Community, corporate structures and creative cultures are all topics explored in this month’s module. As we discovered, the dynamic of each of these is not as black and white as our perceptions. Community as we learned for Aboriginal Internet Art is not necessarily a structured and cookie cutter format. Rather, with new technologies there are endless possibilities to what a community can be.
Networking is an area of interest that connects with all topics covered this month in class. Its informal nature can bring major benefits for organizations and businesses. In my final assignment I have decided to submerge myself in the world of networking and speak to the benefits and drawbacks of networking in a business setting.
Networking is a relatively “new” phenomenon, in terms of using technology to create relationships. Because of this fact it is not always respected or given the attention that is needed by all professionals, stakeholders or organizations.
Networking is addressed by assuming that each individual chooses the weights he or she attaches to the characteristics and decisions of others. Social networking breaks down to the decisions and patterns of directed social interactions. Networking is much more complex than it may seem. Its complexity, stemming from its wide range of characteristics and abilities, becomes even more intricate when moving into smaller areas with less resource and more need for network connections to ensure a thriving business community.
Technology has created an easy tool for professionals in networking. Social media can be used to accelerate learning, build strong competent teams and foster innovations within an organization and to share these skills with other like-minded individuals and firms. The use of social media can take networking to another level and set organizations up for thriving success for many years to come.
The nature of networking and its effectiveness depend on an evolving environment that fosters relationships and connections in the workplace. Having an outlet to create and nurture business relationships is crucial for their success.
As I continue my research on this topic I will further explore the intricate areas of networks.
Have you had a networking experience that has been a career changer for you? How has networking helped build your organization?
media, culture & society 
Hey Kelsea!
Great post – I have had some great experiences in my life and I feel like they all are owed to networking. As much as technology has played a great part in networking it all comes down to how well you use these tools.
I feel as if I have a diverse background, and my experiences come from different areas of my life. Over the last few years I have definitely seen the benefits of networking especially in getting work! Sure, getting a good job comes down to having the credentials for the position but we all feel that at times it pays off to know the right people at the right time. Just making your presence known to people at times can say volumes about your personality and what you are capable of.
Networking has definitely dominated the webscape through all the social media tools we have available to us today – I found this video that was kind of neat! God bless YouTube!
I think networking is a huge movement in individualizing ourselves. Looking forward to your final paper presentation!
Great post, Kels. I thought it was an interesting read and you did a wonderful job of laying out the foundation of networking and its importance in today’s society, as it is a rather new phenomenon. Although I think the direct benefits of networking can sometimes go unnoticed, they should not be undervalued, as they are extremely important for fostering and maintaining professional relationships. Somehow or another, these networking relationships that we build and maintain over the years always end up helping us out in the future!
Thank you ladies.. I agree that networking really has no limits.
Monika, thank you for sharing the video! Really fantastic. And I have experienced similar opportunities purely from the power of networking.
Liz, the “undervalued” factor is exactly one of the reasons that I wanted to focus on networking for my final presentation. I feel that not a lot of research has been done in this area and it could be useful for further opportunities.