The Benefits of Network Externality by Social Network Site

Abstract

This study developed a prediction model to understand the benefits generated by the number of users of social network site (SNS). The three aspects of network externality, number of members, number of peers, and perceived complementarily were used to discuss whether benefits are produced for users when the number of users continues to increase, and to explore the influences of user benefits on behavioral intention to use. In the past, network externality is generally combined with technology acceptance model (TAM) for researching the behavior of users in regard to telephones, televisions, e-mail, and blogs, but has not been applied to SNS. This study used SEM to conduct questionnaire data analysis, and research results show that network externality of SNS has significant and positive effects on user functional benefits, social benefits, and hedonic benefits, respectively. Functional benefits, social benefits, and hedonic benefits have significant and positive effects on behavioral intention to use. The results can be provided to SNS as a reference for their operations, so they can create SNS that are more attractive to users, and provide more diverse applications, social networking programs, and support tools, brining user enjoyment on different levels of benefits.