A preliminary and informal study on seven online tools for professional and business use

In this post, I'd like to share my findings for a preliminary study as a partial requirement of a paper to be published. It is related to the use of some popular online tools for business and professional purposes.

Study Approach: I selected 10 active online profiles from my networks. These are the co-networkers whom I established personal trust via a number of correspondence over 12 months. The sample is gender agnostic, representing only English speaking countries (USA, UK, Australia, and New Zealand) with business and professional background. I interviewed these 10 people via Google, MSN, Skype, Yahoo, and Facebook chat tools in an informal way approximately half an hour. I also confirmed some of conflicting and contradictory views via email follow-ups. My key questions were about their current beliefs on Ecademy, Facebook, Google, Linked, Twitter, Yasni and Youtube in terms of the contribution of these tools to their business or profession.

Findings: There were a number of interesting views that I will make available in a paper progressing on these tools. However I'd like to share the key common findings for each online tool related to their profession and business as of 7 April 2010 to validate my findings with a wider sample:
1. Google is the main source of information for their profession and business. They use it everyday.
2. Youtube is secondary source of information for their business. They use it everyday.
3. Twitter has done nothing for their business as yet. However they see it as third important source of information.
4. They all are in Facebook. They believe to have some potential for their profession and business even though they haven't used it for business purpose as yet.
5. Linkedin is seen as a business card or CV collection and they sometimes use it to check some contact references.
6. Ecademy is only known to them by the blogs they saw in Twitter and some email invitations. They have no idea so far how Ecademy can help their profession but they all are interested to explore the possibilities further.
7. Yasni was heard by 4 of them in various online sites but none of them knew its scope and contribution for their profession and business. They all indicated interest to explore the possibilities further.

I have some impressions, perceptions and personal views established based on my experience but what do these findings tell or mean to you? Can you comment on the points you are familiar with? If you prefer your views to be kept confidential; please send me a personal mail linked to my Google profile.

Regards,
Mehmet Yildiz

Adding NEW meanings: mixing FUN & business with popular media: My recent top 20 items ACCEPPTED in Superfan

New social media is stretching the scope and blending the borders of business and pleasure!

You can be fan of anything at superfan accepted by the assessment committee using an objective criteria. If your favourite items are not there, you can create your objects and first you become the superfan of that object then invite others to be fan of it. It is also possible in some cases others may steal your superfan and then the whole fun starts. The objects gain value and visibility. For example, Ecademy, Yasni, Hereke Silk Carpets, Megan Fox and IBM are a few famous ones that reached to very high scores in very short time. It is up to the fans to promote their items.

I introduced the following items to the Superfan recently which they were not available in there and they were accepted successfully:

1. Nasreddin - A historical humorous character


2. Manuka Honey - strong antibacterial honey from New Zealand


3. Oil Wrestling - Traditional Turkish Sport


4. Semiotics - the study of how meaning is constructed and understood.


5. Cloud Computing


6. The University of Melbourne


7. Orhan Pamuk - Turkish Nobel laureate in Literature


8. Kevin Rudd - current Prime Minister of Australia


9. Seymour Papert - one of the pioneers of artificial intelligence, as well as an inventor of the Logo programming language.


10. Hyacinth


11. Mindfulness


12. IBM AIX - Server Operating System


13. IBM System z10


14. Hookahs - Nargile (this is only for cultural awareness purpose, I am non-smoker but can connect to smokers:-))


15. Know Me, Like Me, Follow Me - Penny Power's recent book. (just introduced yesterday)


16. Karagoz and Hacivat


17. Mayapple - plant native to the eastern part of North America.


18. Meet the Robinsons - my son's favourite show


19. Sertab Erener - 2003 Eurovision winner represented Turkey


20. Blue Gene - Enabled IBM to be a winner of National Medals of Science, Technology and Innovation


You can see and become fan of my current 69 items from this link.

What are your recent favourite top 20 objects, concepts that you may want to share with your networkers?

Through this post, I'd also would like to obtain your views on use of this new medium for both business and pleasure. What could be the implications from your angle?


Regards,
Mehmet

Dr. Mehmet YILDIZ || IBM || IT Philosophy || Future|| Leadership || My blog || Twitter || Linkedin || Yasni ||Google || Naymz|| Superfan

A blog about Twitter in Superfan

Hi all,

This is a new blog series which I called it reflections from heart and mind. I would like to update my online activities here.

Day by day, I find the Superfan fascinating with new objects and concepts. I started blogging in there. Today, I teased about Twitter which is an object stolen by a member as a game. The title of the blog is "Follow game: Are you a twitter geek? Let's follow each other"

I have also posted a blog to Ecademy titled "Why 44789 people to die?"

It was great to see a number of Follow Friday for my Twitter Account. I felt honoured.

I posted only one article to Linkedin and read my messages in Naymz. Adding new items to Yasni tonight...

Great to start blogging in the Blogger too.

Cheers,
Mehmet Yildiz
Melbourne, Australia