The Social Network
write a reflection paper on choosing one of two films to write about. These papers must properly reference a minimum of two texts from the fall or winter syllabus in a bibliography and link themes and content from the film to course themes or terms from the weekly glossary definitions. The purpose of this assignment is not to review the film for the plot character development, etc., but to use course readings and concepts from the course to interpret the significance of the film in terms of issues relevant to the study of business and society.
Students can choose to write their reflection papers on:
The Social Network (2010), https://ocul-yor.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01OCUL_YOR/26r5oc/alma991036319261505164
This exploration provides insight into many business and societal issues related to technology, innovation, power, ethics and responsibility.
In this reflection paper I will draw on two weekly glossary items from the fall or winter syllabus: ‘disruptive innovation’ and ‘social capital’; as well as relevant readings by Donaldson & Dunfee (1994) and Giridharadas (2017).
Donaldson & Dunfee (1994) define disruptive innovation as an innovating force that can challenge established firms who are unable or unwilling to respond promptly. In The Social Network, we see how Mark was able to innovate quickly after launching Facebook in 2004 with its simple design which allowed users to easily connect with each other - a platform previously unavailable. His disruptive idea revolutionized social media and challenged existing networks such as MySpace which were slower at responding which ultimately led to their demise.
Giridharadas (2017) describes social capital as a form of trust between individuals based on shared experiences, values and norms which can act both positively or negatively depending on its use. Through using social media such as Facebook, people are able build new relationships while distancing themselves from others through creating exclusive online networks like Harvard Connection - later renamed ConnectU - where only students could join. This demonstrates how powerful platforms such as Facebook have become when used incorrectly they can be detrimental for those excluded from these exclusive networks resulting in lost opportunities due to lack of access or knowledge.
Thus it becomes clear that The Social Network has relevance when considering business concepts such disruptive innovation and social capital within our current digital age; making it an interesting choice for this reflection paper assignment.