Effects of Social Networks on Organizations - Essay Example

College Effects of Social Networks on Organizations Technology advances gained roots in the 20th century, following the design of the first super computers by scientists and engineers in the 1940s. What followed was that scientists were on a mission to find ways in which they facilitate networking between the created computers; this gave rise to the current internet platform (Goble). When social networking is mentioned, many people tend to think of Facebook, twitter among a myriad of other sites widely used today. However, the social media has a rich history that many are not aware. The social media dates back to 1969 when CompuServe, one of the major internet providers by then in the US used a technology known as dial-up to facilitate web connections (Goble). The dial-up technology was predominantly used in the 70s and 80s, until other more advanced technologies sprouted to replace the pioneer technology in social networking. The social media is mainly used to relate to an internet site that facilitates people to interact in sharing ideas and information. Such has to include sharing of photos, music, videos among other contents that enhance interaction between groups of people (Kimball and Rheingold 3). The first online communication inform of an email was sent in 1971, by the 1970s, technology had significantly improved to facilitate more networking and in 1979, the first newsletter that allowed users to communicate virtually was launched. In the 1980s, future developments gave rise to an increased use of home computers with social media growing by day to become more complex. This gave rise to the more robust Internet Relay charts, IRCs, which were first used in 1988 extending way into the 90s. However, the first site that resembled the current networking sites was used for the first time in 1997 under the name Six Degrees (Goble). For the first time, users were able to upload their profiles and request for friendships from other users. The first blogging site that created the frenzy that exists today was launched in 1999; the blog site gave way to the current social networking. The creation of the blog gave rise to renowned sites such as MySpace and LinkedIn, which gained much popularity in the 2000s, with Flickr and photo bucket facilitating users to share photos online. It was not until 2005 that YouTube revolutionized the social media and crated a much better and new way that facilitated social networking. By the end of 2006, Facebook and Twitter were unveiled across the globe opening a new chapter in social networking, as it exists today. In addition, some sites dedicated to particular niches such as Spotify, Tumblr and Pinterest sprouted around this time (complete history attached at the appendix). The growth of social media sites has taken the globe with a storm with the corporate world taking advantage of the huge traffic in social sites to market their services and interact with potential customers. Business has since shifted from boardrooms to new virtual rooms with advertising through ‘Word Of Mouth’, turning to advertising through ‘Word Of Mouse.’ Consequently, the use of these social networking sites has varied impacts on organizations and enterprises from different fronts. This article delves deep into the social networking sites and the ways in which they have affected organizations today. Relationship building One way in which social networks have greatly influenced business activities is in relationship building. Relationship building involves the ability of an organization to meet a wide range of internal and external customers, establishing strong bonds with such customers in encouraging them to do business with the organization. A study on the use of social networks by nonprofit organizations observed that social networking has played a critical role in simplifying interfaces and facilitating a simpler exchange method of dispersing information (Branston & Bush 2). Moreover, a study by Waters (63) noted that most organizations use social networks for dispersing information and not necessarily for interacting with online audiences. However, the study also observed that the failure to use such online platforms for interaction was due to poor design by some organizations, where they do not have an effective online presence; this makes them lose significantly from e-philanthropy (Branston & Bush 2). Consequently, most organizations have been failing to use the social networks as they are supposed to be, which makes them to fail from realizing the accrued benefits. For instance, a study on how nonprofit organizations use Facebook to disperse their missions found that many organizations were not effectively using all the necessary tools that would facilitate realization of social networking benefits (Branston & Bush 2). Most organizations were found to have a trend of presenting information on disclosure on their profile pages and neglected the aspect of disseminating information and involvement (Branston & Bush 2). All the same, Branston and Bush in a study on how non-governmental organizations may use social networks to raise donations found that good number respondents preferred to use social networking as a method to connect with non-governmental organizations. The study also reported that social networks were the ideal platforms for such organizations to engage both the old and young audiences in positive conversations that could lead to an increase in the level of donations made (Branston & Bush 3). An article that was published on the Chicago Tribune reported that social networks do not only facilitate non-profit making organizations to raise more donations, but facilitate more interactions and deeper engagement with the audiences. Consequently, more non-government organizations have shifted to using social networks for marshaling donations with a good degree of success in the responses obtained. Moreover, the use of social networks by non-governmental organizations was found to have a better effect than just raising money. Research has found that Generation Y is more inclined towards activism, which is above collecting money. As a result, organizations that effectively utilized social networks to connect with this generation managed to identify the differences associated with this generation, which is the majority around the globe, resulting in changes that were much bigger and more helpful than collecting money (Walker). Consequently, through public relations building organizations when properly using social networks can influence the required changes to the public, while having an easy and more effective way of interacting with all the targeted audience. Connecting across boundaries Apparently, the most important use of social networks is in connecting. People across the globe are distributed across space and time with the only effective platform of bringing all these people together being an internet platform that observes and respects such differences. It follows that within an organization; the possibility of having an effective social network would not only connect people, but also would promote the organization’s collective knowledge and promote the ability of the company to act on what people know towards achieving effectiveness (Kimball and Rheingold 1). Organizations