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The survey consisted of scales adapted from the literature as well as scales developed by the authors.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The results indicate that contributions to a social bookmarking site are a combination of intentional and unintentional contributions. A significant predictor of intentional public contributions of bookmarks is an egoistic motivation to see one as competent by contributing valuable information. However, there is also a significant but negative relationship between altruism and public contribution whereby users concerned with the needs of others limit their public contributions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The sample consists of users of a particular social bookmarking site (Yahoo!'s MyWeb). Therefore, the results may not be generalizable to other social bookmarking websites, different types of social networks, or other contexts lacking the public\/private option for contributions. Second, since the data comes from a cross\u2010sectional survey, as opposed to a longitudinal study, the causal relations posited in the model and substantiated with the statistical analyses can only be inferred based on the authors\u2019 theoretical development. Third, although the size of the sample (112 respondents) is appropriate for PLS analysis it may have been insufficient to detect other significant relationships.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Administrators of social bookmarking sites should incorporate incentive and feedback mechanisms to inform contributors whether they contributions have been used (for example, with times viewed) and\/or deemed useful (with numeric or qualitative ratings).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Social implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>The results suggest that both selfish motivations associated with the need to feel competent (egoism), as well as selfless concerns for the needs of other users (altruism) drive intentional contributions to the public repository in social bookmarking systems. These two counterbalancing forces indicate that a mix of egoism and altruism is crucial for the long\u2010term sustainability of social web sites based on information sharing.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study provides theoretical explanations and empirical evidence of egoism and altruism as significant explanations for cooperation in private\u2010collective models, such as the ones represented by social bookmarking systems.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/10662241311313312","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2013,3,26]],"date-time":"2013-03-26T10:19:24Z","timestamp":1364293164000},"page":"183-203","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Public contributions to private\u2010collective systems: the case of social bookmarking"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Raquel","family":"Benbunan\u2010Fich","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marios","family":"Koufaris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022012920284260100_b201","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Becker, J.U. and Clement, M. 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