Implications Of Social Media Research Articles

A Didactic Intervention On Written Discourse And Rhetorical Patterns

Reading comprehension skills in EFL is vital for university students. Particularly, being aware of the writer’s intention by means of discourse patters allows students to interact with the written text. Therefore, this research paper examines the implementation of a Discourse Analysis perspective in an Intermediate general EFL lesson aimed to enhance both critical thinking and reading skills by identifying the use of language patterns in written texts. 20 students form an Upper-Intermediate English course that studies a BA in English at a public University situated in the center of the state of Veracruz Mexico were the participants. Qualitative classroom research approach was chosen to implement a didactic intervention aimed at enhancing students communicative and reflective skills on the impact that social media has had on their lives. Results revealed that students were able to identify the meaning, and the relationship discourse markers establish between the written ideas and the meaning the writer wants to transmit. Particularly, students were able to reflect on the implications of social media use on communication, information access, marketing, and self-perception of its users. The didactic implications of the lesson focused on discourse patterns use indicate that such teaching perspective can significantly improve students’ critical thinking and communicative abilities. Therefore, it can be considered this lesson as an innovative proposal for enhancing the development of communicative skills in EFL students.

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND E-COUNSELING ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ADOLESCENTS

ABSTRACT: The impetus behind this paper is to map the literature on the impact of social media on adolescents’ mental health through a psychological perspective, using data from original papers published from 2016 to 2021 using bibliometric analysis. The key findings include A) social media causes problems such as anxiety, depression, body image issues, and FoMo. B) The use of social media has exponentially increased over the past 5 years. C) Past studies have only addressed platforms. But, the implications of social media on social interactions is a field still open to study. The implications E-counseling has on mental health is also a study with potential.

The Primacy of Ethics in Aesthetic Medicine: A Review.

The landscape of modern aesthetic medicine has witnessed a paradigm shift from traditional doctor-led care to a consumer-driven model, presenting a plethora of ethical challenges. This review discusses the ethical dimensions of medical aesthetics, exploring the implications of consumer demand, societal influences, and technological advancements on patient care and well-being. Drawing upon a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, this review synthesizes evidence regarding the rise of aesthetic medicine, ethical challenges encountered in practice, and the implications of social media and marketing in shaping patient perceptions and decision-making. Aesthetic medicine confronts unique ethical challenges stemming from its elective nature and the pervasive influence of societal beauty standards. Concerns include the commodification of beauty, conflicts of interest, limited evidence-base of treatments, and the rise of nonphysician providers. Moreover, the evolving role of social media influencers and medical marketing raises ethical dilemmas regarding transparency, patient autonomy, and professional integrity. The ethical landscape of aesthetic medicine necessitates a proactive approach to address emerging challenges and safeguard patient well-being. Guided by principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice, recommendations are proposed to enhance informed consent practices, mitigate appearance anxiety, facilitate shared decision-making, and promote responsible use of social media. Professional societies are urged to establish clear ethical guidelines and standards to uphold professionalism and patient trust in the field of aesthetic medicine.

Effect of social media analytics on firm performance: the moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of social media analytics on firm performance using a sample of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand. This study also investigated whether entrepreneurial orientation (EO) moderated the effects of social media analytics on firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThis study used SMEs listed in the Department of Business Development of Thailand as the sampling frame. Probability sampling was used to draw the sample. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 334 firms. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results supported the positive association between social media analytics practices on firm performance. Moreover, this study found that EO moderated this association significantly. In particular, the positive association between social media analytics practices on firm performance was higher for firms that exhibit a high EO than those that exhibit a low EO. This result indicated that firms that implement social media analytics practices achieved higher performance when they exhibited a high EO.Practical implicationsSocial media data analytics should be implemented to strengthen the technological competence of firms. Moreover, firms should integrate EO practices into their implementation of social media analytics to increase their ability to generate substantial improvements in their strategic implementation, thereby enabling them to gain sustainable competitiveness in their market.Social implicationsBecause SMEs are the driving force for economic growth and development in Thailand, their ability to achieve higher performance when they effectively integrate EO practices into their implementation of social media data analytics could be beneficial for the sustainable development of Thailand, especially in the current data-driven era.Originality/valueThe result that EO moderates the effect in enhancing social media analytics practices’ influence on firm performance provides new knowledge that extends the boundary of research on this topic. The authors provided a theoretical explanation to clarify the way the implementation of social media analytics practices should be integrated with EO to increase the level of performance that firms achieve from such practices.