in one way or another have to formulate and create opportunities for the staff to connect through off-site meetings and other communications that facilitate sharing of ideas. However, these meetings were relatively short to achieve any level of effectiveness. It was not until the advent of technology that organizations managed to support such connections and networks within an organization over elongated durations (Kimball and Rheingold 2). Waiting for the next face-to face meeting in an organizations meant that opportunities could be lost along the way or a problem could degenerate. Today, through such social networks, all the affected parties can effectively initiate a dialogue in real time towards finding a solution or addressing a particular issue before it is too late. In most cases, for effective communication to surface, there has to be a ‘push vs. a pull’ in ensuring that no one misses an important indicator in an organization. Previously, information in organizations used to be pinned in static notice boards and the management believed that all the concerned parties were notified of such information. This was a method based on assumptions and with a relatively lower degree of effectiveness; not all were concerned with visiting notice boards. However, with social networks, any key indicator in an organization is relayed through such social networks that convene people in real time in the entire organization to inform them about the developments. This has a high degree of effectiveness and people can go an extra mile to discuss such developments with one another and with the management. Such approach is more useful in distributed organizations, where it has to take time for information to be conveyed in every department of the organizations located in different places. Effective and reliable advertising Organizations through social networks are faced with the cheapest and the most reliable method of advertising and creating awareness about their new or existing products in the market (Boyd and Ellison 211). With the rapid technological advancement in the market today, most people have hand held technological gadgets. As a result, large populations of people are online for many hours each day, offering organizations the right platform to source for market. For instance, a study in Australia revealed that 90% of Australians between 16 and 29 years are online daily, spending an average of 22 hours per week compared to any other age group (Ewing & Julian 2). Moreover, 67% of all households have internet access with 97% owning a mobile phone of which 64% are internet enabled. Most of the respondents revealed that they used most of their time online in social network sharing photos, music joining and charting with groups among others. Though blogs have for long time being the leading online activities among this age group, such blogs are losing popularity to micro blogging sites such as Facebook and Twitter, which can be effectively accessed through mobile phones. With such huge population hooked to social networks, organizations have to shift their advertising approach by linking their sites to social networks, aiming to lead such huge traffic to their sites. The effectiveness of this approach is that among the heavy traffic in social networks, some will take time to review the products of an organization despite their intention being to interact with others, creating an easy, effective and reliable way through which organizations can advertise their products and get unlimited traffic to their websites. Facilitating learning Social networks have improved learning within many organizations leading to a more informed and technically savvy workforce that is able to handle different tasks at varied levels of complexity. Studies in e-learning have indicated that the use of Social networking sites (SNS) allow learners to extend their learning process outside the formal classroom (Ewing & Julian 4). The effect of this is deeper learning as people engage with learning materials for longer and relate to such material in their daily activities. It follows that most internet savvy employees in an organizations can regularly access information at the workplace through their hand held devices, which would facilitate them to apply the learned concepts into their practical assignments (Huffstutler, Wyatt and Wright 273). Considering such benefits, organizations that promote digital literacy and facilitate access to such platforms would maximize the benefits obtained from social networks. Consequently, workers within organizations would be in a position to explain themselves when in social or cultural dilemmas or in cases where communication barriers exist (Blanchard, Metcalf and Burns 32). Social networking sites promote informal learning in organizations by facilitating peer-to-peer sharing of knowledge and skills, enhancing collaboration, and facilitating varied cultural expressions, facilitating skills that are valued in today’s workplace and permitting a more empowered citizenship concept (Jenkins 3). The high levels of personalization and agency involved in social networking allows people who struggled in traditional learning settings to catch up with the rest, eliminating the feeling of being left out by the rest in sharing commonalities associated with modernity and urban settings. The effect of this is improved bonding in the organization by ensuring all employees communicate and integrate at the same level. In most cases, organizations are supposed to indulge creative contents in producing advertisement and other graphics that have to be presented to certain platforms. Studies have shown that such may be adequately met as organizations facilitate more access to social networking among its employees, which engages the young workers through new avenues of learning (Notley 1220). In addition to learning, social networks can actually facilitate and support innovations in an organization towards improved performance. Currently, young people continue to create groups that help in connecting individuals with the same interests, furthering existing campaigns and sharing information about their individual projects, innovations and other ideas (Harris 488). Social networks offer the platform to express themselves in unique ways in what may be considered as “writing themselves into being” (Harris 489). It follows that such sharing of ideas, innovations and knowledge among people of the same interests helps others to boost their skills and knowledge. Groups started by employed youth to share ideas and to communicate with one another would actually support the member youths in boosting their ideas, knowledge and skills. Therefore, in addition to formal learning and skills acquired by employees in an organization, exchanging ideas in groups of the same interests has proved critical in improving employees’ skills. In sharing ideas about innovations, the group members may help a member to structure and configure their ideas to formulate an innovation that would help an organization. For instance, the New York University has many colleges in different areas within the city. However, though there were groups of staffs and students formed and having members across these colleges, there was a problem in that though most members of these groups had wealth of information, sharing such