JESNA R S

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Executive summary
Research thesis aims to investigate the nature, strength and direction of the association between
motives of using social networking sites and social capital. Data were collected from 45
respondents through convenience sampling. The instrument was adapted. Regression analysis
was conducted to quantify the association relationships. Hypothesis claiming relationship
between social media usage and social capital is proved. Results indicate 70% change being
caused in social capital by social media usage. This study offers new empirical support for the
proposition that individuals who use social media tend to increase social capital. As such,
findings from this study aspires managers to develop social media strategies to increase social
capital by using different social networking platforms. The findings can be generalized by
expanding the industrial dynamics in the sampling frame. The research study significantly
contributes to existing bodies of social networking and customer relationship management
literature because of its inherent empirical nature. The findings can be applied in a variety of
industries seeking increased customer attention and positive word-of-mouth.

Keywords

Social networking, social media, social capital, bonding, linking and bridging social capital.

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Table of Content

Table of contents V
List of figures VI
List of tables VII
Foreword III
Executive summary IV
Chapter 1 – Introduction 1
1.1 What is social capital? 1
1.2 Why social capital is important 3
1.3 History of social networking 3
1.4 History of social media 6
1.4.1 Social media before 1900 6
1.4.2 Social media in 20th century 7
1.4.3 Social media today 7
1.5 Internet in UAE 7
1.6 Terminology 9
Chapter 2 - Problem statement 11
2.1 Statement of problem 11
2.2 Significance of study 11
2.3 Research Objective 11
2.4 Hypothesis 11
2.5 Methodology 12
2.6 Limitations of Study 12
Chapter 3 - Literature review 13
3.1 Social Networking Sites (SNS) and Social Capital 13
3.2 User Generated Content 14
3.3 Uses and Gratification 15
3.4 Benefits of Social Capital 16
3.5 Bridging Social Capital 17
3.6 Bonding Social Capital 17
3.7 Linking Social Capital 18
3.8 Bridging vs. Bonding Social Capital in SNS 18
3.9 Internet use and social capital 19
3.9.1 Internet use promotes social capital formation 20
3.9.2 Internet use can diminish social capital 21
3.9.3 Internet use can supplement social capital development 23

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 3.10 Offline and online behavior with SNS 23
3.11 Life satisfaction and social trust 26
3.12 Why Facebook can promote social capital 27
3.13 Summary of key points 27
Chapter 4 – Primary Data 30
4.1 Research Design 30
4.2 Sampling Design 30
4.3 The survey 30
4.4 Statistical Design 32
4.5 Data Analysis 33
4.6 Regression Analysis 57
Chapter 5 – Analysis and conclusion 59
5.1 Summary of Findings 59
5.2 Conclusion 59
Chapter 6 –Conclusion, Lessons learned and recommendation 61
6.1 Over all conclusion & Recommendation 61
6.2 Future research area 63
6.3 Lesson learned 64
6.4 Ethical implications 64
Appendix A: Thesis Survey 94
Bibliography 95

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List of figures
Figure 1.1 first email send and BBS 4
Figure 1.2 History of social networks 6
Figure 3.1 People Participation in online community 20
Figure 3.2 Theoretical model of causal relationship of bridging and bonding social capital 22
Figure 4.1 Gender opinion 33
Figure 4.2 Age distribution of the participants. 34
Figure 4.3 Frequently use of social network 35
Figure 4.4 Number of regular contacts 36
Figure 4.5 SNS usage experience 37
Figure 4.6 To gather information from social networking 38
Figure 4.7 Share video, pictures & music 39
Figure 4.8 To develop a professional network stands 40
Figure 4.9 Using Social Media, I feel like I am part of my Community in Dubai 41
Figure 4.10 I am interested in what goes on at my university and in my community 41
Figure 4.11 I would be willing to contribute to my community and my university 42
financially, and through WOM after graduation
Figure 4.12 Interacting with people on social media makes me want to try/explore new 43
things/places
Figure 4.13 Interacting with different people on social media makes me feel like a part of 44
a larger community
Figure 4.14 I am willing to spend time to support good initiatives and activities launched 45
in my community via social media.
Figure 4.15 Interacting with people on social media reminds me that everyone is world is 46
connected.
Figure 4.16 There are several people on social media I trust to solve my problems. 47
Figure 4.17 If I needed an emergency Loan of AED 100, I know someone on social 48

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media I can turn to.

Figure 4.18 There is someone on social media I can turn to for advice about making very 49
important decisions.

Figure 4.19 The people I interact with on social media would be good references for me. 50

Figure 4.20 I do not know people on social media well enough to get them to do anything 51
important for me.

Figure 4.21 Through social media, I would be able to find about events in another town 52
from a friend or acquaintance living there.

Figure 4.22 If I needed to, I could ask a friend on social media to do a small favor for me. 53

Figure 4.23 I would be able to stay with a friend or acquaintance on social media if 54
traveling to a different city.

Figure 4.24 I would be able to find information about a job or internship from a friend on 55
social media.

Figure 4.25 It would be easy to find people (on Social networks) to invite to any 56
event/function/ceremony in my community.

VIII
List of tables
TABLE 1: Digital in UAE 7

TABLE 2: Top active social network platforms 8

TABLE 3: Facebook users 8

TABLE 4: Time spent with media 9

TABLE 5: Top active social chat Apps & messenger 9

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 What is Social Capital?

Social Capital is a term which refers to the sum of all of the social links that an individual has
and the capacity of that to gain access to various types of resources with the help of those social
links. It has a variety of definitions. It widely focuses on the accumulation of resources through
the relationships between people. It can be cause as well as an effect for social media and
networking. The resources of social capital can be useful for individuals to get information and
to organize different groups according to their capacity. It gives individuals to access the box.
(Resnick, 2002)

The key benefit of social capital is that it creates a network of links that bond people
together.(Field, 2003). It is a key component in societal cohesion. Social capital is the factor
which creates tight knit societies in which individuals look after each other’s interests.

An important component in the study of social capital is the value of social media in enhancing
and increasing social capital. Social capital not only focuses on a wide variety of benefits but
also on the information, collaboration and cooperation related with social media and
networks.(Belliveau, O’Reilly, & Wade, 1996, p.1568). It creates value for both, a society and
the people who are related to it.

Maintaining a high level of social capital in society is advantageous in a number of different

ways. Social capital has been linked to many beneficial effects in society. It has been found
through research that a high level of social capital in a society is linked to a decrease in criminal
activities, an increase in the scholastic performance of pupils and an increase in philanthropic
activities.

Social capital can also be utilized to achieve negative outcomes that are injurious or harmful for
individuals and society but in general it has positive effect among members in a community. The
internet has been related to both increases in social capital as well as decreases in social capital.

In order to study social capital we need to understand that there are 2 main types of social capital
Bridging social capital refers to some of the weaker connections between different individuals ,

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the kinds of connections that might exist between acquaintances . Whereas bonding social capital
refers to some of the more robust links that exist between close family members or friends.

The concept of social capital was not only become famous in this era but has been used in the
past as well. This concept might have been identified for the first time in a book published in
1916 in the U.S.A. in which the author Lyda Hanifan discusses the links that exist between
people who live together in the same neighborhood. She described that the social capital refers to
those unseen and intangible connections which exist between friends and neighbors and create
friendship, kinship, goodwill and trust among individuals. At present it has become a slightly
more difficult to define social capital with one universal definition.

Recently the concept of social capital has been popularized once again by Robert Putnam's
bestselling book called "bowling alone" which was published in the year 2000. Robert Putnam
claimed that despite the fact that Americans have become wealthier and more successful their
social links have weakened and they have become less community oriented and more lonely. As
people are spending more time on watching TV and doing their work alone, they are spending
very less time in joining groups and organizations. People are not socializing and communicating
with their family, friends and neighbors.

We can also think of social media and social networks as a link between groups and individuals.
Society’s values are changing, so media and networks enable people to stick together.

The three main types of social capital which exist in different networks are described below:

• Bonding social capital – The very strong and robust links which exist between very
close family members or member of the same ethnic or religious groups.
• Bridging social capital –These are weaker connections that might exist between
acquaintances and friends. These connections tend to be more numerous than the stronger
links and the give rise to larger social networks.
• Linking social capital – This type of social capital describes the links between people
who exist at different levels in a hierarchical system.

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1.2 Why social capital is important?

Social capital is important as is bind us together. It is a network through which people have been
linked together. Social capital is important for children up brining. Through this network we can
improve the social trust and can reduce crime rates. Social capital is very important for schools
and higher educational achievements for better developments. Social capital can help students to
promote their efforts. It is useful tool to understand the differences among student’s outcomes.
The nation which have higher social capital can serves students more with academic facilities
and can help to build up their career rather than nations with low social capital.("Social capital",
2016) Social capital allows a group of people to work together effectively to achieve a common
purpose or goal. It allows a society or organization, such as a corporation or a nonprofit, to
function together as a whole through trust and shared identity, norms, values, and mutual
relationships. Put simply, social capital benefits society as a whole through social relationships.
As such, the study of how social capital works or fails to work pervades the social sciences.

Although the term social capital may have been put into use more recently, the concept itself—
that social relationships can have productive outcomes for an individual or a group—has been
explored for quite some time. It was commonly used to describe civic and social responsibility or
how members of a community work together to live harmoniously and in unison. When used in
this context, the definition is purely social with no financial implications.

But the term can have different meanings depending on how it's applied. In fact, social capital is
no longer narrow and local in scope. The concept is commonly used to describe the relationships
that help contribute to the success of businesses. It is arguably considered as valuable as financial
or human capital. Networking and the use of the internet are prime examples of how social
capital works in a business sense. These allow professionals to form social—and often global—
connections in many variations. Many jobs are filled through informal networking rather than

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through job listings. That is social capital in action. Forming relationships is a fundamental part of
being human. Our relationships create a support structure that provides opportunities for growth and
fosters improved circumstances. This is the infrastructure for social capital – the connections, networks,
and relationships among people, and the value they provide – which can be used by executive directors,
managers, and frontline practitioners in human services programs.

Many human services programs see relationships and social networks – along with other assets
such as funding or buildings – as resources to be nurtured, developed, and implemented to help
improve the health, well-being, and economic circumstances of our communities. This thinking
is supported by research indicating that, the more we connect with others, the more we trust
them. These connections also help us work together more effectively to reach shared goals

Research consistently shows important benefits related to social capital, such as individuals with
higher levels of social capital being happier and finding better jobs. We also see that people
report better health and increased levels of trust in a community as a result of their positive
relationships. Completing the circle, healthier communities often also report higher levels of
social capital. Already, there are studies demonstrating:

• Robust bonding capital between physically distant family and community members may
help insulate high-risk individuals from negative effects of isolation if they can draw
from those pre-existing social networks. This means that building community – even if
it’s virtual or physically distant – can minimize potential adverse mental health responses
to isolation.

• Initiatives that aim to build social capital by fostering enhanced solidarity and empathy
between high-risk and low-risk groups are particularly important to the COVID-19
response. A recent set of studies investigating the role of empathy in physical distancing
and mask-wearing compliance found that public motivation to adhere to these
preventative public health measures increases when empathy for those most vulnerable to
COVID-19 is elicited.

