Network evolution of transactional community based on network closure theory
Huang Min-xu · Systems Engineering - Theory & Practice · 2015
As the era of social commerce is coming,the transactional community has become a key solution to the contradiction between economic nature and social nature in social commerce.Traditional social network analysis explored the evolution of social network,while transactional community is very different from social community regarding the roles and motivations of their members.This research,based on one of the most active communities in Taobao.com,analyzed the differences of transactional community in network closure mechanism.The results showed:(1) Members in transactional community would choose to avoid reciprocity because of high cost of social interaction and the risk of inefnciency of relationship;(2) In a vague situation where informational social influence impacts the most,more options of contagion path would enhance influence but harm necessity of its member,which has a negative effect on relationship estabUshment;(3) The relationship establishment in transactional community comes mainly from the similarities among members,which include the mutual acquaintances or mutual activities.