The role of social media in innovation and creativity: The case of Chinese social media

Social media has revolutionised our daily lives, both at individual and organisational levels. This presents an opportunity for businesses to drive growth and create value by tapping into the power of co-creation using social media. Despite its significance, little research exists on how social media could be used for innovations and creativity, and even moreso in the Chinese context with the mass penetration of social media. This study attempts to address this gap in knowledge by examining the role of social media in facilitating innovations in Chinese context. Given the exploratory nature of the research, we will conduct approximately 40 interviews with respondents such as marketing and communication managers from a wide range of industries including retail and service sectors. We will analyse data using Nvivo. The findings will provide guidelines to managers to put in place tailored strategies to optimise the benefits of social-media interactions for organisational growth.