Corporate Social Network Essay

corporate Social Net gain Final ProjectMIS 535 Man be onrial Applications of knowledge technologyLou Ann McElyeaJune 16, 2013AbstractM either establishments have trace boxes. One push aside muster up a suggestion box in a gas station, a restaurant, and even a work place. Its an easy and mostly unkn possess way to express ideas or concerns regarding an organization and/or its structure. Through the wont of goods and services of a suggestion box, either client or employee would be qualified to express opinions and make suggestions according to the various attributes of an organization with turn up a heights pressure surround such as meetings and superior/employee oneness-on-one sessions. With overture to so much education technology and data collection resources, more(prenominal) organizations dissolve take their suggestion box out of the h alone(a)way and to the employee or client through their computer screen.The easy vexibility of the electronic suggestion box wo uld non only encourage more users, but gain ground on the spot ideas at the time a suggestion is originated. For example, at Chilis the restaurant they have an interactive module where you sens play bouncys and pay your bill. After a short visit to the bathroom, you see of a game they can add to their interactive board. Wouldnt it be nice if instead of flagging use up a waitress or trying to find a manager, you could put that suggestion right on the interactive board that goes straight to the manager in a message?Organization BackgroundOpening in 2000, the fully accredited innovational Academics Inc. partnered with naturalizes and districts on the whole over the United States to come through onlinel draw ining opportunities for pupils who carryed an redundant educational option avail satisfactory. Offering access to certified t to each oneers 24 hours a day, 5 days a week and 24/7 scholarly person technical support on an innovative practical(prenominal) classroom pla t defecate, travel Academics Inc. made a point to equip students with tout ensemble possible resources to service in achieving a higher(prenominal) naturalize diploma. With students in the most untaught corners of Oklahoma, where the organization is headquartered, were un equal to(p) to get to schooltime. Buses didnt work that far and methods of dose were slim. More and more students in traditional classrooms were non finding the environment to be conducive to their academic success. Students who postulate more time with their teacher or doing their homework or tests can f each(prenominal) between the cracks of conventional school outlines.There had to be another option, surely, there was another way. direct a subsidiary of DeVry Inc., Advanced Academics Inc., is one of the most regarded online learning institutions in the country. Offering educational opportunities not only to those of high school age but to those who ar younger, older, and in necessitate of an ac credited high school diploma, Advanced Academics is a sought after institution. This online learning option unfeignedly lives by their mission to help students succeed and graduate with a high school diploma.ProblemAdvanced Academics Inc. has free state-based platforms in 10 states not including the international tuition-based program. Each of these programs requires specific criteria to be met in beau monde to att residual, as sanitary as dissimilar contacts for counselors and student dish outants and an outsourced general entropy and sign enrollment customer service. According to their LinkedIn page, Advanced Academics Inc., or AAI, has upwards of five hundred employees across the footprint and headquarters with approximately 80% of their corporate employees subject to work remotely utilizing the popular cloud computing body Salesforce. With all these national, and mobile, employees deep down the organization, AAI can experience a lapse in parley amongst their program directors, admissions, and enrollment.This lack of discourse has led to a multitude of issues within the organization such as programs changing criteria or dropping out of AAI, mis study universe put forwardd to students and employees, and website update and repair. Because comp whatsoever-wide face to face meeting atomic number 18 heartfelt impossible, AAI has a heavy reliance on a chain of t finish uper and technology in order to make any updates or changes powerful in the organization and for the breeding to at large(p)ing accordingly. They lack a system or package that is well-disposed to all employees of the organization to be adapted to perform their jobs hard-hittingly. Halverson and Tirmizi (2008) state that organizations have to find means, as they apply ball-shaped communication tools, to adjust their ways of communicating and to a lower placestanding in order to maintain effective communication (p. 185). AAI postulate to make some adjustments so that all facets of the organization can work cohesively, providing the students the flawless service they need to succeed.SolutionSince most of AAI has access to the same databases as well as utilize the same resources to perform their various job functions, it is a safely drawn conclusion that most employees are inept at accessing different technologies on a daily basis. I propose that all of the employees access a form of social net workings technology that enables employees and team members to share ideas, suggestions, opinions, and word of honor/updates with those in the AAI community. This site bring into beingd specifically for this purpose, leave alone pose as a meeting place divided into applicable sections and accessible to everyone to receive information and updates in real time, instead of waiting for it to be handed down the chain of command. In this idea solicitude database topics such as software and hardware issues, updates, and suggestions can be discussed as well as a ny organizationally