Our Current Social Networks

The Network Society Introduction Castells (2011, p. 4) defines network society as a society whose social structure is made up of networks that are powered by microelectronics-based information and communication technologies. Networks do constitute of the new social morphology of our societies. When you look at network society from Castells point of view then the infrastructure of the network society is determined by the relationship between technical, social, and media networks (Van Dijk, 1999, p. 128).

Networks are not a new form of social organization, but they have become the key feature of social morphology. This means that they are the new forms of old processes. Networking or networks have become the way of life in the 21st century that has been embraced by all. Face-to-face interaction still remains to be the most prevalent and vital form of communication for a myriad of reasons in the network society.

However, this has been supplemented by a number of technological devices and they have somehow managed to replace this form of communication. For example, the rise in the use of the mobile phone has changed the way human beings interact with each other. Social networks result in the creation of global communities that enable people to mingle and freely share information without any restriction. This is quite different from the past where information seemed to be classified.

Interaction through social networks and production leads to the formation of communication networks where people can easily share information irrespective of location. The network society has resulted in the burgeoning of electronic banking, online shopping, electronic bill payment, and reshaping of the business environment. Many employees nowadays perform their work using the internet and this is due to the connectedness that exists between work systems. The social network has made workers be more efficient and this allows an organization to meet its goals quite easily.

The Good and The Bad The network society gives an individual the freedom to choose the community they would prefer to belong to albeit virtually. This may be an enriching form of social interaction that allows for some form of commitment to the society, however, it does not require a total commitment of being a face-to-face member. With this there is no restriction in terms of location and time zones and people can interact with other likeminded people freely and without restrictions.

Communication is improved and sharing of information is now much faster. Exchange programs for universities have been made much easier and students are able to undertake courses online. This is also beneficial to the students as they do not have to travel far from their home country in order for them to take part in such exchange programs. Allowing a student to stay at their home country and undertake the course online has only been made possible by the network society.

Students are able to interact like in a physical classroom and they can ask questions and have discussions with other students. Global business has been made easy and customers can shop for their favorite items at the comfort of their homes. Businesses have increased their customer bases as they are no longer limited to their physical locations only. Through internet connection and computers, a business can reach customers and offer products and services that would not have been possible in the past (Hassan, 2004, p. 10). Information sharing has been improved tremendously.

People receive up-to-the-minute information the moment it happens without any delay. Information is shared through a variety of sources and this enables individuals and businesses to make more informed decisions. Communication is less restricted and people can interact with others without any constraint. It is now possible to communicate without the need for personal contact by using the global network of mass media.

While the network society is mostly viewed as a good thing in most scenarios, there is a dark side of this interconnectedness that most people fail to notice. Human beings have a need for interaction and there are many forms of interaction. However, the network society has given rise to individuals who are addicted to computers and smartphones and they have forgotten how to communicate with others face-to-face. People are more willing to interact and communicate using technology and this results in people being addicted to their devices.

The limitation of this is that people are now more isolated than they were before. Social networks have become the norm for most people and they tend to believe what they read or hear online. This results in people who trust their online networks more than they should and results in the proliferation of fake news. Global trade has become easy and one can get products or raw materials quite easily.

However, this ease has resulted in the development of black markets where brokers source for raw materials cheaply or illegally and they can easily offload them to global factories. Access to these markets has only been made possible through the network society. In the past, it would have been quite difficult for them to find ready markets quite easily. There has been the proliferation of the dark web where all manner of illegal trade takes place.

This has become popular with criminals who understand that their activities cannot be monitored and they can trade openly on these platforms. The Network Society is Good Communication has been made easy with networking. People are able to interact with each other and they can do at any time they feel like since most people nowadays have a mobile phone. This interaction is not limited by location as information can still be passed even if the person is miles away.

This has made it easy for family members, friends, co-workers, and business people to keep in touch. Communication has also been improved and it is also quite cheap as compared to the past. People are now able to share messages easily with each other without any restrictions (Castells & Cardoso, 2006, p. 23). These interactions have ensured that we still remain connected even if we are far apart. Human beings are social creatures by nature and we yearn for the socialization of any form.

The internet has made it possible for us to keep socializing even when we are away from others. This socialization is beneficial to use because it keeps us focused and aware of what is happening instead of wondering and hoping. Information sharing is instant and one can act upon the information to ensure that does not get affected by it negatively.

There are numerous methods for socializing and the social networks have also allowed us to link up with like-minded people in order for us to share information that is relevant to our particular groupings. People can now discuss interesting topics with others even when they are not physically in the same locality. This improves upon the interaction and makes the conversation more interesting. Businesses have also benefited from networking.

Employees are able to share information with each other when they are in the office and this increases the speed of decision making. Employees are also able to coordinate with one another even when they are not in the same office. Information sharing has also been improved and businesses are able to make a decision much faster than before. With faster decision making, a business is able to beat its rivals and emerge on top based on the quick decision that it made.

Businesses are now global and they can trade from any location. Global business means that there is a need to.