The role of multidimensional social capital in crowdfunding: A comparative study in China and US

How does an entrepreneur's social network impact crowdfunding? Based on social capital theory, we developed a research model and conducted a comparative study using objective data collected from China and the U.S. We found that an entrepreneur's social network ties, obligations to fund other entrepreneurs, and the shared meaning of the crowdfunding project between the entrepreneur and the sponsors had significant effects on crowdfunding performance in both China and the U.S. The predictive power of the three dimensions of social capital was stronger in China than it was in the U.S. Obligation also had a greater impact in China.     

The role of perceived social capital and flow experience in building users’ continuance intention to social networking sites in China

The long-term development of social networking sites (SNSs) relies on their users’ continuance of use. This paper tested the role of perceived social capital and flow experience in driving users to continue using SNSs based on the expectation–confirmation model of information systems continuance. Using data from online surveys of social networking sites users in China, the proposed model was tested by using the Partial Least Squares (PLSs) technique. The results show that perceived bridging and bonding social capital have different role in building users’ satisfaction and continuance intention: perceived bridging social capital has remarkable influence on users’ satisfaction and continuance intention, but perceived bonding social capital has none. Flow experience has influence on users’ satisfaction but none on continuance intention. In addition, gender has impact on users’ continuance intention.     

The role of attachment style in building social capital from a social networking site: The interplay of anxiety and avoidance

Drawing on attachment theory, the present study examines the attachment styles of individuals relative to two ways of building social capital – bonding social capital and bridging social capital. In trying to relate attachment theory to the use of SNS, the present study argues that bonding social capital is reflected in the use of SNS for forming attachment bonds from trust-based strong ties, while bridging social capital is reflected in the use of SNS for causal affiliations among more socially distant people. The conceptual model was validated through an online survey completed by 368 Facebook users. Two hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated several results. First, avoidance attachment was significant and negatively predictive of both bonding social and bridging social capital. Second, both bonding social capital and bridging social capital reported by respondents appeared to be greatest under conditions of low anxiety attachment coupled with low avoidance attachment. Third, levels of Facebook usage were significant and independently predictive of bridging social capital.     

The role of design and enactment patterns in orchestration: Helping to integrate technology in blended classroom ecosystems

Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) researchers have been using the word ‘orchestration’ for a number of different reasons in the last years. From this variety of meanings in which it is employed, the notion of orchestration emerges as the appropriation and integration of the different available technologies in classroom practice. This paper introduces the role of patterns (i.e., recurrent solutions to common problems) and other researcher artifacts (e.g., representations of orchestration) in developing both new educational technologies and interventions that are easier to appropriate/integrate. We also discuss other open questions around orchestration, which are still being discussed in the TEL community.