The impact of social media usage on organizational citizenship behavior in small and medium-sized enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City: The mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of digital literacy
Main Article Content
Abstract
Purpose – This study examines how social media usage (SMU) influences organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) among employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ho Chi Minh City. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory and the Job Demands–Resources model, it investigates the mediating role of work engagement (WE) and the moderating role of digital literacy (DL).
Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 702 SME employees using a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire. The measurement scales were adapted from previous studies and refined through expert consultation. Measuring and structural models were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4.
Findings – Social media usage positively affects organizational citizenship behavior (β = 0.654, p < 0.001) and work engagement (β = 0.548, p < 0.001), while work engagement positively influences organizational citizenship behavior (β = 0.189, p = 0.004). Work engagement partially mediates the relationship between social media usage and organizational citizenship behavior (β = 0.104, p = 0.002). Digital literacy negatively moderates the SMU–WE relationship (β = −0.059, p = 0.009), indicating that employees with lower digital literacy gain greater engagement benefits from workplace social media.
Originality/value – This study integrates social media usage, work engagement, digital literacy, and organizational citizenship behavior into a unified framework and demonstrates that social media usage affects citizenship behavior through both direct and motivational pathways. It also reveals a counterintuitive negative moderating effect of digital literacy, extending understanding of heterogeneous employee responses to workplace digitalization in an emerging-economy SME context.
Practical implications – SME managers should use social media strategically to support communication, engagement, and voluntary employee contributions. Social media initiatives and digital training should be tailored to employees’ digital literacy levels and integrated with job design, recognition, empowerment, digital ethics, and data-protection practices.
Social implications – The findings support the development of more inclusive digital workplaces by showing how accessible social media practices can help employees with different levels of digital capability participate, connect, and contribute effectively.
Keywords
Digital literacy; Organizational citizenship behavior; Social media usage; Work engagement
Article Details
Field of Economic (JEL Codes)
M12 - Personnel Management • Executives; Executive Compensation - M15 - IT Management - Business Administration, O33 - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences • Diffusion Processes - Innovation • Research and Development • Technological Change • Intellectual Property Rights
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