-Using mobile phone apps to improve HR

Are you switched on? If you’re not using a smart phone, then it’s time to join the current estimated 303 million Chinese, up from 233 million in 2009, who are using mobile phones to access the internet. William Lee, of SinoContact, a Shanghai based online and mobile marketing firm states, “The number of mobile internet users has reached 303 million, according to CNNIC’s latest research,” referring to the China Internet Network Information Center. CNNIC’s January 2011 report states that aside from phone calls and instant messaging, reading news represents the most common use for mobile phones, with 59.9% of Chinese with 3G capabilities using their mobile phone for this purpose. So if you’re not switched on, you’re going to be left behind!

Business analytics is having a positive impact on many fundamental areas within enterprises such as finance, sales and production. The idea behind business analytics is to extract valuable insights from the massive amounts of data stored by a typical enterprise, to improve the quality of business decisions by allowing them to be based on facts rather than anecdotal information. For example, a bank may use analytics to predict how different groups of customers will respond to various product offers, allowing them to hone in on the most profitable clusters. Wouldn’t it be great if this forecasting technology was available to HR professionals too? The good news is basic analytics is already here with more advanced functionality less than 12 months away, presenting the opportunity for savvy HR practitioners to get ready to reap the benefits...

-Catch up on your reading

At this point, most professionals may be suffering from gadget overload. We have smart phones that can access the internet, media players that can show DVD quality movies, and laptops so powerful they are capable of managing every minute of our professional and personal worlds. Do we really need another piece of technology to “simplify” our lives? According to tech industry trends, the answer appears to be yes! The next “must have” device for the full equipped professional is the e-reader.