The residential landscape of a city is key to its economic, social, and cultural functioning. Following the collapse of communist rule in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the late 1980s and early 1990s, urban residential dynamics and household mobility have been critical to urban change under new economies and political systems. This article explores neighbourhood perception, which is a link in the chain to better explanation of socio-spatial processes (and their interruption by the socialist system). We use a novel data set – opinions expressed on one of social media (Twitter), and a novel empirical method – neural network analysis, to explore people's current attitudes and perceptions about the neighbourhoods and districts in Tartu, Estonia. The findings suggest that Twitter comments about urban neighbourhoods display attitudinal and perceptual commentary, which is subdued compared to other subjects. The socialist goal of homogeneity in neighbourhoods is not reflected in present day perspectives about urban neighbourhoods, 25 years after the disintegration of the USSR. Ambivalence about neighbourhoods persists, but this ambivalence may be in flux. Older, formerly neglected neighbourhoods, the subject of positive perception on social media, are currently experiencing increased investment, and the observed trends in our data support a narrative of neighbourhood transition.
Within the current hybrid media system, in which the "old" and "new" media coexist, the role of social networks in the consumption of news has become increasingly important in recent years. Previous research has highlighted the importance and the transformational potential of user interactions in social networks in the traditional news cycle, when exchanging or discussing content related to news or public affairs, jeopardizing the traditional hegemony of the journalists and media as gatekeepers of public affairs. Our research follows a mixed methodological approach (survey plus focus groups) that reach relevant conclusions that expands the body of research about the role of news sites and social networks within the formulation of public opinion and its effects on audiences and journalism. Results showed how news sites and social networks, through links posted by friends, relatives, or acquaintances, facilitate people to access news outside their usual patterns of news consumption. Social networks, in this way, could break with the preestablished dynamics of selective exposure of individuals.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine erupted, the country's authorities declared a war on Western social media as well. In March, such social media giants as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were blocked in Russia, giving their local competitor - named VK - a virtual monopoly in the country. Millions of Russian Facebook and Instagram users have flocked to this social network. Though VK may seem similar to Facebook, it is drastically different due to its proximity to the Russian government. The article examines the core peculiarities of VK and the risks its users may face, especially, in the context of war.
VTT Publications 760 ; To intensify the new product and service development process, companies have to admit that they need to be enriched by new external knowledge outside the company. Utilising customers' or potential customers' creativity and innovation capability has a lot of potential in new product development and service design. The open innovation (OI) concept, lead-user literature as well as value co-creation literature provide interesting possibilities to companies to improve their innovation processes by utilising the customer community creativity. Collaborative online innovation communities can maximise users' innovation potential by enabling collective thinking, which is superior to the ideas of individual users. Therefore, this study focuses on customer involvement in new product development especially in collaborative online innovation communities. The overall aim of this twofold research is to provide a framework for building and managing a collaborative online innovation community based on the knowledge of both sides: the users' motivations to participate and the maintainers' opportunities to facilitate the community especially through rewarding. To achieve the purpose of the study two research questions are answered: 1) Why users participate in collaborative online innovation communities and 2) How can maintainers facilitate collaborative online innovation communities by rewarding? The first question takes the user's perspective, which is then completed with the maintainer perspective in the second research question focusing on maintainers' ways of facilitating, especially by rewarding users in collaborative online innovation communities. The research questions are examined in five publications. This multiple case study includes three online innovation communities: FellowForce, CrowdSpirit and Owela. The main empirical data was collected from the maintainers by e-mail survey and semi-structured interviews and from the members of the communities through a web survey during the years 2007-2008. The respondents brought out various factors that motivate them to participate in collaborative online innovation communities. The factors they mentioned were: new viewpoints, a sense of efficacy, a sense of community and fun. Furthermore, interesting objectives, an open and constructive atmosphere, making and acquiring better products, winning and rewards, also motivated the respondents to collaborate. The results indicate that the lack of proper tools inhibits collaboration in online innovation communities. Moreover, 92% of the respondents suggested that all group members should be rewarded in some way. In addition, the study suggests that the rewarding strategy should be clear and transparent. Rewarding should be based on the efforts and quality of the work, instead of giving rewards based on quantity of the ideas or lotteries. The system should be flexible and rewards should be valuable for everyone. In