Application of Social Technology in Organizations - Case Study Example

Communication Technologies and Changes Name: Course: Tutor: Institution: Date: Introduction The global market is growing increasingly competitive with the increased rise of the multinational organisations. I this regard, the increased unsustainability of the tangible organizational assets have led to the need for the development of alternative intangible assets competitive edges that are increasingly sustainable in the market. One such approach is the application f social technology assemblages’ application. Through the application of these technology features, the market has developed and evolved to increase sharing and interactions of information flow both formal and informal between stakeholders in the market (Kiggundu and Uruthirapathy, 2010, p.291). This essay evaluates the concept of assemblages’ development and application of social technology in organisations. In order to offer a practical evaluation and illustration of the concepts application, the essay adopts the Cisco case study a global leader in IT products and services consultancy. Impacts of Technology on Organizations Technology application in organizations has boasted the overall organizational performance in the market. Torkzadeh and Gemoets (1999, p.7) in an early focus of the USA and Mexico organisations evaluated the applications of technology implications on organisations. In this regard, the evaluation study sought to evaluate the extent and nature to which technology application led to increased operations efficiency and overall performance success. In its application, the evaluation established that with increased organizational technology application, the overall efficiency levels were improved across the market. Therefore, a cost benefit analysis on the application and incorporation of technology on organizational operations has a high positive ratio demonstrating its rationale. A further analysis by Bélanger and Watson-Manheim (2006, p.311) on the rationale for the application of assemblages as a technology development aspect in organisations demonstrated an increased application justification. In this regard, the evaluation established that through the assemblages’ application and incorporation there was increased information flow efficiency. As such, the evaluation established that assemblages increased communication flow as well as enhancing overall operations efficiency. Thus, the study argued on the need and merit foe the application of technology and assemblage in organizational operations. One of the strategic merits of assemblages is on information sharing in the organization. Among the common technology assemblages applications is the screen sharing and broadcasting applications. The application of these practices in an organization enables the passing and sharing of real time data and information in an organization. As such, Goggin (2009, p. 145) n an evaluation of the implications of mobile phones as an assemblage in organizational cultures established that this ensures increased coordination and correlation between respective different organizational functions. In this regard, it ensures information availability for decision making. A major traditional challenge in the market was the development of informed rational bound decisions due to information deficiencies. However, with assemblages’ application in organizational operations this challenge has been significantly overcome through efficient real time information sharing and analysis to facilitate informed decision making across organizational organisations. An evaluation of the Cisco Company operations can attests to this assertion on the relevance of technology and assemblages application in organisations. As a leading global IT services consultancy organization he organization has in itself applied an increased organizational systems integration approach. In this regard, the Cisco Corporation has over the years integrated all its operations across the global subsidiaries and franchises. Through the increased integration and the use of information technology tools such as broadcasting, the organization has developed a global reputation and reference in the IT industry. In this case, it has enhanced increased services standardization allowing for increased international reputation and perception in the market (Hill and Jones, 2012, p.494). Thus, this evaluation develops the conclusion that the application of information technology and assemblages is an imperative approach that has revolutionized the global organisations and increased their overall market sustainability and performance rates through increased efficiency in operations as well as the stimulation of a proper and relevant decision making process. Employees’ Response to Technology Application The application of assemblage of social technology in organizational operations has not only enhanced increased overall organizational operations performance success, but also increased the overall employee motivation and stimulation to productivity in their respective functions. Rahman, Mondol and Ali (2013, p.51) conducted a study on the concept of employee motivation. In this regard, the evaluation evaluated the forces and factors leading to employee motivation in organisations a virtue imperative and directly related to their increased productivity in the long run. In its analysis, the study listed career development opportunities and work team social integrations as key among the driving forces. Therefore, in order to motivate organizational employees the evaluation argued that organisations should apply and execute strategies and systems that tough upon the listed key factors. Consequently, Suchman, Trigg and Blomberg (2002, p.165) developed a study evaluating the link between employee motivation and productivity with technology application through an assemblage prototype research. In this case, the evaluation aimed at