Collaboration and Social Networking applications
(introspective on past reflections)
Some months ago I was considering to participate to the possibility to issue an article on a review close to a very important USA university … My doubts were related to the fact that I was not more pride to be an ambassador of the place where I worked and work. So I decided to leave all my reflections on me and in my pieces of paper.
Here some parts, those that I want to share:
(July, 2009)
I’m observing the real life around me. Wood houses in a mountain region,
How social networking could change life of these people?
I am seating in a stand eating local delicious food, my parents, close to them a Denmark family, a German man, a local people in their traditional clothes. It’s a party in the roads of this small beautiful village.
Relationship is the Key. Social networks are not like black holes. They are more near to us than we believe. They are icebergs and now we see only tops, 90% of this phenomenon is underwater-status but only because companies are not ready to take vantages from them (or they think it).
Music comes to me without any effort. At the same way social networks comes to people. Reality is that people are ready to this evolution. This is strange but no one has to form this demand. Needs are already on the air.
The “little global village” already exists. Rules and behaviors are already in this Community. Every village has its market and also this has one. Innocent “illusion” is to say that is not.
When Robert Nash designed his theories no one could say that stock exchanges did not exist. Observations did not exist and operators that use them did not exist but all was already ready to create a new “revolution”.
This is the actual situation in social networks.
Why operators/actors did not exist with a “corporate” presidium, with a formal approach?
Reasons are and could be different:
1. Normally who colonizes “new market landscapes” are pioneers, most of companies have a prudential approach leaving to these actors to test business models and economics
2. Social media/channels/networks strategy means, even if no changes are planned, “change organization”. Change of management resistance is normal.
3. Actual corporate top management is not yet in the “(next) generations ideas and behaviors” because, due to the “age”, different sensations drive their perceptions
4. Power management and “contractual power” of the existing corporate actors could be threaten
In these terms only those that are able to find new different solutions in power management or to accept the risk to see a different weight distribution (allocation) of power inside organization structure decide to investigate this new potential scenario (have the courage to follow a formal approach in social networking arena).
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Ones of the main concerns are how approaching and what will be/is the return of investments. Metrics definition seems to be another topic related to this opportunity.
Question is: are there specific needs and characteristics to cover on this area? Reply is: yes but, however some metrics should be the same that we use for other market segments. Stupid approach would be thinking that we can observe this market segment/channel/this “object” with a totally different/new “instruments” set to measure results, goals/tasks. At the same way unrealistic is to believe is not necessary to identify, define, create, and implement new metrics.
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Social Networking and Collaboration applications are creating real impacts on real world. They invest normal people life and companies business models with an accelerate rhythm of growth.
This phenomenon is very similar to a virus propagation, like Ebola. The unique difference is that it is permanent and persistent. None is out of this revolution even if he/she does not use a computer or a mobile device. Believe it, it is not real. Believe in this idea is more virtual than the virtual reality that is generating this revolution.
My draft reflections continue to be more and more real. One of the best merit of a company is to leave express talent that people have not to destroy them in a smiling comedy.
