Corporate Blogging: A New Marketing Communication Tool For Companies

Today, corporate blogging is widely used and published by an organization to achieve its organizational goals through internal, external and CEO Blogs. Thus, all current browsers which include Firefox, Opera, Safari and Internet Explorer 7 enable readers to read the recent posts easily without truly visit the blog through supporter of RSS technology. According to research of NewPR Wiki, there was 58 (11.6%) of the Fortune 500 were blogging as of 17/5/2008. One of the successful blogs is Amazon Web Services Blog by Amazon.com that about Amazon web services, products, tools and developer information. It helps to improve the communication and its customer services, attract more people to consume and discuss new products online.

Corporate blogging provides a clear mind map or editorial guidelines of overall marketing or communication strategy to its employees and third parties with organization communication plan and media mix. Besides that, it encourages employee participation in contribution of expertise, free discussion of issues or topics and deal with it, collective intelligence, be a direct communication between various layers of an organization and shares their views with others employees, teams or spokespersons publicly. Furthermore, it can be used to announce new products and services, explain and clarify policies of the company and to react on public criticism on certain issues. Business blog can interact with a target market on a personal level by building a level of credibility and asking for their feedback on products and services.

One of the pros of corporate blogging is posts and comments are easy to reach and follow by employees due to centralized hosting and generally structured conversation threads. Besides that, it can be more accessible among the executives since the corporate blogging are an “unparalleled information gathering mechanism”. Furthermore, a search able archive of thoughts and ideas can be created and jotting down within an hour through corporate blogging that cost more cheaper than other ways. Lastly, executives can receive the important information from employees and customers’ questions and feedback that will be permanently recorded on the blog and increases the efficiency while decreases the time wasted on needless e-mails.

However, corporate blogging might make it easy for defamation and invasion of privacy or to breach information security and loss of company confidentiality. (Wired News, 2005) Hence, this fear has stopped 22 percent of employees from writing a corporate blog. Besides that, it will create an expectation of updating the blog regularly and the time that taken in writing a blog will cause loss of $ 759 billion in productivity every year. Additionally, a new style of communication will be mastered since corporate blogging become popular in these recent years. In conclusion, corporate blogging is getting important for corporation to deliver the message privately or publicly since it has brought many pros even thought the cons come along with it.

References:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/28/news/companies/pluggedin_fortune/index.htm
http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php/Resources/CEOBlogsList
http://mariosundar.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/the-5-types-of-corporate-blogs-with-examples/
http://blogs.wsj.com/biztech/2008/06/30/most-corporate-blogs-are-unimaginative-failures/

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

E-government is small form of electronic government. E-government is an activity that takes place by digital process over computer network. It builds interaction between the government, public and private sector. E-government may define as new or transformed ways to build relationship and improve government process between citizens and government by networks.E-government was launch and lead Malaysia to Information Age. It used internet technology as a platform in exchanging the information, providing services for citizens of Malaysia. It seeks to improve the convenience, accessibility and quality of government services. It improves information flows and processing speed of deal with government.
Implementation of e-government started since the introduction of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in 1996 by the Malaysian government.

The implementation status of e-government project in Malaysia:

* Project Monitoring System (SPP II)

* Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)

* Generic Office Environment (GOE)

* Electronic Procurement (EP)

* Electronic Services (E-Services)

* Electronic Labour Exchange (ELX)

* E-Syariah

Ways to encourage more citizens to use the e-government applications:
1) Provide websites with multiple language versions.
2) Increase awareness through TV and radio advertisements, and organizing workshops at shopping malls.
3) Provide consultation services on how to use those services.
4) Simplify procedures needed to access to the e-government services.

The most important factor that drives the implementation of e-government services to another greater height is the satisfaction of customer. “give the people what they want” is the phrase that drives the adoption of online government services. As government executives focus on tailoring online services to meet the needs of specific customer segments, just as businesses do, e-government programs will be more successful and deliver greater returns on the investments.

Things to take note to prevent e-auction fraud when consumer participating in an e-auction

E-Auction

Auctions are common in markets where the goods sold are valuable (like art) or when their prices can't be easily determined. Buyers make bids and seller place offers; characteristic by the competitive and dynamic nature by which the final price is reached. But E-auction is becoming very common in recently, for example, we can bid a price for products (eg, watches, computer hard/software and tickets) at e-bay.com. Somebody will treat this as an entertainment when they are free because it is very convenience and easy.

The ways to protecting against e-auction fraud:

• User identity verification- The validity of a user is very important; we can identify the users’ personal details to verify them. Eg, IC number, date of birth.

• Authentication services- To determine whether an item is genuine and described appropriately.

• Grading services- To determine the physical condition of the item. User can estimate the price for bidding.

• Feedback forum- A platform that to allow buyers and sellers to exchange the experience in E-Auction and build up their online reputations.

• Escrow services- Each transaction in the E-auction, both buyers and sellers are protected with a independent third party.

• Non-payment punishment- That will be a record that if an user no fulfill the payment and taking some actions against them.

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• Physical inspection- Can eliminate many problems especially for collectors’ items.

Review of Local E-Comerce Site

There are many local E-commerce website in Malaysia. i had chosen one website which is http://www.blooming.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, yet,Noel has much more variety and is much more customizable. I would even come to the conclusion that Noel's main competitor in the e-commerce scene is Blooming.




VS


Flowers is the main product of Blooming but other like cookies, cakes, selwin pewter are also be provided. Each of the products is exotic and hard to duplicate. This is a good choice when you struggling for selecting present to friends.

Compare with its competitor, Noel is focusing present on Valentine day such as flower and toys.
Besides, Blooming not only provide valentine present but also provide festival type flower such as Chinese New Year.

Other than that, i think Blooming has a advantage compare with NOEL. Blooming has a clear and attractive web design. On Blooming's homepage, we can find that it is colourful and it show the most popular products.

At last, Blooming consider nowadays e banking is one of the trend of the e-commerce. Hence, it cooperation with many bank to do the e banking such as visa mastercard, Hong Leong online and pay pal.

Electronic currency

Electronic currency also knows as e-money, electronic cash, digital money or digital currency. Electronic currency is essentially a system that allows a person to pay for goods or services by transmitting a number from one computer to another. . Thus, electronic currency is the digital representation of money, or more accurately, the digital representation of currency. Electronic currency also includes internet-based purchase and sales transactions involving almost anything to be safely conducted at lightning speed.

A private currency may use gold to provide extra security, such as digital gold currency. Individual open an account to deposits money with an online electronic currency company that then converts the amount into gold bullion. The account holder can transfer ownership of some or all of that gold into someone else's electronic currency account. Electronic currency has been widely used by perpetrators of pyramid scams. Experts estimate that about half of e-currency transactions are related to scams or online games.

An electronic currency system may be fully backed by gold (like e-gold), non-gold backed, or both gold and non-gold backed. Two major types of electronic currency their backed base. One is backed by precious metal such as e-gold is backed by gold .Another type of electronic currency is backed by hard currency like Pay Pal. Both of them are all called electronic currencies.

Nowadays, nearly all of the deposit currencies in the world's banking systems are handled electronically through a series of inter-bank computer networks. Although banks have been able to move currency electronically for decades, only recently has the average consumer had the capability to use electronic transfers in any meaningful way.

The application of prepaid cash card for consumers

The prepaid cash card is of use in several ways, namely:
1. Pay bill – Rent, utilities, insurance, car payment, and cell phone bills can be paid instantly.

2. Shop anywhere as long as the card using is accepted at different retailers, buys fuel at the pump, pay by phone, and shop on the Internet.

3. Get cash at ATMs, any time of the day, and any day of the week.

4. Transfer money – For some prepaid cash card they provide the convenient such as send or receive money via bank wire transfers, between two cards.

5. Pay for toll – Use Touch n Go card as an example, it can be used at all highways in Malaysia, major public transports in Klang Valley, selected parking sites and theme park.


