Corporate Blogging: a new marketing communication tool fo companies

In order to maintain a competitive edge, corporations are increasingly looking for opportunities to make them stand out. A corporate blog is a blog published by organization to reach the organization's goals. Internally blogs are generally referred to as tools for collaboration and knowledge management. In external communications the potential benefits include strengthened relationships with important target groups and the positioning of the publishing organization as well as the individuals within it as industry experts.

The purposes of blog usage can be grouped in three fields - brand building, customer service and promotion. There are five types of corporate blogs that can be catogorized based on the characteristics of authors and contents.

• Employee blog - a typical personal blog that is maintained by a single rank-and-file employee. When organizations took a hands-off approach, employee blogs are hosted on commercial sites. Although a majority of employee blogs are still hosted independently of the company web site, employee blogs are increasingly being hosted on ocmpany-owned domains as more and more companies are officially sponsoring employee blogging.


• Group blog - also called a collaborative blog, is written by several people. Most group blogs focus on a specific topic, often a technical one with autors who are experts on the topic. Some group blogs are started under emplyee's own volition and self-hosted. On the other hand, others are driven by strategic plans crafted by management and hosted in companies' official web sites.


• Executive blog - People have become more interested in top executives who run companies than in individual companies. When top executives appear in blogsphere, their blogs generate instant traffic and can be an effective tool to establish a direct connection with stakeholders.


• Promotional blog - The purpose of the promotional blog is to generate buzz about products and events. This type of blog is somewhat controversial among bloggers at large, primarily due to the lack of an authentic human voice.


• Newsletter blog - Aside from typical personal blogs, some organizations have launched a newsletter type of blog that officially represents their positions. Thus, this type of blog tends to filled with well-polished messages. Examples are Yahoo! Search Blog, Google Blog and Red Hat Magazine. They cover a variety of topics auch as company news and product information.
  

Related links:

1. Beginners' Guide to Corporate Blogging - http://www.corporateblogging.info/basics/corporatebloggingprimer.pdf

2. The many challenges of corporate blogging - http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2008/05/29/the-many-challenges-of-corporate-blogging/

3. A guide to corporate blogging - http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/10/15/a-guide-to-corporate-blogging/

4. Top 25 blog posts on corporate blogging (2008/2009) - http://www.spotlightideas.co.uk/?p=1252

E-government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen's adoption strategies

E-government is the use of information and communication technologies in public administration combined with organisational change and new skills to improve public services and democratic processes and to strengthen support to public policies. It use information technology and e-commerce to provide citizens and organizations with more convenient access to government information and services and to provide delivery of public services to citizens, business partners, and those working in the public sector.

Ita implementation:

Seven main projects were identified to be the core of the e-government applications:

1. Project Monitoring System (PMS)

2. Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)

3. Generic Office Environment (GOE)

4. Electronic Procurement (EP)

5. Electronic Services (E-Services)

6. Electronic Labor Exchange (ELX)

7. E-Syariah

Other than these seven main projects under e-government flagships, several government agencies has also initiated online services for the public projects, aims to increase the ease and efficiency of public service to the people. Among others were Public Services Portal (myGovernment), e-Tanah, e-Consent, e-Filing, e-Local Government (e-PBT), e-Kehakiman, Custom Information System (SMK), Pensions Online Workflow Environment (POWER), and Training Information System (e-SILA).

Citizen's adoption strategies

E-Services form an emerging field, which is rapidly gaining attention and importance. Citizens expect and demand governmental services with a high degree of quality, quantity, and availability in a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, and year-round fashion. Governments all over the world are developing information systems and electronic services that have the capacity to meet these rising service needs and demands of citizens and other clients.

Success in delivering electronic services depends upon the capability and self-confidence of citizens in performing e-transactions, as well as their trust and confidence in the protection of their personal data within an open and accountable government.

The e-government applications are developed based on best understanding of citizen requirements. These applications will provide a seamless online service and thus improve traditional government services.

Review of Blooming.com

There are many local-commerce website in Malaysia and the lucky website that I had chosen is http://www.booming.com.my/. This is a website that specializes in gifts and flowers for various occasions.

This website has a large selection of flowers as gifts and it has more variety of flowers and is much customizable. The QUALITY FLOWERS and QUALITY SERVICES have been provided to customers and maintain consistently through the years. However, Noel.com becomes the main competitor to Blooming in e-commerce scene because Noel provides various type of gift compare to Blooming is more focus on flowers as gifts.

Being a gift website, Blooming does not have many choices of practical gifts that I could actually give to my friends and family members. Most of their arrays of gifts are very exotic in nature. Hence, they are not suitable to be given just to anyone. However, if a last-minute purchase needs to be made, and you don’t have any idea what to get, this website will be an excellent choice for you. You no need go out to choose for the gift but just sit at home and click to select the gift from the website. The delivery service is also provided. It is much more convenience compares to shopping.

This website not only focused on the ‘Valentine’ Day’ market, but also focused on Birthday, Wedding Day, because they are very ‘lovey-dovey’ in nature and have many flowers and cute soft toys and etc for purchase.

In conclusion, Blooming.com is an e-commerce site which provides a good quality of flowers and services to the user. The overall site design and layout of the website is also very nice and well organized.

Related links:
http://www.blooming.com.my/
http://www.noel.com.my/