Past Newsletters

February 2006

November 2005

September 2005

August 2005

April 2005

August 2004

Newsletter

In This Issue:

Themes for 2006
Professional Services MegaTrends
Recent Media
Recent Blog Stories

A very exciting year unfolding. Just a few current themes and activities:

Relationship-based strategy. I am currently working with the top executive teams of some major organizations to help build long-term strategies based on their relationships with clients, suppliers, partners, and government.

Organizational network analysis. Several client projects are under way in using organizational network analysis (the application of social network analysis to organizations) to enhance internal and external relationships and revenue generation. I’ll be speaking on some findings at the Network Roundtable conference in Boston on April 26.

Future of media. Watch this space – I will shortly be launching a new organization focused on the future of business, with our kick-off event a Future of Media Summit held simultaneously in Sydney and San Francisco in mid-July. Details very soon.

Round-world trip April 2006. I’ll be doing a quick round-world trip in April/ May to develop some of this work. Part of this will be a showcase keynote on The Future of Global Business at the Harvard Club in New York City on April 27 with open admission. Details soon.

Around six months ago, I wrote a White Paper for the enterprise software company Epicor titled The Seven MegaTrends of Professional Services: The Forces That Are Transforming Professional Services Industries and How To Respond. The paper has attracted a huge amount of interest, however up until now, it has only been available on sites requiring registration. The White Paper is now available for free download from this site (no registration required!) as a pdf here:
The Seven MegaTrends of Professional Services.

The white paper is also being serialized on my blog.

The December issue of BOSS magazine named Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships 2nd Edition as one of the Best Books of 2005.

Qantas radio features an interview on the future of global business and outsourcing on all its flights worldwide throughout February.

BRW magazine quoted heavily from an article on Blogging Power in their Christmas special edition.

The Marcus letter has an excellent book review of Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships.

The article The Six Facets of the Future of PR will appear in the premier March edition of Marketing magazine. This article will later be released on the Trends in the Living Networks blog.

As always, go to rossdawsonblog.com for current stories and commentary on what's most interesting in the living networks.
Recent stories include:

The heart of professional services strategy:
A framework for how to build both great client work and great people in professional services.

The sorry state of Australian corporate blogging:
An extremely popular article on the current state of blogging in Australia’s corporates and what to do about it.

The MySpace Generation:
What the world’s most popular social network means for media and personal networks.

Moving on from email:
How leading corporations are forgoing email to use blogs, wikis, and other collaborative software.

Is the balance of power shifting from advertising to PR?
Exposing people to lots of ads is less powerful than influencing the flow of messages.

The future of robots in an aging Japan:
Japan may not have many young people to drive the economy, but its strategy is to rely on robots rather than immigration.

What is the future for newspapers:
Newspaper circulation is on a slippery slope. The future lies in creating participatory media for communities.

Collaborative filtering for music:
The latest ways to find the music you like the best, based on the recommendations of people who have similar taste.

Newsletter

In This Issue:

New Applications of Social Network Analysis
Recent Media
Recent Blog Stories

Welcome

After doing a quick round-world tour in September/ October to launch the new edition of Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships, I am now focusing on new applications of social network analysis, as well as a range of client work. Into 2006, my focus will shift further into exploring issues such as the future of media, technology innovation in a global economy, and the future of intellectual property. Watch this space for more details and resources on these topics. Hope you can get involved!

Social network analysis is one of the hottest management fields, primarily in the US, but increasingly also in Europe and elsewhere. See the Network Roundtable for the state of the art in the field. There are three new domains in which I am applying these immensely powerful tools:

Client relationships. As research leader for client connectivity at the Network Roundtable, I am running detailed research into what enables high-performance client relationship teams and effective cross-selling. Let me know if your organization may be interested in participating.

Purchasing influence networks. Major corporate purchasing decisions are made by a network of internal and external influencers. An extensive study my company, Advanced Human Technologies, has done for CNET on technology purchase influence networks will be available soon. These approaches of uncovering influence networks can also be applied to significant consumer decision-making.

Cross-national innovation networks. Nations' innovation capabilities are based on how well local technical expertise is connected both locally and globally. Gaining insights into this can identify potential new connections that will greatly facilitate innovation and commercialization.

In addition to my client work in these areas, various articles and white papers are coming out of these initiatives. I'll keep you posted when these are available.

