Knowledge Management, Social Networks and Innovation - Twitter - Assignment Example

Introduction The invention of social networks like twitter, facebook, tagged, linkedin, you tube among others has made it possible to interact at very high levels over long distances. By providing flat forms for people to discuss and share information, the use of social networking has increased in diverse fields by professional organizations, commercial institutions and individuals to monitor and improve their products and services. Using such networks like facebook and twitter for instance, it is possible to engage your customers, fellow technicians, industry players and people of all walks of life into discussions aimed at evaluating products or decisions concerning their efficiency, preference, suggestions for improvements and limitations among other attributes (Comm, 2010:12). In fact, many thriving businesses around the world have online presence through which they can engage in direct conversation with their customers, helping them to improve on their products and market them as well. Social networking Many people are of the opinion that social networking has completely worked to improve creativity and innovation, by creating a forum through which different parties can share knowledge and offer insights into improvements quality management in commercial organizations. Many companies operate facebook and twitter accounts through which they post updates and discussion topics. By collecting all comments and postings by their followers, they use data acquired to form part of their research findings on that particular subject, which serves as an indicator of the general view held by the public even before they go out for direct field research (Comm, 2009: 73). Knowledge management Whereas information management is a concept that refers to ways through which organizations and individuals exert controls over information by putting it into context, knowledge management is a broader concept that entails addition of value, new ideas, experiences and insights into existing information as a way of managing it (Kelsey, 2010:38). It is this realization that leads many scholars and corporate entities into exploring ways of managing the vast available knowledge using social networks to enhance their course. For a long time now, pursuing this practice of knowledge management was mainly through such avenues like the use of Wikipedia, an internet based literally source that allows individuals to contribute their technical expertise in updating or creating a topic area. In the same spirit, social networks have created a similar opportunity for people to post information, opinions, experiences and thoughts ( Davidsson & Honig 2003: 214). With the general acceptance of social networking as an integral part of the 21st century culture, it is imperative to consider capitalizing on it in the professional and commercial sectors of society. For instance, setting up of an information technology (IT) blog, through which knowledgeable people in the field can contribute on certain subject matters while availing this information for reviews and subsequent use in advancing the field. Such a blog will offer information not only for the IT field but will also serve as an important source of information for businesses and other entities like government agencies, municipal systems, and non profit organizations that use IT as a support service for their operation. The greatest challenge in this kind of knowledge management online is verification of the truthfulness and accuracy of information posted by the various bloggers. It is for this specific reason that professionals in the field should be in charge of administering such blogs in order to evaluate and screen all posts received, to verify their relevance and authenticity before availing them for use and application by others (Rindfleisch & Moorman 2001:17). Social networks and corporate organizations All the major social networks around the globe have reached their status thanks to knowledge management exercised over all the information they receive from their users. Suggestion on how to upload photos or send bulk messages for instance normally translate into action by the network managers to device ways of satisfying this customer demand for the service, just like it happens in the ordinary market place. For instance, at the initial establishment of Facebook, one of the most used social networks world over, G-talk, and other social networks only had basic features of any ordinary website enabling people to send and receive chart messages with limitations on the number of people on live charts at any given moment (Bexker and Williams, 2009:15). However, over time as the concept of knowledge management came into play, a quantum shift into managing and using human expertise for business development ensued, turning social networks into efficient forums through which people and corporate organizations gather knowledge for business development. In many organizations, senior managers and management consulting firms have in recent days taken up knowledge management as a channel through which they leverage knowledge for growth and management of businesses. Knowledge management is becoming the new front through which through which firms can monitor and improve their market competitiveness and financial feat. With this realization, social networks have become the first and most prevalent destination for marketers, strategic planners, product developers, and managers, all aiming to tap into information and knowledge from other users of the networks. Many firms and their mangers have an all round presence on twitter, twitting and re-twitting links and discussion topics using the user interface availed on the network (Shannon, 2009:1). Through this, they are able to draw out all the unspoken knowledge, which the public move around with, including their experiences, observed markets traits, and indigenous knowledge as opposed to relying exclusively on published literature. For organizations that appreciate the great potential in knowledge management, staff members have wider responsibilities besides the traditional descriptions on their job contracts. Management of knowledge