Breaking with the seductive promises of internal social media: a critical appraisal
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
ISSN: 1356-3289
Article publication date: 16 April 2024
Issue publication date: 15 November 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to critically analyze the existing literature on internal social media (ISM) within the context of internal communication, aiming to provide a more nuanced understanding of the roles of ISM and its potential implications for communicative practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on a problematizing review methodology, the article conducts a critical analysis of a selected body of literature with the aim of problematizing assumptions that form the foundation of existing theories and constructs in the literature on ISM communication.
Findings
The article points out two interrelated critical issues that might constrain our understanding, scholarly conversation and theoretical development of the roles of ISM communication in organizations: (1) Philosophical inexplicitness; (2) Ontological inconsistency.
Originality/value
Assuming a communication perspective, the article contributes suggestions for future research on ISM in the context of internal communication, calling for research to: (1) explicitly consider the epistemological implications of philosophical positions, including the view of technology; and (2) foreground meaning creation processes as the analytical point of interest.
Keywords
Citation
Høvring, C.M. and Ballantyne, A.G. (2024), "Breaking with the seductive promises of internal social media: a critical appraisal", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 29 No. 6, pp. 974-987. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-05-2023-0071
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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