The purpose of this study is: 1) to explore the ways in which the Internet may affect individuals’ political diversity in different strengths of social relationships; 2) to identify which of strong-tie diversity and weak-tie diversity contributes more to political tolerance; and 3) to investigate the extent to which tolerant people are different from the less tolerant in their participation decisions when exposed to political diversity. In order to examine the contribution of Internet news use to political heterogeneity, the current study examines the moderation of the negative influence of politically selective exposure on the Internet on political diversity in social networks by Internet news use. To identify the better contributor to tolerance, the two diversities are compared. To assess the consequence of exposure to political difference for political participation for tolerant and less tolerant people, the present study examines any moderating effect of tolerance between political network heterogeneity and participation. It also observes the moderating effect in different tie strengths. This study utilizes data obtained from the U.S. Citizenship, Involvement, Democracy (CID) survey conducted by a collaboration of Center for Democracy and Civil Society at Georgetown University and the European Social Survey. The sample is 1,001 adults aged 18 and over and representative of the contiguous United States. The dataset contains items concerning Internet use, informal social networks, the composition and diversity of ties and associations, democratic values and tolerance under the primary themes of democracy, social capital and civic engagement. The data are analyzed by hierarchical and OLS regression. According to the findings, Internet news use contributes to individuals’ overall political diversity by reducing the negative influence of the selective exposure occurring from online interaction with homogeneous people. When examined in different strengths of interpersonal relationships, selective exposure discourages strong-tie diversity while encouraging weak-tie diversity. Internet news use positively affects strong-tie diversity but had no influence on weak-tie diversity. Weak-tie diversity is found to be a better contributor to political tolerance. Politically tolerant individuals tend to be discouraged for political participation when exposed to difference in their social relationships. Therefore, while political tolerance may increase overall political diversity, it may as well threaten the balance between deliberation and participation. Closer interpersonal associations are not found to reduce the demobilizing effect of exposure to difference for tolerant individuals. / text

abstract: Due to the booming young mothers and fathers in the new era as well as the changes in the concept of parenting and the favorable liberalization of China's second child policy, the maternal-baby nursing market continues to grow, and it has become a must for businesses nowadays. In 2020, the size of the maternal-baby nursing market will reach 3.6 trillion. (Data: Yibang Power China's Maternal and Child Industry White Paper 2017). The rapid development of mobile Internet, highly transparent information, consumers grasp the sovereignty, along with the rise of the middle class, consumption increase encouraged personalized, customized needs. The boundaries between online and offline are becoming increasingly blurred. Consumers are more inclined to choose multi-category with service channel providers. If the retailers still rely on good market resources, and the difference between the sales and purchase of commodities, they will face a huge challenge of the decrease in passenger flow and a decline in performance. The paper takes the relationship between maternal-baby nursing retailers and targets customers as the study object, based on customer service of maternal-baby nursing retailer data, empirical studies, we found that this particular group, mothers and babies, especially value safety, quality, public praise and community review. If the retail enterprise attaches importance to establishing relationships with customers and enhances the relational viscosity through mutual trust, emotional formation and spread of public praise, it will help to increase the traffic volume and increase the output value of single customers. The maternal-baby nursing retailers form a strong relationship between enterprises and customers by establishing a strong relationship between products and customers, employees and customers, and customers to customers. Maternal-baby nursing retailers operate single-customer value deeply, build a heavy membership system and manage customer assets, thereby enhancing their brand and performance. The research on the method of establishing the strong tie can be considered as an analysis of feasibility. The research results of this paper will help to improve the overall customer service experience and satisfaction of the mother and infant retail industry, enhance the development of the whole industry and draw significance lessons from other service industries. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2018