The future of technology. An article in The Bulletin, Australia's premier newsweekly, on the future of technology in Australia, based on an interview with me.

Is knowledge management dead? An interview with me on the future of knowledge management, that has appeared in a number of publications, including Optimize magazine.

Book reviews of Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships have appeared in four continents in the last couple of months. See for example:

PMForumUSA

Hindu Business Line

As always, go to rossdawsonblog.com for current stories and commentary on what's most interesting in the living networks. Recent stories include:

Why do we have no time?: According to BusinessWeek, both the problem and solution lie in how collaborative networks increasingly are the heart of the economy.

The future of public relations: An overview of a recent keynote speech pointing to client relationships, social networks, and memes and blogging as the future of the industry.

Social networks, intelligence, and homeland security: Intelligence is increasingly based on uncovering and analyzing social networks. Two Australian software tools lead the fray.

Changing investment bank relationships: The rise of quantitative approaches to trade execution is rapidly changing buy-side/ sell-side relationships in financial markets.

Australia in the global network economy: Australia – and indeed every nation – must focus on how its innovation processes are connected into our global, interdependent economy.

Investor relations and blogging: Blogging is a fabulous tool to assist transparency and dialogue, which is what investor relations should be about. Let corporate boards blog!

Your printer is telling on you: The FBI has asked printer manufacturers to embed hidden codes in every page printed on color printers. Now it has been cracked, who will use the information?

In This Issue:

Round-World Book Speaking Tour
Recent Blog Stories
KM Cluster Events

Welcome

The mood in the online space is rapidly shifting. eBay paying potentially the royal sum of $4 billion for Skype, News Corp’s recent acquisitions of Intermix and IGN for a total of over $1.2 billion, and high valuations for recent funding rounds of companies like Facebook, all demonstrate that we are way beyond the “bust” phase of the technology hype cycle. The attention on social networks – both in software and in organizations – continues to heighten. There is a real sense of opening out. Make sure you’re on board!

I am about to embark on a quick round-world trip to promote Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationship 2nd Edition. The book has got off to a great start, so it’s time to build on that momentum. The main events on this trip are:

San Francisco: KM Cluster, September 27
Seattle: Company of Friends, September 29
Boston: Company of Friends, October 4
Toronto: HelixCommerce, October 6
London: Managing Partner Forum, October 10
Hong Kong: Hong Kong Knowledge Management Society, October 13

Click here for details on this tour and click here for registration information. Please do pass on word to anyone you think may be interested in making it along.

Details on the book and free book chapters are at www.ahtgroup.com/book.htm.

My relaunched blog at www.rossdawsonblog.com has been getting some great feedback and attention – from now on this will be the center of my online presence. Recent stories include:

When is the next tech boom? The boom days may return before too long. You will hear “this time it’s different” again, and it will be all aboard once again.

Media shifts to social networks. With newspaper and news magazine circulation sliding, News Corp and others are responding by getting into online social networks.

Everyday outsourcing. The rise of online services exchanges means that now anyone, anywhere can source low-cost professionals from around the world to work for them.

The Future of Money. The financial services landscape will be transformed over the next years, not least by new waves of competitors from an array of different industries.

Google moves into print. For the first time Google has gone beyond the Internet by running print ads, blurring the boundaries between online and offline.

Professional services jobs get outsourced. It’s not just software and admin jobs. Professional work is rapidly flowing across country boundaries.

The future of public relations. Media today is a participatory sport, and PR agencies can no longer act as interfaces and gatekeepers for their clients.

KM Cluster is one of the premier groups exploring the knowledge economy. I’m doing the keynote at the forthcoming San Francisco event. KM Cluster fall events are:

New England: www.kmcluster.com/bos
New York: www.kmcluster.com/nyc
San Francisco: www.kmcluster.com/sfo
Texas: www.kmcluster.com/dfw

Also, check out KM Cluster’s new KM Blogs site, where among many other features Trends in the Living Networks is available as a guest weblog, along with the blogs of Bill Ives, Patti Anklam, Denham Grey, and James Robertson.

Newsletter

In This Issue:

Recent Blog Stories
Stories Coming Soon
New Features
RSS Subscription
Forthcoming Events
This Newsletter

Trends in the Living Networks offers high-level commentary on the news and developments of our intensely networked world. It is intended for a general business audience, in identifying technology, business, and social trends and their implications.

