NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing iDeas anD forming opinions in the Digital age Networks for thinking Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age a report from the economist intelligence Unit SOCIAL TRENDS NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age contents About this report Executive summary The thinking man’s network Knowledge skills: Five ways to thrive in the digital age Case study: How different are the young? 12 The trust game 13 Case study: Wikipedia – The democratisation of knowledge 14 Opening up the workplace 15 Case study: Chubb uses social networking tools to generate ideas 16 Engaging with the crowd 18 Case study: Threadless – A community of creatives 20 The implications for innovation 21 Case study: Lego – Taking creativity online 22 Conclusion 23 Appendix 25 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age about this report © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Networks for thinking is an Economist Intelligence Unit report that examines the way digital tools and networks are affecting the way business people develop their ideas and thinking The study draws on in-depth interviews with 16 leading experts and corporate leaders, as well as a global survey of almost 1,200 senior and up-and-coming executives and MBA students Rather than considering the population as a whole, it looks specifically at those who are already digitally connected (the survey itself was conducted online) The author was Dr Paul Kielstra and the editor was Gareth Lofthouse About the survey: A total of 1,193 executives and business school students took part in this survey, with 40% coming from Western Europe, 26% from the Asia-Pacific region, 18% from North America and the rest from the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe In terms of age, 11% were under 30, 31% in their 30s, 28% in their 40s, 18% in their 50s and 11% 60 or over More males (78%) than females (22%) took part, but there was remarkably little difference between the genders on responses The research was conducted between March and May 2011 Interviewees: Jagdish Belwal, CIO, Tata Motors Don Tapscott, author of studies on the impact of new technologies Irene Greif, head of IBM’s Collaborative User Experience Group Professor Manuel Castells, communications scholar Jim Jansen, a senior fellow at the Pew Internet & American Life Project Evan Rosen, consultant and speaker on collaboration strategy and author of The Culture of Collaboration John Seely Brown, former head of Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center and now co-chair of Deloitte’s Centre for the Edge, a think tank James Knight, CIO of the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Professor Mikolaj Jan Piskorski of Harvard Business School Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia Russell Place, chief strategy officer, Universal McCann Lisbeth Pallesen, EVP of Consumer, Education and Direct, the LEGO Group Nicholas Carr, writer on technology, culture and economics Jake Nickell, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Threadless Mark Holden, global strategy director, PHD Worldwide Susan Steele, chief human resources officer, Millward Brown © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age executive summary The Internet, together with the social and business communities that it has spawned, continues to transform almost every conceivable aspect of human life People are not only spending large chunks of the day consuming digital media, but they so using an increasingly sophisticated blend of channels and technologies More importantly, the new networks are also driving deeper changes in human behaviour Social media such as Facebook and Twitter provide an early indication of how interpersonal relationships and interactions might evolve in this environment But, as this study reveals, digital tools are also changing the way people develop ideas, form views and make both trivial and life-changing decisions There is, of course, already a sizeable amount of research available on how consumers are using these technologies This research differs in that it focuses primarily on individuals in the business world, and seeks to understand how they are using the new knowledge networks to advance their ideas and thinking It shows how the people who are driving the knowledge economy are developing new skills and capabilities based around these technologies It also investigates the longer-term impact of these trends on corporate culture and management strategy Key findings: Business leaders want to be digital natives too Executives in the survey are enthusiastic users of digital tools and networks The majority of respondents say they make them feel “smarter” and “connected”, whereas only a (generally © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 small) minority associated these technologies with negative feelings Overall Internet-based networks and tools are valued more or less as strongly by older executives (40+) as by those under 30, although sometimes younger respondents use them in different ways Business people particularly value the way the technology enables them to develop their thinking Four out of five say that they have better information to support decision-making than five years ago, and more friendships and business relationships are now maintained online than offline The Internet is seen as the “best place to go for exploring ideas and new perspectives on the world,” according to 72% of executives in the survey However, the research also suggests that people feel able to use these tools more freely in their personal lives than in the workplace – not surprisingly, given that many companies still discourage the use of social media The new networks change the way we acquire knowledge and solve problems Technology allows individuals to rapidly gather and combine huge quantities of information emanating from sources as varied as friends and colleagues, traditional news outlets and YouTube postings But the quantity of information available is only part of the story The new networks have also begun to blur the line between learning and communication Developing knowledge increasingly involves participation in a global conversation rather than the simple absorption of data Over six in 10 respondents, for example, have contributed to an online discussion in the last year, and one NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age third have published their own information on the Internet In return, the new technology allows them to rapidly tap insight within their existing relationships, but it also