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Most recent 17 results returned for keyword: Robert Blake (Search this on MAP)

Regi P George : US seeks defence agreement with Maldives By K. Ratnayake 21 May 2013 The US is pushing the Maldivian... US seeks defence agreement with Maldives By K. Ratnayake 21 May 2013 The US is pushing the Maldivian government to sign a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) to build military bases in the island country, which is in the middle of the Indian Ocean. It is another significant move by the Obama administration in its aggressive “pivot to Asia” to militarily encircle China in the vast Indo-Pacific theatre. It is not new for the US military to have access to Maldivian infrastructure, following a number of agreements in the 2000s. In 2010, Washington signed an “Acquisition and Cross Service Agreement” (ACSA) with the previous government of President Mohamed Nasheed, which allowed the US to use its airport and sea port facilities. The new pact, however, will significantly expand the earlier arrangements. A copy of the agreement, entitled “Status of Forces and Access to and Use of Facilities in the Maldives” , has been obtained and published by the Maldivian current affairs blog, DhivehiSittee. The SOFA will provide a legal framework for a virtually unrestrained US presence, including military bases, in the archipelago of 1,192 islands. Maldives is located strategically near major sea lanes. More than 80 percent of the world’s seaborne trade in oil passes through Indian Ocean chokepoints, with 40 percent going through the Persian Gulf’s Strait of Hormuz, 35 percent through the Strait of Malacca and 8 percent through the Bab el-Mandab Strait, at the base of the Red Sea. Maldives and the percentages of the world oil shipment through the Indian Ocean “chokepoints” Naval and air operations from Maldives could potentially threaten countries that depend on these sea lanes for energy supplies and raw materials. China, with its vast demand for oil and minerals from the Middle East and Africa, is the most obvious target. The proposed 10-year SOFA provides “for the temporary presence and activities of US forces” in certain situations, but does not specify those situations. The draft declares that “US personnel shall be accorded the privileges, exemptions and immunities equivalent to those accorded to diplomats under Vienna Conventions.” In other words, disciplinary control and jurisdiction over US personnel will be in the hands of the Pentagon, with immunity from Maldivian law. American personnel and contractors will have freedom of movement and access to agreed facilities, including for transportation, storage and training. Aircraft, vehicles and vessels “may enter, exit, and move freely within territory and territorial seas of the republic.” They will not be subject to taxation or inspection. The US “shall be responsible for the construction, development, operations, and maintenance cost of agreed facilities and areas provided for the exclusive use of its forces.” This clause would permit the building of US military bases. The US will be allowed to have its own telecommunication systems, together with access to airports, sea ports and agreed facilities and areas. “All disputes shall be resolved through consultation, and shall not be referred to any national or international court.” This means that the Maldivian government will have no legal jurisdiction over the US military and its personnel. Robert Blake, the US assistant secretary for South and Central Asia affairs, confirmed the agreement with the Maldives, but clamed there were no plans to build US military bases there. “This SOFA does not imply some new up-ticks in a military cooperation or certainly does not imply any new military presence,” he insisted. Washington’s assurances cannot be taken at face value. Similar agreements with other countries, including the puppet regime of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, have involved the construction of major US bases. On March 27, top Maldivian government officials, including the defence, tourism and home ministers, vice president and police commissioner, were flown to the US aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis, which had sailed near the Maldives. No information was released about what was discussed with the delegation. After the visit, the two countries signed an agreement to install a border control system in the Maldives using US information technology. This has effectively placed the country’s entry and exit points under American surveillance. The Maldives SOFA will enhance the United States’ strategic position in the Indian Ocean. A defence analyst in India, M. K. Bhadrakumar said it would be “a tectonic shift in the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean if the US secures a military presence in the Maldives.” The Pentagon currently operates one of the largest bases outside the US in Diego Garcia, further to the south in the Indian Ocean, through an arrangement with Britain, which retains colonial control. The Diego Garcia base has multiple landing strips for strategic bombers and port facilities for the largest US naval vessels. China is seeking closer economic and strategic relations with the Maldives. A political crisis erupted in the Maldives when President Mohamed Nasheed was removed in a coup early last