Transforming Technology Adoption: How Social Media Communication Can Break Barriers in Public Organizations

1. Introduction

The concept of “Spatial Data Infrastructure” has gained significant recognition within the domains of geographic information systems and spatial data management. It originated from the idea of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), which was first introduced at the Canadian Conference on Geographic Information Systems in 1991 (McLaughlin, 1991). The following year, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12906, titled “Coordinating Geographic Data Acquisition and Access: The National Spatial Data Infrastructure,” which further developed this idea. The implementation of this order played a vital role in raising awareness about the importance of government-led initiatives in promoting the collection, management, and utilization of geospatial data, not only within Federal agencies in the United States but also at national and global levels (Masser, 2005). Knowing the importance of NSDI for the socio-economic development in the country, efforts were started to establish NSDI in Pakistan (Ahmad et al., 2022).

Governments in developed countries are recognizing the growing influence of social media social media's growing influence and harnessing its potential benefits (Mossberger et al., 2013). However, in developing countries social media is primarily used for information dissemination, such as news updates and important announcements (Al-Aufi et al., 2017; Ali et al., 2013). Multiple avenues exist for disseminating information about new technologies, including mass media (newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and websites/blogs), social media platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn), as well as interpersonal interactions (field days, conferences, retailers, extension agents, peer groups, and conversations with neighbors).

Among various social media platforms, WhatsApp is a versatile messaging application that enables users to exchange messages, audio files, videos, and photographs across different platforms. With its focus on informal communication, WhatsApp has emerged as a widely popular platform, boasting a user base of 1.5 billion individuals worldwide (Jailobaev et al., 2021). Research has highlighted the diverse applications of WhatsApp, including promoting knowledge creation and sharing (Singh Nain et al., 2019), influencing citizens' perceptions of government (Nizah & Bakar, 2019), facilitating social activism in disaster management (Bhuvana & Arul Aram, 2019), supporting collaboration and decision-making (Mohd Omar et al., 2020), and being utilized in academic (Baishya & Maheshwari, 2020) and health system research (Manji et al., 2021). Its prevalence in people's daily lives has also led to new possibilities for conducting online and mobile focus groups (Colom, 2022). WhatsApp is particularly useful in participatory research because it offers a comfortable and inclusive atmosphere that promotes group discussion (Colom, 2022) in addition to acting as a focus group. It also supports the emergence and advancement of informal learning approaches (Costa-Sánchez & Guerrero-Pico, 2020).

The revolutionary implications of technology on operations, service delivery, and citizen participation have been experienced in the public sector. However, a variety of factors frequently prevent the adoption of new technology in public organizations. These challenges include opposition to change, resource scarcity, bureaucratic procedures, and cultural resistance. Information dissemination about technology has great significance in technology adoption (van Campenhout, 2021). Social media is a great source of information dissemination and knowledge sharing. By leveraging social media's potential, public organizations can improve collaboration, decision-making, public involvement, and information sharing.