The objective of this research is to develop distributed approaches to optimizing network traffic. Two problems are studied, which include exploiting social networks in routing packets (coupons) to desired network nodes (users in the social network), and developing a rate based transport protocol, which will guarantee that all the flows in a network (e.g. Internet) meet a delay constraint per packet. Firstly, we will study social networks as a means of obtaining information about a system. They are increasingly seen as a means of obtaining awareness of user preferences. Such awareness could be used to target goods and services at them. We consider a general user model, wherein users could buy different numbers of goods at a marked and at a discounted price. Our first objective is to learn which users would be interested in a particular good. Second, we would like to know how much to discount these users such that the entire demand is realized, but not so much that profits are decreased. We develop algorithms for multihop forwarding of such discount coupons over an online social network, in which users forward coupons to each other in return for a reward. Coupling this idea with the implicit learning associated with backpressure routing (originally developed for multihop wireless networks), we would like to demonstrate how to realize optimal revenue. We will then propose a simpler heuristic algorithm and try to show, using simulations, that its performance approaches that of backpressure routing. As the second problem, we look at the traditional formulation of the total value of information transfer, which is a multi-commodity flow problem. Here, each data source is seen as generating a commodity along a fixed route, and the objective is to maximize the total system throughput under some concept of fairness, subject to capacity constraints of the links used. This problem is well studied under the framework of network utility maximization and has led to several different distributed congestion control schemes. However, this idea of value does not capture the fact that flows might associate value, not just with throughput, but with link-quality metrics such as packet delay, jitter and so on. The traditional congestion control problem is redefined to include individual source preferences. It is assumed that degradation in link quality seen by a flow adds up on the links it traverses, and the total utility is maximized in such a way that the quality degradation seen by each source is bounded by a value that it declares. Decoupling source-dissatisfaction and link-degradation through an ?effective capacity? variable, a distributed and provably optimal resource allocation algorithm is designed, to maximize system utility subject to these quality constraints. The applicability of our controller in different situations is illustrated, and results are supported through numerical examples.

It is not only a complicated but also long-term mission to implement the information system and system project. It involves a variety of interior and exterior problems, such as the supporting from decision management, users' resistance, conflict between departments, leadership of project members, outsourcing¡¦s cooperation, supporting of develop tools (Software & Hardware) and cooperation of supply chain. Therefore, we have defined the social network of the CIO as seven dimensions, which are CEO, users, cross dept. chiefs, MIS dept. employees, Supplies & Clients, Outsourcings & Consultant and Software/Hardware supplies. The research tries to approach the topics from the angle of observer, starting from the social network of the CIO, by case study method, to process the detailed data analysis through a great different of CIO interviews. Thus we may find out and realize the circumstance CIO may faced and the phenomenal incurred in intercourse with the others, which intends to explore that CIO faces the challenge & response while they are trying to push information system in the enterprise. We also take the perspective of Social Capital consists of three dimensions which are structural dimension, cognitive dimension and relational dimension combined as a analyzing perspective to interpret and analyze how the CIO create and take advantage of his social capital to solve problems and achieve the goal eventually. The first finding of the research is that the social network of the CIO was suitable and practicable analyzing perspective based on the three dimensions of social capital theory; secondly, the communication between the correspondents of the CIO social network and CEO is the most importance and the most difficulty as well. The enterprise culture, background, CIO network structure have the influence on intercourse benefit. It is inter-supported with the three dimensions of the social capital. We hereby hope to achieve the following progresses with the research: 1. The reference to the qualified candidate of the CIO to an enterprise. 2. Target on the managers of information management and offer them a brief and simple analyzing perspective, in order to make an accurate diagnose & analysis to the problems. 3. The enterprise could take advantage of social capital to impulse the information system, so that it may reduce information management from any cognitive difference, conflicts between interfaces and get promotion of the service quality of the information department.