year by Mohamed Waheed, who was clearly backed by the US and India. The coup came after years of media speculation that China was seeking to build a submarine base in the Maldives, which some American strategic analysts had warned could pose a challenge to US forces in Diego Garcia, as well as the Indian navy in the region. (See: “Maldives president ousted in US-backed coup”) Just 400 nautical miles south of India, any Chinese naval presence in the Maldives is a concern to New Delhi, which depicts China’s development of major ports in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh as a “string of pearls” strategy to potentially station naval vessels around India. Within the Maldivian ruling elite, there are concerns about the proposed US defence pact, because of growing economic ties with China. China has become the largest source of visitors to the Maldives, which depends heavily on tourism. Last year, Beijing offered loans of $US500 million to the Maldives, equivalent to one quarter of its $2 billion annual economic output. Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) spokesman Hamid Abdul Gafoor declared: “We are wondering what our other international partners—India, Australia, etc.—think about this.” Ex-president Nasheed, ousted in last year’s coup, declared that the MDP would campaign against the agreement. Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim sought to placate public concern by referring to the ACSA deal signed by Nasheed with the US in 2010, claiming that the SOFA was nothing new. His comments only confirm the government’s intention to proceed with the agreement, thus enabling the US to alter the strategic landscape of the Indian Ocean. 2 days ago - Via Mobile - View - Buiko1 : Watch the video: What I think about Robert Blake 3 days ago - Via YouTube - View - sukhdev singh : President Obama has called our partnership with India a “defining partnership for the 21st century.” ... President Obama has called our partnership with India a “defining partnership for the 21st century.” And as we go about the much-talked about “Asia rebalance,” there’s no more important partner for the United States in the region than India." - Assistant Sec. Robert Blake on U.S.-India Partnership 7 days ago - Via Google+ - View - Robert Blake : Watch the video: Royal Voluntary Service Cold Harbour Training Video - Timesheet Not Completing Royal Voluntary Service Cold Harbour Training Video - Timesheet Not Completing. Training video created by Robert Blake as a learning aid 8 days ago - Via YouTube - View - Langley Design : The Sheldon SBN 330 bench and SPL 317 Planter from Langley Design. Fitting in perfectly to the surrounding... The Sheldon SBN 330 bench and SPL 317 Planter from Langley Design. Fitting in perfectly to the surrounding Robert Blake and Elmwood School built by Bam Construction UK. 9 days ago - Via Google+ - View - Universal Network News : Los Angeles Underground. "The King Eddy Magical History Tour." General Manager Jonny Valenti takes us... Los Angeles Underground. "The King Eddy Magical History Tour." General Manager Jonny Valenti takes us on a tour of the L.A. Underground and catacombs of the historical King Eddy Saloon in Downtown Los Angeles which was home to an illegal "Speakeasy" during the "Prohibition Era" of the early 1900's. The King Eddy Saloon has also been featured in numerous movies and television shows including the famous "Beretta" Series of the 1970's starring Robert Blake. "Serving You Assholes Since 1933" is their motto and there slogan is this is the bar where "Nobody Gives A Shit About Your Name!" The King Eddy Saloon is located at 131 E. 5th Street in Downtown Los Angeles's Historic Core District at the corners of 5th & Los Angeles Streets. Phone: (213) 629-2023 Good Times!!! www.universalnetworknews.com Watch the video: Los Angeles Underground Los Angeles Underground. "The King Eddy Magical History Tour." General Manager Jonny Valenti takes us on a tour of the L.A. Underground and catacombs of the ... 11 days ago - Via Google+ - View - juanita bynum : LeadershipFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search "Leader" redirects here. For... LeadershipFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search "Leader" redirects here. For other uses, see Leader (disambiguation). Psychology   Outline History ·Subfields Basic types Abnormal ·Biological Cognitive ·Comparative Cultural ·Differential Developmental ·Evolutionary Experimental ·Mathematical Personality ·Positive Quantitative ·Social Applied psychology Applied behavior analysis Clinical ·Community Consumer ·Educational Environmental ·Forensic ·Health Industrial and organizational Legal ·Military Occupational health ·Political Religion ·School ·Sport Lists Disciplines ·Organizations Psychologists ·Psychotherapies Publications ·Research methods Theories ·Timeline ·Topics  Psychology portal v ·t ·e Leadership has been described as “a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task".[1] Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged. Leadership is "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal". The leader may or may not have any formal authority. Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits,[2] situational interaction, function, behavior, power, vision and values,[3] charisma, and intelligence, among others. Somebody whom people follow: somebody who guides or directs others. Contents [hide] 1 Theories 1.1 Early western history 1.2 Rise of alternative theories 1.3 Reemergence of trait theory 1.4 Attribute pattern approach 1.5 Behavioral and style theories 1.5.1 Positive reinforcement 1.6 Situational and contingency theories 1.7 Functional theory 1.8 Integrated psychological theory 1.9 Transactional and transformational theories 1.10 Leader–member exchange theory 1.10.1 In-group members 1.10.2 Out-group members 1.11 Emotions 1.12 Neo-emergent theory 2 Styles 2.1 Engaging style 2.2 Autocratic or authoritarian style 2.3 Participative or democratic style 2.4 Laissez-faire or free-rein style 2.5 Narcissistic leadership 2.6 Toxic leadership 2.7 Task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership 2.8 Sex differences in leadership behavior 3 Performance 4 Leadership traits 5 The ontological–phenomenological model for leadership 6 Contexts 6.1 Organizations 6.2 Management 6.3 Group leadership 6.4 Self-leadership 6.5 Primates 7 Historical views 8 Leadership myths 8.1 Leadership is innate 8.2 Leadership is possessing power over others 8.3 Leaders are positively influential 8.4 Leaders entirely control group outcomes 8.5 All groups have a designated leader 8.6 Group members resist leaders 9 Action-oriented environments 10 Titles emphasizing authority 11 Critical thought 11.1 Varieties of individual power 12 See also 12.1 Other types and theories 12.2 Contexts 12.3 Related articles 13 References 14 Further reading 15 External links   Theories [edit]Early western history [edit]The search for the characteristics or traits of leaders has been ongoing for centuries. History's greatest philosophical writings from Plato's Republic to Plutarch's Lives have explored the question "What qualities distinguish an individual as a leader?" Underlying this search was the early recognition of the importance of leadership and the assumption that leadership is rooted in the characteristics that certain individuals possess. This idea that leadership is based on individual attributes is known as the "trait theory of leadership". The trait theory was explored at length in a number of works in the 19th century. Most notable are the writings of Thomas Carlyle and Francis Galton, whose works have prompted decades of research.[4] In Heroes and Hero Worship (1841), Carlyle identified the talents, skills, and physical characteristics of men who rose to power. In Galton's Hereditary Genius (1869), he examined leadership qualities in the families of powerful men. After showing that the numbers of eminent relatives dropped off when moving from first degree to second degree relatives, Galton concluded that leadership was inherited. In other words, leaders were born, not developed. Both of these notable works lent great initial support for the notion that leadership is rooted in characteristics of the leader. Rise of alternative theories [edit]In the late 1940s and early 1950s, however, a series of qualitative reviews of these studies (e.g., Bird, 1940;[5] Stogdill, 1948;[6] Mann, 1959[7]) prompted researchers to take a drastically different view of the driving forces behind leadership. In reviewing the extant literature, Stogdill and Mann found that while some traits were common across a number of studies, the overall evidence suggested that persons who are leaders in one situation may not necessarily be leaders in other situations. Subsequently, leadership was no longer characterized as an enduring individual trait, as situational approaches (see alternative leadership theories below) posited that individuals can be effective in certain situations, but not others. This approach dominated much of the leadership theory and research for the next few decades. Reemergence of trait theory [edit]New methods and measurements were developed after these influential reviews that would ultimately reestablish the trait theory as a viable approach to the study of leadership. For example, improvements in researchers' use of the round robin research design methodology allowed researchers to see that individuals can and do emerge as leaders across a variety of situations and tasks.[8] Additionally, during the 1980s statistical advances allowed researchers to conduct meta-analyses, in which they could quantitatively analyze and summarize the findings from a wide array of studies. This advent allowed trait theorists to create a comprehensive picture of previous leadership research rather than rely on the qualitative reviews of the past. Equipped with new methods, leadership researchers revealed the following: Individuals can and do emerge as leaders across a variety of situations and tasks.[8] Significant relationships exist between leadership and such individual traits as: intelligence[9] adjustment[9] extraversion[9] conscientiousness[10][11][12] openness to experience[11][13] general self-efficacy[14][15] While the trait theory of leadership has certainly regained popularity, its reemergence has not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in sophisticated conceptual frameworks.