A new study by Shelley Taylor Associates to be released
on Aug. 25 concludes that in spite of their access to recent innovations in
Web tools, software and hardware, surprisingly few Silicon Valley Web sites
utilize available navigational aids or provide sufficient content for their
three key
external users: customers, investors and potential employees.
The report, “Missing Links in Silicon Valley” presents the analysis of the
Web sites of 50
Silicon Valley companies, representing software, semiconductor, semiconductor
equipment, computer and computer equipment, Internet and networking companies.
Sites are evaluated on the basis of 180 proprietary evaluation
criteria–content, organization and navigation.
According to the report, Web sites mirror and amplify
organizational integrity. In fact, they render the executive corridor naked to
all site visitors. Any corporate dysfunction is broadcast to all who visit the
site.
Companies that ranked highest in the study, Autodesk, Sun Microsystems and
Cisco Systems, reflect a high degree of cross-functional integration which is
visible in their Web sites. All three of these companies provide comprehensive
content to key stakeholders and navigation which enables them to find this
information.
Key findings of the study show that although there is tremendous
competition for the best brains in Silicon Valley, 25% of sites do not have
Job links on their home page and 46% of these
sites do not make online application available.
Investors are the most ignored of the key external audiences–48% of
sites do not provide an Investor link on their home page and 70% of sites
omit the name of the investor relations contact .
Companies tend to discourage direct contact from key external
audiences–only four companies give the name of any customer contact person
on their sites; ten
provide some form of online communication with marketing staff.
“Missing Links in Silicon Valley” will be released on Aug. 25 at a breakfast
briefing in Palo Alto. Ironically, while their web site can be found at
www.infofarm.com, its address is not mentioned in their press release
about the study, nor is the study mentioned on their web site.
