In his article, No Man Is an Island, Updated, Edward Glaeser explores whether or not information technology will make “face-to-face contact and the places that enable that contact” obsolete or will it make meeting people face-to-face “more effective and more valuable” (NYTimes). The story of Facebook’s existence, made popular by Ben Mezrich’s “The Accidental Billionaires” and recent film, “The Social Network,” demonstrates that the Internet is making in-person interactions more important than ever before.
Many people assume that technology makes it easier to connect without meeting in person, which suggests that new technology is bad for places that enable face-to-face meetings. Contrary to this belief, technology like e-mail and Facebook often allows users to maintain friendships and transmit information, which in turn makes in-person connections more rewarding. Furthermore, surveys of Facebook users have shown that “students view the primary audience for their profile to be people with whom they share an offline connection” (NYTimes). Therefore, most users utilize the information they gain from technology to further develop their relationships and to continue both online and in-person communication, rather than use the technology to form new relationships.
Facebook and other similar networks can be viewed as a substitute for a face-to-face interaction but more often; they serve to complement an in-person meeting. Rather than viewing technology as a foe, we should learn to view it as a tool that helps us to create and maintain healthy bonds with other people, including those who are far away. Facebook allows for “virtual friendships with people that you have never physically met” (NYTimes). Glaeser notes, “If these virtual friendships are sufficiently satisfying, then Facebook may make it unnecessary ever to be in the same room.” To some, this idea may seem feasible due to the heavy weight businesses place on technology; however, while innovation is regarded as highly important in the business world, maintaining personal contacts and relationships is vital to a successful business strategy or idea. Facebook is a prime example of an idea that was developed from in-person collaboration amongst a group of intelligent people. Harvard’s Mark Zuckerberg, as well as a few of Mark’s college friends and Napster innovator Sean Parker, discussed their plans for Facebook during face-to-face meetings, where they could clarify their thoughts and complex ideas in an efficient manner.
In regards to small companies, Peter Delgrosso, strategic vice-president for corporate communications with Web.com, agrees that, “social networking sites should be viewed as complementary to your online presence… When used properly, it is something that can gain your business some attention. However, you need to realize it shouldn't be seen as a replacement to your traditional online presence” (BusinessWeek). Other businessmen agree with Delgrosso. Greg Sterling, of Sterling Market Intelligence, “considers social network sites primarily for meeting people, asking for advice or referrals and, carefully, doing online marketing” (BusinessWeek). He believes varying sites have different uses. For example, “Sites such as LinkedIn can be helpful in connecting with people you want to meet for one reason or another [while] Twitter and Facebook can be helpful when you're trying to notify a group of people about something you want to promote or about a happening of some kind” (BusinessWeek).
Sterling also believes that various sites have varying strengths, which can be used to achieve different tasks. He recommends that users who are online for networking and human resources purposes should utilize LinkedIn, while those who are looking to gain exposure to larger audiences should use Facebook (BusinessWeek). Sterling notes that LinkedIn “requires some résumé creation, then offers the opportunity to link in to other like-minded professionals. When used selectively, it can be a very powerful tool for identifying new business partners, new employees, or simply building your personal or business presence” (BusinessWeek). He also adds that Facebook may serve as an aid to, “establish or join a network based on your business or industry category to tap into people’s affinity for the topic. By doing this, you'll… clearly establish your niche, keeping the interaction focused on the specific subject matter” (BusinessWeek).
Students sometimes use social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook in preparation for an interview. If they know the name of the person interviewing them, the sites can allow them to find out more about that person, which may give them an advantage in the long run. Although most interviews are conducted in person, technology is almost always used to follow up after an interview. Students are told to e-mail the interviewer after their interview to create a lasting impression on the person and to better their chances of obtaining a job with that company. The use of technology may, in fact, make getting a job easier. Since there are so many ways to communicate and meet people online, there is a greater chance that a connection will be made between a person looking for a job and an employer.
Company representatives may also use social networking sites when they are looking to hire new employees. It is for this reason that people of all ages must be careful about what they post on the Internet, because anything inappropriate that is posted could mean the difference between getting hired or not. Although employers can get a basic impression of potential employees by looking at their online profiles, meeting in person will give them a better idea of who the employee actually is; what his or her personality is like and how he or she interacts with others.
Despite the ambiguity of social networking sites, companies benefit from technology every day. Rick Julian, CEO and chief creative officer of Quo Vadis, says he's getting a positive return on his investment from using social media sites. “It puts a human face on your business and allows people to get an impression of what a relationship with you would be like. When all things remain equal, people want to work with people they think they'll have an interesting relationship with” (BusinessWeek).
Robert Jenson, CEO of the Las Vegas-based realty firm the Jenson Group, takes a “strictly corporate approach” to social networking. He explains that he “educates[s] visitors on important, universal industry matters. I try my utmost to ensure the content I post is…applicable and of interest to… any real estate consumer nationwide” (BusinessWeek). Jenson posts articles and blogs he’s written to establish his credibility as a real estate expert. Moreover, when companies belong to multiple social networking sites, their chances of appearing in search engines increases, so more of customers are likely to find them.
Almost all companies today utilize technology and social networking sites to get ahead in the business world. However, it is evident that these companies could not function without basic relationships and in-person meetings between groups of intelligent people. These face-to-face interactions amongst great thinkers allow people to express their true character and develop ideas together, a concept that has yet to be digitized. Although new conference call technology and GoogleDocs allow people to easily collaborate online, most people today still appreciate the comfort of meeting in person. The technology industry may have “the ability to connect over vast distances,” but new ideas are more likely to stem from being in the right place with a “cluster of smart people” (NYTimes). Changes in technology have created tremendous opportunity for people looking to develop new ideas, and collaboration with our neighbors allows us to make these ideas a reality.
-Katie O’Neill
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/no-man-is-an-island-updated/
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/aug2008/sb2008086_346094.htm
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