Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of Enterprise Social Networks (ESN), namely, Yammer and Chatter, using the lens of resistance and deployment of workarounds among individuals employed in a large, service sector organization. By doing so, we can illustrate the motivation behind individual use of ESN within a large organization, the reasons for not using it and the outcomes of their choices on the organization's performance and day-today activities. The research approach of our study involves employing a qualitative approach and adopting the interpretive research perspective. Our findings illustrate that there are several bottom-up and top-down pressures, which effectively hinder the adequate or successful use of ESN and drive user resistance and workarounds. The contributions of our study are manifold. First, since ESN are actively considered by organizations, our findings can inform policymakers on the issues that might arise beyond implementation, more so, during the actual use of the system. In other words, the results of this research can shed light on the areas where their efforts are best placed. At a theoretical level, our study enriches the extant literature associated with adoption issues, by explaining that ESN involve multi-level organizational characteristics found within a specific context of use, that of ESN.

Highlights

  • The successful implementation of Information Systems (IS) is viewed as essential towards achieving competitive advantage and productivity in organisations (Ferneley & Sobreperez, 2006)

  • Service Ltd was selected on the basis that it is a large organisation and a global leader known for its technology products and services, with an estimated 255 subsidiaries spread around the globe, and because it has implemented Enterprise Social Networks (ESN)

  • This present study provided a deeper understanding of the ESN workarounds and uncharacteristic behaviours of several individuals within an organisational context

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Summary

Introduction

The successful implementation of Information Systems (IS) is viewed as essential towards achieving competitive advantage and productivity in organisations (Ferneley & Sobreperez, 2006). ESN are viewed as important for competitive advantage, because they offer information seeking capabilities in the form of successful information-seeking, i.e, a mix of recognizing what an individual knows, valuing that knowledge, being able to gain timely access to that person, and seeking the information in cost-effective ways (Borgatti and Cross 2003). They are leading to a new form of organizations - the hypermedia organizations, where organizations “have adapted themselves in significant ways by using new communication technology to conduct the business of social organization over large areas and disparate time zones, and at all hours of the day. As the Marketing Manager for Europe, who is the Chatter champion, commented: “Chatter is a Facebook for the organization.”

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