Enhancing Supply Chain Innovation and Operational Agility Through Knowledge Acquisition From the Social Media: A Microfoundational Approach

Abstract

This paper presents an examination of the interlocks between knowledge acquisition from social media (KAfSM), organizational microfoundation structure and design (OMFSaD), supply chain innovation (SCI), and operational agility (OA). These interlocks were tested on data collected from 172 managers/directors/CEOs of 96 firms operating in nine manufacturing industry sectors in Malaysia. Our findings suggest that OMFSaD plays a key role when interlinked with KAfSM. Furthermore, OMFSaD is significantly associated with SCI and OA, and SCI significantly correlates with OA and partially mediates the relationship between OMFSaD and OA. Our study's outcomes are consistent with our understanding of IT-enabled organizational capabilities-thus contributing to dynamic capability theory-and suggest that KAfSM helps to revamp processes, routines, and business operations in frequently changing environments. In this paper, we draw implications for research and practice.