IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i12p4680-d189083.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

User Willingness toward Knowledge Sharing in Social Networks

Author

Listed:
  • Jie Zhao

    (School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China)

  • Chanjuan Zhu

    (School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China)

  • Zhixiang Peng

    (School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China)

  • Xin Xu

    (School of Mathematics Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China)

  • Yan Liu

    (School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China)

Abstract

Social networks introduce new potential for people to share knowledge with others. However, it is not clear what factors influence user willingness toward knowledge sharing in social networks. Aiming to answer these questions, in this paper we analyze the major factors influencing user willingness toward knowledge sharing in social networks and propose a new research model that is inspired by the technology acceptance model (TAM). In particular, we introduce a new independent variable called perceived value which is described by four aspects: social value, entertainment value, emotion value, and information value. In addition, we introduce a new mediating variable, trust, to reflect the intermediating relationship between perceived value and knowledge-sharing willingness. We conduct an empirical analysis on questionnaire data and present comprehensive results on reliability and validity, factor analysis, correlation analysis, and mediating effects analysis. The results show that perceived value has a significant impact on knowledge-sharing willingness, and trust plays a partial intermediate role between perceived value and knowledge-sharing willingness. Further, we present some research implications for knowledge sharing and learning innovation in social networks, as well as some suggestions for organizations to advance knowledge sharing and learning innovation in the social-network age.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Zhao & Chanjuan Zhu & Zhixiang Peng & Xin Xu & Yan Liu, 2018. "User Willingness toward Knowledge Sharing in Social Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-27, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4680-:d:189083
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/12/4680/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/12/4680/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ha, Sejin & Stoel, Leslie, 2009. "Consumer e-shopping acceptance: Antecedents in a technology acceptance model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(5), pages 565-571, May.
    2. Jie Zhao & Jianfei Wang & Suping Fang & Peiquan Jin, 2018. "Towards Sustainable Development of Online Communities in the Big Data Era: A Study of the Causes and Possible Consequence of Voting on User Reviews," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Jie Zhao & Suping Fang & Peiquan Jin, 2018. "Modeling and Quantifying User Acceptance of Personalized Business Modes Based on TAM, Trust and Attitude," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-26, January.
    4. Brown, Jacqueline Johnson & Reingen, Peter H, 1987. "Social Ties and Word-of-Mouth Referral Behavior," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 14(3), pages 350-362, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jie Zhao & Jianfei Wang, 2020. "Health Advertising on Short-Video Social Media: A Study on User Attitudes Based on the Extended Technology Acceptance Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Urbonavicius, Sigitas & Degutis, Mindaugas & Zimaitis, Ignas & Kaduskeviciute, Vaida & Skare, Vatroslav, 2021. "From social networking to willingness to disclose personal data when shopping online: Modelling in the context of social exchange theory," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 76-85.
    3. Md. Armanul Haque & Xiaojuan Zhang & A. K. M. Eamin Ali Akanda & Md. Nazmul Hasan & Md. Mahbubul Islam & Amitav Saha & Md. Ikbal Hossain & Zihadur Rahman, 2023. "Knowledge Sharing among Students in Social Media: The Mediating Role of Family and Technology Supports in the Academic Development Nexus in an Emerging Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-27, June.
    4. Jiang Xu & Huihui Wu & Jianhua Zhang, 2022. "Innovation Research on Symbiotic Relationship of Organization’s Tacit Knowledge Transfer Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-22, March.
    5. Yaxue Ma & Zhichao Ba & Yuxiang Zhao & Jin Mao & Gang Li, 2021. "Understanding and predicting the dissemination of scientific papers on social media: a two-step simultaneous equation modeling–artificial neural network approach," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(8), pages 7051-7085, August.
    6. Vincenzo Corvello & Maria Cristina Chimenti & Carlo Giglio & Saverino Verteramo, 2020. "An Investigation on the Use by Academic Researchers of Knowledge from Scientific Social Networking Sites," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-16, November.
