IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v44y2016icp15-22.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Social network enterprise behaviors and patterns in SMEs: Lessons from a Portuguese local community centered around the tourism industry

Author

Listed:
  • Fernandes, Silvia
  • Belo, Ana
  • Castela, Guilherme

Abstract

This study analyzes uses of social networks by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at the Algarve region in Portugal. Results suggest that some firms have integrated their business strategies with social networks, and have groups of professionals responsible for these platforms. Most managers perceive that social networks enhance business performance, but few measure the results. Firms that most frequently use social networks have managers with higher qualifications. This study identified two types of social-network use: a) product–client interaction and knowledge/(re)search, and b) marketing potential. A complementary analysis (cluster analysis) identified three behavioral patterns with varying involvement with social networks. These patterns relate with types of use, suggesting a level of social media involvement/performance. Enhancing performance is likely related to knowledge-oriented social networks. This study also suggests an approach for measuring the gap between types of social network use-behavioral/performance patterns and the reality in successful firms, which would be useful to apply or transfer to other firms and communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernandes, Silvia & Belo, Ana & Castela, Guilherme, 2016. "Social network enterprise behaviors and patterns in SMEs: Lessons from a Portuguese local community centered around the tourism industry," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 15-22.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:44:y:2016:i:c:p:15-22
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2015.11.004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X15300051
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2015.11.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. O'Reilly, Tim, 2007. "What Is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software," MPRA Paper 4578, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Harald Edquist & Magnus Henrekson, 2006. "Technological Breakthroughs and Productivity Growth," Research in Economic History, in: Research in Economic History, pages 1-53, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    3. Jacqueline Meulman, 1992. "The integration of multidimensional scaling and multivariate analysis with optimal transformations," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 57(4), pages 539-565, December.
    4. Lianxi Zhou & Wei-ping Wu & Xueming Luo, 2007. "Internationalization and the performance of born-global SMEs: the mediating role of social networks," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 673-690, July.
    5. Norazah Mohd Suki & T. Ramayah & Michelle Kow Pei Ming & Norbayah Mohd Suki, 2011. "Factors Enhancing Employed Job Seekers Intentions to Use Social Networking Sites as a Job Search Tool," International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction (IJTHI), IGI Global, vol. 7(2), pages 38-54, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Xiaoxing & Gao, Changyuan & Zhang, Shuchen, 2022. "The niche evolution of cross-boundary innovation for Chinese SMEs in the context of digital transformation——Case study based on dynamic capability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Khayer, Abul & Talukder, Md. Shamim & Bao, Yukun & Hossain, Md. Nahin, 2020. "Cloud computing adoption and its impact on SMEs’ performance for cloud supported operations: A dual-stage analytical approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    3. Offiong Helen Solomon & Tom Allen & Wangari Wangombe, 2024. "Analysing the factors that influence social media adoption among SMEs in developing countries," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 248-267, June.
    4. Leon, Ramona – Diana & Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Raúl & Gómez-Gasquet, Pedro & Mula, Josefa, 2017. "Social network analysis: A tool for evaluating and predicting future knowledge flows from an insurance organization," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 103-118.
    5. Martina Aronica & Rubinia Celeste Bonfanti & Davide Piacentino, 2021. "Social media adoption in Italian firms. Opportunities and challenges for lagging regions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(4), pages 959-978, August.
    6. Lu Zhang & Xiaochao Guo & Zhimei Lei & Ming K. Lim, 2019. "Social Network Analysis of Sustainable Human Resource Management from the Employee Training’s Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, January.
    7. Yadegaridehkordi, Elaheh & Nilashi, Mehrbakhsh & Nizam Bin Md Nasir, Mohd Hairul & Momtazi, Saeedeh & Samad, Sarminah & Supriyanto, Eko & Ghabban, Fahad, 2021. "Customers segmentation in eco-friendly hotels using multi-criteria and machine learning techniques," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Ali, Ahsan & Bahadur, Waseem & Wang, Nan & Luqman, Adeel & Khan, Ali Nawaz, 2020. "Improving team innovation performance: Role of social media and team knowledge management capabilities," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    9. Fernandes, S. & Cesário, M. & Barata, J.M., 2017. "Ways to open innovation: Main agents and sources in the Portuguese case," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 153-162.
