Association Executive - November/December 2007 - (Page 7)

FROM THE CEO By Joel A. Dolci, CAE Can Not-For-Profits Keep Up with Communication and Technology Trends? screens and that we be able to manipulate that information directly with a mouse; • Broadcast, Information and Entertainment Services—an increasing proliferation of entertainment, information and broadcast services, including a trend toward narrowcasting (addressing the needs of audience segments with different information and entertainment) will continue to increase the expense of broadcasting (providing the same information or entertainment to everybody; • Convergence—growth in the variety and the capability of communication services and devices, coupled with the expectation that all services will be based upon digital technologies and delivered as data packets. While these trends have the potential to create opportunities, they also present great challenges. While these can have far-reaching affects on society-at-large, these issues should also concern associations and not-for-profits as keepers of information about our members, donors, and industries. What plans, for example, is your organization making to deal with such issues as: • Privacy—as the interconnection of networks increases, the amount of personal and business-related information being communicated through these networks also grows. Credit card information, financial accounts, educational, medical and other records can be sent across borders. Are we manipulating data without the consent of the individual from whom it was collected or for purposes unrelated to those for which it was originally collected? • Security—a secure environment provides confidence to conduct financial, medical, and other sensitive transactions over a telecommunications network. What safeguards are we employing to ensure our publics that their information is, indeed, protected? It certainly will continue to be a challenge for our associations and not-for-profits to keep up with these trends. Whether this means communicating with our younger constituents through IMs or social networking sites, or ensuring that their information is private and our data is secure, there is no doubt that it is, indeed, our responsibility to keep up with the times. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 ASS OC I A TI ON E X E C U TI V E T here is no doubt that we communicate with one another differently today than we did just five years ago. Not surprisingly, there is a growing trend of using instant messaging services in business, according to a White Paper on Generation Y Communication Trends, published by PIKA Technologies, Inc. Instant messaging refers to all forms of real-time communication, including text, voice or video over the Internet. The paper describes a new generation of communicators—Generation Y, Echo Boomers, and the Millennium Generation—those born between 1976 and 1995, who are now commonly referred to as being born into the digital revolution. “The fundamental communication habits of this generation are based on collaborative methods, such as blogs, Facebook, and MSN, which are used to ‘find friends.’ ” The paper notes that the key characteristics of this generation—that will inherently re-shape our communication systems—include “an insatiable need for information, a culture of collaboration, a natural ability to multi-task, a strong ability to learn, and a strong belief in the right (versus privilege) to use technology.” Television commercials suggest that instant messaging (IM), for example, has emerged as a popular communication tool not only for youngsters, but for seniors as well, as a texting granny replies she is talking to “mbf Rose” (my best friend). Entire conversations are taking place with symbols and reduced language. A report on Technology Trends in Communications, released by the Canadian Minister of Public Works and Government Services, identifies six global trends in communications. Among these are: • Ubiquitous Communications—offering access to anyone, anywhere, at any time; • Global Communications/Networking—reflecting the increasing demand, dependency, and requirement for access to information and whatever it is; • Machine-Machine Communications—the transmission of data between two or more machines that must coordinate their tasks with others in an increasingly complex and integrated world; • Natural Human-Machine Interfaces—a heightened expectation that multimedia information be displayed on 7

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Association Executive - November/December 2007

Assocation Executive - November/December 2007 Contents From the CEO The First 5 Slides: Unlocking the Story Buried in Your Presentation What Does That Mean? Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Cues Avoiding Telephone Turmoil Turning Your Blind Spot into an Asset Inside NYSAE Book Beat Save the Dates Member News Meeting in Calgary Meeting in Delaware Meeting in Chicago Meeting in Pennsylvania Index of Advertisers

Association Executive - November/December 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.