Market places have become driven by web users

”If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends. If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.” said Jeff Bezos, the CEO of the Amazon.com. Your company is not the subject of potential conversations and attack that are broadcast over the internet. People are now able to publish their personal views easily using a few simple online tools.

With the creation of Web 2.0 media services, users of the internet have become active participants who can write and distribute information on their own. Users can publish their own blog, post comments of news sites such as Digg and Newsvine, can interact with friends on Facebook, publish photos and videos on sites such as Flicker and YouTube and can give their opinions of products and services on consumer opinion platforms such as Consumer Review.

Nowadays, if a company decides not to participate on the internet, its customers will often times do it for them effectively becoming the public voice of the company. And people do look and do care about public opinion.

Think of the most recent large purchases you made. Didn’t you go online and see what other internet users were saying about the product or services? Does anyone really rely now solely on a brochure to make large purchases?

Through the internet, every company and every individual has the potential to become the object of both positive and negative feedback. Rumors, once small in scope, are now spreading on the internet at different rates depending on the individual circumstances. Conversations on 2.0 media need to be carefully analyzed in order to anticipate any possible larger-scale proliferation towards the classic mass media (radio, TV, print media) and halt potentially disparaging remarks about your organization.

There are virtually no rules cast in iron in the world of rumor-spreading on the net: a rumor may spring from a blog and then be picked up by a radio station, or conversely begin on television in a program with a small audience and then be repeated on a multimedia platform (YouTube, Dailymotion) and subsequently viewed by millions. One thing is for sure: traditional media now have to include (or even incorporate through diversification) new Web 2.0 media to cope more effectively with high speed information creation and circulation.

Online Reputation Management

Companies that specialize in online reputation management help companies connect with their customers and develop client loyalty. They help businesses create trust utilizing the full range of tools available on the internet, particularly those associated with Web 2.0.

By combining years of experience in advertising and marketing coupled with the power of the social web, these digital advocates are able to assist their clients in gaining useful insight into how their customers think and interact online. They then take that knowledge and create an effective strategy to optimize a company’s visibility, traffic, interaction and online branding and reputation.

They often have a strict processes for gaining maximum efficiency by focusing on the following areas:

Achieving Higher Visibility (Image Creation)

Increasing your visibility on the internet will serve to benefit both your online and offline business goals. The key here is to effectively utilize all available assets to include your company’s website, news releases, articles, images, and any other multi-media sources.

Raising Brand Awareness (Online Branding)

Increasing your online visibility also serves to publicize your brand online and increase the publics’ exposure to your branding strategies. The goal here is to be visible in a variety of contexts on the internet. Using your complete portfolio of online assets and being visible in multiple ways helps your brand message to be seen by your target audience and create brand equity and brand awareness.

Managing Reputation Online (Reputation Management)

Search engine results say a lot about your company, your brand and your reputation. Your online reputation is no longer about your website but rather about what internet users will see listed about your brand when conducting online searches. With the appearance of Web 2.0, consumers have become active players on the internet who can create, organize and broadcast information on their own through blogs, message boards, social news sites, taking part in wikis and through giving reviews of your products and services on consumer opinion platforms. If a company decides not to prioritize communicating on the internet, its customers and users will often do it for them effectively making them the voices of companies.

Digital Influence Networking (Digital Advocacy)

While traditional media still has the greatest influence on attitudes and consumer behaviors towards companies, the internet is increasingly important when looking at companies, brands, issues and products. Digital Advocacy Networks are created using multiple layers of communication with the goal of educating targeted audiences and mobilizing key constituencies online to advocate a company’s products and services (an on occasion to assist with an online or offline issue). A successful Digital Advocacy Network requires companies create meaningful digital interaction with a relevant and receptive target audience. In this context, conversations must be open, honest, two-way and ongoing. In many ways they resemble a conversation with a trusted friend. Advocates play a critical role in igniting enthusiasm among clients and potential clients who help a company build momentum while at the same time influencing the opinion of others in a person’s own personal networks.