focuses on enabling businesses to exploit the flexibility and innovativeness of their people fully for improving their competitiveness in the market. They achieve this through going a step further past capturing and manipulating data to gunner information, to adding value on it by examining various ideas and perspectives that such information presents. However, such characteristics and their applicability are organization specific and can only make sense if evaluated in the right context in which bloggers offer the information. This presents a competitive advantage because such characteristics of knowledge management cannot be imitated easily therefore enhancing its sustainability (Clark, and Clark, 2008:34). Knowledge management and social networks With technology, there is always a new feature that shines and attracts many people to try it, often doubting its existence for the long run. This is because technology changes almost every three months, bringing in advanced features, modifications of the existing product or a completely new product in the same line. All these are available thanks to the dynamic nature of the field and the enormous knowledge provided by users in form of feedbacks, reviews and suggestions that users give on product interactive links and forums. It is common that any new product feature will attract a lot of criticism, complements and suggestions for improvements or alternatives in equal measures, information that knowledge managers in the parent companies harness for purposes of improving their product to make it more appealing and competitive in the market. (Davidsson & Honig, 2003:163). Taking twitter as a study subject, it is evident that the globally adored social network has evolved greatly over the few years of its existence. The network passed through many stages involving modifications of existing features, introduction of new product features, and complete withdrawal of some features and provision of extras on the sides without changing the primary design and underlying operational principles. Of course, challenges ranging from low reception to lack of stability riddled the development of twitter in its formative stages. Users of the service also go through several phases in using it. First, is the denial phase in which the question of the value of knowing what other people are doing takes the centre stage often portraying it as a stupid venture. The next stage involves opening an account not because one has a concrete reason for doing so, but because everyone else has an account. This forms the presence phase in which activity is minimal. (Comm, 2009: 87). As the third phase sets in, there is a realization that information and important marketing opportunities exist by way of posting links that direct traffic to a preferred websites. As maturity in usage of the social network sets in, engaging followers and bloggers into real conversation through which parties exchange crucial information on products and services sets in, leading to acquisition of authentic knowledge in a given field. Finally, for individuals and organizations doing product promotions or fully equipped with helpful information on a particular field, begin to do micro blogging, offering their knowledge for use in relevant fields. The rate at which technology is advancing increases competition at a high rate. Several sites have been introduced to enhance competition within and without the organization. Due to the increasing number of social sites that enhance this communication, it has become notably hard to win a large market share. Nevertheless, twitter, as a widely used social network site has strategized accordingly and exploited the available knowledge hence become innovative in the market. For instance, twitter senses any change in both its internal and external environment and puts strategies in place to adopt the changes accordingly. In addition, through its management, twitter has learned from experiences hence put in place new ideas as feedback to improve the learning process. Through the specialist also, twitter site has been optimised hence easily traced and visited by people. Through this, many adverts and communications have been made through twitter thus looked upon as the most innovative in the market. Through this, the rate of usage of twitter has increased. For instance, the graph below shows that twitter usage in Spain has increased by 250%. Figure 1. Accessed on Feb. 27, 2012 from http://cdn.thenextweb.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/11/LanguageEvolution.png In addition also, though proper organizational learning undertaking, the rate of retention of Twitter has rose with a high margin compared to Facebook as shown in the graph below. Figure 2. Accessed on Feb. 27, 2012 from http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/files/2009/04/social_audience_retention.png Knowledge management for industrial innovation using social networks Today, many people use twitter for varied personal and business reasons, while many more discover the social network every single day. Of great interest is the applicability of twitter social network in business to enhance sales and customer relation through interactive negotiations and discussions. Many companies have virtual outlets on their twitter accounts, and are raking in great sales from such, as they get to follow on discussion with customers while answering their questions and getting additional information and feedback on the products (Edmondson & McManus, 2007:28). For instance, Dell Company limited, the manufacturer of dell computers recorded over one million dollars in sales through their twitter account. Similarly, many large, medium and small enterprises use twitter to offer direct product enquiries and reviews to their potential buyers and addressing customer concerns with already purchased products. This way, they get to know the different aspects and features that people need in their products and suggestions on how to make the products more suited for the market. International airlines for example use communication interfaces on twitter to interact with their customers as well as get to know services enjoyed most by many passengers across other airlines. Through