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 • Looking ahead to the future delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine, an emphasis on the
collective remains imperative. Policies that deliberately seek to build bridging capital
between high-risk and low-risk groups may serve as effective tools to combat vaccine
hesitancy by enabling members of the general population to recognize that their personal
immunization decisions directly affect the safety of those in their communities who are
unable to be vaccinated (ex. due to allergic intolerances).

• The dissemination of transparent and accurate public health information, enforcing

expectations of public health policy compliance among political leaders, policy
consistency between domestic agencies and departments, and policy congruency with
recognized international health organizations, stand as actionable social capital-centric
options that may enhance public faith in the legitimacy of national COVID-19 responses.

1.3 History of Social Networking

People in old days use to wait for months and year to communicate with others. Means of
communication at that time was telegraph, post, light signals and telephone. Through this the
people use to communicate to each other. After many years in 20thcentury the internet was
introduced. ("The History of social media: Social Networking Evolution! | History Cooperative",
2016)

In 1971 the very first email was sent where the two computers were sitting right next to each
other. In 1978 BBS was created. It was used to exchange data over the phone lines with other
users. BBS was as they dial in via the modem of host computer and can exchange data through it.
It was first system created to interact with each other through internet.

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Figure 1.1: first email send and BBS("History of Social Networking", 2016)

The first email send in 1971 and BBS (bulletin board systems) which exchanged data over phone
was created in 1978.
Later that year, web browser was distributed through using UseNet. It was an early bulletin
board at that time. Usenet was introduced by Jim Ellis and Tom Truscott. Usenet main idea was
to read and post messages of user for different categories.

The very first social networking site was created in 1994 which was Geocities. It was used to
create their own website and customize it and can categorize them based on cities. In 90’s after
Geocities many other social networking sites were also created such as AOL messenger. It was
an instant messaging site which allows the user to chat with friends and family. User can make
their profile and share their biography with other people and can get connected to many other
people around the globe. Six Degrees was one the famous social networking site in these days it
allows people to make their profile and invite friends, make groups and can search different
people

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In the mid 90’s the internet was taking over. Yahoo was established and Amazon begun to sell
their books online. Everything was found online which was easy for people to buy.("The History
of Social Media: Social Networking Evolution! | History Cooperative", 2016)
Now a day’s social networking have done everything easy for us. No one can imagine talking to
their friends or anyone else without social networking. It helped us to be closer to our friends and
family. We can communicate whenever and wherever we want to with our friends even if they
are miles away from us.

Social networking makes things easy of us and easy to keep in touch with friends and family.
Social networking is popular everywhere but no one knows when social networking was
discover. Social networking is form on social media where people can interact with each other or
it can be used for educational, information, or entertaining purposes.

Through social networking people can make their profiles, upload videos, chat, join groups and
learn more about what is happening in the whole world. They can play games chat and share
stuff like music and videos on social network.
Most popular sites among users are:
• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace

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Figure 1.2: History of social networks ("A history of Social Networks (Info graphic) - Capital
Business", 2016)

This figures explains about the history of social networking sites. in 1995 Msn classic was
created and was first online chat network. In 1999 MSN live messenger was created and so on.

1.4 History of Social Media

1.4.1 Social media before 1900
In ancient days there was no sign of social media for centuries. People use to interact with each
other’s through face to face or letters. Postal services were used to deliver the letters to the
people to whom it belongs.(Plus, 2016)

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In 1792 telegraph system was invented. Telegraph message where short and precise. This
allowed messages to be delivered for long distance faster than any horse rides would carry them
to the destination.

In 1890-91 two important discoveries happened this was telephone and radio. Through telephone
and radio it is easy to connect with people leaving far away from now. Telephones and radios are
still used by today people and are much more easily used than they were used back in times.
These discoveries have been never experienced before.

1.4.2 Social media in 20th Century

After all the invention in 1900 the social media started to grow rapidly in 20th century. A lot of
new technologies were introduced by the scientist and engineers in 20th century. In 1940s very
first computer was launched and after launching the computer engineers started working on
creating network between these computers, which later leads on the birth of internet.(Plus, 2016)

1.4.3 Social media today

In today’s world social media is one of the important things for many people. There are variety
of social networking sites through which we can communicate through friends and other people
in the whole wide world. By 2006 Facebook and twitter was introduce in the whole wide world.
These sites are still most popular social networking sites on the internet.(Plus, 2016)

1.5 Internet in UAE

UAE is located on the southeast end of Arabian peninsula on the Persian gulf. It shares borders
with Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south and sea borders with Iran and Qatar. UAE's
total population was 9.21 million, 1.4 million Emiratis and 7.8 million expatriates.
Social media in UAE have been increasing in people life day by day. Every aspect of daily life of
average Emirati. People posting status, photos, writing on each other's walls have been daily
activities. Since January 2014 UAE has experienced 23% growth in active social media

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accounts. The growing number of internet user and mobile penetration in UAE is leading the
chart leaving behind UK and Canada. (A., 2016)

Table 1: Digital in UAE

Total population 9.21 Million
Active internet users 8.81 Million
Active social media users 6.30 Million
Mobile connections 17.19 Million
Active mobile social users 5.60 Million

UAE total population is 9.21 million from where the active internet users are 8.81 million which
make penetration rate 96% in UAE. 6.30 Million are active media user and mobile connections
are double than UAE population which is 17.19 Million.

Table 2: Top active social network platforms

Facebook 3.73 M (39%)
Google+ 2.58 M (27%)
Twitter 2.58 M (27%)
LinkedIn 2.49 M (24%)
Pinterest 2.01 M (21%)
Instagram 1.72 M (18%)
Facebook has been more popular social networking site in UAE. It enjoys immense popularity in
the country and 39% of UAE population use Facebook regularly. Facebook helps us to be
connected with family and friends. The high demand of Facebook is due to the fact that the

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platform meet two basic social needs the need to belong and the need to attract ones attention.
Google+ and twitter have been equally used by UAE population. LinkedIn and pinterest are not
far behind with 24% and 21% people of UAE are using it.

Table 3: Facebook users

Men 69%
Women 31%
13-21 yrs 12%
22-30 yrs 44%
31-39 yrs 28%
> 40 yrs 16%

As Facebook enjoys to be most favorite social networking site in UAE. The main users of
Facebook are men with 69% and women with 31%. Facebook user in UAE generates 3.9 Billion
pages view each month and spend average half an hour on every visit on Facebook.

Table 4: Time spent with media

Use of internet via pc or tablet 4H 25M

Use of internet via Mobile phone 3H 37M
Average daily use of Social media via any 3H 10M
device
Average daily television viewing time 1H 42 M

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 It is not surprising at all for the UAE Population that they spend more time on internet than any
other activity. Table 2 shows the time UAE population spend on internet via mobile, pc, tablet
etc. The most use of internet have been access through pc or tablet.

Table 5: Top active social chat Apps & messenger

Skype 4.88 M (51%)
Whatsapp 4.69 M (49%)
Fb messenger 4.11 M (43%)
Viber 2.10 M (22%)

As the social networking sites are increasing so as the social chat Apps and messenger are such
as Whatsapp, Skype, Fb messenger, viber etc. The mostly used mobile social chat apps is Skype
more than 4.88 M. Skype is where we can do free online call and chat. Whatsapp in being second
most social chat App used by UAE population.(Blogger & Blogger, 2016)

1.6 Terminology

This thesis frequently uses the following concepts. Hence, definitions are provided for
understanding.

a) Social capital: This is a term which refers to the sum of all of the social links that an individual
has and the capacity of that individual to gain access to various different types of resources with
the help of those social links
b) Social media: Internet websites which allow individual o stay in contact with their relatives,
friends and acquaintances and to share multimedia content like photos, videos and audios files
with them.

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c) Social networking: Using social media websites to create networks of individuals that have
some connections to each other, or share the same interests.

CHAPTER 2: PROBLEM STATEMENT

2.1 Statement of the Problem

Researchers have conceptualized social capital and how it affects and gets affected by different
social aspects like health care, politics, education and economy. However, factors influencing
social capital in businesses have not been explored in detail and on broader scale. Furthermore,
networking on social media is considered informal. Research is needed to explore the effect of
this informal social networking on social capital. Present research intends to explore this causal
association between networking on social media and social capital.

2.2 Significance of the study

This research can be helpful in examining how online and offline social media mediums can
increase social capital. The main purpose of this study is to find out what effect social
networking sites and social media in general, are having on social capital. This study aims to find
out whether social media is haven a positive, negative or neutral effect on social capital.

This research can assist the reader that whether use of social media increasing the capital in a
positive way or not. If it is, then to what extent social media usage intensity can be improved. So,
this study will help people to identify if social media is fulfilling their social needs, can help
nurture social capital and connect people in new ways. Study also intends to provide managerial
inferences for professionals as well as academicians.

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2.3 Research Objectives

The objective of the study is to find causal relationship between networking on social media and
social capital among the people

2.4 Hypothesis

Hypothesis Ho: Does the usage of Social media builds social capital

Hypothesis Ha: Social media usage does not build social capital

2.5 Methodology

This discusses design of present research project, explains the selection of sampling technique,
sample size, survey instrument adapted to collect data from respondents, data collection and
analysis procedures, techniques and tools adopted.

2.6 Limitations of the study

The UAE is a nation which has different cultures and nationalities; therefore the researcher had
gathered data more from immigrants than from local residents. However, limitations of the study
are following:

• Resources available for literature review which has limited the scope of this study.
• Sample size is limited and non-probability sampling technique was used.
• The topic for this study is broader.
• The researchers are job holder; therefore time management has limited the scope of the
study.
• Respondents feel hesitant and show biased nature while filling up the survey
questionnaires.

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 CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW

3.1 Social Networking Sites (SNS) and Social Capital

All SNS have some features in common. One feature of SNS is that there is no gradation in
social links which means that there is no distinction between a very close friend and an ordinary
acquaintance. Another commonality is the fact that all links are public and permanently
available. Although, different SNS do grant different degrees of privacy to the users (Donath and
Boyd, 2004).

According to Konetes et al. (2011), graduate students use SNS in order to increase their social
capital more than undergraduate students. Also, undergraduate students use SNS to make
balanced social networks more than graduate students in order to form connection with like-
minded individuals with whom they share habits. This hypothesis is based on 'Balance theory".
They learn that even though university student’s use SNS to form a multitude of social
connections, these connections are weak and do not contribute to social capital as much as
person to person connections in the real world.

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In most cases individuals use SNS to communicate with existing contacts rather than making
new social contacts or expanding their network of contacts (Boyd and Elison, 2007).Therefore
these connections are very similar to relationships in the real world. However, Parks and Floyd
(1996) have a different opinion, they suggest that the internet is an important place for people to
meet and form social connections. The effect of meeting someone online is often quite similar to
meeting that person face to face. The internet provides a place to meet people with shared
interests easily and conveniently. People use the internet just as they would use any other public
place to encounter new people and have conversations with them.