Other than as mentioned above, prepaid cash cards can be used as a replacement for travellers’ cash. Customers buy prepaid debit cards denominated in the currency of destination, and then use them to withdraw cash at ATMs or pay for goods or services. It is indeed a great way to carry prepaid cash card, carry prepaid cash card as we travel is much safer and more secure than carrying around large amounts of cash.

Prepaid Cash Cards – Why use them?Nowadays so many people tend or already have their own prepaid cash cards, why is it so? The reasons are as below:

1. Remain in control of one’s money, keep track all of activity online or by phone.

2. Free balance alerts –Some card providers will inform users on how much cash they have.

3. Eliminate check cashing fees and enjoy immediate access to your money through direct deposit of your paycheck, government payment or other income sources, no bank account needed.

4. Avoid bounced check fees; always know exactly how much money you have to spend. The prepaid card can help protect you from over spending.In a nutshell, prepaid cash card is indeed a good invention that makes life easier, it contributed a lot in eliminating debt risk with no chance to spend too much as the balance is limited to the amount reloaded, and the convenience that it provide is indeed great.



References:

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/cards/prepaid-cards-guide1.asp
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/index.html
http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/aboutourcards/gift_prepaid/
http://www.electronic-payments.co.uk/solutions/Splash_plastic_card

Mobile payment systems in Malaysia: Its potentials and consumers’ adoption strategies

Mobile payment is a system that direct or indirect transaction conducted and facilitated through a wireless telecommunication network. It collects money from users by mobile devices. Mobile money is one of the examples of mobile payment system in Malaysia. It is a payment service that allows users to TAP to pay by using MM card and SMS to Pay by using mobile phone with their account. In Malaysia many users purchase digital products (eg.E-books, ringtones, and games) by GPRS/WAP or SMS through their mobile phones. Recently, M-payment is rapidly developing in Malaysia. Many users are prefer to use mobile payment rather than other alternatives (eg.cash, credit card and cheque).

The potential of Mobile Payment System are it is very convenience and saving cost. Users can make transaction cashless and without need to visit a bank. Mobile phone is a new and powerful channel to developing business. It can attract youth segment to using the system rather than using those traditional channels because they are early adopters of technology. Nowadays, mobile phone is become one of the most important necessities in our life. So, M-commerce is very easily accepted and adopted by many peoples. The security of the mobile payment system will be the most concerned issue by the users. The issue will decide the development of m-commerce in Malaysia.

Credit Card debts: Causes and Prevention

A credit card is part of a system of payments named after the small plastic card issued to users of the system. It is a card entitling its holder to buy goods and services based on the holders promise to pay for these goods and services.It is issued by banks, savings and loans, retail stores, and other businesses. It is very useful because it is small and allows card holders need not to bring to much cash on hand.

Therefore, the convenience of the credit card also brings a lot of problems. It is because a lot of people use credit cards as a "crutch." They like to pay the bill using credit card. Because of credit card is issued by banks, so when those card holders pay the bill, the interest are straightly charge into their accounts. Many of people failed to pay the bill so that they have to bear the credit card debt.

Causes of credit card debts

1. The low qualification of application of credit card Compare with 1990's, those people who apply for the credit card must have to achieve the lower salary level which is RM 1,500 per months. But, nowadays the qualification becomes lower and lower.

2. Poor money management
Without money spending plan, you have no idea where your money is going. You may be spending unnecessarily each month.

3. Banking on a windfall
Very often, spending tomorrow's money today is very tempting. It is advisable that don’t spend until you hold an amount of money in hand.

It is a serious issue because the bank will charge interest per month for those cannot settle the credit card debt. So that, those failed to paid debt will feel hard to settle the debt because of the interest that charged by the bank. Prevention is better than cure. How to prevent credit card debt?

1. Prioritize your debt repayment
Credit card users are advisable to pay off your debts to get rid of the highest interest payment first. List all of your credit card debts, and the amount you are paying each month. Pay off the lowest amount first. Then use that money to start paying off the second lowest amount.