these discussions, customers have offered great insights on how to make flights more enjoyable and relaxing, especially for the long overseas journeys. Applying the principle of knowledge management, mangers in the airlines have customised services to fit various groups of individuals that use them. For example, debate as to whether to leave first class wagons exclusively for business executives and dignitaries took a centre stage on twitter and other social networks for quite some time in the last two years (Hansen, Ben and Smith, 2010:149). Perceived loss of dignity and glamour that the facility offered led to this state of affairs, mainly due to inclusion of infants and small babies as long as their parents were capable of meeting the rates. With the ball of contention being whether it was all about the ability to pay for the service or the need to offer a serine environment where people with serious business and administrative commitments can comfortably execute their roles while on the go. Through participation of many people in the debate posted on twitter, it became apparent that such facilities were not just about the ability to pay but more about offering quiet and relaxing experience for travellers who need humble space for on board (Carr, 2012:1). This has led to recent reviews by many airlines to preserve such services exclusively for business executives and dignitaries while designing carriers that accommodate such prestigious services for non-business passengers with kids, to avoid inconveniencing their customers. Because of such interactive reviews and management of resultant knowledge, manufacturers of aircrafts and airlines have been able to bring in creativity innovation to offer great services to their clients while improving on their service delivery and profitability. Exquisite features incorporated on dream liners are a product of knowledge management achieved through social networks that inspired innovation of superior features that no aircraft has had before (Hoffmann, 2010:34). More recent applications of social network twitter is in launching of new products in the market. The apple company, which boasts of some very brilliant innovations in computers and communication gadgets, most notably the ipods and ipads, has intensively relied on twitter to alert the populace on products in the pipeline and soliciting for suggestions on additional features and undoing in the earlier product versions that require modifications in the new versions. Through these interactive forums, the companies’ technical teams gather all suggested improvements and follow on the authors to get any useful information that can help the company retain its superior innovation status. Other companies in the same trade like the Television, mobile phones and other electronic gadget manufacturer, Samsung company has also establish a huge presence in all social networks including twitter as a major player. As with the Apple Company, Samsung has been able to improve its products greatly through managing knowledge offered by followers on twitter and other social networks. In fact, now Samsung is a leader in the television world thanks to adoption of new and advanced technologies, which draws much of their inspiration from reviews and suggestions offered online by their customers and the public. Employing hundreds of technical staff to post discussion topics and follow on comments, suggestions and blogs on improving their product quality, the company manages such knowledge to spur its innovativeness into production of highly competitive and consumer friendly products. Many more entities that are corporate use social networks extensively to gain and manage knowledge for purposes of improving their products, responding to market concerns, addressing queries from clients and most importantly to gain ideas and concepts that they can explore further into great innovations in their product line ( Erickson 2010:47). Scholars state that social networking sites have been a tool of significant value to small and big business enterprises. Facebook and Linkedln have proved the most predominant platforms in making adverts by business people, but in the last few years, Twitter has become a customer service channel. This has made it more innovative in the market. This is illustrated in the graph below. Figure 3. Accessed on Feb. 27, 2012 from http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Fig19.jpg In conclusion, knowledge management using social networks has contributed greatly to improvements of products and services offered by various companies by encouraging innovation and creativity. As discussed earlier in the text using twitter social network, knowledge management uses social networks to spur innovation effectively in many business fields across board. Giant technological devices and electronic manufacturing companies have huge presence in social networks through which they gather information, facts, experiences and useful insights that help in building superior quality products. This automatically create the desire to implement such suggestions offered, thereby leading to innovation of new products and introduction of advanced features on existing products. As the use of social networks grows bigger, so do the social networks themselves become more advanced and more companies come in to tap growth opportunities availed by the wide pull of information possessed by users in varied places across the globe. However, to ensure quality assurance, it is important to manage the knowledge gathered through scrutiny and rigorous checks of information offered as facts by bloggers and followers on social networks. Based on facts and tangible evidence on the applicability of social networks in knowledge management for innovations evaluated in this paper, it is a considered true position by the researcher that social networking indeed encourages innovation and creativity through promotion of knowledge management. Bibliography Amirtham, M. 2003. Knowledge management process: a case study on Hewlett Packard's Dublin inkjet manufacturing organisation, Ireland. Singapore: Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Business School. 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