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and GravesBusiness Communication Quarterly
BCQ75110.1177/1080569911433326Sacks
Social Networking Part 2
How Many “Friends”
Do You Need? Teaching
Students How to
Network Using Social Media
Business Communication Quarterly
75(1) 80­–88
© 2012 by the Association for
Business Communication
Reprints and permission: http://www.
sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav
DOI: 10.1177/1080569911433326
http://bcq.sagepub.com
Michael Alan Sacks1 and Nikki Graves1
Abstract
Student reliance on social media is undeniable. However, while we largely regard
social media as a new phenomena, the concepts underlying it come directly from social
network theory in sociology and organizational behavior. In this article, the authors
examine how the social network concepts of size, quality, complexity, diffusion, and
distance determine the situational usefulness of social media tools such as Facebook,
LinkedIn, and Twitter. The authors also provide in-class and out-of-class teaching
assignments that help students recognize the specific ways in which social networks
can aid or hinder their professional endeavors.
Keywords
social media, social network theory, organizational behavior
Introduction
Business communication teachers derive many benefits from integrating social media
use into their classes. One reason is that the current population of millennial generation
students, which largely comprises current undergraduate and MBA-level students more
technologically savvy than any previous generation. Social media not only serve as communication tools for students but shape the way they construct their social and professional identities (Hartman & McCambridge, 2011). Therefore, the use of social media
lends itself well to many of the impression management techniques that we teach in
business communication courses, such as personal branding (Roberts & Roach, 2009).
1
Emory University, USA
Corresponding Author:
Nikki Graves, Goizueta Business School, Emory University, 1300 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta,
GA, 30322, USA
Email: [email protected]
Social Networking Part 2 81
Social media are not only tools of students but increasingly of the organizations that seek
to hire them. HR personnel frequently use social networking websites as reference
checks for potential job candidates (Roberts & Roach, 2009). In addition, ample evidence suggests that use of social media within organizations’ communication is rapidly
displacing email (Cardon & Okoro, 2010). Thus, social media, when used appropriately,
opens up a world of networking and relationship-building opportunities for students
(Decarie, 2010). Students who can communicate via informal and formal communication channels are becoming increasingly valuable in organizations.
We tend to think of social media and networking as relatively new phenomena. But
many popular social media tools are built on concepts within social network theory, a
preeminent research field within sociology and organizational behavior (Burt, 1992;
Granovetter, 1973; Uzzi, 1996). Social network theory examines specific dynamics
within webs of interrelationships among people and firms. In this article, we explore
the concepts of social network theory that underlie the power and popularity of social
media. First, we examine how business communication teachers can use Facebook to
teach principles of network size and network quality. Second, we explore how LinkedIn
demonstrates the principle of social distance. Third, we address how Twitter exemplifies network diffusion and network complexity. We also include in-class and out-ofclass exercises that help students maximize the effectiveness of social networking.
Facebook, Network Size, and Network Quality
Facebook has become the premiere site for social networking, with more than
800 million users as of October 2011 (Facebook, 2011). The site is not only a favorite
source of social connectedness, but it is even credited for helping to spread democracy
and topple regimes in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia. While we tend to think of
Facebook as a fairly recent phenomenon, it is grounded on well-established tools in
social network theory.
Two of the principle features of social networks are network size and network quality.
The size of a person’s network is a critical predictor of her or his ability to learn new
information. Most students believe that the larger the network the better, as large networks seemingly provide more opportunities for information benefits than do smaller
networks. While this is true, the flip side is that large networks require more time and
energy for maintenance of high-quality ties within that network. With too many contacts, people struggle to manage the flow of information and maintain high quality,
meaningful relationships with others in their network (Burt, 1992).
Although Facebook functions primarily as a social medium, it also offers a valuable
comparison to professional networking. Students can certainly recognize that the more
Facebook friends they have, the less they are able to know specific information about
each person. The same problem applies to professional networking. The common
behavior of students gathering business cards at job fairs provides a helpful example.
