The part centered on identifying the customer value of social media fans requires a committed undertaking of the business itself, whether by using social survey tools to apply to its community for answers on purchase habits, or matching existing databases to social community data, or incorporating social media into media mix attribution modeling.

FORBES: Placing Monetary Value On Our Social Communities

In its rural crime survey, the theft of power tools - such as chainsaws, electric drills and lawnmowers - topped the list of items targeted, it said.

BBC: Thefts from South West farms cost ?8.3m

Still, 74% of business owners say they do not use social-networking tools, according to the American Express survey.

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But the internet and other tools could allow the average client to survey a much wider range of lawyers' past work and recommendations.

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But our survey is aimed at homeowners, so the final ranking includes only tools that frequently used by amateurs.

FORBES: The Most Dangerous Power Tools

Companies are having so much success in finding new employees through social web tools that half of the employers included in the Jobvite survey reported plans to increase spending in that area and decrease spending on traditional job boards and employee recruiting firms.

FORBES: Social Networks, The Newest Recruiting Tool

This survey is a snapshot during a time of rapid change as attackers invest in more and more sophisticated tools and methodologies and IT security vendors scramble to keep up.

FORBES: Is Your IT Posture That Of A Protector, Detective, or Warrior?

It has taken the British Antarctic Survey (Bas), the Philharmonia Orchestra and the multimedia arts company Braunarts two years to put the software tools together.

BBC: CD-Rom's ice cool music

In an annual global survey of HR professionals compiled by SHL this year, 46% of respondents said social media sites are effective tools for recruiting and reaching quality candidates, up from 36% last year.

WSJ: In China, Recruiting Gets Social