Full disclosure: I admit I am a technology geek and, unabashedly, a Google fanboy. I am always fiddling with my gadget of choice (my Google Nexus One phone), customising my Google Chrome browser and I constantly try to outsmart the office’s laptop and its ‘restrictions’. You may ask why do I spend valuable time and effort on activities like these?

Well, I demand technology to work for me, to get the most value out of pieces of technology I own or paid good money for. But most simple technologies are made available to me for free, so being Singaporean, free is holy. But, above all, the driving motivation for this is to increased productivity and efficiency, both for my personal and professional uses. (Particularly useful when I was studying too).

Consider these very simple examples:

And there are many more little tricks and simple tools that are waiting for to be discovered and used daily. Technology (even weaponry) are meant to help us in some way or another to improve our lives. The computer, the telephone and even the humble toothpick (care for a twig?)

All This Is Fuddy-Duddy to You?

Are you saying these to yourself “That is too difficult!”, “Oh, I don’t think I am savvy enough”, “I am afraid of the Internet”, “I don’t have a smartphone”, etc.? Well, heard about the 99-year old grandmother with an iPad? Or the 1-year old iPhone-savvy baby?

Believe me, you too can take advantage of simple technologies like these and make your life a little more productive and efficient. As long as you have a computer, work with a computer or simply surf the web on a computer, you deserve the opportunity to harness the power of simple technologies.

Everyone has a right to simple technologies to enhance their lives. Every second saved through being efficient really adds up. (In a year, how many hours do you waste in total waiting for your favourite news website to load every morning?)

The Truth Hurts

To be frank, I keep company with young and technologically-savvy people (maybe an old-age inferiority thang!) Many of them understand the power of simple technologies and use this knowledge for their own benefits. They are school-leavers (could possibly be your child, nephew or niece), below the age of 26, equipped and exposed to iPhones and iPads and also totally understand and exploit the value of online social networks, such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

In a few years’ time, they will slowly and collectively change the culture in your workplace: they have Twitter on their iPhones so they are getting news as it is breaking. They have placed their trust in cloud computing because they know it is efficient, timely and cost-friendly. They will make lightning-quick and well-informed  decisions and will be the main driver and steward of a real-time and social economy.

Where will you be then? Can you catch up?

My working experience in the world’s biggest enterprise software company has been quite telling. Despite the technology-driven environment, a large majority of my former colleagues are not taking advantage or leveraging on simple technologies to help them in their work and learning. Even for something simple and efficient like RSS for reading. If folks from a top technology company are ‘not getting it’, what about the rest of us?

No one I knew in school (I used to attend part-time classes) uses RSS for reading or research.

The digital divide is alarming. And here are my plans.

Why Am I Doing This?

I will write a more in-depth post soon on my future objectives and my conviction on why I should set out and do this. But here’s a short explanation in a nutshell.

Recently, I did some thinking and had a ‘A-HA!’ moment that totally changed my focus and perspective.

An empowered and enabled employee will do more wonders for an organisation than state-of-the-art software or a roomful of high-end servers. Period.

Throughout this blog, I have written about how businesses should adopt and adapt the ‘open’ business model through social media and online marketing.

I was totally missing the point.

It is people that should matter first. Develop the people, then develop the business.

Didn’t they say the most efficient and productive workforce keeps the economy running smooth and healthy?

I leave you now with one of my inspiration. Watch this (a little dizzy at times) video to understand what I mean.

Video Credits: Dan Pink’s animated talk: ‘Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us’

Thanks for reading this post. If you have any comment or would like to share your ideas, thoughts or even to give input on how I can improve on the survey and study, do feel free to use the Comment space below.

When Jason Parker wrote to ask if he could use an academic work of mine for his Social Media appreciation class at the University of Chicago Graham School of General Studies, I was thrilled. It also dawned upon me that social media is certainly worth all that time and effort.

How did Jason, Adjunct Professor at University of Chicago and Planning Director at Leo Burnett and quite possibly on the exact opposite of the world, discover ‘Role of Social Media in Contemporary Marketing’, an ‘obscure’ literature review I had completed only last September?

Social media.

And how did I make that happen?

Social media.

I had sowed ample digital opportunities where Jason and others could have found this piece of work. And this is how I did it.

Slideshare & Scribd

I had shared this literature review (an extract from the full Final Year Professional Project I had to accomplish for undergrad studies) on Slideshare and Scribd since last September.

