One in three college students and young
professionals consider the Internet to be as important as
fundamental human resources like air, water, food and shelter, according to
Cisco’s 2011 Connected World Technology Report.
More than half of the study’s respondents could not live
without the Internet and cite it as an integral part of their lives” in some
cases more integral than cars, dating, and partying.
Within certain countries, including India, updating
Facebook was ranked as the highest priority, even more than hanging out with
friends.
About nine of 10 (91 percent) college students and
employees (88 percent) globally said they have a Facebook account of those, 89
percent of college students and 73 percent of employees check their Facebook
page at least once a day. One-third (33 percent) said they check at least five
times a day.
Of all the countries surveyed in the studies India ranked
highest in the frequency of Facebook interaction, with 92 percent of students
and 98 percent of employees checking it daily
College students reported constant online interruptions
while doing projects or homework from IM, social media updates and phone calls.
In a given hour, more than four out of five (84 percent) college students said
they are interrupted at least once.
About one in five students (19 percent) said they are
interrupted six times or more an average of at least once every 10 minutes. One
of 10 (12 percent) said they lose count how many times they are interrupted
while they are trying to focus on a project.
Seven of 10 employees friended” their managers and/or
co-workers on Facebook, indicating the dissolution of boundaries separating work
and private life. Culturally, the United States featured lower percentages of
employees friending managers and co-workers – only about one in four (23
percent) -although two of five friended their co-workers (40 percent).
In India, 85 percent of employees surveyed confirmed
adding their colleagues and managers on Facebook.
Of employees who use Twitter, more than two of every
three (68 percent) follow the Twitter activity of either their manager or
colleagues; 42 percent follow both, while one-third (32 percent) prefer to keep
their personal lives private.
About one of every three college
students and employees surveyed globally (33 percent) believes the Internet is
as important as air, water, food and shelter. About half (49 percent of college
students and 47 percent of employees) believe it is pretty close” to that
level of importance.
Combined, four of every five college students and young
employees believe the Internet is vitally important and part of their daily
life’s sustenance.
In India, 95 percent of college students and young employees surveyed admitted
to the Internet being as important in their lives as water, food, air
and shelter.
More than half of the respondents (55 percent of college
students and 62 percent of employees) said they could not live without the
Internet and cite it as an integral part of their lives.”
If forced to make a choice between one or the other, the
majority of college students globally about two of three (64 percent) would
choose an Internet connections instead of a car.
Two of five college students surveyed globally (40
percent) said the Internet is more important to them than dating, going out
with friends, or listening to music.
Whereas previous generations preferred socializing in
person, the next generation is indicating a shift toward online interaction.
More than one in four college students globally (27 percent) said staying
updated on Facebook was more important than partying, dating, listening to
music, or hanging out with friends.
Two-thirds of students and more than half of employees
(58 percent) cite a mobile device (laptop, smartphone, tablet) as the most
important technology in their lives.”
For young employees, India came second globally when it
comes to importance of mobile device usage (71 percent), behind the UK (74
percent), but ahead of Australia (66 percent), China (62 percent), and the US
(62 percent).
Smartphones are poised to surpass desktops as the most
prevalent tool from a global perspective, as 19 percent of college students
consider smartphones as their most important” device used on a daily basis,
compared to 20 percent for desktops an indication of the growing trend of
smartphone prominence and expected rise in usage by the next generation of
college graduates upon entering the workforce.
Internet is no longer a ‘good to have’, it is now a ‘must have’. There is a conscious need to be connected at all times from all
locations, accelerated by the growth of social media and smart mobile devices
which provide easy access to the Internet. The Cisco Connected World Technology
Report provides an insight into this phenomenon with focus on current and
future employees, and helps understand how to best address their needs,
expectations and issues,” said Mahesh Gupta, vice president, Borderless
Networks, Cisco India & SAARC.
By Telecomlead.com Team
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