Thursday, February 17, 2011

Impact of Technology

Spring is in the air. I must say that Spring is my favorite season. The season brings mild weather and cool evenings. To me it is also signals a time of renewal and rebirth. This is the time where you see homeowners in their gardens working to revitalize their yards for the pleasant weather. It is also a time where many begin their "spring cleaning/renewal" projects.  Well even though the official day of Spring is weeks away I decided to start early.
I begun my Spring Renewal project by attending the Business Marketing Association Carolinas' lunch meeting. I was introduced to this particular organization by a colleague of mine here at the Belk College of Business. February's topic was "Mobile Marketing with Apple Inc. This was of particular of interest due to my social media efforts, my love of Apple Inc, and studies on the global impact of mobile marketing. I was expecting this event to focus on Apple's successful marketing campaign however it was quite the opposite. The event instead focused on the underlying demand in mobile marketing and the likes which drive Apple's success. The statistics in regards to adoption and demand in the mobile marketing arena are staggering. (I am still amazed that it is predicted that by 2013 the number of mobile users will exceed the number of desktop users). Towards the end of the session, my brain began to ponder about the impact mobile marketing will have on MBA programs globally in the next decade. I remember that the luxury at my Alma Mater when our new business building opened in 2005 was the fact that it was a WIFI zone with an intricate and up to speed financial trading center.  Nowadays the WIFI hotspot would not be a key feature that would "move" an audience. So how do companies in particular educational institutions keep up with this demand and weave it into their physical structures and curriculum?

The Belk College for Business here at UNC Charlotte, I believe, continues to incorporate the demand above in their yearly strategic plans. The Belk College continues to be aware and keep technology and innovation at the forefront of their strategic planning process. One clear example is the our new Uptown building, Center City. The UNC Charlotte's Center City building construction is almost complete. (Center City Building Progress) Just by looking at the exterior one can see an physical representation of innovation.  I am looking forward to the opening of this building this coming fall. The building will be filled with numerous technology features to keep my fellow colleagues and me up to speed with the latest information on our Androids, iPhones, and other smart phones. I am looking forward to being able to access one of a number of classrooms that will have a video-conferencing platform. This particular classroom will allow faculty and students to interact with those students in our global programs. In addition it is a means of leading and spurring collaboration between domestic and international UNC Charlotte graduate business students.

I say this all to bring up maybe the idea of creating an application to promote UNC Charlotte's Center City Building. (This would be a great tie in with keeping up with mobile technology!)  Like most, I have countless number of applications on my phone and Ipad to keep me occupied. Believe it or not particular on my Ipad I usually go through each application at least once a day, either for class, leisure, check email, or to just kill time. It is amazing how dependent I have become on those two devices. I can't leave home without. My parents would say that they would feel "naked" if they left their watches at home...well who cares about a watch...I would feel naked without my phone and/or Ipad!!!

Off to a midterm! Have a great weekend!

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