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Antecedents and consequences of social networking site knowledge sharing by seniors. A social capital perspective

Document Cited in Related
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-11-2016-0144
Date19 November 2018
Published date19 November 2018
Pages651-664
AuthorI-Chiu Chang,Chia-Hui Chang,Jiunn-Woei Lian,Ming-Wei Wang
Antecedents and consequences of
social networking site knowledge
sharing by seniors
A social capital perspective
I-Chiu Chang
Department of Information Management,
National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan
Chia-Hui Chang
Department of Information Management, National Chung Cheng University,
Chiayi, Taiwan and
Department of Nursing, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
Jiunn-Woei Lian
Department of Information Management,
National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, and
Ming-Wei Wang
Nanhua University, Chiayi, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose –Understanding elders’experience and knowledge-sharing behaviors online have become
significant issues in this aging society. In this study, the purpose of this paper is to summarize and validate
the factors that influence the intention of elders to share knowledge online, and assess whether seniors’
knowledge-sharing behaviors affect their sense of meaning in life.
Design/methodology/approach –In total, 49 senior students were invited as participants to join the social
networking site (SNS) and share knowledge on the platform. After a month of knowledge-sharing activities,
questionnaires were distributed to all the participants. All the 49 participants returned completed
questionnaires. To verify the results obtained via the above quantitative data analysis, follow-up interviews
were conducted with one popular computer instructor and four seniors (who are experienced users of the
SNS). Open-ended questions were employed to understand the motivations for sharingknowledge in a virtual
community and the benefits obtained from sharing.
Findings –The results indicate that sharing vision, community identification, and social interaction ties are
the main factors that influence the sharing of knowledge by seniors on SNSs. In addition, sharing knowledge
on SNSs has a positive influence on seniors’meaning in life. Follow-up interviews conducted also validate the
results obtained.
Originality/value –Understandingelders’experience and knowledge-sharing behaviorsonline have become
significantissues in this aging society. It cannot only benefit younger generationsbut also enable them to age
gracefully. RareSNSs similar to the one used in the study were found on the Facebook duringour research.
Keywords Social capital, Knowledge sharing, Seniors, Social networking sites, Elderly people, Meaning in life
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Continuous advancements in medical technology and improvements in health maintenance
have resulted in an extension of the national average lifespan in Taiwan. The number of people
aged 65 years or older exceeded 2.5 million in August 2011, accounting for 10.78 percent of
the total population. It is projected that this proportion will increase to approximately one-third
of the national population by 2026 (Statistics Department of the Ministry of the Interior, 2010).
Library Hi Tech
Vol. 36 No. 4, 2018
pp. 651-664
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0737-8831
DOI 10.1108/LHT-11-2016-0144
Received 30 November 2016
Revised 19 April 2017
Accepted 22 April 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0737-8831.htm
No competing financial interests exist.
651
SNS
knowledge
sharing by
seniors

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