Network Society

“Network is by definition an instrument of cooperation and competition with other networks and cooperation within the network, in which every node needs the other node for the function of the network. Think of the biological process rather than of the mechanical” (Castells, the contours of the network society, 153)

 　Network is not a society itself, but it pretty much represents our societies and nowadays, it is hard to think about our societies without networks. Social changes have been happened according to changes in networks and these changes are also connected to changes in communication technologies. Improved communication technologies allow societies to have well organized networks which interconnect the segments within the societies. So within a network organization, the segments of the network is interwoven with the other parts. Then, it means a segment can affect to other segments.

　If people think about this inter-related feature of network, they can come up with some interesting ideas which can bring some benefits to PR. For example, if someone have used an airline, it has more advantages for the one to use some airlines which are affiliated together. The person get more mileage, service, or even discount sometimes by using the affiliated airlines. In this case, what airlines would you like to use?

　Today, it is easy to see that several different organizations construct a network system together and produce benefits with it. They can share information (information is one of the most valuable asset in economy or society) about their customers, strategies, services, or etc. Then what is the factor that makes this network possible? Let's look at this.

"Knowledge and information have always been important in any economy or society.

But what is new again here is the technology. Knowledge and information can be introduced in a technological system to create a positive feedback loop of knowledge and information, transforming it into a virtuous circle that expands by itself" (Castells, the contours of the network society, 153)

　The new communication technologies make it possible. They allow different organizations to construct a network system and to share their knowledge and information immediately. Also, the new new networks are not hierarchical or vertical anymore. They are more likely to be flexible and this factor also helps to make alliances with different organizations. 

 (images from google)

　If we relate the airline case to PR, we can see that the affiliated airlines can get more loyalty from their customers. Because, once a person feel that he or she already has an experience with one of the affiliated airlines, then it is more likely for the person to use the other affiliated airlines. The reason could be for mileage, service, or good past experience.

　It can also increase the values of the airlines in the financial market. Because it seems more reliable when they are cooperative. It could be like, for many customers, this network of the airlines also seems to guarantee the partnership members(partnership airlines). 

　Meanwhile, a firmly organized network can have some problems. One of the problems that people can imagine would be the features of being interconnected. The segments of a network are too well interwoven with each other so that if one of the segments has a problem, then it can simultaneously affect to the other segments within the network. 

　One of the good examples can be EU case. I still remember that a number of medias were reporting EU when EU first organized. It was a big issue all around the world and many expected that this network would bring so much profits to EU in various aspects. EU cannot be said as the one government but maybe can said as the one network of different European governments. 

　Recently, one of the top global issues is EU again. But this time is different from the past one. The financial crisis in some parts of EU turns out to be the crisis of the other parts of EU and of the EU network. Here, we can see that the defeats of being a network. 

　For me, it is hard to say that a network is constructed, based on some centralized purposes or common purposes. It is more likely to be based on the profits of the each segment. Each segment want to pursue their own profits and that's why they make a network. The segments still keep their own features in the network and it could be a strength or a defeat at the same time. So if the network lose it's benefits or economical treats, it could be easily collapsed. 


　Hence, I want to say if we try to construct a network, we should consider many aspects of being a network. If it's PR, promoting good images of an organization is very important. Thus, before constructing a network, the organization should analyze the characteristics of itself and then find the best ones that can create synergies when connected together.