Archive for the ‘Studies, surveys, reports’ Category
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
 Many of us use our own smartphones, tablets and laptops for both work and personal use – which a majority of IT managers believe is a good thing, even though it makes them nervous.
Over 80 per cent of IT managers think that enterprises with a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy hold a competitive advantage over other organizations, according to research commissioned by BT.
The research, which surveyed attitudes towards employees’ use of their own laptops, tablets and smartphones for work, covered 2,000 IT users and IT managers in 11 countries and from a range of sectors.
It suggests that BYOD has arrived — over four in five companies say they already allow BYOD or will do so within the next 24 months and sixty per cent of employees claim they are already allowed to connect personally-owned devices to the corporate network.
The study reveals that both employees and decision makers are positive about the opportunities presented by the growing use of personal devices on corporate networks.
Sixty-four per cent of IT managers think that having a BYOD policy will enable employees to be more productive.
Forty-eight per cent think it will also allow employees to work more flexibly and 47 per cent think it will enable employees to serve customers better. This sentiment is shared by employees — 42 per cent of employees using their own device for work believe that they are more efficient and productive as a result.
It makes IT managers nervous
Despite these benefits IT managers are nervous. Only one in ten think that all BYOD users recognize the risks and less than one in five believe all users understand the access/permissions related to their mobile devices.
And it appears IT managers are nervous with some justification. Of employees who use their own device for work, one in three see “no risk” in using their own device in a work context and just a quarter recognize the significant risk they pose to company security.
Neil Sutton, vice president, Global Portfolio at BT Global Services said: “There is no denying it. The BYOD genie is out of the bottle, bringing with it unprecedented opportunities for enterprises but also new threats. The new perimeter is everywhere, defined by employee-owned devices, clouds, and extranets. The risk of abuse and attack has multiplied along with this massive expansion.
“To meet these challenges head-on, enterprises need to have a clear policy, a combination of the right tools to implement it, the trust with which to deliver it to employees and the processes in the business that everyone understands and buys into.
“IT security has always been about a blend of people, policy, process and technology, and the right blend is even more critical in a BYOD world. Rather than being perceived as a barrier to agility or flexibility, security can act as an enabler which improves an organization’s ability to adapt to the BYOD trend.”
Thirty-nine per cent of enterprises have experienced a security breach due to employees bringing in unauthorised devices — most commonly in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and pharmaceuticals sectors. More than four out of five (83 per cent) of IT decision makers believe that putting 24/7 access to corporate systems into the hands of an increasingly mobile workforce is now the main threat to corporate IT security.
Sutton added: “So while pressure to allow BYOD is high, IT decision-makers need to tackle a range of issues before they feel able to introduce a BYOD policy. Security is the highest priority, with 73 per cent of IT managers stating that they first had to overcome the security challenges of BYOD.
“That’s the thinking behind BT Assure. We work with our customers to navigate the complexity and ensure they have appropriate policies, procedures, solutions in place to take advantage of the benefits presented by BYOD without compromising security.”
Tags: Bring Your Own Device, BT, BYOD, competitive advantage, issues, IT managers, mobile, research, work flexibility
Posted in Digital Devices, Internet/New Media, IT, Mobile, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech life/Culture, Telecommunications | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
 You can’t say Apple product owners are not loyal to the brand.
As speculation surrounding the possible launch of an “iTV” from Apple continues to mount, new research from the Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices (CHD) advisory service shows that nearly half of existing iPhone users would be very or somewhat likely to buy an Apple iTV soon after its launch.
The report, Apple’s Smart TV: Assessing Purchase Intention and Willingness to Pay,” provides results from the latest Strategy Analytics ConsumerMetrix survey of 6000 consumers across the US, France, Germany, Italy and the UK, fielded in March 2012.
“More than one-quarter of non-Apple TV owners could potentially migrate to an Apple-branded TV in a fairly short period of time.”
“Although the details of a possible Apple smart TV are still unknown, existing Apple customers clearly demonstrate strong interest,” says Jia Wu, Director and report author.
“Meanwhile, consumers are still sensitive to price, even if Apple does launch another groundbreaking product. The success of an Apple iTV hinges on Apple’s ability to match innovation with appropriate price points.”
Apple, traditionally reliant on high device margins, would be challenged to find the right price/demand balance for an iTV. While 35 percent of surveyed US consumers indicate willingness to pay $1000 or more for an Apple-branded TV, only 14 percent would be willing to pay any more than $1600.
“Samsung, Sony, LG and other major TV manufacturers are most threatened by the prospect of an Apple iTV launch,” notes Kantideep Thota, Analyst. “More than one-quarter of non-Apple TV owners could potentially migrate to an Apple-branded TV in a fairly short period of time.”
Personally, we may wait a while to buy an Internet TV and in the meantime we’re using an inexpensive Sony Blu-ray DVD player with wireless built-in and a number of apps for things such as Netflix, Amazon video, Hulu, and many other services.
It was one of the easiest tech devices we’ve ever used in terms of set-up (painless) and use (equally painless). The apps it comes with and that get added as it updates more than meet our needs at the moment. Actually surfing the web from the device isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but the apps make much of that unnecessary.
Considering the cost difference (a thousand dollars or more), anyone considering an Internet TV should at least take a look at much less expensive stand-alone connection devices and the connected DVD players. — Allan Maurer
Tags: Apple, connected Blu-Ray players, iPhone, iTV, Sony, Strategy Analytics
Posted in Apple, Digital Devices, Internet/New Media, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech life/Culture | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
 Consumers judge and behave toward brands in much the same way they do toward other people and social groups. That means that automating and outsourcing interactions with consumers is a bad idea.
So says The Relational Capital Group (RCG) in its ground-breaking brand research in collaboration with renowned social psychologists at Princeton University and University of Louvain has been published in the April 2012 edition of the Journal of Consumer Psychology.
The research applies a well-established human perception framework, pioneered by Dr. Susan Fiske at Princeton, to the study of 22 well-known brands.
