Social networking for successful utilization of technology

This study investigates the impact that managerial networking knowledge has on the successful use of technologies in firms. A survey primarily of chief executive officers and vice presidents of 30 small manufacturing companies in a tristate region of the Midwest USA was conducted to determine the role that managerial networking knowledge has on (1) the overall number of technologies that a firm introduces and (2) the success rate of technology introduction as measured through usage and overall satisfaction. A mathematical model is constructed and used to analyze the effect of networking knowledge on the probability that an appropriate technology is chosen and used to increase the firm´s value. The results of both the survey and the analysis show that managerial competence, defined as networking knowledge, is a critical success factor in technology utilization