    10. Qalati, Sikander Ali & Yuan, Li Wen & Khan, Muhammad Aamir Shafique & Anwar, Farooq, 2021. "A mediated model on the adoption of social media and SMEs’ performance in developing countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    11. Eunyoung Nam & Peng Xiong, 2021. "How Does Social Media Influence College Students to Recognize Entrepreneurial Opportunities? - Evidence from China," Studies in Media and Communication, Redfame publishing, vol. 9(2), pages 71-83, December.
    12. Rakshit, Sandip & Mondal, Sandeep & Islam, Nazrul & Jasimuddin, Sajjad & Zhang, Zuopeng, 2021. "Social media and the new product development during COVID-19: An integrated model for SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    13. Kaya, Tugberk, 2020. "The changes in the effects of social media use of Cypriots due to COVID-19 pandemic," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    14. Shah, Zakir & Chu, Jianxun & Feng, Bo & Qaisar, Sara & Ghani, Usman & Hassan, Zameer, 2019. "If you care, I care: Perceived social support and public engagement via SNSs during crises," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Leon, Ramona – Diana & Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Raúl & Gómez-Gasquet, Pedro & Mula, Josefa, 2017. "Social network analysis: A tool for evaluating and predicting future knowledge flows from an insurance organization," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 103-118.
    2. Belo, Ana & Fernandes, Silvia & Castela, Guilherme, 2014. "Social Networks' Users: Profiles and Motivations," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 2(3), pages 217-228.
    3. Francisco Javier Forcadell & Fernando Úbeda, 2022. "Individual entrepreneurial orientation and performance: the mediating role of international entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 875-900, June.
    4. Simona Alfiero & Laura Broccardo & Massimo Cane & Alfredo Esposito, 2018. "High Performance Through Innovation Process Management in SMEs. Evidence from the Italian wine sector," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(3), pages 87-110.
    5. Luis Alfonso Dau & Aya S. Chacar & Marjorie A. Lyles & Jiatao Li, 2022. "Informal institutions and international business: Toward an integrative research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 985-1010, August.
    6. Francesco Ciampi & Alessandro Giannozzi & Giacomo Marzi & Edward I. Altman, 2021. "Rethinking SME default prediction: a systematic literature review and future perspectives," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(3), pages 2141-2188, March.
    7. Clegg, Jeremy & Lin, Hsin Mei & Voss, Hinrich & Yen, I-Fan & Shih, Yi Tien, 2016. "The OFDI patterns and firm performance of Chinese firms: The moderating effects of multinationality strategy and external factors," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 971-985.
    8. Natasha Evers, 2010. "Factors influencing the internationalisation of new ventures in the Irish aquaculture industry: An exploratory study," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 8(4), pages 392-416, December.
    9. A. George Assaf & Alexander Josiassen & Haemoon Oh, 2016. "Internationalization and hotel performance," Tourism Economics, , vol. 22(3), pages 572-592, June.
    10. Sun, Wenbin & Price, Joseph & Ding, Yuan, 2019. "The longitudinal effects of internationalization on firm performance: The moderating role of marketing capability," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 326-337.
    11. Nicholas Tsounis & Ian Steedman, 2021. "A New Method for Measuring Total Factor Productivity Growth Based on the Full Industry Equilibrium Approach: The Case of the Greek Economy," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-21, August.
    12. Marzanna K. Witek-Hajduk, 2013. "Wczesne umiędzynarodowienie a wyniki ekonomiczne przedsiębiorstwa," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 11-12, pages 73-92.
    13. Schwens, Christian & Kabst, Ruediger, 2011. "Internationalization of young technology firms: A complementary perspective on antecedents of foreign market familiarity," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 60-74, February.
    14. Busch Rainer & Unger Alexander & Gassemi Karim & Papastamatelou Julie & May Christian, 2020. "Perception of formal and informal institutions by entrepreneurs in China, Morocco, and Germany – A cross-cultural pilot study," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 56(4), pages 324-338, December.
    15. Szalavetz, Andrea, 2011. "Innovációvezérelt növekedés? [Innovation-driven growth?]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(5), pages 460-476.
    16. Edquist, Harald, 2022. "The economic impact of mobile broadband speed," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5).
    17. D’Angelo, Alfredo & Buck, Trevor, 2019. "The earliness of exporting and creeping sclerosis? The moderating effects of firm age, size and centralization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 428-437.
    18. Lewandowska, Małgorzata Stefania & Szymura-Tyc, Maja & Gołębiowski, Tomasz, 2016. "Innovation complementarity, cooperation partners, and new product export: Evidence from Poland," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 3673-3681.
    19. Bauweraerts, Jonathan & Arzubiaga, Unai & Diaz-Moriana, Vanessa, 2022. "Unveiling the global focus-performance relationship in family firms: The role of the board of directors," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    20. Priyono Anjar & Nursyamsiah Siti & Darmawan Baziedy A., 2019. "Managing ambidexterity in internationalisation of SMEs from an emerging country: A dynamic capability perspective," HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration, Sciendo, vol. 10(3), pages 7-26, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:44:y:2016:i:c:p:15-22. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.