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As a business leader you're probably just starting to contend with social networks in your business and often find them to be of questionable value. The "social enterprise" is being touted as the next big thing: the new way to do business and a "social" way to do business. But the next big thing in collaboration is crowds, not the social enterprise. Social is only a new method of connecting and discovering information; it does not enable and guide action or have an outcome or result. Business is about delivering results and for that you need a crowd. Understand how crowds can add value to your business and ensure sure your business does not get disintermediated (the removal of intermediaries in a supply chain) by a crowd-based business.

As 2012 is in full swing, Curt Hall offers some predictions as to what he sees happening with predictive analytics. This analysis is based on various surveys and other research Cutter has conducted over the past year or so, as well as on discussions with readers, clients, and vendors.