Facebook Will be the Common Denominator in Social Net by 2012; Mobile Phones Overtake PCs by 2013

The consulting firm is out with their predictions for the next few years. It’s a long document.

Here are a few highlights:

By 2012, Facebook will become the hub for social network integration and Web socialization.

Through Facebook Connect and other similar mechanisms, Facebook will support and take a leading role in developing the distributed, interoperable social Web.

As Facebook continues to grow and outnumber other social networks, this interoperability will become critical to the success and survival of other social networks, communication channels and media sites.

Other social networks (including Twitter) will continue to develop, seeking further adoption and specializations with communication or content areas, but Facebook will represent a common denominator for all of them.

By 2015, context will be as influential to mobile consumer services and relationships as search engines are to the Web.

Whereas search provides the “key” to organizing information and services for the Web, context will provide the “key” to delivering hyperpersonalized experiences across smartphones and any session or experience an end user has with information technology.

Search centered on creating content that drew attention and could be analyzed. Context will center on observing patterns, particularly location, presence and social interactions. Furthermore, whereas search was based on a “pull” of information from the Web, context-enriched services will, in many cases, prepopulate or push information to users.

By 2013, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide. According to Gartner’s PC installed base forecast, the total number of PCs in use will reach 1.78 billion units in 2013. By 2013, the combined installed base of smartphones and browser-equipped enhanced phones will exceed 1.82 billion units and will be greater than the installed base for PCs thereafter.

Access the Complete Document
Source: Gartner

Bill Gates is Now Tweeting and Also Has a New Site, “The Gates Notes”

If you’re looking for someone new to follow on Twitter, how does Bill Gates work for you? He started with Twitter yesterday and as of Wed. afternoon had over 235,000 followers. You can find his page at: http://www.twitter.com/billgates and yes, this is a verified account.
Today, Gates launched his new web site titled, The Gates Notes.”
It includes sections on:
+ What I’m Thinking
+ What I’m Learning
+ My Travels
+ Infrequently Asked Questions
+ and more
The home page also states:

Every January, Bill writes an Annual Letter, which includes his thoughts on the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and progress it is making toward achieving its goals. Interest in the 2009 Annual Letter was one reason Bill decided to create the Gates Notes website.

Source: The Gates Notes, Twitter

Genuine Degree Online MBA Program - Top 10

Do you want to pursue an MBA but can't find the time? Maybe you don’t feel like being out of a job for two years is worth the investment? Maybe all the online MBA programs you know seem too generic? Do you want a quality MBA without sacrificing your job, your family, or your earnings? This is a quick summary of the top ten online MBA programs based on rankings/reputation, structure, networking opportunities, gained skills, and tuition investment. The rankings and tuition fees published here are believed to be true for the academic year 2008-2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1) IE Business School

Location: Madrid, Spain

Program: Global MBA

Rankings: #4 by Forbes, #8 by Financial Times, #9 by The Economist (#2 for Distance Learning).

Description: IE offers a 16-month Global MBA program for English and Spanish speakers. The program allows students to connect to the virtual classroom from anywhere in the world. In addition to virtual lectures and video-conferences, students are required to participate in two short residence sessions in Madrid. Each session lasts five days and take place during different years.

Networking opportunities: Students from 48 countries with background and expertise in a diverse variety of fields including financial markets, banking, marketing, and technology.

Gained skills:   Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Information Systems, Intercultural Skills.

Tuition: € 36,100 (approx. $56,000 USD)

Website: http://www.gmba-eng.ie.edu/

2) Thunderbird School of Global Management

Location: Arizona, USA

Program: Global MBA

Rankings: #1 in International Programs by U.S. News & World Report, # 1 in International Business by Financial Times, # 1 in International Business by The Wall Street Journal.

Description: Thunderbird offers a 19-month global MBA program where students participate through virtual classrooms and on-site seminars in the USA, China and Switzerland. 

