The Integration of Online Face-to-Face Social Networking: The Need for Managerial Reconfiguration.

Purpose - The chapter explore if and how virtual and real organizational environments can interact, and if and how this interaction could foster managerial practices to sustain personal growth, organizational development and employee-organization relationships. Methodology – Research project is based on an emblematic case study: Fubles.com is a social sport sharing platform with one of the most active sport communities in Europe. This case is representative of a novel initiative, useful in understanding how social media drive organizational results. Findings – Online activities do not always substitute face-to-face relationships; virtual connections can enhance relationships, in terms of quantity, quality and fairness. Thanks to social network, organizations can support interpersonal contacts, enabling people to organise collective activities both virtually and physically. Practical implications - The case advocates three levels of possible organizational reconfigurations through social media: at individual, collective and organizational level, that can foster the quality of the employee-organization relationship.