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New Communication Methods:
Aggregation and the use of social networking tools to foster new
communication methods
(September 18, 2009)
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The Murphy room bustled with excitement and
anticipation regarding ITEE’s latest discussion topic concerning social
networking. Attendees eagerly awaited the opportunity to embrace a fresh
and invigorating discussion about this dynamic and fascinating tool.
Participants entered the forum from diverse perspectives and experiences
that encompassed broad interests and expectations regarding the
meeting’s outcome. Some participants were interested in the cultural
dynamic between older and younger workers. Others wanted to expand ideas
for discouraging the use and abuse of social networking within an
organization. A professor entered the meeting with a new social
networking model to share. One attendee created a mini task force within
their company to study social networking regarding recruitment and
solicited suggestions. Regardless of their explicit intent, all
attendees desired to enter the utopia of green pastures and blue skies
awaiting successful adopters of this recent vivacious phenomenon.
Current experiences with social networking
Generally regarded as an internal tool for knowledge management,
collaboration, and marketing, social networking practices are beginning
to be integrated into many local firms. Presently, utilization among
everyone in attendance is limited; however, most in attendance are
experimenting and attempting to break new ground.
• One participant has established a task force within their company to
investigate social media and its ramifications regarding the hiring of
new talent.
• Another company currently hires prospective employees by leveraging
the prospects’ Linked-In profiles in its background investigations.
Observing a Linked-In or Facebook profile might provide a glimpse into a
candidate’s tastes and sensibilities. In addition, these outlets allow
creative expression that can allow a candidate to show off talent and
skill levels.
• One company utilizes internal social networking using a “my site”
application that allows employees to create and maintain a personal
profile. This profile contains organizations to which the employee
belongs and teams they serve on within the company.
• One representative in attendance indicated that his firm currently has
a team focused on B2B digital marketing strategies.
• Another representative indicated that her firm has four Facebook
accounts but is not sure who controls them. Recently, the company
re-acquired its naming rights; however, now the company is wondering
what to do next. In addition, a struggle exists as to who in the firm is
ultimately responsible for managing social networks. Does marketing,
public relations, IT, or the legal department handle this function?
• Some company representatives indicate some preliminary utilization of
YouTube. Some in attendance indicated that they use an internal video
channel or Vimeo for training purposes and communication.
• A professor attending the meeting indicated that he preferred YouTube
to textbooks because YouTube is current and in real time. He feels
students actually learn more from YouTube and consequently utilizes
YouTube in many of his classes. A contrast between textbooks (explicit
knowledge) and YouTube (which may contain tacit knowledge) was made to
illustrate the manner in which authors are attempting to adopt
incorporate exposure to a wider range of knowledge in learning
materials.
The Bad News—Negative aspects of social networking
In many cases, utilizing social media is not about what you can do but
what you cannot do. Many companies require employees to sign detailed
usage policies that explain what employees may not do regarding social
media and company representation. For instance, one statement indicates
that an employee may not represent himself or herself as an employee on
a social networking website without prior approval. In another instance,
statements about the company on either Facebook or Myspace break company
policy. Due to recent bad publicity, companies must take a pro-active
stance to limit brand image damage resulting from individuals posting
inappropriate content to social media websites.
One attendee’s client, a large organization, struggles with corporate
governance issues concerning social media. Currently, this attendee is
working with the client to disable certain applications with Linked-In.
The company provides access; however, employees are prohibited from
participation in discussion groups and downloading options. All
employees must use corporate e-mail for activity monitoring purposes. In
addition, the organization hired a consultant to explain to employees
Linked-In and the rules of use to promote consistency within the
organization. The organization’s fears derive from fears of SEC
regulations. The organization permits employees to use Facebook and
Twitter but does not allow employees to use the organization’s name in
any postings. Instead, the organization tries to engage employees in use
of Linked-In as a business tool. The biggest issue the organization
faces from an internal perspective pertains to getting the message
across to several hundred thousand employees. From an external
perspective, it is monitoring to see what conversations are taking place
and where the conversations are taking place.
More and more companies utilize social media as part of a comprehensive
background examination. Additionally, courts utilize social media for
intelligence gathering and evidence procurement. Since most of this data
is uncensored, it can be particularly destructive to cases.