Instagrammable Culture: Implications of Social Media on the Younger Generation's Perception of Cultural Art

This research investigates the impact of social media, specifically Instagram, on shaping the perceptions of the younger generation towards cultural art. Employing qualitative research methods and conducting a comprehensive literature analysis, the study explores the phenomenon termed Instagrammable Culture. The primary focus is to comprehend how this cultural shift influences the younger generation in understanding, appreciating, and promoting cultural art forms. The research also seeks to identify alterations in the aesthetics of cultural art, the commercialization it undergoes due to social media prevalence, and shifts in direct experiences associated with cultural art. The overarching goal is to provide valuable insights for researchers, art practitioners, and educators, contributing to the preservation of the integrity of cultural art. In conclusion, this research advocates for more profound and meaningful engagements with cultural art in the rapidly advancing digital era to ensure its continued relevance and significance.

Breaking the silence: the role of social media in fostering community and challenging the spiral of silence

PurposeThis research aims to examine the ways and the extent to which social media platforms undermine the spiral of silence by facilitating the expression of diverse voices and opinions.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with members of closed groups focused on non-consensus topics.FindingsFacebook closed group members perceive the media as isolating and portraying their issues negatively. However, these groups offer support, inclusion and non-judgmental opinion-sharing space. Consequently, members feel more comfortable discussing and sharing the topic outside the group, indicating a slight trend of challenging and undermining the spiral of silence through social networks.Research limitations/implicationsThe study faces challenges in comparing diverse groups due to unique circumstances, complex needs and societal attitudes. Each group stands alone, potentially yielding slightly different findings.Practical implicationsSocial media challenges and undermines the spiral of silence, as these opinions are shared with the wider society and can even find their way back to mainstream media outlets. Thus, social media platforms play a significant role in disrupting the spiral of silence and facilitating the expression of diverse opinions that may have been previously suppressed.Social implicationsThis research emphasizes the critical role of social media in shaping public opinion and its interaction with the broader media landscape, illustrating a circular process where social media disrupts the spiral of silence by facilitating the expression of previously suppressed diverse opinions, which can then potentially influence mainstream media.Originality/valueThis study adds value by exploring how social media platforms can challenge and undermine the spiral of silence, enabling the expression of diverse, marginalized and underrepresented opinions in society. It highlights the role of social media in shaping public opinion and discourse, challenging the dominance of traditional media. Its originality emanates from its revelations concerning the legitimization of conversational topics, which may consequently affect media agendas.

Social media investors' sentiment as stock market performance predictor

PurposeThis study examines the impact of social media investor sentiment on the stock market performance through qualitative and quantitative proxies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a sample of daily stock performance related to S&P 500 Index for the period from December 18, 2017, to December 18, 2018. The social media investor sentiment was assessed through qualitative and quantitative proxies. For qualitative proxies, the study relies on three social media resources”: Twitter, Trump Twitter account and StockTwits. The authors proposed 3 methods to reflect investor sentiment. For quantitative proxies, the number of daily messages published from Trump Twitter account and StockTwits is considered as a signal of investor sentiment. For regression model, the study adopts the autoregressive distributed lagged to determine the relationships between the nonstationary series.Findings:Empirical findings provide evidence that quantitative measures of investor sentiment have significant effects on S&P’500 performances. The authors find that Trump's tweets should be interpreted with caution. The results also show that the number of Trump's tweets on t−1 day have a positive effect on performance on day t.Practical implicationsSocial media sentiment contains information for predicting stock returns and transaction activity. Since, the arrival of new information in capital markets triggers investor sentiment on social media.Originality/valueThis study investigates the investors’ sentiment through social media and explores quantitative and qualitative measures. The amount of information on social media reflects more the investor sentiment than content analysis measures.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-12-2022-0818

