Corporate Blogging: A new marketing communication tool for companies

A corporate weblog is published and used by an organization to reach its organizational goals. Like other marketing initiatives, a company's blog is an investment that should produce a measurable return. It enables a company to enhance the value for both their consumers and their own bottom lines.

One of the companies in Malaysia that owns corporate blog is Air Asia. In September 2008, the CEO of Air Asia, Tony Fernandes joined the blogosphere, become the latest CEO blogger in Malaysia. The reason that he setup this blog is to provide another platform to keep in touch with people despite of his busy schedule. AirAsia's corporate blog provide insights into the company, the people, the culture and the working lives through internet. It helps the organizations to extend the company image in the marketplace. This will enable the customers to know better about the company.

There are some beneficial points of blogging in a company:

• Leaders can communicate directly with customers, suppliers and investors, as well as employees, helping disseminate and explain strategy.

• Blogs give the writer an opportunity to answer critics in a controlled forum.

• Compared with conference or printed memos to all staff, enterprise blogs are highly cost effective.

• Sharing their ideas freely in an honest voice brings the blogging companies new connections and generate trust which will lead to business opportunities galore.

• Blogs have a broad impact on the nature of online media by giving an opportunity to publish words, pictures and ultimately multimedia to the web without specialized geek skills.

However, there are also certain drawbacks:

• Senior managers would worry about libel and employees would give away the company's commercial secrets

• There is a risk that an ill-judged comment could be seized upon by the media or disgruntled investors.

• The best non-corporate blogs are spontaneous and genuine. Poorly written corporate blogs can look fake.

• Blogs are easy to start and hard to maintain. Writing coherently is one of the most difficult and time-consuming tasks for a human being to undertake.

• Blogs make many organizations look like disorganized, with multiple tones and opinions.

Blogging makes a lot of sense in the business world and can act as an effective communication medium and a great revenue earner for your company. It has become one of the most effective marketing communications tool to reach out to people who matter.

Related Links:

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/23681.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_blog

http://blog.airasia.com/index.php/guide

E- learning of Malaysian Universities

E-learning of Malaysian Universities: Pros and Cons from the Students Perspective

E-learning was first called as Internet-Based training is essentially the network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge via the Internet, network, or computer. E-learning refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn without face-to-face communication between the teachers and students. It includes web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration. Tutor or lecturer places several course modules on the university intranet, and students have free access to these materials as and when needed, as well as bulletin boards to keep them updated. From students’ perspective, it overcomes timing, attendance and travel difficulties while compared to the traditional method.

Advantages of E-learning:
· Reduces travel time and travel costs for off-campus students. It helps to reduce the travel time and travel costs of students that come from different hometowns, instead of getting higher education.
· Self-paced learning modules allow students to work at their own pace. The students can continue working while accessing to E-learning, and thus it will bring good impact on their studies.
· Time flexibility. Students have the flexibilities to join discussions in the bulletin board threaded discussion areas at any hour, or visit with classmates and instructors in chat rooms. Students' interactions have become much easier than face-to-face communication.

Disadvantages of E-learning:
· Lack of motivation and effort among students. Learners with low motivation or bad study habits may fall behind due to being spoon fed by the educational institutions.
· Lack of understanding in the courses. Students may get lost or confused about course activities and deadlines without the routine structures of a traditional class. Thus, students may feel isolated from the instructor and classmates.
· Cost of utilizing Internet connections has increased. Slow Internet connections or older computers may make accessing course materials frustrating, so high-speed Internet connection is needed which may burden the students.

Related links:

http://www.articlealley.com/article_78603_45.html

http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid26_gci769787,00.html

http://www.elearning-avenue.com/pros-and-cons-pros-and-cons-of-e-learning/

Review of a local e commerce website

"Now Everyone Can Fly"

This slogan you sure know what airlines company that i am talking about.

I think many people like to travel and enjoy their holiday. Of course I won’t be exempted from that also as I love travelling very much especially during the holiday. With a local e-commerce website of Airasia.com which known as http://www.airasia.com/site/my/en/home.jsp, I think many people also familiar with this, this website really make more people feel much more convenient when they want to have a holiday in Malaysia or overseas.

Airasia.com, one of the famous Malaysia e commerce website. It provide online services such as booking ticket, information about destination, shopping chat, travel services, corporate services and so on. It allows customers from around the world to gain more information about them and its products. Potential customers can browse online catalogues without having to leave their homes or offices.

Furthermore, customer can book the ticket through this website http://booking.airasia.com/skylights/cgi-bin/skylights.cgi . Customer can fill in the detail such as date, number of guest, the destination and whether you want to one way or return. In the booking categories, it also provide more information about the way of online payment. Through the shopping chat, AirAsia offers a choice of credit cards to fit the needs of your lifestyle in different countries such as AirAsia-Citibank Credit Card and AirAsia-Citibank Gold Card are offer for Malaysia guest.

Moreover, Air Asia also provide latest news about the famous places in the travel services categories and also offers other travel services, for example “GoHoliday, GoCar, Gohostel and GoMedic".Besides, The search engine for ticketing services provided by AirAsia.com is useful and specific. It has the option of “single or return” flight. It then require user to key in the origin and destination that the user are planning to go. Then user keys in the date that of the departure and arrival of their flight, and choose the numbers of tickets they which to book. The search engine will then scope down to the tickets that are available from the information that users provided. It is very convinent to customers because it provide availability of search engine to find the particular information.

