LONDON, October 29 /PRNewswire/ --
- Report Reveals the Positive Influence of Online and Offline Social Networking on Business
Business can become more resilient to the effects of economic downturn by introducing more networked working practices, according to a report published today by the think tank Demos.
The report, which was produced together with Orange, says that encouraging employees to build more relationships with colleagues across the company and utilising networking technology tools to build closer links with potential customers and partners, can help businesses become more adaptable to dealing with today's challenging economic climate.
Social networks can provide a safety net for business, said Peter Bradwell, Demos researcher and author of the report. In today's difficult business environment the instinctive reaction can be to batten down the hatches and return to the traditional command and control techniques that enable managers to closely monitor and measure productivity. Allowing workers to have more freedom and flexibility might seem counterintuitive, but it appears to create businesses more capable of maintaining stability.
The report also suggests that motivating employees to establish more relationships with colleagues across the company, and by encouraging social networking practices to build closer links with potential customers and partners, businesses could benefit in three principle areas: productivity, innovation and democratic working.
Networking has always been a fundamental part of good business practice, said Robert Ainger, Corporate Director, Orange Business UK. Its profile and significance is increasing now because of the proliferation of new technologies that enable us to connect to each other in our personal and professional lives. But it is also good for companies to be aware of the tensions and look at deploying practical guidelines which will protect the positive impact of networks, not hamper it. Technologies and approaches to management which facilitate social networking are truly changing and they present a significant opportunity in the current business climate.
Network Citizens:
The report concludes with a note of caution and some practical advice with regards to developing a frame work for a responsible and prosperous network. This should be a group in which its citizens respect the power and realise the mutual benefit of giving and taking. Businesses should consider the following guidelines when auditing and analysing their own networks:
1. Do not separate 'social' networking from 'professional' networking. Attempts to control employees' use of social networking software in the office may end up damaging the organization in the long run by depleting its network capital
2. There should be value placed on networks with people outside the firm. Too often, it is only senior staff who are encouraged to build relationships with people outside the organization. The power of horizontal networks across organisational boundaries is clear, and growing
3. Keep in touch with employees that have left the organisation. The temptation during a difficult economic climate is to hunker down; but this risks cutting off flows of network capital. Companies should consider how to keep former employees in the network
4. Do not police networks but consider how they operate and what could be improved. This should be a first step towards collective conversations about the 'rules of the game' when it comes to operating within networks
Mark Turrell, CEO, Imaginatik, a research participant, said: There is a real question of how you get the best, most bright people to work for you. We have a range of incredibly bright people here who benefit from having the space to explore their ideas and develop them into business opportunities. In this situation, having virtual a networked environment is really important to keep people together and maintaining the coherency of the organisation.
See the full report and information about the research at http://www.orangecoalition.com and http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/networkcitizens
Notes to Editors
Case studies and network maps:
The organisations that took part in the study are: -A large professional services firm. -Orange -Huddle. -Imaginatik. -Enterprise Nation. -A small plastics trading firm.
Through a series of open ended questions and focus groups, Demos is able to show graphical representations of each business' different networks; who is in them and where the connections or dissonances are. This mapping tool can be key to carrying out a network audit on a current business network and finding ways to improve and build new structures.
About Demos
Demos is the leading independent think tank in the UK. It researches social, economic and political problems and generates ideas and policies to address them.
Demos has published several previous reports on networks and organisations, including Disorganisation (2004), Network Logic (2004), Work in Progress (2006), Production Values (2005) and Recruitment 2020 (2007).
About Orange
Orange is a key brand of the France Telecom Group, providing mobile, broadband, fixed, business and entertainment services across Europe. It is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with more than 163 million customers on five continents.
In June, 2006, Orange became the single brand for mobile, broadband and multi-play offers. In addition, Orange Business Services became the new banner for business communications solutions. Orange Business Services is present in 166 countries with network reach in 220.
In the UK, Orange provides high quality GSM coverage to 99% of the UK population. At the end of June 30 2007, Orange had over 16.7 million customers in the UK - 15.2 million active mobile customers and over 1.6 million Internet customers.
Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Personal Communications Services Limited.
Further information about Orange and France Telecom can be found on the Orange website at http://www.orange.co.uk or the France Telecom website at http://www.francetelecom.com
For further information, contact: Noor Kheir on +44(0)20-3047-2321 or noor.kheir@edelman.com; Pamela Chowdhury on +44(0)20-3047-2322 or pamela.chowdhury@edelman.com; Tim Callington on +44(0)20-3047-4045 or tim.callington@edelman.com; Lucy Davis on +44(0)20-3047-2304 or lucy.davies@edelman.com; Demos: Peter Harrington on +44(0)20-367-6338 or peter.harrington@demos.co.uk
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