Public health promotion of COVID-19 vaccination to rural consumers: synthesising the role of social media and religious belief systems

PurposeThe main purpose of the study was to synthesise the role of COVID-19 social media messages and indigenous religious beliefs on public health promotion initiatives among rural consumers in Zimbabwe.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was adopted. Population consisting of 15 interviews and six focus groups was purposively sampled from Manicaland, Mashonaland Central and Masvingo provinces in Zimbabwe. A thematic approach was used to present and analyse the data.FindingsRural consumers believed WhatsApp messages posted by people whom they know or influential personnel like health workers. Credibility of WhatsApp messages was enhanced through its ability to send videos and audios. Teachings and indoctrination by indigenous churches and misinformation were found to be an impediment in believing COVID-19 WhatsApp messages and vaccination by rural consumers. Faith healers in indigenous churches used various practices and artefacts like holy water, stone pebbles, clay pots, flags and wooden rods to pray and treat patients suffering from COVID-19 and other ailments.Practical implicationsSocial media messages, religious teachings and indoctrination may be a hindrance to rural consumers in adopting government public health promotion initiatives; hence, public health professionals need prior emic understanding and co-option of local leadership in vaccination campaigns.Originality/valueThis study outstretches the theoretical landscape in consumer behaviour and also practical contribution to health practitioners and marketers on breaking indigenous religious barriers and social media misconceptions on vaccination uptake through promotional strategies earmarked for rural consumers.

Analysing spatial and temporal patterns of tourism and tourists’ satisfaction in Nepal using social media

Information on where and when tourists go and what they value about their visits is important when promoting, planning, and managing destinations, particularly for countries reliant on international tourism income. Metadata from social media posts are starting to be used to monitor tourism but are they useful at larger scale across developing countries such as Nepal? Here we test how social media can provide insights using timestamped geolocated data and text from photographs on Flickr in Nepal. Based on posts by 3223 people, equivalent to 18,817 visitor days (Photo-User-Days), tourists to Nepal mainly visit two cities (Kathmandu and Pokhara) and four protected areas (Annapurna Conservation Area, Sagarmatha, Langtang, and Chitwan National Park), and mostly in autumn and spring, which is similar to the results from the limited official tourism statistics. An Importance-Performance Analysis of the text associated with the photographs revealed culture and natural landscapes were important to tourists although some people expressed dissatisfaction with specific attributes. These findings highlight the importance of diversifying tourism in Nepal by promoting other destinations, as well as additional natural and cultural attractions, and new activities including outside peak seasons. They also highlight the need to manage tourism in peak periods in popular destinations and to better address tourists’ preferences and experiences. More broadly, the results highlight the benefits of social media data for monitoring tourism in developing countries but also emphasize important limitations with such data, including inadequate representation on Flickr of some cohorts including tourists from China. Management implicationsSocial media is increasingly used in tourism research but studies to date are focused on a few developed countries. This study demonstrates how social media data can be used to assess spatial and temporal patterns in tourism and analyse tourists’ sentiments and satisfaction in developing countries such as Nepal. The findings highlight that Nepalese tourism is mostly limited to a few destinations, focused on a few attributes and times. Expansion to other destinations and seasons, additional natural and cultural attractions and new activities should be promoted to improve tourist satisfaction and minimize negative impacts of tourism.

