Management consulting giant Accenture has come up with the concept of ‘multi speed IT’ by which several IT processes will run parallel, thus best aiding top notch mobile apps to run smoothly. In fact,market research carried out by Accenture reflects that nearly three-fourths of those surveyed feel that this concept can be worked out, yet four-fifths of the sample do not yet possess confidence in firms’ ability to implement the same now. This is where the CIOs role becomes important as he/she has to fix objectives in such manner.

Business research conducted by Timewise suggests that flexibility in the working hours is not being followed to as much of an extent as it should due to organizations’ natural reluctance. However, this research has thrown up some methods which can enable the same without disturbing organizations’ work. Even when working from home, specific timelines and deadlines must be agreed upon. Once completed on time or before that, praise or feedback must be delivered as this raises confidence levels. Also the colleagues of the persons working from home must be aware of the same and not imagine it is an off day. Constant communication must exist between the employee and the employer’s line managers. Instant messaging tools’ aid must be taken. The remote working employee must get constant stream of information regarding organization work and projects.

An internal customer is typically someone who is either on company payroll or is a vendor delivering service to the firm. Business research has proven that internal customer servicing remains a positive step as it reflects the service mentality of the firm. It also helps the constant flow of communication which is the lifeline of any business. Inter-department cooperation also improves as a positive internal customer servicing will mean that employees can get the adequate help and information required at specific time periods.

Companies in Singapore are trying innovative ways to improve their brand primarily to attract the best of talent. They are insistent on putting up a dedicated career page. All job openings are posted there. Sometimes job application processes get complicated but instant help is provided to help out in the process. The site must be optimized for smart-phone users. The same site must be linked to corporate pages on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter. These pages will also contain job openings. A share button enabled next to the link allows word about opening to spread. Another business innovation is to allow candidates to directly import content from their LinkedIn pages to the application forms. A positive work-life balance is highly valued by younger recruits and that needs to be showcased. Also existing employee testimonials must be put up on company website.

China has always been at the forefront of distance education. For years it had been imparting agricultural lessons to rural people, but now the focus has changed to upgrading the skill sets of the urban middle class. Investment in education has topped a billion US dollars in China for the year 2014. Due to the great demand for US education, MOOCs is doing particularly well in China. Some concerns though exist such as low internet penetration which may render distance education and Executive MBA unintentionally as elite level courses.

Business innovation is not an overnight rectification, it requires steps to be followed in sequence. Change needs to be planned accordingly. Top leadership must reflect this constant change. The change needs to be managed in a coordinated way across the organization. Also the innovation must not be a one-time movement, but once implemented, needs to be maintained. This entire movement needs to be evaluated like portfolio management. Some organizations have thus started a change planning toolkit in order to micromanage all these steps.

Social media has become the bedrock behind digital marketing and thus some maxims have been framed for the sound execution of the same. Before any posting on social media, due diligence must be paid. Social media may be a virtual field, but the people concerned are real. It is imperative to listen to what others especially customers have to say about our brand. Due interaction must be done with customers before adequate response. Also the right post must be made at the right social media platform. The option to follow people must only be selectively used up for the right personalities. The content to be delivered must be as good as possible. The social media marketer must be hands-on and deliver content as per correct timing. Also there is no need to go head on with aggression, rather a calmer approach suits all stakeholders concerned. Content delivered must be consistent across timelines and social media channels. Finally, it is important to listen to what influencers have to say as they can gauge substantial audience figures.