This study is base on the concept of social capital to discuss the dispersion and integration of social capital in different community actions. And try to understand the elements of social capital by the survey of the residents in community action. Further more, to indicate the background, status, participation and role to community organization and activities of all residents. Also, what all can be used in community action, include human, finance and other resources. This study tries to looking for the model of dispersion and integration of social capital through the mobilization of resources in different community action. The purposes of this study are,(1) to research the model and origin of social capital in community, (2) discussing the way to get social capital by the different kind of residents, and how it make the dispersion and integration to social capital, (3) to research why the dispersed social capital integrated to community elites. For these purposes, Chi-San Town is choice to be the area for empirical survey. In the discussion of relative theory, the concepts of social capital, community action theory and social network theory will help to analysis the mobilization of social capital. Through the demand and need to public affair, the assistant network is established in the survey of 214 residents in Chi-San Town. This network is the base structure and relation of the mobilization of social capital. Furthermore, it will be used to examine the effect and degree of resources mobilization in different community actions. The assistant network of public affair can be used to observe the dispersion and integration of social capital. When community action is processing, social capital will be integrated to the elite of residents. Residents will give the resources what the community action can use to the persons who used to assist in the demand for public affair. Through this network, community action will be more efficiency. Different community action will result in different mobilization model and degree for social capital. By this way, social capital can be observed. The social capital embedded personal relationship can be used when community act and integrate to the elite of residents.

Most corporations today have an organizational framework that includes a separation between ownership and management of the company. Along with the Board of Directors, the chief executive officer (CEO) usually has the power to make significant decisions on corporate policy and also takes personal responsibility for the performance of the company. Thus the selection of an optimal CEO is a crucial business decision, and is the focus of this management study. When undertaking the procedures for CEO succession, the members of the Board must select appropriate candidates for the position, as well as deciding upon the CEO¡¦s job responsibilities. The Board evaluates the extent to which the various candidates¡¦ capabilities and experiences match the needs of the corporation. After discussing the pros and cons of each candidate, the Board selects the most appropriate individual for the position. However, certain circumstances often exist that serve to affect this decision process. Specifically, the quality and timing of Board meetings may have a serious detrimental affect on selecting the optimal candidate. By analyzing the literature reviews and annual reports of 682 public companies in Taiwan in 2003, three succession logics of selecting a CEO can be observed: 1) social relationship, 2) political power, and 3) rational capability. From these three logics, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) The social relationship has the most influence on the selection outcome, with political power acting as the second most influential aspect, and management capability as the third; 2) The influence of the Chairman¡¦s abstract power, as well as his ownership of stock, do not have an obvious influence on the selection outcome, though the Chairman¡¦s control over Board seats has a statistically significant impact on CEO selection; 3) A CEO¡¦s social relationship can not be replaced by his management capability; 4) CEO¡¦s social relationship and stock ownership both have high positive correlation with his involvement of the Board, while the Chairman¡¦s power and the CEO¡¦s management capability don¡¦t.

Social network analysis is used to find all relationships from the group, dig out the prominent patterns, and observe how information flows between dyads. By social network analysis approaches, users can know how information flows through network ties, how people acquire information and resources, and how cleavages and coalitions operate. In this research, we develop a useful social network analysis system to facilitate teams¡¦ collaboration. The system can draw a social network in ego-centered or whole network layout, and provide information of social network attributes of all users. Both team leaders and general members can make use of it to understand relations and interaction patterns of their team. We also generalize social network attributes to analyze task-based teams at different team development stages for discovering the interaction patterns of different groups in groups¡¦ life cycles. Interaction patterns of members in the team and roles that users play have high influence on a virtual team¡¦s development. With these discoveries, team leaders can obtain concise information about their teams¡¦ performance, and community managers can capture stereotypes of virtual teams in the community. From these evaluation results, we confirm that social network analysis is a useful means to analyze the knowledge activities conducted by virtual teams.

This research is aimed to build a social network system for college teachers by retrieving different data sources available on the Internet, the characteristics of the constructed social network are represented in graphic and numeric modes. By applying relationships maintained in the social network, we can find the shortest path between any two researchers or the ego-center social network of any individual teacher according to the input parameters given by a query user.. That is to say we have realized the knowledge map concept for college teachers. In this research, we focus on searching the advisory relationships between advisors and students. . Because after a Ph.D. student graduated, he/she could be an advisor guiding other students, by applying recursion of advisory relationships ¡A we can construct a multi-level hierarchy of family-tree for a given advisor and the family-tree can be viewed as a whole family-tree and just those non-leaf nodes. We also analyzed some interesting characteristics of the created family-tree¡A compared with the human relationships in our real society to evaluate and explain some phenomena happened in our academic society. Furthermore, we combine two information of social network and knowledge map for developing the ANIWEB system, providing web-based query functions for users to search teachers¡¦ social network. Two types of query can be applied, one is searching for teacher¡¦s personal information, such as biography, educational background, specialty and NSC projects; the other is searching for social network information about an interested teacher, such as multi-level advisory relationship, co-advisory relationship, ego-center social network and the shortest path between any two teachers. Users can apply different search patterns for their different needs. For example, a user can first search for those teachers with an expertise of a given research topics, then search for the shortest path from the social network to find out the expert he/she could get in touch.

Executive search recruiting by head hunters have been the main and important human resources strategy. In the past, there are a few thesis topics on executive search recruiter (head hunter), and all of these studies focus on either executive search industry or the competency of executive search recruiter. This study surveyed a sample of executive search recruiters island wide, and learn the effects of hunter hunter¡¦s personality trait, human capital and social network on job performance. A brief version of Goldberg¡¦s Unipolar Big-Five Markers was used to evaluate head hunters; as for social networks we focus on four properties of the social network that have been identified as important in the study of executives' networks: the propensity to network, the scope of the network, the strength of ties with network members, and the prestige of network members. The effective sample is 65 after deleting two ineffective questionnaires. The result after regression analysis is as follows: 1. Head hunter¡¦s current job seniority and the seniority of their past original professional field before being a head hunter have a positive impact on their job performance. 2. Having master degree or not and the total seniority of being a head hunter have no obvious impact on job performance. 3. The personality trait of head hunter has impact on their subjective job performance but has no impact on their objective job performance. 4. Head hunter¡¦s social network has no impact on their job performance.

Facebook is the dominant SNS for American students in the United States, and Renren.com is heavily used by Chinese students in China. Chinese international students in the United States are likely to use both the host and home SNSs to keep in touch with their friends in the host and home countries. The purpose of the study is to explore the similarities and differences between host and home SNS use among Chinese international students in the U.S. This study compares their use of Facebook and Renren.com with respect to intensity and patterns of use. It explores how these student sojourners in the U.S. use the two SNSs to build up and maintain their social networks and social capital and how their levels of acculturation to American host culture and maintenance of Chinese home culture are associated with their SNS use. Quantitative data collected through a survey of 212 Chinese international students at the University of Texas at Austin was analyzed to address these research questions. The findings suggest that Chinese international students use Renren.com more intensively than Facebook and prefer Renren.com to Facebook for the purposes of communication and information seeking. They are more likely to use Renren.com than Facebook to interact with Chinese friends whether in the U.S., in China, or in other parts of the world. The intensity of Facebook and Renren.com use were found to be positively associated with bridging social capital, but neither of the two is associated with bonding social capital. Only the intensity of Renren.com use was found to have a positive relationship with maintained social capital. Furthermore, the levels of acculturation to host culture are associated with the intensity of Facebook use, while the levels of maintenance to home culture are associated with the intensity of Renren.com use. / text

This study aims to describe and analyse consumer behaviour in social media toward fashion brands. Specifically, it is analysed consumers’ motivations to follow fashion brands on social media, activities developed on social platforms concerning to fashion brands and level of engagement regarding fashion brands on social media.

With the advancement of internet technology, online news content has become very popular. People can now get live updates of the world's news through online news sites. Social networking sites are also very popular among Internet users, for sharing pictures, videos, news links and other online content. Twitter is one of the most popular social networking and microblogging sites. With Twitter's URL shortening service, a news link can be included in a tweet with only a small number of characters, allowing the rest of the tweet to be used for expressing views on the news story. Social links can be unidirectional in Twitter, allowing people to follow any person or organization and get their tweet updates, and share those updates with their own followers if desired. Through Twitter thousands of news links are tweeted every day. Whenever there is a popular new story, different news sites will publish identical or nearly identical versions (``clones'') of that story. Though these clones have the same or very similar content, the level of popularity they achieve may be quite different due to content agnostic factors such as influential tweeters, time of publication and the popularities of the news sites. It is very important for the content provider site to know about which factor plays a important role to make their news link popular. In this thesis research, a data set is collected containing the tweets made for the 218 members of 25 distinct sets of news story clones. The collected data is analyzed with respect to basic popularity characteristics concerning number of tweets of various types, relative publication times of clone set members, tweet timing and number of tweeter followers. Then, several other factors are investigated to see their impact in making some news story clones more popular than others. It is found that multiple content-agnostic factors i.e. maximum number of followers, self promotional tweets plays an impact on news site's stories overall popularity, and a first step is taken at quantifying their relative importance.