According to Donath and boyd (2004) SNS make it easy and cheap for people to maintain
contact with casual acquaintances hence they augment social capital. However the quality of this
connection is bound to be weak, hence social media mostly just enhances "bridging" social
capital. In contrast Parks & Floyd (1996) suggest that these relationships are not all weak links,

as many people had communicated with their online friends face to face after meeting them on
the internet and many had also communicated via telephone. The relationships that begin online
often migrate to the real world. Within an organizational setting, social capital facilitates
knowledge management processes in that it enables individuals to locate useful information,
draw on resources and make contributions to the network. This paper explores the relationship
between various dimensions of organizational social capital and the use of an internal social
network site (SNS). We hypothesize that the use of a SNS contributes to social capital within the
organization in that SNS users are able to maintain larger networks of heterogeneous contacts.
Additionally, the affordances of the site support social interaction between users, thus helping
individuals maintain existing relationships and deepen developing ones. We find that bonding
relationships, sense of corporate citizenship, interest in connecting globally, and access to new
people and expertise are all associated with greater intensity of use of the social network site.

Facebook was created in 2004 and it’s the world’s largest Social networking site (Boyd and
Elison, 2007). The average Facebook user spend 15 hour and 33 minutes per month on the
website, while more the 60% of the website’s user are active on a daily basis. This means that

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using Facebook has become a major part of the daily activities of users. The frequency of an
individual usage of a social networking site like Facebook or Twitter is directly proportional to
the number of friends or followers individual has (Ellison et al.,2007).

3.2 User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is the main feature of social networking sites (SNS) which is also
known as user-created content (UCC). UGC plays an important role in increasing popularity and
success of social networking sites (Zeynep, 2008).It is an information that is shared by end users
to the website. The information can be in the form of images, videos, status updates, comments,
blogs, Online ads or poll response made through social media website.

Many social networking sites use UGC to increase their popularity. Such as Facebook , Twitter
and LinkedIn. Facebook has been one of the most common website used by everyone compared
to other competitors SNS because Facebook have features which are very easy to use by
everyone. User can easily sign up and make a profile. They can upload pictures, comment on
their friends pictures, can easily write the status and can write on others wall, can share videos
and sent personal messages. Millions of people use Facebook to develop their social
relationships with others.

LinkedIn uses simple way to attract user. It is sort of an online resume where u can add your
experiences, work history, company name, education and recommendation. Many new jobs have

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been offered just by reviewing user LinkedIn profile where the user is allowed to only a single
profile picture. User can send personal messages to others. It does not contain any fancy
applications like Facebook but on home page it shows about the people whom others are
connected to recently and who have changed their jobs etc.

People use SNS to interact with other people easily (Nielsenwire, 2010). The of SNS is being
increased day by day. People find it very easy to be connected to other people through social
media. User can express their thoughts and feelings through updating a status or posting a picture
on SNS. By a single like on SNS on business or organization page we can figure out what user
interest indicates in that business or organization.

User-generated content is simply the best guide for anyone when it comes to making a buying decision.
Although it is not a new concept in marketing, it wasn’t a regular marketing strategy a few years back.
However, this social media-driven era is totally based on user-generated content strategy. Brands target
different age groups, especially millennials, to expand their reach.

User-generated content, UGC, is a modern topic today and refers to media and creative works created
by Internet users and posted on the Internet. More and more application developers wants to offer
sharing functionalities in their applications and on their websites. The alternatives of doing so today are
to use UGC platforms API, like Facebook and Twitter, to upload the content to that specific platform or
to implement the framework ShareKit that enables the user to share their content on multiple social
networks and platforms. If the application developer wants the user to upload the content to their own
platform they have to implement the sharing functionality themselves. This thesis covers the
development of a framework that enables user-generated content to be uploaded to the application
owner’s choice of destination whether it is their own platform or someone else’s. By exploring the
meaning of user-generated content, why people want to share and existing sharing applications,
information as well as inspirations was gathered and used to design a prototype that was user-tested,
redesigned and implemented. The result was a prototype of a framework implemented for the iPhone
that provides an easy way for users to add, edit, rearrange and upload different types of content. User-
generated content will increase in the future and the mobile part of UGC will be more and more
important. People are going to want to be able to express themselves wherever they are. This makes the
future for this framework bright since it makes it easy for application developers to enable sharing of
user-generated content in their applications.

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UGC has become an integral part of the business. And users are more comfortable online
purchasing other than physical shopping. Basically, consumer-generated content is a marketing
strategy that users can’t ignore to rely on.

User-generated content (UGC) is content created and shared by unpaid contributors for your brand.
Having your customers create and share content on your behalf speaks volumes about your marketing
and brand perception.

For one, your brand is clearly trusted and perceived as genuine. And two, your products or
services are so admired by your followers that they want to promote them.

UGC helps to alter the way information is re-use, distributed and accessed which in result
increase the user participation (Clever et al., 2008, p.12). This is the reason SNS and UGC are
linked and are likely to change the nature of communication from choosing the information to
interacting and creating it. With the growth and prevalence of social media platforms, many
companies have been using them to engage with customers and encourage user-generated
content about their products and services. However, there has not been much research on the
characteristics of user-generated content on these platforms and, correspondingly, their impact
on customer engagement. In this paper, we analyze user-generated posts from Facebook business
pages of multiple companies to understand what users post on Facebook business pages and how
post valence and content characteristics affect engagement, measured as the number of likes and
comments received by a post. We control for a variety of factors, including post linguistic
features, poster characteristics, and post context heterogeneity. Our analysis demonstrates that,
for user-generated posts on

Facebook business pages, negative posts are significantly more prevalent than positive posts,
which contrasts with the “J-shaped” valence distribution of online consumer reviews. We
also show that engagement depends not only on the valence of a post but also on the specific
ways in which a post is positive or negative. We observe three types of customer complaints

19
respectively related to product and service quality, money issues, and social and
environmental issues. Our analyses show that social complaints receive more likes, but fewer
comments, than quality or money complaints. Such nuances can only be uncovered by analyzing
the actual post content, going beyond the valence of the posts. Furthermore, we theoretically
discuss and empirically demonstrate that liking and commenting are engagement behaviors with
different antecedents. For example, positive posts tend to attract more likes yet fewer comments
than neutral posts. Overall, our research shows that user-generated posts on Facebook business
pages represent

a distinctive form of user-generated content, which is conceptually different from online

consumer reviews. Our work advances the knowledge on user-generated content and has
practical implications for firms’ social media marketing strategy.

3.3 Uses and Gratifications (U&G)

This is the theory which explain about how people use social media for their needs and
gratifications. This theory assume that what social or psychological needs motivate people to use
social media to fulfill their needs. Over past few decades social media has truly been the
important parts of our lives. Elihu Katz first introduced this theory when he came to know that
people use social media on their needs and benefits (Katz, Blumber, &Gurevitch, 1974). As Katz
et al. (1974).

Uses and Gratifications theory is an audience based-framework which helps to explain how
people use SNS for social capital purpose. It also explains the benefits what people get through
using SNS.

There are several needs and gratification divided into categories:

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 ▪ Social Needs: It is the need which helps to socialize with family, friends and other
relation in the society. Now a day's people don't meet up for socializing with other,
because it is easy to socialize through media to fulfill their needs. Socializing through
Facebook, my space etc are main social media sites.
▪ Cognitive needs: People use social media to gain knowledge and to get information etc.
▪ Affective needs: It includes a wide range of feelings, delight and different states of mind
of the general population. Individuals utilize media like TV to fulfill their passionate
needs. The best case is individuals watch serials and if there is any enthusiastic or pitiful
scene implies individuals used to cry the origins of UGT can be traced back to the 1940s
when communication scholars initially sought to study why specific media and content
appealed to different people. The theory was further expanded in the 1970s when
researchers started examining not just the gratifications that consumers sought but the
gratifications they actually obtained.

▪
Today UGT remains one of the most prevalent theories used in media effects research. In
fact, communication scholar Ruggiero argued that the rise of new media makes uses and
gratifications theory more important than ever as this perspective is especially useful for
explaining why people adopt new mediums.

3.4 Benefits of Social Capital

According to Putnam (2000) social capital has value for people in their personal lives; moreover,
it is also valuable in the public sphere. Furthermore, an increase in the social capital of a society
has been linked to a corresponding increase in various advantageous outcome. There is a positive
link between increase in the overall social capital of a society and things such as lower crime
rates, better education, improved healthcare systems etc (Adler & kwon, 2002; Putnam, 2000).

An increase in social capital has different effects on individual and on society. In order for a
community to increase its overall social capital, the whole community needs to be committed to

21
this project so that the benefits associated with higher social capitals can be reaped by the whole
community (Ellison et al., 2007).

Putnam (2000) also believes that since social capital has value for human beings and is beneficial
for society, a decline in social capital must therefore cause a decline in the well-being of society.
Putnam shows that in Communities where social capital is higher, people are healthier, the rate
of violent crime is lower and children perform better in school etc. Thus Putnam concludes that
social capital is decreasing and this trend is having a negative effect on society.

Social capital also has many benefits for people on an individual level. First of all, when a person
is a part of strong social network that person can access many resources from other individuals in
that social network. These resources can include the sharing of information, formation of
personal relationships, ability to form groups or ability to find employment. In addition to these
benefits social capital is also good for an individual’s psychological wellbeing, as higher social
capita The importance of social capital theory is apparent from the literature with many empirical
studies that purport to show the importance of social capital to a very wide-ranging set of
socioeconomic phenomena (Durlauf 2002a Krishna 2001). Adam and Roncevic (2003, p. 177) stated
that:

‘Despite problems with its definition as well as its operationalization, and despite its (almost)
metaphorical character, social capital has facilitated a series of very important empirical
investigations and theoretical debates which have stimulated reconsideration of the significance
of human relations, of networks, of organizational forms for the quality of life and of
developmental performance’.

22
The widespread interest in and application of the concept could suggest the theoretical
importance of social capital theory. Existing studies have provided ample evidence of its
pervasiveness and offered useful impressions of its political, economic and social influence (Fine
2001; Jack and Jordan 1999; Montgomery 2000). Aldridge, Halpern et al (2002) cautioned that
some of the empirical evidence on the importance of social capital for economic and social
outcomes needs to be treated with caution because of the mis-specification or ambiguity of
equations or models used to estimate its impact. Without a rigorous method for measurement it is
unclear how the benefits are ascertained and tested. It is surprising that there is little skepticism
in the literature over the validity of the purported benefits of social capital given the uncertainty
of measurement techniques identified above. This is due to two factors: the intrinsic appeal of the
concept; and the common misguided faith in measurement methodologies. The majority of
benefits described in the literature have not been empirically tested at all but arise through
theoretical extrapolation based on other concepts.

Requena (2003) suggested that the importance of social capital lies in that it brings together
several important sociological concepts such as social support, integration and social cohesion.
This view is supported by Rothstein (2003) who stated that the real strength of social capital
theory is the combination of macro-sociological historical structures with micro-level causal
mechanisms, a rare feature in the social sciences.

The literature recognizes social capital as important to the efficient functioning of modern
economies, and stable liberal democracy (Fukuyama 2001; Kenworthy 1997), as an important
base for cooperation across sector and power differences, and an important product of such
cooperation (Brown and Ashman 1996), and Lyon (2000) described the importance of social
capital in shaping regional development patterns. It is clear that social capital is of importance in
societal wellbeing. Some aspects of the concept, such as inter-personal trust, are clearly desirable
in themselves while other aspects are more instrumental (Bankston and Zhou 2002). Optimism,
satisfaction with life, perceptions of government institutions and political involvement all stem
from the fundamental dimensions of social capital (Narayan and Cassidy 2001).