“Influencers” – a study investigating the messages people receive about coercive control on social media

PurposeCoercive control (which is a form of intimate partner violence [IPV]) is a significant public health concern affecting millions of people throughout the world. Whilst exposure to IPV in childhood and adolescence has been shown to contribute to the intergenerational transmission of IPV, this alone does not explain IPV. A range of bio-psycho-social factors contribute to IPV which includes exposure to peer influence on social media platforms, whereby research has shown this online expression of views and opinions can change off-line behaviour. This has extended to not only purchasing products but also influencing attitudes in relation to illegal behaviour such as sexual harassment and sexual assault. The purpose of this study was to explore what young people are being exposed to online, through social media, surrounding coercive controlling behaviour.Design/methodology/approachAccording to Fazel et al. (2021), real-time social media data can provide important information about trends in public attitudes and attitudes towards events in the news. This study used data from Twitter to explore what adolescents are being exposed to online surrounding coercive and controlling behaviour. The data was subsequently analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.FindingsThree overarching themes were found in relation to coercive control: the Educator; Gaslighter; and the Comedian. Two of these were forms of secondary victimisation.Practical implicationsSocial media provides a powerful platform through which people’s attitudes and behaviours may be influenced both positively and negatively in relation to socio-political issues (Lozano-Blasco et al., 2022). The implications of the findings in this study are discussed with recommendations for how social media platforms could be supported to act prevent them from being used as a tool to facilitate the distribution of hate speech in relation to IPV and instead be used as a platform for psycho-education.Originality/valuePrevious research in this field has tended to focus on the impact of IPV and the prevalence rates of IPV in young people, but not on the different types of information young people may be exposed to surrounding relationships on social media platforms.

Social media managers’ customer orientation, service climate and social media followers’ willingness to pay: moderated mediation model with triadic data

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the relationship between the interaction of the social media manager’s customer orientation and the service climate perceived by supervisors, on the customer’s perception of brand authenticity and, through it, on the willingness to pay a price premium.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses triadic data from 200 social media followers, 20 social media managers and 20 supervisors from a range of industries.FindingsThe findings show that the customer orientation of the brand social media managers interacts with their work context to influence social media followers’ perceptions of brand authenticity, and ultimately, their willingness to pay a premium price. Finally, product involvement moderates the relationship between brand authenticity and willingness to pay a premium price.Research limitations/implicationsThis study shows how and when the disposition of brand social media managers affects the attitudes and intentions of the social media followers. Further research should continue this novel line of research and explore in greater depth the impact of social media managers and their environments.Practical implicationsSocial media managers’ values should fit those of their organization. This organization-person fit reflects on social media and improves social media followers’ perceptions of brand authenticity and, consequently, their willingness to pay a premium price.Originality/valueLeveraging participation in social media is currently a key issue for firms. However, the internal determinants of successful social media usage have received limited attention from researchers. Therefore, this research contributes to the social media literature by suggesting the need to consider the characteristics of social media managers and their context to promote the outcomes of social media usage, specifically brand authenticity and willingness to pay a premium price.

The viewer doesn't always seem to care—response to fake animal rescues on YouTube and implications for social media self‐policing policies

Abstract Animal‐related content on social media is hugely popular but is not always appropriate in terms of how animals are portrayed or how they are treated. This has potential implications beyond the individual animals involved, for viewers, for wild animal populations, and for societies and their interactions with animals. Whilst social media platforms usually publish guidelines for permitted content, enforcement relies at least in part on viewers reporting inappropriate posts. Currently, there is no external regulation of social media platforms. Based on a set of 241 ‘fake animal rescue’ videos that exhibited clear signs of animal cruelty and strong evidence of being deliberately staged (i.e. fake), we found little evidence that viewers disliked the videos and an overall mixed response in terms of awareness of the fake nature of the videos, and their attitudes towards the welfare of the animals involved. Our findings suggest, firstly, that, despite the narrowly defined nature of the videos used in this case study, exposure rates can be extremely high (one of the videos had been viewed over 100 million times), and, secondly, that many YouTube viewers cannot identify (or are not concerned by) animal welfare or conservation issues within a social media context. In terms of the current policy approach of social media platforms, our findings raise questions regarding the value of their current reliance on consumers as watch dogs. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Social media aesthetics as part of academic library merchandising

PurposeThe subject of this paper is the phenomenon of social media aesthetics, which can be perceived as a tool for promoting and building the image of libraries, especially in terms of merchandising. The aim of this paper is to analyse the potential of the dark academia social media trend in the promotion of academic libraries.Design/methodology/approachThe article is based on a review of the social networking sites YouTube and Instagram and an analysis of network resources using the Brand24 tool.FindingsResources that are described by Internet users as “dark academia” are popular in social media. Dark academia as an aesthetic concept creates potential for the promotion of academic libraries, especially those that are more traditional in terms of their architecture, décor or how they offer their services.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper concerns a phenomenon which, although popular socially, has not yet been scientifically analysed in the literature on the subject. Since the topic is new and there is no scientific literature on it, the author had to base the paper on less standard sources of information (e.g. analysis of the content of social media). The article is a review, an introduction, as well as an invitation to further discussion. The author's aim is not to comprehensively cover this topic but only to draw attention to an interesting and rarely discussed issue that has great potential for practical activities.Practical implicationsThe topic has great potential for the practical improvement of the promotional activities of libraries, especially older, more traditional libraries, to create a strong and positive image on the basis of characteristics often perceived as weaknesses.Social implicationsSocial media services are powerful social impact tools. Showing the potential role of social media aesthetics for cultural institutions could serve to make the public more aware of the role of the proper use of social media for promotion and image building.Originality/valueThe use of social media aesthetics is very rarely discussed in the subject literature.

How a peripheral ideology becomes mainstream: Strategic performance, audience reaction, and news media amplification in the case of QAnon Twitter accounts

Social media platforms have been used by various actors to bypass traditional media gatekeepers to share messages, draw attention, and accumulate influence. We study how actors from peripheral groups gain influence on social media and how their social media behaviors evolve over time. Integrating online strategic performance and hybrid media literature, we hypothesize that peripheral groups perform group identities to spur social media audience reaction and news media amplification, to which they further adapt their performance. By analyzing 242 QAnon Twitter accounts using topic modeling and time series modeling, we find that their in-group solidarity and out-group animosity tweets boost retweets, but not followers; increased retweets and followers drive news media amplification largely undertaken by right-wing outlets and motivate future performance of group identity, particularly of out-group animosity. The implications of social media and news media for the growth of peripheral actors and ideologies are discussed.

An Analysis of Arguments Advanced via Twitter in an Advocacy Campaign to Promote Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.

Advocates of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) increasingly use Twitter to promote liberal ENDS policies. "World Vape Day" (WVD) is an annual campaign organized by pro-ENDS advocacy groups, some of which have links to the nicotine industry (eg, via funding from the "Foundation for a Smoke-Free World"). In 2020, the campaign used dedicated social media accounts to disseminate WVD-branded images and campaign messages. We examined tweets posted as part of WVD 2020 to identify and analyze pro-ENDS policy arguments. We extracted tweets posted between 26 May and 3 June 2020 that included the hashtag #WorldVapeDay. We used qualitative thematic analysis to code a random sample (n = 2200) of approximately half the original English language tweets (n = 4387) and used descriptive analysis to identify the most frequently used co-hashtags. Arguments related to four themes: harm reduction, smoking cessation, rights and justice, and opposition to ENDS restrictions. Tweets criticized individuals and groups perceived as opposing liberal ENDS regulation, and used personal testimonials to frame ENDS as a harm reduction tool and life-saving smoking cessation aid. Tweets also advanced rights-based arguments, such as privileging adults' rights over children's rights, and calling for greater recognition of consumers' voices. Tweets frequently used hashtags associated with the WHO and World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). The WVD campaign presented a series of linked pro-ENDS arguments seemingly aimed at policy-makers, and strategically integrated with the WHO's WNTD campaign. Critically assessing pro-ENDS arguments and the campaigns used to promote these is vital to helping policy actors develop proportionate ENDS policy. Social media platforms have considerable potential to influence policy actors. Tweets are easily generated and duplicated, creating an impression of sizeable and influential stakeholders. Evidence that the "World Vape Day" campaign was supported by groups with industry links, and targeted-at least in part-at WHO officials and those who follow the WHO World No Tobacco Day campaign, highlights the importance of critically reviewing such campaigns. Further research could examine how health advocates could engage in pro-ENDS campaigns to support balanced messaging and informed policy-making.

Adoption of social media-based knowledge-sharing behaviour and authentic leadership development: evidence from the educational sector of Pakistan during COVID-19

PurposeThis research paper aims to explore the influence of social media–based knowledge-sharing intentions (SMKI) on prospective authentic leadership development (ALD) to deal with the future crisis. In the existing literature, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no significant empirical evidence to test the relationship between SMKI and ALD. Thus, this study contributes to the growing literature regarding the role of SMKIs, ALD, social media–based knowledge-sharing behavior (SMKB) and facilitating conditions (FCs). However, in this study, the authors developed a conceptual framework based on technology adoption and leadership theory. It was used to identify preservice educational leaders’ SMKIs and their effect on ALD to deal with an educational crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, SMKIs are strengthening ALD, directly and indirectly, using SMKB and FCs.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the higher education students are considered preservice leaders who were enrolled in educational leadership and management programs. However, this study’s target population and sample are students enrolled in educational leadership and management programs. Therefore, higher education students are considered preservice educational leaders. Therefore, a multilevel questionnaire survey approach was adopted to collect data from preservice educational leaders (n = 451 at Time 1 and n = 398 at Time 2) enrolled in education departments in the selected universities in Pakistan. A total of 398 survey questionnaires were finalized with a return ratio of 89%. The partial least square structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 3.2.8 was used for the data analysis.FindingsThis research found that SMKIs are positively and significantly connected with ALD. This study also confirms that SMKB significantly and positively mediates the relationship between SMKIs and ALD. Therefore, this study concludes that preservice educational leaders were ready to adopt SMKB.Practical implicationsSocial media–based knowledge sharing can be helpful to develop authentic leadership among preservice educational leaders during a crisis. Preservice educational leaders as authentic leaders can prove to be an asset in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.Originality/valueThis research integrated the technology adoption model and leadership theory to provide empirical evidence of SMKIs’ direct and indirect influence on ALD through social media–based knowledge-sharing actual use behavior by preservice educational leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the moderated mediating effect of the FCs was also studied in the relationship between SMKIs and actual user behavior as well as ALD.

Social media usage and its impact on users’ mental health: a longitudinal study and inputs to policymakers

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a systematic meta-analysis from the year 2000 up to 2021 by reviewing relevant studies in extant literature related to the impact of social media on mental health.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts bibliometric methods and longitudinal statistical analysis to analyze extant literature. The structured literature review and meta-analysis findings on social media usage (SMU) and its impact on mental health indicate emerging research patterns in potentially leading to an integrative view.FindingsThis paper highlights the importance of challenges regarding SMU and its impact on users’ mental health. This study shows interesting meta-analysis on the issues such as Facebook and teenagers’ mental health; Instagram and teenagers’ mental health; Twitter and teenagers’ mental health; and so on from the past 20 years.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is a literature review on a critical social issue like SMU and its impact on users’ mental health. The meta-analysis is conducted only on the indexed paper and does not take the books, blogs and other kinds of literature in this domain. The analysis is carried out only for the research articles published from 2000 to 2021.Practical implicationsSocial media refers to any platform involving interactive digital technologies that encourage and facilitate users’ participation. SMU and its impact on users’ mental health can be attributed as contributing factors to the next global crisis. Studies suggest that increased SMU can potentially make users socially anxious. This study provides input to the policymakers, scholars and practitioners to understand the gravity of the situation and develop appropriate policy to overcome the challenges.Originality/valueThe rapidly evolving nature of technology and social media calls for a careful examination of its risks despite the many benefits of e-participation and digital interaction. Although there is widespread acknowledgment of the problematic revelation that the pattern of SMU closely mirrors mainstream addictive behavior; yet, there are only a limited number of comparative studies available. This may be one of the few studies which highlight the issue of SMU and its impact on users’ mental health. Moreover, this study also adds to the body of literature.

Culture and the decision to adopt and use social media for corporate disclosures

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the influence of culture on the adoption and use of social media platforms for corporate disclosures by firms in a cross-country setting.Design/methodology/approachIt is contended that social media corporate disclosure (SMCD) is culturally influenced because the primary purpose of social media is to connect people in social settings, and social settings are distinguished by their cultures. Using a sample of 1,420 firms from 36 countries and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, this study examines the direct effects of culture on SMCD and its moderating effects on the relationship between SMCD and the agency determinants of corporate disclosure.FindingsIt is found that cultural dimensions directly affect the adoption and use of SMCD. Additionally, the agency determinants of disclosure, size, leverage and growth are positively associated with the adoption, and use of SMCD, and these associations are moderated by the cultural dimensions.Research limitations/implicationsThe Hofstede cultural dimensions are broad country-level variables based on the culture of the majority in the population. However, larger countries have many cultures. This study does not cover within-country cultural effects on SMCD. It also does not cover firm-level culture and accounting culture because these factors are derived from national culture. This study adds culture as a country-level determinant of why companies adopt and use social media.Practical implicationsThe study provides investors and policymakers with an understanding of the nature of SMCD adoption and use in different cultural settings. It also makes managers aware of which cultural settings are more amenable to SMCD.Social implicationsSocial media, by design, have social implications. Examining the role of culture in the use of social media provides societal reasons for the use of SMCD by companies.Originality/valueSince social media are interactive in form rather than simply one-way disclosure devices, this study goes beyond the realm of corporate disclosure into the less researched area of corporate communication via social media.

Account(share)ability through social media during the COVID-19 emergency: the case of universities

PurposeThis paper aims at exploring how and to what extent universities enlisted Facebook, a social media platform, in the discharging and shaping of their accountability during the COVID-19 emergency.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the literature on accountability in the virtual world and crises, a netnographic analysis of the Facebook postings by a sample of Italian universities is performed to identify and interpret the accountability discharged via social media platforms by universities during the COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsUniversities used social media in a range of modes, from conveying simple instructions to rendering traditional accountability for their conduct during the crisis. However, in various Facebook postings, they give voice to various stakeholders’ thoughts and experiences, thereby completely reversing the traditional accountability relationship and making the various stakeholders feel included in the university community.Practical implicationsSocial media can constitute a useful tool for organizations willing to deploy different modes of accountabilities, according to what is required by the specific situation. In the authors’ case, social media provided a forum for account-sharing during a critical situation that was common to both the account giver and the recipient.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the use of social media by universities for accountability purposes and to reveal their possibilities in supporting more ethical forms of accountability.

A social media engagement framework for applicant attraction and retention: #SocialMediaCongruence

PurposeThe social media (SM) engagement framework consists of dimensions of employee privacy expectations and organizations' social media orientation. Further, the social media privacy orientation model provides better understanding of complexities of selection and retention created by the social media landscape.Design/methodology/approachOrganizations are increasingly seeking talent to support burgeoning social media strategies. Qualified employees may be expected to have related professional experience and an active personal social media presence. In contrast to this evolving demand, prevailing guidelines suggest applicants minimize their social media activity altogether. These restrictive guidelines may be better suited for organizations that prefer or require high levels of discretion on social media given the differing engagement expectations across firms and among individuals.FindingsHow the congruence between an employee's expectations of privacy on SM and the organization's expectation of employees' SM usage affects applicant attraction to organizations and employee retention is outlined. Propositions are offered to foster research in this area.Practical implicationsSocial media congruence is an important consideration for human resource (HR) policies and associated training.Social implicationsPublic policies toward the use of social media in recruitment and privacy should consider social media congruence.Originality/valueThe model advanced in the paper provides organizations and applicants with a stronger understanding of the complexities surrounding the use of SM in selection and retention decisions.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-05-2021-0260