With enterprise social media (ESM) use becoming ubiquitous in the workplace, there is an academic debate on whether ESM use is beneficial for managers. Researchers have examined the impact of ESM use on several managerial outcomes. However, there is a theoretical gap pertaining to the impact of ESM use on managerial sensing and seizing capabilities. This paper aims to address this gap by drawing on the literature on ESM use, dynamic managerial capabilities and managerial social capital.
Relationships are hypothesized between ESM use, intra-organizational managerial social capital (IOSC) and two types of managerial capabilities (sensing and seizing). The authors collected survey data collected from 208 experienced managers used in knowledge-intensive industries in India. Data are analysed using partial least squares based structural equation modelling (SmartPLS) and the PROCESS macro of SPSS.
The findings show that ESM use does not impact managerial sensing and seizing capabilities directly, rather IOSC mediates the relationship between ESM use and managerial sensing and seizing capabilities.
By providing evidence of the strategic impact of managerial ESM use, this paper adds to the literature on the business value of ESM. This paper also addresses the under-examined role of information systems in enabling managerial-level dynamic capabilities. Addressing managerial apprehensions about social media use in the workplace, which has led to the banning of applications and firing of employees, this paper makes a case for encouraging the appropriate use of ESM applications at work.
