LinkedIn unveils new knowledge-sharing tools

LinkedIn has revamped its toolset to make it easier for its members to share information.

The business social networking giant is hoping the new features for its user-created networking groups will give its 26 million-strong professional membership base a helping hand when it comes to communicating online.

Interactive discussion boards, digest emails, group homepages featuring the latest group activity, enhanced search tools to help seek out knowledge and a searchable groups directory are all on the new menu.

"The business landscape is continuing to diversify, both geographically and in terms of competitiveness. With the advent of web 2.0 applications, business professionals are looking at new ways of remaining competitive on the worldwide front. Our new groups functionalities enable professionals to stay better connected with their associates, and gain valuable insight and intelligence with which to compete more successfully at a global level," said Kevin Eyres, LinkedIn's European managing director.

"We have seen with LinkedIn a social karma effect at work the more information a user provides to his/her network, the greater the return in terms of his own insight and need. There is actually a network effect of reciprocity that can be as valuable as pounds, dollars or Euros."

Eyres concluded: "Connecting people and groups to common interests and making business more social builds a camaraderie that is tied to a level of goodwill our new groups functionalities were developed with this in mind and we are confident that they will continue to help our members derive increasing amounts of knowledge from the site."