Networking opportunities: Students have lived and worked in over 16 different countries with backgrounds in a wide variety of companies ranging from Coca Cola to Boeing to the US Department of Defense.

Gained skills: Cross-Cultural Communications, Global Political Economy, Global Finance, Global Operations, Global Marketing, Global Negotiations, Global Leadership, Global Strategy.

Tuition: $61,650 USD (includes on-site costs for international study trips except airfare)

Website: http://www.thunderbird.edu/prospective_students/working_
prof_degrees/gmbaod/index.htm

3) Manchester Business School

Location: Manchester, UK

Program: Distance Learning MBA

Rankings: # 15 by MBA Career Guide Survey, #22 by Financial Times.

Description: This flexible two-year program combines self-study with face-to-face workshops in one of six destinations worldwide – UK, Brazil, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Malaysia and Jamaica.

Networking opportunities: Students are located in over 90 countries worldwide and possess years of work experience in industries such as construction, engineering, and finance.

Gained skills:   Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Managerial Economics, Quantitative Methods, Corporate Strategy.

Tuition: £19,200 (approximately $37,914 USD)

Website: http://www.mbs-worldwide.ac.uk/

4) Duke University

Location: North Carolina, USA

Program: Cross-Continental MBA

Rankings: # 9 by BusinessWeek, #14 by U.S. News & World Report, # 28 by Financial Times.

Description: The program lasts 20 months blending Internet-enabled distance learning with 9 one-week residential sessions that take place in North Carolina, Europe and Asia.

Networking opportunities: Students from 23 countries average three to nine years of experience and are currently employed full-time in a variety of industries.

Gained skills:   Finance, Accounting, Decision Models, Cross-Cultural Communications, Marketing, Strategy, Global Financial Management, Global Economics.

Tuition: $101,900 USD

Website: http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/mba/executive/cc/

5) Warwick Business School

Location: Coventry, UK

Program: Warwick MBA Distance Learning

Rankings: #3 (Distance Learning) by The Economist, #29 by Financial Times.

Description: The Warwick MBA consists of 3 parts that can be completed in 3 years (one part/year) or extended up to eight years. The program uses a variety of delivery methods including print materials, online resources, virtual study groups and a compulsory September Seminar at Warwick each year.

Networking opportunities: Participants include students from more than 90 countries with an average of 10 years of experience. Many students are in middle-management and upper-management positions.

Gained skills:   Strategic Advantage, Finance, Accounting, Modeling and Analysis, Economics, Market Analysis, Operations Management, Organizational Behavior.

Tuition: Approximately £15,500 for three years. (approximately $30,259 USD)

Website: http://www.wbs.ac.uk/students/mba/learn/dl.cfm

6) University of Florida

Location: Gainesville, Florida - USA

Program: Internet MBA

Rankings: #1 (Distance Learning) by The Economist, #6 by The Wall Street Journal, #34 by U.S. News & World Report.

Description: The Internet MBA program at the University of Florida provides students with two options: The Two-Year MBA and the One-Year MBA option. The Two-Year MBA program starts in February, offers a 27-month curriculum and requires 8 weekend campus visits at the end of each term. The One-Year MBA option is provided for students with a business degree and two to seven years of work experience. It starts in January, offers a 16-month curriculum and requires 5 weekend campus visits at the end of each term.

Networking opportunities: Students in these program average 6 years of work experience in a variety of industries such as telecommunications, banking, and international trade. 

Gained skills:   Personal Finance, Corporate Finance, Accounting, Marketing Management, Professional Writing, Operations Management, Entrepreneurship, E-Commerce, Brand Equity, Business Policy, Business Law.

Tuition: $36,000 USD for the One-Year MBA option; $41,000 USD for the two-year MBA option.

Website: http://www.floridamba.ufl.edu/FutureStudents/internet.asp

7) Indiana University

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana - USA

Program: Master of Business Administration (Kelley Direct)

Rankings: #18 by BusinessWeek, #23 by U.S. News & World Report, #61 by Financial Times.

Description: This flexible program can be completed in two to five years. It focuses on general administration, but can be tailored to meet the needs of individual students. The program is offered almost exclusively over the Web with two in-residence clinics that last one week in Indiana.

Networking opportunities: Students in the program come from almost every state in the USA as well as over 20 countries from around the world. Almost all students have several years of corporate or military experience.

Gained skills:   Accounting, Finance, Economics, Quantitative Analysis, Project Management, Strategic Marketing, Human Resources, Global Business, Business Law, Strategic Capabilities.

Tuition: $48,195 USD

Website: http://kd.iu.edu/

8) Pennsylvania State University

Location: University Park, Pennsylvania - USA

Program: Penn State's Online MBA

Rankings: #40 by U.S. News & World Report, #58 by Financial Times, US Second Tier Program by BusinessWeek.

Description: This 2-year program combines online courses with 2 residency experiences – the first one at a US company (anywhere in the USA) and the second one at Penn State’s University Park campus.

Networking opportunities: Penn State iMBA students represent employers from 37 states and 5 countries.

Gained skills:   Finance, Accounting, Organizational Behavior and Change, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Marketing, Corporate Strategies, Global Operations, Global Management.

Tuition: $49,000 USD

Website: http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/iMBA_Home.shtml

9) Babson College

Location: Boston, Massachusetts - USA

Program: Fast Track MBA

Rankings: #1 in Entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report, # 1 in Entrepreneurship by Financial Times, #48 Overall MBA by U.S. News & World Report, # 84 Overall MBA by Financial Times.

Description: This 24-month program combines face-to-face learning, web-based learning, and field-based projects. Face-to-face instruction is based on two-day sessions that are held at Babson or in Portland, Oregon approximately every six weeks - all day on Fridays and Saturdays.

Networking opportunities: Students in this program average 10 years of work experience and come from almost every state in the US and approximately 10 countries.

Gained skills:   Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Creativity, Human Behavior, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Ethics and Law.

Tuition: $50,766 USD

Website: http://cmweb.babson.edu/mba/

10) University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Location: Amherst, Massachusetts - USA

Program: Online MBA

Rankings: #2 Best Overall Academic Experience by Princeton Review, #4 Best Professors.

Description: The entire 37-credit degree program can be completed online. No campus residencies are required. The program can be completed in 2 years. 

Networking opportunities: Students in the program are from the 50 US States and 15 countries and have experience in a variety of industries.

Gained skills:   Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Organizational Behavior, Business Data Analysis, Independent Research.

Tuition: $24,790 USD.

Website: http://www.isenberg.umass.edu/MBA/PartTime_MBA/Online/

Apply Online for New PAN Card

This post is an update to my previous post "Now Submit Grievance related to PAN Card directly to Gov. of India".

I found a new link in Gov. of India Portal where any citizen of India who have to submit return files to income tax officials can now directly apply online for PAN Card.

Both the procedures for application of PAN Card is listed below:-

1)Online Application for New PAN (through UTITSL)

2)Online Application for New PAN (through NSDL)

Now Submit Grievance related to PAN Card directly to Gov. of India

Any grievance related to PAN card can easily be consulted by the Officials of Indian Government.Yes, This is true and not a false promise by Government of India.

Here is the link. Click here to submit grievance related to PAN.

 

Permanent Account Number (PAN) refers to a ten-digit alphanumeric number, issued in the form of a laminated card, by the Income Tax Department in India. It is a must to have a PAN Card number those who file their income tax returns, because from 2005 onwards, it has been made mandatory by the Income Tax Department to quote the PAN on return of income as well as on all correspondence with any income tax authority in the country.

Indian Government has established a resource portal online especially for citizen of India. Here it is.

Not only issues related to PAN card are solved here but many official issues which might take you months and years without this online portal. This website is really helpful for those citizens of India who can request/complain their official documents grievance directly to the Gov. of India.

