Starting in 2013, Microsoft will require a cross section of its suppliers to provide reports on their adherence to the requirements listed in the existing Microsoft Vendor Code of Conduct. The code of conduct sets standards for legal compliance, business ethics, labor and human rights standards, environmental protection, and respect for intellectual property.

“This analysis underscores why the social media element in sports — and in any industry — should not be discounted as an unimportant source to glean actionable insights,” said Professor Jonathan Taplin, Director of USC Annenberg Innovation Lab. “Relying solely on traditional channels to measure fan and customer engagement just won’t cut it anymore.”

The need for this specialized talent is being fueled by an increased use of business analytics by companies to better understand the explosion of data generated online, via social networks and mobile devices, or through real time sensors. With so much data residing within, and shared across, these digital sources, organizations are seeking new ways to understand, measure, act and even predict outcomes based on customer and social sentiment.

For those that have wondered how social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn are able to identify acquaintances as potential friends, the core ingredient is the use of ‘prescriptive’ analytics, sophisticated algorithms help the system scan billions of bits of data and identify patterns that ultimately lead to long lost friends.

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