Many of our students seek to “network” at such events, quickly shifting from person
to person with the goal of maximizing their contacts rather than developing lasting
professional relationships. Although this approach may maximize the growth of their
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network, network size does not necessarily correspond to network quality (Granovetter,
1973). Students typically spend only a little time with each person, rarely engaging in
in-depth conversations that will help others remember them in the future. Daunted by
the number of contacts that they make, students may not feel motivated to spend time
and energy maintaining potentially valuable contacts. By learning about the concepts
of network size and quality, students seeking jobs begin to understand that building a
smaller network with higher network quality is a better strategy than to make as many
contacts as possible. At a job fair, spending time with five people who work in the
industry that students seek to enter is a far more productive use of their time than having cursory conversations with fifty people.
One of the ways we teach the principles of network size and quality is through an inclass network analysis assignment (Appendix A). We distribute a simple survey to each
member of a class. This survey lists the names of each person enrolled in the course. We
then ask each student to rank how often they speak with every other individual in the
class, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1= never, 10 = all the time). Next, we analyze this matrix of
information to measure the communication network of students within the class.
Appendix A provides an example of one of these class analyses. We ask that students compare two extreme scores on the matrix. For example, the matrix that we
include shows that Student 199 has been listed by many of his peers as someone with
whom they have frequent contact. In contrast, Student 182 is only listed by one person
in the class as someone with whom they have any contact. The comparison of these
two students’ networks leads to a discussion about the benefits and disadvantages of
small and large networks, and balancing network size with quality. In our example,
Student 199 enjoys the benefits of far greater information access and speed of that
access as compared to Student 182; Student 199 is likely to learn of a new job or social
opportunity from someone else in the class far more quickly than Student 182.
However, there is a distinct negative to the size and centrality of a larger network, and
that is the time needed to maintain it. Student 199 has many people to communicate
with for up-to-date information, while Student 182 has just one. This leaves Student
182 ample time to develop relationships outside of the in-class network, while Student
199 has allocated a considerable amount of time to his social ties within the class.
The concepts of network size and quality help students understand how to develop
and manage their social and professional networks, as well as to balance the size of
their networks with the time they are willing to spend maintaining them. Facebook
takes these principles to new extremes by facilitating social connections for hundreds
of millions of people. Using Facebook as an example of network size and quality
allows students to balance the size of their professional network and the amount of
time and energy that they want to spend maintaining it.
LinkedIn and Social Distance
In contrast to Facebook’s role as a social connector, LinkedIn, with roughly 100 million users, serves as the most used social media site for professional networking
(LinkedIn, 2011). Registered users can add people they know to their contact list, then
Social Networking Part 2 83
sort their contacts based on where they work, in what city, and in what industry. In
addition to these searches of their current friends on LinkedIn, they can also use the
site to connect to new people based on common connections. In this regard, LinkedIn
demonstrates a third network principle: social distance.
The principle behind social distance is the fact that people are more likely to do
favors for others with whom they have close connections. The strongest of these is a
first-order connection, or a direct friend connection. One step away from this is
a second-order connection, or a friend of a friend. Next is a third-order connection, or
a friend of a friend of a friend. Even such distant ties as third-order connections have
more power than nonrelationships; people are more willing to help friends of friends
than complete strangers. However, as the social distance grows in number of ties, the
power of these ties obviously diminishes. Applying the concept of social distance
encourages students to become aware of their second- and third-order connections, in
addition to their primary connections.
In part one of our exercise (Appendix B), we provide students with a list of names
that includes those of well-known public figures, for example, the current President of
South Africa, Jacob Zuma. We ask each student to compute privately the number of ties
it would take for them to reach each person on the list. After giving students sufficient
time to complete their questionnaire, we then run a class competition for who can connect
to each person on this list with the fewest number of ties. Students frequently discover how
little social distance separates them from some of the individuals on the list. Of course,
students usually discover at least one person on the list to whom they are not connected.
