More on network capital

OK, I’m really pleased with the responses I’ve had to my last posting. I’m certainly keen on looking into social network value…and have started doing so.

Some of the other networking I’ve done over the last couple of months has been triggered or fostered through this blog as well. I’ve had some really useful exchanges with ‘friends’ and followers on other social networking sites recently too, and my networks in Australia, China, North America and the UK in particular have continued to expand. With one exception, I’ve got to say I’m really pleased with the way my social networking activity has gone of late. Kind of like on the road to achieving a vision. That’s got to be good!

I now have several expressions of interest to collaborate that I am keen to follow-up with, and some research referrals to pursue. I’ve read a couple of really interesting papers that I’ve found to be instructive and stimulating (on network citizens and social capital value) and I’ll be sharing my views on these soon. So the richer experience for me of late has been in establishing deeper relationships and less from the weaker links in the form of feeds and tweets etc. Of course, the weak links remain of value – like following and being followed by the Australian Prime Minister (or at least his office) and Leader of the Opposition on Twitter. Actually, Twitter remains an incredibly useful way to find out what others reactions are to events and developments. So, there has been much happening for me, and all of this during a time when I’ve had a couple of breaks from being online.

The exception is that I’ve not had the space or interest to be that active in some of the social networking and social media sites where I have a presence. I guess it is all part of the learning process for me right now…and I am sure new tools to help find, interpret and aggregate social networks and feeds are on the horizon.

I am gaining in social network value…some of which will be useful at work. Sure, I can add value at work while enhancing my own sense of value. That’s cool. But it does beg a question from a general perspective (not personal): how much value is accrued to the firm/organisation from the networking activities of individuals? Just a share of it in fact i would say, with the proportion of value to the firm or individual respectively dependent on context. That’s almost suggestive of some kind of sliding scale or continuum of value.

Enough pondering for now. It’s time to eat!