Online references are a tempting but risky resource for doctors.

FORBES: Is Your Doctor Relying On Bad Information?

In a later unpublished study we found that within a year, Android as a brand had closed the gap on the iPhone from 12:1 to 3:1 in terms of online references.

FORBES: Mr Popularity: What Really Makes Apple, Steve Jobs an Online Powerhouse

In the three months around the first Android phone launch, online references to the iPhone were 12 times higher than its competitor, even though there was no Apple launch of any kind.

FORBES: What's Really Going On At Apple?

The list below instead comprises companies that have a high number of innovation references online as a proportion of all references to them, their brand products or services.

FORBES: Which Are The Five Most Innovative Tech Companies in America?

When picking a servicer, ask for references, read online reviews, and ask exactly what you get for the quoted price, says Ms. Edvalson.

WSJ: Don't Wait to Service AC Units

And many private companies have sacked workers who made unflattering references to their employers online.

ECONOMIST: Who has a closet without a skeleton?

Lego unveiled Mindstorms nxt in February, and in two weeks 432, 000 references to the product had popped up online.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Add to the equation mobile sales devices and applications to manage individual accounts, and a direct sales force can be empowered to help customers choose items that suit their wants and needs, make references to past purchases, experience products first hand while visually browsing alternatives online, and make purchases in real time at the click of a button.

FORBES: The Future Of E-Commerce: Bridging The Online/Offline Gap