I don't know if I've said this before on my blog, but in my view, a good way to describe Web 2.0 in the Enterprise (in other words, Enterprise 2.0) is "Democracy". Think of the ways countries are managed and the various political models therein and I see the analogy for Enterprise 2.0 as a transformation from Military/Dictatorship models to Democracy. Of the employees, for the employees, by the employees....
Update: And....Zeph has this excellent response to my post above: "I see web 2.o and beyond as liberating consciousness and freeing one's capacity to contribute. No longer is the model hierachical. I think this is when enthusiasm, innovation, and collaboration become key drivers in the evolution of a company and society rather than rules. "
6 comments:
I am so glad I found this blog. Nimmy, you write beautifully! I am a member of PLUM club too.
Hey Doc....umm...Medhini, ;-)
Kind words those, really! :) Thanks a ton! I guess there are some occasions which are inspiring enough to make me write something decent enough to amuse a few hearts/minds. Rest of the time, I am just babbling or blabbering... ;-)
And, I visited your blog and hey, man, it's awesome! You're so talented....the short stories, the articulation, the imagination, the thoughts....et al. The TrOOTH is that I too am glad to have found your blog... ;-) hehe
Hi Nimmy,
Still regularly keep an eye on your blog (via Technorati) and spotted this post I had to comment on.
I think you can indeed make a parallel btw Dictatorship/Democracy and Enterprise 1.0/2.0. However, to say that Enterprise 2.0 IS Democracy is pushing it too far. Google employees cannot vote to elect their CEO! E2.0 does enable each employee to speak up more often and on more topics, and enables them to exchange views/experience/ideas to virtually any other employee; but it does not establish a democracy!
Hey Peter! :)
Good to see your comment. I really look forward to comments from KMers and especially challenging ones at that. And appreciate your viewpoint. I think it sort of popped into my head that Enterprise 2.0 does not mean we can *definitely* elect the top-guy but I pushed it aside while writing the post because more often than not, analogies are not meant to be a 100% fit. They are just to trigger off one's imagination in terms of understanding a concept better. All said and done, I take your comment. 'IS' may not be the most apropriate word. On a related topic, I would like to pick your brains and 'tease' you a bit (:-))and see what you think about this....there are no ballot boxes - only online surveys, but don't you think Enterprise 2.0 would still allow for the informal and subtle emergence of the potential leaders of the organization because it lets people's voices, talents and performance show up? Wouldn't this be on the lines of letting the leaders emerge from the populace rather than from heirarchy? What do you think? :)
To a degree yes. E2.0 could enable some individuals to uncover some hidden leadership competences. For ex, by being able to "lead" effectively one or several internal communities of practice.
And many other talents indeed can be uncovered thanks to E2.0.
But again, for one of these new grassroot leaders to take over the company leadership, he/she will need much more than an axcellent E2.0 online presence!
It could defintely enable these new leaders to make themselves known up at Board level, and could earn them a promotion. But reaching the Board will still require some other more conventional skills and networking I'm afraid.
Sorry to to join your enthusiasm but I wouldn't over glorify E2.0 and raise expectations too much. It would be counter-productive I believe.
Hello Peter...Umm....yes, I pretty much agree with you when you say "will need much more than an excellent E2.0 online presence". I think you're perfectly correct. :-)
My view is that E2.0 will help...facilitate and allow for the emergence of the leader...bring him or her under the spotlight etc.
About over-enthusiasm and glorifying E2.0, I once again agree. It may be counter-productive...but at times, it is this enthusiasm that leads people like me to a lucky aha! moment...like pushing the accelerator a bit too much but it takes you forward with the risk of banging into something... ;-)
Anyways, I'd like to end this by saying I quite agree with you that over-enthusiasm and delusions of E2.0 will not yeild best results :-)
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