THE HIDDEN POWER OF SOCIAL NETWORKS - GETTING ON TRACK OF HOW SOCIAL NETWORKS WORK.

Dear classmates,

it was an exiting and interesting journey that has led me to the following website which is the final result of my search: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/08/social.networks.connected/index.html.

The site provides insight into the power of social networks and the magnitude of the subconcious impact those sides have on us. YES, ON YOU, TOO!

But let me start at the beginning of my journey rather than the end. I read an article in the financial times that Barack Obama used an innovative social network strategy to raise funds of record size, win over and mobilize young voters, and engage in a campaign with such a hugh success that this circumstance will change the way social networks will be used in the future. I included several of those links, if you are interested to read more about it. But this is NOT what the link above is about!!! (For instance, an article of the New York times, Washington Post, and the INSEAD Knowledge website. The latter is an organization that cooperates with the famous INSEAD institute. See links below!)

When reading those articles, I asked myself, do social networks really have such a high impact on us and how strong is this impact?

Again, I used google search entering 'social network + politics' and I stumbled across the link mentioned in the very beginning (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/08/social.networks.connected/index.html.)

This link brings you to the CNN website reporting on social networks and the effects of internet plattforms such as facebook and twitter on our daily behavior. Amazingly, it shows how the opinion of a single person can create a new accepted standard among members of a group connected to this person. The acceptance of the new standard can lead to tremendous effects on every member. The examples used in this article are those of obesity, epidemic of diseases and many more. I can only ask you to have a look yourself AND also to click on links provided within the articles and to use the video and slideshow option, as well. It is really worth looking at! In addition, see the link to the book 'connected' of Havard Professor N. Christakis and Associate Professor J. Fowler of the university of California. (http://connectedthebook.com/index.html). EXTRAORDINARY!

How does this information help? Understanding how social networks work, can help in many ways. The author provides several examples of how social networking can bring small groups together to protect their interests, how detecting sources prevent the spread of epidemic diseases and how to protect young people from creating an unhealthy body image.

In business the first principle can be applied. Currently, companies of a certain industry are represented by unions to protect their interests against goverments. The problem is that the bigger the company, the more they pay to unions and the better they are represented. Conflicts of interests between smaller and bigger companies are seldom addressed. The bigger companies mainly win. An internet based network could provide a totally new approach to the way smaller companies are represented in the future. A well organized network could result in a dispensibility of unions and companies can fight for their interests themselves without the bias of unions.

I hope you enjoyed reading!

Ben Neumann (M 10)

Obama's social network:

1. New York Times [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/technology/09iht-carr.1.17652000.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2;

2. Washington Post http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2007/10/06/barack_obama_social_networking.html;

3. Insead Knowledge http://knowledge.insead.edu/contents/HowObamausedsocialnetworkingtowin090709.cfm]