The indirect effects of intranet functionalities on middle managers' performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether intranet functionalities predict perceived usefulness, which in turn influences intranet usage and whether such usage affects job performance of managers.Design/methodology/approachAbout 150 of 357 managers engaged by numerous organizations in the port industry in Malaysia, namely port authority, terminal operator, marine department, immigration department, and royal customs and excise department which utilized intranet were sampled using a set of self‐reporting questionnaires.FindingsThe results of structural equation modeling indicate that intranet functionalities influence perceived usefulness, usage, and indirectly predict port managers' performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper focuses only on the perspective of intranet usage among middle managers working in the port industry in Malaysia.Practical implicationsSuggestions are provided on how the maritime industry in particular and other industries in general can improve their intranet adoption to achieve organizational goals.Originality/valueThis paper draws attention to the imperative of having proper intranet functionalities in place in light of its indirect impact on job performance improvements.