Purpose

The purpose of this present study is to investigate how opinion leaders' responsiveness to social influence varies with network positions (i.e. degree centrality and brokerage) and network density in new product diffusion networks.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected data based on a sociometric network survey. Hierarchical moderated regression and hierarchical linear modeling analyses were used to test the moderating effects of degree centrality, brokerage and density on the relationship between opinion leadership and susceptibility to social influence.

Findings

This study documents the significant moderating roles of network positions and network density in the relationship between individual influence (i.e. opinion leadership) and susceptibility to social influence. Interestingly, this study shows that the significant moderating effects of degree centrality and brokerage hold for opinion leaders' responsiveness to informational social influence, whereas that of network density holds for opinion leaders' responsiveness to normative social influence.

Research limitations/implications

This research sheds light on the network structural characteristics under which opinion leaders would be differentially responsive to social influence (i.e. informational and normative influence) from others.

Practical implications

This research provides marketing managers with insights into leveraging social influence by activating opinion leaders through existing network ties in new product diffusion networks.

Originality/value

Although opinion leaders are generally less susceptible to social influence from others than nonleaders, this research finds that, under certain network conditions, opinion leaders would be equally responsive to social influence from their peers.

中文翻译：

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有约束力的领导者：网络位置和网络密度在意见领袖对社会影响的反应中的作用

目的

本研究的目的是调查意见领袖对社会影响的反应如何随着新产品传播网络中的网络位置（即程度中心和经纪）和网络密度而变化。

设计/方法/方法

这项研究收集了基于社会计量网络调查的数据。层次调节回归和层次线性建模分析被用来测试程度中心性、中介和密度对意见领袖和社会影响敏感性之间关系的调节作用。

发现

本研究记录了网络位置和网络密度在个人影响力（即意见领袖）和对社会影响力的易感性之间的关系中的重要调节作用。有趣的是，这项研究表明，学位中心性和中介作用的显着调节作用适用于意见领袖对信息社会影响的反应，而网络密度则适用于意见领袖对规范社会影响的反应。

研究限制/影响

这项研究揭示了网络结构特征，在这些特征下，意见领袖会对来自他人的社会影响（即信息和规范影响）做出不同的反应。

实际影响

这项研究通过新产品传播网络中的现有网络关系激活意见领袖，为营销经理提供了利用社会影响力的见解。

原创性/价值

尽管意见领袖通常比非领导者更不容易受到他人的社会影响，但本研究发现，在某些网络条件下，意见领袖对来自同龄人的社会影响的反应是一样的。