Conceptual Framework of Personal Reputation Management in Social Networks: A Study of User Behavior

Authors
Samaneh shadmanfar 1
fatemeh fahimnia 1
Abdolreza Noroozi Chakoli 2
Javad Taghizadeh Naeeni 1
1 Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Kish International Campus,Tehran University,Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Information Science and Knowledge Studies, Shahed University, Iran,
Abstract
In today’s hyper-connected world, personal reputation has become an essential currency in digital interactions, particularly within social networks. This research seeks to establish a comprehensive conceptual framework for personal reputation management, spotlighting the crucial need to comprehend how individuals successfully navigate and curate their reputations in an increasingly intricate digital landscape. Social media platforms, transcending their traditional roles as mere communication tools, have transformed into significant arenas for identity construction, negotiation, and maintenance. As individuals engage in these digital platforms, the management of personal reputation emerges as both a strategic endeavor and a reflective practice that mirrors the complexities of real-world interactions. The guiding inquiry of this study delves into the methods by which social network users actively manage their online personal reputations through the strategic use of online information. Furthermore, this research probes the intriguing question of whether social media users exhibit citation behaviors akin to those of academic researchers when engaged in reputation management.



Methods and Materoal

To investigate the dynamics of personal reputation management within digital contexts, a multi-stage qualitative research design was adopted. The research involved primary data collection methods, notably daily journal entries and semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of thirty professionals and managers hailing from various industries. The selection of participants was intentional, focusing on individuals who demonstrated significant engagement with prominent social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. This approach facilitated an in-depth examination of how distinct digital environments shape the strategies employed in reputation management.

The data collected underwent thematic analysis, which pinpointed six overarching themes along with nineteen sub-themes, categorized under two principal dimensions: “Identity Creation” and “Reputation Management.” This structured analytical framework provided a nuanced comprehension of participants’ perceptions regarding their online identities. It also illuminated the various strategies utilized in sustaining and enhancing their reputations across digital platforms. Through meticulous analysis, the research aimed to understand the interplay between identity formation and reputation management, shedding light on how individuals curate their online presence with intention and awareness.



Resultss and Discussion

The findings from this research unveil compelling insights into how users construct their online identities, revealing a nuanced approach where individuals present differing facets of their authentic selves rather than fabricating entirely new personas. Reported behaviors reflected a deliberate variation in information-sharing strategies across different social media platforms. For instance, LinkedIn emerged as the primary platform for professional interactions, whereas Twitter served as a space for personal discourse. In contrast, Instagram was viewed as a hybrid environment where users skillfully blended personal narratives with professional achievements.

A significant theme that surfaced during the analysis was the importance of communication management and information censorship, pivotal elements for effective reputation protection. Participants actively engaged in what can be termed “border management,” intentionally segregating personal and professional realms to mitigate conflicts and maintain a positive, coherent online image. This strategic separation underscores how perception management is intricately linked to individuals’ overarching reputational goals.

Interestingly, the study highlighted behavioral parallels to academic citation practices. Users bolstered their connections and credibility through various actions such as liking, reposting, and tagging—actions that resonate with how researchers cite academic work to fortify their scholarly networks. A notable observation was the tendency among participants to seek alignment with influential figures, not dissimilar to the methodical referencing found within academic literature. This alignment serves to enhance perceived credibility and fosters a sense of belonging within a broader digital community.

Moreover, users employed various self-promotion strategies by sharing achievements, milestones, and strategically curated content aimed at cultivating an appealing online presence. These practices inadvertently mirrored academic reputational building methods, revealing that individuals often adopt scholarly behaviors in their quest for personal reputation management, albeit subconsciously. Such insights suggest that the line between professional and personal reputation management is increasingly blurred in digital environments.

Conclusion

This research significantly illuminates the intricate relationship between online behavior and personal reputation management. The convergence of information-sharing behaviors with citation-like practices within social networks suggests that users may be more influenced by academic conventions than they consciously recognize. The citation-mimicking actions, though often unintentional, play a crucial role in shaping how credibility and reputation are perceived in digital interactions.

