Specifying usage of social media as a formative construct: Theory and implications for higher education

Abstract

Theoretical advances the in the conceptualization and operationalization of usage of social media (SM) are lacking in Information Systems (IS) research area. This study extends the conceptualization of IS usage and specifications of formative constructs into the SM context, and proposes a formative model of SM usage. The model conceptualizes and operationalizes SM usage as a multidimensional formative construct. For estimating and validating the proposed model, the research of next steps is reported pertaining to data collection, instrument development, and data analysis. Contributions of this study for IS research and practical implications for SM companies and high education are discussed; limitations and avenues for future research are also addressed. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.