A Social Status Perspective of Network Utility Over Electronic Channels in Academic Communities

Research on the social implications of e-mail has promoted the role of electronic communication channels in reaching social equality and dissipating gaps between the social classes. Other streams of research maintain that social status attributions are mentally salient, and that people continue to rely on social cues in electronic communication as a way of dealing with uncertainties and reducing feelings of discomfort associated with unfamiliar contexts. In this paper, we use social cognitive theory (Bandura 1986) to derive a model that explains how attained social status and self-perception play a critical role in the use of e-mail to seek help and accrue social resources. The model is tested using data collected from 206 faculty members in a major U.S. University. The empirical results support the proposed research model implying that subjective measures of social status influence social assertiveness and the seeking of help through electronic channels

Online Peer-to-peer Communities: An Empirical Investigation of a Music Sharing Network as a Dynamic Two-sided Network

Online peer-to-peer communities and online social networks have become increasingly popular. In particular, the recent boost of online peer-to-peer communities leads to exponential growth in sharing of user-contributed content which have brought profound changes to business and economic practices. Understanding the formation and sustainability of such peer-to-peer communities has important implications for businesses. We develop a dynamic two-sided network model that relates growth of communities to interactions between contribution and consumption of resources in online sharing activities. Using online music sharing data collected from a popular IRC music sharing service over five years, we empirically apply the model to identify dynamics in the music sharing community. We find that the music sharing community demonstrates distinctive characteristics of a two-sided network. Contribution in the community leads to more consumption and consumption leads to more contribution, creating positive network effects in the community. Moreover, we find significant negative externalities among consumption activities and among contribution activities. The combination of the positive and negative externalities drives the underlying dynamics and growth of online sharing communities. Using the dynamic model, we quantify equilibrium growth rate of the community. We find that the equilibrium growth rate changes over time, possibly as a result of legal actions taken by the music industry. Our study provides a first glimpse into the mechanism through which peer-to-peer communities sustain and thrive in a constantly changing environment

Open Innovation, ambiguity and technological convergence

Objectives. Current paper aims to provide a fresh conceptual framework on the relationship among open innovation, decision ambiguity, and technological convergence. We argue that there is a curvilinear relationship between open innovation and both technological convergence and ambiguity. Contained level of convergence and ambiguity foster open innovation, whilst an excess of them is an impediment to collaboration. Technological convergence further acts as a moderator for ambiguity, in light of the benefits of isomorphism. Methodology. We propose a conceptual framework for open innovation decisions after accurately reviewing the main literature antecedents. Findings. We suggest an inverse u-shaped relationship between open innovation and either ambiguity or technological convergence. Research limits. In future, the theoretical framework proposed by thus study has to be tested with robust and proper statistical techniques on large scale samples. Practical implications. The model offers a heuristic for open innovation decisions under ambiguity. Originality of the study. To the best of our knowledge, the relationship linking open innovation, technological convergence and ambiguity emerges as a literature gap. This study tackles this issue, proposing an interpretation for the analysis of alliances decision in innovation

Why Information Matters: A Foundation for Resilience

Embracing Change: The Critical Role of Information, a research project by the Internews' Center for Innovation & Learning, supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, combines Internews' longstanding effort to highlight the important role ofinformation with Rockefeller's groundbreaking work on resilience. The project focuses on three major aspects:- Building knowledge around the role of information in empowering communities to understand and adapt to different types of change: slow onset, long-term, and rapid onset / disruptive;- Identifying strategies and techniques for strengthening information ecosystems to support behavioral adaptation to disruptive change; and- Disseminating knowledge and principles to individuals, communities, the private sector, policymakers, and other partners so that they can incorporate healthy information ecosystems as a core element of their social resilience strategies

Corrective mechanism in broadband policy for the marginalised: an exploratory study

A fundamental argument to the study of broadband policy in a less developed nation like India is that it is much about socio-cultural issue than that of a techno-political issue, for instance in the lacking thrust on the internal mechanisms of framing policies. In the proliferation of New Media Communication and its utility for life’s comforts, the demand for increased band-width, space and signals is higher than ever. There is tremendous increase in the audio-visual inputs, the text or the sound due to the spree of sharing the happenings in the society electronically translated and requiring larger cyber space. There is an increasing complexity of the problem of framing policy and abidance to it. The grassroots awareness with large marginalised sections of society is missing as the standards of techno-disciplining are significantly low. Also there is the non-availability or access and reach of technology in a nation’s developing situations. Incomplete cyber-laws and very low cyber literacy are blockades to the efficient use of broadband facilities. Unregulated privatisation and extreme commercialisation make the problem more complex to resolve. In the above scenario, to assess the policy on broadband in developing situations including the specific issue of broadband programs for the historically unserved or underserved communities, many fundamental questions arise- What is the reach and access to these communities who form a majority? Are the awareness measures effective for the communities to use the broadband driven facilities? Is the will of the governance and other agencies able to ensure effective reach and usage of broadband facility in the communities? What schemes and mechanisms are put in place for the practice and sustenance of the use of technology by the communities? Why are the invented tools to overcome linguistic barriers unable to address the problem of meaningful utility of the broadband boon? With objectives to answer these questions, this exploratory study supported with case studies as methodology has the scope of providing avenues to refreshed initiatives among the stake holders. The significance of this study is in the micro level revelations of participatory approach that is necessary to address the hurdles in policy framing for broadband utilities

