Inter-firm relationships facilitated through online social networks like LinkedIn are both a collaborative asset and a competitive risk. Although there are clear benefits to sharing ideas and problems with an extended professional networks, there are also risks of inappropriate or accidental sharing of sensitive information with competitors due to a lack of formal policies, guidelines or training around the appropriate usage of online social networks and the types of information that can and can't be shared over these networks. These risks can be mitigated through best practices such as the creation of explicit guidelines on inter-firm information sharing as well as training to educate users on the use and interpretation of the guidelines. Employing these risk reduction strategies will ensure that the benefits of inter-firm connectedness continue to outweight the risks.
The New Symbiosis Of Professional Networks Research StudyLeader Networks
The article focuses on the impact of social media and social networks to Social Media Peer Groups (SMPG) and professional decision-makers. It mentions that customers and prospects have an instant platform of discussions for their ideas, experiences and knowledge through the use of social media, wherein their important role is utilizing the tools and mediums before engaging to decision-making processes. It states that social media increase the impressive strength of decision-making and change the dynamics of customer relationship management, marketing, and communications. It also recommends being part in a peer network or online community for sharing ideas that were often formed in office settings.
The Application of Enterprise Social Networking to Talent Management and Tale...Conenza
In this webinar, we will discuss how enterprise social networking can be applied to your talent acquisition and management efforts to enhance collaboration and communication, increase recruiting and talent management efficiency, and retain access to valuable intellectual capital. We will walk through some real world examples of the different types of corporate social networking initiatives that are being successfully adopted within leading global organizations.
How can companies use their internal communities of practice to collaborate, innovate and grow?
This paper explores the elements of internal on-line community success, and provides examples of how Schneider-Electric addresses this challenge.
The Network Approach to Change InitiativesSteven Wardell
Presented by Activate Networks' Rob Cross, DBA and Luke Matthews, PhD
If your company is at any stage of a reorganization, merger or acquisition, you can learn how to:
- find the data you need to strategically plan and monitor your change initiative,
- identify the top connectors in your employee network (the employees you can't afford to lose!), and
- improve knowledge sharing by understanding the current structure of communication to allow for more informed decision making.
The New Symbiosis Of Professional Networks Research StudyLeader Networks
The article focuses on the impact of social media and social networks to Social Media Peer Groups (SMPG) and professional decision-makers. It mentions that customers and prospects have an instant platform of discussions for their ideas, experiences and knowledge through the use of social media, wherein their important role is utilizing the tools and mediums before engaging to decision-making processes. It states that social media increase the impressive strength of decision-making and change the dynamics of customer relationship management, marketing, and communications. It also recommends being part in a peer network or online community for sharing ideas that were often formed in office settings.
The Application of Enterprise Social Networking to Talent Management and Tale...Conenza
In this webinar, we will discuss how enterprise social networking can be applied to your talent acquisition and management efforts to enhance collaboration and communication, increase recruiting and talent management efficiency, and retain access to valuable intellectual capital. We will walk through some real world examples of the different types of corporate social networking initiatives that are being successfully adopted within leading global organizations.
How can companies use their internal communities of practice to collaborate, innovate and grow?
This paper explores the elements of internal on-line community success, and provides examples of how Schneider-Electric addresses this challenge.
The Network Approach to Change InitiativesSteven Wardell
Presented by Activate Networks' Rob Cross, DBA and Luke Matthews, PhD
If your company is at any stage of a reorganization, merger or acquisition, you can learn how to:
- find the data you need to strategically plan and monitor your change initiative,
- identify the top connectors in your employee network (the employees you can't afford to lose!), and
- improve knowledge sharing by understanding the current structure of communication to allow for more informed decision making.
The 2012 LinkedIn Success Survey addresses how to strategically use LinkedIn for greater benefit. We surveyed LinkedIn "connectors" and "users." The 2012 LinkedIn Success Survey Report offers direction for professionals, executives, managers and entrepreneurs who want to derive greater value from LinkedIn.