The best way to browse the stories is on the front page. However direct links to Recent Blog Stories include:

Research Process Outsourcing. R&D is becoming a globally distributed endeavor, with India playing a central role.

Business blogging. Blogging is playing an increasingly important role in business.

Better matchmaking. New sophisticated approaches to online dating may drive further growth in the industry, while media companies find dating an attractive business.

The third phase of outsourcing. Outsourcing has begun its long-term rise, but deeper integration will be required in the next phase.

Citizen journalism. We are all becoming the eyes and ears of the world, changing the nature of journalism.

Teleporting. How to beam yourself up for fun and profit.

Video surveillance and privacy. In a recent national breakfast television interview, I discuss how the London bombings has changed our attitude to video surveillance.

Global book launch. Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships, 2nd Edition has been officially launched in New York City. Initial reviews and free chapters available.

Collaboration in Financial Services. A European perspective on how collaborative technologies are transforming financial services, from my recent conference in London.

Google and social networking technologies. Google seems to think that social networking technologies are hot. You bet.

The Future of Money. Full reports on my keynote and participant discussions at a recent industry forum on the future of the banking industry.

The Seven MegaTrends of Professional Services. A White Paper I’ve written that will be launched shortly, examining critical professional services industry trends and what to do about them.

Intelligence networks. A look at how social network studies are becoming fundamental to national intelligence and law enforcement.

In addition to regular stories, I will continue to introduce new features on the blog. Probably next up is a reference section on how to access or create your own blogs, news feed syndication (RSS), podcasting, and some of the other more interesting emerging features of the web.

You may find it useful to subscribe to the blog using RSS, since there’ll be plenty of interesting stories coming up! If you haven’t used RSS syndication before, I recommend it as a great way of getting alerted to interesting articles and information around the web. As a starting point, check out the BBC's guide to RSS. Otherwise, just bookmark the site and check back occasionally!

I'm doing a quick round-world trip in September/ October to promote my new book Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships. Current confirmed speaking engagements in Sydney, Melbourne, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Toronto, London and Hong Kong are at www.ahtgroup.com/schedule.htm. Further keynote engagements should be confirmed soon. Hope to see you on the way!

The Trends in the Living Networks email newsletter is an occasional (every 1-2 months) update on what's most interesting in the global network economy, business relationships, social networks, collaboration, new media, professional services, financial services, and technology. Feel free to pass on word to others who may want to subscribe at www.rossdawsonblog.com/subscribe. Or if you don't want to receive it, unsubscribe below.

Newsletter

In This Issue:

Meshforum Chicago
The Next Phase in Social Network Analysis
Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships 2nd Edition
Collaboration in Financial Services; Europe
Blogging Goes Mainstream
Personal Update

What an interesting world! 2005 feels to me like we are now solidly into the new millenium - we are living in the future. A busy future, as no doubt you are experiencing too. I haven't sent an update for a good while now, but I haven't been idle. In May I will relaunch my blog and newsletter, to include a whole lot of new content and links to the most fascinating developments in the living networks

As part of the whole shift to recognizing networks as central to everything, MeshForum is shaping up as a fantastic conference in Chicago this May 1-4. Shannon Clark is the driving force behind this, and he and his colleagues have brought together a fabulous array of content including social, business and biological networks.I will be running a Living Networks Forum session at lunch on May 2, just before a session on social networks run by Esther Dyson. If you're interested in going, let me know – I may be able to help you get a discount for registration.

Rob Cross of University of Virginia, author of The Hidden Power of Social Networks, has formed the Network Roundtable, a consortium of at last count 40 leading organizations that are applying network approaches in areas including leadership, innovation, and client relationships. The kick-off meeting will be on April 27 in Boston. I will be presenting on our research project on enhancing client relationship teams. Applying network analysis promises to be one of the most powerful approaches to improving cross-selling capabilities and driving deeper, broader, more profitable client relationships. I am also beginning to delve into other applications of social networks, including industry associations, professional networks, and global industry networks. A lot more on this anon.

My first book Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships will come out in its second edition this June. After its launch in January 2000, after which it hit various bestseller lists including #1 on Amazon.com from Australia for two months, and going through five printings, it was time to renew it. The second edition is approximately half new material, including two new chapters, 16 new and updated detailed case studies, and much of it rewritten. For now, I just have the preface to the second edition available online. The book website above still refers to the old book, but will be updated with two free chapters in the next couple of weeks. The main book launch will be end–June in New York, with other launch events around the globe mainly in the Northern autumn – details soon.

