Analysis of Business Networking Organizations - Assignment Example

What Is Business Networking? How Is It Beneficial?

Everyone knows that two minds are better than one, three are better than two, and so on. Now if a network of minds is created, it would be better than all the individual minds. One piece of information lies in one mind, an idea related to it lies in another, and a solution to a problem with the idea lies in another and so on. What is needed is a network that connects all of these minds so that they can communicate and combine the raw data and make a masterpiece (NATIONAL FEDERATION OF SELF EMPLOYED AND SMALL BUSINESSES, 1999). This can be called business networking, where many people related to a similar field are connected and can share thoughts, ideas, solutions, and much more. This connection is mutually beneficial and businesses are able to build very valuable contacts. Business networking is a valuable way to expand knowledge, learn from the successes or failures of others, and tell others about your business (HÅKANSSON & JOHANSON, 2001). 

Why would a research organization need a business network?

Research has become a little easier to conduct due to the availability of information technology and the internet. However, with these facilities, the expectations that researchers have to meet are much higher, and the criticism faced much tougher (POIRIER & REITER, 1996). Just reading different research articles, papers, journals, and books is not enough for today’s researchers. Lecturers and professors want to expand their knowledge and know more and more and even that is not enough. Ever wonder what they would come up with if all these great minds are locked up in one room for a long time? But why lock them up? Why not let them get on with their lives, gain personal knowledge, and at the same time benefit the organizations they work for? Think about all the students they would teach with the refined knowledge that they gain. What a great help business networking would be for new lecturers.

Let’s look at the advantages in detail.

• Chance for the faculty to be in touch with other professors from around the world!

By being a member of an educational business network, lecturers can build contacts and be involved in discussions that will benefit their own knowledge. They will be able to gain new ways of delivering lectures, researching, getting to know new issues that they can use as their research topics, etc. Talking to people that belong to your own sphere will always be beneficial no matter what. Talking to likeminded people also gives a person the opportunity to get solid advice relating to all kinds of things such as teaching methods, new information, a different view on some subject, new ideas for research, a new source of information, or anything that could even help with your personal life. It is helpful in maintaining a balanced working life (SO & WALKER, 2006)

• Have to discuss an article? Have a question for the author?

A business network will give the faculty a chance to participate in discussions. They will have a chance to share their research findings, answer questions related to their research, and discuss their work with the critics. One of the best sources of learning is to learn from the criticisms against you. The faculty would be able to contact their favorite writers and develop business relationships with them. Who can say this type of relationship would be anything but beneficial?

• Chance for the new young faculty members to find mentors.

Young faculty members can find guidance and gain advice from other more experienced members. Sometimes this can go on to develop into a mentor-mentee relationship, where the young members will gain a large amount of valuable knowledge and information.

• Members can benefit from arranged discussions headed by experts

The members of a business network will be able to meet up with experts and clear their doubts. It would be very difficult to get in touch with experts without using a business network. Networking provides the business with a great source of connections and opens the door for members to talk to highly influential people who would otherwise have been very difficult to find or contact (HEINRICH, 2003). 

Models of business networking activity when properly followed, allow a person to build new relationships and gain benefits from them. Many people claim that business networking is more cost-effective than advertising and other public relations efforts.

There are a lot of opportunities that come from business networking like joint ventures, joint research, speaking, and writing. It is also important to surround yourself with positive uplifting people so that you can grow and thrive. Networking helps you get in touch with these types of people (Amazingbusiness.com, 2013).

Business networking can help you build and increase your visibility within the industry and profession. This will also help you create a favorable image. A diverse network of people will enable you to bounce ideas back and forth with experts whom you admire (Heathfield, 2014).

Why have a researchers network?

Writers, lecturers, and researchers from all fields of education from all around the world can build contacts and communicate on different areas of knowledge (POON & MAY, 2000). . This network is very easy to set up, and is tailored to meet the different needs of the faculty members. It facilitates the arrangement of local face-to-face meetings for the members, and occasionally arranges for a meeting that involves all the members from across the globe! These meetings include speeches from influential writers and experts of their fields (WORD, 2009). . This networking business solely focuses on connecting different so that different faculty members, researchers, and writers can come together and share ideas and knowledge to improve the educational world (BLANKENBURG HOLM, 1996).