The opportunity for networking and information available through a network is something that is continually developing and far exceeds what was available only a few years ago. It is the ability to sift through the vast amount of information and support to find what is relevant and meaningful to you as an individual which makes networking all the more useful.
After looking at Reader 3 I could begin to see my current engagement with the key concepts, which I will talk about below, and how I already apply them to my networking now. After further reading I had a deeper understanding of how I could develop my networking both socially and professionally.
Cooperation
Cooperation, throughout numerous professional practices, is a fundamental and proficient concept which we will take part in our every day lives! Cooperation is an interesting paradox. A positive example which is constructive 'Tit for Tat' cooperation (Robert Axelrods 1984) suggesting that I would want others to benefit from my knowledge equally as much as I benefit from theirs. The social interaction of individuals within a network and the 'collaboration fostered within these social groups' essentially produces the knowledge (Driscoll 2000). On the other hand "Should a friend keep providing favors to another friend who never reciprocates? Should a business provide prompt service to another business that is about to be bankrupt?" Human nature means we are likely to cooperate until a point of benefit, whether that is cooperating fully or to make gains at the expense of others. It is interesting that cooperation has been linked to 'Game Theory' and to look at the point in which we defect from cooperation. When do we start defecting and competing? This seemingly harsh notion of ' cooperate until you have reached maximum benefit and then leave' is suggestive or regular patterns of human behavior which made apparent by Axelrod provides 'more effective results'.
If the opponent previously was cooperative, the subject to is cooperative. If not, the subject will not.
“This strategy is dependent on four conditions, which have allowed it to become the most successful strategy for the iterated prisoner's dilemma:
1.Unless provoked, the agent will always cooperate
2.If provoked, the agent will retaliate
3.The agent is quick to forgive
4.The agent must have a good chance of competing against the opponent more than once.”
I found it hard to accept this 'Game Theory' happens in our daily lives and that people defect from cooperating with others to get where they want to be. After questioning this concept however, it makes sense that an individual would be no longer willing to cooperate once they have realized there is no more to gain, particularly if that person or network is not something deeply meaningful to them. I do however think that I can sometimes be naive to this as I don't always think before I do something for somebody else, what would they do for me?
An example where we work together for our own selfish needs can be seen where tribes, cities and nations form and work together not necessarily to protect one another but to protect themselves and what's theirs. Whilst reading Carla Mason's Blog I found interesting her answer to why we behave like we do. "We are physically and intellectually stronger together than alone. Also, ultimately most of us have the same ambitions and goals in life. We commonly strive, for example, for good health, security and a sense of belonging."
Linking this theory to my professional networks I have experienced an audition where you will help and work with your friends or colleagues on choreography and then when it comes to the fight for the job it is time to defect and give that extra something to ensure selection. This is something I found challenging when it came to auditions. It is essentially cooperating for benefit until defect when it comes to the 'crunch'. This put strains on friendships and aroused fellow students to have negative attitudes towards others causing friction in a class. This is hard to balance. Cooperation is needed to ensure a professional, positive working environment and relationship however in an industry which has been labelled 'dog eat dog' is it possible to create and maintain this equilibrium?
Furthermore, cooperation to competition is something that we as humans take part in throughout our lives whether it be consciously or subconsciously. I thought Hannah Shepherd's blog regarding how people maintain certain contacts "just in case" they should ever be useful in the future, was something I could relate to and found acceptance that this is going to happen in the industry we are walking into. It's not always the case that we dislike these contacts, there may be friendships or mutual interests, but somewhere there will be a more selfish reason for keeping these connections. Hannah writes "While this is happening, we in turn are being used by these very same contacts for exactly the same reason. We may be beneficial to them at some point. This is a form of mutual cooperation."
This concept has sparked examples from my own life and personal situations as well as allowing me to apply it to examples I see in society. This has helped me to get more value out of my professional networking by cooperating with a particular group of people and bearing in mind whether or not my networking is still beneficial to others and to me after a period of time. Having read into this concept it makes me more aware of the balance of cooperation versus competition amongst a group of like minded individuals.
For future networking I now know that I need to cooperate in order to receive cooperation back. If I share information about an audition it is more likely that someone else will share information regarding auditions too, which may be one I hadn't heard of or considered!
I'm sure if I can apply what I have learnt to my networking that I will maximize its potential and develop my professional practice.
Affiliation
Social psychologists have looked into how humans enjoy and benefit from affiliations with others and the reasons why humans form close relationships. It is thought that affiliation is "a social result of psychological processes operating in our brains" (Crisp and Turner 2007) which provides us 'with a network of support that will help us when we are in need'.
"The tendency to affiliate is something people have from early on in their lives" (Larson, Csikszentmihalyi and Graef 1982). "Teenagers were happier, more alert, and more excited when in the company of others than when alone. In contrast, a lack of affiliation may have a lasting negative impact...." (Crisp and Turner, 2007: 266-268) . We all need to affiliate at certain levels to maintain our happiness, it is part of being a healthy human being.
