An exploration of the technical, social and macro-societal pressures influencing the adoption of online social networking services by organisations
Article Type: Doctoral research abstract From: Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, Volume 9, Issue 4
Purpose – The primary purpose of the thesis is to explore the external pressures influencing the adoption of online social networking services (SNSs) by organisations. The second purpose seeks to identify how organisations are creating business value (and measuring that value) with the use of SNSs – Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The thesis takes a critical realist approach and develops a three-tiered theoretical framework that combines macro-societal, social and technological lenses through which to examine the SNS adoption event. Qualitative data collection and analysis methods are used, consisting of content analysis of web sites and SNSs, and in-depth semi-structured telephone interviews with representatives from the media/publishing and gallery, libraries, archives and museums. The findings reveal that SNSs have been adopted by organisations for the purpose of increasing business value, and as a result of strong social and macro-societal pressures, thus contributing important theoretical insight into the increased complexity of pressures influencing technology adoption rationales by organisations. Further, SNSs offer organisations a wide range of value enhancing opportunities that have broader benefits for customers and society. However, measuring the increased business value is difficult with traditional return on investment mechanisms. The limitations of the study include the small number of sample organisations in which interviews were conducted, its limited generalisability, and the small range of SNSs selected for the study. The thesis ascertains the need for new SNS value capture and measurement rationales, to support the accountability of SNS adoption practices for business purposes. It further highlights the way in which business communication practices are changing, and the significance of expanded global online networks in which organisations now operate. The thesis provides innovative theoretical and empirical insight to the technology adoption literature and contributes more broadly to the understanding of business innovation, and changing organisational practices within the global environment.
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Keywords: Aspects of globalisation, Business strategy, Information technology and accounting, Organisational change
Research type – Qualitative researchDegree – Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD)Institution – Queensland Institute of Technology (QUT)Supervisors – Professor Helen Irvine and Associate Professor Jo BarraketContact email –
Kim MacKenzie
School of Accountancy, Queensland Institute of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