enables them to reach new sources of expertise rapidly Just under 40% of those surveyed, for example, have directly contacted the author of something seen on the Internet Being a recognised expert on a topic helps you get your opinion or idea aired, but in a sceptical environment you have to re-earn your reputation almost on a daily basis In the digital world, people place a premium on information they can trust Survey respondents and those interviewed identified the volume of data now available as a significant problem in itself Even more difficult was determining the quality and credibility of information online Only 16% disagreed with the statement that “I sometimes struggle to know which information sources can be trusted when online” Given the oceans of information now available, traditional techniques for evaluating quality, such as time-consuming analysis, are not always practical In this environment, reputation matters even more than before When asked “what determines whether something catches your attention online,” executives say that the most important factor is the credibility of the information source They are also more questioning of authority While people still value the views of experts and credible information sources, this does not mean that their word is automatically accepted – on the contrary, networks encourage people to challenge traditional authority figures In practice, this means people will start with a trusted information provider, but then check what they find against a wide range of sources, which might include alternative information channels but also friends and colleagues Thus being a recognised expert on a topic helps you get your opinion or idea aired, but in a sceptical environment you have to re-earn your reputation almost on a daily basis Crowdsourcing can fuel ideas, but will remain a niche activity for some time Although three quarters of respondents say that their influence as consumers over companies has increased, crowdsourcing remains a niche activity, with only 3% of companies using it as a leading source of new ideas There are, of course, innovative companies that are successfully harnessing the “wisdom of the crowd”, but doing so entails overcoming some sizeable hurdles To be effective, crowdsourcing often needs to go beyond the customer base to engage a wider public, something which businesses are © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 less adept at than straightforward customer relations Convincing people to provide ideas requires incentives and focus More importantly, it requires an understanding of what makes communities flourish The new networks favour certain types of creativity over others Respondents believe that digital technology has made companies in general much more innovative, but only 15% say its biggest effect on their own jobs has been the creation of better, or more, ideas The new networks seem to help with certain mental tasks, such as projects where groups work better than individuals But other forms of creativity (and indeed, other types of personality) may be less suited to this environment About half the respondents to the survey say that they prefer to find space to their own thinking rather than brainstorming when developing ideas Obviously new information tools and strategies not overtly forbid the lone thinker from coming up with insights, but the ubiquity of the new model and the need to engage in the networks of others could bring its own negative social pressures These trends hold far-reaching implications for both individuals and for organisations At the individual level, business people are increasingly using a blend of digital tools and strategies to inform their decisions and improve their knowledge The new technology creates challenges too, of course The sheer quantity of information available is often overwhelming, and it is becoming difficult to know what sources you can really trust Privacy issues also remain a serious concern But despite these issues, executives of all ages generally emphasise the benefits of the new networks The networks also hold huge potential for companies, but it seems harder to unlock their full value at an organisational level Certainly there are a growing number of companies – some profiled in this report – that have found ways to harness them But many others still view the latest technologies primarily as a threat to their ability to control information and employee performance This often leads them to place restrictions on these tools Whether such a policy of prohibition can be sustained is another matter Increasingly, employees and customers will expect organisations to embrace the free exchange of ideas and information that these networks were designed to deliver NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age the thinking man’s network Digital networks are assuming an ever greater prominence in the lives of billions of people around the world The average American already spends two hours a day online, versus three hours watching TV Some of the newer technology channels are growing particularly fast For example, the time spent by global consumers on social media networks had grown year-on-year by 82% by 2009, while the number of Americans watching mobile video grew by 40% year-on-year by 20101 Undoubtedly this migration to digital networks is having a profound effect on the way people find and exchange information, as well as collaborate with others What is less understood is the extent to which these tools are changing the way people develop their ideas and thinking This has broad implications across society, not least in business Nielsen, 2010 This study examines how the new networks are affecting senior business people in particular It relies on 16 interviews with prominent experts and corporate leaders, as well as a survey of nearly 1,200 executives worldwide which looks at the impact of technology on respondents as individuals and on their organisations Although most of those surveyed are already well advanced in their careers, to obtain a wide range of ages the survey also includes a cohort of younger executives and MBA students To understand how this group uses these digital technologies to help shape their worldview requires a detailed look at how they are informing themselves, communicating and making decisions © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 The digital shift One of the most striking aspects of the research is just how positive business people of every age feel about these networks Over half of survey participants (58%) say that, as a result of digital technologies, they feel smarter