The researchers found that consumers respond to brands using the same pattern of perceptions, emotions and behaviors as predicted by Dr. Fiske’s work on the Stereotype Content Model, which has been used extensively in the study of societal stereotypes and ethnic bias around the world.
This indicates that consumers perceive and judge brands and companies using the same criteria they use for people and social groups, which has major implications for the future study and management of brands of all kinds.
Consumers more distrustful and disloyal than ever
“It turns out that recent efforts by brands and companies to digitize, automate and outsource their interactions with consumers are fundamentally at odds with the way humans perceive, judge and build loyalty to brands,” said Chris Malone, co-author of the lead research paper and Chief Advisory Officer of The Relational Capital Group.
“As a result, consumers are more cynical, distrustful and disloyal toward large brands and companies than ever before,” he added.
The brands studied in the research include Advil, AIG, Amtrak, BP, Burger King, Campbell’s, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, Hershey, Johnson & Johnson, Marlboro, McDonalds, Mercedes, Minute Maid, Porsche, Rolex, Rolls Royce, Shell, Tropicana, Tylenol, US Postal Service and Veterans Affairs Hospitals.
“We’ve found strong statistical correlation between consumers’ perceptions of each brand’s warmth and competence and their intent to purchase and remain loyal to that brand,” said Dr. Fiske.
“These findings are consistent with other studies we’ve conducted that validate the influence and predictive power of warmth and competence on human behavior.”
So, we wonder, how should brands deal with consumers then? Obviously, a personal touch is necessary, even in social media responses.
What do you think? Are too many brands sacrificing consumer loyalty for the expediency of outsourced or automated responses?
Tags: brand marketing, Dr. Susan Fiske, human perception study, Journal of Consumer Psychology, loyalty, Princeton University, The Relational Capital Group, University of Louvain
Posted in Best Practices, Internet/New Media, Marketing, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
 Technology merger & acquisition activity slowed in the first quarter of 2012, but not as much as in other industries, according to Ernst & Young’s Global technology M&A update: January–March 2012 report.
The report says five megatrends – smart mobility, cloud computing, social networking, big data analytics and convergence maintain a positive outlook for tech M&A.
The biggest increases in tech M&A deals, the report says, came from online video technology and SaaS companies. Deal volume was also strong in mobile apps, healthcare IT, advertising/marketing tech, patents, social networking and big data analytics.
Aggregate deal volume fell
Aggregate deal value of global technology mergers and acquisitions (M&A) fell 12% year-on-year (YOY) to US$25.1b in the first quarter of 2012.
This was only half the value decline of M&A in all industries, as ongoing economic uncertainty continues to take its toll on global deal-making.
Private equity (PE) deal values for technology, meanwhile, climbed 171% YOY in 1Q12, despite falling significantly in all industries, according to Ernst & Young’s Global technology M&A update: January–March 2012 report.
The total volume of announced 1Q12 deals was 756 (counting both disclosed- and non-disclosed-value deals), up just 1% from 748 in 1Q11.
Growth flattens
Quarterly deal volume appears to have reached a plateau after two years of strong growth in 2009 and 2010 — for the last five quarters the number of deals has ranged from a low of 722 to a high of 756.
Joe Steger, Global Technology Industry Transaction Advisory Services Leader at Ernst & Young, says: “Even though technology M&A activity is down YOY, it’s doing a lot better than M&A in other industries.
“During the first quarter of 2012, the same disruptive megatrends that have been fueling global technology M&A since 2009 are now sustaining technology M&A against the continuing macroeconomic pressures that are holding back other industries.
“And the long-term outlook for technology M&A remains positive because those megatrends represent the driving force of disruptive innovation that is revitalizing and reshaping the technology industry.”
Five megatrends continue to drive technology deal-making
Steger was alluding to five long-term “megatrends” that are generating disruptive innovation in technology and leading to technology-enabled innovation in other industries.
They are smart mobility, cloud computing, social networking, “big data” analytics and a growing sense of “blur” and convergence, as technology sectors come together and the technology industry enters other industries as enabling innovation. In addition, all five megatrends are driving increased information security requirements.
Online video, SaaS deals surge
Though the 1Q12 technology report details many influential deal-driving factors, the biggest increases in transaction volume came from deals targeting online video technology and SaaS companies. These also generated the largest deals of 1Q12 by dollar value.
These were a US$5b transaction targeting technology that can relay video to mobile devices and aUS$2b deal targeting a provider of workforce management SaaS. In China, meanwhile, the country’s largest video website announced a US$1.1b agreement to acquire its chief rival.
At the same time, a multitude of smaller transactions demonstrated that both online video and SaaS deal-driving trends have widespread strength, according to the report.
Similar deal volume strength was seen in mobile applications, health care information technology, advertising/ marketing technologies, patents, social networking and “big data” analytics deals.
Patents, social networking deals change character
Ernst & Young’s Global technology M&A update: January–March 2012 report notes that the increasing importance of intellectual property (IP) caused transactions targeting patents to grow in 1Q12.
Social networking transactions also seemed to change in character, as post-IPO companies appeared to focus on acquiring strategic mobile technologies instead of talent acquisitions or geographic expansion, as they previously did.
Ongoing rise of PE changes M&A landscape
Despite a typical fourth-to-first-quarter dip, the report shows that the YOY value of disclosed PE deals soared 171% to US$5.8b, mostly in three big-ticket deals.
This continues a three-year PE growth trend. The 1Q12 report describes how the increasing reliance on technology of companies throughout the economy, combined with the developing maturity of technology companies themselves, is attracting more PE companies to technology transactions.
Increasing PE activity is changing the global technology M&A landscape by increasing the competition for deals and by providing better exit opportunities for corporate divestiture of non-core assets, according to
the report.
Tags: Big data analytics, cloud computing, convergence, Ernst & Young's Global technology M&A update: January–March 2012 report., Joe Steger, megatrends, online video, patents, SaaS, smart mobility, social networking
Posted in Acquisitions, Analytics, Cloud, Internet/New Media, IT, Mobile, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Telecommunications | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
 Chief Financial Officers still see a tough road ahead, but nevertheless have a strong outlook, according to the most recent survey of CFOs conducted by Financial Executives International (FEI) and Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business.
