Affordances for sharing domain-specific and complex knowledge on enterprise social media

Sharing or Hiding? Exploring the Influence of Social Cognition and Emotion on Employee Knowledge Behaviors within Enterprise Social Media

As emerging knowledge management platforms, enterprise social media (ESM) provide an important way for employees to engage in knowledge sharing and information communication within their organization. However, the question of how to encourage employees to engage in continuous knowledge sharing rather than knowledge hiding on ESM has not received sufficient attention from scholars. In contrast to previous studies that focused on a single theory perspective and a single knowledge behavior, in this study, we took a user cognition and emotion perspective and constructed a mechanism model for the impact of knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding among employees on ESM based on social cognition theory and emotion as social information theory. A total of 240 valid questionnaires were collected and used to empirically test the model. The results indicate that reciprocity and outcome expectancy have a significant positive effect on employees' knowledge-sharing behavior, while reciprocity and trust have a significant negative effect on employees' knowledge-hiding behavior. Positive emotions play a positive (enhancing) moderating role on the path between outcome expectancy and knowledge-sharing behavior, while negative emotions play a negative (weakening) moderating role on the path between reciprocity and knowledge-hiding behavior, as well as between trust and knowledge-hiding behavior. By incorporating employee emotions into the framework of social cognition's impact on employee knowledge behavior, this study enriches theories related to enterprise social media, knowledge management, and user behaviors. Our research findings have practical implications for guiding employees to engage in positive knowledge sharing and reducing knowledge hiding on enterprise social media.

Understanding work experience in epidemic-induced telecommuting: The roles of misfit, reactance, and collaborative technologies

In the management of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the mandated closure of workplaces and stay-at-home orders have forced workers to adapt to a prolonged period of unplanned telecommuting, which we term epidemic-induced telecommuting. Although epidemic-induced telecommuting has drastically altered how work is conducted, scant attention is being paid to this emerging work arrangement. To this end, we combine psychological reactance theory and person-environment fit theory to advance the concept of misfit between worker and environment as a core determinant of employees' work experience in the epidemic-induced telecommuting. Particularly, we distinguish between supply-value and demand-ability misfits as constraints on workers' freedom at work. Having analyzed data collected through a survey administered on remote workers, we discovered that both misfits positively influenced workers' perceived psychological reactance, which led to work exhaustion and counter-productive behaviors. We also found that the utilization of collaborative technologies moderated the effects of misfit on workers' psychological reactance.

Knowledge integration for resilience among multinational SMEs amid the COVID-19: from the view of global digital platforms

Purpose

Multinational small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly participating in cross-border digital platforms – especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, knowledge integration (KI) has become more and more important. In fact, it has been deemed by many as the key to organizational resilience. Given this burgeoning phenomenon, this study aims to explore a path for improving the resilience of multinational SMEs. Through this process, this study also finds a relationship between the KI processes associated with adopting global digital platforms and the resiliency of local–global businesses. Hence, in part, this paper also explores the effectiveness of all these mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the stepwise regression method in Stata 16.0 to analyze the direct effects of both horizontal and vertical KI processes on the resilience of local–global businesses. Additionally, t-tests were also used to compare the differences in coefficients between the mechanisms. The sample analyzed comprised data on multinational manufacturing SMEs in the Yangtze River Delta region of China who are using global digital platforms.

Findings

The KI processes of these firms, both horizontal and vertical, positively correlate to resilience. Horizontal KI processes more efficiently increase the resilience of global businesses, whereas vertical processes more efficiently increase the resilience of local businesses.

Originality/value

First, this study provides insights into how multinational SMEs can improve their resilience in a crisis. In addition to adding to the knowledge of KI processes, this expands the KM literature on pandemics. Second, by creating two KI processes based on global digital platforms and discussing their influence on resilience, this research deepens the understanding of affordance in the KM literature. Third, focusing on the KI research stream, the results shed light on how KI processes might occur and how firms develop their KI processes.

