Web applications that feature online social networking functions have significantly influenced human social interactions. The availability of data sets on online social connections and user activities calls for innovative big-data analytic methods. This study proposes a model of tie strength in...

As one of the most commonly utilized marketing tools, free sampling also has its online presence, especially for information goods. In this article, we provide an analytical model to study the economic rationale behind free online samples. We argue that with the development of technologies, a...

In this paper, we study the effect of collaboration network structure on editors' contribution behavior in Wikipedia. Collaboration in Wikipedia is organized around articles, and any two editors co-editing an article have a collaborative relationship. Based on economic theories about network...

Online labor markets are web-based platforms that enable buyers to identify and contract for IT services with service providers using Buyer-Determined (BD) auctions. BD auctions in online labor markets either follow an open or a sealed bid format. We compare open and sealed bid auctions in...

Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, have ignited intense discussions. Despite receiving extensive public attention, theoretical understanding is limited regarding the value of blockchain-based cryptocurrencies, as expressed in their exchange rates against traditional currencies. In this paper, we...

The explosive growth of online social networking necessitates a better understanding of privacy in this context to guide system design and policy-making. Drawing on the theory of psychological boundaries and previous literature on information privacy, we extend the extant conceptualization of...

Payment management is an operations management challenge in online peer-to-peer lending. It is critical to control the cost of debt collection incurred in late repayments and defaults. We study whether and how a platform can leverage on borrowers’ social connections and use automatic social...

Facilitated by various online platforms, transaction costs of sharing and selling used and excess products have become almost zero and this phenomenon has created new economic competition between new product sellers and those offering shared and used products. In this paper, we study the...

Heuristics have a ubiquitous influence on decision-making. Despite a large strand of literature on various heuristics, scant research addresses the concurrent applications of different heuristics or the interplay amongst them. Using detailed peer-to-peer (P2P) investment data from Renrendai, a...