related announcements regarding meetings, consecrate houses, closures, and changes to any program.From each post, employees and team members will be able to vote on each post, elevating its importance (i.e. the more likes a post has, it elevates to the top/front of the fabrication). They will also be able to re post to any smaller sub groups created in the organization. The AAI corporate office as well as group/subgroup loss leadership will be able to track the usage of the website to determine that all are using it to gather information and as an agreement/ recognition of any important policy or procedure changes. AAIcould also provide a discussion feature regarding any new changes, such as commentary on any other social media. Any proposals or changes, lower level employees will be able to communicate with the top(prenominal) level circumspection in order to ask questions or reference point any concerns. This feature can provide the communication the org anization would need in order to provide proficient service for students.BenefitsAside from the manifest of supplying superior service to the students and parents, this social meeting place or virtual suggestion/announcement page provides many benefits to the AAI staff and employees.On The eyepatch IdeasAAI meetings for most of the plane sections are unintentionally sporadic and have to be spread throughout the footprint and calendar in order to chink meet coverage for students. By then, team and staff members have to record and have in mind facets of their job functions that are affected and could be changed. Because not everyone is accessible throughout the organization at all times, it can be hard to utilize AAIs open inlet policy. With the forums implementation, staff will be able to post questions right away, as it occurs to them. It would be open for other staff members to answer and vote on, to show its importance. This would also ease off upper level management oppo rtunity to read and respond to any questions straight from the source, as opposed to second hand emails and meeting topics. missed In TranslationBecause of the lack of formal information, the organization can plunk for from procedural changes being lost in translation. Associates are able to misconstrue and confuse information that is being passed down to them through the chain of command. This game of telephone can lead to providing misinformation to students/parents, misinformed staff members, ebb and flow of communication lines between educational institution and organization, andoverall bad employee morale. When there are some(prenominal) lines of communication between student/parent and AAI, they could get several different answers to one question they whitethorn ask. For example, a student call for an application for the online program in Arizona for the next school year.The student then received a letter a week subsequent from the program in Arizona stating they were not participating in an online program for the next school year and provided information on the traditional fill school they offered. Confused, the student called their admissions advisor who was unaware Arizonas school was not participating next year. It was then that it was revealed that Arizonas school had backed out of AAIs virtual program. Had there been a more open communication forum, Arizona would have been able to communicate this to all formally. Ending any confusion that the student was caused.Slow Moving communion TrainIt can take days, weeks, or never for certain information to be made available to everyone throughout AAIs organizational structure. Information would have to be relayed from the state programs, to AAIs upper level management and further down. Because there are so many cooks in the kitchen, AAI suffers from being able to relay information organization wide on a more time efficient basis. The information may be deemed as irrelevant to certain departments, ho wever, if they were presented with a problem, they may be unable to assist the parent or student properly. Most communication within the organization occurs via email or by phone. With conflicting schedules and time zones, its very hard to relay information efficiently when dealing with so many people. With the forum, employees will be able to check it every day, all day during their working hours. This constant and consistent flow of communication allows for information readiness and could be referred to, before tapping on the shoulder of fellow associates or calling around departments.Business/Technical ApproachImplementing this forum would enable the organization to communicate on a highly effective level. This form of information technology will enableupper level management to put forth different and more effective business practices, allowing for a better rate of devote in the organization. With better communication, the organization could untangle more smoothly. Frit-enz (19 97) likens a useful information technology system to that of the clays circulatory system stating that when valid useful information is blocked, the system goes into a form of cardiac arrest (p. 93). An effective organization needs to absorb and use what information is being presented and decide what is needed in order to make the organization the most in(predicate) in the industry. This forum would allow upper level management to actively participate in a collaboration with all employees by sharing resources, information, and making themselves accessible when needed.It is within large corporations and organizations that colleagues and associates become so involved in their own daily job functions, they have no direct relation to what may occur within other departments or areas in the organization. Collaboration and working closer together is one basic necessity of a successful organization and one that seems to fall out of practice with other organizations. It should lodge a foc us and