This exercise helps students recognize who is in or out of their networks, develop awareness about second- and third-level contacts, and formulate networking goals.
Part two of this exercise asks students to log on to LinkedIn and use the website to
perform the same analysis as above. In many cases, students were surprised to see that
they had a second- or third-order connection to one of the people on our list. This
demonstrates that second- or third-order connections are more often unknown than
known and how LinkedIn makes visible what is usually invisible in our daily lives.
The principle of social distance is one of the main contributions that LinkedIn provides for professional networking.
Twitter, Network Diffusion, and Network Complexity
The benefit of Twitter is that it allows users to send and read brief messages very
quickly. Twitter is designed for messages of a maximum length of 140 characters;
thus users are forced to keep messages quite concise. This feature has become especially
popular with our students as it allows them to send and receive updates at great speeds
(especially during our classes). Twitter’s speed and ease of use reflects the underlying
principles of network diffusion and network complexity.
Diffusion determines how quickly or widely a message spreads through a network.
Diffusion can be an extremely useful organizational tool in marketing a new product,
for example, but it can be harmful when a negative message about the new product’s
dangers spreads about that company. Complexity has to do with the message itself.
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Typically, simpler messages have faster and wider diffusion rates, while more complex messages score lower on both dimensions.
We teach the concepts of network diffusion and complexity in an in-class exercise
(Appendix C). We designed the first question, which asks for students to report on the
weather in Anchorage, Alaska, to demonstrate network diffusion. Typically, the larger
the student network, the faster they will receive replies and the greater number of messages they’ll get. The next question illustrates the concept of network complexity.
Students’ answers to the first question, which asks for basic information on weather
conditions, are largely accurate because weather conditions are easily verifiable.
However, the second question, which requires information about wind speed, direction
of wind flow, and future projections of weather patterns, demonstrates the downside
of network complexity. Typically, very few of our students receives information
that answers these questions. This exercise reveals that when we need specific, more
complex information, the speed and simplicity of network tools such as Twitter prevent us from receiving the information we need. To further demonstrate network complexity, we ask students to tweet about increasingly specific questions. For example,
we ask them to find instructions on how to build an ocean-bearing sailboat, with materials that are native to Anchorage, and without the use of heavy machinery. At this
point, students are usually clear about the perils of seeking specific, complex information through a system that is built to maximize speed and simplicity.
Synthesizing Social Networking Concepts
Our last assignment requires students to integrate social network concepts to create a
networking action plan. Appendix D describes this out-of-class assignment that introduces students to the concept of an “ego network,” an analysis of an individual’s
network. We ask students to analyze their current networks and compare them to their
ideal networks to achieve their professional career goals. For this assignment, students
conduct a gap analysis in which they identify the steps that they need to take to
achieve their career goals. We ask that students use social media tools to provide
evidence supporting their analysis. This assignment reinforces the need to be strategic
about networking to maximize results and minimize wasted effort and mistakes.
Conclusion
Our goal as business communication teachers is to help students understand the dynamics
behind popular social media, to use them most effectively, and to avoid career-damaging
misuses of these tools. In a series of in-class assignments, students learn how network
size, network quality, social distance, network diffusion, and network complexity function not only in social media but also in the professional world. In our final out-of-class
assignment, students apply the concept of an ego network to assess their current networks
and to develop a networking action plan. Learning social network principles empowers
students to match social media tools to recognize who is in their current networks, to
develop networking goals, and to use the appropriate social media to achieve each goal.
Social Networking Part 2 85
Last semester, while teaching a class on professional communication skills, one of
the authors of this article paused to ask a student why he was surreptitiously texting during class. “I’m just practicing my communication skills,” was his defense, which earned
a laugh from his peers (although not from the professor). Undoubtedly, exchanges such
as this are disruptive and annoying, at least to those who are attempting to lead class.
Nevertheless, students’ dedication to social media offers a rich opportunity for us to
deepen their understanding of how social and professional media work. Understanding
how social network theory underlies social and professional networking allows students
to maximize their networks while avoiding career-undermining mistakes.