Facebook recently launched new privacy settings; however, if an
individual downloads an application, previously established privacy
settings are overridden and data mining can commence. One participant
does not encourage business use of Facebook because of the potential for
data mining and identity theft. Facebook might be a playground for
social engineers and others to hack into accounts. Another issue ensues
if someone tags an individual and later the individual closes his or her
account. In this case, an individual may or may not get his or her
pictures or information returned. Facebook policy states that whatever
an individual uploads into this space becomes public domain. The
individual no longer owns whatever he or she posts. Facebook will not
protect an individual’s privacy even if the individual activates the
privacy settings. The line in the rules of use indicating that the
company reserves the right to change the settings at any time gives it
an easy out.
One attendee launched Yammer, a micro blogging service similar to
Twitter, in September 2008 within her own company. Yammer focuses on
business activities exclusively and only individuals with the same
e-mail domain can join a network or use a search and browsing function.
The biggest struggle faced concerns attempting to get employees to adopt
the new tool and stop using e-mail for collaboration. So far, the
implementation remains unsuccessful. Senior management remains the
driving force behind adoptions. Many employees do not want to learn
anything new. Some of the company’s employees asked for a dashboard to
help manage communication complexity.
One question came forward regarding discovery requirements associated
with using this tool in the event of litigation. External documents
outside of the network that are not easily accessible and do not fall
into the e-discovery range. Currently, e-discovery is a huge and
breaking issue largely focusing on e-mail; however, social media will
certainly provide expansion. (There is an ITEE summary available about
e-discovery on the CITe website. )
Social networking model introduced by professor
 A
question surfaced regarding internal and external uses and interactions
regarding social networking. A model of four quadrants of social
networking developed:
• Use for marketing
• Use for knowledge management
• Use for service internal
• Use for service external
Knowledge management in this understands stands for using social media
to capture, store, and reuse knowledge. For example, the joint
development of a wiki on best practices for facility designs would go in
Quadrant 1. If such a wiki were to be by the external community of a
business, it would fit in quadrant 2. A company that is twittering to an
external audience is using Quadrant 3. A company that uses internal
twitter feeds would be in Quadrant 4.
Twitter can be seen as enterprise-based social media. One example
includes an enterprise with different sections of company twittering out
but with workflow attached. In this case, a crossover exists between
both internal and external quadrants. Radian 6 can filter external
questions back internally to the HR department illustrating another
crossover.
Best Buy uses twitter to answer customer questions. A question surfaced
as to how Best Buy manages workflow around twitter? Assumptions included
that Best Buy allows employees to trade off duties regarding monitoring
Twitter in its stores around the country. In this situation, there is
always an employee available to monitor the tool allowing instant
feedback to the customer. This is another example of linking external
communications internally to a workflow engine.
These assumptions caused one professor in the group to laugh and
exclaim, “this is not as easy as 1,2,3,4” much to the chagrin of the
professor proposing the model.
A new question surfaced asking if anyone used social media for
collaboration oR knowledge management internally. One firm does use
Twitter internally regarding R&D projects. This firm developed a tool on
Twitter to accomplish this task. How is this different from instant
messaging? Twitter is one too many and instant messaging is one to few.
The Twitter value might be the mining potential similar to a wiki.
Turning Point: Can enterprises afford to allow social media use?
Midway through the meeting a participant asked for advice about how to
stop employees from using social media in the workplace. This individual
alleged that a loss of productivity traced to the use of these sites
occurs and an intra-company struggle to prevent employee use happens
daily. This created a wave of emotional and thoughtful responses causing
the individual posing the question and concern to shrink back and
proclaim that he was not anti-social!
Some of the responses to the question indicated that this issue is not a
tool problem, rather a management problem. Further, proper management
might actually improve productivity. Another participant suggested that
the firm needs to view these tools as a way to get things done and cited
a Linked-In example of an expert locator. The expert locator function
enables Linked-In members to be located, enhancing problem solving
capabilities. This is certainly easier than creating 300 blogs that sap
productivity. One participant indicated that social media replaces blogs
that in turn replaced bulletin boards. This evolution certainly elevates
social media as a productivity enhancer.
Another attendee wondered if the firm that desires to ban social media
such as Facebook and Twitter also wants to ban cell phones. In the not
too distant future smart phones will outnumber computers and people will
connect whether an employer wants them to or not. An employer cannot
control all access capability. This participant asked whether this type
of control promoted a “Fascist state” and further indicated that this
type of control was not likely to occur.
It became quite clear that attitudes about managing employees’ use of
social media changed during the course of the meeting. Attempting to ban
social media is a poor and seemingly outdated approach. Rather, managing
an employee’s utilization of social media to further productivity
appears to be the sensible modern approach.
Critical Issue-Where are you?
