[2012 trends] The year of the phoenix

[Joanna Oosthuizen] Twenty Twelve, year of the dragon, a leap year and the year the world as we know it is meant to end. I believe it will, not in a dooms-day fill-my-bunker-with-canned-food kind of way but in a thinking, progressive, collaborative and connective way. It's a phoenix year, where great ideas and people will rise from the economic ashes and drive informed action. 26 Jan 2012 12:37

[2012 trends] Influencers take to the web and run the streets

[Mongezi Mtati] 2011 saw the rise of more social media influencers and thought leaders; more conversations influenced how brands are perceived; and the fad of a Facebook page became more questioned than ever before. Or did that apply only in conferences and meetings I went to? 26 Jan 2012 11:38

Using social media in R&D

Business analytics, which integrates the data streams provided by social media, is the next frontier in the struggle to categorise and understand the sheer weight of information that is available to businesses today. According to Pam Chandor of the IBM Software Group, the uptake is expected to be gradual; however, IBM is focusing heavily on this next step in business analytics. 14 Jul 2011 12:50