From a knowledge perspective, Web 2.0 holds massive advantages in spreading knowledge to large groups. However, Web 2.0 – I hate the term personally, but you all know what I mean now – is something that enterprises typically push on their customers and partners through the use of forums, communities and blogging. And maybe even more indirect means such as through things like Twitter.
Increasingly however, Web 2.0 used internally at organisations to enable better communication and knowledge sharing. For the Enterprise, it is faced with the challenge of trying to embrace a way of working that it barely understands when trying to present it to it’s customer. Those who can make the decisions to do this are rarely those who really understand these forms of communication.
I’ve just finished reading an article written for KM World by Daniel Kraft, Senior Vice President of Open Text. The article, Balancing Candy and Aspirin talks about the challenges to a maybe more traditional organisation in embracing Web 2.0 internally.
It raises some interesting questions. Any organisation needs to be sure that the technologies used are secure, controlled and integrated into the fabric of the organisation. Leaving it to spirited individuals to start with these things might lead to disaster when crucial information is leaked to the wrong person (or even worse outside the building).