Download the free report: http://www.forrestconsult.com/2012linkedinsuccesssurveyreport.html
Did you know that 4 out of 5 IT decision makers use social networks for business purposes? In fact, 73% of them have engaged with a vendor on social. Hear more about the pervasive impact of social on IT purchasing and what marketers must do to adapt, in this groundbreaking study by LinkedIn and Forrester.
How to Use Search and Social Networks for Lead GenerationPaul Gillin
Qualified lead generation, which is the holy grail of B2B marketing, is being reinvented by online tools. Traditional outbound marketing relied upon scatter-shot techniques like advertising, direct mail, and events to attract prospects. Today, search engines and social networks have evolved this process into a much more targeted and conversation-focused approach.
Today's new breed of effective lead generation combines keyword optimization and link-building strategies (inbound marketing) with strategic participation in social networks (outbound marketing). Result: social media and search engines can deliver qualified leads at a dramatically lower cost than traditional means.
These new approaches to lead generation require more active participation by marketing organizations than in the past, but the payoff is in higher quality leads, faster closing times, and less waste.
This presentation covers:
*The power of long tail search optimization
*How to identify prospects who are seeking your products and services through public social networks
*How analytics and social CRM can dramatically improve lead quality
*How to target messages to reach prospects at the optimal point in the sales cycle
How Social Networks are Delivering on the Failed Promise of Knowledge ManagementPaul Gillin
Organizations are inherently social, and when they enable people to reach out and find each other, connections are formed and discoveries are made that transcend org charts. But Intranet 2.0 isn't a zero-sum game. Open communication challenges traditional lines of authority and may be seen as a threat to those who are invested in existing structures. In fact, the biggest barriers to internal social network adoption are political, not technical. In an economy that demands innovation, resourcefulness and knowledge efficiency, do we really have any choice but to change? This presentation looks at how social networks are transforming the way businesses operate and at the bitter medicine some companies must swallow in order to realize their potential.
Social media is quite a phenomenon. It’s changing the way we use the Internet, communicate with friends and business colleagues, interact with corporations (or customers), gather information, and make decisions. Social media may still seem like a technological fad that is mainly used by younger people, but in truth, it is rapidly gaining users across generations and becoming a main stream business tool.
From an HR perspective, it can be hard to tell if social media is your friend or your foe. But one thing is clear: The time to adopt social media strategies and policies for your business is right now.
Employee Engagement and Social Media Pecha Kucha - Caroline KealeyCarolineKealey
Caroline Kealey's Pecha Kucha presentation on Employee Engagement and Social Media for the February 9, 2011 Conference Board of Canada’s Public Sector Human Resources Conference, HR Excellence in a Changing World.
Connect with Caroline Kealey at Ingenium Communications:
WEBSITE: http://www.ingeniumcommunications.com
TWITTER: @CarolineKealey
SUBSCRIBE to the Results Map Blog: http://www.resultsmap.com/category/blog/
Sydney Tech Breakfast: Presenting the Social Bridge to the IT CommitteeLinkedIn
New Australian research from LinkedIn, Starcom MediaVest Group, and comScore about social and the technology vertical. As presented by Mike Weir, LinkedIn Global Head of Technology at the Tech Breakfast in Sydney on October 2nd.
From the AMA - a summary of the 2nd Annual New Symbiosis of Professional Networks research study that explores impact of social media on enterprise decision-
making.
.
The 2012 LinkedIn Success Survey addresses how to strategically use LinkedIn for greater benefit. We surveyed LinkedIn "connectors" and "users." The 2012 LinkedIn Success Survey Report offers direction for professionals, executives, managers and entrepreneurs who want to derive greater value from LinkedIn.
Download the free report: http://www.forrestconsult.com/2012linkedinsuccesssurveyreport.html
Did you know that 4 out of 5 IT decision makers use social networks for business purposes? In fact, 73% of them have engaged with a vendor on social. Hear more about the pervasive impact of social on IT purchasing and what marketers must do to adapt, in this groundbreaking study by LinkedIn and Forrester.
