Audience Structure and Status Multiplicity

Abstract

This paper investigates status multiplicity, an under-theorized concept in sociological research. We assert that actors’ status can vary both within and across audience segments and argue that embracing status multiplicity is important as it is local status, i.e., status as perceived by the actor’s audience members, that drives action. We introduce a network-based conceptualization and measure of status multiplicity, and then use this measure to test our predictions in the setting of academic journal rankings and fragmentation in the field of management. The results show that (a) greater audience fragmentation corresponds to higher status multiplicity; (b) local status is a better predictor of actions than global status.

Keywords: status, social networks, methodology, journal rankings