Abstract
This analysis establishes a conceptual framework, empirical criteria, and measures for deciding when technology-equipped crowd networks such as Occupy Wall Street behave as organizations. The framework is based on three principles that underlie most organizations: (1) resource mobilization; (2) responsiveness to short-term external conditions; and (3) coordinated long-term change, adaptation, or decline. We argue that Twitter played a coordinating role in Occupy as a connector and dynamic switching mechanism linking various networks. We develop methods for tracking how users embedded and shared links to resource locations. Using a database of some 60 million tweets, we examine different types of links distributed through different hashtags across time, showing how Occupy operated along each theoretical dimension as a networked organization.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 646-672 |
Number of pages | 27 |
Journal | International Journal of Communication |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Big data
- Collective action
- Networked organization
- Networks
- Occupy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Communication