Short Form Business Communications

Below are some frequently used short forms in business communication like e-mails, faxes and letters:



a.k.a. - also known as



On Monday morning, Kay El, a.k.a. The Boss, walked in happily and greeted her assistant, Pee Jay.



approx. - approximately



Checking her e-mail, Pee Jay read, "Today is the boss's birthday. Can everyone please slip off quietly to the cafeteria in approx. 15 minutes?"



ASAP - as soon as possible



Pee Jay opened up her daily planner and scribbled ASAP next to some of the urgent items on her to-do list.



Attn. - for the attention of



Leafing through the stack of mail to be sent out, Pee Jay asked her boss, "To whom should I address the cheque for the annual report?"



Her boss replied, "Just write 'Attn: Ms. Christine Jalleh'. She'll know what to do with it."



Bcc. - blind carbon copy or blind copy to. In this case, the carbon copy is sent to an e-mail recipient whose e-mail address is not visible to the cc or other bcc recipients.



"By the way, I think it's better if you bcc me in your e-mail to Brown. We wouldn't want him thinking that I'm supervising you for this project."



Cc. - carbon copy, or copy to



"But I would like to be cc-ed on the e-mail to Mr Green as I have not yet introduced the both of you to each other."



c/o - in care of, used when sending a document to A who will receive it on B's behalf because B is away from the office.



"Boss, I think Christine is back in China this week. Would it be all right if I sent the cheque in care of her assistant? I'll still write her name on top with c/o Ah Sis Tern below."



COD - cash on delivery, where a person makes payment for an item purchase after it has been delivered.



"I'm also sending out the cheque for the set of Business English reference books we bought COD on eBay."



e.g. - exempli gratia (for example)



Pee Jay replied to the e-mail, "Hi everyone. Please remember that the boss doesn't like surprises, e.g. everyone shouting 'Surprise!' in the cafeteria."



et al. - et alii (and others). Usually used to list co-authors after the lead author in a bibliography, this form is now popularly used to address the other people other than the recipient in e-mails.



She received a new e-mail, which read, "Dear Pee Jay et al., I was reminded that the boss does NOT like surprises ..."



etc. - et cetera (and so on OR and so forth)



This means that we will not be able to collectively surprise her by springing out of the cafeteria doors as we had planned, etc.



exc. - except



"Can everyone, exc. Pee Jay, be at the cafeteria in 5 minutes? We need to figure out a surprise without the surprise element. Thanks!"



FYI - for your information



Her boss's voice brought the young assistant back to the present, "Pee Jay, I'm forwarding you all these e-mails FYI, okay?"



FYA - for your action



"Note that some of these e-mails are FYA ..."



i.e. - id est (that is)



After acknowledging her supervisor, Pee Jay decided to help her colleagues out and typed, "She's in a good mood today, i.e. we won a new account and completed a major project."



K - thousand, e.g. 450K = 450,000



"Just to give you an idea of her mood, it's a 450K retainer for the first quarter ..."



PA - personal assistant



The immediate reply to Pee Jay's e-mail read, "Thanks for the info, Pee Jay - you're the best PA!"

p.a. - per annum (per year)



Pee Jay smiled and responded, "Haha, there is a reason why I'm paid RM65K p.a."



p.p. - per pro (used when signing a document on someone's behalf)



Looking back at her paperwork, Pee Jay signed some invoices on her boss's behalf, inserting p.p. just before her signature.



Pto. - please turn over, used at the end of a page to indicate that there is a continuity to the text.



"By the way, please remember to type Pto. on the first page of the proposal you're sending. The last time we sent it to him, he forgot to read the subsequent pages," chimed in Kay El.



viz. - videlicet, namely



She got up and left a note on Pee Jay's work station before leaving. Scribbled on it was, "Can I pass you my slice of birthday cake after I cut it? I really don't need a lot of carbo, viz. refined flour, at my age." The note ended with a wink.