Joseph Kwon, Ingoo Han and Byoungsoo Kim
Social media have attracted attention as an information channel for content generated in heterogeneous internet services. Focusing on social media platforms, the purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
Social media have attracted attention as an information channel for content generated in heterogeneous internet services. Focusing on social media platforms, the purpose of this paper is to examine the factors behind social transmission with content crossover from other services through hypertext link (URL). The authors investigate the effects of source influence and peer referrals on diffusion outcome and address their variations in the case of content crossover.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a Poisson regression model due to the discrete nature of the dependent variable. The authors conduct an empirical study using 233 million real transaction data generated by 1,203,196 Korean users of Twitter.
Findings
Source influence and peer referral have a positive impact on cascade size in the content dissemination process. In the case of content crossover, the impact of source influence decreases. However, the impact of peer referrals increases in the process of external content dissemination.
Research limitations/implications
The authors demonstrate source and peer effects on content diffusion and that these effects vary when shared content is linked from an external service by a URL.
Practical implications
The findings indicate that firms that wish to diffuse information through social media or enter the social media with new services to provide new ways of creating and sharing content should understand the nature of the social transmission process.
Originality/value
Given the growing popularity of social media, particularly SNSs with online social networks as information channels, the authors first consider online social transmission as a user-driven diffusion process. Based on social factors in the diffusion process, the authors derive source and peer effects on the social transmission process.
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Byoungsoo Kim and Jinyoung Min
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of dedication- and constraint-based mechanisms on users’ post-adoption behavior in the social networking site (SNS…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of dedication- and constraint-based mechanisms on users’ post-adoption behavior in the social networking site (SNS) context.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed framework uses user satisfaction and trust belief to capture the dedication-based mechanism and perceived switching costs and social norms to capture the constraint-based mechanism. Hypotheses were tested by applying partial least squares to data from 250 experienced Facebook users. A structural equation modeling was used to test the validity of the proposed research models.
Findings
The analysis results show that SNS users’ continuance intention is jointly affected by two distinctive mechanisms: a dedication-based one and a constraint-based one, the former playing a more critical role. The findings indicate that both perceived relative benefits and perceived enjoyment significantly influence user satisfaction. Learning and network size were found to be the key predictors of perceived switching costs.
Research limitations/implications
This study applies the dedication- and constraint-based models by incorporating numerous sets of antecedents. The framework provides a theoretical lens of how two distinctive mechanisms influence SNS users’ post-adoption behaviors.
Practical implications
The analysis results provide several insights that can aid SNS providers understand SNS users post-adoption behaviors. Moreover, the findings will help SNS providers effectively facilitate dedication- and constraint-based mechanisms by enhancing the key antecedents of two distinctive mechanisms.
Originality/value
SNSs have become an important component of individuals lives. However, few systematic works investigate the fundamental mechanisms leading to SNS users’ continued usage. In an attempt to extend the horizons of SNS research, this study incorporates a set of antecedents to dedication- and constraint-based models.
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Minhyung Kang and Byoungsoo Kim
– This paper suggests embedded resources as a new dimension of social capital and aims to prove its value in the knowledge transfer context.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper suggests embedded resources as a new dimension of social capital and aims to prove its value in the knowledge transfer context.
Design/methodology/approach
Hierarchical multiple regression was adopted to analyse survey responses from 337 R&D employees. Barron and Kenny's mediation test was also conducted to test an indirect effect of embedded resources.
Findings
In addition to the traditional three dimensions of social capital, the embedded resources dimension showed direct and indirect effects on knowledge transfer. Additionally, cognitive similarity among R&D employees was from the professional tenure rather than company tenure.
Research limitations/implications
Despite the limitations of cross-sectional study and R&D focused sample, this study successfully extended existing research on social capital in the knowledge transfer context by validating the role of embedded resources as a new dimension of social capital.
Practical implications
Facilitating social networks among employees is not enough for active knowledge transfer. Each employee should be guided to connect to the right experts who have the right knowledge (i.e. embedded resources) for his or her job.
Originality/value
Traditional dimensions of social capital were biased towards social relationships. This paper emphasized social assets (i.e. embedded resources) as a new dimension of social capital.
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Justice Williams, Frank Fugar, Emmanuel Adinyira and Kofi Agyekum
Effective safety communication facilitates the sharing of relevant knowledge that helps to improve safety behaviours, such as superior hazard identification and compliance. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Effective safety communication facilitates the sharing of relevant knowledge that helps to improve safety behaviours, such as superior hazard identification and compliance. This study aims to explore channels by which construction companies can effectively communicate health and safety (H&S) among communities of their operations.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a quantitative research approach, this study addressed the knowledge gap through a cross-sectional survey of 250 contractors (comprising 155 building and 95 road contractors) involved in various projects in the Ghanaian construction industry. These contractors were selected by using a stratified simple random sampling technique. Data obtained from the survey was analysed through descriptive (i.e. frequencies, mean and standard deviation) and inferential (i.e. exploratory factor analysis) statistical analyses.
Findings
The findings from the mean scores revealed that all the 12 communication channels identified in the literature, confirmed through piloting and examined by the respondents, were important channels through which construction companies can effectively communicate H&S amongst communities of their operations. The exploratory factor analysis revealed a clustering of the 12 channels of communication into 5 components: “safety demonstration in the community”; “social media”; “mass media”; “community engagement”; and “opinion leaders”.
Research limitations/implications
This study offers construction project managers the means of managing one of the major stakeholders of a construction project (the community). It provides an actionable opportunity that can be leveraged strategically to integrate community members into projects to promote synergy and local content inclusion while gaining a peaceful atmosphere to achieve their project goals.
Practical implications
Practically, this study provides construction project managers with a means of managing one of the major stakeholders of a construction project (the community) and also demonstrates the integration of community members into projects to promote synergy and local content inclusion. This would give construction organisations a peaceful atmosphere to accomplish their project objectives.
Social implications
The social implication of this study is that the study offers society a means of creating safer Ghanaian communities by offering them the knowledge of identifying hazards and avoiding risky behaviours, creating a good safety atmosphere in these communities.
Originality/value
This study presents construction organisations with a unique opportunity to transfer and share novel external knowledge within a different social system (the community). It contributes to the state-of-the-art knowledge in H&S communication by providing channels through which H&S can be communicated in a developing country such as Ghana.