Communication: The Real Value of Social Networking

First, I’d like to welcome back all of the returning SHTM undergraduates, as well as welcome the new undergraduates in HD, BAC, BSc and BScC programmes (I assume you know all the acronyms by now).

Over the past couple of years, I have been writing blog postings like this one a few times during the semester to keep you all informed on important issues and various changes related to your studies at PolyU in SHTM. I know most of you who have been around a year or more have taken the time to read them, and a few of you have even made comments, which I appreciate. So, what the blog accomplishes is a one-way communication from me to you a few times a year. That’s a good, but what I really want is to create a dialog with you.

According to Wikipedia (yes, some of us in academics do accept it as a source of valid information), a dialog is “a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people”. The key word to me is an exchange. The various social media that you all use every day, such as Facebook, Twitter, QQ, Renren, etc. are incredible resources to create that conversational exchange/dialog. This is the real value of social media and it’s something your generation knows how to do well.

So, it’s time we change the dynamic of how we communicate and take advantage of the great social media tools to develop a dialog! Therefore, I’ve created a group on Facebook called: “SHTM Undergraduates” and Twitter account: “@shtmdrjones”

The “SHTM Undergraduates” Facebook group will only be available to you as undergraduates. It will NOT be open to teaching staff or any others who are not STHM undergraduates. Therefore, I’ll control the membership by approving each new member based on his/her profile and keep the group private so others are NOT able to read the postings. In other words, it is a group formed to dialog just between all of you and me, or perhaps even between yourselves on issues you want me to moderate communication on.

The Twitter connection (@shtmdrjones) will be open to anyone and everyone to follow. The purpose will be to pass along interesting news I come across from the hotel and tourism industry including re-tweets of postings by others I follow. Additionally, I’ll post any personal thoughts that happen to cross my mind that I think you might be interested in. You are welcome to re-tweet them, as well.

I will still write an occasional blog when the need to communicate is more detailed than what can be covered in 139 characters and the one-way communication from me to you is most appropriate. However, I will use the Facebook group as the primary source of passing along information about the programmes, as well as creating some dialog with you on the key issues to solicit your thoughts. You should also feel free to initiate any discussions with me and/or your classmates by posting your thoughts. My commitment to you is that I will always be open and honest. Additionally, I promise that no negative repercussions will come to you for expressing your opinions regardless of how you feel. The Tweeter connection will be industry focused.

So, please join the Facebook group today, become friends. Then, start to follow my tweets on Twitter. I’ll start to put some postings on both soon.