The Network Society - Coursework Example

THE NETWORK SOCIETY Introduction A society refers to the structures within which people live in. It is comprised of the taboos, beliefs, practices, norms, culture and religious beliefs of the people living in it. The society is made up of people who speak different languages and who use a wide variety of symbols for communication. Today, technology has enabled people to relate and work in a more effective way as compared to the traditional societies. This is through the use of mobile phones and the computer. Various social sites have been invented to ease communication for people across the globe. These sites include Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook and Viber. This has led to the creation of a network society. This case study is meant to understand the creation, functioning and effects of the network society. It takes an in depth look at the current information age; which is believed to be the source of the network society. There are various social theories that have been brought by social theorists to explain the effects of a network society to the modern world. The case study further explains the structures that have been impacted by the networking of the society. Further, the case study explains various examples of the real world on the effects of networking around the world. The Network Society The network society is largely characterized by the modern informational age (Castells, 2000 pg, 64). A network society simply refers to the interaction of social, economic and political aspects in different societies across the globe. The network society is accredited to social scientists such as Georg Simmel, who evaluated the effects of modernization and industrialization on production, experience and affiliations. At large, the network society comprises of aspects such as IT, political affiliations, social relations, economic activities, religious beliefs and exchange of cultures. The network society is comprised of new information technology with rapid use of the internet in almost every activity that modern man is involved in today. The network society is characterized by a connected globe socially, politically and economically hence creating a global village for better living. How has the Network Society changed the ways in which we work and interact? The network society plays a major role in how the society operates today. When it comes to working, many people are able to earn a living without necessarily leaving the comfort of their homes. Telecommuting has become a common thing today with some people building offices inside their houses. With the use of computers, most businesses and individuals today sell their products online. It is also much easier and faster to carry out business financial transactions through E-banking. Work related data is also stored on computers and mobile phone making it easier for someone to continue with their duties wherever one is. Technology has brought forth various social sites that have enabled easier communication for people across the globe (Barney, 2004, pg 32). Today, an individual in Africa can communicate with a friend or relative in the Asian parts of the world. However, a networked society has led to the decrease of personal relations among people. It is almost impossible for people to talk on a face to face basis today. Most of us today believe in the use of messaging or e-mailing services to communicate to someone who is actually within our reach. It is also considered much cheaper to call, text or e-mail someone instead of travelling to communicate the intended message. A case study of this technological move is as presented in Indonesia, Jakarta. Previously, the cost of accessing the internet was very high in the city. As a solution to this problem, the government took up the responsibility to provide free WI-FI in several public areas. This was in attempt to encourage economic growth through e-business and telecommuting. The government aimed at reducing the time that people spend as they move from one place to another and traffic congestion. The project has targeted public parks and bus stops that are easily accessible by most people. This has enabled easier access to the internet and many people are today able to conduct their businesses even from their phones. Communication is also easier as any person with a WI-FI enabled phone will send interact with his friends on various social platforms Top of Form(Yang & Bergrud, 2008, pg 70). Plans are underway to ensure that all parts of Jakarta have access to free WI-FI by the next 5 years. Characteristics of Generation Y Generation Y is a term that is used to refer to the people born in the 1980s, are in their late 20s and are mostly in the job searching bracket. Research indicates that the generation Y population forms the largest part of the world population today. This generation is characterized by reliance on technology and the internet to perform most of the tasks; including work related and social activities. They are the people who cannot live without electronic gadgets such as laptops, blackberries, IPhones and any internet enabled gadget. Generation Y craves for attention and will in most cases take part in activities that will lead to their recognition. They value teamwork and are committed to getting things done as desired by the group. Generation Y is ambitious, confident and achievement oriented. They set goals and work towards achieving these goals. They are also family oriented and place family matters ahead of other issues (Sheahan, 2006, pg 77). Effects of Generation Y on Friendship and Community today Generation Y has had a lot of impacts on various social institutions. The fact that these people are goal oriented means that they will put all the necessary effort to their work to get things done. They are able to retain friendships due to the desire to work with the people around them. Their constant of the internet and internet enabled gadgets ensures that they are in constant communication with their friends. It is also much easier for them to share pictures, videos and messages across various social platforms. The use of the internet has brought people closer and the community is in more contact than it was before. People have become more work oriented as they aim to better their lives while at the same time maintaining close social ties. A case study of generation Y will involve taking a look at some companies that have hired or interacted directly with people who are in this generation (Noor al-Deen & Hendricks, 2012, pg 79). Apple, for instance, has been noted to engage with generation Y due to the simplicity of its products. In any Apple outlet, majority of the workers are below the age of 30. The main