CFOs in Europe and the United States have increased optimism in the global economy and their businesses, with fewer concerns over inflation, oil and hiring than last quarter.
Although the recovery-if it is one-slowed by the beginning of the second quarter this year, falling gas prices and improvements in the hiring picture could help get it moving again. Here at the TechJournal, we’ve run a number of improving economy pieces, but we recall that first quarter optimism in 2011 faded.
So this report is good news. Increased hiring in particular would go a long way toward real economic improvement, and most of the CFOs surveyed expect to hire in the next six months.
U.S. CFOs are showing a brighter outlook in particular and despite little approval for President Obama and Congress’ handling of the economy, half now believe that the country is in the midst of a recovery.
Respondents to the quarterly “CFO Outlook Survey,” which polls CFOs of public and private businesses in the U.S., Mexico and Europe (Italy and France) on their economic and business confidence, expressed a higher level of optimism compared with the previous quarter.
Global economy optimism
Surprisingly, considering the continuing turmoil in the European Union nations, European CFOs’ optimism in the global economy increased over two points (from 51.80 to 54.00), but it still remains below the survey high one year ago (58.9).
Their level of confidence in their own companies also increased slightly to 58.30 (from 57.60 in Q4), although it remains below where it stood a year ago (66.1). U.S. CFOs’ confidence also experienced increases this quarter.
Their optimism in the global economy increased more than five points to 51.9 (from 46.10 in Q4), and their optimism in their own companies saw a three point increase to 70.60 (from 67.60 in Q4).
Significant increase in net earnings expected
The CFO Optimism Index for the U.S. economy had a similar increase to 60.60 (from 57.10 in Q4).
This quarter, net earnings, capital spending, revenue and technology spending remained the top areas where CFOs across the board are expecting positive increases over the next 12 months. U.S. CFOs are expecting a 20 percent increase in their net earnings, compared with 13 percent last quarter.
Despite their climbing optimism, CFOs on average continue to believe that that the unemployment rates will remain at high levels for the next six to 12 months.
Although the U.S. CFOs believe the rate will slightly decline from 8.3 to 8.1 percent, European CFOs think their countries’ unemployment rates will climb from 8.6 to 9 percent.
Majority plan hiring in next six months
Still, the majority of U.S. CFOs (62%) plan to hire additional employees at their companies in the next six months, compared with only a third of European CFOs (35%).
Of those who are hiring, CFOs are most commonly seeking mid-career professionals to fill their staff (70% of U.S. and 42% of European CFOs), followed by experienced and skilled technical workers (49% of U.S. and 40% of European CFOs).
CFOs are also seeking entry-level college graduates, which was the third highest choice among relevant respondents (45% of U.S. and 38% of European CFOs).
“Over the last several quarters, confidence among U.S. and European CFOs had fluctuated, but CFOs are kicking off 2012 with a relatively encouraging outlook,” said John Elliott, Dean of the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College.
“U.S. CFOs remain particularly optimistic in their companies’ expectations, reflecting projections in net earnings, optimism in the U.S. economy and small dips in unemployment rate.
CFO sentiment this quarter demonstrates good signs for U.S. job seekers in the year ahead, and while Europe is improving, it has not yet moved the needle to positive job growth.”
Half (50%) of U.S. CFOs this quarter believe the U.S. is already in the midst of a recovery, while another quarter of respondents believe a recovery will take place in 2013, and 18 percent believe it will not happen until 2014 or beyond.
Full survey results and historical data comparisons are available at www.financialexecutives.org.
Tags: economy, European & U.S. CFOs optimistic, Financial Executives International, hiring, jobs, Q2 2012, survey
Posted in Economic Development, Economy/Jobs, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
As Facebook heads toward what may be the most anticipated initial public offering ever, Socialbakers, a social media analytics firm, says the 900-million-plus member Facebook platform helps big brands penetrate emerging global markets.
Socialbakers’ analysis not only highlights the social network’s exploding international reach but also how the world’s biggest brands are tapping into the social economy to build international momentum.
The data examines the Engagement Rate (ER) of brands—a clear measure of brand engagement—in the top 10 countries with the largest Facebook user base.
“Facebook is clearly giving social-savvy companies unprecedented access to build dynamic relationships and grow revenue in key markets,” said Socialbakers CEO Jan Rezab.
“It can be incredibly time-consuming and difficult to go to market in new regions with a localized website or microsite, even for some of the world’s biggest companies. And even then, you’ve still got a static presence that fails to truly engage your target audience. Facebook eliminates that barrier to entry by providing a well-entrenched and steadily-growing platform.”
Kraft Tops the List of Fastest Moving Brands
Three of the top five Fastest Moving Global Brands come from the Kraft family. The company’s Halls, Trident and Chiclets lines made major gains over the past year, boosted by strong audience engagement in Brazil (the second-largest Facebook audience). L’Oreal Paris Brazil and AXE Indonesia (Unilever) round out the Top Five.
Consumer Goods Win Big Around the World
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPGs) have emerged as industry leaders on the global scale, with half of the Top 10 Fastest Movers falling into this category.
CPGs also dominate in key growth markets. In Brazil, the most engaged brands are CPGs, and in the United Kingdom, Cadbury Creme Egg and Cadbury Wispa rank in the top two. In France, M&Ms boasts the highest engagement rate of any brand in the nation.
“CPGs have historically been early adopters of social media in well-saturated markets,” Rezab said. “So it only makes sense that they leverage this strategy to dominate in these high-growth markets as well.”
Mobile/Telecom Move the Needle in Emerging Markets
Mobile brands have also made big moves among the top 10 Countries, as well as in some smaller, yet highly engaged markets.
As the proliferation of mobile devices continues to permeate virtually every corner of the globe, carriers and device manufacturers are leveraging this momentum to engage audiences and expand their reach.