The role of social networking has widely been embraced in an entrepreneurial context due to its nature of providing easy access to information, support and other complementary resources needed for the creation and development of entrepreneurial venture (Omta et al., 2001; Johannisson,1990 cited in Song et al., 2017). The entrepreneurs’ network is affiliated with the study of social relations that can influence the creation and development of new business by shedding light on the functionality of social ties in the diffusion of resources that are vital for the establishment of firms (Greve, 1995). Therefore, studying the field of entrepreneurship in the context of social network can offer a fruitful perspective on entrepreneurship (Greve, 1995).Despite the vast and diverse research in the field of networking and entrepreneurship, there are still some gaps concerning what is actually going on in a network and the understanding about network operation, their nature and role in influencing business performance still limited to fairly broader and theoretical perspective (Jack, 2005). So, in line with these views, the purpose of this study is to explore and enhance the understanding of the networking in an entrepreneurial context by shedding light on the role of strong and weak social ties. The foundation of this study relies on Granovetter’s (1973, 1985) strong and weak tie hypothesis and Jack (2005) work, that by highlighting the characteristics, formation, and outcome of strong and weak social relationships contribute to building the concept of entrepreneur’s social network.A multiple case study of five entrepreneurs, operating their networks and businesses in Linköping, Sweden, has been conducted to achieve the purpose of this study. This research work uses a qualitative approach and is based on the semi-structured interviews, which allows a deeper insight into the studied area through analysis of multiple cases.The result of this study indicates that both the strong and weak social ties, in which an entrepreneur is bonded, are used to a varying level in terms of information flow. Strong relationships, that relies on frequent interaction, hold great importance in providing quality information as compared to weak relationships but simultaneously accountable for providing information that is useless and not up-to date. On, the other hand weak-ties contacts are dispersed in a social network and rarely interact with each other. But these weak connections are also important and play their role once get activated by entrepreneurs. Considering the information flow weaker relationships also occurred to be useful however the relatively small size of the town can mean that similar information is repeated by several connections. Since, the aspect of individual knowledge and experience help in the formation of new relationships but the result of this study highlights that, a personal motivation and drive towards networking also plays a crucial role in the formation of both strong and weak ties.The study findings can benefit the researchers and the entrepreneurs in developing their knowledge about networking and role of social ties in providing access to information and resources necessary for the creation and the development of venture. However, the strong connections hold a dominant position concerning the information and the resource flow but weak connections are also crucial and provide support in areas that strong connections lack. Thus, the entrepreneur that keeps the balance between both his/her strong and weak connections can efficiently reap the benefit of social networking.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-03-19T12:21:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Laysce Rocha de Moura.pdf: 2892378 bytes, checksum: 1cad4916514df7227bcc894f99a272d2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-19T12:21:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Laysce Rocha de Moura.pdf: 2892378 bytes, checksum: 1cad4916514df7227bcc894f99a272d2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The goal of this thesis was to understand the associative process linking waste pickers to the recyclable material cooperative, seeking to examine the causes and elements that lead to grouping and the types of social interactions ties. The Network Theory, which has the focus of analysis on social relations, helps to understand this dynamic. For this, the homophily and the strength of weak and strong ties theory were the concepts used to answer the guiding question: What are the processes that lead waste pickers to enroll in cooperatives? And the related question: How is characterized the network of waste pickers' in the associative process? The study has a structural approach that used qualitative methods - 'Coding' or grouping data by topic - and quantitative - the software NodeXL Basic - of analysis. In order to choose the precise cases, two criteria of choice were established: origin and the relation with the public initiative. From this, two cooperatives were identified: CooperVida and CooperFlor. The findings indicate that age, education, geographical location, and unemployment were the main elements in CooperVida and CooperFlor that influenced the associative process. These causes of grouping are consequence of the individual characteristics and the context in which the individual is immersed, in