wealth was a challenge and forming the right relationships was difficult (Kimball & Rheingold 7). However, with the use of social networking, such challenges were solved with members having a new way to link in real time despite the distances involved. Such relationships have resulted in numerous innovations and research work by students and staff from these colleges. However, despite organization having ripped huge benefits in using social media networks, there are some risks that are associated with social networking sites that affect organizations negatively, and which may have grave consequences. Lack of control of damaging information An organization may suffer irreparable damage from comments posted and distributed through social network sites by employees (Pickard 68). For instance, there are cases where aggrieved employees form groups to air their grievances about an employer or their clients. Such groups may spread negative information about an employer like wild fire even to prospective customers discouraging them from doing business with the company. Despite the matter being verified or unverified, the case may have a detrimental effect to the company, as the employer has no control in the information being disseminated. Moreover, organizations suffer damages from activities of the hosting social networking without prior knowledge. For instance, MySpace was the love of all organizations in the early 2000s with numerous organizations advertising their products through the social network. However, the social site was linked with allegations of children abuse where the site allowed under age children to access explicit materials and even advertised some products in pages of users that displayed pornographic materials. The result was a mass withdrawal of organizations from advertising with MySpace after denting their reputation, which partly led to the collapse of the company a few years later. Risk of malware One of the biggest threats in social networks is damage of systems in organizations by malware that are spread through social sites (Pickard 68). Numerous cases have been reported where organization’s servers were infected by malware, which may cause damage or spy on the activities of the organization. Some employees do not have the prior knowledge or are ignorant in opening suspicious links that are spread through social networks, with such malware getting into the organization’s system. Such cases result in damaged infrastructure or theft of crucial data from the organization, all with detrimental effects to the organization. Reduced productivity Another major challenge that faces organizations in social networking is reduced productivity by employees. Some employees may spend most of their times chatting and doing other activities in social networks. Some employees are addicted to social sites in that the group euphoria that requires constant updating of status and chatting with friends has taken precedence over their work (Treem & Reaonardi 175). In some cases, organizations have been forced to restrict the use of social media to some hours or even banning all social sites from being used in the organization. However, it becomes difficult to control such employees as most of them use their private hand held devices such as smartphone to access social sites. This prevents organizations from reaping the benefits social networks in that employees spend too much time that could have been spent in productive activities in social sites. In some organizations, managers are forced to undertake strict surveillance in nabbing workers with such trends in encouraging employees to spend their time on more productive activities (Treem & Reaonardi 179). Therefore, the social media has created a frenzy that has prevented people from undertaking careful personal management between keeping in touch with friends and contributing positively to organizations. This leads to reduced performance especially among the young people. Despite helping people to think collectively for the sake of an organization, such trends become counterproductive and affect organizational performance (Treem & Reaonardi 147). Lack of organizational secrets Social networks have led organizations to lose critical information to their rivals, thereby watering down their competitive advantage in the market (Pickard 69). Social networks are open for everyone, with communities of similar interests groups becoming a norm among most users. Such groups especially of employees working in a particular organization are mainly for sharing issues about their work and other information rated to their workplace. In such platforms, some people disclose secrets that compromise the organization’s efforts to compete with its rivals. For instance, people discussing about new developments and policies within an organization reveal too much information in such social sites. With numerous organizations predating for information about their competitors, such discussions become useful in revealing the strategies that an organization is taking towards development. The result is that most of such information falls in the wrong hands, which sensitizes competitors to develop strategies to counter attack such developments. Therefore, the lack of secrecy and lack of discretion among many employees has compromised organizations where information is shared and taken by rivals without the knowledge of the organization. Moreover, rivals who spread the information widely compromising the status of the affected organization or its persons may use any negative connotation about an organization when shared among a group in social networks. Clients do not like to be associated with negative connotations about any organization and such negative information may discourage some from doing business with the company. Social networking facilitates communication across both space and time bringing together organizations and customers. With technological developments, most people have easier access to internet services through smartphone or personal computers, with majority using social networks for chatting, sending pictures, music among other uses. Consequently, organizations have shifted to use these sites due to major benefits that come along such massive sharing of information and huge traffic flows. Some of these benefits include sharing of knowledge that may lead to better performance, enhancing connectivity across the globe with clients and with other working teams, facilitating real time relaying of information, and as a platform to facilitate advertising. However, there are some challenges that an organization has to face in using social networks. These include lack of secrecy, risk of detrimental information getting to the wrong hands, and the possibility of some employees over using social networks at the expense of their duties. However, it is recommended that due to the immense benefits that may be obtained from social networks organizations have to put in place measures to deal with the challenges that may result from the use of social networks by encouraging and promoting responsibility among employees in using social sites positively. With such preparations, organizations stand to benefit greatly from using social networking services as interactive and marketing tools. 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