[16] Specifically, Zaccaro (2007)[16] noted that trait theories still: 1.focus on a small set of individual attributes such as Big Five personality traits, to the neglect of cognitive abilities, motives, values, social skills, expertise, and problem-solving skills; 2.fail to consider patterns or integrations of multiple attributes; 3.do not distinguish between those leader attributes that are generally not malleable over time and those that are shaped by, and bound to, situational influences; 4.do not consider how stable leader attributes account for the behavioral diversity necessary for effective leadership. Attribute pattern approach [edit]Considering the criticisms of the trait theory outlined above, several researchers have begun to adopt a different perspective of leader individual differences—the leader attribute pattern approach.[15][17][18][19][20] In contrast to the traditional approach, the leader attribute pattern approach is based on theorists' arguments that the influence of individual characteristics on outcomes is best understood by considering the person as an integrated totality rather than a summation of individual variables.[19][21] In other words, the leader attribute pattern approach argues that integrated constellations or combinations of individual differences may explain substantial variance in both leader emergence and leader effectiveness beyond that explained by single attributes, or by additive combinations of multiple attributes. Behavioral and style theories [edit]Main article: Managerial grid model In response to the early criticisms of the trait approach, theorists began to research leadership as a set of behaviors, evaluating the behavior of successful leaders, determining a behavior taxonomy, and identifying broad leadership styles.[22] David McClelland, for example, posited that leadership takes a strong personality with a well-developed positive ego. To lead, self-confidence and high self-esteem are useful, perhaps even essential.[23]   A graphical representation of the managerial grid modelKurt Lewin, Ronald Lipitt, and Ralph White developed in 1939 the seminal work on the influence of leadership styles and performance. The researchers evaluated the performance of groups of eleven-year-old boys under different types of work climate. In each, the leader exercised his influence regarding the type of group decision making, praise and criticism (feedback), and the management of the group tasks (project management) according to three styles: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire.[24] The managerial grid model is also based on a behavioral theory. The model was developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in 1964 and suggests five different leadership styles, based on the leaders' concern for people and their concern for goal achievement.[25] Positive reinforcement [edit]B.F. Skinner is the father of behavior modification and developed the concept of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement occurs when a positive stimulus is presented in response to a behavior, increasing the likelihood of that behavior in the future.[26] The following is an example of how positive reinforcement can be used in a business setting. Assume praise is a positive reinforcer for a particular employee. This employee does not show up to work on time every day. The manager of this employee decides to praise the employee for showing up on time every day the employee actually shows up to work on time. As a result, the employee comes to work on time more often because the employee likes to be praised. In this example, praise (the stimulus) is a positive reinforcer for this employee because the employee arrives at work on time (the behavior) more frequently after being praised for showing up to work on time. The use of positive reinforcement is a successful and growing technique used by leaders to motivate and attain desired behaviors from subordinates. Organizations such as Frito-Lay, 3M, Goodrich, Michigan Bell, and Emery Air Freight have all used reinforcement to increase productivity.[27] Empirical research covering the last 20 years suggests that reinforcement theory has a 17 percent increase in performance. Additionally, many reinforcement techniques such as the use of praise are inexpensive, providing higher performance for lower costs. Situational and contingency theories [edit]Main articles: Fiedler contingency model, Vroom–Yetton decision model, path–goal theory, and situational leadership theory Situational theory also appeared as a reaction to the trait theory of leadership. Social scientists argued that history was more than the result of intervention of great men as Carlyle suggested. Herbert Spencer (1884) (and Karl Marx) said that the times produce the person and not the other way around.[28] This theory assumes that different situations call for different characteristics; according to this group of theories, no single optimal psychographic profile of a leader exists. According to the theory, "what an individual actually does when acting as a leader is in large part dependent upon characteristics of the situation in which he functions."[29] Some theorists started to synthesize the trait and situational approaches. Building upon the research of Lewin et al., academics began to normalize the descriptive models of leadership climates, defining three leadership styles and identifying which situations each style works better in. The authoritarian leadership style, for example, is approved in periods of crisis but fails to win the "hearts and minds" of followers in day-to-day management; the democratic leadership style is more adequate in situations that require consensus building; finally, the laissez-faire leadership style is appreciated for the degree of freedom it provides, but as the leaders do not "take charge", they can be perceived as a failure in protracted or thorny organizational problems.