IT control over social media technology: A systems view of social media management

Abstract

Affiliates (e.g., agents and distributors) may pressure their parent companies to accelerate the pace of social media adoption. When these affiliates are excluded from the parent IT infrastructure, they establish their own social media presence. Yet the digital presence of a company is typically controlled by the parent information technology (IT) function even if current social media platforms can be used without IT assistance. The study identifies ways in which parents can still exert control over social media usage through the use of IT control points that still connect an affiliate to a parent. These control points were identified through studying the social media strategy of a local affiliate associated with a multi-national clothing retailer. The study hints at the potential shift in the balance of power by easy-to-use social media applications and the intricate web of control to maintain it.