23
Social capital is charged with a range of potential beneficial effects including: facilitation of
higher levels of, and growth in, gross domestic product (GDP); facilitation of more efficient
functioning of labor markets; lower levels of crime; and improvements in the effectiveness of
institutions of government (Aldridge et al. 2002; Halpern 2001; Kawachi et al. 1999b; Putnam et
al. 1993). Social capital is an important variable in educational attainment (Aldridge et al. 2002;
Israel et al. 2001), public health (Coulthard et al. 2001; Subramanian et al. 2003), community
governance, and economic problems (Bowles and Gintis 2002), and is also an important element
in production (Day 2002) Economic and business performance at both the national and sub-
national level is also affected by social capital (Aldridge et al. 2002). Others have emphasized
the importance of social capital for problem solving and how only certain types of social capital
contribute to this (Boyte, 1995; Sirianni & Friedland, 1997).

l has been linked to greater self-esteem and satisfaction with life (Ellison et al., 2007).

3.5 Bridging social capital

Putnam (2000) believes that not all social capital is the same. He suggests that social capital is
not homogenous. He suggests that there are forms of social capital which are very dissimilar and
non-interchangeable. He refers to these types of social capital as bridging social capital and
bonding social capital. Bridging social capital refers weaker ties but these ties are very far
ranging and numerous.

The benefits of bridging social capital are not the same as the benefits of strong ties. Bridging
social capital does not provide any emotional support although it does expand a person’s social
horizon. Since, these weak ties are short lived and lack depth, they can exist between people who
share very dissimilar backgrounds therefore bridging social capital can be used to create
cohesion in a community where people of different races, ethnicities, nationalities and
backgrounds live together (Adler & kwon, 2002).

24
Social media website such as Facebook and twitter have the capacity to tremendously increase
Bridging social capital because they provide a cheap and low cost way for individuals to keep in
touch with each other (Donath and boyd, 2004).

3.6 Bonding social capital

According to Putnam (2000) bonding social capital refers to strong interpersonal connections,
such as the connection between close family members.
Bonding social capital, unlike bridging social capital, is homogenous because it always exists
among people who are closely related and share a strong association and an emotional
connection with each other (Ellison et al., 2007). Whereas, individual who share weak ties may
come from different backgrounds, individuals who share the strong ties of bonding social capital
usually belong to the same culture and background therefore they share similar values (Ellison et
al., 2007).

In the opinion of Adler and kwon (2002) bonding social capital refers to internal relationships
among individuals in close knit groups such as a family unit. Individuals that share this strong
bond are very likely to provide emotional support to each other. According to Ellison et al.(2007)
the intensity of Facebook communication between two individuals is positively co-related with
the bonding social capital that those individuals shares which means that people are more
predisposed to spending longer amounts of time communicating with those individuals who are
their close friends and relatives rather than the individuals with whom they share weaker links .

3.7 Linking social capital

According to (OECD 2001) Linking social capital helps to describe those relationships which
helps to bridge individuals across boundaries and can be important in community development.
It connects individuals to people with whom they are influenced.

25
Woolcock (1998) assumed that bridging indicates the horizontal side of social capital where it
reaches out for strong individuals ties through social connections whereas linking social capital
indicates vertical dimension where is scales up people with power, politically socially and
financially influential positions. Linking social capital is important because researchers have
found that high level of social capital in village leads to higher GDP and lowers the level of
corruption and other things which give bad influence to people.

3.8 Bridging vs. Bonding social capital in SNS

Bridging and bonding in social network referred between socially homogenous and
heterogeneous groups. A scale was developed based upon subset of measures
by Williams (2006), and then which was derived from Putnam’s (2000) conceptualization. The
purpose of building bridging social capital scale was to see whether people are willing to be
connected and give time and energy to large group of people other than their small group of
contacts.

The items on the scale included whether the people felt that they are interested in, and were part
of local community and the interaction with the people in same community made them feel that
they wanted to try new things, and be part of larger community. By this the people can feel they
are connected to everyone in the whole wide world. Scale included that to which extent people

26
came into contact with other people and their willingness to contribute to the community both
financially and in terms of the time they are willing to support the activities in the community.

Bonding social capital scale referred to people whether there were people to whom they can ask
help when in need in terms of providing a loan, a job reference, to solve a problem , can give
advices, or to help in other important matters.

In the study of Ellison et al. (2007) after controlling multiple factors which explains differences
in people social capital, various measures and general internet usage Facebook use was the main
thing of both bridging and bonding social capital. The effect was greatest for those who use SNS
to interact with people rather than keeping the relationship socially.

This study explores the relationship between three distinct dimensions of social capital (bridging,
peer-bonding and family-bonding capital) in social network sites (SNSs). We ask what kinds of
social relations are sought by SNS users and whether the usage of new SNSs contributes to
family bonding. A representative sample of the Norwegian internet population shows that 25%
use SNSs to communicate with family members once a week or more often, but peer bonding is
significantly more frequent (53%). Further, male users are significantly less interested in future
family contacts in SNSs than females. Both online bridging and family bonding differ
significantly between age groups. Answers to an open-ended question demonstrate a wish to
strengthen relationships with friends and acquaintances in SNSs. Contact with family is not
reported as a main motivation for using SNSs (1%), while other social relations account for 74%
of the motivations. However, the results of the study indicate that the majority of the respondents
experience SNSs as a part of their daily communication routines, both to bridge new online
contacts and to strengthen bonds with their existing offline ties.

3.9 Internet use and social capital

The use of internet is an important thing in everyone life. People use internet to be connected
through SNS to their family, friends, colleagues and even to anonymous people they find on
SNS. Internet is new mean of communication and socialization with people to whom we don't
meet face-to-face. Internet may also separate people from engaging in outside activities if they

27
spent too much time surfing on web pages. Internet users tends to have higher social capital than
non users (Quan-Haase and Wellman 2004, Di Maggio et al. 2004, Katz and Rice 2003; Hargittai
2002). Internet use can also change the nature of an individual's social capital and can authorize
virtual social capital.

According to Mark Granovetter (1973) there are two forms of online social activities. Strong tie
investment and weak tie investment. Strong tie investment in which people ties up socially with
friends and families whereas in weak tie investment internet helps people to tie up with people
whom they don't know well. In other words internet is use to tie up new connection but also can
weaken up the old connections. Internet provide individuals new ways to connect with others,
including close friends and relative strangers.

Through three different approaches we can analyze the ways in which the internet effects social
capital:

3.9.1 Internet use promotes social capital formation:

Many analyst have said that internet has given positive effect on people's lives. It is easy to
connect with other people, no cost of getting online, easy to use, other than connecting with
friends there are variety of information which we can get through internet (De Kerckhove, 1997;
Jones, 1998; Lévy, 1997). It is useful resolution restoring a sense of community by connecting
friends near or far, variety of information and resources and engaging in various groups in
political and other organization participation can be easily found on internet. People think that
the digital world will lead them to form a new community by providing a meeting space of
people with common interest, and other common activities through which it will overcome
limitation of time and space (Hiltz&Turoff, 1993; Baym, 1997; Jones, 1998; Wellman, 2001).
People expect that online community have grown because many people could choose their own
community with their shared interest.

28
People seek out for those who share common and similar interest with them through internet. It
is the mean to connect with each other on regular basis. Mostly people participates in online
communities to be part of them. Members of online community can stay connected as they can in
a social network sites. Online communities focus on bringing people together around interest,
similar professional and other causes. People can give their opinions and share their experience
regarding things they have been through. For example if a live football match is going on people
can discuss about their favorite football players, Comment on the situation of the match etc,
through this people are all connected together.

Figure 3.1 : People

Participation in
online community
(Paul, 2016)

This pictures explains and give the percentage of why people wants to be a part of online
community. 78% people have said they wanted to be part of online community to help others by
sharing information, their ideas and experiences. 66% join online community to participate in
professional community of their colleagues. 41% wants to be part of their family and friends.

Such high level of participation in online communities have suggested that the internet has
become another route of being connected to each other. Therefore, Putnam’s (2000) have

29
observed that due to internet usage there is decline in organizational participation which may
reflect community that it is being more into digital world rather that following traditional,
geographically bounded groups, in short the community is participating from public spaces to
cyber space.

The positive relationship the amount of time we spent on internet interacting with different
people with feeling of community online suggest that online participation of people may build
mutuality and trust between each other (Quan-Haase and Wellman, 2002). The research have
shown that other half who belong to online communities says that internet provide them to
connect with the people with whom they share similar interest and values (Horrigan, 2002).

Thus internet not only provide new mean of communication but also helps to establish new
social relationships which are often continued other than internet also. It has become clear
thatmost of relationship formed on cyber space have been continue in physical space, which
leads to form a new community by mixture of online and offline interactions.

3.9.2 Internet use can diminish social capital

The more the internet have been use the more it draws back people away from family and
friends. It reduce the interest of participating in local community. Not all internet activity is
social. Many activities are related to web oriented seeking information or engaging in some other
activities (Wellman, et al., 2001). Social contact can be fascinating, but it draw people away
from face to face and phone contact. In old days when people use to use dial-up connections for

30
internet at that moment they cannot receive or make a telephone call when the internet is being
used. People who just started to use internet and are newcomers study have shown that they
spend so much time on internet that they don't meet people face to face which resulted in their
social contact offline decreased and their depression and loneliness increased (Kraut, et al., 1998).
Internet can draw people attention away from their surroundings because when they are online
they are more focused on what they are seeing on internet rather than the person sitting next to
them. Some researchers have can compare internet with the way that television is used at home
and the effect is that reduce social interaction in the home (Steiner, 1963).

High level of global connectivity can have negative impact especially on local interaction and
family ties. The usage of internet have decreased the time we spend with our families. The
internet may be a stresses that can depress and separate people from face to face interaction
(Kraut, Lundmark, et al., 1998). One study of "newbie's" have shown that the usage of internet
have increase, social contact offline have been decrease and depression and loneliness have been
increased. Although internet increase weak online ties, but it decreases strong interaction
connection between people. Due to increase of computer and internet it can blur work-home
boundaries, people bring work home and give more preference to work rather than staying with
their family and friends and in other social gathering (Nie&Erbring, 2000)

Figure 3.2: Theoretical model of causal relationship of bridging and bonding social
capital(Hirani and Singh 72)

31
As the number of internet usage is increasing the amount of time spent on these activities have
also been increased for example children's heavy involvement in using online games shows that
they are reducing time spending with their family and playing outdoor with their friends . By the
involvement of people in using internet have decrease their personal life interaction with their
surroundings.

3.9.3 Internet use can supplement social capital development

The internet have blended into people's life because it is one to important and mean of
communication and to be connected to others. People use internet to maintain their existing
social contact which they cannot maintain through face to face or telephone. Internet helps to
increase existing social capital.

Internet is an important, but not dominant, mean of communication to contact with family and
friends. Emails, messaging, online chats and other communication activities supplement social
contact by contacting to each other and fill social gaps (Wellman &Haythornthwaite, 2002).
In old days Emails were the most important medium to be in touch with family and friends, but
the amount of email were send and received increases, interactions and phone calls do not
decrease, because Email support existing social contact but do not substitute for phone calls or
face to face communication (Howard et al., 2002; Quan-Haase& Wellman, 2002)

In a survey of 2000 study have shown that the most people who connect over phones are 41%,
by email 32%, and face to face 23% and small amount of people who write letters and greeting
cards 4%.

