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11 – 20 of 925Weiling Zhuang, Maxwell K. Hsu, Kristen L. Brewer and Qian Xiao
The purpose of this paper is to better understand the relationships between the paradoxes of social networking sites (SNSs) and users' loyalty toward these websites.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to better understand the relationships between the paradoxes of social networking sites (SNSs) and users' loyalty toward these websites.
Design/methodology/approach
This study surveyed 180 students enrolled in graduate and/or undergraduate level classes in three different universities in the Midwest and Southwest regions of the USA. The structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was employed to analyze data and examine the conceptual model proposed in the current study.
Findings
The results suggest that the paradoxes of social networking sites (assimilation/isolation and competence/incompetence) are significant antecedents of online social networking pleasure and loyalty. Furthermore, the results suggest that pleasure mediates the relationships between paradoxes of social networking sites and loyalty toward social networking sites.
Research limitations/implications
A sustainable business strategy for SNSs would be to maintain a safe environment that on one hand promotes continuous innovations and on the other hand facilitates desired feelings such as fun, pleasure, and adventure. Results based on student sample suggest more works are needed to generalize the findings.
Practical implications
This study points out online communication technologies (e.g., SNSs) are a double‐edged sword for consumers. Marketers need to manage consumers' feeling and experiences effectively.
Originality/value
This study with few other studies extends social marketing literature by offering theoretical and statistical evidence regarding how paradoxes of SNSs impact users' experience. Specifically, this study addresses the underlying reasons that may cause SNS users decrease their participation over time, and the role of SNS users' feelings play in forming their overall SNS usage experiences.
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Tali Gazit, Noa Aharony and Yair Amichai-Hamburger
Social networking sites (SNSs) have become an essential part of our lives. The purpose of this paper is to explore how demographic variables, SNS importance, social and…
Abstract
Purpose
Social networking sites (SNSs) have become an essential part of our lives. The purpose of this paper is to explore how demographic variables, SNS importance, social and informational usage, and personality traits (extroversion/introversion, openness, neuroticism, internal and external locus of control) can explain participation frequency of the four biggest SNSs in Israel: Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted in Israel during the Fall semester of the 2017–2018 academic year and encompassed 244 students. Researchers used six questionnaires to gather data: a demographic questionnaire, a participation frequency questionnaire on four different SNSs, four SNSs importance questionnaire, social and informational usage on four different SNSs questionnaire, personality questionnaire (extroversion, openness and neuroticism) and the locus of control questionnaire.
Findings
The findings revealed that different social network sites play distinct roles for various individuals. WhatsApp, the most frequently used platform, is used more by women and people with internal locus of control. Facebook is more frequently used by open people and Instagram is more frequently used by women, younger adults and neurotic people. Twitter is more frequently used by men. In addition, for all SNSs, the higher the social and informational usage is, the more important the SNSs are to the users, which significantly explains participation frequency.
Originality/value
The differences between social networks can be evidence that each social network serves a different group and does not compete with other SNSs. This may well explain why many people make use of several social networks and have a tendency to move from one to another.
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Cheng-Yu Lin, En-Yi Chou and Heng-Chiang Huang
Social networking sites (SNSs) have significantly influenced people's lives and changed their behavior. Although previous research has explored self-disclosure in virtual…
Abstract
Purpose
Social networking sites (SNSs) have significantly influenced people's lives and changed their behavior. Although previous research has explored self-disclosure in virtual communities, little is known about the impact of other users, particularly their online social support, on self-disclosure. The aim of this study is to explore how online social support dimensions (i.e., emotional, informational, esteem, instrumental and network support) influence people's self-disclosure, which in turn affects their commitment to SNSs.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on social exchange theory, this study proposes a research model that explores the role of other users on self-disclosure. This study collects data from a sample of 558 respondents and applies the structural equation modeling technique to test the research model.
Findings
The findings show that users are motivated to disclose information and commit to a specific SNS because of the supportive climate. Results also show that self-disclosure mediates the effect of online social support on users' commitment to SNSs.
Originality/value
This study focuses on the influence of other users' roles on self-disclosure on SNSs, extending the application of social exchange theory.
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Pallavi Ghanshyala Vyas and Satish Pandey
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of social networking sites (SNSs) use, bridging social capital (BSC) and job satisfaction (JS) with knowledge sharing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of social networking sites (SNSs) use, bridging social capital (BSC) and job satisfaction (JS) with knowledge sharing (KS) of employees. With the advent of social media and its technologies, it becomes opportune for organizations and practitioners to understand if the technology has usefulness for its employees.