[30] Thus, theorists defined the style of leadership as contingent to the situation, which is sometimes classified as contingency theory. Four contingency leadership theories appear more prominently in recent years: Fiedler contingency model, Vroom-Yetton decision model, the path-goal theory, and the Hersey-Blanchard situational theory. The Fiedler contingency model bases the leader's effectiveness on what Fred Fiedler called situational contingency. This results from the interaction of leadership style and situational favorability (later called situational control). The theory defined two types of leader: those who tend to accomplish the task by developing good relationships with the group (relationship-oriented), and those who have as their prime concern carrying out the task itself (task-oriented).[31] According to Fiedler, there is no ideal leader. Both task-oriented and relationship-oriented leaders can be effective if their leadership orientation fits the situation. When there is a good leader-member relation, a highly structured task, and high leader position power, the situation is considered a "favorable situation". Fiedler found that task-oriented leaders are more effective in extremely favorable or unfavorable situations, whereas relationship-oriented leaders perform best in situations with intermediate favorability. Victor Vroom, in collaboration with Phillip Yetton (1973)[32] and later with Arthur Jago (1988),[33] developed a taxonomy for describing leadership situations, which was used in a normative decision model where leadership styles were connected to situational variables, defining which approach was more suitable to which situation.[34] This approach was novel because it supported the idea that the same manager could rely on different group decision making approaches depending on the attributes of each situation. This model was later referred to as situational contingency theory.[35] The path-goal theory of leadership was developed by Robert House (1971) and was based on the expectancy theory of Victor Vroom.[36] According to House, the essence of the theory is "the meta proposition that leaders, to be effective, engage in behaviors that complement subordinates' environments and abilities in a manner that compensates for deficiencies and is instrumental to subordinate satisfaction and individual and work unit performance".[37] The theory identifies four leader behaviors, achievement-oriented, directive, participative, and supportive, that are contingent to the environment factors and follower characteristics. In contrast to the Fiedler contingency model, the path-goal model states that the four leadership behaviors are fluid, and that leaders can adopt any of the four depending on what the situation demands. The path-goal model can be classified both as a contingency theory, as it depends on the circumstances, and as a transactional leadership theory, as the theory emphasizes the reciprocity behavior between the leader and the followers. The situational leadership model proposed by Hersey and Blanchard suggests four leadership-styles and four levels of follower-development. For effectiveness, the model posits that the leadership-style must match the appropriate level of follower-development. In this model, leadership behavior becomes a function not only of the characteristics of the leader, but of the 14 days ago - Via Google+ - View - Robert Blake : There are several local business listing services available online, but none of them is as prominent ... There are several local business listing services available online, but none of them is as prominent and powerful as the Google+ page for business. If your business does not have a Google+ page for business, go get one. If your business already has a Google+ page, make sure it is fully completed and accurately optimized. Link building is still an important online marketing strategy, but it has taken a back seat to more relevant search engine marketing approaches, such as local business listing optimization and local citations. Local search results are incredibly important to Google. These results are so important that Google has set aside prime real estate on its first page of results exclusively for local business listings. Oftentimes, you will hear the space on the first page of results reserved for local business listings referred to as the 7-Pack.   15 days ago - Via Google+ - View - Richard Coons : 19 days ago - Via Google+ - View - patrick jacobs : Watch the video: Baretta - Original Intro ( 1975 - 1978 ) Created By : Stephen J. Cannell Robert Blake - Tom Ewell Streetwise undercover unconventional cop Tony Baretta Often Using Disguises With The Help of Stoolie... 