Whatever the impact of these tools on brain power itself, the availability of data online is leaving them far better informed: 88% use many more information sources and 83% have better data on which to base decisions than they did even five years ago – the web dates back nearly 20 and the Internet itself far longer Respondents are finding this rich trove of information online: 72% call the Internet “the best place to go for exploring ideas and new perspectives on the world.” Three quarters are spending more time online than five years ago keeping up with global events and 74% are doing so in search of news within their own industry Jagdish Belwal, CIO of Tata Motors, speaks for many when he says: “People are much more informed now There used to be a lot of information asymmetry, but today if I am talking to an expert, I can quickly Google and get a lot of information on what we are talking about.” The search for information is part of a greater shift of life online for these business people Over half of respondents, for example, have also filed tax returns and supported charities over the Internet, and 41% have volunteered to engage in some activity It thus comes as little surprise that people are using the web to find data or that nearly every respondent has heard of Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia, and 83% find the site useful NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age More interesting is that the same digital tools have shifted the process of becoming informed from one of absorbing knowledge to one of participating in a global conversation This takes several forms: 39% of those surveyed, for example, have directly contacted the author of something seen on the Internet More common is commenting online about information found there Sixty-five percent of respondents have contributed to a discussion of a political, social or business issue on the web in the last 12 months About half that number (33%) have gone further, self-publishing their own information, often through a blog This interactivity is not a by-product of the search for information: it is central to the Internet experience Don Tapscott, co-author of Wikinomics and also author of a number of studies on the impact of new technologies on the generation currently entering the workforce, explains that individuals brought up with digital technology typically think, “What good is knowledge if you don’t share it?” This sentiment has spread broadly among business executives, at least as individuals: 56% of respondents like that they can easily have their own say online, against just 10% who not, and 65% like the fact that it allows mavericks or contrarians a voice If information gathering now resembles communication, it is partly because executives are doing much more of the latter online as well Sixty-three percent feel more connected because of digital technology and over half report spending significantly more time on knowledge skills Five ways to thrive in the digital age What does the research tell us about how people can use these technologies to solve problems and enhance their careers? Learn to generate the right network for the right job The ability to generate new, complex networks to help solve information needs or coordinate collaboration is a learned skill in itself Keeping abreast of networking and communication technologies is essential, as is being willing to look for a broad range of network participants Tend your network assets – it’s fun These networks work only because of their social context The ability to call on a wide range of network contacts requires engagement and commitment – after all, human relationships need to be nurtured and maintained Fortunately, most people find such activity enjoyable The line is blurring between researching and learning, sharing of information and building relationships Hence, maintaining a growing social network can be central to business productivity Ideally, the question “Am I working, chatting, learning or having fun?” should become meaningless as these activities meld into one Use the network to help you discriminate and evaluate There is now often too much information to assess it all confidently Unfortunately people often need to evaluate the validity and trustworthiness of a multitude of sources at great speed Again, bespoke, temporary networks including credible, trusted sources, friends, colleagues or even the wisdom of the wider “crowd” can greatly help in this process of selection and scoring Don’t forget privacy Although the new networks encourage people to share information, doing too much has its own dangers The need for some level of personal privacy and corporate secrecy has not disappeared Balancing privacy and openness will become an increasingly important skill Know when to go it alone The new knowledge networks can help today’s executives tackle many business challenges more effectively But they are more suited to some business tasks than others Creative tasks that require brainstorming or user input, or which involve building on other’s ideas, are ideally suited to the new networks There are many other tasks or stages in the creative process that may be better addressed through introspection 13% Have you done any of the following in the past 12 months? Won business through contacts made via social media site Select All thAT apply (% respondents) 65% 60% 48% Added a comment to an online discussion on a political, business or social issue Researched a medical condition Worked in a ‘virtual’ team (ie, the team collaborates mainly online) 39% 37% 35% 33% Directly contacted the writer of something you have read online Written a review on a website (eg, customer comments on Amazon) © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 Made a friend or relationship online who you go to meet in person Self published your own information on a topic (eg, a blog) NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age the Internet communicating with friends and family, collaborating with colleagues and even exchanging ideas with people they not know As with information gathering, this represents an increase in overall activity rather than a shift to a different medium In consequence, many more relationships are now maintained inside cyberspace than outside: respondents sustained, on average, 77 business relationships largely online compared to 53 in the traditional way, and even for personal friendships the equivalent figures are 65 to 53 Although the difference decreases with age, those in their 60s still have more friends online than offline On the business side, it is those in their 40s who