32
The internet may be more useful for maintaining existing connection rather than creating new
one. People who engages in political and organizational activities tends to use internet more as
those who are not engaged. The internet helps to support the activities of organization and
individual who are interesting in obtaining news either national or external.

3.10 Offline and Online Behavior with Social Network Sites

Focus of earlier research's on the internet was mainly on its concept of user interaction's to
individuals outside their friend circle while focusing their connections with common interests
instead of geography.(Rheingold 1993 ). Some studies suggested online interactions debilitated
offline relationships by forming their replacements.(Nie 2001). Formation of social capital may
be dissimilar online and offline is an argument formed by (Williams 2006) who developed scales
specifically for measuring online social capital.

A study was conducted by Parks and Floyd (1996) comprising of development of online
relationships. The result comprised of interactions of one-third of their respondents with their
online correspondents face to face at a later stage. Development of relationships that started
through online that later evolved into in person interaction was a common narrative in CMC
research. These interactions also existed in dating sites. (Ellison et al. 2010)

A common concern about privacy in online social networking site comprises of user's disclosure
of their personal information while they connecting with strangers. (Lenhart& Madden, 2007).
Results from various SNS studies suggested their most users formed connections with
individuals they were familiar with or had some offline basis for connection and interactions
with unfamiliar people was very unlikely to take place. A study suggests that 91% of teens
reported to interact with existing friends(Lenhart& Madden.,2007).

33
An examination of Facebook friends list at 10 universities using a feature on the website that
allowed users to distinguish how they met their friends led to the result of only 0.4% users
outlining their interactions as solely online whereas the prevailing majority reported having an
offline connection, for example meeting through mutual friends, attending the same school, the
same course. One factor that was established led to the conclusion that most users on social
networking sites used the website to connect and reconnect with family and friends.
(Subrahmanyam et al.,2008).

This was furthermore supported by a study of Facebook users at a Midwestern university. There
was a minority of respondents with statements suggesting they used the networking sites to
interact with new people however the majority of users responded with statements of using
Facebook to look at someone they interacted with socially and to keep in contact with friends.
Three consecutive years of analysis of data further disclosed that this pattern overtime was a
consistent occurring. (Lampe et al.,2008)

Studies suggest that offline to online allow users to receive social capital benefits from their
participation in SNS. A study by Ellison et al. (2009) was focused on identifying the types of
user behaviors that were more likely to be associated with social capital outcomes among
Facebook users. He distinguished and established three distinct usage patterns which was
collectively called "Connection strategies".

One of them was maintaining displayed use of the SNS to connect with existing close ties. This
was measured by a series of items asking the users to what extend they were contacting and
browsing their close friends and having face to face interactions with them. This form of
connection strategy was used by the users to the greatest amount which was followed by
information seeking and then initiating. Information seeking displayed use of facebook to learn
more about and connect with individuals that the users had some form of offline connections
with. This was measured using the users interactions on the site to learn about the people they
had in their school, in their neighborhood and the people they met socially.

34
Initiating reflected an online to offline pattern of connection, involving use of facebook to
connect with strangers or meet new people. Measures included using the extent to which users
used the networking site to browse, contact and meet new people that they had no offline
connection or interaction with.

Users were asked to determine the number of actual friends which was associated with both
forms of social capital from their total number of friends on Facebook which was not associated
with social capital. (Ellison et al. 2009).The median number of actual friends determined was 75
which was too big for a substantial group of intimate contacts. The user's access to social capital
is altered by SNS's as it enables the maintenance of enormous heterogeneous network of weak
ties. (Ellison et al., 2010).

A study of SNS use in the work space was conducted. Two indices were formulated in a study by
Steinfield et al. (2009) that were able to assess the extent of the interactions of users with their
work colleges, former or existing contrary to people they had no connections to by the use of
SNS. After controlling for intensity of system use in addition to other variables including
organizational and demographic, interactions with familiar contacts forecasted bonding social
capital as well as three or four types of bridging social capital. These comprised of access to new
people, access to expertise and corporate citizenship. Interest in global connections was one form
of usage strategy not incorporated in this as it elevated in the people who were trying to meet
new people. The result hence emphasized that connection patterns offline to online are likely to
result in social capital benefits.

In an overview, the literature supports the outlook that users using SNS are more likely to
connect and interact with their existing offline relations. (Haythornthwaite, 2005). Higher social
capital outcome can be linked to the offline to online pattern of usage.

35
3.11 LIFE SATISFACTION AND SOCIAL TRUST

Life satisfaction and other indicators of the standard of life reflect a general evaluation of an
individual's surrounding which can be positive or negative (Scheufele& Shah, 2000). Personal
contentment or subjective happiness are usually corresponded with life satisfaction
determined by researchers. (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985). Social links are the key
elements that determines an individual's life satisfaction according to existing research.
(Kahneman& Krueger, 2006).

A sociable and extraverted personality (Francis, 1999), Happiness ratings made by friends (Leary
& Kowalski, 1990), frequent interpersonal communications with its positive affect (Diener,
Sandvik& Payot,1991) family member's happiness (Clore, Wyer, Dienes, Gasper, & Isbell,
2001) are all interlinked for happiness as well as life satisfaction. People that take part in social
interactions on Facebook have a higher probability of experiencing happiness and social
connection by extending these principles to SNS. (Valkenburg, Peter, & Schouten, 2006). There
could be a required relationship between SNS and personal contentment. By using such websites
students with low life happiness levels can increase their personal welfare. (Ellison et al., 2007)

High life satisfaction has inevitable link with trust and reciprocity.(Putnam,2000). Researchers
have an ambivalent view of the direction of the link. Some research demonstrates high welfare of
people with the belief that strangers can be trusted while some concluded that social trust
is imperative for high life satisfaction. (Helliwell& Putnam, 2004). The relationship between
trust and high life satisfaction may as well be a reciprocal relation.(Inglehart, 1990) The support
received by an individual from a vast number of network members could in turn intensify their
trust in the members.

36
Trust is a belief process built upon inadequate knowledge that an people would not purposely
on knowingly provide harm to an individual. Due to this aspect, considering social trust that
some consider as a stable personality trait which is determined by the process of
socialization (Uslaner, 2002) as a perspective that can alter overtime is useful.

Personal Information about an individual that is available online including their background
information, interests, allows a social network user to learn about them which provides a
platform for them to build their trust upon. However with this information the user is unable to
determine the individuals behaviors or their intentions that are an essential attribute for the
formation of reciprocity and trust.(Berger & Calabrese, 1975).

Social trust is only formed when individuals are able to get to know each other through the
process of socializing as this reduces the possibility for formation of trusting
relationships.(Berger, 1986)

Viewing user's information through the use of Facebook might make the individual less
appealing and may contribute the user's trust or distrust towards them (Newton, 1999).

Governments across the world seek to promote a better life for their citizens, but thus far
scholars have provided contradictory advice. While some argue that economic growth leads to
higher subjective well-being, and others argue that it does not, we are the first to specify two
conditions that make economic growth compatible with subjective well-being over time:
increasing social trust and declining income inequality. Our methodological contribution is to
combine micro- and macro-level data from a large sample of developing, transition, and
developed countries and to explicitly distinguish the cross-country differences from the changes
over time. We perform a multilevel analysis of harmonized data composed of the World Values
Survey, the European Values Study, and macro-level indicators of economic growth and income
inequality for 46 countries, observed from 1981 to 2012. Our results show that in the long run
economic growth improves subjective well-being when social trust does not decline and, in

37
richer countries, when income inequality reduces. These results are compatible with the
recommendation that, to pursue durable improvements in people’s subjective well-being, policy-
makers should adopt a ”promote, protect and reduce” policy agenda: promote economic growth,
protect and promote social trust, and reduce income inequality.

Most user's however may not retain the individuals they verily distrust in their list of friends
hence the usage of Facebook could have a positive correlation with having an online network of
trusting individuals. We employ cross-sectional microdata from 2010 through 2012 collected by the
Italian National Institute of Statistics to investigate the proposed conceptual framework regarding the
joint relationship between education, life satisfaction and the probability of social trust. The analysis has
been carried out using two alternative specifications of the logit model: parametric and semiparametric.
Our findings suggest that (a) both modelling methods that we utilise yield consistent results in terms of
the positive effects of education and life satisfaction on social trust; (b) for unsatisfied individuals, social
trust is generally low and largely unresponsive to the individual’s education level, whereas for
‘sufficiently satisfied’ individuals, social trust increases strongly with education; (c) there are some
gender differences in the joint relationship between education, life satisfaction and social trust and (d) the
parametric approach tends to mask some interesting patterns that are captured by the semiparametric
specification. This finding implies that the parametric approach leads to a biased interpretation of the
results, with an apparent failure of some of the assumptions made in the conceptual framework.

38
3.12 Why Facebook Can Promote Social Capital

A hypothesis was formed by Donath and Boyd (2004) that online social networking would
increase the weak links of an individual instead of increasing the number of strong ties as the
technology maintains the links effortlessly and cheaply. A survey was conducted by Ellison,
Steinfield, and Lampe (2007) that collected a small sample of U.S undergraduate students to
empirically test this hypothesis. The results demonstrated a strong alliance of Facebook use with
strengthening and maintaining existing offline relationships instead of formation of new
relationships with unfamiliar people. One detail that originated from the results was the increase
in the students psychological welfare which were involved in online interactions on SNS
indicating to the idea that Facebook might provide substantial benefits to student's with low self
esteem. The link between use of Facebook and bridging social capital was found to be the
strongest.

The gratifications approach formed by (Katz &Gurevitch, 1974, Ruggiero, 2000) provides a
fundamental framework to highlight what features within the networking site produces the link
between use of Facebook and an individual's level production of social capital.

This study examines the relationship between use of Facebook, a popular online social network
site, and the formation and maintenance of social capital. In addition to assessing bonding and
bridging social capital, we explore a dimension of social capital that assesses one’s ability to stay
connected with members of a previously inhabited community, which we call maintained social
capital. Regression analyses conducted on results from a survey of undergraduate students (N =
286) suggest a strong association between use of Facebook and the three types of social capital,
with the strongest relationship being to bridging social capital. In addition, Facebook usage was
found to interact with measures of psychological well-being, suggesting that it might provide
greater benefits for users experiencing low self-esteem and low life satisfaction.

39
An essential incentive for people to use social media websites as Facebook is to develop their
personal identities which eventually lead to an increase or decrease in self satisfaction. Facebook
enables the users to achieve this by providing them with multiple channels for peer acceptance
and interpersonal feedback. There are two main messaging features within Facebook, the private
feature that allows the users to interact through the use of inbox messaging that is only read by
the sender and recipient.

The public feature that’s termed "The Wall" with the subsequent insertion of "The Super Wall"
allows the users to interact with each other by leaving short messages on
the Facebook profile that can be seen by other users. These interactions consist of sentimental
messages, activities between friends as well as information about external events or
websites. Acceptance or rejection from potential contacts in the user's Facebook profile is
another kind of feedback. These activities triggers the events that effect the user's life satisfaction
and self esteem in a positive or negative way as peer acceptance and interpersonal feedback
are compelling attributes that affect them.