19 days ago - Via Google+ - View - Jeffery Dennis : 21 days ago - Via Shared from the web - View - Keren Levine : You are a hard taskmaster, Robert Blake! As an educator, I approach learning with slightly more compassion... You are a hard taskmaster, Robert Blake! As an educator, I approach learning with slightly more compassion. Not everyone learns by reading; words appear as walls of text rather than inroads to the wealth of knowledge you have found. It's something like a magical feat, when you think of it. I picture a knight on a charge, facing a stone wall. A door appears, and as the knight walks through it, the entire wall disappears. That is how it is when you learn to read with understanding. For you, the wall has disappeared. But it remains for those who have not yet mastered the art. 23 days ago - Via crimson920626.blogspot.com - View - Robert Blake : Why optimizing your local Business listing is important FACTS: • Google, Yahoo, Bing realized that ... Why optimizing your local Business listing is important  FACTS: • Google, Yahoo, Bing realized that over 70% of Internet searches were for local business services and products. This triggered search engines to begin working on delivering relevant local results to users. You may have noticed (if you use Google for searching) that Google attempts to identify your location, so they can serve up local results even for broad search terms like “homes for sale”.  • One tool used to determine your business’s relevance to a user’s search is your online local business listing. If search engines are delivering local search results and using your business’s online local listing as part of determining relevance, then it is in your best interest to optimize your local business listing. To start your local business listing optimization, do your keyword research to understand what terms people are using to find local competitors. • Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are very important to people, who are searching for what you sell, and to search engines. Make sure your full and correct NAP is on your website, your local online business listing, and anywhere else you list your business online. Keep the NAP consistent everywhere it is listed. When the NAP is consistent, then search engines can create relationships between the listings and tie them together. This will have a positive effect on your local search rankings. The best strategy for businesses with multiple locations is to create a separate page on your website for each location with specific details about each location on its respective page. Even in this situation it is important to keep the business name, address, and phone number consistent everywhere it is listed online. • Mobile search is becoming more and more popular with the increase in speed and capabilities of smart phones. What do people want to know about your business, when they are on the go? They want to know where you are located and how to get to you, how to contact or call you, and if you have any coupons they can use. Keeping your NAP consistent and optimizing your local business listing gives smart phone users the information they need about your business. • Fully completing and optimizing a local business listing with each of the major search engines will bring incredible benefit to your business. Make sure to utilize every section and field given to you, when setting up the local business listing. Complete local business listings will outrank incomplete or partial listings. • All the major search engines include maps and directions. Incorporate the correct address and phone number for your business, so that the map and directions to your business will be accurate. Have a question related to this post or your website/ brand management/online marketing? Ask below and I'd be happy to answer To Your Success, Robert Blake blake1stpagesuccess@gmail.com 954-552-9191 24 days ago - Via Google+ - View - Ed Olson : 27 days ago - Via Picasa - View - UzDaily.com : UzDaily.com US to deepen relations with Uzbekistan - The United State of America will continue to promote... UzDaily.com US to deepen relations with Uzbekistan - The United State of America will continue to promote further deepening relations with Uzbekistan, Assistant Secretary of State of the United States for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said in Tashkent. http://ow.ly/2wrsGT US to deepen relations with Uzbekistan The United State of America will continue to promote further deepening relations with Uzbekistan, Assistant Secretary of State of the United States for South and Central Asia Robert Blake said in Tash... 27 days ago - Via HootSuite - View - Robert Blake : Facebook is yet again shifting their format to better improve the look and feel of their site on a mobile... Facebook is yet again shifting their format to better improve the look and feel of their site on a mobile device, and just yesterday the social media mogul announced design and layout adjustments that will take effect now and in the coming weeks. As far as social media marketing goes, these changes will affect businesses of all kinds, with local businesses possibly feeling a little more pressure to get the right information in all the right places. Here’s word from Facebook themselves: “Starting today, these updates are accessible on people’s mobile phones via their mobile browser and the Facebook app. As a Page owner, there’s no need to do anything to prepare your Page in advance of these updates, but it’s important to make sure the information currently listed on your Page is complete and up-to-date.” Pages take on these new features as the first product to be updated for mobile first, before any desktop changes are made. It’s a move in the right direction, and hopefully more of the Facebook improvements get mobile attention in the future. We all know smart phones and tablets