Citation
(2009), "What’s on the web", Strategic Direction, Vol. 25 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/sd.2009.05625hag.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
What’s on the web
Article Type: What’s on the web From: Strategic Direction, Volume 25, Issue 8
Feeding frenzy
This is a search engine and directory for finding online magazine articles. It also provides feeds for use on other web sites. The site has been running since 2000 and has a particularly strong business presence. MagPortal.com is owned and operated by Hot Neuron LLC, a company that specializes in applying novel research and ideas to software and internet services development. This site makes use of their software package to measure the similarity between articles.
One of the best features of this useful site is the magazine article listing feeds and search engine services which can integrate with your own web site to make it into a source of information on topics of interest to your users (potentially encouraging users to spend more time on your site).
The magazine sites of top publishers are scanned daily and a short summary of each article is produced (by a human being). Users can find articles by browsing through lists of the most recent articles, by clicking on “similar articles” links, or by using the search engine. The full-text search engine can sort results by quality-of-match or date, making it easy to navigate through several years of articles.
There is a charge for the service of course; pricing depends on the amount of data and features desired. However the company also offer free feeds, with more limited features, for personal web sites.
Media matters
This relatively new site reports on the developments taking place in the UK business media sector – on and offline. Its aim is to provide a concise and personal commentary on the B2B market. It also features opportunities on how publishers and B2B marketers can exploit the changing Internet sector and grow their web presence.
There is also an online shop offering business books – covering the latest online marketing disciplines including search engine optimization (SEO), e-mail and pay-per-click (PPC), business software, technology such as phones and PCs and other gadgets.
The site has a nice clean design and lots of relevant news articles. The “tags” section is a bit confusing though – note to site designers: do not use ultra trendy type style on business web sites. Leave it for the new media people.
Business of America …
Harvard Business Publishing (HBP) was founded in 1994 as a not-for-profit, wholly-owned subsidiary of Harvard University. Its mission is to improve the practice of management and its impact in a changing world. It does this by serving as a bridge between academia and enterprises around the world.
It is a good site, very quick, nicely designed and full of useful information. We especially liked the recent leadership features. If there is a criticism it is that it is perhaps a little too “busy” – a bit more white space and fewer smiley pictures would not go amiss.
Other good articles from the pages of Harvard Management Update offer practical, advice to help time-pressed managers and executives. All in all, this site is well worth a visit.
Community service
Business in the Community is a membership organization that mobilizes business for good. One of The Prince’s Charities, their aim is to inspire, engage, support and challenge member companies to improve their positive impact on society.
BitC works across four impact areas – workplace, marketplace, environment and community. Top campaigning priorities are tackling climate change and developing the talent and skills of the existing and future workforce. Membership of Business in the Community is an active commitment. Members recognise the relationship between their company’s values and responsible business practice and the role this plays in creating wealth, building trust and addressing social need.
The site is quick, easy to use and full of interesting information. Links to other committed organizations would improve it still further.
Alpha blog
The FT family of companies includes fund management information provider Money-Media, recruitment site Exec-Appointments and Financial Times Business which produces specialist information on the retail, personal and institutional finance industries.
Interestingly it also contains the blog Alphaville which was recently named best business blog on the web in the annual “webby” awards.
It is indeed informative. And the web site is simple and straightforward but like so many blogs it could do with some rigorous editing to sort out the wheat from the chaff.
And finally
Nice to know that Americans can still laugh during this recession. Jay Leno quipped recently: “Do you have any idea how cheap stocks are now? Wall Street is now being called Wal-Mart Street.” And this: “The United States have developed a new weapon that destroys people but leaves buildings standing. It’s called the stock market.”
Best of all
For a particularly interesting and useful site you could always try the Emerald one!
If you have any favorite (or otherwise) sites that you would like us to review on these pages, or wish us to consider your own site, please drop us an e-mail and we will ask our reviewers to check them out.