How to Use Search and Social Networks for Lead GenerationPaul Gillin
Qualified lead generation, which is the holy grail of B2B marketing, is being reinvented by online tools. Traditional outbound marketing relied upon scatter-shot techniques like advertising, direct mail, and events to attract prospects. Today, search engines and social networks have evolved this process into a much more targeted and conversation-focused approach.
Today's new breed of effective lead generation combines keyword optimization and link-building strategies (inbound marketing) with strategic participation in social networks (outbound marketing). Result: social media and search engines can deliver qualified leads at a dramatically lower cost than traditional means.
These new approaches to lead generation require more active participation by marketing organizations than in the past, but the payoff is in higher quality leads, faster closing times, and less waste.
This presentation covers:
*The power of long tail search optimization
*How to identify prospects who are seeking your products and services through public social networks
*How analytics and social CRM can dramatically improve lead quality
*How to target messages to reach prospects at the optimal point in the sales cycle
How Social Networks are Delivering on the Failed Promise of Knowledge ManagementPaul Gillin
Organizations are inherently social, and when they enable people to reach out and find each other, connections are formed and discoveries are made that transcend org charts. But Intranet 2.0 isn't a zero-sum game. Open communication challenges traditional lines of authority and may be seen as a threat to those who are invested in existing structures. In fact, the biggest barriers to internal social network adoption are political, not technical. In an economy that demands innovation, resourcefulness and knowledge efficiency, do we really have any choice but to change? This presentation looks at how social networks are transforming the way businesses operate and at the bitter medicine some companies must swallow in order to realize their potential.
Social media is quite a phenomenon. It’s changing the way we use the Internet, communicate with friends and business colleagues, interact with corporations (or customers), gather information, and make decisions. Social media may still seem like a technological fad that is mainly used by younger people, but in truth, it is rapidly gaining users across generations and becoming a main stream business tool.
From an HR perspective, it can be hard to tell if social media is your friend or your foe. But one thing is clear: The time to adopt social media strategies and policies for your business is right now.
Employee Engagement and Social Media Pecha Kucha - Caroline KealeyCarolineKealey
Caroline Kealey's Pecha Kucha presentation on Employee Engagement and Social Media for the February 9, 2011 Conference Board of Canada’s Public Sector Human Resources Conference, HR Excellence in a Changing World.
Connect with Caroline Kealey at Ingenium Communications:
WEBSITE: http://www.ingeniumcommunications.com
TWITTER: @CarolineKealey
SUBSCRIBE to the Results Map Blog: http://www.resultsmap.com/category/blog/
Sydney Tech Breakfast: Presenting the Social Bridge to the IT CommitteeLinkedIn
New Australian research from LinkedIn, Starcom MediaVest Group, and comScore about social and the technology vertical. As presented by Mike Weir, LinkedIn Global Head of Technology at the Tech Breakfast in Sydney on October 2nd.
From the AMA - a summary of the 2nd Annual New Symbiosis of Professional Networks research study that explores impact of social media on enterprise decision-
making.
.
The Social Bridge to the IT Committee Australian ResearchLinkedIn
To learn how social media can build relationships, foster trust, and drive business with the IT Committee, LinkedIn partnered with comScore, Starcom MediaVest Group, and Mashwork and found that traditional lead generation methods are no longer effective. View this new research from Australia.
The role of online social networks in inter-firm collaborative innovation and...Dr. Rob Duncan
Rob Duncan\’s 2012 doctoral thesis on the role of online social networks in inter-firm collaborative innovation and problem solving. Research into a population of LinkedIn users showed how people have formed important relationships with people in other organizations through tools like LinkedIn, and that those relationships have allowed them to be more innovative and effective in their work. Also suggests a starting framework of best practices for organizations wishing to make conscious use of online social networks in their organizations.
comScore and LinkedIn unveil new research showing how social platforms provide a trusted resource for today’s IT purchasing.
