Factors influencing knowledge contribution:An empirical investigation of social networking website users

Purpose: In the Web 2.0 era,leveraging the collective power of user knowledge contributions has become an important part of the study of collective intelligence. This research aims to investigate the factors which influence knowledge contribution behavior of social networking sites(SNS) users.Design/methodology/approach: The data were obtained from an online survey of 251 social networking sites users. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to validate the proposed model.Findings: Our survey shows that the individuals' motivation for knowledge contribution,their capability of contributing knowledge,interpersonal trust and their own habits positively influence their knowledge contribution behavior,but reward does not significantly influence knowledge contribution in the online virtual community.Research limitations: Respondents of our online survey are mainly undergraduate and graduate students. A limited sample group cannot represent all of the population. A larger survey involving more SNS users may be useful.Practical implications: The results have provided some theoretical basis for promoting knowledge contribution and user viscosity.Originality/value: Few studies have investigated the impact of social influence and user habits on knowledge contribution behavior of SNS users. This study can make a theoretical contribution by examining how the social influence processes and habits affect one's knowledge contribution behavior using online communities.

Understanding the factors influencing user intention to continue contributing knowledge in social Q&A communities

Purpose:A social question & answer(SQA) community's long-term sustainability depends on its members' willingness to stay and contribute their knowledge continuously in the community.This research aims to investigate the critical factors which influence users' intention to continue contributing knowledge in the SQA community.Design/methodology/approach:Grounded on information systems(IS) continuance theory,this study put forward a model of the factors that influence SQA community members' intention to continue contributing knowledge.Survey was conducted to gather data from knowledge contributors of four major Chinese SQA communities(Baidu Knows,Sina iAsk,Soso Ask and Yahoo! Knowledge).By using the partial least squares(PLS) technique,research hypotheses derived from the proposed model were empirically validated.Findings:Except enjoyment in helping others and knowledge self-efficacy,all other factors including extrinsic reward,reputation enhancement,realization of self-worth,perceived usefulness,attitude towards knowledge contribution,and satisfaction exert significant impacts on users' continuance intentions in an SQA community.Research limitations:First,important factors such as the ease of use of information systems which may influence users' continuance intentions were not investigated in the study.Second,the study sample needs to be enlarged,and users of smaller SQA communities should also be included,to make the results more representative.Practical implications:This study will help SQA community designers and managers develop or improve incentive mechanisms to attract more people to contribute their knowledge and promote the development of the SQA community.Originality/value:This study improves the previous research models and puts forward a model of user continuance intention to contribute knowledge in an SQA community.It will extend the understanding of SQA community users' intention to continue contributing knowledge by distinguishing these users' different roles and focusing only on knowledge contributors.

Dissemination of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Germany from an Intercultural Perspective: A Brief Introduction of Franz Hübotter

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)is the cultural heritage of all humankind.TCM not only embodies the cultural crystallization of the region and the nation,but also performs the important mission of curing the lives,saving the sick and maintaining the health of the people.In the history of the spread of Chinese medicine to the West,foreign missionaries have played an important role,and researches about this role have continued in China.In the history of Chinese medicine in Germany,there is a pivotal figure named Franz Hübotter(1881-1967),who broke through the deadlock in the academic research of Chinese medicine in the 19th century in Germany,but the discussion on his contribution has been comparatively rare in China.His works and translations are not only of medical value,but are also valuable historically,culturally,and socially.The historical development of TCM has the authenticity of history,the integrity of the environment,and the richness of the times.Medical experts have explored and verified the value of medicine.Translators and scholars are mainly concerned with the dissemination of knowledge from an intercultural perspective.This paper provides a primitive and objective introduction to Franz Hübotter,hoping to trigger off the secondary research among scholars of different professional backgrounds and to expand professional thinking,and then get over the barriers of disciplines.