have the largest percentage maintained online The two types of contacts are not mutually exclusive Although early studies suggested that online activity decreased friendships away from the computer, more comprehensive research has found that Internet sociability increases social activity offline2 In our own survey, 35% of respondents said that, in the past year, they had met someone in person to develop a relationship they started online This does not mean that all friendships are alike either Irene Greif, head of IBM’s Collaborative User Experience Group, notes: “Social software systems let you better at the weak ties [the equivalent of a nodding acquaintance] It doesn’t turn them into strong ties, but it lets you keep them lively enough that it is not awkward to renew them, when you need insight from people outside your inner circle.” The technology, however, has done more than provide enhanced information gathering and communication capacities Where it has truly changed how people learn and collaborate is in the ability it provides to combine these two elements easily and seamlessly Professor Manuel Castells, one of the world’s most-cited communications scholars of the last decade, explains: “Everybody in the digital world has the ability to select, generate and diversify networks with great ease and at very low cost Depending on the topic, what information they are looking for and what they need, they will generate different types of networks.” These networks are not just lists of friends but complex amalgamations of individuals they know personally, experts or non-experts whom they may not know, institutional information sources such as newspapers and other diverse types of data found online in numerous forms The machine used to access all these is the same, as is © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 sometimes even the piece of software or website The survey sheds light on how respondents combine different elements depending on the situation When developing general ideas and knowledge, respondents say that their most valuable sources of information are newspapers or magazines, whether online or offline (61%), and Internet search engines (59%) The search for information on political, ethical or social issues focuses much more tightly: magazines and newspapers are a leading source for 77%, but diffuse Internet searches only for 25% Instead, direct conversations with family and friends (39%) and TV and radio stations (36%) grow greatly in importance Business decisions bring together yet another constellation: there, most point to the Internet search (64%) as a valuable source, followed by conversations with colleagues (58%) and only then newspapers (51%) Jim Jansen, a Senior Fellow at the Pew Internet & American Life Project, explains that the wide variety of information sources available allows individuals to access and, importantly, aggregate data with a variety of uses and viewpoints depending on the information problem Sociability is the new productivity Two other aspects of these networks are particularly noteworthy The first is that they are ad hoc creations of individuals based on their own needs As Professor Castells explains: “Networks fundamentally are self-centred Most people in the newest generation already start with networks, but they not conform to what these networks give They carve out a niche They can decide to think with others on selective projects They not belong to networks, networks belong to them.” This does not translate into selfishness but quite the opposite For their own networks to function, individuals must be willing to share information with and take part in those of others Evan Rosen, a consultant and speaker on collaboration strategy and author of The Culture of Collaboration, explains the sort of behaviour necessary for this type of activity to work in the business world: “Team members of all ages must be ready to engage one another spontaneously regardless of level, role or region, via IM, voice, web conference or video on the fly No appointment is necessary.” The supposedly debased online term “friend” could be defined as someone open to communication in this way NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Which information source you use most for researching business decisions? Please select most valuable sources Select UP TO Three (% respondents) 64% Internet search engines (Google etc) 58% Direct conversation with colleagues 51% 27% 24% Newspapers and magazines (print or online) Online reference source (eg Wikipedia) Books 18% 10% 7% 6% 5% 1% 1% TV and radio Blogs Social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn etc) Twitter I don’t spend much time on this at all 10 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 Direct conversation with friends and family Online discussion forums focused on relevant topic NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age the implications for innovation If you create a culture that suggests that people who are not connected should be treated suspiciously, then people who think best when left with their own thoughts adapt and sacrifice calm, quiet, solitary time Nicholas Carr, Writer on technology, culture and economics Technology enthusiasts often claim the new networks can boost innovation and creativity, but what evidence is there of this? Could they even suppress or disadvantage certain types of creativity? This may seem a strange question to ask given the massive amount of information and the wide range of new ideas that digital technology make available In the survey, for example, 73% say that the Internet and online communities have made business more innovative and creative, with only 10% disagreeing, none of whom necessarily feel that companies are now less innovative In a striking contrast, however, only 15% of respondents say that the biggest change to their own jobs from these technologies has been the ability to generate better, or even more, ideas, suggesting that people may be having trouble turning information into creativity Definitions are important here Mr Jansen explains: “If you take it from the approach that more information is better, it will lead to better decisionmaking and problem-solving The availability of things like Twitter has introduced me to insights I didn’t know existed I have been able to mash those up To me that is being creative.” Mr Brown goes further to say that technology is increasingly providing tools to enhance the creative process “Imagination is the ability to envision a world we are not living in at the moment,” he adds “We have tools to foster collective imagination, to visualise