Fake news on Facebook and their impact on supply chain disruption during COVID-19

Social media (SM) fake news has become a serious concern especially during COVID-19. In this study, we develop a research model to investigate to what extent SM fake news contributes to supply chain disruption (SCD), and what are the different SM affordances that contribute to SM fake news. To test the derived hypotheses with survey data, we have applied partial least square based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. Further, to identify how different configurations of SC resilience (SCR) capabilities reduce SCD, we have used fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results show that SM affordances lead to fake news, which increases consumer panic buying (CPB); CPB in turn increases SCD. In addition, SM fake news directly increases SCD. The moderation test suggests that, SCR capability, as a higher-order construct, decreases the effect of CPB on SCD; however, neither of the capabilities individually moderates. Complimentarily, the fsQCA results suggest that no single capability but their three specific configurations reduce SCD. This work offers a new theoretical perspective to study SCD through SM fake news. Our research advances the knowledge of SCR from a configurational lens by adopting an equifinal means towards mitigating disruption. This research will also assist the operations and SC managers to strategize and understand which combination of resilience capabilities is the most effective in tackling disruptions during a crisis e.g., COVID-19. In addition, by identifying the relative role of different SM affordances, this study provides pragmatic insights into SM affordance measures that combat fake news on SM.

The Effect of Mobile Social Media Sharing Behavior on the Subjective Well-Being and Mental Health Regulation of Internet Users

Mobile Healthcare Social Media (MHSM) is an innovative combination of mobile devices and mobile communication technology. How can users shift from spontaneous to conscious cognitive mode, break their usage inertia, and actively adapt to the social structure of mobile health social media to improve information-sharing performance? This study uses adaptive structuring theory as the theoretical foundation to deeply analyze adaptive information-sharing behavior and its specific forms in the mHealth social media environment; it uses cognitive shift theory and social exchange theory as the theoretical framework to comprehensively explore the antecedent motivations of users engaging in adaptive information-sharing behavior and its posterior effects. Theoretically, it promotes the innovation and development of information-sharing behavior research and the further deepening of the application of adaptive structuring theory at the information behavior level. It is also conducive to bridging the digital divide and maximizing the value of health information resources. This paper takes 1000 survey data as the experimental data source for studying the influence of mobile social media sharing behavior on the subjective well-being and mental health regulation of Internet users and concludes that in practice, it is beneficial to optimize the design of information-sharing-related functions in mobile health social media, improve the effect of user information sharing in mobile health social media environment, and enhance the efficiency of information sharing so that mobile social media sharing behavior can better contribute to the subjective well-being and mental health regulation of Internet users. This paper has an obvious psychological adjustment effect on groups who use too much social media and can help them analyze why they are affected by some social media, thereby producing psychological effects.

Linking enterprise social media use, trust and knowledge sharing: paradoxical roles of communication transparency and personal blogging

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of enterprise social media (ESM) use on two trust dimensions – affect-based trust (ABT) and cognition-based trust (CBT) – as mediators in the relationship between ESM use and knowledge sharing. In the first stage of the proposed model, the authors also consider transparent communication (TC) and personal blogging with colleagues (PBC) during work and non-work hours as moderators that reshape trust levels and subsequently promote knowledge sharing within the organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected the data in three waves from employees in China, the world’s largest market for social media. Five companies, including three information technology companies and two software companies, were targeted for data collection. Initially, a total of 403 ESM users were recruited, but the final sample in the final round was reduced to N = 292. The authors used Mplus (v8.5) to calculate direct path coefficients and indirect moderated-mediation effects.

Findings

The use of ESM promotes ABT and CBT, thereby improving knowledge sharing. ABT and CBT both fully mediate the effect of ESM use on knowledge sharing. However, the research reveals paradoxical findings regarding moderation. For example, on the one hand, TC negatively moderates the association between ESM use and ABT, thereby reducing knowledge sharing in the workplace. On the other hand, TC strengthens the relationship between the use of ESM and CBT, thereby increasing knowledge sharing. These contradictory findings indicate that TC functions as a double-edged sword; thus, the effective use of ESM in the workplace requires managers’ intervention. Finally, the analysis reveals that the moderating role of PBC strengthens the association between ESM use and both ABT and CBT, thereby increasing knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

While stakeholders have expressed concern regarding the adverse impacts of workplace ESM adoption on employee performance, the authors provide a broad, novel perspective on the potential of ESM use to enhance knowledge sharing via trust (i.e. ABT and CBT). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to offer a comparative view of trust dimensions, such as ABT and CBT, and to discuss how, why and when TC and PBC interactions moderate the relationship of ESM to ABT and CBT and thereby lead to knowledge sharing. These interesting findings guide further research into the role of ESM in the workplace, especially research based on rational choice theory and communication visibility theory, by illuminating the ways in which employees can use ESM to reshape social communication in the workplace and thereby enhance knowledge sharing.

Knowledge complexity and team information processing: the mediating role of team learning goal orientation

Purpose

Drawing on job demands and resources theory and the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, this study aims to investigate the effect of team knowledge complexity on team information sharing and information searching and examine whether team learning goal orientation mediates these effects.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted two studies. Study 1 used a field survey study conducted among 374 employees positioned in 68 new product teams. Study 2 used a three-wave online survey study conducted among 208 leaders to investigate the teams they managed.

Findings

The findings of the two studies reveal that team knowledge complexity has a positive direct effect on team information sharing and information searching. Furthermore, team learning goal orientation mediates these two relationships.

Practical implications

The findings indicate that team knowledge complexity is generally beneficial for the team information process. Therefore, instead of fearing an increase in the knowledge complexity of the projects, organizations should dare to present challenge demands to team members to enhance their engagement in information processing. Organizations could also pay attention to team member selection during team composition processes. For example, selecting team members with a high level of learning goal orientation is helpful in facilitating team information processing.

Originality/value

Although previous studies have found that knowledge complexity is beneficial for team output, less is known about how knowledge complexity influences team processes. This study clarifies the relationships between team knowledge complexity, information sharing and information searching and examines team learning goal orientation as a vital mediator.

Knowledge sharing in project work: the dynamic interplay of knowledge domains and skills

Purpose

This study aims to illuminate the currently poorly understood inflow of knowledge originating from project managers across the value chain of construction projects. The primary purpose is to identify the domains of knowledge that project managers’ need to share in their management activities, the skills they need to develop in their sharing practices and how these relate to each other across different phases of a construction project.

Design/methodology/approach

Knowledge domains, skills and the relationships between them were identified following an inductive methodology, a combination of grounded theory and case study, and through the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 21 project managers and participants within a single construction project.

Findings

The outcome is a novel framework that theorizes the dynamic interplay between knowledge domains and the skills that facilitate knowledge sharing (KS) for successful project work throughout the construction project.

Originality/value

The combined effects of task heterogeneity, knowledge interdependencies and temporariness require paying increased attention to how knowledge domains and KS skills impact project performance. This paper addresses gaps in developing an integrative understanding of the nature of the domains of knowledge that need to be shared in a project context, the key skills contributing to KS and more importantly, how they evolve and are interpreted and reinterpreted throughout the project and assist KS practice in projects.

Negative effects of enterprise social networks (ESNs) and technostress: empirical evidence from R&D centres operating in India

Purpose

Nowadays, technostress is a common problem for many organisations. The purpose of this research is to investigate the underlying mechanisms under which enterprise social networks (ESNs) leads to technostress and their consequences.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected data from 242 employees working in research and development (R&D) centres in India and analysed the data using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The findings of the study contribute to the growing body of knowledge in “dark side of social media research” by researching the phenomenon of higher use of ESNs in organisations and the consequences while theoretically delineating the effect of social, hedonic and cognitive use of ESNs in organisations on technostress, thus extending prior research on adverse impact of social media and technostress research. The results revealed that both ESNs’ need and technostress is adversely related to mental health, performance and greater turnover intention, and perceived organisation support (POS) played a moderating role in this relationship such that with higher POS, employee turnover intention reduces. By uncovering the role of POS as a potential moderator, the findings provide empirical evidence for POS and technostress in organisations, thus offering practical implications for the ESNs strategists, managers and practitioners to develop ESNs’ usage policies to avoid adverse outcomes of technostress in organisations.

Research limitations/implications

This research advances theoretical understanding of the relationship between ESNs, technostress, mental health, performance and turnover” intention while contributing extensively to the technostress literature and to the scholarship of ESNs. In addition, by uncovering the role of perceived organisational support as a potential moderator, this study contributes to the existing literature on POS.

Practical implications

The empirically tested model delivered by this research will enable organisations to understand different excessive usage patterns of ESNs at work, which contribute to negative outcomes for organisations and employees. The findings support the maintenance of social life at work affecting better employee mental health, and the application of cognitive use of ESNs can reduce technostress. Hence, organisational strategies should implement employee policies and interventions that facilitate better work–social life and well-being, simultaneously encouraging usage of ESNs largely for work-related information transmission and sharing within the organisations.

Originality/value

This study constructed a moderated-mediation model by introducing the potential mediating effect of technostress, mental health and performance and the moderating effect of POS to reveal the mechanism through which ESNs related to technostress, mental health, performance and turnover intention in the Indian context.

Leveraging enterprise social network technology: understanding the roles of compatibility and intrinsic motivation

Purpose

This study explores the factors influencing the value of enterprise social media (ESM) from the perspective of compatibility. Establishing a theoretical model based on compatibility theory, the authors examine the effects of two dimensions of compatibility and the mediating effects of employees' intrinsic motivations. ESM is an important tool that helps companies to enhance knowledge sharing and cross-department collaboration. Thus, it is important to understand factors that can facilitate the role of ESM in improving enterprise operating performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a survey among 353 users of a leading ESM platform and empirically investigated how compatibility influences ESM value through employees' intrinsic motivations. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to study the relationship among compatibility, employees' intrinsic motivations and ESM value.

Findings

The empirical research results indicate that compatibility of self-interest with group interest influences the value of ESM, and intrinsic motivations toward collaboration and toward knowledge management partially mediate the effects of the two dimensions of compatibility on ESM value.

Research limitations/implications

First, the empirical analysis relies on data from surveying employees of Chinese companies. Therefore, one direction for future research is to reexamine the model using data from other countries. Second, the effects of compatibility identified in the study may vary among different ESM platforms. In addition, the findings may change for organizations having different sizes.

Practical implications

This finding suggests that managers should pay close attention to potential conflicts of interest when implementing ESM to enhance group communication and collaboration. This study also highlights the importance of compatibility of new working processes with experience in practice. In addition, intrinsic motivations towards both cooperation and knowledge management in ESM are important factors influencing the value creation of ESM. Therefore, to cultivate employees' intrinsic motivation, managers and organizations need to facilitate the formation of a collaborative atmosphere and habits of cooperative adoption.

Originality/value

Although previous studies show that compatibility is a strong belief salient to technology acceptance and continuance usage behavior, the operational definition of compatibility developed by prior studies has generally been limited to the technology perspective and the individual level. However, the primary benefit of ESM is enabling online team collaboration and knowledge sharing across various departments. Thus, the level of compatibility between employees' self-interests and group interests may influence their intrinsic motivations toward ESM usage. From this perspective of individual–group interest conflicts, the authors propose a conceptual research model based on the theory of compatibility in innovation diffusion.

Investigating the Impact of Critical Factors on Continuous Usage Intention towards Enterprise Social Networks: An Integrated Model of IS Success and TTF

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, many people have to accept remote working. However, as COVID-19 has been effectively controlled in China, remote office services provided by enterprise social networks (ESNs) is no longer a necessary choice of users. There has not yet been any referential research for ESN enterprises concerning how to encourage users willing to use ESNs continuously. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify the critical factors of ESN continuous usage intention to make up the research gap of ESN continuous usage intention and to help enterprises address the issue of sustained growth. This research combines elements of the task technology fit (TTF) model and D&M information systems success (ISS) model, explaining the continuous usage intention of ESN users. The empirical analysis results are based on the sample data of 668 Chinese respondents with experience in ESNs use and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results show that task technology fit, performance expectancy and the satisfaction degree have a significant influence on continuous usage intention of ESNs. The research findings can provide the theoretical basis for sustained development and follow-up research of the ESN industry.

Examining the Factors Affecting SME Performance: The Mediating Role of Social Media Adoption

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have become a vibrant and dynamic sector of the world economy. Information technology plays a vital role in improving the productivity and competitiveness of SMEs. The dynamic business environment has brought fierce competition among SMEs and, therefore, requires the owners to interact with internal and external members actively. Hence, this study aims to investigate the impact of technology, organization, and environment as important factors in the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises. It also examines the mediating role of social media adoption. Items were developed to measure the various purposes of social media use in organizations, which contribute to increasing the measurement of social media usage. For the empirical investigation, this paper used a closed-ended questionnaire. Using a quantitative method, we observed 423 responses through structural equation modeling. The findings of the study indicate that technology, organization, and the environment play effective roles for SME performance. More importantly, social media adoption positively mediates the relationship between technology, organization, environment, and SME performance. The study also helps organizations realize the advantages of using social media and specifies the rationale behind an organization’s investment in social media.

Does multitasking computer self-efficacy mitigate the impact of social media affordances on overload and fatigue among professionals?

Purpose

This paper investigates the moderating role of multitasking computer self-efficacy on the relationship between social media affordances and social media overload as well as its moderation between social media overload and social media fatigue.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors hypothesize that social media affordances will have a positive impact on social media overload (i.e. information and communication overload). They also hypothesize that social media overload will affect social media fatigue. In addition, they hypothesize that multitasking computer self-efficacy will attenuate the effect of social media affordances on both information overload and communication overload. Similarly, they also hypothesize that multitasking computer self-efficacy will attenuate the effects of both information overload and communication overload on fatigue. The authors test this model by collecting two-wave data from 220 professionals using PLS techniques.

Findings

Social media affordances have significant impacts on information overload, but not on communication overload. In turn, information overload and communication overload significantly affect social media fatigue. Multitasking computer self-efficacy was found to attenuate the effect of social media affordances on both information overload and communication overload. Furthermore, the study results suggest that multitasking computer self-efficacy attenuates the effect of information overload and reinforces the effect of communication overload on social media fatigue.

Originality/value

Most prior literature focused on students rather than on professionals. There is a lack of research that investigates how the affordances of social media relate to social media overload and fatigue. Furthermore, research that investigates mitigating mechanisms of social media fatigue has been rare. This paper fills these important research gaps.

Organizational commitment and work-related implementation of enterprise social networks (ESNs): the mediating roles of employees' organizational concern and prosocial values

Purpose

This study, based on the cognitive dissonance and commitment theories, aims to show that employees with high organizational commitment take more advantage of enterprise social networks (ESNs) due to work-related motivations. Furthermore, this study used the tricomponent attitude model to show that the employees' organizational concern and prosocial values mediate the impact of the organizational commitment on the work-related use of an ESN.

Design/methodology/approach

In all, 361 employees from seven Iranian companies using different ESN software packages were surveyed. The validity of the hypotheses was evaluated using partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results of this study confirm that the employees' organizational commitment has a positive impact on their work-related use of the relevant ESN directly and through the mediating roles of their organizational concern and prosocial values.

Originality/value

Previous studies have carefully addressed the role of organizational commitment in the implementation of conventional information systems. However, this is among the few studies addressing the role of commitment in the work-related implementation of ESNs. The results of this study shed light on how employees with a high level of commitment toward the organizations for which they work take advantage of ESNs due to a work-related motivation for the accomplishment of their duties, for bringing benefits into the organization and for helping their coworkers.

The Sustainable Positive Effects of Enterprise Social Media on Employees: The Visibility and Vicarious Learning Lens

The proliferation of enterprise social media (ESM) has resulted in a research domain focused on its potential influence on the sustainable development of enterprises. Visibility has been increasingly applied as a useful lens through which to explore the effects of ESM. However, most prior research either has not addressed the multi-dimensionality of this concept or has not fully explored its dimensions separately. To bridge this knowledge gap, this paper identifies four categories of visibility to explore how they affect the process of an individual’s vicarious learning. We propose eight theoretical propositions and verify them through a confirmatory case study. The results show that each type of visibility affects the vicarious learning process in its own unique manner. Our research makes significant contributions to the literature by extending the existing implications of vicarious learning and ESM visibility and investigating their relationships, laying a strong foundation for further theoretical work. In addition, our research provides valuable insights and guidance for ESM practitioners.

