Practical Guide to Social Networks (A)

This 9-page paper seeks to address the complexities involved in creating and supporting social networks. The authors describe social networks as "elusive" and time-intensive. The paper offers suggestions to executives of ways that social networks can be used to benefit an organisation or individual as well as ways to decrease unnecessary networking.

The authors offer three types of social networks as ways to help frame ambiguous problems and help organisations find innovative solutions. One of the key aspects needed according to the authors is "a strategic, nuanced view of collaboration" and steps must be taken "to ensure that their companies support the types of social networks that best fit their goals."

The authors provide examples from Novartis, the FAA, and Sallie Mae to help companies determine which kind of network may best suit them.