Here are the stats, so far:

1257views + 137 downloads on Slideshare

3665 views + 321 downloads on Scribd

Impressive numbers, I guess, for a ‘non-viral’ academic work.

So why did I choose to publish and share my work online? Am I not afraid of it being plagiarised or copied?

The answer is ‘No’. If it isn’t for the openness and the acts of mutual sharing all over the Internet, we’d still be visiting libraries every day, painfully looking for stored manuscripts and hidden knowledge. Or my work would still be languishing in my hard drive, waiting to be ‘nostalgically re-discovered’ a few years down the road. (Technologically, there are restrictions in place on both Slideshare and Scribd to protect your work.)

Jason Parker does it too. See Jason’s slide deck for his first class lecture on Slideshare.

Also, as many people increasingly continue to come online and partake in digital citizenship, I am one who believes that digital personal branding has an increased importance in today’s society and this is the ‘invisible edge’ that is needed to move ahead of the pack. Be it in social circles or, of more importance, for professional opportunities.

Sharing your interests and expertise on social media is one way to do this.

Blog It

I had also blogged about this literature review earlier. I am certain the format of the study (literature review), combined with the timely relevance of the subject matter, had provided enough search engine optimisation (SEO) for my initial blog post to be found. In fact Google searches on ‘literature review social media’ and ‘role of social media in contemporary marketing’ brought up my blog and literature review pretty high on the list. As they say ‘Content is Always King’.

Jason Parker does it too. You can follow Jason on his Social Media Class blog as he updates his class on a regular basis, the social media-way.

Others have also found my work. To date, I have received emails from two current students of Northumbria University in the UK asking for my full project (which I have refused for obvious reasons. School is about effort and interaction, guys). However, I had provided enough ideas and direction for them to accomplish their undergrad tasks.

I have also connected with Susan Schwendener, a fellow communications practitioner, from Jason’s class. The possibilities are endless on social media.

What Price is Social Media Sharing?

I really hope Jason’s Insights and Opportunities in Social Media certificate program class had enjoyed reading the literature review distributed during their Week 1 class. Gives me the chills.

So what did I ask for in return for sharing my intellectual property?

What else but an endorsement in social media currency!

Jason kindly provided me with a LinkedIn endorsement that is viewable by my current and future prospective employers as well as my peers. The permanency and transparency of this and my other LinkedIn endorsements ensures that my professional profile, accomplishments and body of work is as truthful as I present it to be.

Read more about leveraging on LinkedIn for bloggers at Online Media Gazette or how to use LinkedIn to your professional and commercial advantage (via NateRiggs.com)

Acknowledgements

To Jason Parker for extending the opportunity to share what I’ve gained.

And to Erik Yek, my undergrad tutor and Northumbria facilitator at the Marketing Institute of Singapore, for the guidance and patience.

Here again is the literature review ‘Role of Social Media in Contemporary Marketing’. You may wish to download the PDF for later viewing or scroll through the presentation below.

Tell me what you think in the comments?

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2009 came around last Sunday. I eventually ticked another item off my New Year’s Resolutions list by completing the 21km half-marathon, my first ever, but not without pains and frustration. Despite being able to run continuously for 90 minutes and feeling strong and tireless at the 14km mark, I had to switch to brisk walking because of a prior niggling injury to my right ankle. That meant shifting my weight to the left leg, and soon I was cramping out on that leg. One thing led to another and soon both legs were developing muscle pains.

Thinking is a Painkiller

I began writing this blog post in my head for the next 5km. That somewhat took away the troubling thoughts that I will not reach the Finish Line in 2.5 hours (my goal on the outset). In any case, many of my blog posts had been written while on my daily runs. The experts do say that running makes you smarter. I certainly like the tone of that.

As I have been reading Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail lately, naturally my mind drifted there. Observing the massive throng of people (well, mostly folks speeding past me), a theoretical connection clicked, from which more thoughts poured in.

Here’s the result of killing pain with brain juicing.

The Marathon is A Long Tail Business

In his book, Chris Anderson generally explains the concept of The Long Tail as the explosion of niche products and customers. With the digital revolution and easy access to choices, consumers are buying extensively from a range of “non-hit” products and non-traditional retail sources. We were too smitten with buying branded products, undoubtedly shaped by popular culture in the ‘70s-‘90s, but now we are buying deep into catalogues of obscure products. Amazon.com and iTunes are examples of The Long Tail business, retailers who offer unlimited product choices. Many other small- and medium-sized businesses are also thriving in the Long Tail economy, catering to an extended range of niche market segments.