2. Move your debts
This is by moving debt from a card with higher annual interest rate to a lower interest rate. This can eventually allow you to pay the lower amount of interest and buy more.

3. Cut up your cards so that you are not tempted to use them
Pick the one with the lowest interest rate and cut up the rest. The one you keep should be deemed an ‘emergency card.”

The threat of online security: How safe is our data?

Nowadays the technology is getting improved; majority of people can be able to use online service and access to internet. Internet become common in our life because many people use it to search the information, chatting, transferring the file, read the news and so on.

There are few threats that would harm and risky for online users which are:

Accidental Actions

An accidental action is usually the main issue that causes the harm of security. This category encompasses problems arising from basic lack of knowledge about online security concepts and includes issues such as poor password choices, accidental or erroneous business transactions, accidental disclosure, and erroneous or outdated software. Related problems occur as a result of
misconfigured security products and information leakage resulting from insecure information transfers. Education and prudence should be considered key defenses
in limiting the frequency and extent of such events, since this form of cyber vulnerability is largely self-inflicted and avoidable.

Phishing

Phishing is one of the most damaging online security threats in recent times. Basically it involves an attempt by a fraudster, to extract confidential information from the innocent victim. In most cases the fraudster constructs a clone site that looks very similar to the web page of a bank or other financial institution. The victim is urged to click a link on an email and access the victim's financial account. The web link is actually a clone web page that captures the confidential login information of the victim. Once this happens, the fraudster uses the information to log into the actual financial account of the victim. The funds in the account are then syphoned out by the fraudster. We should never click a link to access to our bank account, credit card account or any other financial account. To avoid from it, open up a fresh browser window and type the entire name of the website, this is the safest way.

Worm

A worm is also a man-made program that replicates itself. However, unlike a virus, it does not infect other program files on the computer. Instead, a worm spreads itself automatically to other computers through email, over a network and via Internet Relay Chat (IRC). If we get infected by worm, worm can either disable the computer, Add, modify or delete files or reformat the hard disk or steal addresses held in our computer to send on virus-infected emails to our friends, colleagues, clients or customers and also send spam to those people which in our mail address.

Trojan Horse

Although Trojan horse programs are categorized as viruses, they are not true viruses, since they do not replicate. Trojans are one of the sneakiest of the online risks. They are often downloaded on the back of a free program (freeware) that has some value to the user -- a free game, software program or music, for instance. A Trojan installed on a computer allows that PC to be entered via a 'backdoor' by any remote user that has the access code to the Trojan. The remote attacker can enter the computer undetected, when the user is online, to access or destroy any information stored. Alternatively, the Trojan can be programmed to automatically send any information on our PCs back to the attacker. This could include,
Client or customer information or other business data
Credit card details
Passwords for access to your online bank, ISP or web services
Information you would rather remain hidden
Email addresses, which may be used for spamming
Children's names, photographs, ages or other personal details held on the computer
Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack on other computers via the victim's computer

Hacker/Cracker

The term "hacker" is a misused term. We should really be referring to a "cracker" to describe those who break security on a computer system. The original term "hacker" refers to computer enthusiasts who enjoy learning everything about a computer system. Crackers run programs that scan computer ports over the Internet to work out which ports are accessible. If our computer shows up in one of these scans, the cracker may decide to enter our PC.

References:

http://www.guard-privacy-and-online-security.com/how-do-you-stay-safe-on-the-internet.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2246099_online-security-threats-online-frauds.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

http://www.bsagovernment.com/downloads/MajorOnlineThreats.pdf

Phishing: Examples and its prevention methods.

Phishing is an attempt to gather sensitive information criminally and fraudulently, such as credit card details, usernames and passwords from recipients. Genarally, phishing is carried out by e-mails and instant messaging. Popular websites like PayPal, eBay and etc are common targets.It often directs users to a fake website which looks like very much alike to the original one.

