An exploratory data analysis of the #crowdfunding network on Twitter

Artikel

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.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Journal: Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity ; ISSN: 2199-8531 ; Volume: 6 ; Year: 2020 ; Issue: 3 ; Pages: 1-22 ; Basel: MDPI

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Management
• Subject: crowdfunding ; entrepreneurship ; social network analysis ; twitter ; social media ; strangers ; computer as a social actor ; CASA

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Lynn, Theo ; Rosati, Pierangelo ; Nair, Binesh ; Mac an Bhaird, Ciarán
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): MDPI
• (where): Basel
• (when): 2020

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.3390/joitmc6030080
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/241466
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET