Examining the effects of enterprise social media on operational and social performance during environmental disruption

Abstract Building on resource-based, dynamic capabilities and knowledge-based views, we examine how enterprise social media (ESM) usage leads to organisational decision-making effectiveness, and consequently improves organisational (operational and social) performance during environmental disruption. We also investigate the mediating roles of organisational agility, ESM infrastructure and knowledge sharing on the relationship between ESM usage and decision-making effectiveness. To empirically test this model, data was collected through a survey from the employees of public/private emergency and disaster management organisations during COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The results confirm that ESM usage indirectly affects decision-making effectiveness, which ultimately improves organisations’ operational and social performance. Organisational agility and ESM infrastructure are strong mediators of the link between ESM usage and decision-making effectiveness, while the mediating effect of knowledge sharing through ESM is weaker. In addition to presenting theoretical rationale and empirical evidence, the study enables us to outline policy guidelines for social media managers of disaster management organisations, who must develop ESM strategies in order to boost operational and social performance. This study makes a preliminary attempt to empirically investigate ESM's innovative usage in emergency and disaster management situations.