Cynthia M. Webster

A glossary of terms for navigating the field of social network analysis

Social network analysis is the study of social structure. This glossary introduces basic concepts in social network analysis. It is designed to help researchers to be more discriminating in their thinking and choice of methods.

Network Analysis in Marketing

Understanding relationships is fundamental to marketing. Research has moved beyond simple dyadic relations to examine how networks of relations influence behaviour. While network theory is frequently drawn upon in marketing, few researchers apply the formal network analytical techniques developed. The aim here is to make network analysis more accessible. In this paper we discuss the basic data requirements and use a large business-to-business communication network to demonstrate a number of network measures and theories that have been applied in marketing studies.

Exploring social structure using dynamic three-dimensional color images

Here we introduce a computer-based visual display program, called MAGE. MAGE was designed to display molecules but we will explore its potential for application to the study of social networks. To do so, we will use MAGE to examine the structural properties of two data sets, friendship choices in an Australian college residence and peer choices among teenagers in a Dublin suburb.

THE EFFECT OF PROVIDER CHARACTERISTICS ON CASE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

The authors investigated the impact of provider characteristics on the performance of clinical case managers. Case managers in a large California county were interviewed using a structured instrument that assessed service linkage, assertive outreach, and family management. Findings indicate that assertive outreach was done more often by more experienced case managers, and less often by those with larger caseloads. Belief in the efficacy of an activity was associated with doing it much more frequently.

Identifying Consumer Value Co-created through Social Support within Online Health Communities

Consumers increasingly turn to online health communities for health information and social support. Yet, the type of value consumers derive from online health communities is not well understood. This study examines social support as the mechanism through which consumers co-create and experience different types of value. Cutrona and Russell’s typology of social support and Holbrook’s consumer value typology are applied to posts and threads obtained from two online communities for people with Parkinson’s Disease and ALS. Results demonstrate that online health communities give consumers the opportunity to create and experience forms of consumer value that would not otherwise be available in a traditional health delivery system. The results lend support to a re-conceptualisation of medical practice and health delivery for consumers with chronic conditions.

Exploring relationship marketing in membership associations

Purpose – Relationship marketing (RM) studies have produced a range of conclusions that are attributed to the different exchange contexts, strategies and constructs used for analysis. This study aims to explore RM within the context of a membership association to gain insights into membership maintenance, customer advocacy and association performance. Design/methodology/approach – The exploratory, qualitative research conducted draws on existing relationship marketing constructs. Six focus groups with current and former members of an Australian wine club provide insights regarding factors that influence their membership experience. Findings – The results show that satisfaction of membership benefits and confidence in the associations expertise are essential in strong relationships. Moreover, member commitment to the relationship appears to be multidimensional, with affective commitment in particular leading to member retention and advocacy. The results also indicate that trust, satisfaction and commitmen...

Why Create Value for Others? An Exploration of Social Entrepreneurial Motives

Social entrepreneurs create value for and with target communities in need. This paper responds to calls for research addressing social entrepreneurs’ drive to benefit others. We draw from psychology to augment the understanding of motives in entrepreneurship before conducting a phenomenon‐driven, instrumental case study of social entrepreneurs’ motives. We find some emotions, such as entrepreneurial passion and frustration, lead to self‐oriented motives, while sympathy and empathy are precursors for other‐oriented motivations, such as altruism and social justice. This work provides a theoretical platform for future studies in entrepreneurial motivation that addresses the importance of nonfinancial motives and associated rewards for fostering engagement in the sector.

Team leadership: Network differences in women's and men's instrumental and expressive relations

Recent studies have emphasised differences in leadership styles between women and men. Women have an “interactive” leadership style while men are more “directive” and “authoritative.” Social network analysis is used to examine differences in eight mental health case management teams, half formally supervised by women and half by men. The techniques used are graphical displays and measures of centrality. Results show male leaders as the most central team member for both instrumental and expressive relations. Female leaders, however, do not adhere to a single leadership style. Team centralisation also differs with gender composition of teams influencing leadership differences.

Consumer values of corporate and celebrity brand associations

Purpose – This study aims to explore consumer brand associations and values derived from a corporate brand and a celebrity brand endorser prior to their endorsement. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses both hierarchical value mapping and brand concept mapping (BCM) to identify brand attributes that translate to personal meaning for consumers and then to identify whether these attributes are encompassed by a specific brand. Findings – Results from brand concept maps and hierarchical value maps show consumers value accessibility and customer service in financial corporate brands. Consumers value expertise in celebrity brands and respect success in both corporate and celebrity brands. A central finding is the importance of brand authenticity. Corporate brand authenticity establishes a sense of security and assists in the development of brand relationships. Celebrity brand authenticity creates consumer attention and enhances celebrity trustworthiness aiding in the development of a consumer – celebri...

Consumer-to-consumer value within social networks

The value literature emanating from within the marketing discipline consistently refers to value as a complex construct, not well understood (Arvidsson, 2011; Chang & Dibb, 2012; Gallarza, Gil-Saura, & Holbrook, 2011; Karababa & Kjeldgaard, 2014; Sanchez-Fernandez & Iniesta-Bonilla, 2007). Two clear streams of value literature are capturing the attention of marketing scholars at present. Firstly, the role of the consumer in the creation of value is fundamental to much of the recent value literature (Gronroos, 2011; McColl-Kennedy, Vargo, Dagger, Sweeney, & van Kasteren, 2012; Prahalad & Ramaswamy, 2002, 2004; Schau, Muniz, & Arnould, 2009;