Melissa Burgess, Research Analyst, Market Connections, Inc The federal government is quickly changing its views on employee use of social media.  In our Social Media in the Public Sector 2011 study, published last year, we found that only 19 percent of agencies banned the use of social networks in 2011, a sharp decline from 55 percent in 2010. Along these same lines, Hewlett Packard (HP) recently issued a study that found evidence indicating similar findings.The HP study also shows that the government is taking social media one step further by creating its own internal platforms to share information, set up video conferencing ...

Welcome to the Monday Morning News Kick Off post from the FedPulse blog.   Once again, we have compiled all the actionable government-related news you need to be the smartest and most effective government and contractor professionals possible.  As always, there is no shortage of news.  From new contract wins by some of the biggest contractors to new government programs and procurement changes, we have it all in our weekly news roundup post.  Happy Monday. DHS, Defense Expanding Cyber Sharing Program The Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Cyber Pilot program will be ...

Molly Huie, Senior Research Analyst, Market Connections. Inc. In today’s government communications world, the ability to be nimble and communicate via traditional media relations, as well as to leverage social media, is critical to the success of any communications effort.  For many public relations officers, this often means turning on a dime, 24/7, to provide the right information to citizens in a timely fashion. Our friends at GovLoop recently issued the “GovLoop State of Communications Report,” which highlights the top trends in government communications taken directly from the GovLoop community.  This report is an ideal primer for any government communications professional ...

How are today’s industry leaders evolving the way they engage and retain current and prospective customers? What is the best way to align your organization to research, develop and deliver compelling value propositions, persuasive messaging and provide a better customer experience? The NVTC Business Development, Marketing & Sales Committee’s Marketing Innovation event, taking place tomorrow, will provide a thought-provoking and exciting forum to learn more about creative events, technologies, tools and methodologies that you can use to get your messages out in a way that resonates with customers and achieves measurable results. From comprehensive, content-based thought leadership and innovative brand development strategies, ...

We are excited to announce that Market Connections is currently fielding its 2012 Government Contractor Best Practices Study, which will track best practices in winning government contracts.  This groundbreaking study will allow government contractors to get a sneak peek into how their colleagues and competitors capture new opportunities, and compare how their business development and marketing practices measure up. If you are interesting in participating in this study, you will receive an executive summary of the study findings, and the first 100 respondents will receive a $5 Starbucks e-gift card.  Please note that under no circumstances will your individual answers be ...

Monica Mayk Parham, Marketing Director, Market Connections, Inc. Today, everyone from top CEOs to President Obama is talking about cutting back on spending and finding ways to “do more with less.”  Unfortunately for marketers, this usually means budget cuts or even a full on slashing of your budget.  So if you desperately need your next campaign or rebrand to provide the most bang for your buck, what do you do?  It’s simple — buy insurance.  Not from an insurance company, but from a research company. Setting aside money for research provides you with the largest return on investment (ROI) that you can ...

Welcome again to the Monday Morning News Kick Off post from the FedPulse blog.  For our second installment of this post, we have pulled together all the actionable news you need to kick-start the workweek.  And, as we pointed out last week, knowledge truly is power and we hope to arm you with all the right data to be the smartest government and government contracting professionals you could possibly be. Happy Monday! Customer Service Act Is Good News for Citizens and Employees As the Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act, H.R. 538, has passed out of a House committee and is moving forward, ...

Laurie Morrow, Director of Research Services, Market Connections, Inc. When doing research regarding perceptions and attitudes of key stakeholders, it is often very challenging to gain feedback that may be brutally honest or even negative.  The reality is that the most honest feedback from research is always the most valuable and provides organizations with the insights needed to enhance performance. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) recently undertook an aggressive research effort to gauge perceptions of its suppliers.  After Maurice C. Stewart, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), joined the VA a few years ago, he undertook the ...

Lockheed Martin wanted to establish its Cyber Security Alliance as a thought leader in cloud computing and cyber security, while measuring perceptions of the company and other cyber security solution providers. Market Connections conducted an independent study of U.S. government federal civilian, defense, military and intelligence agency IT decision makers to evaluate awareness and attitudes around cloud computing and cyber security. Together, Lockheed Martin and Market Connections presented the findings to the media and government agency decision-makers on behalf of the 14 Cyber Security Alliance partners through a custom white paper and related webinar. Key Findings The study revealed that understanding of cloud computing ...

Welcome to the inaugural Monday Morning News Kick Off post from the FedPulse blog. For anyone working in the government sector – whether as a contractor or as a federal employee – knowledge really is power.  And, the more we arm ourselves with the right information, the better we will perform professionally.   As such, each week, we will pull together all of the actionable news you need to kick start the workweek.  Happy Monday! House Approves Bill to Boost Cybersecurity Research On Friday, the House approved the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2011, a bill to increase education, research, and development to confront ...