Ming Yi, Yingying Lu, Weihua Deng, Lu Kun and Zhanhao Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to present a new human dynamics model to explain the process of verified users' (VUs) posting on Sina micro-blog.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a new human dynamics model to explain the process of verified users' (VUs) posting on Sina micro-blog.
Design/methodology/approach
A common human dynamics research method with three steps is applied. Firstly, a large-scale behavioral dataset is collected involving 495 VUs and five topics on Sina micro-blog. Second, five important indicators that reveal the characteristics of posting behavior are analyzed. Then, a quantitative model is constructed to describe the process of posting behavior, and its validity is verified by simulations.
Findings
Three important characteristics of VUs' micro-blog posting behavior are observed: fat-tailed distribution, fluctuation and periodicity. These characteristics do not fit the assumption of interest-driven models proposed by previous literature. An optimized task-driven model is introduced to describe this complex phenomenon mathematically. The model is verified on empirical data, confirming that task-driven models can be optimized to explore information behavior on social media.
Originality/value
Being different from previous studies that mainly describe common users' posting behavior on social media by applying interest-driven models, this paper customizes an optimized task-driven model for VUs, who mainly treat social media as a platform for work and play a crucial role in information creation on social media.
Details
Keywords
Malin Song, Shuhong Wang, Zhanhao Jiang, Jie Yang and Yumei Wang
With the function of reconstructing and promoting traditional industries in China, logistic service industry (LSI) still consumes a great deal of energy. The purpose of this paper…
Abstract
Purpose
With the function of reconstructing and promoting traditional industries in China, logistic service industry (LSI) still consumes a great deal of energy. The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyse the relationship between energy consumption of logistics and its influential factors in China, and through this, identify the most important factor and give a significant research of this factor afterwards.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a quantitative analysis of the industry composition of energy consumption and the structure of energy consumption in LSI, the serious condition of China's energy conservation of LSI was found. Correlated analysis and co‐integration analysis were adopted to identify how these factors affected the energy conservation of LSI and how to construct environmental logistics in China.
Findings
The paper found mileage traveled by train is the most important factor of energy consumption in LSI, while traveling miles of highway is the second. The former was negative correlation with the total of energy consumption while the latter was positive correlation.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the deficiency of data in China, this research is based on the data of 30 years, which is not testified as long enough for this research. This would indicate that the conclusions of this paper are approximate values. A closer look should be taken at the effectiveness of some of the other factors suggested in the previous research on this topic.
Practical implications
The paper outlines ways to effectively construct environmental logistics in China which would promote the energy conservation and sustainable development of this country. Since the total consumption of energy in China accounts for a certain proportion of the world, this will benefit other countries as well.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first of its kind to develop and empirically analyze the relationship between energy consumption of LSI and its influential factors in China. It uniquely contributes towards helping us find approaches to constructing China's environmental logistics and will have far‐reaching implications for other developing countries.