By adopting transactional social commerce functions from mobile apps, individuals can sell products and services directly to friends on their contact list. This drives micro entrepreneurs with fewer than ten employees and less than a €2million annual balance (European Union Law, 2013) to become key drivers for economic growth (Paoloni & Dumay, 2011). In particular, individuals aged 18-34 become inspired by images on social networks for clothing and fashion products. Hence, fashion products are popular business items for micro-entrepreneurs. Despite potential benefits for social commerce, micro-fashion entrepreneurs in many countries are still unaware of apps’ use in social commerce to sell products, and to create and manage social capital for their business. This exploratory research aimed to investigate how micro-fashion entrepreneurs adopt transactional-focused social commerce and utilize social capital embedded in network ties for their marketing and sales, based on innovation diffusion and social capital theory. Research questions included: (1) How do micro-fashion entrepreneurs adopt social commerce? (2) How does social capital in network ties contribute to marketing and sales in social commerce? To answer these research questions, qualitative data from phone interviews with 16 micro-fashion entrepreneurs selling fashion products through WeChat in China were analyzed, adopting a thematic analysis. Data indicated micro-fashion entrepreneurs have positive attitudes, based on their experience and knowledge of WeChat. They adopt social commerce to (1) sell products in a new way, (2) connect with customers, and (3) reduce financial risk, while an innovative channel for entrepreneurship. Also, operating a business through WeChat required less time commitment compared with brick and mortar, and online stores, because accessing services like WeChat have payment systems, share images and messages. Free calls and messages are already available. The interview data demonstrated micro-entrepreneurs have an advantage when adopting social network ties in WeChat and implementing social capital embedded in marketing sales networks. Structural, relational, and cognitive capital contribute to micro-entrepreneurs’ marketing and sales interactively. An individual could access target customers, based on networks already established social media platforms and facilitate entrepreneurs’ adoption of social commerce. Also, since trust, shared goals, and languages exist on these network ties, there exists an increase for entrepreneurs’ accessibility to use social commerce to initiate their business, while decreasing business operating expenses, promoting products, and building relationships with customers. In addition, relational capital built by interactions with each customer brings cognitive capital to promote products and strong network ties.

Purpose – The current study is to compare the cognition of stakeholders on hosting a mega sports event between Korea and the United States. In particular, to understand their cognition and perceptual conflict towards hosting a mega sports event, the study employed conflict theory. Furthermore, the study reviewed the role of social capital in the process of managing the mega sports events. Research Design, Data, and Methodology – Of homogeneous sampling, purposeful sampling method and criterion-based selection approach were used to collect interview data from key stakeholders who have been involved in hosting a mega sports events in Korea and the United States. In-depth interview transcripts were reviewed multiple tiems after transcription to extract concepts and meanings that were pertinenet to the experience involving hosting a mega sports event. Further member checks was conducted to increase the credibility of the results. Results – Results can be summarized as followed: First, stakeholders of Korea have a strong desire for positive economic effects of a mega sports event, compared to those in the United States who are more concerned in enhancing the public interests and concerns. Second, in Korea, various socio-political issues emerged at the same time and conflicts among multiple stakeholders have aggravated the situations to coordinate the issues. This was because legal system supporting socio-trust has not been established. On the other hand, major stakeholders of the United States consisted of community members who have socio-trust and networks. Thereby these social resources have been found playing a key role in building social capital that assists the stakeholders to coordinate the current issues and to solve them. Conclusions – The current study analyzed the cognition and perceptual conflict of stakehoders in a mega sports event. Social capital has beend found as a key catalyst to increase a network and cooperation among stakeholders. In order to enhance social capital in managing a mega sports event hosted in Korea, legal systems that establish networks and relationships among the related stakeholders need to be developed. Furthermore, the systematic guideline needs to be developed, organizing the sub-committees according to the types of stakeholders and the categorized common needs.

사회자본과 같은 소셜게임의 사회적 영향에 관한 연구들은 다수 있었으나 연구 간의 상반된 결과로 인해 그 영향력을 명확히 할 수 없었다. 이에 본 연구에서는 소셜게임 이용이 사회자본을 증가시킬 것이라는 가설을 해석수준 이론을 도입하여 확인하였다. 해석수준과 사회자본, 게임이용시간/종류 등에 대한 설문을 실시하여 각 수치간의 상관관계와 상호작용을 분석하였다. 그 결과, 상위해석수준 사람들에게서 교량형 자본과 소셜게임 이용시간 사이에서만 긍정적 관계를 확인할 수 있었다. 이 특징은 타 온라인 게임에서는 나타나지 않아 소셜게임의 관계망적 특성이 이용자들 간의 긍정적인 관계의 증가와 관련이 있음을 알 수 있다. 한편으로는 해석수준이론이 매체의 긍정적 활용연구에 있어 중요한 관점임을 확인하였다.