Online Crisis Management (Crisis Communication)

For companies, crisis is defined as any situation that is threatening or could threaten a company, seriously disrupt business, damage reputation or negatively impact company profits or share value. Noted American businessman and philanthropist Warren Buffet has noted: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it”. Whether crisis occurs online or offline, the internet plays a key role in the successful resolution of the situation. In some instances direct intervention is necessary; in others the more indirect use of positive buzz is more appropriate. An effective Crisis Management Strategy involves optimizing all the tools available on the internet, particularly those associated with Web 2.0. Peer review, particularly online, is becoming increasingly important and the effective and timely creation of an online crisis management strategy is vital for any company’s success today.

An effective Online Reputation Management program will have the expertise to successfully manage all of your strategic communication needs, providing your company with a unified and positive branded image. It will require understanding what it takes to achieve your company’s online objectives; and by utilizing proper techniques, online reputation management can successfully manage your online reputation to help you achieve these goals . A properly executed reputation management program will have the knowledge and expertise across all marketing platforms to effectively make your company stand out from your competition, and organically grow your company’s presence on all relevant internet search platforms. To achieve these objectives, companies can use some of the following professional services:

· Image Creation

· Online Branding

· Reputation Management

· Digital Advocacy

· Crisis Communication

Are the Next Ten Years to Be A boring Eras?

Not long ago, a cover story named “Thinking Of The Next Ten Years” published on the American Time Magazine predicted ten development tendencies in next ten years, they are: the next “American Century”; re-dividing world pattern; the bandwidth will become the new black gold; school dropout economy; Sino-US relations, the indispensable axle center in the world; excuse failure; the anxiety crisis of the white race; television will save the world; eliting teams will decline and a boring era. This article is written by a group of researchers working in “New American Foundation” of the United States.

Some media has discussed on previous several tendencies, but few people would refer to the last tendency. Michael Linder, the author of “The Boring Age” is an economic plans policy chief of the New American Foundation. He put forward “The Boring Age” is because: on the one hand, “The Boring Age” is compared with the future Chinese Century; on the other hand, “The Boring Age” is based on his predicted views that the influence of the technologies in the future ten years on people’s lives will be in a stage of a standstill.

Whether you can agree with the Michael Linder’s predicts? The cynicism he made to the “Chinese Century”, surely I can not agree with him. But on present trends of technology development, his views are also specific analysis.

Linder believes: “We would feel frustrated if we re-watch the film ‘2001 Space Odyssey’ directed by Stanley Kubrick in 2010. According to this film made in 1968, people had ever envisaged that there should be immigrants to the moon and widespread tourism in space by 2010. To any people who devote oneself to automatically receive information or programmable TV, like the computer HAL9000 in that film, the computers today would be out of mind and even dumb.”

Certainly, the speed of technological development is far from the speed people expected four decades ago. US President Barack Obama recently has decided to cancel the program of returning to the moon which has shown that the space technology development is facing numerous difficulties.

All right, the estimation of effect of technology being badly lagged behind made by Linder is substantially correct. Previous technological revolutions, including railway, generate electricity, steel production, telegram and automobiles, etc., have experienced a long times period from development to growth. The ITI (Information Technology Industry) also is going through the same routine, only a shorter cycle of its transformation, but rise and fall big.

Over 100 Million Worldwide Are Child Workers!

The U.S. Department of Labor has added 12 nations, all but one of them in Africa, to the list of countries that use child or forced labor to produce goods and services for the international market. The department released three reports on child and forced labor Wednesday.

It's estimated that 115 million children worldwide are child workers. And sadly, also according to U.S. labor organizations, there is no continent where this problem has been completely solved.

But with new reports released by the U.S. Department of Labor, there is some good news regarding charcoal, a component to make steel.

"We actually, for the first time, took someone off our list and that was Brazil with the use of children producing in the mines charcoal. So there are some good effects, when we shine the light, it really means something," said Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.

