The Rise of Social Media Peer Groups

The Society for New Communications Research(SNCR) just released the preliminary results of a new study showing that corporate decision makers are increasingly turning to online social networks for assistance in decision-making.  

The study, The New Symbiosis of Professional Networks, examines the role that social media has on decision-making among business professionals.  Key findings include:

• Professional decision making is becoming more social as decision-makers utilize social network to research, inform and validate decisions.
• Professionals trust online information almost as much as information received in-person. 
• Reliance on web-based professional networks and online communities has increased significantly over the past 3 years.
• Social media is being used by decision-makers of all ages with older (55+) and younger (20-35) being more active than middle aged professionals.
• Decision-makers are using social media to collaborate with more people outside their company than within. 

This study shows the extent social media is disrupting traditional corporate decision-making processes.  It also illustrates the growing role online social media peer groups are playing.   Through the use of online networks and communities, decision-makers are connecting and collaborating with a mix of peers, experts and colleagues from both inside and outside of their companies. 

The final report will be out in a few more weeks, but a detailed presentation of the resultswith lots of interesting data is available at the SNCR website. 

The study was conducted by SNCR Research Fellows Don Bulmer and Vanessa DiMauro.  In addition to being SNCR Fellows, Don is VP of Global Communications at SAP and Vanessa is the CEO of Leader Networks.  Don has more information on the study on his blog.

Comments

[proteinpulver]

Build a network or use social media to deepen customer intimacy has become the mantra of today. However, what is often overlooked is the impact of social media to change behaviors, and the potential to use social media to impact a professional’s decision-making processes. While everyone is endeavoring to capture the mindshare of the buyer, few understand what success truly looks like.

[Tom Troughton]

Not only do social networks and online professional networks influence decision making, they seem to provide a sense of human connection that our high-tech world can sometimes take away.