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Social networks and social media: Understanding and managing influence vulnerability in a connected society

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  • Bruning, Patrick F.
  • Alge, Bradley J.
  • Lin, Hsin-Chen

Abstract

Influence vulnerability has recently become a concern across society and in business. Such vulnerabilities increase as social networks are leveraged by different entities, oftentimes through social media, to affect how we think and behave. While many instances of social influence are positive and beneficial, others can be quite negative and lead to harmful outcomes for organizations and individuals such as reputational damage and an inability to control desirable thoughts, narratives, and behaviors. In general, they can decrease people’s freedom of thought and behavior. This article draws on the concepts of social embeddedness and network commitment to outline people’s influence vulnerabilities. It then proposes three guidelines to help reduce influence vulnerabilities based on the concepts of trustworthiness, network commitment, and self-management.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruning, Patrick F. & Alge, Bradley J. & Lin, Hsin-Chen, 2020. "Social networks and social media: Understanding and managing influence vulnerability in a connected society," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 63(6), pages 749-761.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:bushor:v:63:y:2020:i:6:p:749-761
    DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2020.07.007
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    Cited by:

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    2. Feng Chen & Jian Ding & Mochou Li & Bingqing Wang, 2021. "From self‐entertainment to being appreciated: how does social media transfer talent to business?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(5), pages 6113-6146, December.
    3. Xinhai Lu & Yanwei Zhang & Handong Tang, 2021. "Modeling and Simulation of Dissemination of Cultivated Land Protection Policies in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, February.
    4. Hong, Ying & Hu, Jiangting & Zhao, Yaxin, 2023. "Would you go invisible on social media? An empirical study on the antecedents of users' lurking behavior," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).

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