Presented at TechConnect:13 by Jake Raroque, Research Consultant at LinkedIn and Roslyn Ku, Vice President at comScore
To learn how IT marketers can use social media to build relationships, foster trust, and drive business with the IT Committee, LinkedIn partnered with comScore, Starcom MediaVest Group, and Mashwork.
How can CPAs use Social Media to help them grow as professionals and leaders? Presentation by Janice Maiman (AICPA) and Tom Hood, CPA (MACPA) at the inaugral AICPA Leadership Academy in Chicago on July 10, 2009
Presentation on the evolution of internal communications and the emergence of the social enterprise. Also features tips on how to foster social inside organizations.
Competitive Intelligence - Fast, Cheap & Ethical By Rob Duncan March 5, 2009Dr. Rob Duncan
Join professional speaker and critically acclaimed author Rob Duncan for this valuable presentation on how you can gather top quality competitive intelligence without breaking the bank!
The Big Power of Small Favors: Using Linked In For Relationship BuildingDr. Rob Duncan
Join social media expert Rob Duncan for this crash course on LinkedIn and how it can be used to build businesses of all sizes. Learn about how the biggest benefits come through helping others first through small favors.
Teambuilding Lessons From A Voyage Around Cape Horn 2009Dr. Rob Duncan
Join Rob Duncan on his epic 80 day voyage around the dreaded Cape Horn on a tall sailing ship. Thrills, chills and life lessons abound in this inspiring and motivational presentation.
In his public lecture, Christian Timmerer provides insights into the fascinating history of video streaming, starting from its humble beginnings before YouTube to the groundbreaking technologies that now dominate platforms like Netflix and ORF ON. Timmerer also presents provocative contributions of his own that have significantly influenced the industry. He concludes by looking at future challenges and invites the audience to join in a discussion.
zkStudyClub - Reef: Fast Succinct Non-Interactive Zero-Knowledge Regex ProofsAlex Pruden
This paper presents Reef, a system for generating publicly verifiable succinct non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs that a committed document matches or does not match a regular expression. We describe applications such as proving the strength of passwords, the provenance of email despite redactions, the validity of oblivious DNS queries, and the existence of mutations in DNA. Reef supports the Perl Compatible Regular Expression syntax, including wildcards, alternation, ranges, capture groups, Kleene star, negations, and lookarounds. Reef introduces a new type of automata, Skipping Alternating Finite Automata (SAFA), that skips irrelevant parts of a document when producing proofs without undermining soundness, and instantiates SAFA with a lookup argument. Our experimental evaluation confirms that Reef can generate proofs for documents with 32M characters; the proofs are small and cheap to verify (under a second).
Paper: https://eprint.iacr.org/2023/1886
Elevating Tactical DDD Patterns Through Object CalisthenicsDorra BARTAGUIZ
After immersing yourself in the blue book and its red counterpart, attending DDD-focused conferences, and applying tactical patterns, you're left with a crucial question: How do I ensure my design is effective? Tactical patterns within Domain-Driven Design (DDD) serve as guiding principles for creating clear and manageable domain models. However, achieving success with these patterns requires additional guidance. Interestingly, we've observed that a set of constraints initially designed for training purposes remarkably aligns with effective pattern implementation, offering a more ‘mechanical’ approach. Let's explore together how Object Calisthenics can elevate the design of your tactical DDD patterns, offering concrete help for those venturing into DDD for the first time!
GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using Deplo...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
Why You Should Replace Windows 11 with Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 for enhanced perfor...SOFTTECHHUB
The choice of an operating system plays a pivotal role in shaping our computing experience. For decades, Microsoft's Windows has dominated the market, offering a familiar and widely adopted platform for personal and professional use. However, as technological advancements continue to push the boundaries of innovation, alternative operating systems have emerged, challenging the status quo and offering users a fresh perspective on computing.