Design/methodology/approach
After a thorough literature review, a research model was proposed and tested to identify the possible relationship between the variables. The results were validated using appropriate research tools such as hierarchical regression.
Findings
SNS use, BSC and JS were found to be positively associated with KS and the three variables together influenced KS more favorably. However, there was no significant association of SNS use with JS and BSC of employees, unlike past research conducted in the context of different countries.
Research limitations/implications
The authors identified the workplace implications of SNSs use in enabling KS and also the positive impact of losing network ties and JS of employees in enhancing KS.
Practical implications
These findings can provide insight to managers on the importance of SNSs and the formation of lose – tie networks for aiding in KS.
Originality/value
The study is the first to explore the BSC dimension in the context of SNS use and KS and propose a model to identify the association between SNS use, JS, BSC and KS in a single study.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of continuance intention of social networking site (SNS) users through a new perspective and discuss how to retain SNS…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of continuance intention of social networking site (SNS) users through a new perspective and discuss how to retain SNS users.
Design/methodology/approach
The author proposed a research model by integrating network externalities and social support. Three dimensions of social support and two types of network externalities were analyzed, respectively, to explore the direct and indirect effects on continuance intention. Online questionnaires were adopted to collect data, and 513 valid samples were analyzed by structural equation modeling approach.
Findings
The findings show that network externalities have a significant indirect effect on user’ continuance intention through the mediation effects of social support, and among the three dimensions of social support, network management plays a more important role on continuance intention.
Research limitations/implications
The findings suggest that network externalities can trigger the function of social support to keep the “stickiness” of SNS users, and network management is the key dimension of online social support. Some other theoretical and practical implications are also provided.
Originality/value
The study is novel in exploring users’ continuance intention of SNSs by integrating social support and network externalities. Meanwhile, the author also intends to compare the effect of different dimensions of social support on SNS usage and discuss their internal relationships.
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Wan‐Hsiu (Sunny) Tsai and Linjuan Rita Men
Social network sites (SNSs) have been recognized as an important marketing communication tool for marketers to connect with today's internet‐savvy consumers. At the same time, the…
Abstract
Purpose
Social network sites (SNSs) have been recognized as an important marketing communication tool for marketers to connect with today's internet‐savvy consumers. At the same time, the popularity of SNSs has become a worldwide phenomenon with the rise of many local SNSs. The purpose of this paper is to examine cultural differences in the use of communication appeals on corporate pages of leading SNSs in two culturally distinct countries, China and the USA.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a content analysis to identify cultural orientations observed in communication appeals of the corporate pages on leading SNSs in China (Renren) and the USA (Facebook).
Findings
Appeals to interdependence, popularity, high social status, luxury, emotions, and symbolic association are more frequently used in societies with a more collectivistic, greater power distance, and high‐context culture such as in China; whereas appeals to individuality and hedonism are more frequently used in an individualistic society like the USA. Overall, findings indicate that communication appeals on SNSs reflect the dominant cultural values in each country.
Originality/value
Despite the numerous hypes and speculations regarding the effectiveness of SNSs as a marketing tool, few studies have explored how marketers use SNSs to interact with consumers. Findings based on this study advance our understanding of marketing communications on social media from a cross‐cultural perspective. The paper provides new evidence indicating that global marketers should adapt their communication strategies and styles when communicating with consumers in different societies on SNSs. The authors also provide guidelines for the localization attempts.
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The proliferation of social networking sites (SNSs) has drawn attention to different parties in realising their goals. Advertisers utilise SNSs to promote new products and…
Abstract
The proliferation of social networking sites (SNSs) has drawn attention to different parties in realising their goals. Advertisers utilise SNSs to promote new products and services; politics optimise SNSs to gather support from the public, while ordinary users use SNSs as a unique platform to practice self-disclosure, develop networks, and sustain relationships. This study explores how social anxiety affects self-disclosure on SNSs and well-being. It also examines the moderating effects of two contextual factors, namely, online disinhibition and psychological stress. Two hundred and thirty-four valid responses were collected via an online survey. A positive relationship between social anxiety and self-disclosure, and self-disclosure and well-being was found. Furthermore, a positive moderation effect among social anxiety, online disinhibition, and self-disclosure was revealed. This research contributes to the development of social networking literature. It also enhances the understanding of disclosure patterns on SNSs among socially anxious individuals, thereby providing important insights for practitioners, educators, and clinicians.