Just a couple of kind quotes on the book:

"Dawson has pulled off the nigh-impossible: improved on what was already a terrific book. Even more than before, this is essential reading for professional service firms".– David Maister, author, Managing the Professional Service Firm, The Trusted Advisor.

"For many professional firms, there is no bigger challenge than deepening their relationships with key clients. In this arena, Ross Dawson is a master and his book, for those prepared to study and change, can provide off-the-shelf competitive advantage". – Professor Richard Susskind OBE, Author of The Future of Law.

Following on from the Collaboration in Financial Services conference I ran with Business Development Institute in New York last September, we have teamed up with two fantastic professionals, Lucia Dore and Pol O’Morain, to establish Collaboration in Financial Services Europe 2005, which will be run in London on June 16. We will develop the themes of the inaugural conference, particularly building on the “deal space” of complex transactions such as M&A, that bring together investment banks, law firms, and clients into a collaborative project, and collaborative workflow within and across organizations. I’m  writing a White Paper together with some of the key speakers on emerging themes in collaboration in financial services which will be available soon.

When I wrote Living Networks in 2002, with the opening words a description of how Macromedia was using blogs to disseminate information, blogging was to many a curiosity. Today almost everyone has heard of it, and it truly has become mainstream. Business Development Institute is running a Blogging Goes Mainstream conference in New York on May 3, featuring Microsoft star blogger Robert Scoble as keynote. I’ll be running a session at the conference on blogging and knowledge management.

On a more personal note, I am getting married at the end of May to the very wonderful Victoria Buckley. She is a well-known jewellery designer with a landmark shop in Sydney. It is interesting how such seemingly disparate careers have so much in common, for example our mutual fascination with mythology and its relevance to our lives. We will be spending some time in New York end-June and early July, and will have a casual party to catch up with old and new friends details later and hopefully see you there!

Newsletter

In This Issue:

Collaboration in Financial Services Conference
The Future of Knowledge Management
Shifting Business Relationships in Asia

Hi, a very busy time in the networks and business relationships space. The awareness of network ideas is very rapidly growing, and many more organizations are putting significant resources into developing their relationship capabilities. A few current issues and thoughts:

In conjunction with Business Development Institute and Michael Ross Associates, I am running a one-day conference in New York on September 29 on Collaboration in Financial Services. Full details at http://www.bdionline.com/cfs - I'll send a proper invite soon. We’re getting a tremendous response, with key sponsors including Intralinks, I-Deal, Microsoft, Interactive Data Corp, and Broadvision, covering many of the key technologies supporting collaboration in institutional financial services, both in real-time collaboration such as IM in a trading environment, and document collaboration in deal-making including M&A and syndication. Many of the leading investment banks are involved, with "collaboration" now seen as a key driver both internally, and externally with clients. While there are significant compliance and security issues in the short-term especially, the core issues are first technological, and then process, organizational, cultural, and strategic. Banks are recognizing these will be major shifts, and there is lots of activity in gearing themselves up to address them.

After spending quite a few years now extricating myself from being associated with "knowledge management," I’m now starting to spend a little more time back in this space, with speeches coming up at KMWorld in Silicon Valley and a keynote at the leading government KM conference ActKM in Canberra. I recently wrote an article for the Australian Financial Review on The Future of Knowledge Management at http://www.ahtgroup.com/futurekm.htm which has attracted quite a bit of attention. While I believe "KM" is less useful as a frame today, its successors such as social networks, collaboration, and workflow draw on all the great work that has been done over the last decade or so in the knowledge community. Knowledge is increasingly at the heart of our economy, but we need some new language and frames with which to consider it.

I’m about to set off on a quick Asian tour to run workshops on client relationships in Mumbai, Bangkok, and Manila. Having worked in the region for several years, I steer strongly away from generalizing about Asia, however I do believe one of the key shifts in place is in business relationship styles. While there are many strengths to the traditional Asian relationship styles, characterized by the Chinese community, they do not have sufficient flexibility in an extremely rapidly-shifting economy. We are already seeing more readiness to build relationships far more quickly than in the past, by necessity in a highly interdependent world. Over the next decade, a key variable in the development of the global economy will be how and whether Asian shift their business relationship styles, hopefully being able to keep the strengths of their traditional approaches, while also being able to engage relatively quickly where merited in new high-trust relationships.