Social Network Sites, Motivations and Social Capital: Comparative Study of Japan and Brazil

Marcos Hideyuki Yokoyama (ngm807yh@student.econ.osaka-u.ac.jp)
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Marcos Hideyuki Yokoyama: Graduate School of Economics, Osaka University

No 13-28, Discussion Papers in Economics and Business from Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics

Abstract: The advance of web technology has allowed increasingly number of people to have access to Social Network Sites. Different members of society, including people of all ages and social classes, have used Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. This study examines the relationship between the use of Social Network Sites and the formation of social capital. Using data from a web survey of employees in Japan (n = 244) and Brazil (n = 251), positive associations between SNS use and social capital development were found in both countries. Cultural differences seem to influence this process; in Brazil, intensity of SNS use has a stronger association with bridging and bonding social capital when perceived enjoyment is high; in Japan, employees use SNS for utility and enjoyment reasons, but perceived enjoyment does not interfere with social capital gains. Implications and future research are discussed.

Keywords: social network sites; cross-cultural research; motivation; social capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M1 M15 M16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 33 pages
Date: 2013-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-soc
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