Social Networking for professionals in the Medical Device Industry in Web 2.0
Social Networking for professionals in the Medical Device Industry in Web 2.0, a brilliant tool or just another commercial gimmick?
The landscape of common business interaction has been undergoing vast change in recent years thanks to major developments on the internet. Web 2.0 has now become a buzz word and is expected to revolutionise the way we interact and network in the future. The term is clouded in mystery and is often associated with an upgrade of some description; however, from a technology point of view nothing has changed. What has changed is our mindset and openness to sharing details on the Web.
The main players within the social networking sphere are Linkedin.com, Plasso and Xing. Linkedin.com is the clear market leader in this area with over 31 million users. Xing is a much smaller network of 6 million members formed principally by professionals in Germany and mainland Europe. The question remains: how is this affecting business networking in the Pharmaceutical/Medical Device industry? A recent search revealed that Linkedin.com currently has 234,256 world wide members who work in the Medical Device industry and 484,382 in the Pharmaceutical industry. With the geometric nature of this system, it seems possible that the numbers will rise exponentially in the future.
What is the real benefit to individuals and why should they engage? The main premise is that professionals can interact and discuss ideas with a broad audience in a matter of minutes and gain instant feedback. It has also become an integral part of the recruitment and resourcing of various organisations in an effort to extend the reach for talent on a global basis. Key features of the system include recommendations, introductions, networking groups and search function. As a free service this has proved key to its initial uptake, however, the services offered for a premium rate do extend the capability of the system for a modest fee.
The future may not be clear but at present it looks liked Linkedin.com have carved out a position as the "De Facto" leader in the emerging area of social networking. Plasso and Xing are currently revising their strategies and have ambitious plans based on new funding. This is a reflection of a market that still believes in technology and that this technology will help to turn around the woes of our depressed economic market.
If you decide to explore this phenomena in more detail please feel free to link up to my profile. For now, I have decided to put my efforts into my Linkedin profile and will keep a watchful eye on the happenings and developments of Plasso and Xing.
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