Social Technologies in Business

Book excerpt: Do you want to discover how social technologies transform individuals and organisations? Are you looking for hands-on tips on how to implement this technology? Are you ready to steal ideas from the very people who succeeded? Then this book is exactly what you need. In this book, you will find: • 15 authors from across the globe share their experiences, successes and failures. • From the more philosophical matters, and tool-related questions, right across to concrete cases and “how to” tips: this book is a one-stop shop. • It’s a handbook: pick a chapter at random and enjoy. This book showcases a deep understanding of the essential connection between technology and cultural change, and how this is the ‘fuel’ of the most innovative organisations out there. EXCERPT Traditional hierarchy works perfectly in a stable world defi ned by predictability, repetitive tasks and standardisation. In times of constant change, speed and instability hierarchy turns out to be an inadequate, perverted and perverting system. Managers behave like heroes who know it all and treat their staff as children. Digital is the opposite of all this; digital is the Renaissance of work. Focus and power are given to the individual – employees and customers. Digital transformation kicks out the feudal system that dehumanises work. Technology in general and social technologies in particular allow employees to raise their voice and connect with people across hierarchical and geographical boundaries. This is quite revolutionary because individuals start to think for themselves and work becomes more purposeful. REVIEWS This book is at the very intersection between technology and human beings. Thanks to technology, we are all interconnected, we grow as professionals, and we can transform our organisations. Read how technology drives business success and, ultimately, transforms the society we live in. - Saskia Van Uffelen, CEO of Ericsson BeLux and Digital Champion Belgium ABOUT THE AUTHOR Isabel De Clercq is passionate about the vibrant interaction between people, brands, social technologies and organisational change. She enjoys delivering a positive message about technologies in general, and about social initiatives in particular. Isabel supports organisational transformation through social initiatives (keynote speeches, awareness sessions and workshops). She is a crusader against Digital Detox and an evangeliser of Working Out Loud. Isabel works as Sparkle Architect and Trend Catcher at Wolters Kluwer Belgium.