Contributing valuable insights into the interplay between online information and reputation management, this study offers a robust framework for future research in both information science and behavioral studies. The findings underscore the necessity for a nuanced understanding of digital reputation strategies and provide essential guidance for individuals and organizations seeking to enhance their online presence. Future research endeavors can delve deeper into demographic-specific approaches to reputation management, allowing for the development of tailored strategies that cater to diverse audiences. As social media continues to evolve, understanding the dynamics of personal reputation management will remain pivotal in navigating the complexities of digital identities.
Keywords
Online identity
reputation management
Social networks
online information
citation behaviors
Amichai-Hamburger, Y., & Vinitzky, G. (2010). Social network use and personality. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(6), 1289–1295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.03.018
BOUDLAIE, HASAN, keshavarz nik, behrooz, & MOHAMMADI MOGHADAM, YOUSEF. (2018). A Qualitative Study of Digital Footprints in Human Resource Management. JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RESEARCH, 10(1 (31) ), 211-231. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/163132/en
Boyd, D., & Heer, J. (2006). Profiles as conversation: Networked identity performance on friendster. In: Proceedings of the 39th annual Hawaii international conference on system sciences (HICSS’06), pp. 59c–59c. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2006.394
Carmagnola, F., Osborne, F., & Torre, I. (2013). Escaping the big brother: An empirical study on factors influencing identification and information leakage on the Web. Journal of Information Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551513509564
Costas, R., van Leeuwen, T. N., & Bordons, M. (2010). Self-citations at the meso and individual levels: Effects of different calculation methods. Scientometrics, 82(3),517–537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-010-0187-7
Cronin, B. (1985). The citation process: The role and significance of citations in scientific communication. London: Taylor Graham. https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4573(85)90080-9
Cronin, B. (2001). Bibliometrics and beyond: Some thoughts on web-based citation analysis. Journal of Information Science, 27(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/016555150102700101
Cronin, B., & Atkins, H. B. (2010). The web of knowledge: A festschrift in honor of Eugene Garfield. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc.
Cronin, B., & Shaw, D. (2002). Identity-creators and image-makers: Using citation analysi and thick description to put authors in their place. Scientometrics, 54(1), 31–49. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015628320056
Cronin, B., Shaw, D., & La Barre, K. (2003). A cast of thousands: Coauthorship and subauthorship collaboration in the 20th century as manifested in the scholarly journal literature of psychology and philosophy. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 54(9), 855–871. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.10278.
Fieseler, C., Meckel, M., & Ranzini, G. (2014). Professional personae: How organizational identification shapes online identity in the workplace. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 1–18. http://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12103
Greidanus, E., & Everall, R. D. (2010). Helper therapy in an online suicide prevention community. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 38(2), 191–204. http://doi.org/10.1080/03069881003600991
Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday.
Kietzmann, Jan.H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, Lan,P., & Silvestre, B.S. (2011). Social media? get serious, understanding the functional building blocks of social media. Business Horizons, 54:241-251. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2011.01.005
Krieken, R.V (2019). Celebrity society: The struggle for attention (2th ed). Routledge: New York
Ollier-Malaterre, A., Rothbard, N. P., & Berg, J. M. (2013). When worlds collide in cyberspace: How boundary work in online social networks impacts professional relationships. Academy of Management Review, 38(4), 645–669. http://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0235
Origgi, G. (2012). A social epistemology of reputation. Social Epistemology, 26(3–4), 399–418. https://doi.org/10.1080/02691728.2012.727193
Ortega, J. L. (2018). Reliability and accuracy of altmetric providers: A comparison among Altmetric.com, PlumX and Crossref Event Data. Scientometrics, 116(3),2123–2138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-018-2838-z
Marwick, A.E (2015). Instafame: Luxury selfies in the attention economy. Public Culture, 27, 137-160. Doi:10.1215/08992363-2798379
Priem, J. and Hemminger, BM. (2010). Scientometrics 2.0: New metrics of scholarly impact on the social Web. Firest Monday, 15(7). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v15i7.2874.
Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone. NY: Simon & Schuster
Stvilia, B., Wu, S., & Lee, D. J. (2018). Researchers’ uses of and disincentives for sharing
their research identity information in research information management systems.
Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 69(8), 1035–
1045. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24019
Sugimoto, C. R., & Cronin, B. (2012). A bibliometric chronicling of library and information science’s first hundred years. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 63(5), 997–1016. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi
Uski, S., & Lampinen, A. (2014). Social norms and self-presentation on social network sites: Profile work in action. New Media & Society, 1–18. http://doi.org/10.1177/1461444814543164
Van Dijck, J. (2013). You have one identity: Performing the self on Facebook and LinkedIn. Media, Culture & Society, 35(2), 199–215. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443712468605
White, H. D. (2001). Authors as citers over time. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 52(2):87–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4571(2000)9999:9999<::AID-ASI1542>3.0.CO;2-T
Human and Information Interaction
Volume 10, Issue 4
Winter 2024
Pages 114-133