One critical issue that will arise soon (if it has not done so already)
entails the question of where the employee is physically during social
media utilization. Is the employee under the corporate umbrella or the
individual umbrella? The company is not legally involved if the employee
downloads porn on a cell phone; however, it is a management issue if the
employee downloads porn on a PC. The tools we use cross into a gray area
between work and personal space.
Because of the inherent confusion regarding the gray area, employers
need to adopt a comprehensive corporate policy regarding social media
usage. Similar policies were developed after the onset of e-mail use
many years ago. The problem is that companies do not yet know all the
tools or how to handle them. Some thought the addition of social media
to the policy as a generic term will cover all potential bases. They
said: avoid mentioning specific tools within the policy because these
tools will change quickly over time and then you risk the policy
becoming outdated.
Value derives from content as opposed to the tool. It does not matter
what tool; rather, what matters is the activity of communicating. The
size of the network and technique involved is more important than the
tool. Free speech vs. protecting a company’s PR initiatives might be the
issue and it is similar to riding a fence.
Social networking is constantly changing or breaking down boundaries. A
new communication model called the Google Wave might offer an entirely
new opportunity to challenge existing boundaries. Google Wave is a
single platform to enable collaboration by using managed threads. It is
seen as what we would want email to be if we were inventing it now.
Presently, we are feeling our way around half blind in this new world of
communications. Certainly, a new paradigm is evolving and we can only
wonder how the world might change.
Workflow changes over the past 20 years prove significant. Our first
cell phones were given to us in the workplace with a user’s manual and
rules. Now we bring the cell phones, computers, and the rules. Companies
must define usage guidelines. A genuine concern arises if we place too
many constraints on usage. Generation Y employees will possibly form
grass roots networks and find ways around our excessively restrictive
rules. Presently, we cannot keep up with the policies or the rules.
Because technology changes quickly, we need to think differently and
create creative spaces with guidelines of usage defined loosely.
Who really works a traditional 8-hour workweek these days? Most
employees do work-related tasks at home. Since this is the case, certain
personal business managed on company time is appropriate. After all, if
a company restricts an employee’s usage of communication while on the
job site, the employee is equally as liable to restrict work usage off
site. Work can be performed anywhere in many cases and companies should
reconsider the boundaries of the workspace and act accordingly.
Regarding generation Y workers, the new boundaries might consist
entirely on deadlines. What matters most is that work is completed on
schedule rather than the location or time the work related tasks take
place.
The good news: Positive examples of utilizing social media
The meeting changed direction abruptly as a participant suggested
switching to positive examples of social networking. An example cited
included an individual that successfully leveraged social media and
created a unique brand image using informational postings and blogs.
Developing tweets about brand name products that everyone reads
encompasses tremendous value through added marketing opportunities.
These opportunities certainly provide exceptional value for companies
successfully adopting social media.
Development of a tweet involving the whereabouts of a marketing vehicle
such as the Oscar Meyer Weiner mobile, provides customers an opportunity
to tweet about their experiences viewing the vehicle. The drivers might
tweet about previously visited locations and potential future visits.
This ability certainly increases brand image among consumers.
An interesting story about a Cleveland Browns football game and a fan’s
experience in the famous Dawg Pound ensued. It seems that if fans
exhibit rowdy, boorish behavior, other fans can report the action to
security instantly using a cell phone and possibly by twittering to the
Brown’s security office. At this time, security officials arrive on the
scene within minutes and take care of the situation, hauling off the
offenders. This story brought roars of laughter from the group as
everyone enjoyed the story and might have pictured the scene in their
own imagination.
Another positive example involving many to many communications concerns
the Starbucks company and its “my Starbucks idea” concept. Consumers can
post product suggestions concerning items they want to purchase.
Starbucks gains market intelligence. The concept drives individual
stores’ opportunities to satisfy customers in a market segment and
certainly drives overall value. This concept gives voice to the consumer
and makes them feel very valuable and important to the company. This is
opposed to the idea of a 800-phone number that does not provide a
feeling that the consumer actually makes a personal connection to the
firm. Twittering or blogging gives meaningful voice to the customer as
an associate of the company at any level can respond.
Another company uses social media positively by enabling the sales force
to reach out to subject matter experts within the company. This creates
a non-linear learning environment. Using social media as a learning tool
is a great knowledge management concept and allows easier extraction of
knowledge from key people.
How does IT fit in?
Does IT manage both internal and external environments? Marketing is IT
application driven. Many companies are not managing it at all. Rather,
the company states that if an employee uses a tool that crashes a
computer then it is up to the employee to fix the computer on their own.
