Acquiring Information for the Social Organization: The Role of Social Media Use and Social Capital

Abstract

This study explores whether the use of social media determines a positive impact on the accumulation of social capital and on the generation and acquisition of information by the social organization. We further explore these issues by categorizing social media activities as used for maintaining current stakeholders and seeking new ones. Empirical analysis of the hypothetical models through structural equation modeling yields supportive results for the positive impacts of social media on the process of generating and acquiring information to the social organizations, either directly or indirectly, through the positive contribution of social capital, which also positively affects the amount of information collected.