are attached to people in stronger ways than ever before, and finding the right information via mobile devices has grown in relevance. Since half of all Facebook users access their Pages and News Feeds with their smart phone or tablet, these updates were asking for implementation. What do they bring? Here’s a quick overview: Appearance: The basic layout has been simplified and streamlined, which makes things much more mobile-friendly in the process. The look and feel will be an easily-acceptable change, and won’t create any Earth-shifting adjustments. A map gives people an idea of where the business is located, and reviews from Facebook acquaintances are located just below. Interaction: Facebook Pages will now make it easier to Like, check in, call the business, and more, with simple buttons that are accessible and noticeable. These buttons will be right below the Page’s cover photo and make sharing and interacting notably uncomplicated procedures. Pushing these things to the top of the fold will make Facebook mobile interacting take on a new objective. Relevance: The most useful information is now front and center, eliminating the need for users to scroll in order to find the stuff they need. Going further, the Admin features of the new Pages will increase and become more implemented, and give the Page operators more ability to focus on what’s important. Pinned Posts: Now these bad boys are going to be featured higher up on a Page’s Timeline. The mobile update will put pinned content in the most accessible place when viewed through a mobile device. Management: Viewing the public and Admin versions of a Page is now able to be done on a mobile device, making management more direct and customizable. If the company is on a large-scale, Facebook now allows for individual local businesses to be “parented” by their central brand page. This way, users can find the franchise closest to them while still interacting with the main central Page. So what? These changes are made, they’ll become part of our everyday Facebook experience, and we’ll all move on with our lives, right? Well, the changes do introduce some more theoretical shifts that businesses can capitalize on, especially local businesses that are focusing marketing efforts on the Facebook front. While browsing Facebook pages from a mobile device, users have different intentions. Likely, they’re trying to track down information about what’s around them spatially, and aren’t as particularly interested in interacting with content. That’s a desktop objective, when people have more time to peruse Pages. When people search on Facebook from their phones or tablets, they are now greeted with a map, a phone number, and reviews and ratings of the business. This directs the mind to act upon the search results beyond merely reading posts and engaging with content. Instead, it gives answers to the questions that are most pertinent at that moment, and providing users with all the information they need to make a quick decision on whether they will become a customer or not. If the overall look and feel of the updates looks familiar, it’s because it resemble the implemented features of Google Now, gleaning some inspiration from the competition. It could also be argued that the changes are a bit Yelp-ish, reinforcing Facebook’s likely move towards a localized, mobilized objective. Yelp is a concern for Facebook, and with these new updates it would appear as though the Zuckerberg-led team hopes to capture some of those If Facebook wasn’t a crucial component of a company’s marketing, it should be by now. The added real estate creates a bigger canvas to paint on, and a better way to provide the most important information to those who need it quickly. When Facebook changes, you change your strategy. It’s that simple. Great content is Liked and shared, and those things have become even more important. Word of mouth marketing lives on Facebook, and will only continue to move towards a dominant form of communication. The creation and promotion of content through Facebook will make these changes welcomed, and Page admins will be able to bring attention to what they want without risking a drop-off in quality and impact. Facebook is huge, and Facebook-on-the-go is even bigger. - The "Digital Marketer" 29 days ago - Via Google+ - View - Robert Blake : Today I would like to discuss my 5 steps of branding yourself. 1) Focus on your vision: Know what you... Today I would like to discuss my 5 steps of branding yourself. 1) Focus on your vision: Know what you want to do; eat, sleep and breathe it! I'm not talking about wanting $100,000, I'm asking HOW are you going to make a $100,000? Be patient, passionate, persistent and come up with a solid plan. 2) Own your own value:  Set a fair standard for yourself and know what you're capable of. Pricing yourself accordingly is important. 3) Be Visible: Broadcast yourself. We live in a social world. It's up to you to take advantage of that. Keep in mind, "you have not arrived until you have haters".  4) Be clear, distinct and remarkable: Make sure you leave people with something to speak about.  5) Stay up-to-date: Keep an eye out for the guy in his basement developing your product cheaper and better. He could be to you what Apple was to Microsoft, what Facebook was to MySpace.  Educate yourself whenever and as much as possible. 29 days ago - Via Google+ - View -