The Impact Of Social Technology On The Workplace

According to Davenport et al (1998), Knowledge Management is concerned with exploitation and development of knowledge asset of the organization with a view of the objective of the organization. Knowledge can be managed by explicit, documented knowledge, tacit and subjective knowledge. It also associated with knowledge creation as well as knowledge sharing. Thus, requires systems for creation and maintenance of knowledge repositories to cultivate and to aid knowledge sharing. Organizations that succeed in knowledge management are likely to view knowledge as an asset and to develop organization culture which support knowledge creation and knowledge sharing. Jennifer Rowley (1999) describes the implementation of knowledge management has the importance consequences for structure and culture of the organization, and the roles of managers as well as workers. We can say that knowledge management implementation is crucial as it will lead an organization to be at competitive advantages. There are two types of knowledge mainly explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge. Different people convey their knowledge differently. The philosopher Polanyi (1967) described tacit knowledge as knowing more than we can tell, or knowing how to do something without thinking about it, like ride a bicycle. Tacit knowledge is automatic, requires little or no time or thought and helps to determine how organizations make decision and influence the behavior of their member (Liebowitz and Beckman, 1998). Sternberg (1997) states that tacit knowledge is technical or cognitive as it made up of mental models, values, beliefs, perceptions, insights and assumptions. Technical tacit knowledge demonstrated when people master particular knowledge or skills whereas cognitive tacit knowledge include implicit mental models and perceptions that are ingrained they are taken for granted. Tacit knowledge basically is the “know-how” based on practice, experience and seldom expressed

The use of social media leads to improved productivity within a workplace as a result of its knowledge sharing capabilities in conjunction with the development of a culture of a community work environment, willingness to share and cooperate.

Online document services such as Google Docs and Microsoft Office Live Workspace allow documents to be created, edited, and stored online for collaboration by multiple people in multiple locations. Web 2.0 innovations including social networks and wikis are being utilized to support this interaction. Employees no longer have to be chained to a desk in an office building from the hours of nine to five (Bughin, Chui, and Miller; Robbins, and Coulter 196-197).

Knowledge is defined as “an understanding and one that gains knowledge through experience, reasoning, intuition and learning” (Cong, & Pandya, 2003, p. 2). Individuals can inflate their knowledge when they share their knowledge with others, and when knowledge is combined with other people’s knowledge they will begin to build new knowledge. It is also considered as a mixture of values, experience, background information, grounded intuition and authority insight that offers a framework and environment for integrating and gauging new information and experiences. It “is applied in the minds of knowers and in organizations, where it is often embedded not only in documents or repositories but also in organizational routines, processes, practices and norms” (Cong, & Pandya, 2003, p. 2).

In recent years the world has witnessed the rapid acceleration of a new class of information technologies, commonly known as social media. Social media supports interpersonal communication and collaboration through the use of internet-based platforms. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram are some of the well-known sites that are used by hundreds of millions of people. Although only 18 percent of managers believe that social media is important for their business today, more than 63 percent assert that they will be important for business within three years (Kiron et al. 2012). The economic impact of social media on business could exceed $1 trillion, most of which is gained from more efficient communication and collaboration within and across organizations (Chui et al. 2012). Many managerial challenges associated with applications of social media are consistent with those long recognized by the IS discipline (Kane et al. 2010). These new tools also provide users, managers, and developers with capabilities that allow them to act and interact with each other in ways that were difficult or were impossible to do in earlier online or offline settings. These novel capabilities may undermine or violate the assumptions of established theory, potentially requiring researchers to adapt theories for application to social media settings or possibly develop new ones (Majchrzak 2009).

Usage of social media is becoming popular in the work place. William Baker, a professor of marketing at San Diego State University, surveyed 1,600 executives and found that firms that rely heavily on external social networks scored 24 percent higher on a measure of radical innovation than companies that don 't (Swearingen). Online networking can provide us with tools such as market product, find new employees, and even find people to collaborate with.