The reports list six new goods produced by child or forced labor from twelve new countries, all in Africa except one--El Salvador. The new items range from sapphires in Madagascar to hand woven textiles from Ethiopia to poultry in Bangladesh. The report also lists 128 goods from 70 countries.

"The single largest concentration from a sectored point of view is agriculture. That is because, where are the poor households? They are mainly in agriculture," said Undersecretary Sandra Polaski.

Iowa Democrat Senator Tom Harkin was the sponsor of a law in the late 1990s that made it illegal for the U.S. to import products produced with child labor. "It's not a son or daughter helping out on a family farm. It's not a kid working after school. We are talking about children who are forced to work and denied the opportunity to go to school. A nation cannot achieve prosperity on the backs of its children. The only route to true prosperity is by developing the brains of our children," he said.

The labor department says the most significant progress since Senator Harkin's action occurred in Latin America. But for years, the agency has been fighting the cocoa industry in West Africa.

Undersecretary Polaski says the United States is working together with governments, industry and others to end the practice with $10 million pumped into the effort that's matched by the industry's $7 million. "How do you supply the education that child needs if there's no school in that area. How do you help the family be productive enough without the child's labor How do you raise the consciousness that this is not a good thing for the child to be working with dangerous machetes and tools and carrying heavy loads?," Polaski said.

A new addition in the reports this year is recommendations to give each individual country ideas on how to eradicate child labor. Official’s hope that will lead to more countries getting off the list, like Brazil with its charcoal mines.

Ways to Achieve Success No Matter the Odds

Am sure you are reading this article because you want to achieve success but as the saying goes, "A dead fly can ruin a whole bottle of perfume". Conversely a bit of ignorance can ruin your path to success in the same manner as a bit of stupidity can destroy wisdom gained in a lifetime. I do hope you do not fall in either of these categories since the line between achieving success and failure is so thin.

Champions are models of pure character; they are the kind of people who their will and determination to achieve success is untainted by anything. They are adamant, ambitious and highly disciplined individuals who stop at nothing to reach their intended goal. They only know one direction; forward. That is what it takes to attain your desires in life.

If you have ever envied and observed the successful people, then you should know what it takes to be like them: self discipline. A lot of temptations and trials are bound to block your path. Actually they are a part and parcel of the whole process of life as they are not meant to bring you down but to model you to achieve success.

Life challenges are actually there to prepare you for the next level which will obviously be more engaging. Since there is no way you are going to avoid challenges, it is recommended that you start liking tackling them and as a result they will not stress or hinder you from your quest to achieve success in whatever you choose to pursue.

Regarding temptations, it is good to know that they always look attractive but their ramifications are usually brutal. It is easier and more convenient to resist an urge than to treat the effects. As we have seen above, a single act of carelessness can ruin what you have been trying to build for the last two or three decades. Hence you need to watch out if you desire to achieve success in life.

Read more motivating and insightful topics on ways of Attaining Success in all facets of life.

The Relation between War and State Sovereignty!

Introduction

The political aspect of defining what war is, causes the primary philosophical difficulty, however once this is recognized, a description which arrests the clash of weapons, the condition of common tension and danger of aggression among groups, the approved pronouncement by a sovereign state, and so on can be looked upon to differentiate wars from insurgences and rebellions, combined fighting from personal fighting, metaphorical conflicts of values from real or threatened conflicts of arms. According to Cicero, war is ‘a contention by force’ while, Thomas Hobbes states that “war is also an attitude” Another description of war is that; war is an all-pervasive occurrence of the world. Consequently, wars are simple signs of the basic aggressive manner of the world. The motives as to why states and individuals may get into war has remained a subject of moral scrutiny.

