How can social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter be used to improve knowledge sharing, build social capital, support innovation, and aid problem solving in multinational corporations Essay Example

How can social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter be used to improve knowledge sharing, build social capital, support innovation, and aid problem solving in multinational corporations? Essay Executive Summary: Social media has been successfully adapted by a few MNC’s as channels for research and innovation. They have also shown their potential in promoting knowledge sharing and team building. The value of social media technology to improving overall organizational effectiveness is borne by statistical and empirical evidence. The use of Twitter for professional enhancement is well established now. The educational philosophy of constructivism offers a strong rationale for greater social media integration within the organization. These days, just as the sweep and reach of social media has increased, so have the niche media spaces that facilitate the interaction. Hence, beyond the prominent household names of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, we now have other specialized avenues for interaction like wiki portals and Youtube repositories of learning videos. In today’s competitive business environment, it is imperative for mutli-national companies to adopt social media strategies fo r external and internal communication We will write a custom essay sample on How can social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter be used to improve knowledge sharing, build social capital, support innovation, and aid problem solving in multinational corporations? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How can social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter be used to improve knowledge sharing, build social capital, support innovation, and aid problem solving in multinational corporations? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How can social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter be used to improve knowledge sharing, build social capital, support innovation, and aid problem solving in multinational corporations? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Introduction: Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc can be useful allies for managers in promoting knowledge sharing and team building. If applied selectively and appropriately, these media facilities can be sources of innovation and problem solving within the business corporation. The term ‘social media’ is a bit misleading and off-putting for managers, as it sounds as an avenue for recreation and time-pass. But when one understands the full scope of possible activities that could be carried out through these sites its utility for managers becomes clear. Another positive aspect of social media sites is their malleability/customizability to specific organizational purposes and goals. Beyond the prominent sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, there are a host of more specialized sites for sharing pictures or bookmarks or applications have cropped up. There are also niche professional blogs and wikis which are seeing steady increase in patronage. (Zielinski, 2012) The objective of this essay is to argue in affirmation of the positive role of social media to improve knowledge sharing, build social capital, support innovation and aid problem solving in multinational corporations. Social media as a tool for innovation and research: A key area where social media sites differ from conventional sites is the content. The former generate their own content, â€Å"collaboratively creating, editing, sharing, tagging, and organizing information, reshaping the contributions of others and engaging in peer-to-peer discussion. These are emergent technologies, meaning that structure and content and even application emerge with use, from the needs and activities of the users.† (â€Å"The Revolution Will Be,† 2011) And it is in this feature of dynamic and contemporaneous content that best suits knowledge sharing exercises. This feature is as well suited to the organizational task of building social capital. Management thinker James Surowiecki has argued in his book, The Wisdom of Crowds, that by tapping the power of social media and in creating goal-specific discussion forums etc, substantial social capital can be built. In forums such as these, people from diverse backgrounds and opinions can bring to table â€Å"shrewd judgments and creative solutions†. The management can play a constructive role in this process by setting up apt mechanisms to collect and assimilate feedbacks, inputs and opinions. Surowiecki’s concept is closely aligned with that of ‘crowd-sourcing’, which is an emerging model of employee participation in the creative processes of business development. And social media outlets have been the backbone of prominent examples of crowd-sourcing. (â€Å"The Revolution Will Be,† 2011) For a company to excel in innovation, it must allow employees a convenient and affordable medium of communication for free exchange of ideas. Social media fits these requirements perfectly, for not only are it cheap, it operates real-time and the communication is virtually instantaneous. In most organizations (except those in high-end IT business) not all employees can be expected to have the talent or inclination to contribute toward innovation. In this scenario, the said potential of social media could be made available to select departments within the organization, like, say, the Research Development department. As an expert in this field notes, â€Å"Social media are helping to fulfill the demand for cheap, instant communication between researchers fueled by the growth of collaborative and interdisciplinary research. This is where the real breakthroughs are occurring, helping to make employees part of a global research community. These new tools make research sharing easier and a more natural part of one’s daily life.