Strategic Social Networking - Archive

Making Enterprise Social Networks Work

Any enterprise would benefit from a boost in company-wide communication, but the study discussed in the article “Enterprise Social Networking: Focus on Relationships (Altimeter Report)” shows just how challenging instituting a new platform for the exchange of information can be. Enterprise Social Networking is the employment of an internal social networking system within one company that allows for individual profile creation and information dissemination from employees of every department and level within an enterprise.

The article highlights the negative findings, including long term adoption of ESN’s being largely unsuccessful, the high adoption of free tools (which later require switching to expensive premium apps), and the fact that companies have difficulty developing metrics to even tell if the ESN is benefiting them.

Though largely reporting on what is wrong with the way companies are introducing internal social networking, the author gives us a ray of hope from the report:

“The report also includes an actionable plan to get started, while there’s lots of details in the bullet points (filled with real world examples from real research interviews), they include four ways ESNs drive business value, including: 1) Encourage Sharing, 2) Capture Knowledge, 3) Enable Action, and 4) Empower people.”

Hopefully without sounding too middling, I think that this report points to active ESN’s being a very good thing—for some. One could argue that a smaller social network, relegated to the departments who find the most use in it should be a way this technology should ultimately be used. However, the report also shows that it may not be impossible to successfully introduce it on a company wide scale, but more groundwork must be done before people begin creating and abandoning their profiles. A companywide information campaign spelling out the benefits and possible uses could quell some of the doubt, especially when it comes to sharing ideas and instilling in employees a sense of voice and validity of opinion.

Decide for yourself, by reading the report.

Benjamin Reilly March 6, 2012

Mobile Tech High Street

In the near future, mobile technology will be the biggest driving factor for success in the retail and consumer goods sector. The value of this fast growing technology is spelled out precisely in an article – Mobile Technology Will Decide Who Wins Battle on the High Street -

Tim Clifford, Partner Consumer Markets at KPMG has these comments:

“Mobile technology will help decide who wins in the retail space. Retailers must embrace mobile technology as an urgent priority or otherwise risk falling behind.

“Mobile technology is dramatically altering the retail experience and changing the relationship between retailers and customers. Success in both developed and emerging markets will depend on the swift adoption of mobile as a device for communicating with customers and for facilitating transactions.

“Consumer goods and retail companies that are slow to embrace mobile will find themselves struggling to keep up at a time when competition for market share is becoming increasingly fierce.”

Mobile technology opens up so many choices for the consumer. And, with today’s rigid competition, keeping up with such an important element that will drive the market is crucial to profitability.

Sandy McIntosh, February 28, 2012

Will Google’s Drive dropkick Dropbox?

Google is about to launch “Drive” a cloud-storage offering that will compete with Dropbox – a web-based file hosting service. Dropbox uses cloud storage to enable users to store and share files and folders with others across the Internet using file synchronization. Google’s offering is responding to the popular growth of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Also, Google’s product will be free, up to a certain size, for most users and businesses. Google Near Launch of Cloud Storage Service

According to The Wall Street Journal -

”If a person wants to email a video shot from a smartphone, for instance, he can upload it to the Web through the Drive mobile app and email people a link to the video rather than a bulky file,” the newspaper said. Google’s GDrive Reportedly To Launch As Dropbox-rival ‘Drive’

Google, the leader in Internet-based products and services is sure to be a leader with their cloud-computing product. Google Drive adds nicely to Google’s suite of web products and just might give Dropbox a swift kick to the curb.

Sandy McIntosh, February 22, 2012

The Hazy Future of Facebook

February 15th, 2012 | Posted by admin in Facebook | mobility | News | social media - (0 Comments)

Details of the Facebook announcement concerning its IPO continue to be discussed in a myriad of circles. Amidst the disbelief, rampant speculation and even a growing sense of outrage over standards and practices, a careful observer can find vague indicators of the direction the company seems intent on taking. In addition to publishing the S-1 Registration Statement, Mashable.com provides a cursory breakdown in the post “Facebook IPO: The Complete Guide“.

One of the more intriguing elements of the release draws attention to advertising, the social media site’s current form of revenue production. The two hundred and thirteen page document is said to mention the word advertising, along with mobile, approximately one hundred and twenty three times a piece. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is little indication of how the latter will factor into the years ahead. The post continues:

“Facebook announced it generates a “substantial majority” of its revenue from advertising, more specifically from its partnership with Zynga. The gaming company contributed 12% of Facebook’s $3.71 billion — that’s almost $500 million.”

It will be interesting to see exactly how the relationship betwixt social media and the gaming industry develops, and if it will benefit shareholders. Many groups are already profiting from the coupling of mobile devices and various games and related software.

Still chief among the concerns for a portion of users and potential stockholders is privacy rights. Facebook continues to be a potentially destructive force in this area. It was recently named in connection with policy changes at Google, changes are being viewed as violating user’s rights.

Despite the size of the form, and the scheduled release of more information in the Spring, interested parties are left in large part to wonder what the future holds.

Micheal Cory February 15, 2012

The Influence of Small Business on App Development

February 9th, 2012 | Posted by admin in business process | mobility | News | security - (0 Comments)

It is difficult to deny the effect the proliferation of mobile technological advancements, especially in the rapidly expanding field of application development, are having on the commercial sector. As the slow economic recovery continues, businesses of all makes and models search for innovative and immediate methods to remain viable. In spite of the downturn, app development houses continue to enjoy successes and are increasingly turning their attention to existing and emerging small and medium sized businesses, or SMBs. Seizing upon the popularity of both mobile devices and social media, these companies are taking chances which could arguably strengthen the core of a flagging commercial infrastructure. This trend is lightly investigated in a recent post on ZDNet.com titled, “Mobility is Central to Hottest Small-business Technology Trends.”