State sovereignty

For hundred of years state sovereignty has, been a significant rule of interstate relationships and a basis of the world order, The concept of State sovereignty lies at the core of both the traditional international rule and also the United Nations (UN) Charter. It has remained both a critical element of the preservation of global peace and security and more so a protection of weak nations against strong ones. In addition, the conception has never been as sacred, both in practice or law, as an official legal description may imply. According to past UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, "The time of absolute sovereignty has passed; its theory was never matched by reality." (Angelo, 2006)

Practically, sovereignty of states’ has regularly been dishonored by powerful nations. In the presents globalize world, it is commonly accepted that cultural, economic and environmental influences do not respect boundaries nor does it require an access visa. The conception of state sovereignty is extensively ingrained in legal and also political dissertation. Similarly, territorial bounders are becoming under pressure and have weakened in importance as an outcome of modern international relationships. both communications and technology has made boundaries permeable, while the political elements of internal turmoil and misery have also frequently resulted in larger international turmoil. (Angelo, 2006)

Meaning and reason of sovereignty

State sovereignty stand for the capability, independent or self-government, and lawful equality of nations. The conception is usually used to include all issues in which all state is permitted through international law in deciding and acting without interferences from any other sovereign nations or states. These issues comprise the selection of political, social, cultural and economic systems and the crafting of foreign policy. The range of the autonomy of option of a state in these issues is limited; it depends upon advancements in the international law (which includes agreements formed voluntarily) and the international relations. (Angelo, 2006)

As a characteristic of statehood territorial sovereignty, lies behind the structure of international arrangement in relationships amongst states. An action of hostility is illegal, not only as it challenges international world order, but also since states have applied their sovereignty to forbid war. More so, the breakdown or deteriorating of state ability which brings around a political void inside states results to human sufferings and regional and international insecurity. Aggressive, oppressive, or disintegrated states might lead in threats to regional and international security and peace. (Angelo, 2006)

Theories of war: Balance of Power Theory

The balance of power theory forecasts that swift alterations in the international supremacy and status, particularly efforts by one nation to conquer a region, will inflame counterbalancing acts. Because of this, the balancing process assists to preserve the stability of relationship among states. It has been observed that, a balance of power structure works most successfully when coalitions are fluid that is when coalitions are easily created or wrecked on the foundation of convenience, in spite of religion, history, values or type of regime. Infrequently a one nation plays a balancer function, changing it’s oppose or support whatever nation or coalition is strongest. A limitation of the balance of power theory is the complexity of calculating power. . (Keohane and Nye, 1977)

Complex Interdependence Theory

The phrase “complex interdependence” was formulated by Keohane Robert and Nye Joseph and it refers to different, complex transnational interdependencies (connections) among nations and communities. Interdependence theorists observed that such relationships, in particular economic relations were raising; whereas the using of military power and also power balancing conception were reducing (though remained significant). Thinking about these developments, Interdependence theorists stated that the decrease of military power as a policy instrument and the raise in economical and other types of interdependence ought to enhance the possibility of collaboration amongst nations. The complex interdependence structure can be viewed as an effort to combine aspects of liberal and realist thought. Finally, foreseeing difficulties of cheating and comparative benefits elevated by the realists, the interdependence theorists brought in the conception of “regimes” to lessen anarchism and assist cooperation and collaboration. (Keohane and Nye, 1977)

Defensive Realism

Defensive realism theory is an umbrella phrase for numerous theories regarding international politics and foreign policy which was builds on Robert Jervis's works about the security predicament and also to a small degree on Kenneth Waltz's balance of power concept (neo-realism). (Taliaferro, 2001) Defensive realism argues that, the global system offers inducements for extension simply under some circumstances. Anarchy (lack of a worldwide sovereign or universal government) forms circumstances where by the instruments which one nation uses to amplify it security reduces the security level of other nations. Such a security dilemma leads nations to be troubled about each other's future intents and comparative power. Pairs of nations might follow solely security seeking strategies; however unintentionally create spirals of common hostility or disagreement. Nations frequently, though not always, follow expansionist policies since their leaders incorrectly think that hostility is the only method which can make their action safe. Defensive realism foresees big difference in internationally directed extension and proposes that nations must generally pursue modest strategies as the most excellent path to achieving security. Under many situations, the powerful nations in the international structure ought to pursue diplomatic, military and also foreign economic strategies which communicate self-control. The Examples of defensive realism comprise: offence defense theory (Jervis, et al), balance of power theory (Posen Barry, Mastanduno Michael), balance of threat theory (Walt Stephen), domestic mobilization theory (Snyder Jack, Christensen Thomas, and Friedberg Aron), and the security dilemma theory (Christensen Thomas, Ross Robert, and Rose William). (Taliaferro, 2001)