when other ideas of maintaining that communication fails, a new one should be confined and put into practice, such as the forum.Business Process ChangesCurrently, there is a chain of command associated with AAIs communication structure. This would have to be basically removed and replaced. Reason being, AAI would have to use the forum in its entirety, and on a consistent basis, in order for it to become effective and useful. The information technology team in the organization would be in charge of handling the forums structure and functionality. Each department, as it does currently, has a leader in which all information must be relayed and filtered through. From here each department lead will be responsible for providing information on the forum for everyone.Upper level management will be able to determine, via regular virtual or in person meetings, to discuss what topic(s) are applicable to what department. As not everything within the organization is necessary for all dep artments, these meetings and their consistently are crucial in the development and maintenance of the forum. separate departmentswill be required to view and participate in the forum on a regular basis, depending on department determines frequency. From there, each department lead can determine whether or not the participation can determine agreeance/acknowledgement of certain procedural and policy changes as well as could serve as topics for in person meetings or huddles. These changes, although sensibly subtle since most communication in the organization is electronic would designate to provide a faster return and feedback on any information presented.Technology/Business Practices UsedWith the implementation of a social media casing forum in AAI, some best business practices will need to be agreed upon and enforce. Current moral and ethics practices and processes can pass to be used. Maintaining professionalism in this seemingly informal form of communication is key. solita ry(prenominal) professional and proper language will be used and enforced in the forum. Any language and behavior to the contrary will not tolerated and disciplinary action will be enforced.Within the IT team, they will work to monitor the forums functionality, and maintain its ability to run efficiently. Its reliability is allows AAI to feel confident in its own capabilities and starting line secure the rest of the business of continued service availability and performance (Addy, 2007 p. 165). The IT team will perform routine maintenance on the forum to ensure its functionality and will be able to access and view feedback as well, adjusting the forum to create and maintain high usability throughout the organization.High Level effectuation PlanIn order to properly implement the forum, its non-white print must first be created. The IT team can create the forum and all functionalities presented, and bring it to the associates and employees who would benefit from its usage the most , being the end users. The end users would then provide the IT team feedback regarding what needs to be added or changed, based on the uses they would need the most. The agile process would make the end users a team who are more focused on the use and ease of accessibility of the forum. Fromthere, the IT team can take the feedback and create a forum. The end users at that time will perform tests on the system, under the monitor of the IT team, to ensure all of the functionality the end users need is present.Based on the feedback received from the testing phase, the IT team will be able to create and present the forum from there to upper level management, or provide the tweaks needed in order to make it more functional and run more tests. Once its put into effect, the forum will start in a probationary time frame to slowly introduce the forum into the daily lives of AAI employees. Another survey will be interpreted after said probationary period to determine if the forum can be of th e utmost use to everyone, or if it works for certain departments only. From there, the forum will be put into play permanently, or if AAI would need to return to the drawing board.ConclusionIt is with the introduction of this forum that I feel AAI would earn an immense amount of benefits for all. Everyone would be able to communicate, in real time, effectively. By get toing this information technology based community, AAI will be able to connect, collaborate, and share resources with all the associates and colleagues they interact with on a daily basis. Allowing for this open flow of communication, according to Cross (2010), will help everyone network and build relationships, and then sustaining those connection and conversations in an online community in which a broader hearing can participate (p. 5). In this open door and open door community, AAI can see success grow by leaps and bounds interior and outside the organization.ReferencesAddy, R. (2007). Effective IT Service Manage ment To ITIL and Beyond. Berlin Springer.Austin, E., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2000). Strategic commonplace Relations Management Planning and Managing Effective Communication Programs. Mahwah, N.J. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Cross, R. L. (2010). The Organizational net Fieldbook Best Practices, Techniques, and Exercises to Drive Organizational Innovation and Performance. San Francisco, CA Jossey-Bass.Fitz-enz, J. (1997). The 8 Practices of exceptional Companies How Great Organizations Make the Most of Their Human Assets. New York AMACOM.Pell, A. R. (1999). The Complete idiots Guide to Managing People. New York, N.Y. Alpha Books.Tirmizi, S., & Halverson, C. B. (2008). Effective Multicultural Teams system and Practice. Dordrecht Springer.Walton, D. N. (2007). Media Argumentation Dialectic, Persuasion, and Rhetoric. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.http//www.linkedin.com/company/advanced-academics