Modeling the Knowledge Sharing Network in Virtual Communities

In virtual communities (VCs), members interact with each other to share their knowledge. Social relationships are built among members and their knowledge structures co-evolve over time. While the social relationship affects VC members´ willingness and attitude to knowledge sharing, their individual knowledge structure indicates their capability in knowledge sharing. To investigate knowledge sharing in VCs, we tried to model the knowledge sharing network, forming in VC members´ knowledge sharing interactions, integrating knowledge relationship and social relationship.