Another purpose that facebook fulfills for the user's is providing information which promotes
collective action as well as reinforces existing and new connections and interactions. (Kenski&
Stroud, 2006; Shah et al., 2001) It keeps the users constantly updated about the contacts in their
lists.(Harigittai, 2001). There are two features that present this information. One of the features is
"News Feed", this appear on the user's homepage and provides a list of news stories of
the friends activities all through the day.

Upon every login of the user this information is updated with the latest news. The other feature is
"Mini Feed" that is present in every individuals profile and it revolves around that single
individual. It displays the current changes from their profiles and their recently
added modules(applications).

40
Joining a group based on interests and activities is another feature offered by facebook that
includes the user's profile into the "Facebook Groups" application. User's interactions on
groups whether online or offline contributes to the increase in social capital and invigorate's the
members relationships with one another. (Kobayashi et al., 2006). The "Facebook Groups"
application displays all the group memberships of the user as well as the groups joined by their
friends and allows opportunities for interactions and to engage in the activities.

Another needs that Facebook meets is of recreation and pure entertainment, which previous
research has found maintaining a negative link to production of social capital. . It creates a
distraction stealing the focus of users from more significant content. The application "FunWall"
provides the user with various activities and entertaining content such as video's music and
games. Social interaction and integration is the most manifested motive for user's to join a SNS.
Connection with their friends, family and the society as well as having a view into their
circumstances shah and colleagues (2001) Obtaining a sense of belonging, being able to interact
with others and identify with them are the are the main reasons for using SNS. Facebook as
an SNS allows users to interact as a community that can promote norms of trust and reciprocity
hence promoting collective action.

Social network sites (SNSs) such as such as Friendster, CyWorld, and MySpace allow
individuals to present themselves, articulate their social networks, and establish or maintain
connections with others. These sites can be oriented towards work-related contexts, romantic
relationship initiation (the original goal, connecting those with shared interests such as music or
politics, or the college student population (the original incarnation. Participants may use the sites
to interact with people they already know offline or to meet new people. The online social
network application analyzed in this article, Facebook, enables its users to present themselves in
an online profile, accumulate “friends” who can post comments on each other’s pages, and view
each other’s profiles. Facebook members can also join virtual groups based on common interests,
see what classes they have in common, and learn each other’s’ hobbies, interests, musical tastes,
and romantic relationship status through the profiles.

41
Facebook constitutes a rich site for researchers interested in the affordances of social networks
due to its heavy usage patterns and technological capacities that bridge online and offline
connections. We believe that Facebook represents an understudied offline to online trend in that
it originally primarily served a geographically-bound community (the campus). When data were
collected for this study, membership was restricted to people with a specific host institution
email address, further tying offline networks to online membership. In this sense, the original
incarnation of Facebook was similar to the wired Toronto neighborhood studied by Hampton and
Wellman , who suggest that information technology may enhance place-based community and
facilitate the generation of social capital.1 Previous research suggests that Facebook users engage
in “searching” for people with whom they have an offline connection more than they “browse”
for complete strangers to meet.

Online SNSs support both the maintenance of existing social ties and the formation of new
connections. Much of the early research on online communities assumed that individuals using
these systems would be connecting with others outside their pre-existing social group or location,
liberating them to form communities around shared interests, as opposed to shared geography. A
hallmark of this early research is the presumption that when online and offline social networks
overlapped, the directionality was online to offline—online connections resulted in face-to-face
meetings. For instance, report that one-third of their respondents later met their online
correspondents face-to-face. As they write, “These findings imply that relationships that begin on
line rarely stay there” (n.p.).

Although this early work acknowledged the ways in which offline and online networks bled into
one another, the assumed online to offline directionality may not apply to today’s SNSs that are
structured both to articulate existing connections and enable the creation of new ones. However,
because there is little empirical research that addresses whether members use SNSs to maintain
existing ties or to form new ones, the social capital implications of these services are unknown.

42
This study examines if Facebook, one of the most popular social network sites among college
students in the U.S., is related to attitudes and behaviors that enhance individuals' social capital.
Using data from a random web survey of college students across Texas (n = 2,603), we find
positive relationships between intensity of Facebook use and students' life satisfaction, social
trust, civic engagement, and political participation. While these findings should ease the
concerns of those who fear that Facebook has mostly negative effects on young adults, the
positive and significant associations between Facebook variables and social capital were small,
suggesting that online social networks are not the most effective solution for youth
disengagement from civic duty and democracy. Moral panic is a common reaction to new forms
of communication (Chalaby, 2000; Winston, 1986). The advent of television spawned fears of
mass escapism (Klapper, 1960; Pearlin, 1959). In the 1990s, critics held the diffusion of Internet
as evidence of individuals' increasing alienation from society and public life (see Kraut et al.,
1998; Turkle, 1996; White, 1997). The story with Facebook, MySpace, and other social network
sites (SNSs) is not any different. Unsafe disclosure of information, cyberbullies, addiction, risky
behavior, and contact with dangerous communities are popular concerns raised in the
mainstream media about the use of SNSs (e.g., Hodgkinson, 2008; Koloff, 2008; Stone, 2007).

As could be expected, researchers have begun to empirically test these claims. For instance, a
thorough content analysis of teenagers' profiles in MySpace concluded that personal information
disclosure on this site is quite uncommon (Hinduja & Patchin, 2008, p. 125). Other research
shows that young people are motivated to join these sites to keep strong ties with friends and to
strengthen ties with new acquaintances, but not so much to meet new people online (Acquisti &
Gross, 2006; Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007).

The present study seeks to contribute to a more accurate understanding of SNSs by examining
their potential as new venues for civic and political engagement. There is plenty of anecdotal
evidence to suspect that such an impact exists. In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, the Obama
campaign created a SNS, my.barackobama.com, to successfully recruit thousands of campaign
volunteers from across the country and to sign them up for door-knocking and precinct-walking
(Dickinson, 2008). In the civic realm, TakingITGlobal.org and YouthNoise.org offer social

43
network services for users worldwide who are interested in learning about and taking action in
their communities to address pressing issues such as poverty, global warming, AIDS, and human
rights (Raynes-Goldie & Walker, 2008). Even major organizations such as Amnesty
International have used Facebook to coordinate protests in major cities around the world
(Stirland, 2007).

We used original survey data to test several hypotheses regarding the relationship between
Facebook use and college students' social capital—a multidimensional construct that includes
civic participation, political engagement, life satisfaction, and social trust. We opted to focus on
Facebook only for two reasons. First, at the time of the study, Facebook was the most popular
SNS for the population under scrutiny (Bulik, 2007).1 Second, it has been found that different
segments of the population choose specific SNS platforms for distinct purposes (Hargittai, 2007,
p. 277). If there is a problem of selection bias (e.g., Facebook attracts people with more social
capital, while MySpace attracts people with less social capital), then it would be unwise to
aggregate use of specific sites into an overall measure of SNS use.

It is important to study the relationship between using an SNS and developing attitudes and
behaviors that promote social capital and democratic citizenship. Social trust facilitates
associative behavior, fosters a strong civil society, and makes political institutions and officials
more responsive, all of which translates into a more effective democracy (Putnam, 2000).
Similarly, when people participate, they have a voice in public affairs, they can hold authorities
accountable and they are empowered to act on their own behalf (Verba, Schlozman, & Brady,
1995). Because young adults have been at the forefront of declining levels of participation in the
U.S. and elsewhere (Nickerson, 2006; Putnam, 2000), studying how a popular online service can
promote their engagement in public affairs is particularly significant.

44
3.13 Summary of key points

This chapter have explained very well what is social capital and social networking and how they
are linked with each other How the use of social network can benefit the people needs and wants
and why they use social networking sites. Categories of social capital bridging, bonding and
linking. Offline and online behavior with social networking sites. How can Facebook promote
social capital. This chapter helps us to understand our topic in detail.

45
CHAPTER 4: PRIMARY DATA

4.1 Research design

Burns and Grove (2003:195) define a research design as “a blueprint for conducting a study with
maximum control over factors that may interfere with the validity of the findings”. Polit et al
(2001:167) define a research design as “the researcher’s overall for answering the research
question or testing the research hypothesis”. In other words research design explains how, when
and where the data is to be collected, tested, analyzed and presented,

This study is quantitative in nature and the data was collected using primary source i.e. self-
administered questionnaire. The basic point of this study was to explore whether Social capital is
increasing or decreasing the by using Social media. The second purpose of study is to show the
relationship between usage of social media and social capital. This relationship between
independent variable and dependent variable makes this research causal in nature. This study has
used quantitative research because it is more reliable and objective and it reduces and
restructures a multifaceted problem to a limited number of variables.

4.2 Sampling design

Polit et al (2001:234) define a sample as “a proportion of a population”. In this current study, s

sample of 45 observations is decided where people from DIAC whether students, teachers,
employees will be inquired using a self-administered questionnaire. Convenience sampling is
adopted because scope and sample size of this study is limited, topic is broader and the
researchers are job holder; therefore time management is limited.

46
4.3 The Survey

The research has been done by using survey questionnaire as an instrument for data collection.
Questionnaire has been adapted from Ellison, Stenifield& Lampe (2007). The questionnaire is
divided into 2 parts where first part is related to the demographics such as age, gender etc.

First two questions are related to gender, age. Second question is related to how frequently
people use social networking sites in their daily life. Third Question is about how many regular
contacts they have whom they talk to on daily basis. Fifth and sixth question is about how is their
experience using social networking site and why are they using social networking site.

The second part is related to 19 questions which are related to the independent variable and the
dependent variable.

Seventh question was asked about when the user uses the social media sites does they feel that
they are part of Pakistani community in Dubai. Social media helps people to communicate with
other people from same country to make them feel like they are connected still from their home
country. Eighth question was asked about by using social networking sites are the user interested
to know about what is happening around them in the world, their community and their
universities. Ninth question was about whether the people would like to contribute financially to
their universities or their community after graduation.

Question tenth was asked regarding people interaction with other people on social media made
them to try and explore new places and things from different region of people in the world. How
social media can be useless for getting information about different people and different things
happening in the whole wide world.

The eleventh question was asked regarding people who spent more time on social media and
interact with several people do they feel by interacting with different peoples make them feel
*that they are part of large community and knows what is happening around them. The twelve

47
question was as many spams and other type of frauds are happening on social media is it possible
if the people can trust posts in social media.

Question thirteen, fourteen and fifteen is asked regarding people will support the good things
happening in their community through social media and through social media people think they
are connected to the world. Many people out their also believe when they are in need of help
they can turn to their social media friends to help them out.

Question sixteen, seventeen and eighteen are linked to the people who think social media can
help them in any need; they can turn up to their social media friends when in need. Needs could
be any advice for important decisions or taking any loan on 100 AED from any of their friends
on social media.

Question nineteen is about when people don’t have enough social media friends to whom they
can turn to when they need them. Twenty question is about the people who get every information
about upcoming events, concerts, party through social media. Social media have made things
easy for people. Every upcoming event or parties have been viral before so the people can know
about that easily.

Question from twenty-one to twenty-four is related to people who can find jobs and other things
on social media. Through social media they can be in contact with their friends and can invite
them to parties and can ask some sort of favor when they are in need of something.

