In market research, it is observed, quite frequently that when the research is undertaken by paid bodies, they have a tendency to skew the data, for the company's favor, which may not be healthy for the company in the long run. Hence more and more companies are turning to, undergraduate or graduate marketing students who are unpaid and usually furnish unbiased information, as their main interest lies in gaining knowledge about the industry, learning about research analysis and developing presentation skills. Companies are preferring the fresh outlook of students, guided by proper mentors. Read more at:

http://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/is-college-the-key-to-better-market-research/

80% (including tangible assets) of a business total corporate value on the S&P500 index, now only count for 20%. Now, intangible assets such as data, talent and intellectual property has become the hallmark. In this competitive world, the CFO needs to allocate their entire budget in digital technologies. CFOs need to become leaders and guide business during digital transformation. According to Gartner, "intangible assets are the core competency value of any business." And they need to rebalance their investment portfolio. According to Shailender Kumar (MD of Oracle India), data and access to the data are the most valuable intangible assets for businesses today and cloud helps organizations to get the most from the data. Organizations need to rethink on their ROI measurement procedure. They need to develop new metrics, risk and performance measures in order to measure ROI. To know more about the CFO role in cloud and digital technologies, please follow this link: http://www.financialexpress.com/article/industry/companies/data-talent-and-ip-are-key-to-a-companys-market-worth/78557/

Statistical analysis is being used extensively in all sorts of sports now-a-days. However the growth of analytics in soccer has been quite slow, mainly because of its orthodox nature. Hence, enters Thomas Bayes’ famous theorem, the Bayes’ theorem, according to which, the chances of an event taking place, is updated, by integrating the former chances of its occurrence and the new information that might affect its prospect. The Bayes’ theorem completely encourages the use of analytics to revise our perspectives regarding players and teams. Stats refer to raw data collected from each match regarding both the individual player’s performance and the performance of the team as a whole. Analytics manipulates this data, thereby extracting the desired information, which helps in predicting future game scores. Read more at:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/soccer-analytics-premier-league/

According to Gene Pease, CEO of Vestrics, "The power of predictive analytics is you can understand where your investments are working". In the last few years, the idea of hiring, retaining and training employees has been a foreign concept for many companies due to the downsizing. Thus, predictive analysis in collaboration with HR is proving to be one of the ways managers are modernizing with their hiring and engagement practices. Organizations can thus create the profile of workers that should fill a particular position. According to writer Anne Loehr, "The biggest benefit is that predictive analytics can help remove human bias". Thus customized on-boarding and leadership development programs may evolve out of predictive analytics in the near future.  Read more about this article at:  http://fieldservice.com/2015/05/26/predictive-analytics-a-magic-bullet-for-field-service-hiring-managers/

According to a recent study in 2014-15, it was found that today's high school students are heavy internet users using social media channels to stay well-informed with current affairs and to be connected with family and friends. 52% of them are part of at least one community on Facebook and 65% of them have Google+ accounts; 6 out of 10 use Whats App. According to the study, it was also found that 75% of these students spend an hour online every day. Two-third who survey, shop online. 63% use Wikipedia, 51% use PDF and 44% use videos as learning resources. Read more about this article at:  http://www.dqindia.com/over-75-of-indian-school-students-spend-an-average-of-1-hour-on-social-media-every-day-tcs-study/

Small Medium Businesses (SME) contribute to around half of the GDP and two-third of all private sector jobs in UK, thus playing a massive role in innovation. Nearly 9% of the UK adults are now in early-stage entrepreneurship.  Tech firms & digital enterprises has sprung up all over the country. Banks are helping smaller companies with correct tools and best practice in their earlier stage so that these companies can achieve their full potential. Read more about this interesting article by Richard Phelps, Head of Corporate and Employer's Solution at: https://barclayswealthblog.com/index.php/fostering-fast-growth-start-ups/ 

