Social Media at SocioSystems Inc.: A Socio-technical Systems Analysis of Strategic Action

In this study, we present preliminary results from case research at a global IT firm with demonstrable success in the strategic use of social media. From the theoretical underpinnings of interest-based homophily, action theory, and social movement theory, we propose a conceptual framework and analytics to consider the question "how can organizations motivate strategic directed action from participants within social media to accomplish organizational goals?" We discuss the theories of interest-based homophilies to identify and explain how organizations can develop information based analytics appropriate to motivate strategic action in social media using similar approaches to those utilized by social movement and social movement framing. There has been little theorizing on the nature and structuration of social media from which appropriate directed action can be strategically conceptualized. This paper presents novel theoretical foundations from which to understand social media and develop effective strategies to advance organizational interests.