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Enacting knowledge strategy through social media: Passable trust and the paradox of nonwork interactions

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  • Tsedal B. Neeley
  • Paul M. Leonardi

Abstract

Research Summary: Despite the recognition that knowledge sharing among employees is necessary to enact knowledge strategy, little is known about how to enable such sharing. Recent research suggests that social media may promote knowledge sharing because they allow social lubrication and the formation of trust. Our longitudinal and comparative analysis of social media usage at two large firms indicates that users who participate in nonwork interactions on social media catalyze a cycle of curiosity and passable trust that enables them to connect and share knowledge. Paradoxically, the very nonwork‐related content that attracts users to social media and shapes passable trust can become a source of tension, thwarting a firm's ability to encapsulate knowledge in the form of routines and to use it to enact its strategy. Managerial Summary: Integrating knowledge from across a firm is a critical source of competitive advantage. Firms are increasingly implementing internal social media sites to promote knowledge sharing among their employees. Our analysis indicates that employees’ curiosity about nonwork‐related and work‐related interactions motivate them to use the sites. The integration of nonwork and work content allows employees to identify people with valuable knowledge, and gauge the passable trust that they need to share knowledge on the sites or offline. Paradoxically, the nonwork‐related content that attracts users to the sites can become a source of tension, thwarting the production of knowledge to enact firms’ knowledge‐based strategies. To foster work‐related knowledge sharing, managers should accommodate nonwork‐related interactions on social media.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsedal B. Neeley & Paul M. Leonardi, 2018. "Enacting knowledge strategy through social media: Passable trust and the paradox of nonwork interactions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(3), pages 922-946, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:stratm:v:39:y:2018:i:3:p:922-946
    DOI: 10.1002/smj.2739
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    Cited by:

    1. Deng Yongtao, 2021. "Influence of Social Media on Enterprise Knowledge Sharing Based on Social Network Analysis," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 11(2), pages 99-118, April.
    2. Terence J. V. Saldanha & Arvin Sahaym & Sunil Mithas & Mariana Giovanna Andrade-Rojas & Abhishek Kathuria & Hsiao-Hui Lee, 2020. "Turning Liabilities of Global Operations into Assets: IT-Enabled Social Integration Capacity and Exploratory Innovation," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(2), pages 361-382, June.
    3. Dwivedi, Yogesh K & Shareef, Mahmud A & Akram, Muhammad S & Bhatti, Zeeshan A & Rana, Nripendra P, 2022. "Examining the effects of enterprise social media on operational and social performance during environmental disruption," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    4. C. Annique Un & Chhomran Ou & Silvy Un Lafayette, 2022. "From the liability to the advantage of refugeeness," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(4), pages 530-561, December.
    5. Ciaran Heavey & Zeki Simsek & Christina Kyprianou & Marten Risius, 2020. "How do strategic leaders engage with social media? A theoretical framework for research and practice," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(8), pages 1490-1527, August.
    6. Ahmadpour, Leila & Leardini, Alberto & Fini, Riccardo & Mascia, Daniele, 2023. "Knowledge sharing in temporary teams: Exploring the use of 3D printing in orthopaedic surgery," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    7. Linda Argote & Sunkee Lee & Jisoo Park, 2021. "Organizational Learning Processes and Outcomes: Major Findings and Future Research Directions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(9), pages 5399-5429, September.
    8. Paul M. Leonardi, 2021. "COVID‐19 and the New Technologies of Organizing: Digital Exhaust, Digital Footprints, and Artificial Intelligence in the Wake of Remote Work," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(1), pages 249-253, January.
    9. Tomi Laamanen, 2019. "Dynamic attention-based view of corporate headquarters in MNCs," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Yao, Qiongrui (Missy) & Baker, LaKami T. & Lohrke, Franz T., 2022. "Building and sustaining trust in remote work by platform-dependent entrepreneurs on digital labor platforms: Toward an integrative framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 327-339.
    11. Helena Bulinska-Stangrecka & Anna Bagienska & Yasangi Anuradha Iddagoda, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Social Media in the Relationship between Perceived Leadership Support and Employee Engagement in Banking," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 1), pages 851-874.
    12. Bettina Bouchayer, 2023. "Evénement et temporalité en gestion : implication pour les pratiques d'anticipation," Post-Print hal-04487407, HAL.
    13. Wan, Yinglin & Gao, Yuchen & Hu, Yimei, 2022. "Blockchain application and collaborative innovation in the manufacturing industry: Based on the perspective of social trust," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).

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