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The Effects of Social Media on Workplace Behavior

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The Effects of Social Media on Workplace Behavior
The Effects of Social Media on Workplace Behavior

Abstract
This paper will examine the impact social media has on the organizational behavior of organizations. Social media is an integral part of our professional and personal environments. Nearly every organization has embraced social media into its business development, recruitment, and internal communication. Now that the flood gates have been opened and there is no turning back. Organizations have change as they broaden their horizons, and employees have been required to adapt to new ways of communication. These new ways of doing business have huge effects on organizations’ behavior. One of the major organizational behavior changes is in communication. As an example, this paper will also briefly discuss social media influence in the United States Air Force organizational behavior. The Effects of Social Media on Workplace Behavior Social media isn’t really new. It has been around since the first dial up “bulletin board” systems (BBS) of the 1970s and 80s. I remember how thrilled I was to converse in real time text on one a BBS in early 1990. One of my former co-workers introduce me the DOS like interface on the computer, and we would type messages back and forth for hours. The principle of people connecting and interacting online has not changed. But it has exploded with the sophistication of technology. Social medial has revolutionized the way people stay connected with family and friends, and their new virtual friends from around the globe. We stay connected 24/7, at home and at work.
Today workers stay in touch with family and friends while at work. Whether they are text messaging (TM), instant messaging (IM), blogging, messaging on Facebook and/or Tweeting, employees are connected. How does this constant connectivity impact the workplace organizational behavior (OB)? What are the positive and negative aspects of social media in the workplace?
Both organizational behavior (OB) and



References: Colman, A. (2006). Oxford Dictionary of Psychology. New York: Oxford University Press. Hachman, Mark (2012 April 23). Facebook Now Totals 901 Million Users, Profits Slip. PC. Retrieved July 24, 2012 from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403410,00.asp Morrison & Foerster (2011). A Short History of Social Media. Retrieved on July 23, 2012 from http://www.mofo.com/files/Uploads/Images/A-Short-History-of-Social-Media.pdf Proskauer Rose LLP (2011). Retrieved on July 26, 2012, from http://www.proskauer.com/news/press-releases/july-14-2011/more-than-75-percent-of-businesses-use-social-media-nearly-half-do-not-have-social-networking-policies/ Robins, S. P. & Judge, T. A. (2012). Essentials of Organizational Behavior. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Smart Computing® Encyclopedia (2012). Retrieved July 24, 2012, from http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/dictionary/detail.asp?guid=&searchtype=&DicID=19535&RefType=Encyclopedia Zetter, K. (2005 June 8). How Humble BBS Begat Wired World. Wired. Retrieved July 24, 2012, from http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2005/06/67776

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