According to the bi-annual Entrepreneurs Index, entrepreneurship is booming in UK. The future growth of these relatively new businesses will enhance UK's Small Medium Enterprises (SME) landscape further. These businesses contribute to around half of the GDP and two-third of all private sector jobs in UK. Since entrepreneurs are fast becoming the center of the modern day business world, wealth managers must found the best way to meet their demand. To know more, please read the article by Richard Phelps, Head of Corporate and Employer Solution of Barclays at:  https://barclayswealthblog.com/index.php/the-age-of-the-entrepreneur/

There is a lack of awareness about the insurance sector but it has a lot of attractive and interesting propositions to offer. Amendments have been made to the Insurance Act, 1938.  Foreign investment ceiling in insurance companies has been increased which will boost job opportunities and growth potential. But, talent retention is a challenge in this sector. Economic and regulatory changes have affected this sector. This led to companies adopting short term policies over long term ones. It is also predicted that salary structures would increase slowly with average increment levels at 8% for the current year. Read more at:

http://info.shine.com/article/talent-retention-is-a-big-challenge-for-insurance-firms/8814.html

The present day drug traffickers are very proficient in using modern technology, manipulating it for obtaining new marketing opportunities for their drugs. These criminals are using digital networking to a large extent for distributional purposes via secure methods, provided by modern day technology, which go undetected.  Often investigators fail to identify the disturbance they must be looking for, whose data lies well concealed under suitable digital protection. Advanced crime analytics incorporates big data and advanced analytics along with crime science study to detect anomalies, often their sources and the associated people. Advanced crime analytics is also essential in controlling cross-border drug trafficking by not only protecting witness details but also speeding up the entire process. To know more follow the article by Craig Richardson (chief executive of the Wynyard Group) at:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/crime-analytics-software-proves-powerful-weapon-in-war-on-drugs-20150414-1mkp6r.html

Ski resorts now-a-days are using certain frequency recognition systems, whose data is used to upgrade skier's experience, in multiple ways. For example, the system has led to the replacement of the old paper system, which unnecessarily consumed a lot of excess time. Stats collected from individual skiers are used by programs, to get an idea about the number of lift rides taken, number of days spent in the slopes, height scaled etc. Skiers can also get rewards based on their performance as directed by the data, thus leading to a gaming experience, which is attracting more and more skiers to the slopes. Big data also ensures that the ski resorts can efficiently transfer proper information to the consumers using data management. Big data not only helps the resorts in predicting weather, with the right stats, but also helps in strategizing suitable marketing techniques. Read more at:

http://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/even-ski-resorts-are-benefiting-from-the-big-data-explosion

IoT technology is not only for retailers or e-commerce, but it can be also used by critical industries like oil and production for tracking events. Let's discuss how IoT can help these industries? Traditional method of communicating and controlling operations in large industries is SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition). SCADA works by getting information from the central controller. But IoT sensitivity detectors can track information from both mobile devices and other communications. These devices not only send key messages directly to the sites, but also provide better and simpler communications along with sending information into headquarters. It provides lower cost and improved communications. To know more about, how IoT can help critical industries in better operation, please follow this link:  http://recode.net/2015/05/28/the-iot-and-the-needs-of-business/

In this information era, marketing is all about information and content marketing is an important part of marketing strategy because it provides a foundation for leveraging other marketing channels. For example: social media marketing is one of the best ways to reach leads, but what will happen if you don't have a content to post in a social media account? According to Sarah Goliger (Inbound Marketer at HubSpot), content marketing is a long-term strategy. Tips to manage content marketing:

• Plan ahead
• Write evergreen content
• Promote evergreen content
• Leverage older content for new conversions

To know more about content marketing and its importance, please follow this link: http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/how-campaign-based-content-will-kill-your-marketing-strategy-01238559

According to Gary Langer, president of Langer Research Associates LLC in New York "The increase in negative expectations occurred among a disparate collection of groups, indicating a generalized retrenchment". 39% population said that the U.S. economy is getting worse. The Bloomberg Economic Surprise Index touched its lowest level of expansion. The Bloomberg measure of the buying climate declined to 38.1 from 40.4 and personal finances increased to a five-week high of 56.3 from 55.7. Unemployment rate dropped to 5.4%. Read more about this article at:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-21/consumers-expectations-for-u-s-economy-drop-most-since-2013

