社會網路中的資訊傳播

Abstract

本研究奠基於隨機圖框架以及展透理論，發展一個模型，刻畫社會網路中的資訊傳播。我們考慮的情境如下：一個獨佔廠商賣商品給消費者群眾，大多數消費者初始對商品一無所知。他們必須經由朋友傳遞商品的資訊，才會考慮購買。我們發現，若消費者對商品的評價與他的朋友數是相互獨立的隨機變數，相較於所有消費者初始都知道商品資訊的情境，需求將更有彈性，而此廠商將也會訂一個較低的價格。然而，這些結果在更一般的假定下不一定會成立。我們構建一個消費者評價與朋友數具有相關性的例子，導出相反的結果。

In this study, a model based on random graph framework and percolation theory is developed to characterize information spread in social networks. A monopolist sells a product to a population of consumers, and initially most people do not learn about the product. They must receive the information from their friends about such product in order to consider buying it. It is shown that, the demand is more elastic and the price charged by the monopolist is lower than the case that initially all the consumers have learned about the product, provided that the valuation and the number of friends of an individual are independent. However, these results may not hold in general. An example is given to show that these results may be reversed if there is correlation between the valuation of consumers and the number of friends.