The diverging effects of social network sites on receiving job information for students and professionals

An increasing number of students, professionals, and job-recruiters are using Social Network Sites (SNSs) for sharing information. There has been limited research assessing the role of individuals seeking a job and receiving information about job openings in SNSs. In this regard, do students, non-managers, and managers benefit from job offers when they are a member of SNSs such as Facebook or LinkedIn? How can differences in receiving information about job openings be explained by the strength-of-weak-ties and structural holes theorems? Results of an online survey among 386 respondents indicate that users of SNSs with more contacts are more likely to receive information about job openings than others. Most information about job openings was transmitted via LinkedIn to professionals. Regression analyses indicate that LinkedIn professionals with more links are more likely to receive information about a job opening. In contrast, the structural holes theory is not supported in this setting. The authors argue that Higher education should actively encourage and train students to use LinkedIn to enhance their employability. Finally, new generation graduates’ use of technology for different tasks and with different people than professionals is considered

The effects of ict on sports fan management

This contribution studies the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the fan engagement process and the role ITC can play in enabling the reconfiguration of a sports organization. This approach combines social enterprise, sports context, and ICT theories in discussing the concepts of fan quantity, feedback, and involvement. The study highlights the value of fans as relevant stakeholders in sports organizations and as key players in the creation of value. Sport organizations as social enterprises simultaneously seek sporting, economic as well as social results. ICT can increase the value of fans as assets, reinforcing the integration of these three forms of results. Three emblematic case histories describe and exemplify the theoretical argument presented in this chapter and offer stimuli for the discussion of both theoretical and managerial implications

Cultivating innovation through social relationships: A qualitative study of outstanding Australian innovators in science and technology and the creative industries

In this chapter, we describe and explore social relationship patterns associated with outstanding innovation. In doing so, we draw upon the findings of 16 in-depth interviews with award-winning Australian innovators from science & technology and the creative industries. The interviews covered topics relating to various influences on individual innovation capacity and career development. We found that for all of the participants, innovation was a highly social process. Although each had been recognised individually for their innovative success, none worked in isolation. The ability to generate innovative outcomes was grounded in certain types of interaction and collaboration. We outline the distinctive features of the social relationships which seem to be important to innovation, and ask which ‘social network capabilities’ might underlie the ability to create an optimal pattern of interpersonal relationships. We discuss the implications of these findings for universities, which we argue play a key role in the development of nascent innovators