Social Media and Cloud Computing, will it affect the company culture?

Cloud Computing, culture

Cloud Computing has transformed the delivery model of computer capacity dramatically – the company IT-unit once a technology power factor in the company – will be just another division in the company. Each business unit in the company will not be constrained by barriers, borders or gravity anymore. Each business unit will be able to use pre-configured or hosted offerings, which will suite the business unit solutions and fits, their unique business needs. Companies expect to have 50-60% of their workload within the next 5 years in the cloud. Cloud computing relieves the individual computers and mobile devices by offering the hosted offerings in a web based manner that are storing user information in the “cloud”. Users can then access, update, view and monitor remotely efficiently and conveniently in the “cloud”. These new power changes in the company will affect the company culture one way or another. A delivery of capacity on-demand will create changes, which will benefit the user of capacity and help the provider the IT-unit to rethink their position in the company. 

Social Media culture

How do social media, fit into the cloud?  Social media is born of cloud computing. Most social network sites use a cloud computing program to work with the properly effect. As long as people want to be connected and want to listen to their peer for new knowledge, social media will develop together with the cloud computing and as always with good content. These factors will have a huge effect on how the company culture will develop and no doubt, it will affect the culture. It is up to the company how it will affect the culture, and it could be very positive for the company if it takes into consideration that social media and the web 2.0 will become an integral part of each person / employees life, encompassing every aspect of their living. Another part is the rapidly change in communication forms – it is fast, it is for many people to do and it is widespread – some would call it a change in communications culture, I would call it exchange of knowledge.  In the “old” company culture, you had a communication unit who took care of all company content internally and externally. In the “new” social media cloud, you have subject matter experts who discuss with costumers competitors and even sometimes with the press about mutual subjects, on behalf of their company. Be aware that costumers expect your company to exchange information and even knowledge on your products in a fast easy and convenient way, which could make them start the collaboration with their peers to take the decision of buying your stuff. Working the social media cloud implementing cloud computing, tools for marketing purpose, which make your business more responsive to your costumers future demands, eventually this will reward you as a company. Costumers appreciate your business responding with proper content, which they could use in their decision making of buying your services, products or knowledge. Will this affect the company culture? No doubt, it will change the company culture from just a delivery and profit culture to a more responsive listening culture where collaboration will be in the lead.  

What can you do as a company- you can choose between two paths – you can neglect the new streams and continue to do what you have done always or you can take the challenge and start to change and use the change in your favour – What do you do?