Research Shows Web 2.0's Future is in Business Collaboration

Web 2.0 is being taken seriously by businesses.

New research from McKinsey shows businesses are bullish on Web 2.0 technologies like wikis, blogs and social networks.

In fact, “more executives said they should have acted faster than slower” in bringing Web 2.0 technologies into their companies.

Why? Executives see Web 2.0 technologies helping companies to refine strategies by communicating with customers and partners and fostering internal collaboration.

Another benefit is that companies are learning “a new way of bringing technology into businesses, one that is easier to implement and more flexible than traditional top-down approaches.” So is corporate IT letting this organic implementation occur; or is it occurring despite the raft of well-intended rules and regulations IT puts in place?

The sample is pretty impressive with nearly half of the 2,800 respondents being C-Level executives. The study also defines terms. Collective intelligence refers to any system that taps the expertise of the group to make decisions. As a result, wikis are in much greater use than the chart suggests.

It's interesting that podcasts edged out blogs. But it's not surprising that the technologies grabbing headlines were lower on the list. This mirrors the usual technology maturation process.

The bottom line is that businesses realize the benefit of “the conversation” and are investing in the technologies that help them achieve it.

tags | McKinsey | Web 2.0

Comments

[Amanda Chapel]

Bullish? No. The report said: "Respondents to a recent McKinsey survey technologies show widespread but 'careful' interest in this trend."

Obviously, they'd be foolish to ignore the fad; BUT to conclude that "businesses realize the benefit of 'the conversation' and are investing in the technologies that help them achieve it," grossly underestimates the dynamics of a corporation both legally and culturally. "Collaboration" is great on paper. Regrettably, people don't naturally act that way.

- Amanda

[Geoff Livingston]

A great report, Kevin. Another great demonstration of the ongoing evolution of our communications media forms. Thank you for sharing this. I agree that collaboration really is happening on an increasing basis. Everyone of my clients who are engaged in social media are seeing the same trend occur.

I also wanted to share two sets of statistics with you:

1) SysCon's story showing IT buyers trust social media more than any other media form: http://www.sys-con.com/read/386254.htm

2) Cisco's dramatic increase in social media usage versus traditional media usage (via Ed Cotton, via Jeremy Pepper)
http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/1416/every-company-is-now-a-media-company.html

Any pro who ignore these kinds of obvious statistics must be in denial, and risk being left behind. The world has changed.

GL

GL

[Shashank Garg]

what web 2 is done -- help to extract tacit knowledge and share it to decision makers. consequently business executives are liking it for quick decision making.

[Kevin Dugan]

GL and Shashank - Thanks for the additional links.

Amanda - Perhaps bullish was strong, but I did not mean to imply businesses are throwing caution to the wind. In fact, quite the opposite as the headline grabbing technologies are lower on the chart.

[Amanda Chapel]

Again, there's a difference between "cautious optimism" and "bullish."

Are companies using the web more? Sure. Are individuals producing more shit? Absolutely. Is "collaboration" happening more? Ah... no.

Bottom line with this discussion: you cannot discuss rational argument with zealots. Boosters like Geoff there want to characterize this fad so as they can appear like “experts.” That's all.

Fact: the McKensey report said, "Respondents to a recent McKinsey survey technologies show widespread but 'careful' interest in this trend." That’s what responsible managers do. BUT regrettably, what the boosters NEED to do is completely void law and corporate culture. Listen: People will use things that bring value and increase stockholder value. Period. That's there fiduciary responsibility. As to whether that’s the case with social media, the jury's still out. In the end, it will be “controlled” social media that gets adopted; and that's something that the PR SM cheerleaders would/will never understand.

- Amanda

PS Questions for Geoff: Do you understand the difference between "presentation" and "conversation"? What percent of "informal" has any long-term value? What percent of all corporate and organizational transactions are "contracts"? Do you think contracts can be "informal"?

[Geoff Livingston]

Amanda:

Happy to use a dictionary for you. Presentation: A demonstration, lecture, or welcoming speech

Conversation: Informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk; colloquy.

Contracts: An agreement between two or more parties, especially one that is written and enforceable by law.

Perhaps you can hire an intern next time. Your turn: What's the difference between a "sales transaction" and "marketing communications"? I would expect a better comprehension of these terms from a supposed A-Lister.

Geoff