Technology+in+Business

Social networking in business
Here are a series of links to short articles from Bnet.com which look at the benefits of connecting up with colleagues and business associates on social networking sites such as Linkedin and take you through the process of getting started. Along the way the articles also expose you to up-to-the-minute language used in this area. So, they offer a chance to learn more about social-networking and business while at the same time practising and improving your English.

[|Myths and Risks of Social Networking] "More and more business professionals are using social networks to build relationships, meet new contacts, and market themselves. For the uninitiated, however ... "

[|Four Ways Social Networking Can Build Business] "You know that connecting to colleagues online has real benefits, but there are some things holding you back. If you’re worried about wasting time, losing your privacy, or struggling with your technical skills, don’t be ... "

[|How to Get Started With LinkedIn] "More and more business professionals are using social networks to build relationships, meet new contacts, and market themselves. For the uninitiated, however, diving into the virtual meet-and-greet can be daunting. Where to begin? For first-time users ... "

The Second Browser War: Google introduces Chrome
This article from The Economist explains in plain language what Google's business strategy is and how the introduction of its new browser, Chrome fits perfectly into this model. For more on this topic with an interesting analysis of Google's business model read [|Google’s Goal: Free Hotdogs Not World Domination] on the invaluable [|Bnet.com] site.

[|Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise: McKinsey Global Survey Results]
Companies have adopted more Web 2.0 tools this year than in 2007 and are using them for higher-value purposes, according to McKinsey’s second annual survey on the business use of Web 2.0 technologies.

Some 21 percent of the respondents are very satisfied with the way their companies use Web 2.0 tools, which are changing management practices and even organizational structures.

Other companies report that the barriers to adopting Web 2.0 tools include management’s inability to grasp their potential financial returns, unresponsive corporate cultures, and less-than-enthusiastic leadership.

This is the abstract of an article published in **//[|The McKinsey Quarterly]//** online magazine. To read the full version you need to follow the link and register for this free subscription website, where you will find articles on a wide variety of business topics, functions including Finance, Marketing, Operations, and industries. This is really a great resource for students and business people alike!

Wikinomics
In this [|BBC News] report one of the authors of Wikinomics, Canadian author Don Tapscott, tells [|Newsnight] why the internet could completely change the nature of business activity. Overstated? Read an extract and watch the report to find out.

Everywhere and nowhere: Online social networks
Social networking will become a ubiquitous feature of online life. That does not mean it is a business. Read the article to find out why.

[|Using Podcasting to Promote Your Business]
Businesses use podcasts, a marketing and communication tool, to publish audio content on a variety of topics. Interested listeners can then subscribe to the podcast so they are informed when a new one is posted. Podcasts provide a regular form of communication that can increase marketing reach and visibility, as well as build customer loyalty. Follow the link to this [|Bnet.com] article to find out more.

How to use Web 2.0 inside your company
Web 2.0 represents an important step in the evolution of Internet-based tools, and in the years ahead, it's likely to have a major impact on the way information is managed and distributed within your company. This article explains how companies can take advantage of these developments.

10 Must Have Online Office Applications
In this article [|Read/WriteWeb], reviews the Web Office, a market that underwent a lot of changes this year. Its definition of Web Office is: A Web Office suite is a combination of productivity, publishing and collaboration features. A Web Office both embraces the functionality of desktop office suites (e.g. Microsoft Office) and extends it by using Web Native features.

Moving Management Online (Part One)
With its inherent ability to collect, store, share distributed data and knowledge, the Web can turn management problems into opportunities, says Hamel, conveying great benefit on the forward-looking firms that find the right solutions first. In a recent post on Harvard Business, Hamel creates an exciting vision of the future corporation infused with “Management 2.0″ technology.

Moving Management Online (Part Two)
In the second part of his article, Gary Hamel considers five of the built-in “design flaws” that limit the performance of traditional bureaucratic organizations, and imagines briefly how the Web might help forward-thinking companies to overcome these deficits.

[|What is WEB 2.0]
Follow this link to find out more about this increasingly ubiquitous term.

[|A beginner's guide to WEB 2.0 Tools for Business]
This article provides a very good introduction to the many advantages and possibilities the rapid growth in web-based tools offers both individuals and businesses.

[|Collaboration Technology]
In this [|BNet.com] video, David Coleman, founder of [|Collaborative Strategies], takes us to the cutting edge of collaborative tools and describes what each solution is best used for.

[|Web 2.0 @ Work]
Matt Greeley, founder and CEO of [|Brightidea.com], examines the pain points of implementing Web 2.0 tools at work, and offers a strategy for a successful adoption.

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