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This study aims to investigate an initial understanding about the different factors that are inducing and stemming the monotony of different social networking sites (SNSs)…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate an initial understanding about the different factors that are inducing and stemming the monotony of different social networking sites (SNSs). Specifically, the study provides an initial understanding for the liking/disliking of different SNSs, factors affecting users’ monotony and its impact on the success and effectiveness of different marketing activities.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey questionnaire was adopted from previously developed and validated scales. The questionnaire was administered to undergraduate students enrolled in different universities in India. We have used regression analysis, bootstrapping technique, Sobel test and ANOVA to address the research questions and hence to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The findings of the study revealed that gender does not have any impact on the monotony of SNSs. Both genders are experiencing boredom for SNSs and spend less time on such sites. Moreover, SNS boredom negatively impacts users’ attitudes toward different SNSs such as Facebook, twitter, etc., which in turn develop negative attitudes toward the different advertisement on these sites. This study revealed the marketers’ necessity of studying the phenomenon of SNS boredom. One of the most important finding of this study is that users’ age decides the level of monotony/boredom with the social sites; older users report significantly lower levels of social sites boredom as compared to younger users.
Research limitations/implications
To capture the opinion of SNS users, this study used a sample of students from different universities. The study findings are primarily based on studies utilizing millennial population.
Originality/value
This is the first study which empirically examines the phenomenon of social networking boredom among millennial by linking the theories of monotony, i.e. gratification theory. The findings of the study added a chapter in the literature by identifying the underlying mechanism through which monotony of SNS impacts effectiveness of the social media marketing activities. The findings shed more light on the consequences of SNS monotony for the digital marketers and revealed that age is an important factor in it.
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Ju-Young M. Kang, Kim K.P. Johnson and Juanjuan Wu
The purpose of this paper are to examine: first, whether the consumer style inventory (CSI) consumer decision-making styles were related to opinion seeking using electronic word…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper are to examine: first, whether the consumer style inventory (CSI) consumer decision-making styles were related to opinion seeking using electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites (SNSs) and attitudes toward online social shopping using SNSs; and second, whether opinion seeking in SNSs and attitudes mediated the links between decision-making styles and intent to social shop online for apparel using SNSs.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual foundation was based on Engel, Kollat, and Blackwell's model. In total, 304 college students who are SNS users provided usable responses. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses.
Findings
Among the CSI consumer decision-making styles, novelty/fashion consciousness decision-making style was the most important antecedent of opinion seeking using eWOM. The brand consciousness decision-making style was the most important antecedent of favorable attitudes. Novelty/fashion consciousness, brand consciousness, and price consciousness decision-making styles had indirect effects on intent to social shop online for apparel using SNS, mediated by both opinion seeking and favorable attitudes.
Originality/value
This study contributes to further theoretical understanding of the types of consumers that are drawn to eWOM and their online social shopping behaviors for apparel using SNSs. By identifying individual consumer characteristics, this study can provide retailers with an initial profile of consumers who shop apparel using SNSs. Retailers can use this information to further develop the design of their social shopping sites using SNSs to meet the needs of their customers.
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Sarah Diffley and Patrick McCole
Despite the rapid growth of social networking sites (SNSs), research demonstrating the marketing application of these technologies is lacking. Consequently, this paper aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the rapid growth of social networking sites (SNSs), research demonstrating the marketing application of these technologies is lacking. Consequently, this paper aims to explore the impact of SNSs on hotel marketing activities.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory study was used. Adopting a key informant approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 respondents in the hotel industry, who use SNSs as part of their hotel marketing efforts.
Findings
Networked interactions facilitated by SNSs can influence the marketing activities of hotels in many ways. This extends to deeper connections and co-creating value with customers to enhance the market offerings and promotional activities of the firm. Not all interviewees capitalised upon the capabilities offered by SNSs.
Practical implications
SNSs act as a key knowledge resource that can be used by practitioners to create and deliver superior customer value. However, the extent to which this is achieved depends on who is responsible for implementing it. Specifically, those with a more proactive attitude and approach towards marketing on SNSs tend to reap greater benefits.
Originality/value
Using the service-dominant logic as a guide, this paper offers greater insight into the theory and practice of social media marketing in the hotel industry, an under-studied and fragmented research area.
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