Adaptive use of social networking applications in contemporary organizations: Examining the motivations of Gen Y cohorts

With the entry of the contemporary generation (Gen Y) into the workforce, organizations are interested in leveraging Gen Y's technological preferences when designing their information systems. Specifically, motivated by Gen Y's dependence on Social Networking Applications (SNAs) in their private lives, organizations have initiated the implementation of Corporate Social Networks (CSNs) to facilitate closer collaboration and knowledge sharing within organizations. However, these initiatives have not been received with the expected enthusiasm from Gen Y employees. To better understand this apparent anomaly, the current study explores the Gen Y cohort's intended adaptive use of SNAs in organizational settings, as CSNs. This study uses an enriched Delphi technique to examine the perceptions and concerns of members of Gen Y regarding use of CSNs. In addition, employing a structured qualitative approach and contextualizing the needs hierarchy theory to the specific case of Gen Y employees, this study identifies six organizational requirements for successfully implementing CSNs. This work extends the literature on adaptive use of Enterprise 2.0 systems and delineates a set of useful implications for managers intending to implement such systems for Gen Y employees.