Social media and cloud computing in particular have changed the way commercial entities of all sizes interact with customers. From publishing firms to local bakeries, the virtues of innumerable products are marketed and judged in real time. SMBs looking to employ the newest tech trends are poised to reap the most tangible benefits from the explosion of applications allowing customers to engage with companies, their products and each other.

The post poses a few questions as well as potential answers that the author feels reflect the reasoning behind this shift in attention, notably:

“A primary benefit of cloud-delivered software applications or services? Their ability to secure information and data centrally, while enabling SMBs to free up their employees to work from remote and branch locations while allowing collaboration within teams.”

The coming years will no doubt see the abandonment of certain trends and the embracing of others. Technology it seems remains poised to be the most exciting and profitable piece of tomorrow’s commercial puzzle.

Micheal Cory February 9, 2012

Grocery Stores Using Pushpins to Create Apps

February 8th, 2012 | Posted by admin in app | business process | mobility | News - (0 Comments)

It appears that grocery store chains are attempting to create their own iPhone device apps, and Pushpins, a company in the app building business exclusively, is vying for this business. This discussion, plus its pros and cons are discussed in great length in an article – Pushpins Founder Explains Why Grocery Stores Should Avoid Building Their Own Apps.

The article also features a question and answer platform between Appolicious, a mobile device app directory, and Pushpins CEO Jason Gurwin – Gurwin has this to say:

“Would you continue to stock a product if no-one purchased it? I use the same example with mobile apps. Everyone feels the need to have apps, but they build something no one wants. If you are a large chain, you will without a doubt get downloads, but they are vanity metrics. Before you invest in building one yourself, ask are your shoppers really going to USE your app?

Most retailers have decided to invest in “cookie cutter” apps that quickly give them a mobile presence. They include a basic shopping list, information about nearby stores, and a way to view the store circular.”

Pushpins argues some strong points in their favor and feels that retailers should stick to the task at hand and leave the app building to the experts. In fact, Pushpins offers a much broader product that will benefit both the grocery store chain and the consumer. Also, today’s busy consumers will embrace a more in-depth product that saves time and money, more readily.

Sandy McIntosh, February 08, 2012

Airline Passengers Getting Mobile Technology

Mobile device technology is fast and furious implementing check-in capabilities for air travel. According to an article, Airlines Move Closer to NFC Tech for Passengers – this new technology will enable passengers to create their own boarding passes, and open boarding gates and secure lounges, via their mobile devices.

Jim Peters, a SITA (Specialists in air transport communications and IT solutions) chief technology officer, said:

“Mobile NFC is still a maturing technology with multiple implementation models. We chose to implement a solution that takes full advantage of the secure element on the SIM card and over-the-air deployment from a trusted service manager (TSM) to the device.”

The airlines are spending lots of money to get this technology right, so it is definitely a sure thing we can look forward to. Passengers will soon be enjoying shorter waiting times that will enhance their traveling enjoyment! And, anything that will shorten our time at the airport will be a welcome perk for not just the weekly business travelers, but also the occasional vacationers as well.

Sandy McIntosh, February 07, 2012

Twitter Develops Censorship Technology

Reporting from Beijing, The Wall Street Journal announces, “Twitter Can Censor by Country.” The news must please censorship proponents the world over, perhaps even a few in the US Congress.

Journalists Loretta Chao and Amir Efrati inform us:

“Twitter Inc. says it can now make content selectively available to users based on geography, and plans to use that ability to enter countries with ‘different ideas’ about freedom of expression as a human right—reflecting the difficult ethical questions facing Internet companies.

“The effort underscores thorny issues for Internet companies as their websites become more global and interconnected among different countries, and as they must cooperate with diverse views on Internet content control. For websites like Twitter as well as social-networking site Facebook, this has meant being blocked in countries like China where controls are more aggressive.”

To be fair to Twitter, the issue of censorship in other countries is indeed a tricky one. Refuse to play ball at all, and you’re banned completely. Will that really help the end users, the citizens who struggle to obtain information? Perhaps a little censorship is a small price to pay for allowing them even limited access to the information superhighway. At least, that seems to be the tack Twitter has embraced.

The company is not caving completely, however. They have been blocked in China for over two years, and are unlikely to be allowed back in as a result of this announcement. Why? Because that government doesn’t even want its people to know that content has been blocked; Twitter insists on giving them at least that courtesy. It is interesting to note that the company is working with Chilling Effects, an Internet freedom advocacy group, to draft its take-down notices.

You’d have to live in a cave to not realize that right now, in our famously freedom-loving country, we are in the middle of our own Internet censorship battle. Here, money is at the center of the fight. Specifically, corporations want to stop the sale of pirated goods. Corporations are people too, don’t you know?

These companies do have a valid concern, but I don’t have to tell you that the wildly unpopular SOPA and PIPA Acts propose enforcement through ham-fisted tactics that leave no room for due process. (If you didn’t know that, do some research. Right now. I’ll wait.)

The article notes that Twitter has been a crucial facilitator of political protest and revolutionary action around the world. The company also has a history of supporting transparency and free expression. However, it must do what it has to do if it wants to keep expanding. At the least, it must protect its employees from prosecution for breaking the rules in foreign lands. Yes, that would be important.

Cynthia Murrell, February 02, 2012