An Effects of Network Externalities for Knowledge Sharing Intention in Social Networking Sites: Social Capital and Online Identity Perspective

소셜 네트워킹 사이트에서 네트워크 외부성이 지식공유 의도에 미치는 영향: 사회적 자본과 온라인 정체성 관점

Nowadays, many first-time Internet users start off heavily using SNSs (Social Network Sites), such as Cyworld, Facebook, and Twitter. The reason for the growth of SNS use is closely related to the various services of gaming, playing, using entertainment items, sharing knowledge etc., provided by the SNS; technically, the most important of the services provided would be the behavior of sharing knowledge among people connected and networked in the site. In sum, we assume that the users may communicate well with each other and pay attention to building a close social network using the abovementioned activities. However, researchers have just begun to focus on the issues explaining why Internet users rush into SNSs and enjoy their time there. Therefore, we investigated the reasons for posting and sharing knowledge voluntarily on the SNS and how others respond to the posted knowledge and are actually affected by the behavior. We applied social identity theory and social capital theory in this study to find which network externalities in SNSs may affect online identity-based attachment and cause them to produce a knowledge sharing generation. We found that people's online identity in SNSs is closely related to and influences knowledge sharing. This empirical study resulted in the importance of social relations in SNSs, which leads to sharing knowledge.