DERIVING THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF PERSONAL BRANDING AND NETWORK STRUCTURE IN TWO-SIDED PLATFORMS

Abstract

Economic transactions and interactions increasingly occur in two-sided platforms. However, the nature of the connections formed in two-sided platforms is still not well understood. In this thesis, we conduct two studies to bridge this gap from two aspects: connection maintenance and connection structure. In Study 1, we investigate the role of personal branding, together with product characteristics, in maintaining connections and harvesting economics gains. In Study 2, we use network structures to understand the connection structure in two-sided platforms and its implications on the micro-level production activities of producers. Our empirical studies use a dataset from a social investment platform (SIP), which relies on social media advisors to contribute online investment advice to retail investors. Our studies contribute significantly to the literature on the economic value of personal branding and network structures in two-sided platforms. Moreover, we offer important practical guidance to the platform and firms/individuals participating in two-sided platforms.