The Xplor View - July 2008 - (Page 22)

conferencing), instant messaging (IM) applications, and group calendars for organising purposes. One of the newer trends in real-time communication is the convergence of IM with audio collaboration tools, integrating with Internet telephony abilities such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Audio now also combines with web conferencing tools to create a more efficient and expert training, learning, and information sharing experience. Many analysts agree that collaboration tools are the fastest growing area of learning technology. Technology buyers aim to cut costs, integrate technology, and find a way of increasing productivity. Second-generation collaboration technology covers all three areas and is, therefore, the most attractive option. This is something organisations will have to consider as it is estimated that by 2011, most collaboration technologies will be fully integrated into front and back-office activities. However, the difficulty lies with the array of new options. They can be daunting and confusing to choose from. The basic advice is to choose featherweight tools that will support an individual department’s main objectives and functions and choose a mixture of real-time and asynchronous tools to provide flexible communication. The tools should not conflict with each other and must be interoperable with existing systems. Packaged software vendors can offer interoperable tools but market their products to suggest that they can tackle any project with a one-size-fits-all solution. Naturally this has caused suspicion among many corporate buyers, especially as this ‘still new technology’ also presents plenty of security risks. Social networking tools are redefining the balance of power between organisations and employees Research has shown that company employees from lower hierarchical levels are more likely to be viewed as being credible, honest, and accurate information sources; an image most CEOs would love to obtain. In six of eleven countries surveyed, the public’s most trusted sources for accurate, honest information was a peer; someone they felt was like them. This is who they felt would be the most credible and reliable spokesperson for an organisation. Observers are progressively of the sentiment that a new industrial democracy is slowly taking shape. The collective and collaborative power of social technologies enables employees at all levels in the hierarchy to gain an authority not previously experienced within the corporate world. This is made possible due to the vast audience readily available in new social networking arenas such as ‘The blogosphere’ (a collective term given to blogs). These employees can support or oppose any decision their organisation makes and be assured that their justifications will be read by the public and, most importantly, will be trusted. As the potential benefits of employee blogs become apparent, so will their associated liabilities. This form of communication can influence the public, the media, and ultimately the sales and profitability of the organisation, taking away much of the control obtained through an organisation’s PR efforts. The regularity of updates can put blogs at the top of search engine placements, and it takes only a few comments—negative or otherwise—before a snowball effect kicks in. Negative publicity can quickly destroy whatever brand image the organisation has strived to achieve and can be hard to recover from. Organisations need to establish a way of turning their employee bloggers into their corporate ambassadors as this new form of communication slowly begins to encroach on public relations. They need to make the ‘blogosphere’ a real-time window for insight into general employee morale and track how effective internal communication has been. The informality of these tools creates internal and external security risks Some of the existing communications tools used within the organisation, such as IM, were never intended for corporate messaging and so never incorporated security measures into their functions. Consequently, they put organisations at immediate risk from external threats such as viruses, spam, and phishing attacks, as well as internal threats from overly candid employees able to divulge important or confidential corporate information. Management is recognising that better monitoring and organisation are required for newly-emerging collaborative tools This is because: • Social networking tools are redefining the balance of power between organisations and employees • The informality of these tools creates internal and external security risks • These new tools bring the threat of liability • Encryption and e-policies can provide a solution to these issues 22 The VIEW Journal Xplor European Edition Issue 5 July 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Xplor View - July 2008

The Xplor View - July 2008 Contents Cover Story: Drupa 2008: The Highlights Review New Technology: Inkjet Technologies Moving Forward New Technology: QR Codes: Leading Edge but not Bleeding Edge A Fresh Look at Electronic Document Delivery Management: Growing Your Business Through Tendering The Experts Versus the Amateurs News: Xplor UK & Ireland Supports Total Print! Expo� Part Two: The Latest Developments in Knowledge Management Xplor Europe News: Short News Items for the Xplor UK Programme and Europe News

The Xplor View - July 2008

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