addition to tangible rewards (e.g. money and products), intangible rewards (e.g. recognition) are also relevant. All in all, the equity and the democracy of the rewarding system are important factors for online innovation community users. This exploratory and multidisciplinary research represents a path opening in studies concerning customer involvement in companies' new product development processes in collaborative online innovation communities. From the managerial viewpoint the study contributes to providing valuable information for companies on building and managing collaborative online innovation communities. ; To intensify the new product and service development process, companies have to admit that they need to be enriched by new external knowledge outside the company. Utilising customers' or potential customers' creativity and innovation capability has a lot of potential in new product development and service design. The open innovation (OI) concept, lead-user literature as well as value co-creation literature provide interesting possibilities to companies to improve their innovation processes by utilising the customer community creativity. Collaborative online innovation communities can maximise users' innovation potential by enabling collective thinking, which is superior to the ideas of individual users. Therefore, this study focuses on customer involvement in new product development especially in collaborative online innovation communities. The overall aim of this twofold research is to provide a framework for building and managing a collaborative online innovation community based on the knowledge of both sides: the users' motivations to participate and the maintainers' opportunities to facilitate the community especially through rewarding. To achieve the purpose of the study two research questions are answered: 1) Why users participate in collaborative online innovation communities and 2) How can maintainers facilitate collaborative online innovation communities by rewarding? The first question takes the user's perspective, which is then completed with the maintainer perspective in the second research question focusing on maintainers' ways of facilitating, especially by rewarding users in collaborative online innovation communities. The research questions are examined in five publications. This multiple case study includes three online innovation communities: FellowForce, CrowdSpirit and Owela. The main empirical data was collected from the maintainers by e-mail survey and semi-structured interviews and from the members of the communities through a web survey during the years 2007-2008. The respondents brought out various factors that motivate them to participate in collaborative online innovation communities. The factors they mentioned were: new viewpoints, a sense of efficacy, a sense of community and fun. Furthermore, interesting objectives, an open and constructive atmosphere, making and acquiring better products, winning and rewards, also motivated the respondents to collaborate. The results indicate that the lack of proper tools inhibits collaboration in online innovation communities. Moreover, 92% of the respondents suggested that all group members should be rewarded in some way. In addition, the study suggests that the rewarding strategy should be clear and transparent. Rewarding should be based on the efforts and quality of the work, instead of giving rewards based on quantity of the ideas or lotteries. The system should be flexible and rewards should be valuable for everyone. In addition to tangible rewards (e.g. money and products), intangible rewards (e.g. recognition) are also relevant. All in all, the equity and the democracy of the rewarding system are important factors for online innovation community users. This exploratory and multidisciplinary research represents a path opening in studies concerning customer involvement in companies' new product development processes in collaborative online innovation communities. From the managerial viewpoint the study contributes to providing valuable information for companies on building and managing collaborative online innovation communities.
'Die Wiedervereinigung führte zu einer Reihe von sozialen Veränderungen und einem Prozeß der Modernisierung und Individualisierung in Ostdeutschland. Der vorliegende Artikel analysiert, basierend auf qualitativer Feldforschung, den Einfluß einer so verstandenen Veränderung auf soziale Beziehungen und Integration in einem Dorf der Oberlausitz. Nach der Wiedervereinigung bestehen nur noch wenige traditionelle Aktivitäten. Gemeinschaftliche Handlungen waren vor 1989 häufig und bildeten eine wichtige Grundlage zur Reproduktion ethnischer und kultureller Identität. Vor allem Jugendliche sind nun einem starken Druck zur kulturellen Assimilation ausgesetzt. Dies ist in Zusammenhang mit ihrer zunehmenden, weitreichenden Mobilität zu sehen. Auf der anderen Seite stehen 'Vorruheständler' und Arbeitslose als 'Wendeverlierer' mit geringer geographischer Mobilität und Schwierigkeiten, sich an kulturelle und soziale Veränderungen im Dorf anzupassen. Der Schluß liegt nahe, daß der weitreichende soziale und ökonomische Umbruch sowie die Bedeutungsveränderungen sozialer Beziehungen Gemeinschaft und kulturelle Identität gefährden werden.' (Autorenreferat)
AbstractMeasures of bipartite network structure have recently gained attention from network scholars. However, there is currently no measure for identifying key players in two-mode networks. This article proposes measures for identifying key players in bipartite networks. It focuses on two measures: fragmentation and cohesion centrality. It extends the centrality measures to bipartite networks by considering (1) cohesion and fragmentation centrality within a one-mode projection, (2) cross-modal cohesion and fragmentation centrality, where a node in one mode is influential in the one-mode projection of the other mode, and (3) cohesion and fragmentation centrality across the entire bipartite structure. Empirical examples are provided for the Southern Women's data and on the Ndrangheta mafia data.
