The Hugging Team: The Role of Technology in Business Networking Practices

Abstract

Technological devices for social networking are produced in droves andnetworking through media seems to be the way of getting ahead inbusiness. We examine what role technology plays in the creation,development and maintenance of business relationships amongentrepreneurs in Copenhagen. We find that mediated communication isuseful in all stages of relational maintenance but only in a supportiverole in relational development where co-presence and shared personalexperiences take center-stage, generating trust necessary for businessrelationships to work. These trust-developing experiences take effortand hard work and although they can be successfully supported and evenfacilitated through the use of communication technologies, they need notbe replaced or made simpler. The difficulties of creating theseexperiences make working business relationships viable in the uncertainand risky world of entrepreneurship.