Using social media for competitive business outcomes: An empirical study of companies in China
Journal of Advances in Management Research
ISSN: 0972-7981
Article publication date: 10 May 2018
Issue publication date: 10 May 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the drivers, practices, and outcomes of social media use in the management of organizational supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
Online questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 285 organizations representing different industries in China. The data then were analyzed with structure equation modeling using SmartPLS.
Findings
The results indicate that key antecedents such as external pressures, internal readiness, expected benefits, strategic goals, and perceived risks influence organizational social media use, which subsequently impact organizational performance outcomes in operation and marketing as well as the satisfaction level of both internal and external constituents, such as customers, employees, partners, and suppliers.
Research limitations/implications
The study obtained data about one organization from only one respondent and did not used random sampling.
Practical implications
This study provides insights on why and how companies should use social media for relationship building and business outcomes.
Originality/value
Drawing from the resources-based view, social networks, strategic choice theory, and technology organization and environment framework, a new social media utilization model for business outcome was established and testified using empirical data. This study is one of the first studies that adopts technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework of technology adoption theory to study organizational social media use. The findings in this study confirm the validity of the TOE framework for analyzing social media adoption and use in various organizations.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Since the time of writing this paper Thuong Le regrettably died.
Citation
Cao, Y., Ajjan, H., Hong, P. and Le, T. (2018), "Using social media for competitive business outcomes: An empirical study of companies in China", Journal of Advances in Management Research, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 211-235. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAMR-05-2017-0060
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited