University of Twente Student Theses
Exploration and explanation of the multiple ways of how employees make use of social media in their daily practices
Zwiers, M.M. (2014) Exploration and explanation of the multiple ways of how employees make use of social media in their daily practices.
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| Abstract: | This empirical study aims to explore the different ways in which employees use social media in their daily practices. Through qualitative research, we obtained data from all the employees who use social media within one organization. Subsequently, the data has been used to explain in which way employees make use of social media. The practice lens is used to examine how people interact with social media in their ongoing practices. The modalities as proposed by Orlikowski (2000), were used to explain why employees use social media for work purposes or for private purposes. Furthermore a distinction is made between using social media in an active way (to create content) and in a passive way (to read content). Consequently, the study encompasses a couple of key findings. First, we found two technologies-in-practice; limited-use technology in practice and the individual productivity technology-in-practice. Second, we found that LinkedIn was not used in an active way, neither for work purposes, nor for private purposes. Third, we found that the employees saw Facebook as a social media platform that should be used for private purposes instead of business purposes. Fourth, our findings suggest that people have different norms and interpretive schemes about using various devices or hardware. This resulted in using different hardware in multiple ways. Fifth and last, we found that despite all the rules and restrictions as implemented by the organizations, employees decide how they use social media. Instead of implementing restrictions, we found that organizations should implement guidelines which address how social media can be used properly. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/66521 |
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