Understanding what drives consumers’ electronic word-of-mouth behavior in a multichannel, multimedia and multiscreen environment

JEL Classification: M31, M39O objectivo da presente dissertação consiste em investigar a intenção dos consumidores em escolher canais electrónicos quando decidem partilhar informação (boca-a-boca) com outras pessoas, num ambiente de múltiplos canais e dispositivos. O estudo explora as motivações dos consumidores aquando pretendem transmitir informação, com o objctivo de perceber o que os leva a (1) envolver-se neste tipo de comunicação, especificamente na indústria das companhias aéreas, e (2) associar essas motivações à intençao de uso de vários canais electrónicos para a partilha da informação. Foi realizado um questionário online, determinando uma amostra de 103 adultos portugueses, de forma a analisar quantitativamente as hipóteses propostas, através de análises estatísticas para factores e associações lineares entre as variáveis. Os resultados sugerem que as motivações dos consumidores para a partilha de informação influenciam positivamente a escolha de múltiplos canais electrónicos para a sua transmissão, sendo que a preocupação pelos outros, ajudar a empresa, e expressar maus sentimentos consistem nas principais motivações. Foi ainda verificado que o conhecimento prévio sobre um canal influencia positivamente a sua posterior utilização. A dissertação ainda oferece sugestões para as empresas desenvolverem estratégias sobre a utilização de canais electrónicos no contexto da intenção dos consumidores em partilhar informação sobre a empresa. Desta forma, o estudo prevê um avanço no conhecimento na área de gestão de múltiplos canais electrónicos, através da investigação das motivações que levam os consumidores a escolher certos canais na transmissão de informação.he purpose of the current dissertation is to investigate the intention of consumers to channel usage when engaging in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communications, in a context of multichannel, multimedia and multiscreen environment. The study explores consumer’s motivations for eWOM in order to understand what takes consumers (1) to engage in this type of communication, specifically in the airline services industry, and (2) associate these motivations to channel usage intention and consequent multichannel behavior. A questionnaire was conducted, with a sample of 103 Portuguese adults, in order to perform a quantitative statistical analysis with factor analysis and linear regression between the variables. Findings suggest that eWOM motivations influences multichannel behavior, being concern for others, helping the company, and venting negative feelings the principal motivations for a multichannel behavior. Additionally, obtained findings suggest that perceived channel knowledge has a positive important in explaining consumer’s choice of online channels. The research offers suggestions to develop multichannel strategies in a context of eWOM intentions as this study advances knowledge in the multichannel management field by investigating why and how consumers choose channels for transmitting eWOM

If you build it, will they come? How researchers perceive and use web 2.0

Over the past 15 years, the web has transformed the way we seek and use information. In the last 5 years in particular a set of innovative techniques – collectively termed ‘web 2.0’ – have enabled people to become producers as well as consumers of information. It has been suggested that these relatively easy-to-use tools, and the behaviours which underpin their use, have enormous potential for scholarly researchers, enabling them to communicate their research and its findings more rapidly, broadly and effectively than ever before. This report is based on a study commissioned by the Research Information Network to investigate whether such aspirations are being realised. It seeks to improve our currently limited understanding of whether, and if so how, researchers are making use of various web 2.0 tools in the course of their work, the factors that encourage or inhibit adoption, and researchers’ attitudes towards web 2.0 and other forms of communication. Context: How researchers communicate their work and their findings varies in different subjects or disciplines, and in different institutional settings. Such differences have a strong influence on how researchers approach the adoption – or not – of new information and communications technologies. It is also important to stress that ‘web 2.0’ encompasses a wide range of interactions between technologies and social practices which allow web users to generate, repurpose and share content with each other. We focus in this study on a range of generic tools – wikis, blogs and some social networking systems – as well as those designed specifically by and for people within the scholarly community. Method: Our study was designed not only to capture current attitudes and patterns of adoption but also to identify researchers’ needs and aspirations, and problems that they encounter. We began with an online survey, which collected information about researchers’ information gathering and dissemination habits and their attitudes towards web 2.0. This was followed by in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a stratified sample of survey respondents to explore in more depth their experience of web 2.0, including perceived barriers as well as drivers to adoption. Finally, we undertook five case studies of web 2.0 services to investigate their development and adoption across different communities and business models. Key findings: Our study indicates that a majority of researchers are making at least occasional use of one or more web 2.0 tools or services for purposes related to their research: for communicating their work; for developing and sustaining networks and collaborations; or for finding out about what others are doing. But frequent or intensive use is rare, and some researchers regard blogs, wikis and other novel forms of communication as a waste of time or even dangerous. In deciding if they will make web 2.0 tools and services part of their everyday practice, the key questions for researchers are the benefits they may secure from doing so, and how it fits with their use of established services. Researchers who use web 2.0 tools and services do not see them as comparable to or substitutes for other channels and means of communication, but as having their own distinctive role for specific purposes and at particular stages of research. And frequent use of one kind of tool does not imply frequent use of others as well

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse