Patent Publication Number: US-2013253991-A1

Title: Using the inheritance of professional-social network information to facilitate organizational position changes

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/425,608, filed Mar. 21, 2012 (pending), which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to the field of data handling and, more particularly, to using the inheritance of professional-social network information to facilitate organizational position changes. 
     A common problem in many organizations is the documentation and/or loss of tacit information that members naturally accrue as they perform the job functions of their organizational position. Tacit information are those subtle data nuggets that members learn over time like who is the best supplier to order from or what font your supervisor prefers for documents. 
     When members leave the organization, this tacit information is often lost. The replacing member is left having to re-accrue this knowledgebase, which takes time and often results in a period of reduce productivity and/or efficiency. To address such problems, a variety of knowledge management tool have been developed. However, these conventional knowledge management tools still rely heavily upon a member entering the tacit information into the defined fields. In addition to being a single point of failure, this reliance requires that a member be aware of the tacit information that they are accruing and be able to express the information clearly for future use. 
     Further, conventional knowledge management tools often lack a direct relationship to the job functions defined for a specific member and/or that member&#39;s organizational position. Thus, the member is required to take the time to assess the applicability of each data item to their specific job function and/or organizational position. 
     For example, many knowledge management tools allow data items to be assigned to a category like “Lessons Learned”. Without additional granularity, a member must take the time to read through the data items of the category to determine applicability. 
     To mitigate this problem, conventional knowledge management tools allow keywords or tags to be assigned to data items. However, the use of keywords or tags often exacerbates the problem by introducing differences in the terms used as keywords or tags. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the present invention can include a method for maintaining professional-social networks. Such a method can begin with the automatic creation of a professional-social network for each member of an organization by a professional-social network tool based upon electronic communication analysis. Each member can have a uniquely-identified organizational position within an organizational model of the organization. A professional-social network can be comprised of nodes representing contacts with whom a member interacts with to perform job functions defined for their organizational position. The nodes can be connected to the member by relationships that express an interaction context. A contact can represent a person, a group of people, or another organization. In response to a change from a first organizational position to a second organizational position for a specified member, the specified member can be dissociated from the professional-social network of the first organizational position. The first organizational position can represent the organizational position currently held by the specified member and the second organizational position can represent the organizational position that the specified member is being moved into. The specified member can then be associated with the professional-social network of the second organizational position. Tacit information contained within the professional-social network for performing the job functions of the second organizational position can be inherited by the specified member. 
     Another aspect of the present invention can include a system for maintaining professional-social networks. Such a system can include organizational data, an organizational model, contacts, an electronic communications system, and professional-social network tool. The organizational data can define data items for the members of an organization. The organizational model can define uniquely-identified organizational positions having defined job functions held by the members of the organization. The contacts can represent a person, a group of people, or another organization with whom a member interacts with to perform the job functions defined for their organizational position. A contact can be a member of the organization or a non-member of the organization. The electronic communications system can be configured to convey electronic communications between the members and the contacts. The professional-social network tool can be configured to automatically create and maintain a professional-social network for each member based upon an analysis of the electronic communications in which the member is included. A professional-social network can be comprised of nodes representing the member&#39;s contacts that are connected to the member by relationships that express an interaction context. Tacit information about the performance of job functions of the member&#39;s organizational position can be captured within the professional-social network. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention can include a computer program product that includes a computer readable storage medium having embedded computer usable program code. The computer usable program code can be configured to automatically create a professional-social network for each member of an organization based upon electronic communication analysis. Each member can have a uniquely-identified organizational position within an organizational model of the organization. A professional-social network can be comprised of nodes representing contacts with whom a member interacts with to perform job functions defined for their organizational position. The nodes can be connected to the member by relationships that express an interaction context. A contact can represent a person, a group of people, or another organization. The computer usable program code can be configured to, in response to a change from a first organizational position to a second organizational position for a specified member, dissociate the specified member from the professional-social network of the first organizational position. The first organizational position can represent the organizational position currently held by the specified member and the second organizational position can represent the organizational position that the specified member is being moved into. The computer usable program code can be configured to associate the specified member with the professional-social network of the second organizational position. Tacit information contained within the professional-social network for performing the job functions of the second organizational position can be inherited by the specified member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flowchart of a method presenting, at a high-level, the use of a professional-social network tool to facilitate the transfer of tacit professional-social network information between members of an organization during a change in organizational position in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a system that utilizes a professional-social network tool to facilitate the capture and transference of a professional-social network between members in accordance with an embodiment of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method discussing operation of the professional-social network tool in accordance with an embodiment of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method detailing the creation of professional-social networks by the professional-social network tool in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 5  is a collection of scenarios that graphically illustrate the inheritance of a professional-social network in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention discloses a solution for maintaining professional-social networks. A professional-social network tool can automatically create and maintain professional-social networks for members of an organization based upon the analysis of electronic communications exchanged between members for job-related purposes. Each member can have an organizational position having defined job functions that are captured in the organizational model of the organization. A professional-social network can be comprised of nodes that represent contacts that a member interacts with to perform the job functions defined for their organizational position. The nodes can be connected to the member by relationships that express an interaction context. As members change organizational positions, the tacit information contained in the professional-social networks can be preserved and inherited by other members of the organization. 
     As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon. 
     Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
     Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
       FIG. 1  is a flowchart of a method  100  presenting, at a high-level, the use of a professional-social network tool to facilitate the transfer of tacit professional-social network information between members of an organization during a change in organizational position in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. 
     Method  100  can begin in step  105  where Member A of an organization can electronically communicate with various contacts to perform the duties of their organizational position. As Member A performs step  105 , a professional-social network for Member A&#39;s organizational position can be conceptually formed. 
     That is, the people or contacts that Member A interacts with in order to perform the duties of their job, which is directly controlled and/or represented by their position with the organization, can be abstractly thought of as a social network based in a professional context. Just as in a typical social network, Member A can have different types of relationships with the various contacts that comprise their professional-social network. 
     For example, Member A can be the receptionist of a doctor&#39;s office. To perform receptionist duties, Member A can be required to interact with the office staff, patients, accounts payable/receivable, insurance company representatives, and supply company representatives. These groups and individuals can comprise the professional-social network of Member A. 
     The electronic communications exchanged in step  105  can represent items, including, but not limited to, email messages, instant messages, social network postings, text messages, shared application messages and/or data, electronic documents, Web forms, and the like. 
     In step  110 , the professional-social network tool can capture data and relationships from Member A&#39;s electronic communications. The professional-social network tool can be a software tool designed to create an electronic representation of any member&#39;s, Member A in this example, conceptual professional-social network. Step  110  can represent the capture of tacit organizational information that is accumulated by a person that performs the duties of a specific organization position. 
     The data captured in step  110  can correspond to the electronic communications exchanged in step  105 . Further, data can be captured in its entirety, as a portion of a document or communication, and/or as a reference to a document or communication captured by another system (i.e., a reference to a specific email message belonging to Member A). 
     Continuing the previous example, while performing receptionist duties, Member A can build a rapport with specific contacts at each supplier and can come to understand which supplier is best used to order specific supplies. This knowledge can reside within Member A&#39;s memory and may not be formally documented for the organization. 
     Therefore, the loss of Member A from the doctor&#39;s office can result in the doctor&#39;s office losing this tacit information; Member A&#39;s replacement would need to re-learn all of this tacit information over time. Such situations can hinder the productivity and/or efficiency (e.g., loss of money by ordering from a less-than-optimal supplier, not knowing when to reorder supplies, etc.) of the doctor&#39;s office while the new receptionist rebuilds this knowledgebase. 
     Step  105  and  110  can be continuously performed to represent the continuous and dynamic growth and change of a member&#39;s professional-social network, such as changes in people representing a contact (i.e., Bob is now the representative for Supplier K) and/or contacts (i.e., Supplier M is now being used to purchase Product Y, instead of Supplier G). 
     As is inevitable in any organization, members change positions. In step  115 , Member B can assume the organizational position of Member A. Member B can inherit the professional-social network of Member A in step  120 . 
     The professional-social network tool can enable this inheritance by allowing the transference of Member A&#39;s professional-social network to Member B in step  125 . Thus, as the new receptionist for the doctor&#39;s office, Member B can immediately know who to order which supplies from, when supplies should be ordered, and so on. 
     While many products exist for knowledgebase creation/maintenance, it is important to note that such conventional products can lack relational information between members and between the data and specific organizational positions. That is, conventional knowledgebase tools can group knowledge by topic or category without regard to its applicability to a perusing member&#39;s organizational position, requiring members to manually determine the applicability of each data item. 
     Some conventional knowledgebase tools can include the ability to add keywords or tags to data items. While such a capability increases the usability of these tools, this approach can require the member to know which keywords to use to refine data item searches. Regardless, conventional knowledgebase tools cannot provide a member with a listing of all the data items that pertain to how to perform the duties of their organizational position. 
     It is also important to note that conventional knowledgebase tools can be reliant upon member-entry of data; a member must document their tacit information. Such documentation can be difficult because a member may not realize the tacit information that they naturally collect or may simply forget to document the information. The professional-social network tool can automatically capture and/or determine tacit information about a member&#39;s organizational position, removing this reliance upon member documentation. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a system  200  that utilizes a professional-social network tool  245  to facilitate the capture and transference of a professional-social network  255  between Members A and B  205  and  225  in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. System  200  can be utilized within the context of method  100 . 
     In system  200 , Member A  205  and Member B  225  can belong to the same organization. Members A and B  205  and  225  can be human agents of the organization. For illustrative purposes, Member B  225  can represent a person who assumes the organizational position held by Member A  205 , as discussed in method  100 . 
     Member A  205  can utilize the functions of an electronic communications system  235  to interact with one or more contacts  290 . A contact  290  can represent a specific person or organization that Member A  205  interacts with to perform the duties of their organizational position  287 . A contact  290  can be internal or external to Member A&#39;s  205  organization. 
     For example, if Member A  205  is a project manager, then each person involved with a project that Member A  205  is managing can be considered a contact  290  of Member A  205 . As another example, if Member A  205  is an office manager, the office staff can be included in Member A&#39;s  205  contacts  290  as well as an office supply company, a cleaning service, and a temp agency. 
     The electronic communications system  235  can represent the hardware and/or software components required to support the exchange of electronic communications  270  over a network  295 . The specific types of electronic communications  270  supported by the electronic communications system  235  can vary based upon organization and/or implementation of the electronic communications system  235 . 
     The electronic communications system  235  can operate within an enterprise computing environment  230  maintained and/or accessible to the organization. The enterprise computing environment  230  can include additional software systems (not shown) without departing from the intent of the present disclosure. 
     The electronic communications system  235  can include one or more communications applications  240 , the professional-social network tool  245 , and a data store  265  containing electronic communications  270  and member/contact lists  275 . An electronic communication  270  can be a discrete container of digital data like an email message. 
     The communications applications  240  can be the software programs that facilitate the exchange of electronic communications  270  over the network  295 . Examples of communications applications  240  can include, but are not limited to, an email application, an instant messaging application, a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application (e.g., soft phone), a social network application, a text messaging system, an online collaboration system, a file download, a file upload, a Web service or application, a smart phone application, and the like. 
     As is common for many communications applications  240 , Member A  205  can be provided with and/or allowed to create and maintain one or more member/contact lists  275 . For example, a global email address list  275  can be maintained by the organization and can be utilized by Member A  205  when composing email messages; yet, Member A  205  can also be able to define their own email distribution lists  275 . 
     Further, Member A  205  can have multiple member/contact lists  275 , each corresponding to a different communications application  240 . The member/contact lists  275  can also allow Member A  205  to categorize entries in their member/contact lists  275  (e.g., friends, coworkers, Project  1 , Team J, etc.). 
     Members A and B  205  and  225  can access the functionality of the electronic communications system  235  provided by the communications applications  240  via a corresponding communication user interface  215 . The communication user interface  215  can be a graphical means for creating and presenting the electronic communications  270  as well as viewing the contents of one&#39;s professional-social network  255 . 
     The communication user interface  215  can be written to operate commensurately with the configuration of a client device  210  and  220  (i.e., an application written specifically for a smart phone) and/or the enterprise computing environment  230  (i.e., an application that conforms to SOA standards). The client device  210  and  220  can represent a variety of computing devices capable of supporting operation of the communication user interface  215  and communicating with the corresponding communications application  240  over the network  295 . 
     The professional-social network tool  245  can be a software program designed to create professional-social networks  255  for an organizational position  287  based upon a member&#39;s  205  interaction with contacts  290 . A professional-social network  255  can be a social network representation for a specific combination of member  205  and  225  and organizational position  287  in a professional or organizational context; a social network comprising only the people and/or other organizations that Member A  205  interacts with for professional or work-related purposes. 
     An organizational position  287  can be a job title held by a member  205  and/or  225  as defined in an organizational model  285  of the specific organization. The organizational model  285  can be a diagram that outlines the managerial relationships of an organization. More than one member  205  and  225  can have the same organizational position  287 , yet different professional-social networks  255 . 
     For example, Member A  205  and Member B  225  can both have the organizational position  287  of “Customer Representative”. However, Member A  205  can be responsible for West Coast customers and Member B  225  can be responsible for East Coast customers. 
     Each organizational position  287  can have a list of duties stored as organizational/member data  282 . The organizational/member data  282  can also include historical data about a member  205  and  225  (e.g., promotion dates) and the organization (e.g., contract dates). The organizational/member data  282  and/or organizational model  285  can be maintained within a data store  280  that is accessible by the professional-social network tool  245 . 
     In another embodiment, the contents of data store  280  can be maintained by multiple and/or disparate computing systems (not shown). In such an embodiment, the professional-social network tool  245  can be granted the appropriate security privileges and/or configured to interface with the computing systems in order to access the organizational/member data  282  and/or organizational model  285 . 
     The professional-social network tool  245  can utilize the organizational/member data  282  and organizational model  285  to “understand” the basic structure of the organization and its members  205  and  225 . By analyzing the electronic communications  270  exchanged between members  205  and  225  and contacts  290 , the professional-social network tool  245  can create a professional-social network  255  for each member  205  and  225  and/or organizational position  287 . 
     When a member&#39;s  205  or  225  contact  290  is external to the organization, the professional-social network tool  245  can capture basic data (e.g., name, organization, email address, etc.) about this contact  290  as external member data  260 . Thus, the external member data  260  can act as a list of contacts  290  that are included in member&#39;s  205  and  225  professional-social networks  255  that are external to the organization. 
     Thus, as members  205  and  225  of the organization change organizational positions  287 , the tacit knowledge for performing each organizational position  287  can be preserved and inherited by the incoming member  205  or  225 . 
     For example, if Member A  205  retires and Member B  225  assumes Member A&#39;s  205  organizational position  287 , the professional-social network tool  245  can allow Member B  225  to leave behind the professional-social network  255  they created for their old position and inherit the professional-social network  255  left by Member A  205 . Now, Member B  225  can perform Member A&#39;s  205  old organizational position  287  with the knowledge that Member A  205  accrued during their tenure. 
     The professional-social network tool  245  can be comprised of a variety of sub-components representing its operations. The type of sub-components can vary based upon the specific implementation of and/or functionality provided by the professional-social network tool  245 . 
     Examples of sub-components that can be used by the professional-social network tool  245  can include, but are not limited to, a social networking component, a natural language processor, a data aggregator, a graphical illustration component, a reports component, and the like. 
     In another contemplated embodiment, the professional-social network tool  245  can operate from a server (not shown) within the enterprise computing environment  230  that is separate from the electronic communications system  235 . In such an embodiment, the professional-social network tool  245  can be configured to include the necessary elements (e.g., listener agents) required to monitor electronic communications  270  made using the electronic communications system  235  and interface with the electronic communications system  235  to access the electronic communications  270  and member/contact lists  275 . 
     The transference of professional-social networks  255  between members  205  and  225  can be manually controlled by one or more administrators that have been given the proper permissions within the professional-social network tool  245  and/or can be automatically propagated by changes in the organizational/member data  282  and/or organizational model  285 . 
     Additional contemplated functionality of the professional-social network tool  245  can include the ability for managers to view the professional-social networks  255  of their subordinates, the ability for members  205  and  225  to annotate the nodes of their professional-social networks  255 , the ability to capture electronic communications  270  within the professional-social network  255  that was deleted by a member  205  or  225 , and the ability to produce professional-social networks  255  of an organization at different levels of granularity (e.g., branch level, district level, head office level) and/or across different locations (i.e., all members of specific organizational position  287  throughout the organization). 
     Network  295  can include any hardware/software/and firmware necessary to convey data encoded within carrier waves. Data can be contained within analog or digital signals and conveyed though data or voice channels. Network  295  can include local components and data pathways necessary for communications to be exchanged among computing device components and between integrated device components and peripheral devices. Network  295  can also include network equipment, such as routers, data lines, hubs, and intermediary servers which together form a data network, such as the Internet. Network  295  can also include circuit-based communication components and mobile communication components, such as telephony switches, modems, cellular communication towers, and the like. Network  295  can include line based and/or wireless communication pathways. 
     As used herein, presented data stores  250 ,  265 , and  280  can be a physical or virtual storage space configured to store digital information. Data stores  250 ,  265 , and  280  can be physically implemented within any type of hardware including, but not limited to, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, a digitally encoded plastic memory, a holographic memory, or any other recording medium. Data stores  250 ,  265 , and  280  can be a stand-alone storage unit as well as a storage unit formed from a plurality of physical devices. Additionally, information can be stored within data stores  250 ,  265 , and  280  in a variety of manners. For example, information can be stored within a database structure or can be stored within one or more files of a file storage system, where each file may or may not be indexed for information searching purposes. Further, data stores  250 ,  265 , and/or  280  can utilize one or more encryption mechanisms to protect stored information from unauthorized access. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method  300  discussing operation of the professional-social network tool in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. Method  300  can be performed within the context of system  200  and/or method  100 . 
     Method  300  can begin in step  305  where the professional-social network tool can identify members of an organization and their organizational positions. Step  305  can require the professional-social network tool to access member/contact lists, organizational/member data, and the organizational model of the organization. The information required by the professional-social network tool can define the members of the organization, each member&#39;s organizational position, and the duties of each organizational position. 
     The electronic communications of the organization&#39;s members can be analyzed in step  310 . Step  310  can utilize a variety of natural language processing techniques. In step  315 , a professional-social network can be created for each organizational position and/or member based upon the analysis of the electronic communication analysis. 
     In response to a members change in organizational position, the professional-social network tool can dissociate the member from the professional-social network of their “old” organizational position in step  320 . Then, in step  325 , the member can be associated with the professional-social network of their “new” organizational position. 
     It should be noted that step  325  can be performed only when the member is moving to another organizational position. That is, only step  320  would be performed for a member who has left the organization. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method  400  detailing the creation of professional-social networks by the professional-social network tool in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. Method  400  can be performed within the context of system  200  and/or in conjunction with methods  100  and/or  300 . Method  400  can be an elaboration of steps  310  and  315  of method  300 . 
     Method  400  can begin in step  405  where the professional-social network tool can monitor the electronic communications of the organization&#39;s members. It can be determined if an electronic communication is work-related in step  410 . Step  410  can ensure that social electronic communications are not included in a member&#39;s professional-social network. 
     When the electronic communication is not work-related, the electronic communication can be ignored in step  415 . When the electronic communication is determined to be work-related, step  420  can be executed where the sender and recipients of the electronic communication can be identified. 
     It can be determined if the senders and recipients are all members of the organization in step  425 . The determination performed in step  425  can reference the identified sender and recipients against organizational data that lists the organization&#39;s members. 
     When the sender or one or more recipients of the electronic communication are not members of the organization, step  430  can execute where the external member data can be checked to determine if these non-members are contained within. When a non-member does not exist within the external member data, the non-member can be added to the external member data in step  435 . 
     Upon completion of step  435  or when the non-members already exist within the external member data, step  440  can execute where the relationship between members and/or non-members can be determined. Step  440  can utilize a variety of natural language processing techniques as well as relationship types and determination criteria predefined within the professional-social network tool. 
     For each member, it can be determined if the other members and/or non-members exist within their professional-social network in step  445 . When one of the other members or non-members does not exist within a member&#39;s professional-social network, these “missing” members/non-members and their associated relationship with the member can be added to the professional-social network in step  450 . 
     When all the other members and non-members exist within the member&#39;s professional-social network, step  455  can be performed where it can be determined if the type of relationship for the other members and non-members, as determined in step  440 , are different than those already documented in the member&#39;s professional-social network. In order words, step  445  can determine if a change occurred to the organizational position of one of the other members or non-members that impacts their relationship to this member. 
     When a change in relationship type has occurred, the member&#39;s professional-social network can be modified to account for this change in relationship in step  465 . When a change in relationship type has not occurred, then step  460  can execute where the professional-social network tool takes no further action with regards to the member&#39;s professional-social network. 
       FIG. 5  is a collection  500  of scenarios  505  and  535  that graphically illustrate the inheritance of a professional-social network  555  in accordance with embodiments of the inventive arrangements disclosed herein. The scenarios  505  and  535  illustrated in collection  500  can be performed within the context of system  200  and represent one or more steps of methods  100 ,  300 , and/or  400 . 
     In scenario  505 , Member A  510  can have an organizational position  512  of ‘Q’ within the organization. To fulfill the duties of organizational position  512  ‘Q’, Member A  510  can communicate  515  with various contacts  520 . Based upon Member A&#39;s  510  communications with their contacts  520 , the professional-social network tool can create  525  a professional-social network  530  specific to Member A  510  and their organizational position  512  ‘Q’. 
     As shown in scenario  505 , the professional-social network  530  can be comprised of nodes  532  that represent Member A  510  and their contacts  520  arranged in a tree-like or relational structure. The nodes  532  of the professional-social network  530  can be connected by relationships  534 . In this example, the professional-social network  530  for Member A  510  can indicate that Member A  510  has a “Peer” relationship  534  with Member D and a “Supplier” relationship  534  with Members C and G. 
     In scenario  535 , Member B  540  having an organizational position  542  if ‘X’ can replace  545  Member A  510  within the organization. This action can cause Member B&#39;s  540  organizational position  542  to change from ‘X’ to ‘Q’. 
     The change in organizational position  542  for Member B  540  can precipitate  550  a corresponding change to Member B&#39;s  540  professional-social network  555 . Since Member B  540  has left organizational position  542  ‘X’, the professional-social network that Member B  540  generated for organizational position  542  ‘X’ can be passed on to or inherited by their replacement. Member B  540  can then inherit the professional-social network  555  developed by Member A  510 . 
     As shown in this example, using their “new” professional-social network  555 , Member B  540  can know that Member D is their peer and Members C and D are suppliers to organizational position  512  ‘Q’. 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.