To Be or Not to be Tied on Social Media? TTF Effect of Interpersonal Guanxi and SM Strategies

Abstract

The adoption of boundary spanners’ social media (SM) strategies are controversial. On the one hand, managers are always concerned about boundary spanners’ heavy SM use in non-productive activities, which reduces their work efficiency. As a result, access to SM is discouraged. On the other hand, work-based SM encourages firms to advocate incorporating boundary spanners’ work-related tasks because SM can enhance communication and expand information exchange. To further clarify the different effects of work-based and social-based SM strategies and drawing on task-technology fit (TTF) theory, this study examines how SM strategies influence the efficacy of interpersonal guanxi by exploring the moderating effects of work-based SM strategies (WSM) and social-based SM strategies (SSM) in China’s emerging economy. We surveyed 550 valid respondents of industrial manufacturing firms in China to validate the research framework. The results of statistical analysis show that there exist TTF fit effects between interpersonal guanxi and SM strategies. Specifically, interpersonal guanxi is positively associated with interfirm coordination and exchange performance. Furthermore, work-based SM strategies strengthen the effects of interpersonal guanxi on interfirm coordination while weakening the effects of interpersonal guanxi on exchange performance. However, social-based SM strategies enhance the effects of interpersonal guanxi on exchange performance while deterring the effects of interpersonal guanxi on interfirm coordination. The findings endorse the importance of prior literature supporting the use of interpersonal guanxi. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed by the end.