BlackBerry, which has fallen behind the pack in the U.S. mobile market, is among the top three brands in Mexico and Indonesia. Samsung and Nokia top the leaderboard in Turkey and Mexico, while regional player Vodafone has by far more fans and higher engagement than any other brand in India.
Fan Engagement Highest Among Emerging Markets
It’s no surprise that, among the top 10 brands, the overwhelming majority of Facebook fans hail from the U.S.
However, fans in emerging markets are much more actively engaged—a metric that proves to be very valuable in gaining international traction. Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines rank in the top three in Engagement Rate.
Meanwhile, four of the top five Fastest Moving Brands saw their biggest gains in the booming market of Brazil.
“Engagement is the core of the social economy—people buy what their friends buy and recommend,” Rezab said.
“Simply having a lot of fans isn’t the answer to building a strong social economy presence—they must be active. Growing that engagement and viral reach is the key to success, especially in international markets.”
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Tags: big brands, Brazil, Coca Cola, Converese, emerging markets, facebook, France, Halls, India, infographic, IPO, Kraft, L'Oreal, Mexico, Nokia, Oreo, Phillipines, Red Bull, RXE, Socialbakers, Sony, Trident, Tuyrkey, U.S., UK
Posted in Analytics, Best Practices, Facebook, infographic, Internet/New Media, Marketing, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Monday, May 14th, 2012
 If you’re looking for professional networking results, job opportunities, or business introductions, you’re much better off spending your time on LinkedIn than on Facebook. So says OnlineCollege.org, which cites 20 reasons for spending more time on LinkedIn than on Facebook.
They include these reasons:
LinkedIn is professional to the core and was created for professional networking.
It is a great place to gain expert status and credibility.
It represents a more targeted audience.
LinkedIn users have a sense of purpose. You’re more likely to get recommendations on LinkedIn, and you may actually get hired there.
Here’s an infographic outlining differences between the two social networks:
Tags: Best Practices, infographic, job hunting, LInkedin vs. Facebook, onlinecollege.org, social networking, tech life/culture
Posted in Best Practices, Business advice, Internet/New Media, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech life/Culture | No Comments »
Monday, May 14th, 2012
 How do you feel about paying state sales taxes on Internet purchases? With cash-strapped states increasingly aggressive about trying to collect sales taxes from online retailers such as Amazon, the issue may not be solved until Congress steps in and clarifies matters.
An overwhelming 86% of respondents to a national survey by the the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) feel it would be far easier to pay sales tax on online purchases at the point-of-purchase.
The survey was conducted on the heels of the 2011 tax season to gauge consumer sentiment about online sales and use tax collection.
Trouble for startups
The issue even caused some troubles for startups that depended on affiliate relationships with Amazon for a considerable part of their income or for early stage revenue important in getting investors. Amazon dropped its affiliates in states such as North Carolina, which said their presence was enough to legally establish “nexus.”
Nexus is the physical presence of a company in a state that allows the state to collect sales taxes.
ICSC strongly supports two bills currently under consideration in Congress – Marketplace Fairness Act and Marketplace Equity Act – which are designed to save consumers the burden of self-reporting use taxes and to level the playing field for all retailers.
“The results of this study demonstrate that consumers are aware of our outdated sales tax system and they support a tax policy that benefits both their retail habits and embraces 21st century commerce,” said Michael Kercheval, president and CEO of ICSC.
“The bills will require online retailers to collect sales tax when a purchase is made, the same way our community retailers do. Consumers stand to benefit greatly by not having to file a year’s worth of online purchases during tax season.”
The ICSC study resulted identified a number of key findings, including:
- 86% of consumers feel it would be easier to pay sales tax on online purchases at the point-of-purchase rather than at the end-of-the-year on their tax forms, as is the current system.
- 61% of respondents in states that collect sales tax understand that they are required to pay state sales or use tax on online purchases if not collected by the vendor when they file their state income tax.
- 56% of consumers support the Congressional effort to require online retailers to collect sales tax at the point-of-purchase.
“Consumers across the nation understand that this is not a new tax,” said Betsy Laird, senior vice president of global public policy.
“When they shop online they do not want the hassle of having to save all receipts, calculate the appropriate tax due and file it directly with the state. They would rather have the sales tax collected whenever they make a purchase,” added Laird.
Tags: Amazon, ICSC, International Council of Shopping Centers, online purchases, state sales taxes
Posted in Internet/New Media, Legal, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech life/Culture | 1 Comment »
Monday, May 14th, 2012
 Best Buy Co. (NYSE:BBY) says an independent investigation of the personal conduct of its former CEO, Brian Dunn, who had “an extremely close relationship with a female employee” violated company policy and negatively affected the work environment.
But, the investigation also found that Dunn, who resigned in April, “..demonstrated extremely poor judgment and a lack of professionalism, but the inquiry revealed no misuse of company resources.”
The investigation, carried out by the outside law firm WilmerHale, found that t the Chairman of the Board of Directors (Richard Shultz) acted inappropriately when he failed to bring the matter to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors in December 2011, when the allegations were first raised with him.”
Over the weekend, Best Buy’s board elected director Hatim Tyabji to succeed Schulze as chair. Schulze will remain a director as “Founder and Chairman Emeritus,” an honorary position, until June 2013.
Tags: Best Buy, Brian Dunn, CEO violated company policy, elects new chair, Hatim Tyabji, Richard Shultze
Posted in Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Monday, May 14th, 2012
 Mobility, enterprise computing and consumer electronics companies in the high-tech industry are being heavily impacted by a new business model called “superstacks,” according to new Accenture (NYSE: ACN) research.
Accenture defines a superstack as a more extensive and cohesive integration of operating systems, semiconductor chips, devices, applications and end-user services than the industry has traditionally achieved.
The research also revealed that the primary driver of superstacks will be the mobility market, particularly in the smartphone arena where superstack-based products have already been made commercially available. The research also found that more mergers and acquisitions will occur as superstacks continue to coalesce in the digital ecosystem.