that way the associative process is the result of an induced process that can be framed as a structural homophily effect or homophily of status. Nevertheless, the network of relatives and close associates were more used to approach the cooperative, pointing to the strength of strong social ties in the enrolment process. Taking the above, the work done by the waste pickers was recognized as an occupation in the Brazilian labor market. Although it was an achievement for this social segment, the results of this thesis point out that the waste pickers went into the street or to work in the cooperative due to external factors or because of their attributes and not an individual choice (structural homophily effect / status). Moreover, the research findings highlight the importance that strong ties have in associative process and corroborate with the strength of weak and strong ties theory proposed by Granovetter (1983) / O objetivo desta tese foi compreender o processo associativo de vinculação de catadores à cooperativa de materiais recicláveis, buscando examinar as causas que levam ao agrupamento e os tipos de laço das interações. A Teoria de Redes, que tem o foco de análise nas relações sociais, ajuda a compreender essa dinâmica. Para tanto, a homofilia e a força dos laços fracos e fortes foram os conceitos utilizados para responder à questão norteadora: Quais são os processos que levam os catadores se associarem em cooperativas? E a questão associada: Como se caracteriza a rede de relações dos catadores nesse processo associativo? O estudo tem uma abordagem estrutural que utilizou métodos qualitativos - ‘codificação’ ou agrupamento de dados por tema - e quantitativos - o software NodeXL Basic - de análise. Para eleger os casos concretos, estabeleceu-se dois critérios de escolha: origem e a relação com o poder público. A partir disso, duas cooperativas foram identificadas: CooperVida e CooperFlor. Os achados indicam que a idade, a escolaridade, a localização geográfica e o desemprego foram os principais fatores na CooperVida e na CooperFlor que influenciaram o processo associativo. Essas causas de agrupamento são consequência das características do indivíduo e do contexto em que ele está imerso, dessa forma o processo associativo é resultado de um processo induzido que pode ser enquadrado como um efeito homofilico estrutural ou homofilico de status. Por sua vez, a rede de familiares e de pessoas próximas foram mais utilizadas para o acesso à cooperativa, apontando para a força dos laços fortes no processo associativo. Diante do exposto, o trabalho desenvolvido pelos catadores de material reciclável foi reconhecido como uma ocupação no mercado de trabalho brasileiro. Apesar de ter sido uma conquista para esse segmento social, os resultados desta tese apontam que os catadores entraram para a catação na rua ou para trabalhar na cooperativa em decorrência de fatores externos ou em decorrência de seus atributos e não de uma escolha individual (efeito homofílico estrutural/status). Além disso, os achados da pesquisa evidenciam a importância que os laços fortes têm no processo associativo e corroboram com a teoria dos laços fortes e fracos proposto por Granovetter (1983)

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The presence of both narcissism and social capital in the digital social networking site Facebook is altering the dynamic of relationship development. Therefore, the central research question directing this study is as follows: What role do narcissistic personality traits play in bridging social capital on Facebook? From this, two sub-questions are raised: 1) What are the motives for users to express narcissistic traits through Facebook? 2) How is narcissistic-motivated activity influencing social capital development through Facebook? Guiding this thesis are concepts of social tie relationships (as they apply to narcissism), and digital social networks. An exploratory study of in-depth interviews was utilized to conduct such research. A key objective in this thesis is understanding motive and purpose for generating social capital in an online environment. The findings from this study suggest Facebook is a facilitator for the expression of narcissistic traits. As a result, this is influencing the disconnected and questionable value of digital social capital.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:15:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Grazziani Barreto Colombo.pdf: 2156642 bytes, checksum: 0f096db6f6275455f5fdc82868f3edf5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-03 / This research has as object social networks, specifically Facebook, including participations and interactions on the network. The aim is to investigate the phenomenon of the spread of information under the following approach: to participate is to exist. To that end, variables of influence, communication and reputation involved in the spread and in the forms of participation, which qualify the existence of individuals in the network were studied. The issue involved is that user's forms of participation on social networks are in a transitional movement that changes his perception of existence in the digital environment. There is no stability among the types of interactions that generate the