Businesses cannot ignore the impact of daily mobile use and mobile purchasing, especially given the fact that 85% of Americans surveyed said that mobile devices are important in their everyday lives. Mobile app is the perfect platform for reaching to a larger audience. The mobile-oriented services like Whats App, We Chat and Facebook Messenger are now achieving the top social media ranking spots. To know more, please read this article by OREN LEVY (CEO of Zooz) at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246430 

SWOT Analysis must contain a two-dimensional look from both a product and a brand point of view. JIM JOSEPH (Contributor), writes in this article about some points which are important in any business. They are:

1. Business strength should become unique competitive advantage.
2. Challenge is the key word and focus on the factors that keep us from being competitive and identify our weakness.
3. Business house must think of various ways to expand their brand, because opportunities will be likely to impact business.
4. Business must identify the potential threats, and finally, focus on actionable items to make SWOT analysis realistic.

Read more at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246434

Investment in real estate plays a vital part in an investment portfolio. People tend to diversify their portfolios and real estate investment provides valuable diversification. There are certain risks associated in real estate investment. It is cash intensive, time consuming and vulnerable due to fluctuating interest rates. Investors should learn from past market scenarios and know when to make the right choices. Real estate offers direct ownership unlike other assets. Private real estate deals are popular among investors as risk of sole ownership can be avoided. Another option for investors is real estate investor trusts (REIT). REIT’s are usually publicly traded companies investing in real estate through purchasing properties. Risks include cost and tax implications and declining net asset values of REITs’ in case of rising interest rates.  To know more, please follow:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2015/05/22/real-estate-investments-risks/

An idea can also be marketable just like any product or service and if executable properly, then can also be as valuable. Skilled people who sells idea often are called earn buy-in, which helps in increasing funds. A good salesperson specifies about the product they are selling to solve customer's pains. Likewise, by knowing an idea well enough, one should establish a stronger bond between what they are selling and what audience needs through conversation. To know more read the article at: http://www.cmswire.com/cms/social-business/the-art-of-selling-an-idea-029138.php 

A well-known tractor maker company in US, is also a front-line innovator. This company has incorporated integrated software, network connectivity and data gathering sensors into tractor hardware. It is a perfect example of digital transformation in a much needed field, but yet, least expected of such transformation, till now. Digital transformation should be the heart of every business, whose sole purpose is to improve the existing business philosophies of the firm. Read more at:

http://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/digital-transformation-your-key-to-survival/

In business, the 'black swan' is a form of disruption, which is usually least expected by a firm. Again, 'ugly duckling' refers to the day to day disruptions, which are always expected, and the firm remains prepared for it, hence, the coining of the term.  Companies don't pay attention to these disruptions with the expectation that they will remain small and never grow up to be as big and disruptive as the 'black swan'. Majority of the companies have risk management departments who focus on regulations and the traditional risks, completely ignoring the extreme ('black swan') cases. The 'black swan' has the capability of even surpassing the traditional data analytics procedures. Hence, comes into the picture, big data and advanced analytics, which gathers newer insights even about the most uncommon and worst case scenarios that may happen in the near future. Armed with information, much beforehand, the companies can make themselves immune, even to the worst of the situations. Predictive analytics thus plays a major role in recognizing 'black swan' events, often from the data of past 'black swan' episodes. Read more at:

http://www.teradatamagazine.com/v15n02/Features/Ugly-Duckling-or-Black-Swan/

Use of cloud contact center results in low cost, increased efficiency and greater flexibility but cost centers need to consider a good cloud connectivity. Businesses generally use public internet to access cloud services which is not reliable.  Fast and secure service can be enjoyed with good cloud connectivity and customers will be loyal because complexity will be reduced with a single point of contact for all services. Read more at: 

 http://www.callcentertimes.com/Articles/tabid/59/ctl/NewsArticle/mid/407/CategoryID/1/NewsID/973/Default.aspx