How to Sneak Social Media into the Enterprise

How to Sneak Social Media into the Enterprise

The issues organizations usually have with this style of working stem from the rise of networked individualism. This networked individualism is now just developing, but it exists within the current group- and locality-based organization of society (ie. enterprises). Where the links in the networked individual's network cross a group boundary, problems will arise (from the groups perspective) and counter-measures are taken to ensure group-think, thus crippling the networked individual's productivity.

In a group-based society you belong to many groups at once, but in some circumstances (such as when you're at work), you are to behave as if you are in one group only. I think that over time, the group strategy will become less attractive, as knowledge-workers of the networked-individual style will prove to be more productive than their inward looking, group-focused colleagues. The author of the linked article certainly proves my point.

My own belief is that linking to resources (including people) is much more efficient than copying and storing information. The corporate information network is already there and it's called the internet. Lots of expert systems are already at your disposal, they walk on two legs and may or may not work for the same company. In an always-on, high-bandwidth environment, it is probably more efficient to just ask your trusted expert-friends than to gather and hoard knowledge in a corporate cathedral.