† (Brydon, 2010) The success of Twitter in aiding professional development: The use of Twitter for professional enhancement is well established now. While Twitter is primarily used to reach out to personal social circles, in recent years, managements have successfully built Professional Learning Network (PLN) through this medium. Through a PLN, employees follow other employees who have similar interests. Or they subscribe to set categories of tweets sorted via hash tags. For example, a company in the agricultural sector can identify and separate relevant tweets for its employees by setting appropriate hash tag filters. This is a great way to build profession specific knowledge and exchange of opinion. To illustrate, â€Å"In an effort to assist other agricultural educators, the creation of #AgEduChat surfaced. #AgEduChat is a weekly discussion that occurs on Twitter and/or Facebook. The purpose of #AgEduChat is for agricultural educators and supporters to come together and discuss current events or issues that surround the profession. #AgEduChat has been successful in providing a network for teachers and managers to interact and share ideas, opinions, and information that we can use to enhance our skills and profession.† (Bender Genson, 2012) Statistical empirical evidence in support of greater social media integration: To give an illustration of the pace in which social media and other IT enabled technologies are helping employees, let us consider the following statistics. For example, a comprehensive survey of 1,600 multinational companies across the globe was conducted by California based Palo Alto Networks. The survey found a 300 percent hike in social networking activity among employees in 2011 alone. This included such knowledge sharing activities a browser-based file sharing in company intranets. Another study by the American Society for Training and Development further validate these trends. This study was even more comprehensive, in that, it enrolled 3,800 participant companies spanning the globe. The results show that four in five managers are keen on consolidating these trends and have â€Å"planned to increase their use of social media for employee learning during the next three years.† (Zielinski, 2012) Moreover, these managers understand that providing the social media te chnological infrastructure is only a part of the task. Without a culture â€Å"that encourages knowledge sharing and staff dedicated to managing and promoting these initiatives, organizations can quickly lose traction as busy employees find little time or reason to use the tools amid the demands of daily work.† (Zielinski, 2012)

Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Essays

Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Essays Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Paper Corporate Social Responsibility and Timberland Paper In what ways does Timberland fulfill its responsibility to consumers, employees, investors and society as a whole? A : 1 : Timberland’s mission has been to equip people to make their difference in the world. Let them be consumers , employees , investors or society as a whole. Timberland ‘s business is a model for both commerce and justice having a long history in this regard. While continuing to build its reputation as a brand that stands for durability, ruggedness the American outdoor since 1950 , Timberland has been constructing a reputation of integrity and commitment to the community as well. Timberland is committed to ensuring that the workers who produce products are provided with fair, safe and non-discriminatory workplaces. Their products are produced in factories across the globe- in 38 countries by roughly 300 factories and approximately 247,000 workers. Timberland ‘s Code of Conduct is to officially formalize the pursuit of human dignity in the manufacturing process. Timberland has always pursued to serve their various stakeholders- from a demanding shareholder or discerning customer to an employee who wants to make a living with purpose. Timberland has maintained their contract very well with various vendors, suppliers, customers, and local communities to create products. Timeberland ‘s our Code of Conduct demands much more than the minimum industry-standard requirements of environmental and human rights laws. Child labor has been adhered at 16 (which is higher than the law in some countries where their products are manufactured today), and also overtime being paid at a premium despite local laws and have maintained zero tolerance for working hours over 60 hours per week. Timberland listens to stakeholder voices and constantly works to improve assessment and human rights programs. They have taken on the challenge of helping factories build new and different management systems and improves staff knowledge about corporate social responsibility issues. Timberland has also incorporated items that often fall â€Å"beyond factory walls† into the assessment program. Basic things like nutritious food, medical services, housing, child care, schooling, and transportation are all taken into account during the evaluation. It is ensured that that there are ways for workers to learn and grow, such as opportunities for recreation, skills development, and savings or credit- all essential for ensuring the dignity of workers in the global supply chain. As a publicly traded enterprise and a corporate citizen, Timberland is committed to engaging investors / stakeholders in dialogue and action to reduce our global footprint. Investor profiles is broad and diverse, and includes groups or individuals who can affect- or are affected by- the company. Timberland’s approach to stakeholder engagement focuses on two central tenets- transparency and accountability . Transparency enables to engage in candid dialogue with stakeholders, challenge assumptions and encourage innovation. It also helps build trust with these partners and critics to deepen understanding of impact on the world and advance approach to corporate social responsibility. Accountability similarly drives efforts to seek public and stakeholder input as to pursue commitment to commerce and justice. By communicating performance, stakeholders can measure progress and hold them accountable for planned improvements. At Timberland, social responsibility starts at the top. The Company has a strong set of values that form the resolve for all that