One such alternative that has garnered significant attention and acclaim is Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, a sleek, powerful, and user-friendly Linux distribution that promises to redefine the way we interact with our devices. With its focus on performance, security, and customization, Nitrux Linux presents a compelling case for those seeking to break free from the constraints of proprietary software and embrace the freedom and flexibility of open-source computing.
Encryption in Microsoft 365 - ExpertsLive Netherlands 2024Albert Hoitingh
In this session I delve into the encryption technology used in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview. Including the concepts of Customer Key and Double Key Encryption.
A tale of scale & speed: How the US Navy is enabling software delivery from l...sonjaschweigert1
Rapid and secure feature delivery is a goal across every application team and every branch of the DoD. The Navy’s DevSecOps platform, Party Barge, has achieved:
- Reduction in onboarding time from 5 weeks to 1 day
- Improved developer experience and productivity through actionable findings and reduction of false positives
- Maintenance of superior security standards and inherent policy enforcement with Authorization to Operate (ATO)
Development teams can ship efficiently and ensure applications are cyber ready for Navy Authorizing Officials (AOs). In this webinar, Sigma Defense and Anchore will give attendees a look behind the scenes and demo secure pipeline automation and security artifacts that speed up application ATO and time to production.
We will cover:
- How to remove silos in DevSecOps
- How to build efficient development pipeline roles and component templates
- How to deliver security artifacts that matter for ATO’s (SBOMs, vulnerability reports, and policy evidence)
- How to streamline operations with automated policy checks on container images
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdfPaige Cruz
Monitoring and observability aren’t traditionally found in software curriculums and many of us cobble this knowledge together from whatever vendor or ecosystem we were first introduced to and whatever is a part of your current company’s observability stack.
While the dev and ops silo continues to crumble….many organizations still relegate monitoring & observability as the purview of ops, infra and SRE teams. This is a mistake - achieving a highly observable system requires collaboration up and down the stack.
I, a former op, would like to extend an invitation to all application developers to join the observability party will share these foundational concepts to build on:
Generative AI Deep Dive: Advancing from Proof of Concept to ProductionAggregage
Join Maher Hanafi, VP of Engineering at Betterworks, in this new session where he'll share a practical framework to transform Gen AI prototypes into impactful products! He'll delve into the complexities of data collection and management, model selection and optimization, and ensuring security, scalability, and responsible use.
Alt. GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using ...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
DevOps and Testing slides at DASA ConnectKari Kakkonen
My and Rik Marselis slides at 30.5.2024 DASA Connect conference. We discuss about what is testing, then what is agile testing and finally what is Testing in DevOps. Finally we had lovely workshop with the participants trying to find out different ways to think about quality and testing in different parts of the DevOps infinity loop.
Dev Dives: Train smarter, not harder – active learning and UiPath LLMs for do...UiPathCommunity
💥 Speed, accuracy, and scaling – discover the superpowers of GenAI in action with UiPath Document Understanding and Communications Mining™:
See how to accelerate model training and optimize model performance with active learning
Learn about the latest enhancements to out-of-the-box document processing – with little to no training required
Get an exclusive demo of the new family of UiPath LLMs – GenAI models specialized for processing different types of documents and messages
This is a hands-on session specifically designed for automation developers and AI enthusiasts seeking to enhance their knowledge in leveraging the latest intelligent document processing capabilities offered by UiPath.
Speakers:
👨🏫 Andras Palfi, Senior Product Manager, UiPath
👩🏫 Lenka Dulovicova, Product Program Manager, UiPath
Epistemic Interaction - tuning interfaces to provide information for AI supportAlan Dix
Paper presented at SYNERGY workshop at AVI 2024, Genoa, Italy. 3rd June 2024
https://alandix.com/academic/papers/synergy2024-epistemic/
As machine learning integrates deeper into human-computer interactions, the concept of epistemic interaction emerges, aiming to refine these interactions to enhance system adaptability. This approach encourages minor, intentional adjustments in user behaviour to enrich the data available for system learning. This paper introduces epistemic interaction within the context of human-system communication, illustrating how deliberate interaction design can improve system understanding and adaptation. Through concrete examples, we demonstrate the potential of epistemic interaction to significantly advance human-computer interaction by leveraging intuitive human communication strategies to inform system design and functionality, offering a novel pathway for enriching user-system engagements.
