This is a course for the students with a strong interest in new technologies and how they may be used to create new business opportunities, particularly new social networking media. Topics covered will include social networking and how the business world leverages them, virtual worlds and technologies, skills in designing and implementing social media for business value using sharepoint and iTunes U (hands on projects).

Course Web Site (Sharepoint Server: requires login. Email me to request access.

As Disney describes it, to some degree we will "imagineer" the future of business in this course... what would you do in business if anything were possible? Look at how highly Microsoft values the social networking and virtual community components of Yahoo! as a competitive factor against Google. Why? See comments from Ray Ozzie, Chief Software Architect at Microsoft. The future is integrated and collaborative. Look at how firms are now using Facebook, My Space, Linkedin, and other networking tools to improve knowledge flow and enable marketing and hiring processes. Where will these tools go next? There are already tools for specific communities, such as doctors, to share cases and best practices. They may even get paid for their contributions (see the medical portal Sermo as an example).

I am marking this space to begin collecting my thoughts on the Age of Design. Future Shock, Network Nation, and Megatrends all predicted the information age. People would become information-empowered. The Internet connects people today and offers access to pricing, regulations, other government and public documents, as well as tools for manipulating data and producing more information.

Legal issues have a meaningful role in enabling and controlling Internet usage and evolution. I collect information on these laws in order to better understand how they impact development of information and communications technologies and how people use them.

• An article on best and worst Internet laws.

The UN has taken an interest in understanding corporate social responsibilty and how businesses help and hinder the betterment of the human condition. Recently, they released a report examining these issues available at this site.

Interesting video.  Many themes...