Sofia Verlag Blog

Here is a recent statement from AT&T about Social Networking. I used data from this survey for my recent article about Serena.  Serena is using Facebook to build a corporate culture.

Dallas, Texas, November 11, 2008 From AT&T’s corporate Website:

London, 11 November 2008 — AT&T Inc (NYSE: T) announced that the use of social networking tools as part of everyday working life has led to an increase in efficiency, according to an independent market report released by AT&T. The pan-European survey of more than 2,500 people in five countries, conducted by Dynamic Markets, shows that of those employees using social networking tools in the workplace, 65% say that it has made them and/or their colleagues more efficient. In addition, 46% say that it has sparked ideas and creativity for them personally.

The top 5 social networking tools being used by organisations across Europe are:

1. Companies’ own collaboration sites on intranets (39%)
2. Internal forums within the company (20%)
3. Company-produced video material shared on intranets (16%)
4. Online social networks, like LinkedIn, Facebook etc (15%)
5. External collaboration sites on the web and internal blogging sites (both 11%)

The study shows that 65% of employees surveyed in Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands say that their company has adopted social networking as part of their working culture. The research also reveals that the rate of adoption is most popular in Germany, leading the way at 72% while Great Britain lags behind with 59%.

The independent market research was commissioned by AT&T in order to gain a greater understanding of how organisations are currently using social networking technologies. The company has published a white paper entitled “The Business Impacts of Social Networking” which outlines the challenges organisations face when taking advantage of new technologies that will benefit their business.

When asked, 74% of European employees think there are benefits to using social networks and online communities in the workplace. Increasing an individual’s knowledge and giving access to solutions to problems (both 38%) were the two main benefits highlighted. Harnessing the collective knowledge of employees, customers and suppliers (36%) and stimulating team building and better internal collaboration (32%) were also mentioned by those employees who have first-hand experience of using social networks at work on a daily basis.

In contrast, the research also highlights a number of challenges, with the two main negatives being that social networks are a distraction to employees (49%) and a source of company leaks of confidential information (45%). In addition, 24% of employees admit they are not sure how the return on investment (ROI) of internal sites could ever be measured.

“The change is sociological rather than technological, thus is will be difficult to justify with traditional ROI models”, says Martin Silman, executive director at AT&T. “Social networking is changing the way corporations communicate and if the corporate vision incorporates and builds upon the move to social networking and web 2.0, then the key performance indicators will easily follow.”

“The research shows that there is a clear trend across Europe for business users to embrace the benefits of ‘web 2.0′ technology to underpin collaboration, improve productivity and embrace business efficiency. It is clear that CIO’s and their colleagues need to think about the implications this has for their own internal networking strategy and ensure that they are equipped to make the most of the opportunities created by social networking.”

Finally!

The sad thing is he killed the Microsoft deal, the stocks plummeted and employees bailed… what kind of legacy is that to leave behind. Like some of the older sports stars, he should have left when he was on top.

As I have been saying for years, Yahoo struggles with its identity and understanding what it is but this weekend I found their business section and happily signed on for a business webpage and store… If they focus this product for the female entrepreneur, I think they have something exciting happening…

In Germany most of the entrepreneurs are women.. most of them are ignored and most of them need services like Yahoo business… Just like Nintendo, being at the bottom might actually help Yahoo leap ahead of the pack.

 A few months ago, I dropped my Nokia N95 and the back fell off.    My mobile phone is my only phone and this injury was serious.   I needed the phone and didn’t want to give it to the Nokia repair center and be without a phone.   First, I tried using a hair tie to keep the phone together but the back kept slipping out underneath the rubberband and my phone would turn off.   Finally I decided to use a bandage to keep the phone together.   Since the injury, my phone has looked like this:

Although it didn’t bother me to have my phone look like this, it bothered other people enough that I got this phone today:

So far it is working (I got my first text message) and I will be writing about my new phone as I get used to it.  Why did I decide to get the E71 instead of the iphone?  The camera.  I just didn’t want to be without a camera!

A few days ago, I saw this women trying to answer her mobile while eating her Popeye Chicken. I could only snap the photo while she was getting ready to hang up but she did have that phone by her ear and was holding it there in almost the same manner… trying not to get the greasy chicken from her fingers all over her designer phone.

How do you solve this problem? I think she should have a blue tooth device, those ugly star trek things people wear to avoid having to touch her phone (But they are so ugly to wear) OR she should just be considerate and not talk with someone else while enjoying lunch with her friend.

I find it interesting in Asia that if your phone rings, and you are in a meeting, people seem to think it is OK to start another conversation. As if the person who is calling you has first right to your time even though they have no idea what you are doing.

