How to spot the upturn early…

If you, like me, are keen to spot the green shoots of recovery then where will you be looking?

I spotted this interesting blog over at Harvard Business Review where the editors blog has been discussing the subject – click on the following link to  go to the article: – HBR Editors Blog

What signs will you you be looking for? I’m watching for private sector executive jobs to come back into the Sunday Times recruitment section.

Share your suggestions below with other readers…

James

Change 2.0 – The power of Social Media in managing organisational change.

 

Employee communication is a key element within any successful organisational change programme.  Designing and implementing a co-ordinated communication plan is critical.  Communication can either help to make changes become effective quickly, or hinder changes by creating and fostering internal resistance to proposals. 

Some enlightened organisations are beginning to use social media tools e.g. Blogs, Twitter, etc, to supplement traditional communication tools such as briefings, meetings, one-to-one consultations, etc.  The word-of-mouth nature of social media can quickly spread messages, either good or bad, and the power of the crowd can be harnessed to promote or resist change. This is embracing the inherent power of new Web 2.0 technology, and many Change Management professionals are dubbing this Change 2.0.

I’m looking for examples of this… either ones where social media has been used effectively to positively promote change; or ones where social media has been used as a negative resistance mechanism by those opposing proposed changes. I would appreciate your ability and willingness to share any examples you may have by leaving a response on this site…

Thanks in advance.

James

On-line Video : The marketing tool for 2009

 

 

 

 

 You may have noticed that more and more leading brands are using on-line video as a key marketing communication tool as broadband speeds get faster, WiFi ever more accessible, and with everyone having a PDA or phone with fast internet capabilities.

This isn’t suprising.  Video has many advantages as a communication tool.  Messages can be conveyed quickly and in an entertaining way.  Everyone watches TV and increasingly that is delivered via the web.  In a recent survey I noticed that Generation Y consumers watch more TV delivered on-line than via terrestrial/satellite/cable television. They also spend increasing amounts of time on-line using sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc. On-line video meshes neatly with social media as it can be delivered via complimentary platforms such as Youtube, Vimeo, or iTunes.

I also read a really great blog about this subject by renowned social media guru Scott Monty, you can read this too if you click on this link:

http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/12/why-video-will-be-so-important-in-2009.html

This trend is also evident from the increasing amount of enquiries I am receiving from customers who are starting to understand the powerful capabilities of marketing via social media. This is something Cultivar can help clients with via our video and website production partners. Contact me if you would like to learn how we can help you to do this.

James Rock

email: james.rock@cultivar.co.uk