The respondents were asked to mark the correct option according to their preference using a 5
point liker scale where 1 represents strongly disagree and 5 shows strong agreement. The
questionnaire is provided in appendix

48
4.4 Statistical design

In this study, regression analysis has been utilized in light of the fact that it is a analytic
approach for gauging the connections between variables. It incorporates numerous techniques for
showing and investigating a few variables, when the emphasis is on the association between a
dependent variable and more or one independent variables. All the more particularly, regression
analysis offers the understanding on how to estimate the dependent variable changes when any of
the independent variables is changed, while the other independent variables stay fixed

4.5 Data Analysis

This chapter presents the results of data analysis and has been divided into 2 parts. Firstly, it
talks about findings obtained through descriptive analysis, and then secondly, it tests the
hypotheses using regression analysis. I have taken survey from 45 respondents.

49
4.1Demographic Analysis

Figure 1: Gender opinion

Gender
Male Female

Female
40%

Male
60%

Question 1: What is your gender?

As seen in above graph women percentage in using social networking sites are more than men,
that is 60% is male and 40% is female.

50
Figure 2: Age distribution of the participants.

Age distribution of the participants

Below 20 20-29 years 30-39 years 40-49 years

11%
26%
16%

47%

Question 2: Under which category is your age?

The descriptive analysis revealed that respondents (males/females) belonged to 5 age groups,
wherein 26% of respondent were below 20 years in age. 47% belonged to 20-29 years age group,
16% respondents belonged to 30-39 years in age and 11% were from 40-49 age groups.

51
Figure 3: Frequently use of social network

Frequently use of social network

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Whatsapp

Facebook
33%
Whatsapp
43%

Twitter
5%
LinkedIn
Instagram 9%
10%

Question 3: Which social network you frequently use?

As the survey analysis of which social network is frequently used by everyone was Whatsapp
43% to keep in contact with their family and friends every time. Next was Facebook with 33% to
keep up the update about what is happening around them. Instagram is at 10% whereas twitter
5% and Linked In 9% is used by people.

52
Figure 4: Number of regular contacts

Number of regular contacts

1-10 11-20 21-30 30 above

5%
10%

45%

40%

Question 4: how many regular contacts do you have?

45% of the respondents regularly communicate with only 1-10 people on social networking sites.
40% respondents have 11-20 individuals as regular contacts. 10% of the total respondents
regularly contact with 21-30 people while 5% respondents have regular contact with more than
30 individuals.

53
Figure 5: SNS usage experience

Question 5: What is your SNS usage experience?

SNS usage experience

1-2 years 3-4 years 5-6 years above 6 years

15%
35%

20%

30%

As far as experience of usage is concerned, 35% of respondents are using social media for 1-2
years. 30% of the respondents access social networking sites for 3-4 years, while 20% of them
use it for 5-6 years. 15% of the respondents are using SNS for more than 6 years.

54
Figure 6: To gather information from social networking

To gather information from Social

Networking
WhatsApp Facebook Intagram Twitter LinkedIn

5% 10%
5%
35%

45%

The respondents uses SNS to get information and out of that Facebook is the most used social
networking platform with 45%, Whatsapp after that is being used by 35% respondents, 10%
respondents for LinkedIn and last to platform is Twitter and Instagram with 5% respondents

55
Figure 7: Share video, pictures & music

Share video, pictures & music

Whatsapp Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

5%
9%

11% 40%

35%

The third main purpose of using SNS is to share videos, pictures and music and out of that
40% respondents uses Whatsapp as a social networking platform for this purpose,
35%respondents uses Facebook to share content, 11% respondents uses Instagram, 9%
respondents uses Twitter, while the other 5% respondents uses LinkedIn for this purpose.

56
Figure 8: To develop a professional network stands

To develop a professional network stands

Whatsapp Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter

5%
7%

12%
45%

31%

The purpose of using SNS i.e. to develop a professional network stands out of that Whatsapp
has the majority of 45%respondents; Facebook has a slight difference i.e. 31% respondents,
Instagram is being by 12% respondents, 7% of respondents uses LinkedIn and with the least
Twitter is being used i.e. 5% of respondents.

57
Figure 9: Using Social Media, I feel like I am part of my Community in Dubai

Using Social Media, I feel like I am part of

my Community in Dubai

2% 3%
5%
40%

50%

disagree Agree Neutral strongly agree Strongly Disagree

Out of 45 respondents, 50% of the respondents strongly agree; they like a to be part of their
community in Dubai, if they use social media. 40% strongly disagree, 5% agrees and 2% and
3% agree and neutral.

58
Figure 10: I am interested in what goes on at my university and in my community

I am interested in what goes on at my

university and in my community

5%
6%
6%
40%

43%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

As the survey analysis, out of the 200 respondents, 43% agree, 40% strongly agree and 6% is strongly
disagreeing and neutral and 5% disagrees.

59
Figure 11: I would be willing to contribute to my community and my university financially,
and through WOM after graduation

I would be willing to contribute to my

community and my university
financially, and through WOM after
graduation

6%
5%
6%
43%

40%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

As the survey results, 43% strongly agree that they are willing to contribute to the community
and university financially and, through WOM after graduation. 40% of the respondents agree
and 6% disagree and strongly disagree and 5% of the respondents are neutral

60
Figure 12: Interacting with people on social media makes me want to try/explore new
things/places

Interacting with people on social media

makes me want to try/explore new
things/places

13% 5% 20%

35% 27%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to this survey analysis, 35% of the respondents are neutral in interacting with people
on social media, 27% of the respondents agree, 20% of the respondents strongly agree, 13% of
the respondents disagree and 5% of the respondents strongly disagree.

61
Figure 13: Interacting with different people on social media makes me feel like a part of a
larger community

Interacting with different people on social media

makes me feel like a part of a larger community

3%

12% 25%

35%
25%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to the analysis 35% is neutral about interacting with different people on social media
that make them feel like a part of a larger community, 25% of the respondents agree and strongly
agree, were as 12% of the respondents disagree and 3% of the respondents strongly disagree.

62
Figure 14: I am willing to spend time to support good initiatives and activities launched in
my community via social media.

I am willing to spend time to support good

initiatives and activities launched in my
community via social media

5%
5%
25%

37%

28%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

37% of the respondents are willing to spend time to support good initiatives and activities
launched in the community through social media is neutral, 28% of the respondents agree and
25% of the respondents strongly agree and 5% of the respondents disagree and strongly disagree.

63
Figure 15: Interacting with people on social media reminds me that everyone is world is
connected.

Interacting with people on social media

reminds me that everyone is world is
connected

10% 5%
25%

35%
25%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to the survey, 35% of the respondents are neutral on interacting with people on social
media reminds that everyone in the world is connected, 25% of the respondents agree and
disagree, were as 10% and 5% disagree and strongly disagree.

64
Figure 16: There are several people on social media I trust to solve my problems.

There are several people on social media I

trust to solve my problems

20% 10%
10%

25%
35%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

35% of the respondents disagree that there are several people on social media that they trust to
solve their problems, 25% of the respondents are neutral, 20% of the respondents strongly
disagree and rest 10% agree and strongly disagree.

65
Figure 17: If I needed an emergency Loan of AED 100, I know someone on social media I
can turn to.

If I needed an emergency Loan of AED 100, I

know someone on social media I can turn to

10%
35% 10%

10%

35%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to the survey 35% of the respondents strongly disagree and disagree, rest of the 10%
is neutral, agree and strongly agree.

66
Figure 18: There is someone on social media I can turn to for advice about making very
important decisions.

There is someone on social media I can turn to

for advice about making very important
decisions

10% 15%
25% 15%

35%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

35% of the respondents are neutral that they can turn on social media they can turn to for advice
about making very important decisions, 25% disagree, 15% agree and strongly agree and 10% of
the respondents strongly disagree.

67
Figure 19: The people I interact with on social media would be good references for me.

The people I interact with on social

media would be good references for me

9%
14% 28%

24%
25%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to the survey, 24 % of the respondents are neutral that people that they interact on
social media would be good reference for them, 25% of the respondents agree and 28 % of the
respondents strongly agree and 14% disagree and were for 9% strongly disagree.

68
Figure 20: I do not know people on social media well enough to get them to do anything
important for me.

I do not know people on social media well

enough to get them to do anything important for
me.

10% 15%
15%
25%

35%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to the survey results 35% of the respondents are neutral, 25% agree to that they don’t
know people on social media well enough to get to do anything important for them, 15% is
disagree and strongly agree and were as the 10%is strongly disagree.

69
Figure 21: Through social media, I would be able to find about events in another town
from a friend or acquaintance living there.

Through social media, I would be able to find

about events in another town from a friend or
acquaintance living there

10% 5%
35%

25%

25%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

35% of the respondents strongly agree that through social media, they would be able to find
about events in another town from friends or acquaintance living there, 25% of the respondent
agree and neutral, were as the 10% and 5% disagree and strongly disagree.

70
Figure 22: If I needed to, I could ask a friend on social media to do a small favor for me.

If I needed to, I could ask a friend on social

media to do a small favor for me
3% 3%

24%
45%

25%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

45% of the respondents strongly agree if they needed to, could ask a friend on social media to do
a small favor for them, 25% of the respondent agree, 24% of the respondent is neutral and 3% is
disagree and strongly disagree.

71
Figure 23: I would be able to stay connected with friends or family
on social media if traveling to a different city.

I would be able to stay connected with friends

or family
on social media if traveling to a different city.

10%
14% 33%

19%

24%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to the survey 33% of the respondent is Strongly agree about they would be able to
stay connected with friends or family on social media if travelling to a different city, 24% of the
respondent agree, 14% of the respondent disagree and 10% of the respondent strongly disagree
and 19% are neutral

72
Figure 24: I would be able to find information about a job or internship from a friend on
social media.

I would be able to find information

about a job or internship from a friend
on social media
6%
11% 29%
13%

41%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

41% of the respondent agrees that they would be able to find information about a job or
internship from a friend on social media, 29% of the respondent strongly agree and 13% are
neutral, were as 11% and 6% of the respondent disagree and strongly disagree.

73
Figure 25: It would be easy to find people (on Social networks) to invite to any
event/function/ceremony in my community.

It would be easy to find people (on Social

networks) to invite to any
event/function/ceremony in my community
5%
5%
20% 45%

25%

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

According to the survey 45% of the respondent strongly agree, 25% of the respondent agree that
would be easy to find people (on social networks) to invite any event/function/ceremony in their
community. 20% of the respondent are neutral, and were as the 5% is disagreeing and strongly
disagree.

74
4.2 Regression analysis

This research study aims to test a causal relationship between social networking and social
capital. This relationship was tested using regression analysis. First value is significance value
i.e. P value, it should be less than 0.05 which means that the relationship exists and for further
analysis, R square is Regression co-efficient it tells us that how strong the relationship is between
social networking and social capital i.e. 0.490. To analysis errors we can minus R square and
Adjusted R square and can know that we have few errors i.e. 0.59300.

Table 4.1 Regression Analysis

Model Summary

Model R R Square Adjusted R F Sig.

Square

1 .700a .490 .488 359.018 .000

a. Predictors: (Constant), Social Networking

75
 Table 4.2 Regression Coefficients

Model Unstandardi Stand T Sig

zed ardize .
Coefficients d
Coeff
icient
s

B Std. Beta
Error

(Consta 1.8 .06

.353 .191
nt) 48 5

1 Social
18. .00
Networ .928 .049 .700
948 0
king

a. Dependent Variable: Social Capital

Further endorse by F value which is large i.e. 359.018 which means that if F value is large, the
impact of relationship is strong and direct. If we see T value which is in plus i.e. 18.948 shows
the direct proportional. It indicates that one unit change in social networking leads towards 70%
change in social change, it means that if social networking is increasing, social capital will also
increases and vice versa.