Examples

Tax Refund Phishing

Public Bank Phishing

Ambank Phishing

Yahoo Phishing

Preventions
Password Protection

Learn to use several passwords instead of just one. If a phisher gains access to your blogging account and get ahold of your e-mail address, if you have different passwords between your blog account and your e-mail account, he cannot access your more sensitive account with your blog account password simply because the phisher knows the wrong password to the right account.

Browsers

Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2.0 and Opera 9.1 somehow implements their own anti-phishing programs as the toolbar versions do: IE7 uses a measure developed by an independent testing company; Firefox 2.0 uses Google’s anti-phishing software; and Opera 9.1 uses an array of phishing websites as checklist whether the visited website is a spoof or not. Other than just keeping anti-phishing toolbars and browsers, update them too.

Above are just two of the methods to prevent phishing. There are a lot of prevention methods to prevent it. Microsoft provides the method to fight for phishing, www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/phishing/identify.mspx You can also learn more about phishing on PayPal’s website, https://www.paypal.com/fightphishing

The application of 3rd party certification programme in Malaysia

Third parties are called certificate authorities (CAs), who issue digital certificate to provide verification that your website does indeed represent your company.Importantly, the assessment is carried out by an independent, third party organization that is qualified and licensed to issue certification when the assessment is successfully completed.

The most famous application of 3rd party program in Malaysia is provided by MSC Trustgate.com Sdn Bhd which are incorporated in 1999, under the Digital Signature Act 1997 (DSA),a Malaysia law that sets a global precedent for the mandate of a CA.

The objective of MSC Trustgate is to secure the open network communications from both locally and across the ASEAN region. Trustgate provide digital certification services such as digital certificates, cryptographic products and software development.

The products and services of Trustgate are SSL Certificate, Managed PKI, Personal ID, MyTRUST, MyKAD ID, SSL VPN, Managed Security Services, VeriSign Certified Training and Application Development. The vision of Trustgate is to enable organizations to conduct their business securely over the internet, as much as what they have been enjoying in the physical world.

Digital certificate usually attach to an e-mail message or an embedded program in a web page that verifies that user or website is who they claim to be. The common functions of a digital certificate are user authentication, encryption and digital signatures. User authentication provides other security than using username and password. Its session management is stronger. Encryption can make the data transmission secured by using the information encrypted. The intended recipient of the data is only person to receive the message. Digital signatures are like the hand signature in the digital world. It can ensure the integrity of the data.

By using the digital certificate, the users will be able to make transaction on the internet without fear of having the personal data being stolen, information contaminated by third parties, and the transacting party denying any commercial commitment with the users. Furthermore, the digital certificates can assist the development of greater internet based activities.

How to safeguard our personla and financial data?

Nowadays, the IT is becoming more advanced and convenience rapidly. We can share information, chatting, doing e-business, online payment through internet. At the other sides, the problem of cybercrime is becoming more serious as well, such as cases of hackers, internet fraud, malware and so forth. So we need to learn how to safeguard our private information well.

These are the few ways to safeguard our electronic information:

1. Encryption method. This is the most common and easy ways to protect our database disallow unauthorized peoples to assess to it with a set of pass codes. Biometric system is one of the advanced methods of the encryption, it identify a authorized person by measure their biological characteristics, such as fingerprints, iris patterns or voice which are set before that. It provides a higher security to safeguard user’s data. Nowadays, people also use the biometric system to protect their physical assets, like cars, houses or offices.
2. Computer soft/hardware. Good antivirus software is very important to our pc. It can help us to scan and delete any viruses (eg. Spy wares, Trojans, worms….) which are founded in our pc. Computer firewall can help to protect our network from a public network and won’t hack by hacker. BitDefender, Kaspersky and Norton are 3 of the best antivirus

The website below allows us to learn more about the antivirus and firewall.

http://www.firewallguide.com/anti-virus.htm

Although we have the technical ways of protections, we still need to follow the non-technical ways. We should not tell other peoples about our private passwords, private information to others and keep updating our computer’s window and antivirus always. We also need to backup our computers’ data regularly. As conclusion, if we follow those necessary steps to safeguard our personal and financial data. We can enjoy the internet services, such as e-banking and e-commerce.