complex phenomena in ways that we never have before In that sense, this is a golden age.” 21 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 Others are less sure Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows: How the internet is changing the way we think, read, and remember differentiates between kinds of creativity “The Net seems to be very good at helping certain types [of thinking], like problem solving, that reward the ability to exchange ideas with lots of people very quickly,” he says “On the other hand, there is evidence that the deepest kinds of creativity come from an individual’s ability to pay attention to one topic for a sustained period That seems to be the type of creativity that leads to breakthrough ideas.” He contends that the technology itself, by not rewarding such in-depth concentration, could impede the latter kind The survey suggests that the technology does discourage the second sort of creativity to some degree, or at least does not support it well Fiftynine percent of respondents say that, to make the most of the Internet, the ability to build on other people’s good ideas is more important than originating one’s own Professor Castells believes that people “will not generate completely new ideas over their networks The initial approach to any problem will start in the individual mind but will be sharpened in the network.” He compares the process to an academic sharing new theories informally with colleagues Dr Greif notes that “today we still find that most creative activities are done face-to-face,” and believes that social software needs to support this area better The evolving networked style of working, however, may also impede the creativity of certain types of individual When asked how they preferred to develop ideas, 51% of respondents said they liked NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age What is the biggest area where digital technologies and social media trends have changed the way you go about your job? (% respondents) 37% 28% More collaboration with geographically dispersed colleagues (eg international, other locations) Remote/flexible working to find their own space to think, and 49% liked to brainstorm with colleagues The new networks, however, seems much more conducive to the brainstormers Several interviewees pointed out that the existence of new tools did nothing to inconvenience those who did not use them Those looking for their own space could still so The networked style of information gathering, however, while centred on the individual, only works if others are willing to be co-opted regularly into the ad hoc networks As it becomes more pervasive, the cost of reluctance to take part in other people’s networks is likely to grow, to the extent that people could even incur social sanctions Mr Carr notes: “If you create a culture that suggests that people who are not connected should be treated suspiciously, then people who think best when left with their own thoughts adapt and sacrifice calm, quiet, solitary time.” In a world with increased levels of remote working, those who are not enamoured of networks may be treated 16% 15% New ways to interact with customers and potential customers Ability to generate better/more ideas like those who once left the office early Finally, network technology seems to be good at promoting small, step changes, but may be less helpful in supporting the creation of breakthrough innovations Revolutionary ideas typically challenge the conventional wisdom likely to be resident in such a network They often depend on the unusual insight of a single individual who may initially seem crazy but in retrospect turns out to be visionary The link between creativity and the new style of working, then, is far from straightforward At the very least, as organisations and societies develop norms of behaviour around new working styles and social tools, they need to create the ability for people to preserve their own space and opt out at times without penalty As Dr Greif warns of technology in general: “The trick with tools is to make sure that you don’t disadvantage the talented people If you put in place a tool that everyone must use, the best might worse.” case study Lego – Taking creativity online The LEGO brick, a staple of toy stores for over 60 years, has very little of the high tech about it It might surprise some, therefore, that the company has significant online offerings, but Lisbeth Pallesen, the company’s EVP, Consumer, Education and Direct, sees these and the traditional plastic toys meeting the same basic need – providing the opportunity for creativity The LEGO Group’s experience in pursuing this goal sheds light on aspects of how the physical and digital worlds are interacting The social aspect of LEGO Universe is very important, even with smaller children Lisbeth Pallesen, EVP of Consumer, Education and Direct, the LEGO Group Rather than considering computer games and other toys as distinct, the company’s target market integrates its online experience and its physical play Ms Pallesen explains: “We know that children who are very enthusiastic about LEGO products are also heavy users of digital applications They are digital natives and move between the online and offline space easily When they play with a video product, they then try to recreate it in the physical space.” It is therefore ideal if a toy company can offer integrated components of both kinds 22 The shape of the product, however, was far from straightforward for the company “When you play with LEGO bricks,” says Ms Pallesen, “it’s not just about the final result but about the building experience We know how to build a physical product Translating that DNA into the online space has been a challenge You can only learn from interacting with the children.” One result is LEGO Universe, a massive multi-player online game in which players, amid an overarching game narrative, can individualise the experience through, for example, developing their own piece of territory by building their own structures and creatures out of digital bricks The company has noticed that, as with adults online, creativity is linked with communication and interaction Ms Pallesen, says: “The social aspect of LEGO Universe is very important, even with smaller children Quite a lot of children are interested in creating something on their own and then inviting others in to show it.” Some tasks within the game even require children to collaborate, with facilities for creating teams and pre-agreeing rewards in the case of success One striking difference with adults, however, is with whom players seek to collaborate Mr