What role does enterprise social network play? A study on enterprise social network use, knowledge acquisition and innovation performance

Purpose In order to explore the role of enterprise social network (ESN), this study examines how the different dimensions of ESN use – within teams and across teams – facilitate knowledge acquisition in organizations and how knowledge acquisition, in turn, impacts exploitative and exploratory innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach This study applied the survey approach to collect a valid sample of 150 Chinese companies that had innovation activities and were using ESN. The partial least squares (PLS) technique was used for data analysis to test the research model and hypotheses. Findings ESN use within teams has a positive impact on knowledge depth and knowledge breadth, and ESN use across teams has a positive impact on knowledge depth. Knowledge depth and knowledge breadth are both beneficial for innovation performance. The two types of ESN use have different impacts on knowledge depth and knowledge breadth; moreover, knowledge depth and knowledge breadth have different impacts on innovation performance. Specifically, the impacts of ESN use within teams and across teams on exploitative innovation performance are mediated by knowledge depth; the impact of ESN use within teams on exploratory innovation performance is mediated by knowledge breadth. Originality/value This paper can enhance the understanding of the importance of ESN use and ESN's role in facilitating knowledge acquisition and innovation performance.