reason for this is the fact that this generation aims at achieving more; a desire that Apple utilizes in all its outlets. Nike’s tagline “Just Do It” serves as an inspiration for the young people to do whatever it is that they want to achieve in their lives. The Southwest Airlines focuses more on fun, as is the generation Y. All these companies have proven that the generation Y is a whole new population that is meant to bring forth major changes in the world today. The Use of Media Technologies and Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Economic Development today Most countries today have adapted the use of technology to enhance economic development. This has involved detailed changes in major economic sectors. The main reason for adapting technology is the fact that it makes work easier and much quicker. Most economic activities have been digitized in most companies; ranging from the transport sector to the health sector. Various economic sectors have been converged to one big pool for the benefit of most companies. The process of digitalizing the economic sector is quite costly and a big challenge to most developing countries. To overcome this, they have turned to taking up loans from developed countries so that they can support their digitalization process. In Jakarta, children form underprivileged countries are given smart cards which enable them to cover their school expenses. The smart card is paid for by the government (Sweeney & Craig, 2011, pg 21). By integrating their financial system, the government has ensured that all children attend school on a regular basis. This sees to it that all the population is equipped with economic development related skills and knowledge. China has also integrated its financial system to enhance banking systems. Local bankers as well as foreigner bankers are able to access banking services form various countries across the globe due to the financial systems that the Chinese government has introduced. Most businesses across the globe have introduced e-commerce services for the sale of their services. The companies that have introduced this aspect of marketing are able to generate more foreign currency for their respective countries leading to high economic development. Social media in the Mass Broadcasting Model Social media comprises of various sites such as twitter, instagram, whatsapp, facebook and badoo. Today, these are the platforms that many businesses have taken to advertise, market and sell their products. People have openly accepted the use of social media as business platforms and have come to embrace and buy any product that catches their eye while they use these sites. Producers have also rapidly turned to use these sites given that they are much cheaper to advertise in compared to traditional methods such as billboards and posters. Given that many people today have 24/7 access to social media sites via their phones or computers, the promotional ads on the sites are viewed by a large number of people. In most cases, the companies offer free delivery services which serves as an additional attraction to people who do not want to go around shopping. Tesco retail shops are one perfect example of companies that have chosen to use social media sites to sell their products. The company has taken up to putting ads on Facebook as well as on their twitter account. The people who have followed the official account or liked their page on Facebook are able to view these ads with ease. Tesco ensures that all advertised products have their prices listed alongside their description. The branches offering the product are also named accordingly. Delivery for such products is made within a certain perimeter around the said branch. This form of business has been approved by the management of Tesco and most of their clients have embraced it as it brings shopping much closer to their doorstep. The use of Search Engines in the Network Society The most common search engine today is Google. Many people claim that Google has all the answers to any question that is asked. Traditionally, people would refer to books and encyclopedias whenever they wanted to find out something. One would also inquire from people who are more educated about the issue at hand. One would have to write down so many notes before finally coming down to a conclusion on the information that he needed. With modern search engines, one is able to get more information from various sources and come to a more informative conclusion. Google brings together various sources of information under one website. One will find books, journals and other sources of information that was written years ago on Google as long as he types the relevant words. One major advantage of Google is that it is fast and easy to use. It brings out a whole new perspective on the search for knowledge as compared to traditional methods. Modern search engines are advantageous in that they avail a wide variety of information from different sources for the user to choose which is more relevant for his case. They are however, associated with the modern laziness for people to find a book to read. The notion that an answer to any question is at the tip of one’s hand is more alluring than opening up large volumes of books with absolutely no clue on which page to open first. The Use of Social Media in Marketing The social media platform is widely used today by most producers to market and sell their products. Over the years, the notion of social media marketing has been associated to exploitation and co-creation as all businesses are out there to make profits. Co-creation refers to the mechanisms used by producers to reduce the distance between production time and consumption time (Zarrella, 2010, pg. 62). Co-creation results to exploitation of consumer labor and reduced consumer behavior. Through co-creation, consumers become members of a company’s production process as they are given a chance to interact directly with the company. The consumers are exploited in that they are free to engage innovatively with the company but they have to adhere to the rules set by the company. The company then benefits from the information that a consumer has to offer while the consumer only enjoys virtual membership to the company. A case study of such co-creation and exploitation is as brought forth by Wikipedia. Most documents that are generated online by Wikipedia are actually editable without having to download the. Users are at liberty of adding any form of information that they deem fit in the generated answer to what they had earlier asked. Wikipedia benefits from this as the document still remains copyrighted by the website. A person who edits such document has no legal claim to it even after he has used his labor to benefit