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An exploratory data analysis of the #Crowdfunding network on Twitter

Lynn, Theo orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9284-7580, Rosati, Pierangelo orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-6070-0426, Binesh, Nair and Mac an Bhaird, Ciarán orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-2863-3398 (2020) An exploratory data analysis of the #Crowdfunding network on Twitter. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market and Complexity, 6 (3). ISSN 2199-8531

Abstract
Together, social media and crowdsourcing can help entrepreneurs to attract external finance and early-stage customers. This paper investigates the characteristics and discourse of an issue-centered public on Twitter organized around the hashtag #crowdfunding through the lens of social network theory. Using a dataset of 2,732,144 tweets published during a calendar year, we use exploratory data analysis to generate insights and hypotheses on who the users in the #crowdfunding network are, what they share, and how they are connected to each other. In order to do so, we adopt a range of descriptive, content, network analytics techniques. The results suggest that platforms, crowdfunders, and other actors who derive income from the crowdfunding economy play a key role in creating the network. Furthermore, latent ties (strangers) play a direct role in disseminating information, investing, and sending signals to platforms that further raises campaign prominence. We also introduce a new type of social tie, the “computer as a social actor”, previously unaddressed in entrepreneurial network literature, which play a role in sending signals to both platforms and networks. Our results suggest that homophily is a key driver for creating network sub-communities built around specific platforms, project types, domains, or geography
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Additional Information:Article number: 80
Uncontrolled Keywords:crowdfunding; entrepreneurship; social network analysis; twitter; social media; strangers; computer as a social actor; CASA
Subjects:Business > Finance
Business > Innovation
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > DCU Business School
Research Initiatives and Centres > Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce (IC4)
Publisher:MDPI
Official URL:https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/joitmc6030080
Copyright Information:© 2020 The Authors. Open Access. (CC-BY-4.0)
ID Code:25940
Deposited On:01 Jun 2021 14:58 by Pierangelo Rosati . Last Modified 01 Jun 2021 15:15
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