Organizations Don't Tweet..People Do. Reflection

First, I(@KSS213) would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Euan(@euan) Semple's Organizations Don't Tweet People Do.  It was very well constructed and provided an insight that is unique and modern.  The use of technology in today's world is enormous and necessary.  By not using and adapting technology, people and companies will be passed over and even forgotten.  Simply by using technology the benefits we can reap are numerous and plentiful.  Take for instance our in-class live Tweet.  We are communicating instantaneously with the author who was located in London.  Within seconds Euan would respond back to our questions, comments, and concerns.  It is truly amazing what technology can do.  In the book, it mentions that as we(people) mature, so does technology.  It seems as though technology has developed and matured so much over its life and I asked Evan "how much more can technology mature," he responded "We aren't even teenagers yet" touching on the fact that the internet and the supplemental technologies are very young and still have a long path of developing and becoming more sophisticated and even more helpful.  Furthermore, I asked Euan about using technology and social media in the finance world, and he said that with technology and social media we can use a intricate form of checks and balances and it could help with preventing "the next banking snafu."  Pulling directly from his book, Euan mentioned that "we build webs of meaning using these linked ideas and construct shared meaning in a way totally different from the heavy, disconnected documents of the past"(42).  When I read this, I thought of the social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter and how we have developed a "web" of relationships, knowledge, and "ideas" that have been formed in a internet space but feel so real.  This web is symbiotic and that we can learn from each other and teach each other.  There isn't only an inflow, but also an outflow.  In his book, he talks about organizations adopting social media.  He says a boss can prevent the use of social media.  I mentioned earlier that social media really isn't used in the financial world and he writes "disapproval is a very strong force especially if it is coming from the one who determines your salary"(64).  However, this is where my questions arise.  I don't believe the financial world is ready for the use of social media not because it can't adapt such technologies, but because in doing so, this would become groundbreaking and will not be accepted in the eyes of others.  We treat our social media as a representation of ourselves and now you will also be representing the company which will add a larger sense of representation.  I believe that it will take the actions of a few individuals and companies to adapt social media and be groundbreakers, and innovators, in order for others to take notice and have social media be part of every industry and see that by not using social media, companies aren't tapping into this area of unused resources.  Only time will tell, but those who don't use social media and technologies will be left behind and forgotten.  

I learned a lot from Euan's book and I recommend others to read his novel.  He provided a unique insight and really provoked thought, ideas, and reflection.  Prior to this class, I never participated in a live Tweet, and it was a really cool experience.  It shows that the world really isn't all that large, that it is a lot smaller and connected than we think.