We have a subconscious mutual respect for one another's preferred levels of social interaction and privacy. Altman described his theory of 'privacy regulation' whereby the desired levels of privacy can change in a matter of hours.I consider myself quite a private person unless around those who are close to me and I can trust their judgement and opinions. The need for affiliation within each of us may differ and the principle of 'Homeostatis' seeks to balance our interactions with others to a preferred level. We can try and match our desired level of interaction with what we are actually experiencing which is known as the 'Optimization principle'. I already balance my interaction with others based on on 'privacy regulation' and 'optimization principle' - depending on the company I am in and my security within a situation my level of affiliation varies and I would not say I am either extrovert or introvert but combine both attributes depending on the variables...it is a method of survival! In my teaching, I feel a level of affiliation between student and teacher is extremely necessary but it is equally important to draw the line for privacy so that the level of respect is not lost.
Similar to the idea of 'privacy regulation' is what O'Connor and Rosenblood refer to as relative and preferred levels of social stimulation. Social Interaction could "vary between cultures" (Hofstede 1980) and may be determined by psychological determinants and individual cultural differences between individuals. Such theories imply that the mass networking available as a tool of Web 2.0 is ideal for people to control their own level of social communication. Because of the internet, learning from others often happens in a virtual space as well as face-to-face. It takes time and effort to evaluate and develop whilst maintaining awareness of your professional practice.
I like the way within Reader 3 that networks grow sideways and upwards. In experience, sideways for me offers the support and teaching of new elements of the practice and from the ‘above’ we accept jobs and opportunities. The latter is probably in many cases a relationship through convenience ie to get a job or progressing career levels. I feel that the sideways connections are a stronger bonded relationship and the ‘above’ are surface relationships where actions are slightly less genuine. As mentioned in Reader 3 'It is up to each practitioner to see how to grow their professional networks sideways as well as upwards into the established hierarchy'.
Connectivism
The progression of society and constant regeneration of technology is altering the way we learn. In the past, information transferred from teacher to student was a very valuable and reputable theory, however in todays culture with the web being a prolific part of our daily lives, we have a smaller need for a classroom set up and learn by interacting with networks. According to connectivist theorists the traditional teaching methods are less effective than connecting with others and making sense of the information through our own, and others, experiences. The theory has been evolved as we currently learn more through communities such as professional networks or even through liasing with people via a social network which is supported by a constant 'flow' of knowledge and experience in many sectors or topics. "...technology has reorganized how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn. Learning needs and theories that describe learning principles and processes, should be reflective of underlying social environments." (Siemens, G 2004)
I connect both socially and professionally to essentially keep up with the times. If I need to know how to do something my initial thought is Google or Web Search and often when I turn to someone else for the answer and they don't know it they automatically say 'Google It' which I'm sure is a phrase familiar to most!! It's is undeniable that I am learning in a different way to say how my parents learnt when they were my age. I don't reject the process of learning through a teacher as sometimes a personal face to face interaction can be just the guidance needed however it is inevitable that the ever developing and modernising world is providing us with vast sources of knowledge and opportunities to learn without time or location being a hurdle! It will in the future continue to grow and flourish offering opportunities for businesses and people to connect across the world.
Social Constructionism
This theory of connectivity is part of the explanations regarding the meaning of the world, through our own creation and construction we understand it. This suggests that we can create meaning and values to a group/network and contribute through engagement. "Life is what you make it. Always has been always will be." Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962).
When we become part of a new network its meaning is not predetermined. It is through using these networks and interacting with others that we decide for ourselves; the values of these networks, our preferred engagement and to what extend we commit to them. "Meaning emerges when consciousness engages with them." Merleau-Ponty implies to find meaning, you do not discover it but construct it.
Ultimately through our interactions we can make meaning. It is through the values we attribute, ways of engagement and willingness to contribute selflessly the to network which will reveal new opportunities, ways of thinking and practicing. Network Dance and Dancers Pro are great ways of finding our about new auditions and castings however if dancers did not create profiles and remain actively engaged in the network, companies and agents would stop posting as there would be no interest to advertise on an unactive network. It is important that we are clear of our motives for our participation in networking...after all it is what we make it!
Social Constructionism
This theory of connectivity is part of the explanations regarding the meaning of the world, through our own creation and construction we understand it. This suggests that we can create meaning and values to a group/network and contribute through engagement. "Life is what you make it. Always has been always will be." Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962).
When we become part of a new network its meaning is not predetermined. It is through using these networks and interacting with others that we decide for ourselves; the values of these networks, our preferred engagement and to what extend we commit to them. "Meaning emerges when consciousness engages with them." Merleau-Ponty implies to find meaning, you do not discover it but construct it.
Ultimately through our interactions we can make meaning. It is through the values we attribute, ways of engagement and willingness to contribute selflessly the to network which will reveal new opportunities, ways of thinking and practicing. Network Dance and Dancers Pro are great ways of finding our about new auditions and castings however if dancers did not create profiles and remain actively engaged in the network, companies and agents would stop posting as there would be no interest to advertise on an unactive network. It is important that we are clear of our motives for our participation in networking...after all it is what we make it!
