Deciphering Corporate Social Networks Thursday – 19 June, 2008 Mike Gotta Principal Analyst [email_address] www.burtongroup.com mikeg.typepad.com

Deciphering Corporate Social Networks Agenda Understanding The Evolution Of Social Networks Leveraging Social Networks Within The Enterprise Recommendations

Agenda

Understanding The Evolution Of Social Networks

Leveraging Social Networks Within The Enterprise

Recommendations

Evolution Of Social Networks Why social networks? In General Relationships Community (including self-organization and teaming) Information sharing (including backchannels and gossip) Information harvesting Collaboration Influence (including brokering information & connections) Situational awareness Support, mentoring, advice, sense-making Personal value For consumers Lifestyle (peer interaction, fun, education, personal finance, politics, social causes, sports, hobbies or other interests)

Why social networks?

In General

Relationships

Community (including self-organization and teaming)

Information sharing (including backchannels and gossip)

Information harvesting

Collaboration

Influence (including brokering information & connections)

Situational awareness

Support, mentoring, advice, sense-making

Personal value

For consumers

Lifestyle (peer interaction, fun, education, personal finance, politics, social causes, sports, hobbies or other interests)

Evolution Of Social Networks Some history, terminology and market trends History A long timeline of academic research (1850’s-1970’s) Key terms Social network, social networking, social graph Actors (sometimes referred to as nodes or agents) Relations (sometimes referred to as links or ties) Strong, Weak and Latent Ties Degrees of separation “ Social Roles” (connectors, brokers, boundary spanners) Consumer market trends 2003-2009: Facebook, LinkedIn and Myspace 2006 and onward: “lifestreaming”, data portability and interoperability

Some history, terminology and market trends

History

A long timeline of academic research (1850’s-1970’s)

Key terms

Social network, social networking, social graph

Actors (sometimes referred to as nodes or agents)

Relations (sometimes referred to as links or ties)

Strong, Weak and Latent Ties

Degrees of separation

“ Social Roles” (connectors, brokers, boundary spanners)

Consumer market trends

2003-2009: Facebook, LinkedIn and Myspace

2006 and onward: “lifestreaming”, data portability and interoperability

Evolution Of Social Networks A specific destination where connections are often declared and visible; acts as a social hub Social structures that are embedded within a variety of tools (e-mail, buddy lists) Analytical engines that assess and correlate relationship connections Combines all elements into a cohesive set of infrastructure services

Enterprise Evolution Of Social Networks

Deciphering Corporate Social Networks Agenda Understanding The Evolution Of Social Networks Leveraging Social Networks Within The Enterprise Recommendations

Agenda

Understanding The Evolution Of Social Networks

Leveraging Social Networks Within The Enterprise

Recommendations

The Business Automation Dilemma What’s next?

The Business Of Social Transformation People as catalyst

Baseline (Background Context) The modern-day world is a complex environment that supports multiple generations with different experiences and expectations related to technology Age brackets according to a report published by The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College: Generation Y (“Millennials”): Includes those born approximately between 1981 to 1999, (making them 8-27 in 2008) Generation X: Includes those born approximately from 1965 to 1980, (making them 28–43 in 2008) Baby Boomers: Includes those born approximately from 1946-1964, (making them 44-62 in 2008); Traditionalists: Include those born between 1930–1945, (making them 63+ in 2008) The Times They Are A-Changin'

Baseline (Background Context)

The modern-day world is a complex environment that supports multiple generations with different experiences and expectations related to technology

Age brackets according to a report published by The Center on Aging & Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College:

Generation Y (“Millennials”): Includes those born approximately between 1981 to 1999, (making them 8-27 in 2008)

Generation X: Includes those born approximately from 1965 to 1980, (making them 28–43 in 2008)

Baby Boomers: Includes those born approximately from 1946-1964, (making them 44-62 in 2008);

Traditionalists: Include those born between 1930–1945, (making them 63+ in 2008)

Generational shifts are unleashing a variety of social dynamics Strategic Talent Initiatives Boomers Gen X Millenials (Gen Y) Work Tools Career Supervisor Manager Vice President

Generational shifts are unleashing a variety of social dynamics

Societal expectations are expanding ideas on value creation Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Do Business at Marriott Help Save a Rainforest Lilly Employees from Nearly 50 Nations Participate in Company's First-Ever Global Day of Service Starbucks Increases Commitment to Supporting Coffee Farmers and Communities Anheuser-Busch, National Fatherhood Initiative Launch Online Forum for Parents on MySpace Launch CSR-related Reports: Dow Engages in Dialogue on Future of Water at GWI Conference BD and Direct Relief International Launch Second Volunteer Service Trip to Improve Healthcare in Ghana

Societal expectations are expanding ideas on value creation

User-Led Innovation Social interaction creates synergistic conversations Assumption Companies drive innovation by observing users Research Many commercially successful products first developed by users Leveraging co-creation “… users actually develop prototype products and show their value and use of what they really want.” - Eric von Hippel Professor of Management and Innovation at MIT

