The symbolic interpretation of enterprise social networks as a brake on their adoption within one French banking group

Collaborative technologies such as enterprise social network are largely in line with the major specificities of communication and work environments mastered in the private sphere (mail, collaboration platforms, wikis, blogs ...). They symbolize representations and values that can be in contradiction or even break with the shared culture within the hierarchical organization. In fact, the purpose of our research is to understand to what extent the symbolism conveyed by such tool (in terms of images, values, cultural aspects ...) can inhibit and prevent its adoption in an organizational environment. Base on the concept of « conflict-IT culture » and through a case study conducted within a French banking group, we seek to understand the symbolic significance of these technologies and their impact on their adoption based on stakeholders' perceptions.