Social Media Fails to Inspire Norwegian Managers

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February 18, 2010 By 6 Comments

A recent report suggests 6 out of 10 Norwegian managers don’t believe social media sites like Facebook are any use to their business.

Echoing Annika Lidne’s comments yesterday that Swedish businesses could learn from how international businesses are using social media, it seems our Norwegian neighbours aren’t exactly oozing enthusiasm for social media as part of their online communications strategy.

norge

Social media is a great way to engage people across a country


Manpower asked 750 senior Norwegian managers about their attitude towards social media.

  • 21 percent thought social media might benefit branding,
  • 14 percent reckoned it could help recruitment,

and only a mere 11 percent thought it would improve co-operation and communication in the workplace.

Start-ups Interested in New Media

After talking in Oslo a couple of weeks ago my impression was that there’s plenty of interest amongst small businesses and start-ups, but that businesses are unsure where to start. Several people asked me about where there were courses they could take or the kinds of books they should read.

Norway, like Sweden, has fabulous online framework and is incredibly reliant on the Net given that it can be so difficult getting around the country to meet customers face-to-face because of the landscape.

It surprises me, then, that there’s not more enthusiasm from senior managers about the way in which social media could benefit businesses.

As I’m booked to speak about online communications and how Facebook and Twitter are likely to impact businesses in the future in Oslo on June 3, I’m curious to know more about how things are in my neighbouring country.

If you have any experience or thoughts about where things are going in Norway, do get in touch either in the comments or please connect with me on Twitter.

Image:Flickr

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About Jon

Marketing and Communications Consultant. Head of Jontus Media. Podcaster. Life-long Liverpool FC supporter. Guarded by basset hounds.

  • http://www.businessesGROW.com/blog Mark W Schaefer

    Kind of falls in line with data you shared on Europeans being way behind on blogging, too.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com Jon

    Exactly. It really surprises me given the landscape and availability of high speed broadband.

    I’d like to see Nordic companies competing more internationally with online media.

  • http://www.freelancerant.com Johnny

    While I don’t know the exact data on Spain, I can tell you I have no influence in social media outside of social media itself. It’s never a topic of conversation with friends or business associates other than the occasional “hey, have you heard of that Twitter, etc…”

    Then again Spain is usually a couple years behind everyone in everything anyway.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com Jon

    @Johnny – I’m interested to hear that. I know people in Madrid in the advertising & PR industry and they’re not using it much either.

    Do you find that it helps bring you in work? And are you connecting with Spanish speakers even though your website / twitter account are in English?

  • http://www.freelancerant.com Johnny

    I can’t say I really use social media to find work. The primary use I’ve gotten out of it is that it helps me stay up to date with what is going on in web development plus I’m enjoying meeting others in cyberworld that has come out of it. I’m still in the process of learning the true value of social media so one day, I’m sure I’ll master it.

    Unfortunately, I don’t communicate with many Spanish folks though there are a couple who I communicate with on a regular basis. I find that the Spanish side of my business is still trying to catch up to the English side (with the blog, social media etc). As of yet, I still haven’t come up with a course of action to bridge that gap.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com Jon

    @Johnny – I’m interested to hear that. As a web worker I do tend to use Twitter as a bit like connecting over coffee with some folks. After all, it can be a bit dreary stuck at your desk for large periods.

    But I’ve been lucky enough to get quite a bit of work through Twitter. It’s not that I’m shouting out my services but people seem to learn who I am, trust me and then approach me about work. Last year when the economy was hardest two jobs that came in through Twitter really helped me.

    I do tweet in Swedish / Norwegian occasionally but I try to keep international with English because that’s my field: Communications in English.