Digital social networks as complex adaptive systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define optimal behavioral characteristics for members in digital social networks (DSNs). To this end, an assumption was tested that DSN members behave similarly to autonomous agents in a complex adaptive system (CAS) by maintaining a process of self‐branding.Design/methodology/approach – Online questionnaires were presented to 94 DSN users. Their answers were used to assess: different parameters of their behavior on the DSN; and their perception of the DSN's effectiveness. Statistical analyses were conducted to examine possible correlations between these parameters and the optimal behavioral characteristics of individual agents in the CAS model.Findings – Subjects who reported a higher degree of functional autonomy and self‐branding on the DSN also reported a higher degree of DSN effectiveness. A significant positive linear correlation was found between the degree of self‐branding and optimal behavioral characteristics described previously for individual agents in...

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