@Risk

Over the past few years, social media has evolved into an essential component of the marketing toolbox.

But, most companies have failed to keep pace with the necessary compliance and risk policies and procedures.

A recent study conducted by Grant Thornton LLP and Financial Executives Research Foundation illustrates the problem. The survey responses from 141 senior financial executives from public and private companies showed that: (more…)

Do you know what your employees, customers and competitors are saying about your company online via social media networks?

Most companies don’t –and that’s starting to cause headaches for risk professionals.

A recent survey by the Federation of European Risk Management Associations and the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) asked risk professionals which three cyber risks they thought were the greatest threats to their own organization and to business, in general.

For business, in general:

• Respondents ranked social media alongside non-malicious operational IT risks, theft of customer information and malicious interference with IT systems as the greatest cyber threats to business. Reputation risk from social media was cited as a material risk by nearly 50 percent of respondents and loss of confidential information through social media by 20 percent.

In terms of exposures to their own organizations, the emphasis shifted somewhat:

• More than half put operational, non-malicious IT risks among the top three, followed by 43 percent theft of customer information (43 percent) and social media risks (42 percent).  21 percent said they were concerned about loss of confidential information through social media.

In other findings: (more…)

In a global economy where companies are setting their sights on even more international expansion, it’s quickly becoming essential for businesses to communicate in foreign languages.

But, does the US workforce have the skills necessary to meet this kind of challenge?

Language Study: Reducing the Impact of Language Barriers, a new study from Forbes Insights, offers some perspective.

For the research, Forbes Insights surveyed more than 100 executives at large US businesses (all had annual revenues of more than $500 million). Among the key findings: (more…)

Despite the economic roller coaster of the past few years –or perhaps because of it –Americans continue to value a strong manufacturing sector.

The third annual Public Viewpoint on Manufacturing survey, recently released by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, found once again that the vast majority of those polled consider America’s manufacturing base “important” or “very important” to their standard of living.

The research, which included a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Americans in August across all 50 states, indicates a consistently high regard for manufacturing, both in terms of its role in the US economy and our global standing, as well as in terms of its importance in job creation. Among the survey highlights: (more…)

Email is fundamental to business communication.

But is this commonplace, everyday electronic correspondence a threat to your company’s data security and regulatory compliance?

It very well could be, and according to a recent study by Zix Corporation and Ponemon Institute,  IT professionals are growing increasingly concerned about these risks, especially now that more and more  business is conducted outside the office using mobile devices.

The survey, which received feedback from 830 IT and IT security practitioners, as well as IT compliance, legal and other specialists, found that: (more…)