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf91mobiles
91mobiles recently conducted a Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey in which we asked over 3,000 respondents about the TV they own, aspects they look at on a new TV, and their TV buying preferences.
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf
LinkedIn Inter-firm Relationships: Collaborative Asset or Competitive Risk
1. Inter-firm Relationships:
Collaborative Asset or
Competitive Risk?
Robert Duncan, Anthos Yannakou, and Rene Erasmus, University of South Africa
LinkedIn, a massive online professional network Although our study was broader in nature and
that ‘links’ together individuals around the world, touched on many different areas, a subset of our data is
has grown to include over 120 million members. In directly relevant to competitive intelligence practitioners,
our study we wanted to determine how much their and we focus on that portion in this article.
participation in the LinkedIn network had increased the
number of social connections they have outside their
own organization (including competitors), and at what
level they communicated with these new connections. To STUDY BACKGROUND
that end, we surveyed a broad cross-section of over 500 For the survey portion of the study, we extended an
LinkedIn users in numerous countries and conducted in- invitation to participate through LinkedIn itself, using
depth interviews with twelve mid-to-CEO level managers, various means including emails, referrals, status updates,
in organizations ranging in size from 7 to 180,000 and posting in LinkedIn’s Q&A section. In all, just over
employees. 500 respondents completed the survey. Note that this
The overall aim of the study was to determine if was not intended to be a representative sample and the
people who use LinkedIn had an increase in inter-firm respondents were self-selecting. Accordingly, we cannot
relationships, and if their use of LinkedIn led to improved generalize our findings to the entire LinkedIn universe.
collaborative innovation and problem solving through This being said, we took care to not systematically exclude
these inter-firm connections. The research propositions any respondent who was a LinkedIn user, and the resulting
tested and confirmed by the research were that usage of data in terms of demographics suggests a similar pattern to
LinkedIn results in: LinkedIn’s own statistics on its entire user base.
For the in-depth interviews, we sought respondents
who were at a mid-to-senior level in their organization,
• An increased number of inter-firm connections. had responsibility for the activities of numerous staff, and
• An improved ability to communicate across inter- had experience with the use of online social networks in
firm boundaries. their organizations. These in-depth interview respondents
• Greater access to problem solving or innovation were sourced through a question posted in LinkedIn’s
collaborators. Q&A section as well as through referrals. We conducted
twelve in-depth interviews with these respondents, who
• Increased organizational problem solving or ranged from mid-management to CEOs and worked in
innovation ability. companies that had 7 to 180,000 employees. In part, the
34 www.scip.org Competitive Intelligence
2. LinkedIn inter-firm relationships
purpose of the interviews was to assess each respondent’s
experience with implementing the use of online social TABLE 2: INCREASE IN COMpETITOR
networks in their organization as well as obtaining CONNECTIONS ThROUGh LINKEDIN
suggestions for best practices in this area.
From a competitive intelligence practitioner point- I have more connections with people in competitor
of-view, the implications of our study are substantial. If organizations as a result of using LinkedIn.
LinkedIn creates increased connections to competitors
and increases the potential for information sharing, then Response Response
Percent count
this could create potential risks at an organizational
level. Further, if organizations are shown to have a lack
Strongly disagree 5.2 27
of guidelines, policies and training around information
sharing via online social networks, then this presents an
Somewhat disagree 7.6 39
opportunity to tighten some potential sources of unwanted
information leakage to competitors.