Social media is becoming an increasingly common feature of
the world of work and this trend looks set to continue. This application of communication technology or computer mediated tools have developed rapidly in our lives. Survey such as that conducted by CIPD (2013) have shown that while only a quarter of UK employees use it in their professional lives, this increases to 42% among employees aged 18–24. The innovative operation mode of social media has not only successfully drawn the attention of industry and academia, but has also boosted user growth, especially in the younger generation.

The introduction of the ultimate business disruptors: Internet, World Wide Web and communication technologies have revolutionized the way business operates and improving the way people as well as the way people and organizations communicate and collaborate paige. The concept of Web 2.0 (Business 2.0) has earned a lot of prominence in recent years since it has positively changed the global landscape of businesses. Web 2.0 serves as a distinctive communications platform characterized by qualities such as collaboration, content sharing and user contributions eliminating entry barriers for online business. Recently, many businesses and organizations has started extensively implement Web 2.0 applications in hopes of improving communication, boosting collaboration, exchange of knowledge among the participants leading to organizational innovation paige.

Social networking sites – or social media – is defined in the text as “online community for expanding users’ business or social contacts by making connections through their mutual business or personal connections.” (Laudon, & Laudon, 2010) In more practical terms I define social networking as usage of web tools to share gather and use knowledge about both your business and yourself. The intent of this paper is to identify areas where both business and business professions could best leverage social media for the advantage of the company.

In our current work environment, the mantra to be successful is to adapt some sort of social media. A recent survey of random European and U.S. firms indicated that about 88.2% of the firms had begun to undertake social media initiatives (Rapp, Beitelspacher, Grewal, & Hughes, 2013). There is no doubt in

Web 2.0 is a term describing changing trends in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity, information sharing, and collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and hosted services, such as social-networking sites, video sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies. The term became notable after the first O'Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end- users utilize the Web. Basically, the term encapsulates the idea of the proliferation of

With the introduction of the ultimate business disruptors: Internet, World Wide Web (Web) and communication technologies have revolutionized the way business operates by improving the ways people and organizations communicate and collaborate. The concept of Web 2.0 (Business 2.0) has earned a lot of prominence in recent years by positively influencing and changing the global landscape of businesses. Web 2.0 serves as a distinctive communications platform enabling and enhancing collaboration, content sharing and user contributions eliminating entry barriers for online businesses. Recently, many businesses and organizations has started extensively implementing and using Web 2.0 applications in hopes of improving communication, boosting collaboration, exchanging knowledge enabling organizational innovation paige.

The growing relevance and role of web-based technologies in supporting “firm operations” is widely acknowledged both by practitioners and academics (Hanafizadeh, Hanafizadeh, & Khodabakhshi, 2010). The explosion of social media across the globe has impacted personal and professional communications and has opened up a variety of opportunities for interaction with communities, regions and businesses across the world. Businesses now, and more importantly in the future, are now looking to social media as an imperative tool for their companies. What this means, is that workplaces will now incorporate the usage of social media; including social networks, to better their company’s growth.

Knowledge management, which is defined according to Rastogi (2000) as a systematic process with “activities of acquiring, creating, storing, sharing, diffusing, developing, and deploying knowledge by individuals and groups in pursuit of major organizational goals”(p. 40). Furthermore, knowledge management provides a suitable platform for an organization to expand its information infrastructures (Thang Le & Fillion, 2007). With technological advances and the rising tech savvy consumers more and more organizations are implementing knowledge management systems from business firms to health care. However, in order to have an effective knowledge management system is dependent on various tangible as well as intangible factors such as on the type of manager, an administrator, the working staff, and technologies involved (Stromquist & Samoff, 2000).

Web 2.0 is additionally known wisdom web, individuals driven web, participative web, and read-write web. With the ability to read and write both, the web could get to be bi-directional. Web 2.0 is a web as a stage where clients can leave a considerable lot of the :more cooperation with less control. Web 2.0 is not just another variant of web 1.0; Adaptable web outline, imaginative reuse, overhauls, communitarian content creation furthermore change were encouraged through web 2.0. One of outstanding features of web 2.0 is to support collaboration and to help gather collective intelligence rather web 1.0.