The Impact of Enterprise Social Networks on Information Exchange in Supply Chain Management

Abstract

Purpose: This research aims to understand how ESNs influence information exchange and the development of relationships and trust amongst stakeholders in supply chain management. Information exchange in the supply chain, highly influenced by the exchange beliefs, trust, and relationships among the partners, has increased in volume and complexity with the development of social media. The privacy and security concerns led organisations to adopt ESNs to enable collaboration and information exchange and establish relationships and trust with internal and external supply chain partners. This study also explores the type of information, the extent to which information is exchanged, and the antecedents and consequences of using ESNs in the context of SCM. Design: The study uses a qualitative approach employing netnography, with a triangulation of methods involving open-ended email questionnaires, focused interviews, and netnographic observation of ESN conversations. Findings: The main findings include the nature of relationship and trust, the nature and extent of information exchanged, and the degree of understanding among the supply chain partners, which is positively influenced by the length of online collaborative interactions through ESNs. They exhibited self-disclosure and risk-taking behaviour, as well as the sharing of confidential information. Individuals’ use of ESNs depends on their previous online experience, interests and organisations’ capabilities and support. Strategic and operational information is exchanged, and the prolonged use of ESNs moderates the reluctance to share information. Implications: This research contributes to the scholarly body of SCM and ESN, identifying the influence of long-term ESN usage on relationships, trust, and information exchange and its variation in different organisational settings, identifying the opportunity for future research. Organisations and supply chain practitioners get fresh insights into the role of ESNs in enabling information exchange and building relationships and trust and present a conceptual model that guides them in adopting ESNs. Originality: A netnographic analysis of ESN conversations reveals the nature and degree of information shared, the nature of relationships and trust, the behaviour exhibited by supply chain practitioners due to ESN, and the factors that promote using ESN in the SCM context.