Many companies adopt a “do what you want at your own risk” policy.
IT needs to be embedded into business processes. Progressive companies
integrate business, IT functions together, and the leaders establish
roles each unit plays.
Generational and other business issues
Procuring buy-in from the top management remains critical to effective
social media implementation. Allocating responsibilities in managing the
new roles created by social media is currently uncertain and requires
top management involvement. In addition, top management must understand
what is happening regarding technology or they might miss an opportunity
for implementation. For instance, if a manager does not understand how a
new device or program will enable and enhance business, he or she may
not allow implementation based on a lack of education. Rather than
letting employees run with a new idea, managers may inhibit the new idea
because they cannot provide financial justifications. Management must be
committed to adoption or brand damage may result. Why do social media
fall under so much scrutiny concerning ROI as compared to advertising?
Generation Y solves problems before they develop in many cases and the
film DigiKnow 4.0 illustrates this phenomenon effectively. Many
similarities and few differences exist between Baby Boomers and
Generation Y. Older people often need a user’s manual to accompany new
products like a Blackberry; however, younger people learn by doing.
Regarding collaboration, one Professor reported research on one local
firm that found few differences in attitudes between generations
concerning collaboration. The longer an employee worked in that firm,
the more likely that his or her attitudes about collaboration had
converged with those of older cohorts. Regarding collaboration, Proctor
and Gamble’s new products are developed in controlled collaborative
environments, enhancing creative idea sharing.
One problem concerning business today is the possibility that young
people may co-op into the corporate culture rather than changing it. If
the younger generation changes the culture, they will need space. It
remains possible that they will adapt to existing culture as opposed to
changing it. We may give them space but it does not mean they will
change. Companies cannot assume that because a young worker owns a
Blackberry and has workspace that they will change.
Data Mining/Storage and Retrieval
One problem surfacing in the digital era concerns capturing data for
storage. There appears to be a lack of best practices regarding this
issue. What happens to old e-mail correspondences that may be useful
down the road? In the old days, filing cabinets allowed simple storage
and future retrieval. No documentation for new projects leads to a loss
of productivity as people return to re-learn old things. This issue
hampers many firms including NASA. Ferrari Automobiles can re-cast any
engine it ever produced because the company stores all of its records
and drawings, but this is considered to be an exceptional case.
Is tagging a way to identify records? NO, there is too much deviation
and no consistency of what to tag. This practice might become a red
herring. Google Wave may provide a future solution, only time will tell.
Another interesting question came forward about YouTube video. Do these
videos ever disappear? What happens to old videos? Do they just fall off
mysteriously?
There is so much useless information and mining the stuff you need is
hard. Google Wave might become the game changer. This technology
encompasses the potential to become the next Wiki allowing everyone to
make continuous updates. The knowledge base continues to evolve
perpetually. Storage is becoming cheaper and cheaper and the limiting
factor becomes access issues. Not being able to access fast enough and
reliably enough is the primary concern. When to purge data is another
pressing issue.
Other points of interest
Litigation or tort reform might play a critical role in the future as
personal accountability and responsibility move to the forefront.
Protecting companies from frivolous lawsuits in this crazy culture
becomes paramount. There is no sense in holding a company responsible if
an employee posts something inappropriate on a social media website.
Responsibility should rest with the individual in these cases. Why not
change the current legal environment?
Another point of interest included how the University of Akron utilized
social media. The professors answered that this might be a bad question
because many professors in the university are technology challenged and
in some cases still use overhead projectors. However, the university
does have Facebook and Twitter accounts. A professor told an interesting
story about how one of his Facebook friends planned on going on a
European vacation. This friend, an adjunct professor, and his vacation
overlapped a course that he was scheduled to teach. The department chair
had no idea the individual planned to be out of town. In this case, the
professor spoke with the chair and contingency plans developed. Facebook
saved the day! In another case, during the recent study abroad trip to
India, students blogged about individual experiences and this enabled
faculty members here at the university to monitor the progress of the
trip.
Conclusion: Social Media is Elusive
No one in the room really talked much about current adoptions or
applications. It appears that we are all at the forefront of this
emerging phenomenon, trying to wrap our collective arms around this
trend, grasping at opportunities to leverage social media. The group is
still searching for the buried treasure map leading to utopia. For the
time being, the green pastures remain obscured by clouds of mystery.
This summary was prepared by Paul Evans & Dr.
Bill McHenry of the College of Business Administration, The University
of Akron.
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