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A symbolic interactionism perspective of using social media for personal and business communication

Author

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  • Chen, Renee Rui
  • Davison, Robert M.
  • Ou, Carol Xiaojuan

Abstract

Achieving the anticipated business benefits of a social medium is important as organizations diligently invest in different social media platforms. While much previous research assumes that social media helps organizations to communicate with customers, less is known about whether customers embrace using social media to interact with organizations. It is important to understand the role of social media for business communication from the customers’ perspective, as this may significantly deviate from the organizations’ own communicative intentions. In this exploratory case study of the Moon Struck hotel in China, we investigate both how customers interpret the hotel’s use of WeChat official account for business communication and how customers respond to messages received from Moon Struck’s WeChat account. Adopting a symbolic interactionism perspective, we surprisingly find that WeChat personal accounts and Moon Struck’s official account offer radically different meanings to followers. Specifically, WeChat personal account symbolizes a sociality-oriented meaning (e.g., relationship and image building), while Moon Struck’s WeChat official account symbolizes information broadcasting-related meaning (e.g., selling, advertising, and branding). Both technological features and the distance of relationships among users contribute to the constructed symbolic meaning of technology, subsequently affecting users’ WeChat use patterns. The theoretical implications of this study are discussed and recommendations are made for future research and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Renee Rui & Davison, Robert M. & Ou, Carol Xiaojuan, 2020. "A symbolic interactionism perspective of using social media for personal and business communication," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ininma:v:51:y:2020:i:c:s0268401218306157
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.10.007
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ismail Adelopo & Ibrahim Rufai & Moshood Bello, 2023. "Financial Accountability and Religious Sentiments: The Case of Sukuk Bond," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(2), pages 397-420, January.
    2. Cristina Radu & Mihaela Constantinescu & Alexandru Ion Olteanu, 2023. "Using the Right Content on Social Media to Enhance Consumer Engagement," Journal of Emerging Trends in Marketing and Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 26-38, April.
    3. Fatuma Namisango & Kyeong Kang & Ghassan Beydoun, 2022. "How the Structures Provided by Social Media Enable Collaborative Outcomes: A Study of Service Co-creation in Nonprofits," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 517-535, April.
    4. Jamaluddin Hos & Siti Kusujiarti & Jumintono & Ambo Upe & Muhammad Arsyad & Hasniah & Firdaus Yuni Dharta & Jemma Natanson, 2022. "Conflict Management in Multiethnic Communities: a Case Study in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1963-1985, December.
    5. Magda Francisca Cejas Martinez & Edith Josefina Liccioni & Myriam Elizabeth Murillo Naranjo & Derling Jose Mendoza Velazco, 2024. "Business Management: Communication as a Key Competence," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 166-180.
    6. Laor, Tal, 2022. "My social network: Group differences in frequency of use, active use, and interactive use on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

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