Pallesen notes that while theoretically children around the world can play together, in practice they prefer to interact with those whom they already know from the physical world The role of play in preparing children for the adult world hasn’t changed, just the world being prepared for © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age conclusion 23 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Looking to the future Advances in information and communication technology have done far more than just make us more efficient at existing activities: they have changed what we and how we accomplish basic tasks involved in informationgathering, analysis, collaboration and decisionmaking This evolution continues and the effects multiply in new ways, from hybrid business models tapping into the benefits of the crowd to revolutions organised via Facebook and publicised through Twitter Even the social behaviours and norms that underpin the way people increasingly use these tools continue to evolve Technology, however, does not stand still while people adjust The spread of smartphones combined with widespread mobile telephony – the number of mobile phone numbers is fast approaching that of the human population – will rapidly increase the ease of accessing networks and the number of people a single individual can draw in The growth of cloud computing will multiply the resources which those smartphones and networks can access Networks increase in power with size The developments described in this paper are 24 therefore likely to accelerate Reliance on ever-more precise and efficient ad hoc, selfgenerated networks to help with informationgathering and verification will intensify Individuals will also need to be ever more accessible to help with the networks of others, making questions of privacy all the more relevant What shape this will take precisely is unpredictable Will those looking for information typically mine massive databases for trends in seconds while riding a train into work? Perhaps the most unlikely part of that vision is the need to take a train to some fixed place of employment The tools will be there to allow a host of unimagined tasks Moreover, human beings remain creatures with choices, not victims of pure technological determinism Many have adopted the new technological tools because they like them They may insist on shaping them in ways that preserve islands of non-communication and privacy as well What is clear is that we have entered an age of knowledge networks, the power of which we are only beginning to understand © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age appendix Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Rate on a scale of to 5, where 1=Strongly agree and 5=Strongly disagree (% respondents) Strongly agree Strongly disagree I use a much larger number of information sources to stay up to date than I did five years ago 58 I have much better data to help me make decisions than I had five years ago 30 47 37 12 31 The internet is the best place to go for exploring ideas and new perspectives on the world 32 40 21 I sometimes struggle to know which information sources can be trusted when online 25 38 21 13 Making decisions at work has become significantly more complicated because of the wealth of information and options available through the internet 14 32 23 24 Purchasing decisions are more stressful than before the advent of the internet 23 24 28 17 Open (free) access to information is a fundamental human right 53 25 14 How digital technologies and increased choice and information make you feel? Select all that apply (% respondents) Connected 63 Excited 61 Smarter 58 Overloaded 40 Able to influence others 34 Able to have my say 33 Part of a community 31 Confused 13 Vulnerable 12 Anxious Other, please specify 25 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Which information source you use most for developing your ideas and knowledge? Please select most valuable sources Select up to three (% respondents) Newspapers and magazines (print or online) 61 Internet search engines (Google etc) 59 Books 38 Direct conversations with colleagues 37 Online reference sources (eg Wikipedia) 32 Direct conversations with Friends and family 17 TV and radio 12 Online discussion forums focused on relevant topic 11 Social networks (Facebook, Linked In etc) Blogs Twitter I don’t spend much time on this at all Other, please specify Which information source you use most for deciding your stance on political, social or ethical issues? Please select most valuable sources Select up to three (% respondents) Newspapers and magazines (print or online) 77 Direct conversations with friends and family 39 TV and radio 36 Internet search engines (Google etc) 25 Books 25 Direct conversations with colleagues 24 Online reference sources (eg Wikipedia) 12 Online discussion forums focused on relevant topic 11 Blogs 10 Social networks (Facebook, Linked In etc) Twitter I don’t spend much time on this at all Other, please specify 26 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Which information source you use most for researching business decisions? Please select most valuable sources Select up to three (% respondents) Internet search engines (Google etc) 64 Direct conversations with colleagues 58 Newspapers and magazines (print or online) 51 Online reference sources (eg Wikipedia) 27 Books 24 Online discussion forums focused on relevant topic 18 Direct conversations with friends and family 10 TV and radio Blogs Social networks (Facebook, Linked In etc) Twitter I don’t spend much time on this at all Other, please specify Compared to five years ago, how much time you spend on the following activities online? (% respondents) More The same Less Keeping up with global issues and events 75 Researching potential purchases 22 64 29 Communicating with friends and family 53 38 Collaborating with colleagues 40 54 Keeping up with what is happening in my industry (customers, competitors, trends) 74 23 Communicating with people you not know personally to exchange ideas 50 42 The same Less Compared to five years ago, how much time you spend on the following activities offline? (% respondents) More Keeping up with global issues and events 25 Researching potential purchases 31 44 40 15 45 Communicating with friends and family 19 60 21 56 21 Collaborating with colleagues 23 Keeping up with what is happening in my industry (customers, competitors, trends) 23 42 35 50 35 Communicating with people you not know personally to exchange ideas 15 27 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Do you feel digital technology and social media advances give you