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There has been much made of the use of social networks in the workplace, but now we’re finding that many business are using them. This week, we looked at what social networks are. So for this, we start with the video from Common Craft.
There has been much made of the use of social networks in the workplace, but now we’re finding that many business are using them. This week, we looked at what social networks are. So for this, we start with the video from Common Craft.2
So, now we know what social networks are, we can view them in terms of traditional workplace activities, such as chatting around a water cooler, from which the concept of Knowledge Management arose. These practices lend themselves to interactions within blogs, wikis and other social media forms, but some areas of management are still finding them problematic. Some of these shifts are exemplified by the discussion taking place within the Library Sciences discipline. (Click here to watch the video).
So, now we know what social networks are, we can view them in terms of traditional workplace activities, such as chatting around a water cooler, from which the concept of Knowledge Management arose. These practices lend themselves to interactions within blogs, wikis and other social media forms, but some areas of management are still finding them problematic. Some of these shifts are exemplified by the discussion taking place within the Library Sciences discipline. (Click here to watch the video).3
Some of the main points from that video include that we now live in a culture of participation where one of the main concerns is access to information, information that is once was a place apart but is now a part of every place. This definitely calls for critical reading skill, that you need to develop. The speed of change, with the annotation of everything and the changing notion of public does indeed mean that any traces you leave, your footprints don’t melt and go away. So, the challenges to you, as business professionals, is to organise information in ways that are appropriate for your work environment. Some of the newer social media tools allow this in ever more relevant ways.
Some of the main points from that video include that we now live in a culture of participation where one of the main concerns is access to information, information that is once was a place apart but is now a part of every place. This definitely calls for critical reading skill, that you need to develop. The speed of change, with the annotation of everything and the changing notion of public does indeed mean that any traces you leave, your footprints don’t melt and go away. So, the challenges to you, as business professionals, is to organise information in ways that are appropriate for your work environment. Some of the newer social media tools allow this in ever more relevant ways.4
Some of the uses of social media in business include brand evangelism where a business representative interacts with current and prospective customers in social media spaces. This is often poorly done and is the subject of may attempts, both good and bad (there’s more on this in Week 11). There are also many people who have established a ‘personal’ brand, where they are known for particular aspects of knowledge or work. Why, even the GBS has its own Facebook group.
Some of the uses of social media in business include brand evangelism where a business representative interacts with current and prospective customers in social media spaces. This is often poorly done and is the subject of may attempts, both good and bad (there’s more on this in Week 11). There are also many people who have established a ‘personal’ brand, where they are known for particular aspects of knowledge or work. Why, even the GBS has its own Facebook group.5
One good example of new uses of social media comes from IBM. They are establishing processes specifically for businesses to engage and maintain all of the potential of social media, without creepy aspects of Facebook (see How Your Creepy Ex-Co-Workers Will Kill Facebook).
One good example of new uses of social media comes from IBM. They are establishing processes specifically for businesses to engage and maintain all of the potential of social media, without creepy aspects of Facebook (see How Your Creepy Ex-Co-Workers Will Kill Facebook).6
One of the facscinating aspects of social networking is that it was essentially part of the original idea for the World Wide Web as outlined by Tim Berners-Lee, or at least the continual updating of pages manifest in blogs for sharing information and linking ideas. However, Tim Berners-Lee did not have a blog until 2005. And he finally got all a-twitter in 2009. The concept behind blogs, originally keeping a list of interesting things on the web, has evolved way beyond that and now includes the concept of micro-blogging – short posts in 140 characters. There is an insane number of different services that you can use, some of which are listed in the prezi.
One of the facscinating aspects of social networking is that it was essentially part of the original idea for the World Wide Web as outlined by Tim Berners-Lee, or at least the continual updating of pages manifest in blogs for sharing information and linking ideas. However, Tim Berners-Lee did not have a blog until 2005. And he finally got all a-twitter in 2009. The concept behind blogs, originally keeping a list of interesting things on the web, has evolved way beyond that and now includes the concept of micro-blogging – short posts in 140 characters. There is an insane number of different services that you can use, some of which are listed in the prezi.8
Traditionally, information systems allow information to be maintained within an organisation and to communicate with other organisations in a particular environment. The image below (based on Gammack et al, 2007) displays the shift that is needed to think about the ways in which social media, in this case social bookmarking such as delicious, can facilitate similar sharing of information. In this way, we can see how social networking applications can be applied to the organisational setting. Whichever networking process is used, for example bookmarks, status updates, information blogs, it can be overlaid to determine the organisational value. As a further example, some universities use twitter to maintain current information about services (see QUT_Helpdesks).
Traditionally, information systems allow information to be maintained within an organisation and to communicate with other organisations in a particular environment. The image below (based on Gammack et al, 2007) displays the shift that is needed to think about the ways in which social media, in this case social bookmarking such as delicious, can facilitate similar sharing of information. In this way, we can see how social networking applications can be applied to the organisational setting. Whichever networking process is used, for example bookmarks, status updates, information blogs, it can be overlaid to determine the organisational value. As a further example, some universities use twitter to maintain current information about services (see QUT_Helpdesks).
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Social Networks tend to allow a more organic structure to evolve in an organisation. This means that connections can be made across departments giving a richer sharing environment where problems and information can be shared and potentially solved more quickly and easily.
Social Networks tend to allow a more organic structure to evolve in an organisation. This means that connections can be made across departments giving a richer sharing environment where problems and information can be shared and potentially solved more quickly and easily.11
In some ways, it facilitates knowledge management by individuals rather than an imposed system that may lose nuances of informational processes. The interactions between individuals within these networks blurs boundaries between teams as individuals are able to share information across team boundaries and even locational boundaries. Some of these issues are outlined in the video below (as well as being fun).
In some ways, it facilitates knowledge management by individuals rather than an imposed system that may lose nuances of informational processes. The interactions between individuals within these networks blurs boundaries between teams as individuals are able to share information across team boundaries and even locational boundaries. Some of these issues are outlined in the video below (as well as being fun).