“Fueling new business models in healthcare, financial services and retail, mobility is by far the most powerful and biggest game-changer creating the need for superstacks”
The research findings, based on interviews with high-tech executives globally and interactions with clients, are summarized in a new report, Competing in a High-Tech Industry “Superstack.”
The research examined whether industry executives were aware of the superstack trend and its impact on their businesses, such as smartphones and tablets (mobility), data centers and the cloud (enterprise computing), and the digital home (consumer electronics).
The new report summarizes results of phone interviews with 30 executives of large high-tech companies including chief executive officers and vice presidents of strategy and business units. An overwhelming majority (83 percent) of the respondents said they have been or are being impacted by superstacks.
Seventy-one percent said they have formalized their superstack strategies and set priorities such as owning critical intellectual property assets, fostering collaborative cultures across the stack, and managing strategic initiatives. Virtually all (96 percent) said superstacks bring their companies more opportunities than threats.
“Competing in the superstack arena is a matter of survival as the high-tech industry moves full-throttle in this direction,” said Mitch Cline, managing director of Accenture’s Electronics & High-Tech business. “Some high-tech sectors are already there, such as mobile handsets, digital media services and connected TVs. Other sectors may take longer to adapt because they’re not as far along in this superstack evolution.”
Mobility expected to have large financial impact
When survey participants were asked which industry forces they expect would have the biggest financial impacts on the high-tech industry over the next three years, more than two-thirds (70 percent) cited mobility.
Cloud computing and consumerization of IT in enterprises followed with 50 and 43 percent, respectively.
“Fueling new business models in healthcare, financial services and retail, mobility is by far the most powerful and biggest game-changer creating the need for superstacks,” Cline added. “With mobility superstack battles now spreading to enterprise and consumer markets, the implications are profound for all high-tech players.”
When asked to speculate on a superstack strategy for the next few years, more than three-fourths (77 percent) of survey respondents said they would anticipate an increase in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity. Participants were asked to give their top three reasons for pursuing such M&A transactions as part of their superstack strategies during the next two to three years. Half cited acquisition of intellectual property; the same percentage pointed to R&D to accelerate product deliveries. Forty-three percent specified gaining access to more talent, employees and expertise. More than one-third (37 percent) of respondents cited expanding product portfolios into new services.
“The superstack trend will prompt an intense burst in M&A activity and greater competition on multiple levels, especially in acquiring intellectual property and talent,” Cline added.
“Winners will have tightly integrated, highly effective superstacks leveraging operating systems – the heart of superstacks – and delivering services and content to users seamlessly and securely. Superstack winners will excel at coordinating with other companies and disseminating research and development capital across superstacks.”
Tags: Accenture, consumer electronics, mobility market, superstacks
Posted in Internet/New Media, IT, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2012
 A new report from the Pew Internet in American Life Project finds that 74% of smartphone owners use their phone to get real-time location-based information, and 18% use a geosocial service to “check in” to certain locations or share their location with friends.
Over the past year, smartphone ownership among American adults has risen from 35% of adults in 2011 to 46% in 2012. This means that the overall proportion of U.S. adults who get location-based information has almost doubled over that time period, from 23% in May 2011 to 41% in February 2012. The percentage of adults who use geosocial services like Foursquare has likewise risen from 4% in 2011 to 10% in 2012.
Meanwhile, more smartphone owners are using geosocial services like Foursquare or Gowalla1 to “check in” to certain places and share their location with friends. Some 18% of smartphone owners use geosocial services on their phones, up from 12% in 2011. This translates to 10% of all adults as of February 2012, up from 4% in May 2011.
Some 75% of smartphone owners use at least one of these services, as shown in the following table. Not surprisingly, nearly all of the smartphone owners who use geosocial services (93%) also report getting location-based directions and information.
Among smartphone owners, younger adults are more likely than older adults to use both location-based information services and geosocial “check-in” services. However, while smartphone owners in lower-income households are less likely2 to use location-based information services, they are more likely to use geosocial services like Foursquare.
Tags: analytics, demographics, geosocial servcies, location based information, mobile, Pew Internet in American Life Project, smartphones, tech life/culture
Posted in Analytics, Internet/New Media, Mobile, smartphones, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech life/Culture, Telecommunications | No Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2012
 An overwhelming 82% to 15% majority of adults believe recent events have shown that “Wall Street should be subject to tougher regulation,” according to The Harris Poll.
At the same time, by almost 2-to-1, a strong 62% to 34% majority believes that “Wall Street is absolutely essential”.
One reason for this conflict is that over half of U.S. adults (55%) believe that Wall Street and what it does benefits the country while over two in five (42%) believe it harms the country.
These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 1,016 adults surveyed by telephone between April 10 and 17, 2012 byHarris Interactive.
Some of the other main findings of this year’s poll are:
- Almost four in five Americans (78%) believe that Wall Street firms should only pay bonuses when they are doing well and making good profits;
- Seven in ten U.S. adults (70%) believe most people on Wall Street would be willing to break the law if they believed they could make a lot of money and get away with it;
- Just over two-thirds of adults (68%) do not believe that people on Wall Street are as honest and moral as other people;
- Two-thirds (67%) of U.S. adults do not believe that what is good for Wall Street is good for the country; and,
- Almost two-thirds (64%) do not believe most successful people on Wall Street deserve to make the kind of money they earn.
There is no sign of any recovery in Wall Street’s reputation. Most of these numbers are little changed from last year, and are substantially worse than they were before the financial crisis of 2008.
So what?
Given the recently released findings on the reputations of financial services firms in the 2012 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient (RQ Study, these results are not surprising.
What is new and interesting here though, says Robert Fronk, EVP Reputation Management at Harris Interactive, is that, “A majority of the public is clearly able to separate the value that Wall Street can bring from the lack of values that they say exist in its ranks.
“This distinction gives a ray of hope and a high level roadmap to those looking to rebuild the image of Wall Street.”
OVERALL IMPACT OF WALL STREET ON THE NATION
TRENDS 1996 TO 2010
“The words “WALL STREET” are often used to describe the nation’s largest banks, investment banks, stockbrokers and other financial institutions. Overall, would you say that Wall Street and what it does, benefits the country a lot, benefits it somewhat, harms it somewhat or harms the country a lot?”