Strategic theory

Strategic theory is an arm of social theory which is concerned about the application of force in achieving the objectives of one state or community in a conflict with others. The theory aims at outlining a good understanding of the way to use armed forces in advancing social, economic, political, cultural and even ideological interest. The first thing in strategic analysis, according to Napoleon is to question what the war is all about (Taliaferro, 2001). If war is about nothing then it is only a maze of bloodshed which can just be talk about technical terms. Thus, it is as a result of war being an organized social venture, that strategic theory is required which entails calculating use of collective fighting for some unknown aim becomes necessary and also possible.

It is important to understand thee question of Napoleon on the aim of the war, because ones the aim is known it becomes easy to formulate a strategy. The cause of war is also important to formulating the strategy. War is normally, caused by a myriad of complex political social and even cultural reasons which bring about war. In addition a strategy also is brought about by the military capabilities of a state or a group which is involved in the war. Strategy conception have gained acceptance over time and currently since many states use military force their military strategies resembles so much despite their differences in cultural settings. During the world wars, all the armies fighting had a similar strategy of concentrating stronger forces to fight against weak ones. Studies has revealed that anything fight on land whether is a strong force of armies or military vehicles is usually vulnerable at the flanks and the rear than at the front, as such soldiers fighting exploit such weak areas. Thus, the aim of strategy in a war is to find the weak areas and fully exploit them while covering yours. Strategy in the current world has becoming more crucial in the face of advanced technology and war tactics. (Gat, 2006)

The US- Soviet Union cold war

The Cold War era started from 1985 and ended in 1991, the era started with Mikhail Gorbachev arising to power as the Soviet leader, and ended up with the collapsing of the mighty Soviet Union in 1991. Some of the reasons of the cold war were;

· American’s dread of communist assault

· Truman’s hate of Stalin

· Russia’s dread of American’s atomic bomb

· Russia’s hate of capitalism

· Russia’s acts in the Soviet region of Germany

· America’s rejection in sharing nuclear secrets

· Russia’s requirement for a protected western border

· Russia’s objective of extending world communism

These feelings of suspicion resulted to mutual mistrust and this caused a huge deal to intensify the Cold War. (Raymond, 2000)

Ending cold war

Past US president Ronald Reagan, retired as his biggest legacy in his role in assisting speed up the ending of the Cold War. The international rivalry among the US and the Soviet Union, that devoted the two nations for about 46 years, which cost a lot of billions of dollars and resulted to formation of the highest destructive arms ever recognized, arrived at its peak in the Reagan's presidency days and then perished just a few years subsequent to him leaving the office. (Raymond, 2000)

The causes for this unexpected turn about of happenings are bigger than Reagan and extent far past his administration. The origins can be established in stagnation of the Soviet structure in the 1970s and early on 1980s and possibly most significantly in the leadership of Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, who unlocked the gates of change. (Raymond, 2000)

The US in the period previous to and throughout the Reagan administration, experienced a revolution in latest technology which the Soviet Union could not equal. The Soviet administration was undergoing strain from Reagan's administration defense upsurge and operation of medium-range missiles arms in Europe, the mujaheddin who were CIA-backed fighting with Soviet armed forces in Afghanistan and also Reagan's intend missile defense structure. And more so the US challenged the Soviet in a number of conflicts from Angola to Nicaragua. These last wars of Cold War formed Reagan's foreign policies. (Raymond, 2000)

