Of behaviours, signals and profiles

The UK government has announced the intention to monitor the calls and online activity of everybody in the UK. In this post, I look at how profiling - like the one proposed by the government - is done. I confess: When I saw the news headlines, on April 1st, I thought that it was an … Continue reading Of behaviours, signals and profiles

If you didn’t share it, did you live it?

I wonder if people need to capture and share evidence of a moment, in order to feel that they have lived it. I am on my way back from a concert. Around me, people were snapping pictures with their smartphones, which they quickly shared with others in their social networks. Look at the man on … Continue reading If you didn’t share it, did you live it?

#followfriday: @TMNinja

Chances are that you are struggling to fit everything you want to do in the 24 hours of the day. And Twitter may not be helping there, because of the all the interesting content coming your way (OK, OK – and lots of useless stuff, too). So, this week, my #followfriday recommendation goes to @TMNinja, … Continue reading #followfriday: @TMNinja

Chocolate: Correlation, Causation and Misinformation

The headlines today (and my Twitter and Facebook feeds) tell me that if I eat chocolate, I’ll stay slim… but only if I eat chocolate regularly. Good news? No, not really. It’s just the old mistake of confusing correlation with causation. Drop that chocolate bar, and read on. Several news outlets are reporting that a … Continue reading Chocolate: Correlation, Causation and Misinformation

Surveillance, profiling and terrorism

As I write this post, details are starting to emerge about the man suspected of killing 7 people in 3 separate attacks in the area of Toulouse, south of France (for instance, see BBC article here). The details echo a familiar theme. This is someone who had come to the attention of law enforcement and … Continue reading Surveillance, profiling and terrorism

Decisions, decisions, decisions

I am enjoying the last few hours of a lovely weekend and preparing – in practical as well as psychological terms – for the week ahead. This is going to be an eventful week. On Monday, I am attending a talk by Peter LaPlaca, editor of ‘Industrial Marketing Management’. This is a reputable, peer-reviewed journal … Continue reading Decisions, decisions, decisions

Effect of blog articles on attitude and intention to purchase

This post reports on research looking at the impact of blogs and magazine articles on consumers’ attitude towards a brand, and on their intentions to purchase. Sometimes you choose a topic to write about. Other times, though, it really feels like it is the topic that chooses you. That’s what happened this time. I was … Continue reading Effect of blog articles on attitude and intention to purchase

What makes a great teacher?

This weekend I have been reviewing the evaluation reports for the modules I taught last semester. Doing so always triggers soul searching reflections about what it means to be a good teacher. Having spent so many years in education, I have seen my fair share of great educators. This is what I have learned over … Continue reading What makes a great teacher?

#followfriday: @arjantupan

My #followfriday recommendation this week goes to @arjantupan, someone who inspires me to write and to be social. I confessed how, sometimes, I struggle to write, even if I love it and even if my career depends on it. Yet, I have read that writing is like exercise: that you need to get in the … Continue reading #followfriday: @arjantupan

Understanding influence

At a time when everybody and their dog has a social influence score, and business models are built around the number of times a blog post or status update is shared, it seems that influence is all about quantity. But it isn’t. This post explores the nature of influence, and what it means for how … Continue reading Understanding influence