spread of information. These forms are linked to the current structures of social networks: if they change, the forms of participation are also changed, and therefore, the feedback from peers and their perception of existence on the network. The spread also depends on the network algorithm, which defines the rules and content distribution thresholds. Thus, for the diffusion to happen, two decision thresholds will be needed: the user's and the algorithm's. The hypothesis is that user participation qualifies its existence on online social networks. To participate is to exist. Through Granovetter's studies - on the forces between the connections of users and decision thresholds in collective participation, Gladwell and Christakis - about the influences of network connections - the project presents theoretical grounds to advance in the understanding of the dissemination of information on social networks. Users' strong ties are crucial cogs to the scope of the two thresholds within the network. The analyzed case is the "Ice Bucket Challenge", a movement in favor of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA). It worked as follows: a person would pour a bucket of water with ice on his head and challenge three others to do the same within 24 hours or donate $ 100 to the association. The message reached tens of millions of people and led the Association to raise 45 times more donations than the previous year. The clarification sought about how the spread of information in social networks and its direct relationship with the existence of individuals, makes it possible the raise of new issues and analysis related to algorithms decision thresholds, as well as new definitions of what is to participate of/to belong to a social network / Esta pesquisa tem como objeto as redes sociais, especificamente o Facebook, compreendendo participações e interações na rede. O objetivo é investigar o fenômeno da propagação de informações sob o seguinte ângulo: participar é existir. Para tanto, foram estudadas as variáveis de influência, comunicação e reputação implicadas na propagação e nas formas de participação, as quais qualificam a existência dos indivíduos na rede. A problemática envolvida é que as formas de participação dos usuários nas redes sociais estão em um movimento transitório que altera sua percepção de existência no meio. Não há uma estabilidade entre os tipos de interação que geram a propagação de informação. Essas formas estão ligadas às atuais estruturas das redes sociais: se elas mudam, as formas de participação também se alteram e por consequência o feedback dos pares e a sua percepção de existir na rede. A propagação também depende do algoritmo da rede, que define as regras e os limiares de distribuição de conteúdo. Assim, para que a difusão aconteça, será necessário o alcance de dois limiares de decisão: o do usuário e o do algoritmo. A hipótese é que a participação do usuário qualifica sua existência nas redes sociais on-line. Participar é existir. Através dos estudos de Granovetter sobre as forças entre as conexões dos usuários e dos limiares de decisão em participações coletivas, Gladwell e Christakis sobre as influências das conexões em rede o projeto apresenta bases teóricas para avançar no entendimento da difusão de informações nas redes sociais. Os laços fortes dos usuários são engrenagens fundamentais para o alcance dos dois limiares dentro da rede. O caso analisado é o Desafio do balde de gelo (Ice Bucket Challenge), um movimento em prol da Associação Americana de Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica (ALSA). A operação funcionava da seguinte forma: uma pessoa derramava um balde de água com gelo sobre a cabeça e desafiava três outras pessoas a fazer o mesmo dentro de 24 horas ou doar US$ 100 para a associação. A propagação atingiu dezenas de milhões de pessoas e fez com que a Associação arrecadasse 45 vezes mais doações que o ano anterior. O esclarecimento que se buscou sobre como a propagação de informações nas redes sociais e sua relação direta com a existência dos indivíduos possibilita levantar novas questões e análises em relação ao limiar de decisão dos algoritmos, bem como as novas definições do que é participar na rede

The presence of both narcissism and social capital in the digital social networking site Facebook is altering the dynamic of relationship development. Therefore, the central research question directing this study is as follows: What role do narcissistic personality traits play in bridging social capital on Facebook? From this, two sub-questions are raised: 1) What are the motives for users to express narcissistic traits through Facebook? 2) How is narcissistic-motivated activity influencing social capital development through Facebook? Guiding this thesis are concepts of social tie relationships (as they apply to narcissism), and digital social networks. An exploratory study of in-depth interviews was utilized to conduct such research. A key objective in this thesis is understanding motive and purpose for generating social capital in an online environment. The findings from this study suggest Facebook is a facilitator for the expression of narcissistic traits. As a result, this is influencing the disconnected and questionable value of digital social capital.