East-West strains eased quickly following the climb of Mikhail Gorbachev. subsequent to the passing away of three successive aged Soviet leaders as from1982, the Soviet Union Politburo voted Gorbachev Communist Party in March 1985, starting the ascend of a fresh generation of political leadership. In Gorbachev regime, comparatively young reform-based technocrats, who had started their professions in the peak days of “de-Stalinization” below reformist Nikita Khrushchev, (1953-1965), quickly strengthened their power, giving fresh thrust for economic and political liberalization and the momentum for creating warmer relationships and trade activities with the West. (Raymond, 2000)

The double weights of Cold War weapons competition, and the stipulation of huge sums of overseas and military support, that Soviet’s socialist partners had developed to anticipate, probably left Gorbachev's attempts to improve manufacture of consumer products and restructuring the languishing economy just impossible (Raymond, 2000)

The outcome was a double approach of better collaboration with the West jointly with economic reform and also democratization domestically, that finally made it not possible for Soviet’s Gorbachev to reclaim vital power and authority against Warsaw Pact member states. This finally led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and which signaled the end of the cold war. (Raymond, 2000)

Theories of peace: Democratic Peace

Every democratic peace theory seeks to clarify the uncertain empirical information that two legitimate democracies have not fought with one another in modern history (1816 upwards). Because of this, they lay on a related proposition: that relationships among coupling of democratic nations are naturally more peaceful than relationships among some other nation-type couplings (for example democratic vs. non-democratic or non-democratic vs. non-democratic). To demonstrate the actuality of democratic peace, philosophers for instance Michael Doyle have wanted to illustrate a underlying relations among the autonomous variable; “democratic political arrangements at the element level,” and dependant variable; “the asserted non-existence of war among democratic states”. Opponents, for example Ido Oren, disagree with the statements of democratic peace theorists through maintaining that there is a liberal prejudice in the explanation of “democracy” that weakens the substantiation. (Keohane and Nye, 1977)

Democratic peace theory to an extent has been particularly troublesome amongst political scientists, the theory is founded in the idealist and traditional liberalist practices and it opposes the earlier leading concept of realism. Nonetheless, democratic peace theory, has increasingly been more broadly accepted by many, and has been able in several democracies to effect policy adjustment. (Keohane and Nye, 1977)

Deterrence Theory

Deterrence is normally reflected upon in ways of convincing adversaries that a certain acts would bring out an answer resulting in deplorable damage which could overshadow any possible advantage. Slightly just like an easy cost/benefits computation, nevertheless, deterrence is highly beneficially considered in relations of a active procedure with stipulations for constant response. The process at first entails determining who should try to discourage whom from performing what, and through which means. Numerous significant suppositions underline most consideration concerning deterrence. Practitioners seem to imagine, for instance, that states are act in unison and rational in accordance to the Western ideas of rationality. Deterrence as well presumes that one can sufficiently comprehend the computations of an adversary. (Keohane and Nye, 1977)

An assumption which was very important throughout the Cold War was that, nuclear missiles were the highly successful deterrent to War involving the US and Soviet Union or their allies. This supposition, moved into post-Cold War period, nevertheless, might encourage nuclear weapon proliferation. In fact, a number of authors advocate that the increase of nuclear weaponry would deter a lot of states from starting war amongst each other. The nuclear weapons would, it is observed, offer weaker nations with a lot of security against assaults from stronger neighbors. Certainly, this viewpoint is as well projected on the supposition that each state player's wisdom will operate against the using of these weaponry, and that nuclear weapons competitions will consequently not result in a nuclear fighting. (Keohane and Nye, 1977)

Conclusion

War is seen as apolitical tool, brought about as a continuation of the political acts through other ways. War occurs because the feuding parties have disagreed in one way or another in terms of ideology, political, social or even cultural aspects. However, According to the UN charter each state is sovereign and has a right to its own decisions, which should not be aggressive to other states. Several theories have been put across to explain both war and peace. The cold war between the US and Soviet Union was a result of mistrust and ended because of hardships in the Soviet Union. It is clear that war is a controversial aspect which lacks clear limitations.