evaluating if technology had any motivational effect o employees performance. In its analysis, the evaluation evidenced empirically that indeed technology application had a major implication on boasting employee motivation as well as their relative productivity in organisations. This led to the assertion that technology application has a direct implication in enhancing employee motivation and productivity in the market. The application of technology to boast overall employees’ motivation can be evidenced in the case of increased social sharing among organizational employees. In this regard, the virtual social sharing platforms allows for increased interactions between employee and the subsequent development of informal relationships and associations within an organizational workforce. One of the key driving factors and a sustainable edge in organizational operations is the development of a strong organizational culture that characterizes the approach and practices through which employees conduct their mandate. In this case, an evaluation developed by Kang and Cuff (2005, p.105) in an evaluation of digital technology application on the public sphere established a strong relationship between organizational employees interactions and the development o strong cultures. Therefore, through assemblages of social media technology development of informal employees associations there is the ultimate development of organizational cultures that serve as a critical approach towards the development of a sustainable competitive edge for organisations in the global market platform. This argument can be evidenced through an evaluation of the effects of Cisco Company integration of activities and services that were initially unavailable to employees in various subsidiaries. In this regard, the organization increased its overall services value proposition through the creation of a standard employee’s platform for its entire workforce. As such, the organizational employees through their perceived equality in the organizational operations developed an increased positive attitude that led to the emergence and the development of the current organizational innovation and expertise efficiency culture across the globe (Stanford, 2013, p.165). As such, this evaluation essay establishes that through increased assemblages application in organisations there is increased employee interactions as well as development of strong organizational cultures that serve as key sustainable competitive edges in the market. Conflict Resolution One of the main merits of technology application is the facilitation of conflict resolutions in organisations. Traditionally, industrial conflicts were a common global phenomenon in a variety of organisations in the market. In this regard, there were often regular disagreements between organizational managements and the employee workforce. However, the occurrence of industrial unrests and escalated conflicts has been substantially reduced in the recent past. Wiegandt (2000, p.7) conducted a study evaluating the cause of the recent industrial conflicts decline in a case study of the German market. In this case, the study evaluated the causes for the reduced conflicts and the approaches to further mitigate the challenge into the future. In its analysis, the study established that increased communication flow between the management amongst the employees served as the key reason for reduced conflicts in the industrial market. In this case, the study argued that the increased informal setting through the social technology platforms has increased the overall employee sharing and contributions in airing their grievances (Bhattacharyya, 2010, p.338). Through the social technology platforms and the respective informal groups established in organisations provide informal forums through which the employees can air and raise their grievances on the organizational management and operations. In this regard, the HR functions in organisations are involved in the evaluation of the informally raised issues and formally addressing them. Therefore, through the application of the social technology assemblages, organizational HR functions are able to proactively respond to employee needs thus ensuring their increased satisfaction and commitment and retention in the respective organisations (Slack and Wise, 2005, p.129). The proactive approach to addressing and countering employee needs can be classified as an employee value proposition enhancement. This can be evidenced in the case of the Cisco Company. In its operations, the organization has developed a strong HR function that reviews and executes employee welfare programs in the market. As such, the organization has successfully enhanced the alignment of the employees needs with the organizational objectives. Through the development of this alignment status, the organization has increased employee commitment at its operation and the achievement of its strategic goals and objectives. As such, this evaluation develops a conclusion that through increased assemblages of social technology application in organization has gradually led to the alignment of employee and organizational objectives through increased communication and information flow through both the formal and informal mediums that has reduced industrial conflicts a virtue expected to advance and project into the future. Emerging Trends with Assemblage Application The combination information technology is gradually developing in the market. As already evidenced in the essay analysis, it is apparent that the developments have led to increased performance and efficiency on the global market. Nevertheless, there are a series of emerging trends in the application of the concept that pose significant operational and execution challenges of assemblages on social technology in organizations. Iyanda and Ojo (2008, p.313) conducted a study evaluating the challenges and issues facing IT application in organizations in