Base: All adults
|
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2002 |
2003 |
2006 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
| % |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
| Benefits (Net) |
70 |
80 |
73 |
72 |
69 |
66 |
68 |
73 |
54 |
56 |
55 |
55 |
| Benefits country a lot |
19 |
27 |
22 |
24 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
22 |
17 |
11 |
11 |
8 |
| Benefits country somewhat |
51 |
53 |
51 |
48 |
47 |
43 |
44 |
51 |
37 |
44 |
43 |
47 |
| Harms (Net) |
22 |
13 |
19 |
15 |
16 |
24 |
16 |
23 |
39 |
38 |
39 |
42 |
| Harms country somewhat |
16 |
10 |
16 |
11 |
13 |
17 |
11 |
17 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
26 |
| Harms country a lot |
6 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
5 |
6 |
14 |
14 |
16 |
16 |
| Neither benefits nor harms (vol.) |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
* |
| Not sure/Refused |
7 |
5 |
6 |
10 |
13 |
7 |
13 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Tags: American opinion, bonuses, honesty, morality, regulation, The Harris Poll, Wall Street
Posted in Legal, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2012
 Are you playing social online games less? Or do you see fewer new people playing?
Online social gaming has become a major moneymaker and is going to continue to grow, though the rate of growth is slowing considerably, according to a new national consumer study by Frank N. Magid Associates conducted in late March of 2012.
The research, conducted as part of the Magid Media Futures 2012 study, found social network gaming user growth has slowed in the United States.
About two in five (38%) social network users, up slightly from 36% in ’11, say they regularly play games on social networks.
Social gaming decreases among primary demographic
Social network gaming has decreased among its primary demographic, females age 12-44, with less than 43% of users age 12-17 (down from 54% in 2011) and about 36% of users 25-44 (down from 40% in 2011) reporting playing on a weekly basis.
However, there have been substantial increases in older age groups playing social games online, including males age 45-54 (up 15% from 2011) and 55-64 (up 9% from 2011), and females 45-54 (up 9% from 2011) and 55-64 (up 10% from 2011).
Some plan to spend less
The Magid study also reports that consumers playing social network games say they will decrease the amount of money they spend on such games over the next 12 months. The average social network gamer who spends money on these games indicates that they are spending $51 vs. $78 last year on average.
This year 34% of gamers say they are planning to spend less on social games in the next year vs. 22% who say they will spend more.
Consumers who play games on video game consoles indicate they expect to increase their spending on console games. One area expected to see an increase in spending in particular is Downloadable Content (DLC) for gaming consoles.
A third of console gamers (33%) say they have bought DLC in the past with the average DLC consumer currently spending about $50per year. Spending is expected to grow in the next year to 45% of gamers. This percentage includes those individuals who have not bought DLC in the past but plan on buying in the near future.
In order to buy DLC a gamer needs to have a console that is connected to the Internet. More than two-thirds of Xbox and PlayStation gamers in the U.S. go online multiple times a week using their console.
Non-gaming a third of game console use
Non-gaming activities now account for about a third of all time spent online on a connected console among those gamers. According to console gamers, online access is driving more spending and playing on their console.
Online play has shown no signs of slowing; in fact online console player penetration is likely to grow by 10% or more next year as more console players are connecting for the first time.
Additionally, consumers clearly want cross-platform connectivity, with more than half of Xbox and PS3 owners wanting access to their game networks via their mobile phones.
Tags: consoles, consuemr study, Frank N. Magid Associates, online social game growth, spending
Posted in Facebook, games, Internet/New Media, social media, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2012
 Retailers increasingly understand the need to make the store more relevant for today’s smarter, better-informed customers, but vast differences in how they plan on acting on that need, according to ”The 2012 Retail Store: In Transition” from Retail Systems Research.
The research is available for free download.
“In-store technologies are critical to improving the customer experience,” said Paula Rosenblum, Managing Partner at RSR. “This year we see dramatic differences between those whose sales are already strong (“Retail Winners”) and their underperforming counterparts (“Laggards”).
Retail Winners are far more interested in improving their in-store workforce; laggards look to in-store technologies to win new customers, but seem challenged to understand exactly how that will occur. It’s a tremendous difference.”
Key Findings include:
- Mega retailers (over $5 billion in annual sales) cite the ability to educate and empower their in-store employees via technology as a top-three opportunity. To them, it has become fundamental to staying relevant.
- The largest retailers have an increased appetite for technologies which allow them to locate and sell inventory from anywhere in their company; as retailer size increases, so does the need to treat inventory as a shared resource: using stores as distribution centers, and online inventory for in-store fulfillment.
- The lack of a wireless infrastructure on the selling floor in more than half of respondents’ stores is the single biggest inhibitor to improving the in-store experience.
- Because consumer behavior is becoming harder to predict, retailers are carrying less inventory in-stores; an increasing number of retailers report products being out-of-stock as a problem.
Tags: locate & sell inventory, Retail Systems Research, technology, The 2012 Retail Store in Transition, workforce education
Posted in Digital Devices, Internet/New Media, IT, Marketing, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2012
 Cable operators are rushing to push content and services to a wide range of consumer devices, including iPads and smartphones, but the lack of management software to track and coordinate delivery platforms will cause some MSOs considerable pain, according to the latest report from Heavy Reading Cable Industry Insider, a subscription research service from Heavy Reading.
Cable’s Tablet Habit Will Lead to a Management Headache identifies and analyzes the technology implications of pushing IP video services to more end-user devices, focusing on the management challenges posed by multi-screen services.
“As multi-screen options proliferate with more devices and content, the challenges will multiply,” notes Craig Leddy, research analyst with Heavy Reading Cable Industry Insider and author of the report.
“Cable increasingly will need comprehensive solutions that manage the wide variety of unique characteristics of each distribution avenue and device platform.”
Although the need for more robust management platforms is becoming more evident, cable operators have been far from aggressive in deploying those platforms up to now, Leddy says.