Communities of Practice
This type of learning is the process of engagement in social relations rather than a process of acquisition of knowledge and according to cognitive anthropologists Jean Lave & Etienne Wenger, a group of people who share a craft and/or profession. Essentially a mixture of people who have common interests can be part of group where thoughts and opinions can be shared inspiring new thinking and development of ideas.The communities only function through mutual engagement and rely on the community sharing their knowledge with each other rather than one or two individuals in a hierarchy.
As a dancer, we rely on shared knowledge to help us with the numerous questions which are continually inspired by the evolving industry. Questions regarding injury prevention, choreographic ideas, what to wear for an audition, preparing for an audition, exercises, nutrition, the list goes on. It is through sharing your experiences and others sharing theirs that we begin to gain information and learn from those who have 'experienced'. I personally find great value in this theory as the more involved I become in a network the more I have to gain and benefit in aid to further my career.
I have touched upon ethical considerations for networking in a previous post as what we post, share and allow others to know about us, is something which although has its benefits as spoken about in the various theories behind networking, can also effect and determine our professional practice and success. Since persuing the BAPP course I believe that it should be compulsory that from a young age we are educated on ethical use and awareness of social and professional networks. Even though I didn't have Facebook until I was 18 I still had a certain naivety then and wouldn't necessarily consider how my social network would interact with any professional networks later in my life. Not only the growth of Web 2.0 but also the advance in technology means that social network sites are now available on phone, ipads, laptops, tablets etc making networking more accessible to society as a whole but in particular younger generations.On the course we are learning via networking and through a community of scholarly practice. Martin Weller talks about ' making choices' in order to maintain a social network without jeopardizing your professional network as the two become ever more combined in todays society.
Overall
From the task and exploration work I can see the importance of such theories and will now take into consideration my application of these fundamental strategies. With a better understanding I am able to self reflect on my work/practice and develop my professional goals through the interaction, dedication, and participation in networking.
With regards to why and how we network socially and professionally, that this particular task delves into, I found the following question an interesting discussion between scholars and between students on their own blogs. Is professional networking an extension of our innate need to affiliate with others?
Although, whether consciously or subconsciously, I can see examples of these theories are active in my current networking as a natural way of life, professional networking is something that I feel has to be recognized as a tool and a decision to further develop our careers. For me, it seems that professional networking is not so instinctive but instead a skill which I will develop and progress in, particularly through reading, networking and learning on the BAPP course. What are your thoughts?
This type of learning is the process of engagement in social relations rather than a process of acquisition of knowledge and according to cognitive anthropologists Jean Lave & Etienne Wenger, a group of people who share a craft and/or profession. Essentially a mixture of people who have common interests can be part of group where thoughts and opinions can be shared inspiring new thinking and development of ideas.The communities only function through mutual engagement and rely on the community sharing their knowledge with each other rather than one or two individuals in a hierarchy.
As a dancer, we rely on shared knowledge to help us with the numerous questions which are continually inspired by the evolving industry. Questions regarding injury prevention, choreographic ideas, what to wear for an audition, preparing for an audition, exercises, nutrition, the list goes on. It is through sharing your experiences and others sharing theirs that we begin to gain information and learn from those who have 'experienced'. I personally find great value in this theory as the more involved I become in a network the more I have to gain and benefit in aid to further my career.
I have touched upon ethical considerations for networking in a previous post as what we post, share and allow others to know about us, is something which although has its benefits as spoken about in the various theories behind networking, can also effect and determine our professional practice and success. Since persuing the BAPP course I believe that it should be compulsory that from a young age we are educated on ethical use and awareness of social and professional networks. Even though I didn't have Facebook until I was 18 I still had a certain naivety then and wouldn't necessarily consider how my social network would interact with any professional networks later in my life. Not only the growth of Web 2.0 but also the advance in technology means that social network sites are now available on phone, ipads, laptops, tablets etc making networking more accessible to society as a whole but in particular younger generations.On the course we are learning via networking and through a community of scholarly practice. Martin Weller talks about ' making choices' in order to maintain a social network without jeopardizing your professional network as the two become ever more combined in todays society.
Overall
From the task and exploration work I can see the importance of such theories and will now take into consideration my application of these fundamental strategies. With a better understanding I am able to self reflect on my work/practice and develop my professional goals through the interaction, dedication, and participation in networking.
With regards to why and how we network socially and professionally, that this particular task delves into, I found the following question an interesting discussion between scholars and between students on their own blogs. Is professional networking an extension of our innate need to affiliate with others?
Although, whether consciously or subconsciously, I can see examples of these theories are active in my current networking as a natural way of life, professional networking is something that I feel has to be recognized as a tool and a decision to further develop our careers. For me, it seems that professional networking is not so instinctive but instead a skill which I will develop and progress in, particularly through reading, networking and learning on the BAPP course. What are your thoughts?
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