The Constant is having P value above 0.05 i.e. 0.065 at 95% confidence interval which means no
other variables are having their participation in creating impact on social capital and only one
variable is responsible for 70% change in social capital. However, this also indicates certain bias
in the data because in previous studies there are many variables which actually impact social
capital.
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CHAPTER 5: INTERMEDIATE ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

This chapter presents conclusions inferred from the data analysis section discussed in chapter 4 .
Suitable examples have been provided for managers to grab the understanding of inferences.

5.1 Summary of Findings

Causal analysis revealed that users who use social networking platforms i.e. Facebook,
Whatsapp, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, for the purpose to find information, play games,
develop professional networks, stay in touch with friends and family, make new friends, get
opinions, share video, pictures and music and share daily experiences tend to increase social
capital. The findings are very reliable with previous research studies conducted in related
domains across various sectors.

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Table 5.1 Summary of Hypothesis Testing

Concluded
Hypothesis
Status
Ho: Social networking has a positive impact on social capital. Approved

78
Conclusion

The research concludes the purpose the consumers have when they are using social media
platforms is to focus more on to find information and to stay in touch with family and friends

In current times, Facebook has enough exhibited how to appropriately respond to a quick
changing online networking market. Consequently, it has gotten to be one of the best samples of
a skillful venture in the most recent couple of years. Facebook separates the best components
from each social stage, at the same time utilizing its most competitive advantage i.e. its number
of active consumers. In our research, Facebook is used mostly for sharing videos, pictures and
music with 82.3%, with 81% to find information and get opinions.

Contrasting Facebook, Instagram is primarily a multipurpose platform, and maybe the best short
shape video and photograph sharing platform. As flexible use turning into the most effective
approach to get to the web, its significance as a favored social network for the linked user is
matchless. In our research, Instagram is mostly used for to get opinions with 68.9%.

Whatsapp is primarily a texting customer for Smartphone's that works under membership. It
utilizes the Internet to send instant messages, pictures, video, user area (location) and sound
media messages to different users utilizing standard cell mobile numbers. In our research, the
main purpose for Whatsapp is being used is to share daily experiences with 90.7% and least is to
make new friends with 80.6%.

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LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking platform and it is mainly used for professional
and expert system networking. Most of the site's revenue comes from selling access to
information about its users to recruiters and sales professionals. In our research LinkedIn is
mainly used for developing professional networks with 20.9%.

Twitter is an online social networking platform that empowers clients to send and read short 140-
charactermessages called "tweets". The users can read and post tweets yet just in the event that
they enlisted yet unregistered users can just reads the tweets. Twitter can be access through the
website, mobile phone app or SMS. In our research, Twitter is being used for the purpose to get
opinions with 27%. Different users comment their opinions on their users’ tweets.

80
Chapter 6: Conclusion, lessons learned and recommendation

6.1 Overall conclusion &Recommendations

The fact with regards to social media, it's not the numbers but rather the importance behind them
that matters. If social media is about building relationships and connections, then it's the validity
of those connections and relationships that will really decide their ROI. Having the numbers on
our side can be influential, however if we utilize them in the right way. Eventually, what truly
matters is the nature and value of the discussion we have with our community.

We can use social media endorse and encourage the exchange of ideas to increase social capital
by participation in an authentic way. As said, networking is always important when it’s real, and
it’s always a useless distraction when it’s fake. We can request for feedbacks and can get to
know what matters most to the users and can respond accordingly.

In social media to increase social capital, users and followers should be given full freedom to say
whatever they want to as it’s a freedom of speech because sometimes by not giving them that
freedom can hurt them and by doing this we can gain their trust and loyalty. For example, few
months back Hamza Ali Abbasi’s post was deleted on Facebook, and Abbasi was temporarily
banned from accessing his account. Later CEO of Facebook i.e. Mark Zuckerberg apologizes to
Abbasi for such mistake.

Having million of followers who are following us doesn’t matter if they’re not our target users.
To increase social capital, social networking sites should work on giving recommendation to
connect or talk to friend through a website or blogs and keep their conversation and connection
going.

Once we’ve found our position and role, we should keep it constant. To increase social capital,
we should give our users a figure to follow and inspire i.e. Brand ambassadors. By delivering
outstanding customer service, we can make our users happy and can keep them connected
through sharing, commenting and linking. For example, Salman Khan is the brand ambassador of

81
Splash, which had made their customers more likely to buy things from Splash because of
popularity of its ambassador.

Social media knows how to build successful relationships and to increase social capital. Social
networking platforms doesn’t just sick back and wait for things to happen, they position
themselves and encourage people to communicate with each other. For example, Facebook owns
Instagram, and it more begins to take after Snap chat and it additionally possesses Facebook
Messenger and WhatsApp. Facebook Video begins to overcome YouTube, video materials
initially uploaded on Facebook increase higher expected range than those initially uploaded to
YouTube.

Providing interesting and significant content by means of online networking is not just an
extraordinary approach to give value, it's one of the most ideal approaches to build trust. Sharing
other individuals' content is extraordinary, yet it will never separate us as a pioneer in our
position. Try to make a informative point for your group of users by means of blog posts and
entries, Facebook updates, Instagram photographs, and tweets. The more value you give to
individuals, the more they will believe you and want to connect with you.

Nowadays, social media is focusing on passion of the people to increase social capital because
passion is something that cannot be faked and can be easily spotted. When it comes down to it,
building relationships on social media is about truly listening. It's about taking part in the
conversation, not trying to control it. It's about dialogue, not pushing a message. Nowadays,
every single person focuses more on their pictures than anything else and that’s why Instagram
just made the biggest change ever i.e. In addition to square posts we can now share photos and
videos in both portrait and landscape orientation. A user can posts a photo or video, we can tap a
new format button to select from portrait, landscape or square formats to change how they will
appear in their feed. Rectangular posts will be cropped to original square format in profile grids,
but expand to full-size when viewed.

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People love to connect to others and to talk about themselves. So, we should find a plain and
simple way to play a positive part in this. Facebook had comes up with “Share your story” so
that people and users can share pictures of themselves living their best and interesting life with
their contacts, whether it’s a family vacation to Istanbul and a picnic in the park, their moments
are added to their Facebook timeline and their contacts can see and enjoy their pictures and
videos.

Online social networking serves as a tool for the individuals who might not have an outlet or
emotionally supportive network to discover each other. For instance, Businesses have the chance
to utilize Facebook as an approach to furnish users with extraordinary administration, as well as
a method for interfacing and moving each other. Brands like Weight Watchers and Nike Women
have likewise shown how significant Facebook can be for uniting individuals confronting
comparative every day obstructions.

To build social capital by utilizing social networking platforms is expanding step by step. For
instance Lays Potato Chips recently launched a Facebook challenge asking U.S. fans to make its
next chip flavor for its 75th commemoration one year from now. Lays collaborated with
Facebook to change the Like catch to an "I'd eat that" catch. The challenge has been already
launched in 14 different nations producing more than 8 million chip flavor thoughts all around.
This is an awesome open door for Lays to pick up understanding into what sorts of chip flavors
consumers like. Crowd sourcing isn't only an advertising strategy; it's a to a great degree simple
and powerful method for requesting feedback about the product and service. Take each risk you
get the chance to acknowledge feedback from the consumers i.e. on top of marketing advantages;
you'll given an amazing chance to enhance and improve the business.

83
6.2Future research area

Sample size need to be increased both horizontally and vertically, the researcher can focus not
only on Dubai as well as focus on other emirates of U.A.E as well i.e. Sharjah, Ajman, Abu
Dhabi etc. Social capital needs to broken down into factors and tested through advance statistical
techniques. As social capital focuses on linking, bonding and bridging. So the researcher can
have questions on different topics according to these three terms.

Economic and social benefits of social networking needs to be quantified. For example some
people doesn’t find Facebook safe to share their daily experiences, so the researcher can focus on
whether these social networking sites are safe or not. The researcher can take into account
different emerging social groups as well i.e. Snap chat. Probability sampling technique needs to
be adopted and in probability sampling, Random sampling can be used by the researcher.

6.3 Lessons Learned

It has been a challenging experience in writing this thesis. However difficult, valuable in many
ways. The best ways to learn is through doing from the beginning, reading and researching
overnight, conducting the survey to the end and conclusion of the thesis. One has to be consistent
with the work and implement what they have learned over the years within the walls of the
classroom.

The lesson I learned while researching for thesis includes that if the answer was not found in the
place, more research should be done until I found. Just doing the basic research on Google turned
up with nothing, as I had to go seeking face to face attraction with people to find more
information of how social networking is helping to build social capital. what people do online
and what are the advantage and disadvantage of using social networking sites in our daily lives

84
6.4 Ethical implications

The methods of research didn’t harm anybody. All the communications related to the study was
done with utmost honesty and transparency. A full content was obtained from the respondents
prior to their involvement in the study. Anonymity of the participants was also maintained. All
affiliations in all forms is declared. The aim and objective of this study is for academic purpose.

85
Appendix A: Thesis Survey

Questionnaire

1- - What is your gender?

• male
• female

2- Which category below includes your age?

• 20 or younger
• 20 - 29
• 30-39
• 40-49
• 50 +

3- Frequently used social network ( You can select more than 1)

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Whatsapp

4- Number of regular contacts

• 1 - 10
• 11 - 20
• 21 - 30
• > 30

86
5- SNS usage experience
• 1- 2 years

• 3-4 years
• 5 - 6 years
• > 6 years

6- Purpose of Using Social Networking Sites (To gather information from social networking)
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Whatsapp

7- Purpose of Using Social Networking Sites ( Share video, pictures & music)
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Whatsapp

8- Purpose of Using Social Networking Sites (To develop a professional network stands)
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Whatsapp

87
9- Using Social Media, I feel like I am part of my Community in Dubai
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

10- I am Interested in what goes on at my University and in My Community.

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

11- I would be willing to contribute to my community and my university financially, and through
WOM after Graduation.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

12- Interacting with people on social media makes me want to try/explore new things/places
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral

88
 • Disagree
• Strongly disagree

13- Interacting with different people on social media makes me feel like a part of a larger
community.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

14- I am willing to spend time to support good initiatives and activities launched in my
community via social media.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

15- Interacting with people on social media reminds me that everyone is world is connected.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

16- There are several people on social media I trust to solve my problems.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral

89
 • Disagree
• Strongly disagree

17- If I needed an emergency Loan of AED 100, I know someone on social media I can turn to.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

18- There is someone on social media I can turn to for advice about making very important
decisions.

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

19- The people I interact with on social media would be good references for me
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

20- I do not know people on social media well enough to get them to do anything important for
me

• Strongly agree
• Agree

90
 • Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

21- Through social media, I would be able to find about events in another town from a friend or
acquaintance living there.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

22- If I needed to, I could ask a friend on social media to do a small favor for me.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

23- I would be able to stay connected with friends or family

on social media if traveling to a different city.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

24- I would be able to find information about a job or internship from a friend on social media
• Strongly agree
• Agree

91
 • Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

25- It would be easy to find people (on Social networks) to invite to any
event/function/ceremony in my community.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neutral
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

92
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