Somewhat agree 34.8 179
Strongly agree 21.4 110
INTER-FIRM CONNECTEDNESS
The survey results showed that the respondents were LinkedIn resulted in a greater number of professional
highly connected on LinkedIn and over half (57.9%) connections that span inter-firm boundaries.
had over 500 LinkedIn connections. We explored the
composition of these connections further through a series We also asked if they had more connections with
of questions. One question asked whether respondents individuals in competitor organizations as a result of using
increased their professional connections overall since using LinkedIn. The majority of respondents somewhat or
LinkedIn, and over half strongly felt that they had (See strongly agreed with this statement (See Table 2). This not
Table 1). only supports the finding that people using LinkedIn have
more connections outside their organizations, but also
The next question tested whether participation in that they are forming more connections with people in the
LinkedIn increased their level of professional connections competitor organizations. This behavior might lead to a
with people outside their organization. The respondents need to more consciously educate staff on the appropriate
strongly supported that statement, with 82% indicating sharing of information with competitors.
they strongly or somewhat agree. For them, their use of
TABLE 1: INCREASE IN pROFESSIONAL USAGE AND COLLABORATIVE BENEFITS
CONNECTIONS OVERALL ThROUGh
Given that LinkedIn users are more connected with
LINKEDIN
competitors than they were before, we explored the
specific ways that members used their LinkedIn networks.
Since using LinkedIn, I have more professional
Most leveraged their networks to draw upon the expertise
connections than I did previously.
of others to answer questions and solve problems. A large
majority of users indicated that they have asked for help,
Response Response
advice, referrals or other assistance from their network.
Percent Count
Respondents also agreed strongly (40.2%) or somewhat
(36.5%) that they had provided help, advice, referrals or
Strongly disagree 3.1 16
other assistance to other members of their network.
Somewhat disagree 2.9 15 In terms of the effect that LinkedIn has had on their
work, individuals reported that their network has allowed
Somewhat agree 26.0 134 them to become more innovative in their work (See Table
3). It has also given them improved access to innovation
Strongly agree 54.4 260 collaborators (66% strongly or somewhat agreeing) and
has allowed them to solve problems faster (54% strongly
Volume 14 • Number 3 • July/September 2011 www.scip.org 35
3. LinkedIn inter-firm relationships
formal policies or guidelines on the appropriate usage of
TABLE 3: ENhANCED INNOVATION ABILITY OSNs (See Table 4).
ThROUGh LINKEDIN NETWORK
Relatively few people said their organizations had
formal policies or guidelines concerning what information
Interacting with my LinkedIn network has can and cannot be distributed via online social networks
allowed me to be more innovative in my work.
(See Table 5). The results of these questions suggest that
the policy landscape around the organizational use of
Response Response
online social networks is fairly unstructured, and presents
Percent count
opportunities for greater control and education about
appropriate information sharing habits.
Strongly disagree 5.4 26
To understand the degree of centralized control, we
Somewhat disagree 8.2 42 asked whether or not they agree that their organizations
keep strong central control of outbound messaging on
Somewhat agree 35.7 184 online social networks. Respondents indicated very
strongly that their organizations do not (See Table 6).
Strongly agree 21.9 113 The use of OSNs in many organizations is a decentralized
activity, relatively unbounded by formal policies or
guidelines on the sharing of information. This may pose
or somewhat agreeing). Taken together, the results confirm risks to organization due to accidental sharing of sensitive
that using LinkedIn provides collaborative benefits, information, especially given the connections users report
including improved access to innovation collaborators, and having with individuals in competing organizations.
improved speed in solving problems.
TABLE 5: FORMAL pOLICIES ON ShARING
INFORMATION
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTROL OF ONLINE SOCIAL
NETWORKS My organization has formal policies or guidelines
To explore the organizational context around the use about what kinds of information can and cannot
of online social networks (OSNs), we asked a series of be distributed via online social networks.
questions about guidelines, practices and policies. Few
of the respondents reported that their organizations had Response Response
Percent Ccount
TABLE 4: FORMAL pOLICIES ON USAGE Strongly disagree 27.4 141
Somewhat disagree 12.4 64
My organization has formal policies or guidelines
on the appropriate usage of online social
Somewhat agree 18.1 93
networks.