Appendix A
Compare Network Size With Network Quality
Directions
The matrix below represents the communication network within our class, or how
often each class member speaks to every other class member. Compare the network
of Student 199 with Student 182, and consider the following questions:
1. What are the advantages/disadvantages for each student’s in-class network?
2. What advice would you give to each student about building a professional
network outside of class?
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Appendix B
Social Distance Exercise
Directions
Part one. Please examine the below list of people to determine your social distance
from them. To determine your social distance, list the number of ties that you would
need to go through to contact each person on the list.
Example. I am 3 ties from President Clinton: (1) my uncle Sandy knows (2) former
Congressman Dick Gephardt who knows (3) President Clinton.
•
•
•
•
•
•
John McCain
Michelle Obama
Warren Buffett
Barry Bonds
Heidi Klum
Jacob Zuma
Questions
1. Who is in your network, however remotely?
2. Who is out of your network?
Part two. Confirm your ties to the above list using your LinkedIn contacts. Did you
find additional links that you weren’t aware of that connect you to the names on the
above list?
Appendix C
Network Diffusion and Complexity Exercise
Directions
The goal of this assignment is to gather accurate and detailed information quickly.
Please use your Twitter account to answer each of the following questions in the
specified amount of time (if you don’t have a Twitter account, you can use Facebook).
Wait until the instructor says “go” before starting.
Question one. What are the current weather conditions in Anchorage, Alaska?
(Three minutes)
Discussion Questions
• Who was the first class member to receive a reply?
• Who received the most replies?
Social Networking Part 2 87
• What percentage of your replies provided accurate information, according to
weather.com?
Question two. We are ocean sailors, and we need very detailed information about the
weather in Anchorage. Use your Twitter account to gather accurate information about
current wind speed, direction of wind flow, and weather prediction patterns for the
next six hours. (Five minutes)
Discussion Questions
• How many replies did you receive? How quickly?
• What percentage of the class received accurate information?
• If we wanted to build a seaworthy vessel, using materials native to Anchorage, without the use of heavy machinery, can we rely on Twitter for accurate
information?
• What does this exercise tell you about the advantages and disadvantages in
using Twitter?
• How do the principles of network and diffusion apply to professional networking?
• What is the best way to use Twitter for networking?
Appendix D
Create Your Professional Network Using Social Network Concepts
Directions
What does your current network look like? What does your ideal network look like?
What do you need to do to create your ideal network? Conduct a gap analysis to identify the steps that you need to take to develop your network.
1. Briefly describe your post-college dream job.
2. What kind of network will be useful to help you obtain this position and to
succeed on the job? Create a map of your ideal network.
3. Create a map of your current professional network.
4. How can you move your current network towards your ideal network? Create
a plan to develop your network. In your plan, consider what mix of network
size, network quality, social distance, network diffusion, and network complexity you would like to maintain.
5. In your plan, discuss if/ how you plan to use Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter
to accomplish your networking goals.
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Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship,
and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this
article.
References
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Cardon, P., & Okoro, E. (2010). A measured approach to adopting new media in the business
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Decarie, C. (2010). Facebook: Challenges and opportunities for business communication students. Business Communication Quarterly, 73, 449-454.
Facebook. (2011). Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
Granovetter, M. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78, 1360-1380.
Hartman, J., & McCambridge, J. (2011). Optimizing millennials’ communication styles. Business Communication Quarterly, 74, 22-44.
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Bios
Michael Alan Sacks is an associate professor in the practice of organization and management
at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. His research centers on the role of social
networks in predicting outcomes in conflict management, negotiations, and executive
decision-making.
Nikki Graves is an assistant professor in the practice of management communication at Emory
University’s Goizueta Business School. She is also the director of Goizueta’s Business Writing
Center. Her research focuses on narrative identity, emotional intelligence as the foundation for
verbal and written communication, and emotional contagion.
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