Understanding Streaming Music Diffusion in a Semi-Closed Social Environment

Music social networks play a role in the diffusion of music. There are different ways a piece of music reaches people in a network: through the influence of social connections or via the discovery of external information, such as mass media, newspapers, etc. This empirical study uses over 10 months of user listening data from a music social network to examine the effects of external information on streaming music diffusion at the macro- and micro-levels. The data include weekly listening records for 557,554 users. Our results suggest that external information is a significant driver of increased streaming music diffusion, in comparison to in- network influences. We also found evidence of variation in the different influences, such as for a scale effect, the validity and type of information shared, and the impact of geolocation. These insights can be used to promote music and design personalized music recommendations

Two-Sided Value-Based Music Artist Recommendation in Streaming Music Services

Most work on music recommendations has focused on the consumer side not the provider side. We develop a two-sided value-based approach to music artist recommendation for a streaming music scenario. It combines the value yielded for the music industry and consumers in an integrated model. For the industry, the approach aims to increase the conversion rate of potential listeners to adopters, which produces new revenue. For consumers, it aims to improve their utility related to recommendations they receive. We use one year of listening records for 15,000+ Last.fm users to train and test the proposed recommendation model on 143 artists. Compared to collaborative filtering, the results show some improvement in recommendation performance by considering both sides’ value in con-junction with other factors, including time, location, external information and listening behavior

Consumer Connectivity in a Complex, Technology-Enabled, and Mobile-Oriented World with Smart Products

Today’s consumers are immersed in a vast and complex array of networks. Each network features an interconnected mesh of people and firms, and now, with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), also objects. Technology (particularly mobile devices) enables such connections, and facilitates many kinds of interactions in these networks - from transactions, to social information sharing, to people interfacing with connected devices (e.g., wearable technology). We introduce the POP-framework, discuss how People, Objects and the Physical world interconnect with each other and how it results in an increasing amount of connected data, and briefly summarize existing knowledge on these inter-connections. We also provide an agenda for future research focused on examining potential impact of IoT and smart products on consumer behavior and firm strategies

“I will survive”: online streaming and the chart survival of music tracks

Digital streaming has had a profound effect on the commercial music sector and now accounts for 80% of industry revenues in the United States. This study investigates the consumption of music on digital streaming platforms by analyzing the factors affecting the chart survival of individual music tracks. Our data are taken from the Spotify Global Top 200 between January 2017 and January 2020, containing observations on 3,007 unique tracks by 642 artists over 1,087 days. We identify a number of unique consumption traits applicable to online streaming services, which we use to explain variations in chart longevity. We find a positive association between the amount of time a track spends in the chart and the involvement of a major label. We also find that the level of competition from other chart entries, as well as some elements related to the pattern of diffusion, associates significantly with the likelihood of chart survival. The study highlights several important managerial implications for key industry stakeholders

Socializing Online in Various Cultural Contexts: A Cross Nation Study of Social Network Service Development

The boom of WWW-based social network service (SNS) warrants more studies and better understandings in many aspects, especially when such hedonic application has evolved differently in different countries. The development of SNS in the US, China and South Korea have been particularly interesting. Whereas U.S. SNS websites enjoy the first mover advantage, their followers in different cultural settings are trying to re-create the prosperity in their own domains. An analysis of the challenges and potentials of SNS in these countries is presented, along with a discussion of SNS research across different cultural settings. It is believed that in addition to marketing factors, socio-economic structure and cultural influences also play a critical role in promoting SNS website

Business model responses to digital piracy

Digital piracy challenges firms by reducing revenues and shifting consumption habits. Recently, some firms have successfully leveraged business models against piracy, but the understanding about this phenomenon still lacks depth and structure. This study examines the characteristics of digital piracy in some of the most affected industries, presents comparative case studies of two iconic firms, Spotify and Netflix, and analyzes their digital business model responses. We generalize their adoption to generic digital content distributors and explain how they contribute to generate and capture value. Theoretical and practical implications for technological innovation, firm diversification, and network competition are also discussed

The Impact of Project Management on the Adoption of Emerging Media to Non-commercial Broadcasting Media Businesses in Hispanic Markets

Non-commercial radio broadcasting organizations are experiencing a significant loss of audience based primarily on migration to digital media outlets. The ineffectiveness of developing new media, such as podcasts, to reach new audiences and expand new business opportunities is reducing the chances of survivability for a hard-regulated radio sector established by the Federal Communications Commission regulations. A major new media integration exists in the non-commercial radio broadcasting industry in Puerto Rico, and inquiries into the knowledge and application of Project Management tools and techniques present on the management level of Hispanic markets help understand the occurrence. The performed study integrated a qualitative research method with a single study approach to increase comprehension and improve knowledge of how radio broadcasting managers handle audience migration from an efficiency perspective. Inquiring into the decision-making and operational problem of non-commercial radio broadcasting firm managers’ points of view resulted in a better understanding of the limitations and ineffectiveness of web-based platform media development. The participants’ answers showed relevant data that should help radio broadcasting businesses develop new media, such as podcasts, as part of their product offerings and expansion opportunities. The findings include themes such as lack of formal education, training needed, lack of urgency, knowledge of project management methods, and limited planning to develop new media