established businesses and web technologies

Jonathan Bowers, January 8th 2008, 12:03PM

A new survey headed up by KPMG adds further weight to the argument that B2B companies are not embracing many of the webs potent communication technologies because they do not fit in with traditional company procedures.

The survey, which draws its conclusions from answers provided by 472 executives worldwide actually pinpoints security and governance issues as the main reasons for the slow adoption of tools such as blogging, podcasting and wikis. However, combining this with many meetings I have had with executives over the last year or so, I would say that the fears about changing company policy and transferring trust and responsibility are at the heart of the decision.

A large number of executives in decision making positions at long established organisations simply do not feel equipped to give the go ahead. This is why the areas of the business community that have exploded onto the web 2.0 scene have been driven by the SME community. Smaller machines have less key decision makers and arguably less policy and red tape, allowing them to move with the times much more successfully.

What's the solution? I guess it's education. One executive pointed out to me recently that people simply don't know where to go to start acquiring good technology services and many CTOs have let their knowledge slip over the years and find it hard to admit that they need to refresh their skills and move forward.

What businesses need is to be presented with substantial proof that changing their working model and including web 2.0 techniques will bring tangible economic benefits? I believe this information is available but also think that a psychological shift has to occur for many decision makers to be ready to consider the options seriously.

Tags: business_policy, web2.0
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Pavarotti - how the internet responds

Jonathan Bowers, September 7th 2007, 12:07PM

This week has seen the death of a man who reached the absolute pinnacle of his career. Probably the world's favourite operatic tenor. The internet has allowed the public to share their feelings in a way that fans of Caruso would never have been able to when he passed away in 1921.

Observing my own web browsing on Pavarotti in the last couple of days, I've noticed that I've been much more interested in videos put online by members of the public or skimming blog posts than I have reading articles from traditional newspapers or organisations. Perhaps I'm hoping to grasp some tiny individual insights from people who really really cared rather than biography pieces that do not seem enough for such a moment.

Or maybe it's because a blog search actually brings up more relevance on this topic than a normal Google search. The first page ranks only six entries that link to an up-to-date story acknowledging Pavarotti's death. Two are his official website, two are YouTube videos, one is Wikipedia and the other admittedly is a link to news stories on the death.

It's at the side of this first page in the sponsored links that we see the likes of The Daily Telegraph, The New York Times, The Times and The Sun as they bid to win readers on the issue. But this just appears to widen the divide.

The ability to share with a community and unite in a collected admiration of a talent is not best achieved through recognised official bodies anymore. Pavarotti dominates the Viral Video Charts today because we collectively put him there. We feel a part of a community because we see the thousands of links to these videos or read the many comments left on blogs.

Maybe this is why The Sun can't seem to make up its mind whether to keep paying for rank in the sponsored list. Or maybe they just feel out of depth in the company of broadsheets and real people?

Tags: pavarotti, web2.0
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Broadsheets prepare for the virtual upgrade

Jonathan Bowers, May 10th 2007, 12:05PM

Yesterday I attended a seminar session in Manchester called Meet the Northern Correspondents, which added to the newspapers' online debate. The two speakers were Helen Carter of The Guardian and James Wilson of the FT.

Helen revealed that some departments have a 'Web First' policy meaning that their stories appear on the web and then the next morning in the paper. She also talked about reporters having to take recording equipment out with them to generate both written articles and podcasting material. Projecting forward she expected to be taking a video camera out on assignments soon too. The job is becoming more and more technically demanding.

She gave companies’ blogging a welcome boost by admitting that she loves the arena and has found and researched a number of her stories through blogs.

James admitted that the FT has not embraced the web quite as fully as The Guardian yet - but intends to in the very near future. When you think about it, the FT's focus on business only mirrors UK companies in their slower adoption of the web's social opportunities than the UK public.

James also talked about the FT's model online that allowed subscribers only to view their breaking news content and about the papers intention to turn up at businesses with video cameras for interviews, just like Guardian reporters.

In other broadsheet devlopments, Shane Richmond of the Telegraph blogged about MyTelegraph a few weeks ago, which has now launched and is an online community encouraging users to blog their views and comments on the broadsheet's website.

Back at the event, possibly most telling was the response from the audience of PRs to the Internet topics. There was a sense that many were hoping the journalists would say that the newspaper was irreplaceable and the web was going to fade away in a few years.

But just as the journalists are moving out of their comfort zone, so must the PRs.

Tags: newspapers, web2.0
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Web 2 point Oh (no)

Chris Norton, May 30th 2006, 2:53PM

Books of academic criticism of a certain movement, whether literary, artistic or philosophical, always seem to start with the same introduction. Say you're reading about abstract expressionism. The intro will say 'first, what is abstract expressionism? It's hard to define the movement in any definite way'. You will now feel a little annoyed that this author doesn't know what he's talking about. Then the intro will say 'of course, none of the artists discussed in this book would call themselves abstract expressionists'. You will now start wishing you'd picked up the copy of Heat instead of this book about a movement that doesn't seem to exist and that nobody wanted to belong to.

And that, my friends, apart from showing off my extensive knowledge of the art world, is all a bit like Web 2.0. Nobody seems to know what it means, and all the real innovators and cutting edge folk on the web seem to be shunning the label. No wonder - the phrase itself sounds incredibly smug, mainly because of the 'point oh' bit. It is scientifically impossible to say 'Web 2.0' aloud without sounding like a punchable buffoon - try it.

What's more, it's kind of innaccurate: the 'version number' format of the name implies a completely new version of the WWW, where instead, on the sites sited as being part of this exclusive club, all we find is more of a 'Web 1.25' - a web with a few bells and whistles on top. Ben Ramsey has been talking about the need for a new term, now that O'Reilly Media have claimed Web 2.0 as their own - but I'm thinking perhaps the whole buzzword needs to be binned, or at least saved until the web really is revolutionised.

Tags: web2.0, www
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Bringing the new web to the uninitiated

Jonathan Bowers, May 25th 2006, 10:30AM

How do you bring web developments like RSS, blogging and Wiki to a wider audience and encourage use even from technophobes?

There are still many businesses using the Internet only because they feel they should be a part of it. But efficient online contact with potential clients in this category is reliant on their embracing the forms that we associate with Web 2.0 and becoming a part of our online circles.

Well, Winelog is a new wiki site set to draw a whole new audience into the arena. It's almost an irresistible destination for any true wine lover and with a prominent blog, the chance to share each other's favourites and a firm guiding hand the site will educate many in the potentials of online communication tools without them even realising it.

Coming soon on the site is the opportunity to have your own RSS feed direct from your personal winelog.

While the traditional networking circles are still alive and well, online arenas are opening up everywhere and it's important now for businesses to make sure they are integrating into them.

Tags: web2.0, wikis
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