Today, we pack more computing power in our pocket than it took to get to the moon, and we can send a message to anyone in the world in less than a second. We’re overloaded with information, and as a consequence, many of us feel more anxious, more distracted and less productive. Why? “Unlike computers, we do not have limitless storage nor do we have unlimited time”, writes Julia Hobsbawm in her book Fully Connected. As a social network analyst, she says that people today are struggling with over-connectedness and are searching for meaning. People need to look more closely at what she calls “social health”.
China Roundup: Alibaba Bonds; and the China-Australia FTA
This week, we saw the debut of Alibaba’s bonds, the new China-Australia FTA, and China’s factory output shrank thanks to the APEC conference.
Will WeChat Succeed in Mobile Commerce?
WeChat, China’s wildly popular social messaging app, is experimenting with mobile commerce in a bid to become an all-in-one platform. What are the odds of success? Twenty two-year-old Yin Junyu has been selling fashion accessories made of synthetic pearls and designer jewelry replicas for the last two years at a small store in Beijing’s Tongzhou […]
Facebook’s Social Experiment: A Marketer’s Perspective
Facebook’s social experiment has angered many. But the social network may have learnt a thing or two about better customer segmentation and targeting. Facebook’s social experiment, where about 700,000 users’ news feeds were secretly controlled to prioritize “sad” or “happy” status updates, is viewed by many as an unethical—and potentially illegal—manipulation. While Sheryl Sandberg, the […]
China Roundup: China’s Slowing Economy; Tencent’s Profits Up; and Facebook’s China Office
The week that was: China’s slowing economy; Tencent profit rises on growth in online games; Alibaba battles fakes; and Facebook will finally dip its toes in Chinese waters with a Beijing office (but won’t scale the Great Fire Wall). A slower Chinese economy? Get used to it Last week’s surprisingly solid trade numbers (exports and […]
Diffusion of Innovation: What Sticks, What Doesn’t and Why
Why do some products and technologies take off while others don’t? Why did iPhones become such a rage overnight, while some much hyped (and technologically sound) releases, such as Sony’s Blu-Ray discs, bombed in the market? The diffusion of innovation, or the likelihood and speed at which innovations and technologies spread, is a tricky science. There […]
China Roundup: LinkedIn Checks into China; Weibo to List on the NASDAQ; and the Renminbi Slides Further
The week that was: LinkedIn enters China with an innovative model; Sina Weibo plans US listing; the Chinese renminbi depreciates; and banks fight back against internet finance channels. LinkedIn Connects with China Six months ago people were curious why LinkedIn isn’t blocked in China, like Twitter, Facebook and many other networking sites are. Well, […]
Leaning in with Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, wants to see more women in the corner office. Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, has turned herself into an evangelist for women. Sandberg, who regularly ranks on various lists of the most powerful women in the world, believes that there is no such thing […]
China’s Social Media Giants
Unknown to most people outside China, the country has a very vibrant social media landscape. A surprisingly large percentage of people across both urban and small-town China are hooked to micro-blogs and social networking service (SNS) products. Over the years, Chinese social media companies have come up with some very innovative products and services, such as Tencent’s WeChat, […]
Socially commercial
In the West, many companies are already using social media to listen to customers, build brand loyalty and learn how they can improve customer service. Facebook recently partnered with Amazon.com to generate recommended gift lists based on Facebook users’ favorite books and movies, recent activity, and what friends have liked. The telecommunications company Verizon monitors […]
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