the global market a case study of Botswana organisations. One of the listed challenges is increased privacy infringement. In this regard, the evaluation established that through increased technology application and the emergence of aspects such as hacking, individual and organizational information privacy was at stake. On one hand, through the provided informal media setup it has increased instances of posting confidential organizational information online that exposes such ventures. Moreover, increased unauthorized access increases the instances of individual privacy violation and breach of confidentiality in the market. Therefore, this has in the recent past posed a significant operational challenge of ICT and assemblages of social technology in organizations. In order to overcome, this challenge, Gooch, Hubbard, Moore and Hill (2001, p.89) recommended that organisations should consider the alternative of developing secure operational systems to safeguard their operational systems in ICT application. This argument can be evidenced in the case study of Cisco. In the acknowledgement of challenges posed by unauthorized data access both internal and external in an organization, the organization developed mitigation approaches. On one hand, the organization established internal information access control system. In this regard, the organization applies the medium access control (MAC) system (Kuntz, Montavont and Noël, 2013, p.2439). Through this strategic approach, individual employees’ access to the system is restricted to ensure that personal and private information is only available and accessed by the authorized personnel in the organization. In addition, in a measure to regulate and control against unauthorized external access to the organizational ICT systems through the creation and establishment of a firm and strong data firewall. Therefore, in this regard, information shared between the organizational employees in various functions is only accessible to those with internal employee authorization. As such, this ensures that external threats such as competitors cannot rely on access on such information to develop strategies to compete with the organizational operations. Thus, this evaluation establishes that despite the emerging trends and challenges, the assemblages remain a vital operational component to organizational market success. Conclusion In summary, the essay develops a critical evaluation on the aspect of ICT application in organizational operations. In this regard, the essay offers a specific focus on the application of assemblages of social technology in organisations. As such, it evaluates on three critical implication areas namely organizational performance, employee motivation, industrial operations and conflicts. Moreover, the evaluation develops a forecast of the trends and future expected changes on ICT application in organisations. In summation, the evaluation establishes that indeed the establishment of assemblages in organisations increase their overall performances, increase employee motivation as well as aligning their needs with those of the organisations to reduce the overall industrial conflicts occurrences. Further, the evaluation establishes that emerging issue in such application is the breach of confidentiality and individual privacy through unauthorized access. Nevertheless, through Cisco Company case study the essay establishes that the challenges can be overcome and thus rationalizing and supporting the application of assemblages in organizational operations into the future. References Bélanger, F. & Watson-Manheim, M. 2006, "Virtual Teams and Multiple Media: Structuring Media Use to Attain Strategic Goals", Group Decision and Negotiation, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 299-321. Bhattacharyya, D. K., 2010, Cross-cultural management: Texts and cases. New Delhi: PHI Learning Limited. Goggin, G., 2009, Assembling media culture. Journal of Cultural Economy, vol 2, no. 2, pp.143-160. Gooch, D.J., Hubbard, S.D., Moore, M.W. & Hill, J. 2001, "Firewalls -- Evolve or Die", BT Technology Journal, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 89. Hill, C. W. L., & Jones, G. R., 2012, Strategic Management, Cengage Learning, London. Iyanda, O. & Ojo, S.O. 2008, "Motivation, influences, and perceived effect of ICT adoption in Botswana organizations", International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 311-322. Kang, J. and Cuff, D. 2005, Pervasive computing: Embedding the public sphere. Wash. \& Lee L. Rev., 62, pp.93-114 Kiggundu, M.N. & Uruthirapathy, A. 2010, "Canada's global and business competitiveness: competition policy reform in a changing world", Competitiveness Review, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 288-304 Kuntz, R., Montavont, J. & Noël, T. 2013, "Improving the medium access in highly mobile Wireless Sensor Networks", Telecommunication Systems, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 2437-2458. Rahman, M., Mondol, D.K. & Ali, A. 2013, "Nexus Of Employee Motivation With HRM and Workplace Behaviour: An Assessment Of The Dominant Factors", Management Research and Practice, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 49-57. Slack, D. and Wise, M., 2005, Technology as Articulation” & “Technology as Assemblage. 1st ed. New York: Peter Lang, pp.127-135 Stanford, N., 2013, corporate culture: Getting it right, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J Suchman, L., Trigg, R. and Blomberg, J., 2002, Working artifacts: ethnomethods of the prototype. The British journal of sociology, vol 53, no. 2, pp.163--179. Torkzadeh, R. & Gemoets, L.A. 1999, "Utilization and impacts of information technology application on end-users in U.S. and Mexico", The Journal of Computer Information Systems, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 6-14. Wiegandt, C., 2000, "Urban development in Germany - perspectives for the future", GeoJournal, vol. 50, no. 1, pp. 5-15. Read More