Monthly Archives: April 2008

Social networking = posh KM?

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Hmm, I’m sure the good folk at Small World Collaboration would see the wisdom in this analysis of the evoltuion of KM into social networking, reported in ‘Computing’:

Social networking is posh knowledge management

Communications_sparks Whatever happened to knowledge management? The question is posed in the latest edition of System House, analyst Ovum’s monthly review of the UK IT industry. Christopher Harris-Jones and Mike Davis recognise knowledge management was a hot phrase in the 1990s, but has become less popular recently.

Rather than disappearing, Harris-Jones and Davis suggest knowledge management has changed its shape – and more – importantly, its name.

Successful knowledge management was all about making the best use of available data and skills and the Ovum analysts say the latest social networking trend follows similar lines, simply proving a way for individuals to share information.

To make the most of the collaborative opportunities presented through social networking, Harris-Jones and Davis suggest social software needs to be integrated with other information management technologies, such as content management.

And in other words, social networking is not – as is commonly perceived – a revolution; instead it is just another means for sharing and exploiting information. Roll-on the next craze.

Cracking the China social networking market

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Hmm, funny how suddenly I see stories about social networking in China as the next big thing.

Firstly, in comments to the recent Econmist article, with news that one of the most profitable sites is QQ:

The best in class is QQ in China: 300 million active accounts, 523 million USD revenues,
224 million USD operating profit. More, advertising represents less than 20% of revenues, most of the rest is digital goods for Internet or mobile. How is it possible to claim this is not a business?
We gave a presentation at a conference recently comparing Facebook and QQ. Seewww.plus8star.com for more info.

Secondly, news that Google has bought into the market. ‘Google Invests $1M In Chinese Social Networking Firm’:

Google Inc., last week disclosed that it has invested $1 million in a start-up company Comsenz Inc., a Chinese company that provides software and services for online community networks. It is nevertheless a different move by Google to expand its foothold in China. Reports of Google’s investment funds in Comsenz showed up in Chinese media last year, although the speculation had it that Google was investing roughly $5 million into the Beijing-based company.

Thirdly, I wonder if Medicexchange, which already has invested in China through medical imaging online through its portal, will extend this to a social networking site aimed at the the lucrative China market?