Social interaction creates synergistic conversations

Assumption

Companies drive innovation by observing users

Research

Many commercially successful products first developed by users

Leveraging co-creation

“… users actually develop prototype products and show their value and use of what they really want.” - Eric von Hippel Professor of Management and Innovation at MIT

New work models rely increasingly on relationships Web 2.0 And Enterprise 2.0 Participation, Community & Outreach Web 2.0 Enterprise 2.0 Knowledge Management Social Software (Tooling) Productivity Collaboration Content Communication

New work models rely increasingly on relationships

Social networks promise to catalyze participation, community and outreach across such strategic initiatives Gen Y workers are attracted to companies that blend work and lifestyle and also those that are socially active with good reputations internally and externally… Leadership teams are awakening to the idea that new work models and “good citizenship” adds top/bottom-line value to employee, customer, partner and supplier relationships… Innovation is often something that occurs jointly among organizations and their customers, employees, partners and suppliers… Advancements in social software enable people (regardless of generation) to communicate, share information and collaborate in new ways that are often informal, transparent and emergent… Everything Is Intertwined

Social networks promise to catalyze participation, community and outreach across such strategic initiatives

Gen Y workers are attracted to companies that blend work and lifestyle and also those that are socially active with good reputations internally and externally…

Leadership teams are awakening to the idea that new work models and “good citizenship” adds top/bottom-line value to employee, customer, partner and supplier relationships…

Innovation is often something that occurs jointly among organizations and their customers, employees, partners and suppliers…

Advancements in social software enable people (regardless of generation) to communicate, share information and collaborate in new ways that are often informal, transparent and emergent…

Benefits From Social Networks Differences between consumer and enterprise environments Productivity (business focus, activity-centric) Communication Information sharing Collaboration Knowledge Management Expertise location Community-building Workforce Transformation Connect people across work models and boundaries (organizational and/or generational) Human Capital Management Relationship Onboarding Retiree, alumni and referral networks

Differences between consumer and enterprise environments

Productivity (business focus, activity-centric)

Communication

Information sharing

Collaboration

Knowledge Management

Expertise location

Community-building

Workforce Transformation

Connect people across work models and boundaries (organizational and/or generational)

Human Capital Management

Relationship Onboarding

Retiree, alumni and referral networks

Beware “Rose-Tinted Glasses” Authenticity Sponsorship and commitment over the long term Business case and metrics Governance program Management practices Workplace / workforce virtualization Cultural factors (e.g., politics, generational tensions) Security, identity, compliance and privacy Technology maturity Existing IT investments Participation models (external and/or internal social networks) Role of consumer social networks Recommendations

Beware “Rose-Tinted Glasses”

Authenticity

Sponsorship and commitment over the long term

Business case and metrics

Governance program

Management practices

Workplace / workforce virtualization

Cultural factors (e.g., politics, generational tensions)

Security, identity, compliance and privacy

Technology maturity

Existing IT investments

Participation models (external and/or internal social networks)

Role of consumer social networks

Where to start History is important, learn from it Be aware of terminology, methods and practices Assume a need for new skills and competencies in social network analysis Monitor, track and analyze consumer market trends New work models will likely emerge outside the firewall The totality of a worker’s computing experience is more greatly influenced by their digital lifestyle vs. their digital work style Implement governance programs Address cultural aspects of social networks; c Consider the impact and influence of management structures Social relationships do not stop at the firewall Don’t over-reach, prioritize solution areas Avoid irrational exuberance, focus on adoption (not deployment); keep an open mind to possible technology solutions Look for synergies with strategic business initiatives such as talent management, corporate social responsibility and user-led innovation Recommendations

Where to start

History is important, learn from it

Be aware of terminology, methods and practices

Assume a need for new skills and competencies in social network analysis

Monitor, track and analyze consumer market trends

New work models will likely emerge outside the firewall

The totality of a worker’s computing experience is more greatly influenced by their digital lifestyle vs. their digital work style

Implement governance programs

Address cultural aspects of social networks; c

Consider the impact and influence of management structures

Social relationships do not stop at the firewall

Don’t over-reach, prioritize solution areas

Avoid irrational exuberance, focus on adoption (not deployment); keep an open mind to possible technology solutions

Look for synergies with strategic business initiatives such as talent management, corporate social responsibility and user-led innovation

About Us Burton Group provides in-depth, vendor-independent research and advisory services focused on enterprise IT infrastructure technologies. Known for our principle-based architectural approach and technical depth, each of our six highly-focused research services provide practical insights and direction for enterprise technologists and executives. http://www.burtongroup.com/ http://catalyst.burtongroup.com/ http://ccsblog.burtongroup.com/ http://mikeg.typepad.com/ Deciphering Social Networks

About Us

Burton Group provides in-depth, vendor-independent research and advisory services focused on enterprise IT infrastructure technologies. Known for our principle-based architectural approach and technical depth, each of our six highly-focused research services provide practical insights and direction for enterprise technologists and executives.

http://www.burtongroup.com/

http://catalyst.burtongroup.com/

http://ccsblog.burtongroup.com/

http://mikeg.typepad.com/