“For cable operators, handling all these pieces is like putting together a gigantic jigsaw puzzle,” he explains. “However, MSO adoption of management solutions is lagging the pace of their multi-screen deployments.”
Key findings of Cable’s Tablet Habit Will Lead to a Management Headache include the following:
- Serving multiple screens increases requirements to manage multiple formats, entitlements, DRMs, business polices and subscriber support.
- Multi-screen content and device requirements will continue to multiply and fragment in the marketplace.
- Cable needs software solutions to manage the content and device criteria and ensure quality of experience for customers.
- Suppliers are offering various management solutions, but MSO adoption does not appear to be keeping pace with the flood of multi-screen criteria.
- MSOs need a holistic approach to managing multi-screen services, which will help prepare them for all-IP service delivery.
- For a list of companies covered in this report, http://img.lightreading.com/cii/pdf/cii0512_companies.pdf
Tags: cable operators, digital devices, Heavy Reading, Industry Insider, management software, tablets
Posted in Digital Devices, Internet/New Media, IT, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Friday, May 11th, 2012
 The last 12 months have seen a huge 202% increase in mobile web traffic with more than one in ten consumers now using their Smartphones to access the web and a further 3.5% of all visits arriving through a Tablet device.
So says Latitude Digital Marketing, the digital arm of direct marketing business Callcredit Information Group, in its quarterly Mobile Report which provides indepth marketing analysis of the rapid developments in Mobile and Tablet web consumption and behaviour.
The growth of mobile web and the associated usage trends indicate that consumers are adopting a four-screen approach to content consumption. TV, PC, Smartphone and Tablet are used in sequence, with time and location being key factors determining which screens take priority. The iPhone dominates the ‘mobile screen wars’ with huge 70% of all mobile visits now arriving via an iPhone device, followed by 24% of consumers using an Android device to access the mobile web.
“The first quarter saw the fastest growth in mobile web traffic to date”, commented Alex Hoye, CEO of Latitude. “Yes – mobile is growing rapidly, but what is even more exciting is the way consumers are using and engaging with Mobile and Tablet devices. There’s a huge difference in the way PCs, Tablet and Mobile are being used to access the web, ranging from the solidary, task-based user experience of the PC to the localised, personal browsing experience of the Mobile. Both Mobile and Tablet Cost-Per-Click rates are still lower than desktop, creating fantastic mobile marketing opportunities for advertisers to acquire high quality traffic at a reduced rate. In the customer acquisition process it is crucial that advertisers also think about messaging that is relevant and consistent throughout the different devices.
Tags: Android, iPhone, Latitude, mobile web traffic
Posted in Internet/New Media, Mobile, Studies, surveys, reports, Telecommunications | No Comments »
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
 The majority of consumers believe video games should encourage physical activity and that “physically active” video games can complement traditional exercise, according to a new survey released today by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH).
“UnitedHealth Group’s survey shows that consumers are looking for ways to combine physical activity with entertainment for the whole family through video game devices like Microsoft Kinect for XBOX 360.”
The survey of 1,015 adults, age 18 or older, found that nearly 75 percent of respondents believe that video games should include a component that encourages physical activity.
Also, 70 percent said that physically active video games – defined in the survey as video games that require body movements to control the activity on the screen – can complement or supplement traditional exercise.
More than half (54 percent) said that physically active video games would encourage them to be more active, while 60 percent of survey respondents with children in the household said children should be encouraged to play physically active video games as a complement to traditional exercise.
“Even as we continue to study the clinical impact of video games on health, this survey shows that there is a real interest among consumers in games that promote at least some physical activity,” said Richard Migliori, M.D., executive vice president of health services at UnitedHealth Group.
“We believe that the intersection of health and video gaming holds enormous potential benefit for individuals, families and the entire health care system, and we are continuing to explore ways to make this a reality for consumers.”
“As a physician, I believe people of all ages and abilities can benefit from some sort of physical activity, and when it comes to video games, I’m thrilled to see people getting up off the couch and enjoying video game play and competition that exercises their heart, lungs, extremities and mind,” said Bill Crounse, M.D., Microsoft’s senior director of worldwide health.
“UnitedHealth Group’s survey shows that consumers are looking for ways to combine physical activity with entertainment for the whole family through video game devices like Microsoft Kinect for XBOX 360.”
Tags: consumer sentiment, M.D, physical activity, Richard Migliori, survey, tech life/culture, UnitedHealth Group, video games
Posted in Internet/New Media, IT, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech life/Culture | No Comments »
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
 Physicians’ device and digital media adoption are evolving much faster than anticipated, especially when it comes to tablets, according to the new Taking the Pulse® U.S. 2012 study from healthcare market research and advisory firm Manhattan Research.
The study surveyed 3,015 U.S. practicing physicians online in Q1 2012 across more than 25 specialties.
Key findings from the Taking the Pulse U.S. 2012 study include:
- Tablets, mostly iPads, are mainstream: Physician tablet adoption for professional purposes almost doubled since 2011, reaching 62 percent in 2012, with the iPad being the dominant platform. Furthermore, one-half of tablet-owning physicians have used their device at the point-of-care.
- More screens, more access: Physicians with three screens (tablets, smartphones and desktops/laptops) spend more time online on each device and go online more often during the workday than physicians with one or two screens.
- Physician-only social networks stagnant: Adoption of physician-only social networks remained flat between 2011 and 2012. Additionally, the study found that physicians reach out more frequently to and are more influenced by colleagues they formed relationships with at school or at work than peers who they first connected with online.
- Online video widely used: More than two-thirds of physicians use video to learn and keep up-to-date with clinical information.
“Physicians are evolving in ways we expected – only faster,” said Monique Levy, Vice President of Research at Manhattan Research. “The skyrocketing adoption rates of tablets alone, especially iPads, means healthcare stakeholders should revisit many of their assumptions about reaching and engaging with this audience.”