the company. You tube also allows people to upload and share as many videos as they possibly can. The person doing so might not even perceive that they have just been exploited while you tube has benefitted by a dollar or more. Social Media and the Notions of Surveillance and Gaze Computerization has made it easier for people to survey on one another irrespective of the distance between them. Many computers today have the webcam through which people are able to connect through Skype and other social networks that are video enabled. Most social sites involve the use of pictures to let people know who you are (Trottier, 2012, pg 82). These pictures are in most cases used as profile pictures while others are just uploaded to inform one’s friends what one is up to. The use of webcam for instance allows the surveillance of an individual’s private life. The pictures uploaded on social sites can be downloaded by other persons and used inappropriately. The picture could for instance be used in photo shopping or on pornographic websites. Use of the Social Media on the Political and Social arenas Many people today engage though social media on any topic that they wish to discuss. Topics of discussion range from economic, personal, social to airing of one’s political views. The social media offers a large platform for people to freely air their views without fear of arrest or any associated legal drama. Most discussions on social media are however not regulated or based on any organizational behavior. Most governments have taken up the trend to involve its citizens in the daily country operations through the use of social media sites. The Buenos Aires Open government is one case study for this application (Yang, 2008, ph 52). This government was developed to ensure transparency and increase collaboration between the government and the citizens of the state. It allows for open dialog among the citizens on the best way forward for their nation. For more effectiveness, the government also established the Buenos Aires Data portal which promotes easier access to the available information on governing issues. In some instances, this form of interaction will spiral down hatred for the various governed regions. The less developed regions will always be in conflict with the developed regions and this might fire up once there are open discussions on development. Some issues discussed on social media sites might also be a violation of the law. For instance, the Florida Elections Commission (FEC) at one time disputed the airing of mayoral ads on Google and Facebook claiming that they did not include a disclaimer. It was decided that if any campaigns were to be done on social media sites, then a disclaimer would be required so as to identify any buyers of the same. Concepts Private and Public on the Social Media Landscape Most social media sites do not offer any form of privacy to their users. Privacy is a concept that is hardly recognized by people today. Most people are willing to do almost anything to catch the attention of those around them. On the social media platform, the question of what is privet or public does not apply. It is not surprising to see pictures of seminude women on social sites as they try to get a few “likes” on their accounts. Lack of privacy on the side of the user will leave him/her vulnerable to various evils. It is important that one does not give their physical address to strangers whom they have just met on a social site. It is always better to be well equipped while physically meeting someone you have all the while known through virtual means. Law enforcement agencies have received many claims of robber, rape, molestation, kidnap and murder from people who chose to make virtual relationships real. Conclusion The network society can be looked at from different angles, depending on the kind of information that one wants. From a social view, one can tell how a networked society has impacted the way in which we relate to ourselves and to those around us. On an economic view, we can grasp how countries have benefitted from the world becoming more of a single village due to technological advancements. On the political side, we learn how various governments are able to run their countries via direct participation with the citizens. The assignment also looks at the negative effects of the network society on all spheres of human life. With relevant case studies, we have been able to understand how a networked society operates, it effects and how the people have reacted to the various networking strategies adapted this far. References CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. Top of Form YANG, K., & BERGRUD, E. (2008). Civic engagement in a network society. Charlotte, N.C., IAP, Information Age Pub. Bottom of Form Top of Form GIBSON, D. V., HEITOR, M. V., & IBARRA YUNEZ, A. (2005). Learning and knowledge for the network society. West Lafayette, Ind, Purdue University Press. Bottom of Form Top of Form SHEAHAN, P. (2006). Generation Y Surviving with Generation Y at Work. Prahran, Hardie Grant Books. http://public.eblib.com/EBLPublic/PublicView.do?ptiID=699155 Bottom of Form Top of Form BARNEY, D. (2004). The network society. Cambridge, UK [u.a.], Polity. Bottom of Form Top of Form ZARRELLA, D. (2010). The social media marketing book. Beijing, OReilly. http://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/9780596806576. Bottom of Form Top of Form NOOR AL-DEEN, H. S., & HENDRICKS, J. A. (2012). Social media: usage and impact. Lanham, Md, Lexington Books. Bottom of Form Top of Form GURTEEN, D. (2012). Leading issues in social knowledge management. Reading, United Kingdom, Academic Publishing International. Bottom of Form Top of Form SWEENEY, S., & CRAIG, R. (2011). Social media for business 101 ways to grow your business without wasting your time. Gulf Breeze, FL, Maximum Press. http://public.eblib.com/EBLPublic/PublicView.do?ptiID=564889. Bottom of Form Top of Form CHARALABIDIS, Y., & KOUSSOURIS, S. (2012). Empowering open and collaborative governance technologies and methods for online citizen engagement in public policy making. Berlin, Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27219-6. Top of Form TROTTIER, D. (2012). Social media as surveillance: rethinking visibility in a converging world. Farnham, Surrey, England, Ashgate. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. CASTELLS, M. (2000). The rise of the network society: rise of the network society. Oxford, Blackwell. Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com. Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com Bell, Tom. (2006) The Millennial Student. Commerce Bulletin. Retrieved on 11/7/2006 from http://www.blackboard.com Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More