The impact of headline features on the attraction of online financial articles

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether and to what extent the characteristics of headlines impact the attraction of online financial articles by using data collected from WeChat, a popular social app in China.

Design/methodology/approach

By integrating the methods of econometric and text mining, this study analyzed the content of 113,917 headlines published by 126 official accounts from the day account being created to May 12, 2016. Hierarchical regression was used to investigate the effects of headline features, account ownership type and stock market volatility on the attraction of online financial articles.

Findings

The empirical results show that sentiment, length, domain specificity and language intensity in a headline are significantly associated with the attraction of an online financial article. In addition, the relative and moderating roles of stock market volatility and account ownership type were also explored, showing significant moderating effects on the relationship between sentiment and online article attraction.

Research limitations/implications

This study had several limitations. First, the sample data for this research were collected from one social media platform. While WeChat is the most popular social media application in China, it is just one of the many social media applications that can be used to publish online financial articles, and it differs from other social media applications greatly. This makes it hard to generalize the conclusions of the study. Future studies could compare the different features of headlines and their effects on the attraction of financial articles on different platforms. Second, in mining the characteristics of headline, this study only analyzed the influence of the sentiment, domain specificity, length and language intensity of the headline on article attraction. In future studies, in-depth analysis of the headline content could be conducted, such as the similarity between the body text and the headline, the theme and the sense of humor. However, the authors believe that these limitations do not have major negative implications for the results and contributions of this study.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective, this work could help official WeChat accounts to write better headlines for the articles they publish to attract more readers and fans and thus improve the value of their accounts, which would enable them to maximize the tangible benefits through differential pricing on advertisement placement.

Originality/value

The contributions of this study are as follows. First, the paper explored how headline sentiment influences article attraction and found that positive sentiment is negatively related to article attraction, while negative sentiment is positively related to article attraction. In addition, there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the extent of negative sentiment and article attraction. Second, the paper investigates how headline domain specificity affects article attraction and there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between headline domain specificity and article attraction. Third, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first large-scale case study that explores the association between stock market volatility and the attraction of an online financial article.

Interaction between task characteristics and technology affordances

Purpose

Enterprise social media (ESM) usage has gained considerable momentum within organizations. The purpose of this paper is to seek a better understanding of ESM usage based on the task environments and the technology affordances of ESM.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a survey consisting of 556 usable responses. Regression methods are applied to analyze the data.

Findings

This study finds strong support for the positive impact of task-technology fit on ESM usage. Considering separately, task equivocality had no impact; task interdependence had a negative effect on ESM usage; bridging social capital had a positive effect; and bonding social capital had a marginal impact on ESM usage.

Research limitations/implications

This research incorporated social capital into discussions of task-technology fit. A 2×2 matrix based on task equivocality and task interdependence was developed, which may be extended to other contexts or technologies.

Practical implications

ESM implementation should account for both task environments and the appropriate technology affordances. Individuals access bridging social capital to a greater extent than bonding social capital using ESM, and they do not use ESM when the task environments alone are considered.

Originality/value

This is an original study that considers task environments and technology affordances in the context of ESM usage. The findings offer valuable and timely contributions to both scholars and practitioners.

The impact of enterprise social media platforms on knowledge sharing

Purpose

Enterprise social media platforms (ESMPs) are web 2.0-based computer media tools that facilitate knowledge sharing by employees. The purpose of this paper is to outline the potential of ESMPs in both enabling and hindering knowledge sharing from the perspective of affordances.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper which integrates the literature on ESMPs’ affordances and knowledge sharing.

Findings

This paper finds that prior research on affordances only considered artifacts without much attention on the role of individual goals and organizational context. ESMPs may both enable and hinder knowledge sharing by affording different user behaviors contingent on artifacts, individual goals and organizational context.

Practical implications

The results of the paper will help managers and ESMPs designers to better understand the potential of ESMPs and pay attention to the positive and negative impacts of ESMPs in the process of knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

The paper derives a new categorization of affordances based on individual goals and organization context and portrays a model to describe how and when these affordances enable knowledge sharing through the development of transactive memory system and social capital and hinder knowledge sharing through overload, groupthink and privacy invasion.