    7. Jiaqi Liu & Zhenping Zhang & Jiayin Qi & Hong Wu & Manyi Chen, 2019. "Understanding the Impact of Opinion Leaders’ Characteristics on Online Group Knowledge-Sharing Engagement from In-Group and Out-Group Perspectives: Evidence from a Chinese Online Knowledge-Sharing Com," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-28, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Muhammad Fazal Ijaz & Jongtae Rhee, 2018. "Constituents and Consequences of Online-Shopping in Sustainable E-Business: An Experimental Study of Online-Shopping Malls," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    2. Jie Zhao & Zhixiang Peng, 2019. "Shared Short-Term Rentals for Sustainable Tourism in the Social-Network Age: The Impact of Online Reviews on Users’ Purchase Decisions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Jie Zhao & Jianfei Wang, 2020. "Health Advertising on Short-Video Social Media: A Study on User Attitudes Based on the Extended Technology Acceptance Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-21, February.
    4. Sangjae Lee & Byung Gon Kim, 2020. "The Impact of Individual Motivations and Social Capital on the Continuous Usage Intention of Mobile Social Apps," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-30, October.
    5. Saeideh Sharifi fard & Ezhar Tamam & Md Salleh Hj Hassan & Moniza Waheed & Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh, 2016. "Factors affecting Malaysian university students’ purchase intention in social networking sites," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 1182612-118, December.
    6. Choo Yeon Kim & Seong Soo Cha, 2023. "Effect of SNS Characteristics for Dining Out on Customer Satisfaction and Online Word of Mouth," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, September.
    7. Jennifer K D’Angelo & Kristin Diehl & Lisa A Cavanaugh, 2019. "Lead by Example? Custom-Made Examples Created by Close Others Lead Consumers to Make Dissimilar Choices," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 46(4), pages 750-773.
    8. Yucheng Zhang & Zhiling Wang & Lin Xiao & Lijun Wang & Pei Huang, 2023. "Discovering the evolution of online reviews: A bibliometric review," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-22, December.
    9. Feixiang Zhang & Liyong Zong, 2014. "Dissemination of Word of Mouth Based on SNA Centrality Modeling and Power of Actors - An Empirical Analysis of Internet Word of Mouth," International Journal of Business Administration, International Journal of Business Administration, Sciedu Press, vol. 5(5), pages 65-70, September.
    10. Martins, José & Costa, Catarina & Oliveira, Tiago & Gonçalves, Ramiro & Branco, Frederico, 2019. "How smartphone advertising influences consumers' purchase intention," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 378-387.
    11. Yu Wang & Shanyong Wang & Jing Wang & Jiuchang Wei & Chenglin Wang, 2020. "An empirical study of consumers’ intention to use ride-sharing services: using an extended technology acceptance model," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 397-415, February.
    12. Wang, Le & Luo, Xin (Robert) & Li, Han, 2022. "Envy or conformity? An empirical investigation of peer influence on the purchase of non-functional items in mobile free-to-play games," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 308-324.
    13. Sharma, Mahak & Antony, Rose & Sehrawat, Rajat & Cruz, Angel Contreras & Daim, Tugrul U., 2022. "Exploring post-adoption behaviors of e-service users: Evidence from the hospitality sector /online travel services," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    14. Jeen-Su Lim & Abdulrahman Al-Aali & John Heinrichs, 2015. "Impact of satisfaction with e-retailers’ touch points on purchase behavior: the moderating effect of search and experience product type," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 225-235, June.
    15. Limeng Chai & Yicheng Wang, 2022. "Exploring the Sustainable Usage Intention of BOPS: A Perspective of Channel Integration Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    16. Yadav, Manjit S. & de Valck, Kristine & Hennig-Thurau, Thorsten & Hoffman, Donna L. & Spann, Martin, 2013. "Social Commerce: A Contingency Framework for Assessing Marketing Potential," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 311-323.
    17. Khim-Yong Goh & Cheng-Suang Heng & Zhijie Lin, 2013. "Social Media Brand Community and Consumer Behavior: Quantifying the Relative Impact of User- and Marketer-Generated Content," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 88-107, March.
    18. Scott, Stephanie & Hughes, Paul & Hodgkinson, Ian & Kraus, Sascha, 2019. "Technology adoption factors in the digitization of popular culture: Analyzing the online gambling market," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    19. Fang Di & Richards Timothy J. & Grebitus Carola, 2019. "Modeling Product Choices in a Peer Network," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 22(1), pages 1-13, June.
    20. Jalees, Tariq & Tariq, Huma & Zaman, Syed Imran & Alam Kazmi, Syed Hasnain, 2015. "Social Media in Virtual Marketing," MPRA Paper 69868, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Apr 2015.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4680-:d:189083. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.