Social networking focuses on building online communities of people who share similar interests and/or activities or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others.
Most of these social networks are World Wide Web based; however, there is a current movement to integrate these types of networking technologies into organizations. Some of the common goals of corporate social networking are:
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Make it easy to find people and information
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Understand the relationships and communication patterns that make a company tick
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Create a common culture across large organizations
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Improve knowledge management
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Build community and motivate workers
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Break down barriers
AIC utilizes Microsoft technologies to enable social networking. However, technology alone does not make a social network successful. The people and the processes should be supported by the technology.
The approach to social networking should be a two prong approach addressing technology and people/process. The approach cannot be “build it and they will come." However, implementing several key technologies and creating a user adoption that is a grass roots effort will help the organization gain the results they seek.
The goal for the initial release of the social networking should be:
- Allow people to easily find other people
- Allow people to quickly and easily contact a person
- Allow people to join communities