On the home page of AirAsia.com, there is an option where consumers can choose for the language that they prefer and destination which they are from. These options reflect the “user-friendliness” of AirAisa.com that enables consumers to be able to access AirAsia.com that are part of AirAsia.com’s success.

When talking about the colour and fonts selections, it using red colour as a main colour and font word design. AirAsia also provide "Help & Info" means that when any cutomers do not understand particular information, they can contact them or Frequent Ask Question (FAQ). Sometime it have advertise promotion appear in the web page, so the customers will know the latest promotion price or packages. The advertisement of the AirAsia is always very attractive and absorbing.

The success of this e-commerce site needs no explanations as it is the leading low cost fare site in South East Asia and it is recently named the “World’s 50 most innovative company” by Fast Company. The success of AirAsia originates from the success of their e-commerce site that enables them to slash cost and then pioneers them to be at the top of the trade.

Related Link:

http://www.airasia.com/site/my/en/home.jsp

http://blog.airasia.com/

E-Government in Malaysia

E-Government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen’s adoption strategies.

Electronic Government (E-Government) also known as digital government or online government which refers to the use of information and communication technology such as Wide Area Networks, the Internet, and mobile computing to provide and improve government services, transactions and interactions with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.

There is no definitive date as to when the Malaysian e-Government initiative was launched. A possible date is 1996 following the launching of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). This e-Government initiative was one of the seven (Telehealth, Multi-purpose Card, Smart School, R&D Cluster, Technopreneur Development and E-Business) flagship applications introduced to set off the development of MSC. The e-government initiative launched the country into the Information Age. it seeks to improve the convenience, accessibility, and quality of interactions with citizens and businesses.

Its implementation so far:

Under the e-government flagship, 7 main projects were identified to be the core of the e-government applicants.

Generic Office Environment (GOE)
It consists of modules namely Enterprise-wide Information Management System (EIMS), Enterprise-wide Communication Management System and Enterprise-Wide Collaboration Management System. The EIMS enables users to manage, find, retrieve and compose the information that they need in their daily operations. All three modules work together in an integrated fashion to provide the techical trabsparency for the users.

Electronic Procurement (eP)

The electronic procurement project has taken off with the introduction of ePerolehan and can be accessed at www.eperolehan.com.my. With this, all suppliers can obtain tender documents and submit bids on the Internet. Besides, the suppliers are equipped with smartcards that enable them to transact with the ePerolehan system. Furthermore, suppliers can also present their products on the Internet, revceive, manage and process purchase orders and receive payment from government agencies through the Internet.


Human REsource Management Information System (HRMIS)

It will provide single interface for government employees to perform human resource functions more effective and efficient and standardize all human resource processes for federal, state, statutory body, and local authority services. It also provide transactional functions such as leave application, loan processing, competency management, recruitment, and selection of employee.


Project Monitoring System (PMS)
The PMS is designed to provide a mechanism for monitoring the implementation of government projects throughout various government agencies and statutory bodies.


Electronic Services Delivery (eServices)
Recently, there is an e-filing application launched by Inland Revenue Board (IRB) which is self assessment system, for tax payers and companies to submit the Form "E" of "BE"through Internet to access their own tax liability in www.hasil.org.my. Besides, there are other electronic services which provided by government that allows citizens of Malaysia to engage in transactions with government and utilities payments such as telephone and electricity bill, police summons, Road and Transport Department (RTD) services such as renewal of driving license and vehicle registration in www.rilek.com.my, the public can access geberal information on their outstanding summons, make online payments to the RTD or the Police by credit card, take the driving theory tests at approved Rilek centre and pay their TNB and TM utility bills online.


Electronic Labor Exchange (ELX)
The implementation of ELX is to improve the mobilisation of human resources and optimise work force utilisation through systematic matching of job seekers to job vacancies. this would enable the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR) to be a one-stop centre for labour market information that will be accessible to the public.


E-Syariah

The implementation of E-Syariah is to improve the quality of service in Syariah Courts. This will enhance the Islamic Affairs Department's effectiveness through better monitoring and co-ordination of its agencies and improving he managment of its 102 Syariah courts. this consists of Syariah Court Case Management System, Office Automation System, E-Syariah Portal, Syarie Lawyers Registration System and Library Management System.



Citizen's Adoption Strategies :

The implementat of e-government services will bring benefits to the public, businesses and the government itself. In order to ensure the success of e-government implementation, the governments should market their offers, improve citizen's awareness of the benefits and increase take-up of online services.

Redesigning government processes, systems, structures and developing new skills - Simplifying the navigation of and search for information and online services through the provision of a single entry point.

Designing and developing highly credible websites - ensure that the security of personal information of users are protected and will not be stolen by others for illegal purpose

E-government require Leadership - Leadership is required at the early stage of e-government project, from the political to the administrative so that e-government wil be in priority and acceptable by the public.

Educating and informing the public on the process of using the various services offered by government agencues.

Providing a platform for interactive and/or transactional government online services to be delivered to the public in a convenient and easy-to-use manner.


Related Links

www1.american.edu/initeb/ym6974a/egovernment.htm#E-Government%20Overview

www.mait.com/admin/enews_images/MAIT%20Country%20Intelligence%20eNews96_37.pdf

www.intanbk.intan.my/psimr/editorial.htm

www.iimahd.ernet.in/egov/ifip/oct2008/sharifah-alhabshi.htm

www.intanbk.intan.my/psimr/articles/Article1%20-%20Full.pdf