There are two ways in which (I think) the Web 2.0 phenomena is changing the role of IT and its importance in the organization
1. Some web 2.0 applications such as blogging, wikis, book-marking and others introduce new ways to work and manage the organization. They change and improve research, planning, collaboration and other crucial processes within the organization. So good executives need to know how and more importantly when to employ these technologies.
I also believe that this is just the first wave of productivity/collaboration tools. Other and maybe even more significant tools will arrive. In this age executive should learn to identify new productivity/collaboration value adding tools in order to be ahead of the curve.
2. Marketing - Internet marketing and social technology marketing are gaining grounds very quickly. Executives in sales and marketing MUST learn to use these tools. On top of that, I believe that the long tail has changed the business environment so much that it has to be incorporated into the planning of the business strategy and product/services offering.
Brendan
· 2 years ago
Your observation of how your students perceive the relationship between business and IT is very interesting. A lot of the work I have been doing over the past year has looked into examining why that shift is occurring. This is the first generation that has grown up with technology engrained into their daily lives, for example every child to now has access to the internet (US public school penetration rates are now 100%). For this generation technology and new media are a necessity for communication and interaction, and it seems fitting that as they begin to enter the workforce that mentality will carry forward.
Yoav, also brings up another interesting point, how will collaborative technologies play into the equation? It sounds like arming tomorrow’s leaders with the skills and understanding of how to properly leverage IT within business environments is a step in the right direction. My co-workers (Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams) have just released the book Wikinomics: How mass collaboration changes everything, which discusses in chapter 7 the concept of the “wiki workplace”. We are in an exciting time that I think will bring about some real organization change and I look forward to hearing how your course and students views continue to evolve.
One of the problems (er, I mean challenges) in making IT more accessible and embraced by non-IT types, is the acronym itself .. mention IT to a non-techie, and eyes immediately glaze over .. mayby we need a new phrase to describe the marriage of IT and 2.0
Money
· 2 years ago
This was a very true assessment of the situation and how IT in general is right now. I think the y2k thing did do more damage than good, and the 'dark period' was both well deserved and good for the industry. Now we see the industry (At last) trying to push boundaries again, be creative, and bring something to us all with regards to development. The browser wars are an indication of what's going on – it's like IT IS getting exciting again, and these are the kind of things you can be teaching – Ajax, and all the online stuff. And where this industry is going – Apple? PC? How interactivitiy is the name of the game, and all that kind of stuff (that isn't fluff.)
All Comments
1. Some web 2.0 applications such as blogging, wikis, book-marking and others introduce new ways to work and manage the organization. They change and improve research, planning, collaboration and other crucial processes within the organization. So good executives need to know how and more importantly when to employ these technologies.
I also believe that this is just the first wave of productivity/collaboration tools. Other and maybe even more significant tools will arrive. In this age executive should learn to identify new productivity/collaboration value adding tools in order to be ahead of the curve.
2. Marketing - Internet marketing and social technology marketing are gaining grounds very quickly. Executives in sales and marketing MUST learn to use these tools. On top of that, I believe that the long tail has changed the business environment so much that it has to be incorporated into the planning of the business strategy and product/services offering.
Yoav, also brings up another interesting point, how will collaborative technologies play into the equation? It sounds like arming tomorrow’s leaders with the skills and understanding of how to properly leverage IT within business environments is a step in the right direction. My co-workers (Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams) have just released the book Wikinomics: How mass collaboration changes everything, which discusses in chapter 7 the concept of the “wiki workplace”. We are in an exciting time that I think will bring about some real organization change and I look forward to hearing how your course and students views continue to evolve.
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