Powering up social software

zoom

David Rymer, head of knowledge and communities at Contax.

David Rymer looks at how social networking can be used in the professional arena.

Surging population growth, booming construction and a dash for economic growth are straining the Middle East's power and water infrastructure. Consumption is rising sharply, capacity is being taxed and new plant and facilities simply can't come on-stream fast enough.

Add into this heady mix intense competition for experienced staff, a global talent shortage and the impending ‘crew change' as the retirement of a generation of engineers and managers considers retirement and you have an environment where ‘more of the same' simply won't deliver the desired outcomes.

Meeting the demands of an energy and resource intensive Middle East utility sector requires innovative solutions. This has triggered a search for ways to transform how infrastructure owners, together with subcontractors and suppliers to the utilities sector organise and manage themselves.

The quest is on to unlock the next step-change in performance. Consequently, many organisations are seeking to forge tighter links with customers, suppliers and outside experts, and engage their employees more successfully.

Outside the region, this is surfacing in the way utility clusters are approaching issues such as handling waste water by-products like sludge, troubleshooting transformers and transmission loss, and integrated maintenance schedules down the supply chain.

For other organisations, this sea change involves engaging the community, customers and suppliers in rolling out smart fittings and practical water conservation schemes - projects reliant on networks crossing traditional corporate walls.

The question is how best to accomplish this?

Next generation thinking

The Middle East's operating environment requires new ways of thinking. As Einstein famously said, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

So what tools are companies using to create this transformation?

Increasingly, organisations are adopting social software to forge closer interactions with customers, integrate suppliers into their operations and engage employees and external experts more dynamically on topics as diverse as carbon offsets, equipment selection and outsourcing supplier accreditation.

Social software can be defined as, "tools for collaboration and networking within and beyond the enterprise." Typical social software span a variety of business services, including: wikis, blogs, forums, RSS, podcasts, social networking and file sharing.

Part of a business-centric approach to redefining business practices, they are being leveraged to change management practices and organisational structures and to tap distributed knowledge within and without their organisation.

Suppliers are already using wikis to develop tender responses. Subcontractors such as Shell, Fluor and CCC amongst others are using wikis to transfer internal experience from one project site to another as a way of coping with booming employee numbers, while organizations like Dow and Siemens use them as part of their strategy to attract and retain talent.

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM