Web 2.0 Finally Grabs the Enterprise
Web 2.0 Finally Grabs the Enterprise
April 18, 2007: After acquainting itself in the consumer space, Web 2.0 has finally become a reality in most of the globe’s largest corporations.
According to a survey of 406 senior executives in a worldwide study from the Economist Intelligence Unit, 79 percent of responds believe Web 2.0 or the ‘collaborative Web’ as a means to boosting revenue and slashing costs.
In evidence that could suggest a cultural shift, 85 percent of C-level executive believe there is an opportunity in the sharing and collaboration aspects of Web 2.0. But when the same question was asked of middle management, just 75 percent suggested the opportunity. The Economise Intelligence Unit believes these differences highlight the difference between the Board and the rest of business.
For organisations, the best aspects of the online collaboration and sharing features that Web 2.0 offers can be seen in its ability to assist with customer interactions. Large enterprises appear to be already well on the way to harnessing the opportunities of Web 2.0 tools and methods in a number of different ways.
The most common Web 2.0 usages, according to the study, feature around online communications that can assist with product development and marketing followed by the use of blogs and wikis for knowledge sharing.
68 percent of executives expect the tools and methods of Web 2.0 to be the single biggest factor changing customer communications in the future. However internal communications does not appear to be as read for such a revolution. Just 49 percent of respondents said Web 2.0 will be the decisive factor in changing communications between employees.
Sponsored by FAST, the Economist Intelligence Unit study relied on in-depth interviews with business leaders and a global survey of senior executives. According to Dan Armstrong, editor of the report, both FAST and the Unit were surprised by the level of 2.0 excitement.
“We expect to see a rapid acceleration in the Web 2.0 adoption curve, as business leaders recognise the value of community-sourced information made accessibly and actionable via search technology,” says Armstrong.
“Perhaps more interestingly, we expect to see Web 2.0 principles take off at the enterprise level, fundamentally changing how organisations innovate and execute.”