of the smartphone as an innovative device. Prior studies on the acceptance of computing devices have primarily focused on the impact of the...

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The Role of User Resistance and Social Influences on the Adoption of Smartphone: Moderating Effect of Age

A Study on Determinants of Consumers' Choice of Mobile Data Service

In this study, we have examined how the potential users of IT convergence product use the external information sources for purchasing decision focusing on a case of smartphone. Although the specifications and price of IT convergence products, such as smartphone, tablet pc, and smart TV, are considered as major criteria for purchasing decision, the competitiveness of these factors have disappeared as many companies launch similar products in the market. External information sources play a significant role to differentiate the alternatives by offering value-added experience information. The effect of external information sources becomes stronger for experience and high-involvement product whose performance can be evaluated through only users` direct experience. In this study, we categorized the external information sources for smartphone into five; company ads, personal network, expert group, consumers, and media. Through an empirical study with potential smartphone users, we verified how these external information sources affect users` purchasing decision in the perspective of the perceived attributes of information source, quality of information, and individual`s characteristics based on self-regulatory theory.

Use of External Information Sources by Potential Adopters of IT Convergence Products: Focusing on Potential Adopters of Smartphone

Resistance is considered to be a primary factor that prevents users from adopting innovative systems. However, few studies have examined the existence of user resistance and its impact on user's behavior in the post-adoption stage and in the voluntary use context. In this study, we propose an integrative model that explains users' continued use of an innovative system (smartphone) by incorporating user resistance and social influence (subjective norm) on the basis of an expectation confirmation model. We conducted an empirical study with 210 smartphone users in Korea using Structural Equation Model (SEM). The results show the significant roles of user resistance and social influence on continuance of smartphone use. This finding contributes to understanding the relationship between user resistance and social influences and how their interactions eventually affect the continued use of innovative systems.

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Saesol Choi

Papers

Why people use Twitter: social conformity and social value perspectives

The Role of User Resistance and Social Influences on the Adoption of Smartphone: Moderating Effect of Age

A Study on Determinants of Consumers' Choice of Mobile Data Service

Use of External Information Sources by Potential Adopters of IT Convergence Products: Focusing on Potential Adopters of Smartphone

Roles of user resistance and social influence in continued use of smartphone