Strongly agree 14.8 76
Response Response
Percent count
Strongly disagree 30.1 155 To determine the availability of training in
organizations concerning the appropriate use of online
Somewhat disagree 10.9 56 social networks, we asked whether their organizations
provide such training. The results show that most
Somewhat agree 16.7 86 organizations do not (See Table 7). To some extent, the
lack of formal policies and guidelines around the use of
Strongly agree 13.2 68 OSNs could have been mitigated by the presence of strong
and pervasive training on appropriate usage. It is clear,
36 www.scip.org Competitive Intelligence
4. LinkedIn inter-firm relationships
concerning what is acceptable behaviour on OSNs, and
TABLE 6: CENTRALIZED CONTROL OF most respondents were comfortable adapting the existing
OUTBOUND MESSAGING policies and norms of the organization.
The exception was in firms subject to external
My organization keeps strong centralized control
regulations, such as financial services, and firms which
of outbound messaging on online social networks.
dealt extensively with confidential information. Most
of these companies already have explicit written policy
Response Response
documents that governed employee behaviour and
Percent Count
treatment of confidential information. Not surprisingly,
the largest firms with thousands of employees had more
Strongly disagree 40.2 207
formal policy infrastructures.
Somewhat disagree 17.1 88 In general, though, companies had an overall lack of
formal policies specifically about online social networks,
Somewhat agree 8.4 43 and most organizations either used informal guidelines
and training to reinforce expected norms of employee
Strongly agree 5.2 27 behaviour. Many companies place a substantial amount of
trust in their employees, and rely on them to know how
to behave appropriately, whether on an OSN or at a social
however, that this training is not sufficiently in place, and gathering.
organizations are currently exposed to competitive risks Although they had a distinct lack of appetite for very
through online social networks. explicit, restrictive policies governing the use of online
social networks, several respondents conceded that the lack
of existing policies did create some vulnerability for their
MANAGING ThE RISKS OF INFORMATION organizations. Since social media have such immediate
ShARING: GUIDELINES AND TRAINING impacts, the risk of a mistake or error in judgement was
The majority of the managers interviewed in the seen as a very real. Most acknowledged that their company
qualitative in-depth interviews said that their organization had largely avoided negative consequences through luck
had no formal policies governing the kinds of company thus far. With the exception of very large firms with well-
information that staff can disclose via online sharing developed policy infrastructures, most respondents said
networks, which supports the quantitative survey their company should be developing and disseminating
findings. In general, the organizations relied upon some form of guidelines, and several noted that they had
existing information sharing and confidentiality policies. already started this effort.
They were making an effort to do more staff training
Guidelines
TABLE 7: TRAINING ON AppROpRIATE USAGE Guidelines that govern the appropriate use of
online social networks, confidentiality, and disclosure of
My organization provides training on the information should be supplemented by training for all
appropriate use of online social networks. staff. As one person noted, there is nothing fundamentally
new about them; they are just an enabling technology in
Response Response the same ways as a telephone and a fax machine. It can
Percent Count be helpful to look at how the organization has dealt with
other new technologies in the past, since there may not be
Strongly disagree 34.6 178 a need for entirely new strategies, policies or guidelines.
However, it is still necessary to have a plan for
Somewhat disagree 12.8 66 handling negative results, accidents, or missteps. Written
corporate policies and procedures should cover both an
Somewhat agree 15.9 82 employee and departmental perspectives. A good starting
point for this effort are the existing policy frameworks for
Strongly agree 8.5 44 items such as security, access, usage, and confidentiality,
and see if these can be adapted.
Volume 14 • Number 3 • July/September 2011 www.scip.org 37
5. LinkedIn inter-firm relationships
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Volume 14 • Number 3 • July/September 2011 www.scip.org 39