(Originally posted on the Collaboration & Content Strategies team blog)
I understand Joe's skepticism with all-things-labeled "2.0". We are suffering from some degree of "irrational exuberance" when it comes to some of the market hype around topics like social networking. However, there are significant transitions happening that will affect virtually all enterprise organizations. A confluence of societal, market, economic, business and technology trends are altering the way an organization perceives itself in relation to "the outside world". There was a time where the a person's computing experience was provided almost exclusively by their employer. That is no longer the case. People are increasingly coming to the workplace with expectations that their digital work environment will be just one aspect of their overall digital life. That implies that similar computing models will be available. In some situations this might mean continued use of consumer-oriented tools (natively or federated to enterprise systems in an acceptable manner).
Many of the more forward-thinking executive and management teams that I talk to realize that significant transformation is necessary to support innovation programs and other strategies to "grow the business" (e.g., reach new customers, sell more to existing customers, increase market share, move into adjacent markets). From an organizational perspective, becoming much more externalized and inter-connected to the world around them is fundamental to achieving many of these strategic goals. In many cases, organizations also need to be better connected internally as well so they can catalyze and leverage their own resources more effectively.
Almost everywhere I go, management teams are talking about "Facebook for the enterprise". In many cases, the term is used a catch-phrase to describe a variety of areas where social computing solutions can be beneficial. Social networking happens to be just one example. And while there are benefits from applications within the enterprise, there value is even more compelling when social networking platforms connect the enterprise to external audiences (e.g., customers, partners, suppliers, alumni, retirees, hiring prospects, and many other constituencies). Some of the solution areas that I've come across include (in no specific order):
- Strategic talent management (recruitment, retain workers)
- Innovation programs
- Process-specific applications
- Knowledge Management (yes, it's back...)
- Customer / partner / supplier relationships
- Corporate social responsibility programs
- General productivity and collaboration
- Community-building (including brand value)
- Expertise location and "who know's who" contact networks
- Multi-generational workforce
I hope this helps Joe (and other "cranky old Luddites" out there)... if not, give me a call.
Application Platform Strategies Blog: I've been thinking this all along...
Yes, I sound like a cranky old Luddite - and this area is outside my team and responsibilities at Burton Group - but I'm trying to understand the phenomenon, to make sure I'm not missing something. My question is serious. What's the value of social networking tools inside the enterprise firewall?
Application Platform Strategies Blog: I've been thinking this all along...
Comments