In marathon running, The Long Tail theory holds water too. At the front of the pack are the well-oiled professional runners whom we can imagine as the corporations and big businesses of the world. These are the runners who will lead far ahead of the competition, dominate the race, first to the Drinks Stations and eventually winning the money prizes. But what about the rest of the competition? (Imagine sole proprietors, small- and mid-sized businesses as runners that make up the rest of the competitive field)

This is where the Long Tail kicks in. There are enough opportunities for everyone else at the back. Everyone gets an opportunity at the Drinks Stations or a banana treat. Everyone gets a path ahead to run along. Even the last competitor in the field gets a medal eventually.

To illustrate, earlier on in my career, then-girlfriend (now wife) and myself started a music label business together. Fruit Records, the label we own, was too small to compete with the bigwigs of music distribution, such as Warner Music or Sony BMG. We were also a wee player in a network of thousands of independent music labels around the world. Getting prominently ahead of competition is a tough proposition.

We decided that we needed a niche business strategy to complement our niche product genre (in this case, independent guitar pop bands) and we were very successful with it (view my Fruit Records’ portfolio.) We found customers and distribution all over the world, in Poland, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Peru, Finland, New Zealand and many other exotic locales. Our bands travelled the region to perform and, to our surprise, the long-tail fans appeared in huge numbers! When we put on concerts in Singapore featuring foreign artistes, we were equally-bewildered at the breadth and demographic make up of our audiences. It was certainly an unforgettable experience in the Long Tail economy.

In essence, just as in marathon running, as long as a business attempts to stay in competition, the Long Tail will bring its niche rewards and satisfaction, personal or commercial. Businesses must be willing to develop its own niches and audience in spite of fierce and numerous competition. Perhaps winning or dominating the marketplace is out of the question for most businesses but if they stay focused and strategise for the long-run, there are enough opportunities to grow from strength to strength into a sustainable enterprise.

Personal Learning and Business Lessons in Marathon Running

Before the 14km mark, I was pretty sure of a good finish. I felt good and my aggregate time would have put me in good stead for a sub-2.5 hour finish. Then the pains started and all plans went awry. So a new strategy was required: a run-walk trot and my goal was adjusted to a sub-3 hours finish.

If you look at my official running stats’ analysis, 1541 runners passed by me in the last 7.2km alone. Blah. Every metre of that last stretch was frustrating. I kept trying to increase my ‘trot’ speed to a jog but every 10 metres or so, I had to abruptly stop because either the right or the left leg was on the verge of cramping. After a while, I decided to listen intently to what my body was trying to tell me. I assessed the situation and managed my expectations. I told myself that if I were to get cramps, I might slow myself further and derail any hope of a sub-3 hours finish. I stopped pushing myself too hard. Gratefully, I managed to jog the last 500 metres. Sweet.

When I acknowledged the fact that I was not going to meet my original goal (sub-2.5 hours), I decided to look at the bigger picture. What is my end-objective? To complete the run. Timing became secondary and, in my head, I was already planning ahead to 2010’s Singapore Marathon in my head. Learn from the mistakes of this maiden experience and come back stronger next year.

Before the marathon on Sunday, I was frequently asked “So is this a precursor to next year’s full marathon?” Of course, the egocentric, competitive maniac in me proclaimed “Yes!” to every one of those questions. How humbled have I been since.

I have reassessed and realised that I do not have all the strengths of a marathon runner. My bulky size means I am not built for long-distance running and, because of my age, the impact of constant running may actually be detrimental to my knees and joints in the long run and limit further physical activities. That is a big consideration.

I am also not equipped with the mental confidence and conviction that I am able to finish a full marathon. Yet. Expectation #fail.

But what I have got going for me is the experience of a first half-marathon and the belief that I can perfectly manage the 21km distance. Knowing my body, I am also convinced that I can do exceptionally well in this category with better preparation and training. Therefore, with all these understanding, I choose the option to excel. So it will be the half-marathon again next year (rather than being mentally-defeated in the full marathon.)

