Introducing to web 2.0:

Web 2.0 we hear about lot these days infact we probably used it talk to friends to gather information and get things. Defining exactly what is meant by web 2.0 is about to difficult, most people agreed that web 2.0 involves making new improved forms of online connections two or more people between two or more online services or between individual users and software applications(Barnatt 2008).These are the three key aspects of web 2.0 can be isolated as

Interpersonal computing, web services and software as a service.

Interpersonal computing is about using online technology to connect people to each other in social networks or in business teams. The key interpersonal computing aspect of web 2.0 as the things like social networking sites wikis, blogs and online videos. Examples of these are face book for social networking Wikipedia blog sites like blogger and video hosts like YouTube. All these sites allow anybody to add as well as to access the content it allows to leave messages and comments and to exchange digital media like including photo graphs and videos.

Web services are the components of the online functionality that can be plugged together in order to create integrated online offering. For example many companies use the web services of a payments service provider such as world pay in order to allow them easily to take credit card payments online this results the customers interacting with two organizations automatically interlinked by the internet.

Software as a services involves application functionality being offered directly over the internet in turn user data and application can be accessed from any internet enabled computing device. For example Google docs is online word processing spread sheet and online presentation package available for free on web.

Web 2.0 in organizations

as we discussed about the key aspects of web 2.0 now I want to discuss about how theses aspects are used in organizations. Web 2.0 not only helps to talk with friends gather information and things done but also helps in doing your job better to increase productivity drive progress and to see better business result. Web 2.0 also helps employees, customers and suppliers access and share information virtually anytime anywhere using using web as the platform.(IBM 2008). But how can web 2.0 tools help us to improve the company’s productivity and collective intelligence? I will try to explain this by taking an example of an a manufacturing organization which is similar to our imperial manufacturing company.

Web 2.0 for internal usage in the organization:

Web 2.0 can help in building up the collaboration between the employees through training, knowledge sessions and internal recruitment. This can be supported by a recent survey by McKinsey survey, The primary internal usage of web 2.0 among organizations is for managing knowledge and developing the collaboration.(McKinsey 2008).for example Osbrne, is an electrical equipment manufacture adopted internal wiki based solution within the organization to avoid duplicating effort and to improve decision making process.(Brad Kenney 2008).

Web 2.0 for customer usage:

Now a days the organizations are give more importance to the customer centric approaches and they are considering this as their over all business strategy. Web 2.0 can be an effective tool to understand the customers needs and expectations and their suggestions for the improvement of the product or services. Organizations using web 2.0

for customer interactions, an intensive number of respondents indicates that they focused on improving customer service and acquiring new customers, there by the increased strategic role that web 2.0 is set to play.(McKinsey 2008).For example Nokia mobile company hosts a social networking site for their customers where users are free to express their view about Nokia product and their services.(Brad Kenney 2008). This information is used by the company for the further development and improvement in there next generation products.

Web 2.0 for supplier usage:

As the globalization and multi sourcing has become as the part of the organizational vale chains. This however, has make complex value chains, with a vastly increased need for information sharing across the vendors and the multi partners. Here web 2.0 can plays a vital role in giving timely and correct access to the information across the multi stake holders. For example General Motors has developed an eco system between suppliers and the company was based on the social networking. The suppliers and company representatives interact frequently through wikis to discus about the supply issues.(Cliff Saran 2007).

Another good example of using web 2.0 technology is by IBM “bluehouse” it helps to have online meetings and discussions suppose if the employee is far from the office and the client wants to have quick meeting, it can be possible if the employee have an conference with the client using with an a new host of the IBM called as “bluehouse”. By logging into the “bluehouse” site and can start the web conference by going to the spread sheets with the clients in real time. “bluehouse” gives small businesses accesses to powerful extranet collaboration tools that provide and enhance agility in community capabilities without the need of IT staff for expensive software investment.