Towards a social media ecology in research and development - the case of Kujali living lab

Abstract

This paper presents the role of social media in a particular institution, in terms of corporate (or organisational) learning, in the domain of research and development. The nature of learning in organisational contexts has shifted in the face of resource constraints and post-initial learning demands. The ‘promise’ of social media here involves increased mobility, cost cutting, instant access, and information richness – practical alternatives to older modes of organisational learning. This paper details the adoption strategy of social media with reference to a particular case study, the Kujali Living Lab – a South African research, development, and innovation unit. Social media application in Kujali is intended to be a viable alternative to conventional learning approaches. This paper describes those potential impacts and transformations social media may hold for the practice of research and development in Kujali. The author analyses the opportunities and attributes of a social media ecology, suggesting a framework intervention that may foster acceptance and sustainability of organisational learning in the Living Lab.