In Summary…

As I have illustrated above, marathon running-style, there are many business lessons to be learned while distance running. In the course of doing business, I believe organisations must be willing to pause and consider the following:

• Listen internally and intently to the business and the marketplace
• Look at the bigger picture and plan sustainable long-term objectives
• Assess situation and re-strategise, if necessary
• Manage expectations and adjust goals, if required
• Understand strengths and weaknesses and use this knowledge to excel in the field, rather than being an also-ran or overrun by competitors

Oh, and by the way, I managed to achieve my sub-3 hours goal. My official finish time for the 21km half-marathon was 2hrs 58mins. Next year’s personal benchmark has been set. Doubly sweet.

So now, who’s taking up the challenge for next year’s Singapore Marathon? If you’re inspired by this post and signing up for next year’s run or you simply have views on this post, would love to hear from you in the comments.

Here is something different on this blog. My experiences, thoughts and learning over the last week.

#BarCampSG4

Last Saturday (21 Nov), I attended BarCamp Singapore 4, organised by Preetam Rai and Kelvin Quee. Sponsored and held at IDA Singapore (also co-sponsored by Yahoo! SG and Hackerspace.SG), BarCamp was open to all. This being my first attendance at a BarCamp, I was not too sure what to expect although I had some ideas, having read some accounts on previous BarCamps.

What is BarCamp? Read on Wikipedia.

BarCamp is Crowdsourcing

Just like the concept of crowdsourcing in social media, most of the topics of the day were suggested by the attendees (pasted on IDA’s wall as shown on photo to the right), then voted by attendees and eventually presented by the attendees. Anyone was free to present on any topic they fancied (technology, social media, creative arts, culture and social sciences) and there were really off-the-wall submissions including ‘How to Present Difficult Concepts to Lesser Beings’ by Coleman Yee (which I thoroughly enjoyed) and one that I rued I missed: Adrianna Tan’s ‘How to Hack Your Own Travel Channel Life’ (thank God for Slideshare). All in all, I enjoyed the sessions I attended, the learning and the impromptu discussions.

Freedom to Choose and Listen

The magic of BarCamp. As the presentations are run simultaneously in a number of rooms over different timeslots (typically 1/2 hour each), you are free to choose which room to attend, what to listen to and whose ideas to ponder upon. You are also free to leave any room at any time (to join another if you wish) and the floor is always open for discussion or opinions.

And if you’re bored, there are always folks outside, milling about or deep in discussions with others and happy to let you chip in your own thoughts and views. The open atmosphere was indeed infectious.

BarCamp and Relevancy: Deconstructed

I love the relevancy of the occasion, the infusion and exchange of ideas, the challenging of ideas, the worldly learning and the congregation of thinking minds. I met and spoke to technologists of every kind (web, soft/hardware hackers, iPhone fanatics, etc), a Web Shaman, a Second Life machinima producer from Perth, two admirable blokes who flew in from Bangkok specifically for BarCamp, an inspiring and relevant educator and her shy students, two very kind souls running gladlyCast, a free(!) SG SMS-to-Twitter service, a recent Harvard grad passionately doing social good through the web (GIVE.sg), budding entrepreneurs, a managing director of a UK-based tailoring business with a factory in Johore Bahru (talk about a global operation!) and many more thinking personalities. This mish-mashed environment of inspiring people and of current and relevant learning made BarCampSG4 a truly memorable event for me.

Oh I forgot, and there’s Preetam, the dude with boundless energy and a noble heart. The heart of BarCampSG. (PS. May the iPhone find its deserving nemesis :)

#NCT

To be frank, this post is inspired by Alec Goh’s own post ‘The Point of It All’. Alec is a student of Singapore Polytechnic’s Media and Communication course. One of its lecturers, Ping, is the aforementioned ‘inspiring and relevant educator’. But why? Read this other post from Alec: ‘Twitter became my School Curriculum’. To me, that is the most relevant education in new media you can get these days. I doubt any school textbook in the market today has anything on Twitter and for any media educators to wait for a textbook revision a few quarters down the road, the opportunity to be ‘currently relevant’ to their students’ learning will be lost. Honestly, Ping, you gave your students a terrific headstart and a definite edge in their learning. It is true that Twitter has been derided by many folks as ‘frivolous’ but it does have beneficial real life applications that I believe in, such as real time learning.

But Alec said it best: ‘Twitter is knowledge’. Real time knowledge.