Bakgrund: 2010 presenterade SCB en undersökning om hur 403 000 jobb tillsattes (GP 2010). 79 000 av dessa tjänster tillsattes via personliga kontakter och ytterligare 100 000 där arbetsgivaren själv kontaktade den arbetssökande. Denna trend i användandet av det sociala kontaktnätet får stöd av Lena Hensvik, doktorand i nationalekonomi, i tidskriften Framtider (2012). Hon skriver att den sociala omgivningen såsom grannar, skolkamrater, tidigare kollegor och föräldrar har stor betydelse för hur vi får anställning eller inte. Hon menar att kontaktnätet är en viktig självinvestering då vårdandet av ens nätverk uppenbarligen kan underlätta jobbsökandet. Hensvik (2012) fortsätter skriva att det i dagens samhälle inte bara handlar om vem du är utan även vem du känner. Syfte: Tidigare forskning berättar att personliga kontakter är en av de faktorer som ökar anställningsbarheten. Vi vill därför ta vid där tidigare forskning slutar och göra en mer inriktad studie där vi fokuserar på personliga kontakter och kartlägger dess effekt i praktiken. Vi ämnar därför förklara personliga kontakters betydelse i samband med nyanställning av civilekonomer med examen från 2007-2012. Metod: Vi har valt att genomföra vår studie med en kvantitativ undersökningsdesign och ett deduktivt synsätt på relationen teori och forskning. Empiriska data har insamlats genom enkätundersökning. Slutsats: Vår slutsats är att personliga kontakter är användbara för civilekonomer i anställningsprocessen, att kontakterna till 90,4% leder dem till minst intervju och att kontakterna inte nödvändigtvis är de som är definierade som svaga, se Granovetters (1973, 1975) teorier om The Strength of Weak Ties. / Background: In 2010 SCB presented a survey of how 403 000 jobs were added (GP 2010). 79 000 of these were added through social contacts and another 100 000 by the employer himself who contacted the unemployed. This trend of using social contacts in the job-seeking process gets support by Hensvik, doctor in economics. In the magazine Framtider (2012) she writes that the social environment such as neighbours, class mates, former colleagues and parents have a big impact if we get an employment or not. Hensvik (2012) says that the caring of ones contacts is an important self-investment that improves your probabilities of getting an employment. She continues writing that in today’s society it’s not only important who you are but also who you know. Purpose: Previous research tells that social contacts are one of the factors that will improve your probabilities of getting employed. We will continue where previous research tends to end and aim for a more focused study where we measure the effects of using contacts in reality. The purpose of this thesis is to explain the contacts’ importance when employing former students with a Degree of Master of Science in Business and Economics. Method: We have conducted a questionnaire survey that was sent out to eight Swedish universities resulting in 100 responses. Conclusion: We have come to the conclusion that social contacts contribute in the recruitment process of former business students, that the use of contacts in 90,4% will get you far in the job-seeking process and that the helpful contacts are not necessarily the ones defined as weak ties, of which Granovetter (1973, 1975) would have argued.

The presence of both narcissism and social capital in the digital social networking site Facebook is altering the dynamic of relationship development. Therefore, the central research question directing this study is as follows: What role do narcissistic personality traits play in bridging social capital on Facebook? From this, two sub-questions are raised: 1) What are the motives for users to express narcissistic traits through Facebook? 2) How is narcissistic-motivated activity influencing social capital development through Facebook? Guiding this thesis are concepts of social tie relationships (as they apply to narcissism), and digital social networks. An exploratory study of in-depth interviews was utilized to conduct such research. A key objective in this thesis is understanding motive and purpose for generating social capital in an online environment. The findings from this study suggest Facebook is a facilitator for the expression of narcissistic traits. As a result, this is influencing the disconnected and questionable value of digital social capital.