Posts Tagged ‘Technology’

Non-Latin Web Domains

Friday, October 30th, 2009

“By the middle of next year, Internet surfers will be allowed to use Web addresses written completely in Chinese, Arabic, Korean, and other languages using non-Latin alphabets,” The New York Times reports. “In an action billed as one of the biggest changes in the Web’s history, the board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers—or Icann—voted Friday during its annual meeting, held in Seoul, to allow such scripts in Internet addresses.”

Smeal’s John Jordan weighs in on the business implications and historical significance of this decision:

The expansion of the Internet domain name system from 37 Latin characters (26 letters, 10 digits, and a hyphen) to include character-based languages is a landmark event for the globalization of communications. More than 100,000 characters will eventually be added, so at one level the decision by Icann to accept the technical challenge (particularly, but not exclusively, at the level of the root name servers) is noteworthy. From a business standpoint, the decision marks a recognition of the growing importance of such character-based languages as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Billions more people will be able to connect to the Internet using their native language and keyboards.

The decision raises a variety of fascinating questions. Given the rapid adoption of mobile Internet in the developing world, how will the availability of domain names in numerous character sets affect the design of smartphones for these markets? Given that Chinese relies on about 6,000 characters, for example, a RIM Blackberry-style keyboard would be difficult or impossible to implement.  On the marketing front, how will global brands adapt to the wider availability of non-Latin representation online? How will native-language Internet naming affect literacy efforts and measurements? How will a vastly multiplied character set affect security efforts?

At another level, the action is a splendid piece of historical timing: The first Internet message was sent 40 years ago this week, and the Netscape Navigator browser launched 15 years ago this month.  Predicting where the international, mobile Internet will be in even five years is impossible; coping with change of this magnitude at this speed is unprecedented in human experience.

Tags: Globalization, Jordan, Technology
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Googling Employee Retention

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

“Concerned a brain drain could hurt its long-term ability to compete, Google Inc. is tackling the problem with its typical tool: an algorithm,” according to The Wall Street Journal. “The Internet search giant recently began crunching data from employee reviews and promotion and pay histories in a mathematical formula Google says can identify which of its 20,000 employees are most likely to quit.”

According to Smeal’s Maria Taylor, director for learning solutions for Penn State Executive Programs and co-author of Human Resource Transformation: Demonstrating Strategic Leadership in the Face of Future Trends, “Google may revolutionize talent management the same way it revolutionized how we find and use information.”

More from Taylor:

Google’s recent announcement that it is testing a mathematical formula to predict employee departures is a marvelous example of an organization drawing on its core competency to solve new problems.  In this case, Google is synthesizing seemingly disparate sources of data into relevant information to help to solve its talent retention challenges.

This mathematical approach is clearly consistent with Google’s data driven culture.  The question is: How well will Google combine this tool to build a viable system of talent management that is consistent with its culture? 

Google’s identity is built upon user and employee focus.  A visit to the Google Web site shows the emphasis on innovation, individual contribution, and the team in links such as the “Ten Things Google has found to be true” and “The Google Culture.”  The new tool will be successful if it facilitates the organization to keep true to this culture and uses the information provided to raise the engagement levels of those who are identified as at risk.  High tech plus high touch equals high impact.

Organizations that are successful in developing and retaining great talent share several characteristics: genuine focus on the mission and success of the organization as a whole, unique opportunities for employees to feel like they can make a difference, the belief that one’s contributions will be appreciated and recognized, and real involvement of leadership at all levels in developing talent.  Talent and leadership development programs are successful when executed as an integral part of the greater whole of organizational growth and success. 

To the degree that organizations can identify the important factors in retention and success, mathematical modeling and data-driven decision tools may become important components.  However, their true success will be determined by implementing an integrated program that considers organizational as well as individual success and growth.

Tags: Human Resources, Management, Taylor, Technology
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Intel Hit with Record Antitrust Fine

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

The European Union yesterday levied a record $1.45 billion fine against Intel for antitrust law violations. CNNMoney.com reports, “The European Commission said Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, violated European antitrust laws by unfairly paying computer makers to delay or even cancel products that contained chips made by rival AMD.”

Smeal’s Terrence Guay, says the fine ”illustrates the fact that the EU has replaced the United States as the regulatory capital of the world.”

More from Guay:

If previous cases are any indication, the company’s appeal is unlikely to change the outcome, as General Electric and Microsoft learned to their dismay in recent years.  The EU has major reservations about companies that hold a dominant position in their industry, such as Intel and Microsoft. 

What is interesting is how U.S. competitors have used the EU as a forum to punish these three companies.  Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Intel’s primary competitor, brought the case to the EU and provided information used in the antitrust ruling.  Authorities in Japan and South Korea previously had ruled that Intel had engaged in anti-competitive practices, although no fines were imposed.  AMD realized that the EU would be tougher on Intel than would U.S. regulators, given the relaxing of antitrust policy under the Bush administration. 

Similarly, Microsoft’s competitors went to the EU after losing their case in the United States in 2001, and won in Europe in 2004.  Until this week, Microsoft held the ignominious record for the largest fine imposed by EU competition authorities.  And General Electric’s 2001 attempt to acquire Honeywell was thwarted by the EU, despite winning approval from U.S. authorities. 

The Obama administration signaled last week that it would get tougher on antitrust matters, which suggests a move toward the EU model of antitrust policy.  Companies have to realize that the world’s largest market is no longer the United States, but the EU.  And if they want to compete there, then they must abide by EU regulations, be they antitrust, environmental, product safety, or labor-related.  Companies that dominate industries also need to be aware that their competitors will pursue them around the world as they “shop” for favorable regulatory environments.

Tags: Globalization, Guay, Technology
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Social Technology Limits

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Nokia recently launched an online forum called IdeasProject, which is ”an entirely new way to connect with some of the most visionary and influential thought leaders in communications technology and their disruptive ideas.” The site features video clips, articles, podcasts, and other media that address issues and forecast coming trends in communications technology.

One of the most recent “big thinkers” to be featured is Smeal’s John Jordan, executive director of the Center for Digital Transformation. In the video below, Jordan explains how the value of Web sites like Facebook and eBay depends on the number of users that they have. As the number of users increases, so does the usefulness of the site—to a certain point.

You can view four additional video clips from Jordan on his Ideas Project Web page. Even more clips are available on YouTube.

Tags: Jordan, Technology
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