Social Media: The New Frontier for Human Resource Management in Asia

Abstract

Social media has become an increasingly vital tool for human resource management (HRM) in many parts of the globe. However, Asian societies have adopted social media for HRM at a lesser rate than Western cultures, which are more egalitarian and open, leading to greater comfort with using social media for professional interactions, even with superiors. This article provides a comprehensive literature review on the use of social media in HRM in Asian societies. The review analyzes 590 studies published between 2013 and 2023, following the PRISMA protocol for systematic reviews and using VOSviewer. The results indicate that the number of publications on this topic has fluctuated, with a notable increase in interest since 2015. The most prolific countries in terms of publications are India, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, and the UAE. The study identifies significant research clusters and discusses the difficulties encountered when implementing social media technologies in HRM within an Asian context. These obstacles include cultural factors such as collectivism, power distance, and privacy concerns. The controversial findings regarding the distinction between excellent research and practical implementation demonstrate the need for additional research to understand better the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating social media into HRM practices in the region.