I recently talked with someone whose boss hid for three weeks.    A decision needed to be made and the manager disappeared.    It is interesting that people hate making decisions. They hate being wrong.  In Singapore, part of the Asian culture makes it difficult for people to admit defeat, failure, or making an error.   Because of this cultural pressure, people will fade into the background hoping that you will not notice them and ask them their opinion.. hopefully they don’t become a nation of shadows.

The government is working on this but there is just so much you can tell.. sometimes you just need managers who show you the way.

There is a fine line between what is fun and what is work… at least for me. Here is a photo I took using the Sony DSC-H50 last night on the way home.

I know it isn’t a professional camera but I walked around for an hour this morning holding it in one hand and my arm isn’t sore. I also didn’t want to put it away and I didn’t feel like a tourist.

An added bonus of this camera is that it still fits in my purse!

There is a company that promotes their brand by saying you are just keeping it for the next generation (Watch Company) but with my Sony products, we pass them down to the next generation after a few years and is probably the only time my daughter is happy to get a hand me down…

A few weeks ago, the hard drive on my iMac failed. It was not a surprise, I leave it on almost all the time and I use it for everything. So when my computer started to run slow I got nervous and backed everything up. Then, I tried reinstalling my software but it just gave me a big fat NO. No you cannot reinstall software and No you can’t access anything and if it had a tongue my computer would have been sticking it out at me.

I packed up the iMac in its HUGE box and lugged it down to the store. The customer service for Apple is great and after telling me that it was probably my fault, she took the computer and gave it to the technicians… two days later I got a call to pick up my computer…. it was not my fault.. the hard drive failed and they replaced it with a smile… even lugging the box to the taxi.

Now, I have a fresh hard drive and I want to keep my daughter from downloading stuff.. she gets onto kids sites and hits print and then we get all kinds of interesting things coming out of the printer using up my valuable ink. (paper is ok.. ink is the killer)

So, Avanquest is now offering net nanny for Apple computers which gives me the option to limit my daughter’s access to the internet without having to sit right next to her while she plays children’s flash games. (fun only the first time for adults) I am happy that Avanquest is heading in this directon.. they bought Emme, I thought I would be seeing more of them. I guess it takes awhile to tackle the female market even for a big software distribution company.

Who said that women don’t like technology?  Here is a woman who walked down the street without a purse but could not leave home without her tech gadgets.  In one pocket she stuffed her mobile phone and in the other pocket  her iPod gadget.  Not only does this show you that women will carry around  gadgets if they are small enough but more important, you don’t have to worry about pick pockets here.

 I passed this ad this morning.   Would you be compelled to buy a hoover if a women is naked holding a hoover?  No.  I personally do not think any naked women could get me to buy a computer.. maybe a naked man.. with the computer strategically placed… a cute male model.. NOT an IT guy….  I know they are playing with the slogan but I think they could have done something a little more interesting than naked women… boring… Think of Apple ads.. they are just really cool….On Thursday, walking  into the Sony store at the tech mall,   I was the only women in the store.  They have some wonderful accessories coming out but of course women do not know they exist because they are not entering technology stores.  We did see a woman buy a sony computer but she bought it at the outdoor display not in the store…I read a review about computers a few days ago where the journalist reviewed the new Sony laptop, apple laptop and a linux version.  She said that she loved the Apple and would be getting it for her next computer.  In her review she said that she liked the Sony but it had so much stuff but not the best for what she wanted (video streaming was one of the problems)I agree with her.. I love both Sony and Apple but if I had to chose right now, I would choose the Apple computer because it is just easier and when you do not have hours to spend to figure something out, it is great to just be able to work on the computer to do things like this: I did this with my Wacom board, my Imac And Adobe software……   The software to create this project is available for all computers we just need computers capable of handling the software and the file management for such a project. 

For the last week, I have been following the articles about the Miami based company offering a computer that will run Apple Software.  Psystar  realized that there is a market demand for such a product but in a rush to get the product on the market forgot a few business basics.  I understand the problem with processing orders but they certainly did not plan how to deal with the media and viral marketing.  That is a pity but hopefully they will have time to learn. There has been a lot of talk about how they are not professional but they are entrepreneurs.. that does not make them professionals.   I wish them luck but the US is not the location to try this kind of stunt… this sort of activity would work in Asia or Europe where the court systems are more sympathetic to the end user.   In the United States, the individuals involved (not only Apple but some other owners of intellectual property) will make it difficult for this company to succeed.  Who has the most money to spend in the court systems of the US?