Social Media in Organizations: Context is Queen?

All efforts to sell Social Software in the Enterprise would likely fail when old mindsets remain.

Robert Paterson weighs in more compellingly:

"When we use the word 'Organization' we default to this model. An organization that breaks up work and people naturally into separate and competing parts. I say competing - because this is also how we allocate capital and resources - the parts compete for the attention of the 'father' as kids do for the car keys. At the centre of this context is Budget and the idea that everyone and everything inside the department is 'Property' that has to be owned by the Head."

More here. I hope that doesn't mean forget about Mission/Vision, corporate planning, team-building, etc.

It was just a matter of time

Mohamed Amine Chatti has just co-authored "Social Software for Life-Long Learning" which was duly published by the "Journal of Educational Technology and Society".

The article in pdf form can be downloaded here.

The arguments have obviously moved beyond the anecdotal, towards an empirical level, with ANOVA and all that. Here's hoping that the larger academic community warms up to the idea of Social Media and Sociable Technologies to support/enhance pedagogy.

Popularity breeds fear?

In a blog entry titled: "Allison Stokke, Web aggregation effects and privacy2.0", Paolo Massa strikes a sensitive chord for people passionately protective of their privacy. It seems like it could also hit the mark for folks craving for attention.

Read more here.

And IBM does it from the top

... in Singapore. Click here for more details. It's called Blog4Biz. Something like that is happening from the bottom in the Philippines. It's called PhilNet.biz. Sounds like a "Spider and the Starfish" game play. And the challenge is finding the "Sweet spot". Question is when?

!people (established March 4, 2007)



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Accounts by type

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3561 weblog posts, 10542 comments

noong nakalipas na 7 araw:

141 weblog posts, 208 comments

Not bad for the very first School-based Elgg-powered Social Networking Site in the Philippines. Perhaps even in the Asia-Pacific?

Are we approaching a new Renaissance?

Robert Paterson draws a parallel in the corporate setting:

"As in the Medieval world, the King and the Priests control the communications system. It is a one way top down system. The Priests write books that tell the people how clever they and the kings are.

As in the Medieval world, there is no room for observable science. Just as Augustine and Aristotle were held up as authorities, so there are untouchable dogmas about HR and Marketing. Any evidence that machine hierarchies are unnatural is quashed. Heretics are rooted out inside organizations and are threatened into submission, expelled or killed."

Indeed "shareholder value, the customer or the people" remain the end all, be all of any organization's existence.

Now it reminds me of Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman's book "First, Break All the Rules" and its focus on:

"productivity, profitability, employee retention and customer satisfaction" and what seems to be the bottom-line being more about "people", their person, voice and choice.

And Social Software could very well make that happen.

Yet Paterson asks: "So on what terms would this world want to adopt Social Software? It threatens every aspect of the system. For the real business of business is to serve the King."

More here. So where are the White Knights?

Onomatopoeic Language?

Sometimes I wonder if the Filipino language is onomatopoeic.

Some samples:

Palakpak, singhot, halakhak. Would appreciate contributions.

Homo amateurensis?



Here's an excerpt from Andrew Keen's "The Cult of the Amateur":

"Today’s technology hooks all those monkeys up with all those typewriters (referencing T.H. Huxley's work). Except in our Web 2.0 world, the typewriters aren’t quite typewriters, but rather networked personal computers, and the monkeys aren’t quite monkeys, but rather Internet users. And instead of creating masterpieces, these millions and millions of exuberant monkeys — many with no more talent in the creative arts than our primate cousins — are creating an endless digital forest of mediocrity. For today’s amateur monkeys can use their networked computers to publish everything from uninformed political commentary, to unseemly home videos, to embarrassingly amateurish music, to unreadable poems, reviews, essays and novels."

[via Jessica of Vidfest] Funny, but I get the feeling I'm an ape.

Image Source: http://www.truthtree.com/images/evolman.jpg

Ambient Audio: An Introduction

Couldn't find a definition, so I thought of suggesting this link for a compelling example of AA from Xeni Jardin .

Now I'm looking forward to the day when one can try Ambient "Olfactory Artifacts" for a fuller flavor.

Promoting Pinoy Teachers Network

... on Mentorings.org


(Please click on the above image to go to the site.)

This pitch aims to augment/complement the Pinoy teachers' collective passion to make a difference worldwide.

Knowledge Worker 2.0: Is s/he big or what?

Stephen Collins has put together an interesting slide show, chock-full of lessons about "how social computing can be a powerful people force for collaboration". Must be a good excuse to look at organizations as organisms.




I like this observation:

“...the focus is pretty much around the subject of people... And, like we all know, a successful KM strategy is one that combines into a perfect balance a focus on the people, on the tools and on the processes.” Luis Suarez, KM Consultant, IBM defines “Knowledge Management 2.0”

and this prescription too:

"introduce social software inside the wall to engage with your organisation and through the wall to engage with your clients, peers and communities "

[via elsua]

The tall head notices the long tail

Erwin Oliva, resonating Abe Olandres, nods.

Welcome to citizen journalism.

Time to promote Mentorings.org

... and get school administrators to consider blended-learning

Could perhaps be a step to solve problems related to:

Road traffic, parking, "school holidays", suspension of classes, typhoon, flooded streets, etc.

"French Harry Potter fan-translator won't be sued"

... after staying one day in jail.

Seems like JK Rowling understands the implications.

More from Cory Doctorow here.

Imagine if copyright.copyright.copyright were always on the minds of everybody everywhere.

Web 2.0 redux

Leo Bridle's visual take on what "Web Two Point Oh" is all about:


[via Brennie's Bytes]

Let me echo Brennie's question:

"Are we preparing students in the classroom to be Web 2.5 or 3.0 entrepreneurs in schools today?"

Riding the Wave

Steve Bailey of JISC Infonet talks on managing the business of education in this podcast.

Interesting question to ask:

"Are we now on the cusp of a new era in IT and user behaviour, which could fundamentally change the way in which information is created, used and managed?"

More about the podcast here.

Is your national economy creative enough?

Alvin Trusty seems to think that America needs to try harder. More here.



And Richard Florida's book "Flight of the Creative Class" could validate that notion.

Looking for a job?

Why don't you create one? This goes out especially to Friendster/MySpace/Multiply junkies.

Opportunities await "net entrepreneurs" to get paid managing tech-savvy-but-busy executives' online presence, say in Second Life or LinkedIn.

Got Skype? Time to brush up on your testimonial-writing skills.

More of the soon to be "cottage industry" job here.

Journey of a Social Media Technologist

Perhaps it's just me. Anyway, something tells me that (Elgg) should be sitting somewhere around "connect" and "co-create".

Social Network World Map (ca. 2007)

More context, a full size image and a table of distribution here.

"Today's 17-year-olds have never known a world without the Internet"

So what are Higher Education Institutions doing to factor this into their paradigms? Good thing the JISC (in the UK) has launched an inquiry into learner experiences. [via John Burke's Education Project]

Some people ask. Others just do it.

Perhaps adventurous teachers would rather rely more on their gut feel. So they engage their learners via Web 2.0. Don't have time for results of the inquiry? Carpe Diem!

Essential Ingredients for High School Reform

• good technology
• capable teachers
• solid longitudinal data to help keep things on course

... for each unique student. More here from eSchoolNews.com.

Seems to be the joint message of the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) and the Alliance for Excellent Education (AEE) to lawmakers in the US.

Seems to be worth echoing in other places.

But it seems like they are aiming to legislate excellence. Is that at all possible?