Jul 09 2009
Since this is a Mining Sustainability Blog….
…why not blog about the application of Web 2.0 in mining operations?
There is no question – the blogosphere is out there and it continues to grow. But how does blogging and other web 2.0 technologies impact mining. Is it ok to have random individuals doing uncontrolled reporting on the mining industry? How has civil society started to mobilize itself virtually? If a mining company hosted a blog with a local community, what would be the exit strategy if it went awry? Or could collaborative communication technologies be the key to building transparency and trust between mining companies and their stakeholders, thereby contributing to sustainable governance structures?
The McKinsey Quarterly recently wrote an article outlining how the economic crisis has reduced consumer trust in private companies and it is important for the private sector to embrace transparency in order to rebuild or maintain their reputation. The article outlines how in general there is declining trust in marketing, which is usually uni-directional – perhaps because people have become more attune to trusting viral messages from people with whom they have strong ties.
The Republic of Mining has recently posted the top 25 mining blogs – sadly, this blog didn’t make the list and many that are listed are not active. However it seems that in today’s technological savvy world, it will be increasingly important for mining companies to embrace these tools towards building trusting and sustainable relationships with their stakeholders.