more or less influence over the following areas? (% respondents) More The same Less Business decisions at your company 52 46 Companies whose products and services you buy 67 31 Policy adopted by government 34 60 Personal decisions made by your friends and family 44 51 Your company’s reputation 38 54 What determines whether something catches your attention online? Select up to three (% respondents) Comes from a credible source 75 Is well communicated and easily understood 45 Is original, creative 41 Resonates with other things you’ve read and heard 24 Features prominently on results from a search engine 22 Is personalised to your own needs and interests 21 Is clever 20 Is widely discussed in the traditional media 10 Is widely discussed in online networks 10 Is interactive (ie, allows you to interact or contribute in some way) Is fun and entertaining Is hugely visible (eg due to high profile advertising etc) Have you used the internet or social media to any of the following activities? Select all that apply (% respondents) Support a charity 57 File a tax return 53 Communicate directly with an authority figure 47 Volunteer for something 41 Support a campaign against government activity 31 Support a campaign against corporate activities 21 Vote in an election 20 28 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Have you done any of the following in the past 12 months? Select all that apply (% respondents) Added a comment to an online discussion on a political, business or social issue 65 Researched a medical condition 60 Worked in a ‘virtual’ team (ie, the team collaborates mainly online) 48 Directly contacted the writer of something you have read online 39 Written a review on a website (eg, customer comments on Amazon) 37 Made a friend or relationship online who you go on to meet in person 35 Self published your own information on a topic (eg, a blog) 33 Won business through a contact made via a social media site 13 Ended a friendship or relationship via social media site Found a new job through a social media site How many people are you connected to via the following means? (% respondents) 20-40 0-20 40-60 60-80 80-100 100-150 150-200 200+ Friendships mainly sustained through face-to-face 35 Friendships mainly sustained online 28 35 19 14 13 6 31 10 Traditional business networks (trade associations, clubs etc) 43 19 14 Online business networks 36 15 10 7 12 How would you describe your attitude to the following online networks in terms of their long-term value? (% respondents) Very useful now Useful now More useful in the future Overhyped Don’t know it Facebook 17 Twitter 32 37 13 20 45 14 Linked in 22 35 19 13 11 Wikipedia 47 36 Groupon 14 12 15 55 Digg 13 71 Which sources of advice you trust most when making decisions in the following areas? Select all that apply (% respondents) Family and friends 48 Traditional media 25 Experts 54 Wisdom of the crowd (eg, number of positive reviews) 11 Colleagues 17 When developing ideas, which one of the following statements best reflects the way you work? I prefer to (% respondents) Find my own space for thinking time 51 Brainstorm with colleagues 49 29 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age To what degree are the following external stakeholders involved in developing new ideas in your organisation? Rate on a scale of to 5, where 1=Major involvement and 5=No involvement (% respondents) Major involvement No involvement Customers 31 Business partners and suppliers 33 20 18 12 42 24 10 General public 14 25 25 30 Policymakers and regulators 17 24 24 18 17 Interest/lobby groups 17 25 23 30 Investors/shareholders 23 29 20 12 16 Think tanks 11 21 24 19 25 How you capture ideas and inputs from these external stakeholders? Select up to two (% respondents) Face-to-face meetings 66 Market research 31 Surveys 28 Via external advisors and consultants 22 Market data and forecasts 16 Company website 12 Social Media 11 Crowdsourcing applications What is the biggest area where digital technologies and social media trends have changed the way you go about your job? (% respondents) More collaboration with geographically dispersed colleagues (eg international, other locations) 37 Remote/flexible working 28 New ways to interact with customers and potential customers 16 Ability to generate better/more ideas 15 More open dialogue between senior management and employees Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Rate on a scale of to 5, where 1=Strongly agree and 5=Strongly disagree (% respondents) Strongly agree Strongly disagree The internet and online communities have increased the rate of business innovation 42 40 Changes in digital technology have forced me to more frequently update the skills needed for my job 30 14 31 43 20 61 45 20 61 Because of increased inter-connectedness at work, I feel there are a wider range of people I can call on for help 28 The internet and online communities make businesses more productive 26 35 29 The internet and online communities make businesses more innovative and creative 29 44 21 Free online information sources have improved business decision-making in my organisation 27 30 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 40 23 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Which attribute you feel is most important in enabling you to get the most benefit from the Internet and online networks? (% respondents) a) Being willing to explore a wider range of sources and ideas 61 OR b) being able to pinpoint what you want rapidly 39 Which attribute you feel is most important in enabling you to get the most benefit from the Internet and online networks? (% respondents) a) The ability to multitask 70 OR b) The ability to tune out distractions and focus on one activity 30 Which attribute you feel is most important in enabling you to get the most benefit from the Internet and online networks? (% respondents) a) The ability to originate good ideas 41 OR b) the ability to build and communicate around other people’s good ideas 59 Which attribute you feel is most important in enabling you to get the most benefit from the Internet and online networks? (% respondents) a) Ability to process and absorb information at great speed 64 OR b) the ability to analyse information rigorously 36 In which region are you personally based? (% respondents) Western Europe 40 Asia-Pacific 26 North America 18 Middle East and Africa Latin America Eastern Europe What are your organisation’s global annual revenues in US dollars? (% respondents) $250m or less 51 $250m to $500m 10 $500m to $1bn 10 $1bn to $5bn $5bn to $10bn $10bn or more 14 31 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Which