is being done for he community – humanity, humility, integrity excellence. Timberland has pioneered several progressive environmental and social programs. All these programs together under one umbrella of Corporate Social Responsibility formalized Timberland’s Four CSR Pillars: Energy, Product, Workplace Service. Embedded in each pillar is a commitment or bold goal that drives Timberour strategy in that arena. Q : 2 : In addition to a climate o f social responsibility, do you think Timberland is likely to foster a climate of ethical awareness throughout its organization? Explain your answer. A:2 : Timerland’s Code of Conduct : To create measurable sustainable impact in the lives of workers , the communities where we live and work and the environment we cherish through strategic relationships and investments that unleash civic potential , build capabilities and convene stake holders in common purpose. Well, I feel, its indeed a great combination Timberland has to do business keeping in mind social welfare . Business and community being joined together to create more powerful enterprise and community fostering a climate of ethical awareness throughout its organization. The issues being embraced as an enterprise and as a community are complex and far reaching. And to extend influence as a responsible business, Timberland looks for opportunities to leverage their expertise by educating and empowering a wider society (that is, other brands, government organizations and private citizens). In this way, they promote and steward the environmental and social health of our planet and its people and share our passion for Earthkeeping activities. Approach to building strong communities and a healthy planet through civic action is grounded in three basic criteria: Timberland’s corporate culture is built around values of Humanity, Humility, Integrity and Excellence. In the CSR arena, as in every aspect of the company, all programs must reflect these values. Company rely on a collaborative process built on a common vision and aligned values- within our organization and with partners in the industry- to create enduring change. This includes working together to raise awareness, model innovation and compel action. The results of efforts across all four CSR pillars of Energy, Product, Workplace and Service must be measurable and transformative . Q : 3 : In what ways does Timberland’s path of service programs help develop the quality of its work force? A: 3 : Business community shall be joined together you have a more powerful enterprise community. said Ken Freitas – Timberland Vice President Social Enterprise. Timberland implements this commitment through a serious of programmes in which its employees including top managers corporate dollars participate. Thru its path of service program, employees receives up to 40 hours of paid time per year to participate in community service projects at local schools, day care centers, the society for prevention of cruelty to animals ( SPCA ), food banks, and the like they might clean up a nearby beach or help build a park. Years ago Timberland established its service sabbatical program, in which 3-6 months sabbaticals are awarded to as many as 4 employees who wish to use their professional skills to assist non profitable organizations full time, then there is a global serv–A–Palooza, the annual worldwide co-wide celebration during which 2000 employees, vendors and community partners in a day of service. Engaging as a company in community service over the years has produced a variety of benefits, including the following: Augmented employee development. Our service projects are employee organized and led. Employees who step up to lead service projects receive training in project management, team motivation, and presentation skills, which they can transfer from their service roles into a professional capacity . Increased employee attraction and retention. Responses to our global employee survey consistently indicate that the Path of Serviceâ„ ¢ program benefit is a factor in our employees’ decision to work for and stay at Timberland. Strengthened business partnerships. Timberland encourage employees to share the service ethos with business partners, vendors, and customers, to increase the impact which can be made in communities. Sharing in service experiences provides insight into the company culture and values- an asset in building ongoing business relationships. Reinforced commitment to community building and goodwill. Lasting impacts prevails in the communities in which contributions linger long after the specific service event.

Terrorism Finance and Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Terrorism Finance and Crime - Essay Example Terrorist organizations have continually exploited and relied on charities as their major source of support. Charity organizations provide hiding places to members and financiers of terrorist groups. Their financial support to the charity organization helps them get a cover for their actions and hence can be able to exist in a location in the name of being members of the charity group. This makes it hard for the anti terrorist groups or government officers to identify them and hence co-exist easily. Terrorists have also taken advantage over radical vulnerable communities by recruiting them into their groups through charities. On occasion when charity groups are out assisting such communities, Terrorist groups offer financial assistance them and travel with them to the ares they offering help. During the charity exercise, members of these communities are lured into the terrorist groups and hence they are able recruit people into it. Terrorist groups hide their identity and act like charity groups. Upon funding by nations with high economic levels, they move these funds to other countries and support terrorism. Terrorists working in this disguise are not easily identified and they accomplish their missions easily due to availability of funds. A good example is UNSC 1267 that had two charity groups in Pakistan, which were used to get funds that funded bombings in India. (Wills ,2003)Terrorist groups and organized crime groups have been two different groups with different modes of operation.