Ali Hajiketabi - Assistant Professor, University of Science and Culture, Tehran Iran
Fariba Alizadeh - Master of Technology Management, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran. Author

ICT increasingly is developing and its contexts such as internet, smartphones, and evolution in Communications manifold make to strengthen social networks in worldwide. Today social networks are a popular media for networking users. These provide an expanded range of service and functions to users and are different at the type of service providing; these types are classified into public and professional networks. At the former type, the users pursue various goals and motivations via these networks; against, professional social networks be formed around the specific subject and have more limited users.Accordingly, the purpose of this article is to analyze some of the social network s public characteristic and particularly analyze Linked-in professional social network from the point in view of technical and social dimensions such as the number of users, the variety of service, the income model and strategies of user attraction. This research has been done by studying and reviewing articles and library documents, and in particular the website of Linked-in; Results show that how linked-in Currently is a most successful professional social network and how it can attract more than 500 million users between other professional social networks. In addition, it is the first professional social networks that earn high income from providing business and hiring service in the world. At the end of this research, one of the most important reasons for the failure of this network in Iran that recognize is the lack of support for the Persian language by this network; so this can use as a guide to start social network-based businesses in Iran. Another reason may be Sanctions against Iran, therefore, Iranian user cannot use its business service effectively.

Professional social network, Linked-in, Business model, Iran