of the following best describes your job title? (% respondents) Board member CEO/President/Managing director 17 CFO/Treasurer/Comptroller CIO/Technology director Other C-level executive SVP/VP/Director 10 Head of business unit Head of department 11 Manager 22 Other 18 What is your primary industry? (% respondents) Professional services 17 Financial services 16 IT and technology 11 Education Government/Public sector Healthcare, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology Entertainment, media and publishing Manufacturing Telecommunications Construction and real estate Consumer goods Oil, gas and natural resources Transportation, travel and tourism Aerospace/Defence Agriculture and agribusiness Retailing Logistics and distribution Power & utilities Automotive Chemicals 32 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age What are your main functional roles? Select up to three (% respondents) Strategy and business development 35 General management 31 Marketing and sales 20 Finance 17 Information and research 14 Operations and production 13 IT 10 Customer service 10 R&D Risk Human resources Legal Supply-chain management Procurement Other Are you: (% respondents) Male 78 Female 22 In which age range are you? (% respondents) 18 to 29 11 30 to 39 31 40 to 49 28 50 to 59 18 60 to 69 70+ 33 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Whilst every effort has been taken to verify the accuracy of this information, neither The Economist Intelligence Unit Ltd nor the sponsor of this report can accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by any person on this white paper or any of the information, opinions or conclusions set out in the white paper 34 © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age London 26 Red Lion Square London WC1R 4HQ United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 20 7576 8000 Fax: +44 (0) 7576 8476 E-mail: london@eiu.com 24 Geneva Boulevard des Tranchées 16 1206 Geneva Switzerland Tel: +41 (0) 22 566 24 70 Fax: +41 (0) 22 346 93 47 E-mail: geneva@eiu.com New York 111 West 57th Street New York NY 10019 United States Tel: +1(212) 554 0600 Fax: +1(212) 7576 8476 E-mail: newyork@eiu.com © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 Hong Kong 6001, Central Plaza 18 Harbour Road Wanchai Hong Kong Tel: + 852 2585 3888 Fax: + 852 2802 7638 E-mail: hongkong@eiu.com [...]... Kingdom’s Chartered Institute for IT, examined 35,000 records from 39 countries in the World Values Survey and a further 10,000 from © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 However, the new opportunities for gathering and sharing information are not all fun and games: they bring heightened problems as well NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age case study... that while theoretically children around the world can play together, in practice they prefer to interact with those whom they already know from the physical world The role of play in preparing children for the adult world hasn’t changed, just the world being prepared for © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age conclusion... © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Looking to the future Advances in information and communication technology have done far more than just make us more efficient at existing activities: they have changed what we do and how we accomplish basic tasks involved in informationgathering, analysis, collaboration and. .. FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Which attribute do you feel is most important in enabling you to get the most benefit from the Internet and online networks? (% respondents) a) Being willing to explore a wider range of sources and ideas 61 OR b) being able to pinpoint what you want rapidly 39 Which attribute do you feel is most important in enabling you to get the. .. technological tools because they like them They may insist on shaping them in ways that preserve islands of non-communication and privacy as well What is clear is that we have entered an age of knowledge networks, the power of which we are only beginning to understand © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age appendix Do you... WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age resources officer at Millward Brown, a global market research consultancy, recalls a law firm where the partners complained that “their new intake of lawyers were reducing billable hours, not because they were slackers but because they got information more quickly, and finished the work faster, using IM, texting and other tools.”... Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age To what degree are the following external stakeholders involved in developing new ideas in your organisation? Rate on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1=Major involvement and 5=No involvement (% respondents) 1 Major involvement 2 3 4 5 No involvement Customers 31 Business partners and suppliers... Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age error to decide the appropriate limits on information sharing and the appropriate levels of privacy when engaged in business activity using social tools The ongoing evolution of the tools themselves, he adds, will make the problem even harder the next few years “probably the single biggest skill across the board is going to be collaboration Most individuals... respondents) Aged 18 to 29 Aged 30 to 49 Aged 50+ Facebook 38% 17% 11% 8% 7% 26% 15% 49% 40% 4% 1% 1% 0% Twitter 19% LinkedIn 21% Wikipedia 56% Groupon 12% Digg 3% © The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age the trust game Which attribute do you feel is most important in enabling you to get the most benefit from the Internet and. .. Limited 2011 NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Which information source do you use most for developing your ideas and knowledge? Please select most valuable sources Select up to three (% respondents) Newspapers and magazines (print or online) 61 Internet search engines (Google etc) 59 Books 38 Direct conversations with colleagues 37 Online reference sources ... NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age Networks for thinking is an Economist Intelligence Unit report that examines the way digital tools and networks. .. opportunities for gathering and sharing information are not all fun and games: they bring heightened problems as well NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age case... Wikipedia, the free online encyclopaedia, and 83% find the site useful NET WORKS FOR THINKING Developing ideas and forming opinions in the digital age More interesting is that the same digital