Impact of the Internet on Business in the Middle East Essay -- Informa

New online consumer demeanour in the mettle East and world(prenominal)ly demands changes in corporate strategyInternet usage that involves online collaboration, networking between individual users, and user-created content - kn sustain as wind vane 2.0 - is festering rapidly and is changing the way companies in the Middle East operate, a new Booz Allen Hamilton study has found.Consumers no longer ensure the Internet to passively take in content rather, they atomic number 18 actively creating content themselves. In this new era of interactivity, corporations must be aware of what is taking place on the Internet and in social media spaces like MySpace, Wikipedia, and endorsement Life. They also must decide how to participate in this new world. They must develop a strategy to address the threats posed by tissue 2.0 and seize the opportunities it offers. This is equally true for corporations operating in the Middle East, where meshing 2.0 sites have a dedicated following, sai d Jad Hajj, an associate with Booz Allen Hamilton, a global management consulting firm with offices throughout the MENA region. He added that companies also may destiny to change their business models to better fit the new online environment. Those that ignore the growing trend of Web 2.0 usage do so at their own peril, he warned. To understand the full scale of Web 2.0 activity and find out how it might affect consumer behavior, Booz Allen conducted a first-of-its-kind study to investigate trends in Web 2.0 usage, including social behavior and networking, usage of communication and Internet values, and node expenditure. As part of the study, 4,570 individuals in the Middle East, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the United States were surveyed between expansive 2006 and January 2007... ... certain populations. For example, companies that want to target professionals may choose to advertise on LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking site, whereas companies targe ting the youth market may advertise on FunkySexyCool, a mobile-oriented social network run in cooperation with MTV. Customer service Web 2.0 platforms offer companies the ability to create very interactive high-quality customer service sites that network together customers, staff, and suppliers. In addition, companies can create customer service sites moderated by full-time employees that encourage end-user created content and wide association among users - enhancing consumers customer service experience and building loyalty. Branding There are increasing opportunities to brand companies on Web 2.0 sites, also at a much more favorable cost than through other media channels.