Tags: Devices, iPad, Manhattan Research, online video, physicians & digital media, social networks, study, tablets
Posted in Apple, Digital Devices, Internet/New Media, social media, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
 Social media technologies have re-shaped how we interact. But do they help salespeople sell?
Not according to the results of two surveys presented at the 2012 annual convention of the Southwestern Psychological Association in Oklahoma, City.
The surveys found that sales people vastly prefer tradition methods of contact such as the telephone and face-to-face meetings.
The surveys, reported by behavioral scientists, Trelitha R. Bryant and George W. Dudley at Behavioral Sciences Research Press in Dallas, Texas, were presented April 13, 2012.
Bryant and Dudley asked 4,768 salespeople (67% men, 33% women, average age 40) in more than 1,000 U.S. companies which form of client communication is most helpful for generating new sales.
The salespeople were surveyed as part of a standard assessment protocol for sales professionals which included the Sales Preference Questionnaire (SPQ*GOLD), a psychological test used worldwide to detect emotional discomfort associated with prospecting for new business.
Face to face & telephone preferred
Almost 70% said established forms of communication (face-to-face and telephone contact) were most helpful generating new sales.
Only 10% claimed email was most effective and less than 10% said other forms of computer-mediated communication were most effective. Results were not age-related.
“Further analyses uncovered another relationship,” Dudley said.
“Salespeople claiming social media is most effective might be struggling with sales call reluctance, an emotional impediment to production characterized by apprehension, conflict, hesitation or avoidance specifically associated with sales prospecting.
“They had elevated prospecting distress scores on eleven of the twelve forms of sales call reluctance measured by the test.”
Follow-up study confirmed results
To confirm their results, the research team conducted a follow-up study of 1,512 additional salespeople (64%male; 36% female, average age 40). The outcome was essentially the same (68% said conventional, 2.8% computer-mediated).
“The second study confirmed what we learned in the first,” Bryant said, “including the link with sales call reluctance. Computer-mediated social media may help find a date, keep tabs on old friends or support a political campaign. But most salespeople don’t think it’s as helpful as conventional person-to-person contact for generating new sales.”
Here at the Techjournal, we wonder if the results suggest that many in sales have not yet mastered the new skills necessary to use social media effectively?
Just as an example, many sales people still tell a joke or two as part of the in-person sales process, but jump into social media directly with a sales pitch.
Whereas telling a joke or two first or otherwise engaging with potential contacts by getting their interest first is much more likely to be effective. – Allan Maurer
Tags: Behavioral Sciences Research Press, Dallas, George W. Dudley, sales call reluctance, social media and sales, traditional vs. new media contacts, Trelitha R. Bryant, TX
Posted in Analytics, Best Practices, Internet/New Media, Marketing, social media, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
Thursday, May 10th, 2012
Findings from a survey undertaken by digital marketing agency, Greenlight, indicate that Google+ might be more successful than most have initially speculated and that Facebook could potentially capture close to a quarter of the search market globally were it to launch a search engine of its own tomorrow.
This market share would make Facebook the second most utilised search engine in every major market except for China, Japan, and Russia, where it would occupy an uncontested third place.
Greenlight’s global “Search & Social Survey (2011-2012)” asked 500 people – students, law enforcement professionals, medical staff, accountants, lawyers, the unemployed, and everyone in between, how they engage with online advertising, search engines, and social networks, in order to glean insight into how consumers engage with marketers today, and formulate views on what the future might hold.
Facebook could capture around 22% of the global search market
 Greenlight’s research revealed 5% would ‘definitely’ use a future Facebook search engine if the firm were to launch one to rival Google’s.
The other extreme, those categorically saying that they simply would not use a future Facebook search engine, totalled 26% of all respondents. Those responding in the ‘Definitely’ and ‘Probably’ camps totalled 17%. Those responding ‘No’ and ‘Probably not’, totalled 48%.
Facebook could grab search market share instantly
“These stats therefore suggest Facebook could capture around 22% of the global search market by simply launching its own search engine tomorrow morning (the ‘Definitely’, ‘Probably’, and half of the ‘Don’t know’ respondents combined), says Andreas Pouros, chief operating officer at Greenlight.
“It wouldn’t need to be a spectacular engine either, just well integrated into the Facebook experience and generally competent.
What’s more, the results also suggest Facebook could increase that projected market share to a maximum of 50% within a few years by converting the least overtly loyal Google users over to them.
However, that increase would need to come from the 27% of respondents who replied ‘Maybe, but only if it was better than Google and Bing’ “.
(Facebook already integrates Bing into its search function, but it is a buried option in the navigational side-bar post query, so this really does not constitute its own search engine by any real definition).
23% of Google users have been +1′ing listings in Google’s search result
 On the flip side, Greenlight found that Google’s own social endeavours with Google+ might be more successful than most have initially speculated. For instance, 23% of Google users have been +1′ing listings in Google’s search results, giving Google lots of data about what people like.
When compared to the 35% of users that Greenlight’s survey found routinely ‘like’ a brand or company on Facebook, then it is not that significantly more than Google’s social signal collection, particularly as 28% of respondents said they had no idea what ‘+1′ actually meant, which says Greenlight, will invariably decrease rapidly over time.
Greenlight’s research essentially shows that Facebook will both be front and centre in ‘social search’ and so it won’t be enough for websites to simply be relevant, they also need to demonstrate qualities that attract social validation and promotion.
Brands should encourage +1s in Google
Pouros concludes, ”Brands and e-retailers need to be encouraging +1′s in Google, as it isn’t something that might be important in the future – it already is! It affects natural search rankings and will have an increasing impact over time across every Google product they utilise.
Those, he notes, include AdWords, price comparison, Shopping, YouTube, and more.
Also, he says, “Facebook could be a major search engine overnight. As such a brand’s performance on Facebook today (likes, visits, etc.) will likely have a decisive impact on how well exposed it is on that new search engine.”
Tags: Bing, brand marketing, encourage plus ones, Facebook search engine, Google, Greenlight, search market
Posted in Analytics, Facebook, Google, Internet/New Media, IT, Marketing, Studies, surveys, reports | No Comments »
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