What is #NCT?

This is what I had gathered. NCT is ‘New Communication Technologies’, a module taught by Ping. I chanced upon the #nct Twitter hashtag one day and it has been on permanent search in my Seesmic Twitter app. I have learnt a hell lot from following #nct. I have enjoyed the conversations that had gone in there and learning from the NCT students. Young students have a great way of sharing knowledge with each other, they break it down to easily consumed bite-sized morsels. Coupled with their eagerness to share their newfound knowledge, this can get pretty enlightening. (Trust me, I went through a few years of adult learning. Working adults like to hog information and knowledge to themselves, in a misguided belief that this is ‘competitive advantage’. Bollocks, I say.)

Did I tell you I know what Continuous Partial Attention is? I learnt that from an #nct blog post: Maisara’s ‘Pay Attention to Attention’. Point proven.

For all jaded media professionals out there, don’t worry if you have missed the boat of relevant learning, it is never too late. #nct will help you understand what is relevant today.

Meeting the #nct

BarCamp was a great opportunity to meet with the young folks from NCT. Although I did not have the opportunity to chat with all of them, I was fortunate to get acquainted in the first person with the likes of Hairunizam, Eve, Khan and one other guy whose name I’ve missed (enlighten me please?) Funnily, these folks do not know who Victor Khoo and Charlee are. That made me feel a little ancient. But what they lack in nostalgia, they sure made it up with youthful enthusiasm. I am glad they enjoyed BarCamp, everyone quipped that the learning through the presentations made it all so worthwhile. I love the open-mindedness.

By the way, I would like to congratulate the Year 3s on having completed their course. I wish you guys fun and relevant learning in your internships, it will be a blast!

The Point of It All

Let’s bring it back a little. I would like to ask you again to read Alec’s ‘The Point of It All’. Alec, for someone so young, captured it concisely. The world is changing around us. Media is changing, the way we communicate in person and online is changing. When the generation that includes Alec, Hairunizam, Eve and Khan comes through and rules the world, are we old fogeys ready to embrace and be sufficiently equipped to partake in the new world order?

At BarCamp, I told the group that is Hairunizam, Even, Khan and the unknown guy, that they are in a very promising generation. Social media and openess is changing business and society and they are right smack in the middle of this revolution, learning about it and pondering about it. They will be the pioneering youths that their future employers look to to change how business is done and how messages get told. And seriously, I want them to succeed.

Because the old fogeys need to wake up. The new kids are coming.

End Words

Staying relevant has never been this important in the history of the world, undoubtedly.

I leave you now with words from Alec that inspired me and I hope others around me.

‘(Following Ms Kwa’s words) I hope and want to be brave enough to be the first batch to venture the new frontiers despite all the threats and uncertainties. The world changes every second and so would I adapt. Speed, courage, awareness, creativity,  openness and social-networking are the notes taken.

The point of it all?

Anticipate change and adapt new relevancy constantly.

- Alec Goh ‘The Point of It All’

Photo Credits

• BarCampSG4 photos courtesy of Meng Wong
• NCT photo courtesy of Alec Goh

This literature review was written as part of my final project for the BA (Hons) Marketing Management program I had attended. I personally thought it was a lot of fun getting this together, especially enjoyed the tons of reading. A lot of insights and new ideas were formed during the process of writing this. See if you enjoy it too. Do leave a comment if you don’t :)

You may wish to download the PDF for later viewing.

Update Dec 1 ’09: I received an overall Distinction grade for the Final Year Project, of which this Literature Review is a major component.

I am currently finishing up on the BA studies, majoring in Marketing Management (I’ve just realised how little they actually teach you in college.) Part of the final dissertation/professional project submission is to assess my learning styles and the personality that comes with this person. Very interesting results. Major points to consider about self:

• I am exceedingly multi-modal, which means I use a complete combination of  visual, aural, kinesthetic and read/write to learn.
• My dominant personality functions are: Extraverted Intuitive and Introverted Feeling. Not bad for this geezer.
• In Belbin’s Team Role Test: I’m a Plant, Specialist and Evaluator Monitor.

Of course, there are dark sides to all of this. You can find out below. Bottomline, with all these tests, I am much better able to judge myself and certainly capitalise on all my strengths and work on those niggling deficiencies. It will help in the long run.

You may also wish to experience the slide set below in its ‘glory’ via .pps.