Comments on: Here’s the Reason Why Small Businesses Won’t Adopt “Enterprise 2.0″

By: Web 2.0 and Enterprise « Chominsoo’s Weblog

Web 2.0 and Enterprise « Chominsoo’s Weblog — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:09:24 +0000

[...] http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2008/04/heres-the-reason-why-small-bus inesses-wont-adopt-enterprise-… [...]

By: Why Small Businesses Won’t Adopt “Enterprise 2.0″ - Small Business Update - Just another WordPress weblog

Fri, 23 May 2008 13:33:03 +0000

[...] Comments [...]

By: Joan Kenterwood

Joan Kenterwood — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:45:51 +0000

Yeah, Enterprise 2.0 is a buzz word. Nobody seems to have enough time to develop a better term. That's a pity! However, there are people who try to write on this topic and make things clearer for small business owners. I mean project management blog, for example.

By: Paul Chaney

Paul Chaney — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:09:01 +0000

There's so much talk about corporate adoption of Web 2.0 principles and practices. As for me, small biz was, is and always will be where it's at! And, I think small business is best suited to make use of the Web 2.0. Take, for instance, custom sign maker, J.D. Iles, with his SignsNeverSleep.com blog. He gets it and is a model for others to follow. As to hanging out where our customers already do, that's certainly necessary. However, I don't think it negates the idea that we can't create what I refer to as a "table of our own." Social networks don't have to be huge to be profitable from a community-building standpoint. Often, smaller is better. Paul Chaney's last blog post..Tweet Scan: A tool for marketers to spam you? Let's hope not.

By: Bob Lancaster

Bob Lancaster — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:21:30 +0000

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. Most small businesses and most people don’t know “What the heck Enterprise 2.0 is” . Andrew McAfee is credited with creating the term Enterprise 2.0. I have included the link to his definition below.

Because Forrester and most in the industry focus on the impact Enterprise 2.0 will have in the large corporation they often miss the subtleties in Mr. McAfee’s definition that also apply to small businesses. Sweeping definitions that merely point to Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, etc. and declare these as models for business tools are shallow at best.

Enterprise 2.0 is about collaboration and workforce empowerment. I think you will see small businesses eagerly adopt tools that will enhance and strengthen their customer and vendor community.

Workforce empowerment is about employees using tools that are “Emergent” which means the tools are available but not dictated and controlled by management. It’s business collaboration and automation from the bottom-up (employee driven) instead of top-down (management dictated). An example would be a wiki collaborative system instead of a highly structured and rigid document controls system.

Enterprise 2.0 tools bring us the promise of a more efficient and effective workforce. I think small businesses will readily adopt Enterprise 2.0 tools as the concept matures and the real benefits are revealed.

Andrew McAfee – Enterprise 2.0
http://blog.hbs.edu/faculty/amcafee/index.php/faculty_amcafee_v3/enter prise_20_version_20/

By: Forrester Report: Global Enterprise Web 2.0 Market Forecast: 2007 To 2013

Forrester Report: Global Enterprise Web 2.0 Market Forecast: 2007 To 2013 — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:59:06 +0000

[...] First, start with Read Write Web (Oilver and I are big fans of this blog), then Andy Beal takes Here’s the Reason Why Small Businesses Won’t Adopt “Enterprise 2.0″, and for a counterpoint, the respected Dennis Howlett The problem with Forrester’s $4.6 billion [...]

By: links for 2008-04-23 | Kris blogt

links for 2008-04-23 | Kris blogt — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:52:09 +0000

[...] Here’s the Reason Why Small Businesses Won’t Adopt “Enterprise 2.0″ (tags: SME enterprise2.0) [...]

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:12:56 +0000

@Jeff – fair point!

By: Jeff Majka

Jeff Majka — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:37:12 +0000

Great post, Andy! Although I think a distinction needs to be made between big business's investment in expensive internal collaboration tools and their customer facing efforts. I'm sure Coke is spending IT dollars with IBM to build internal wikis, etc. but they'll be getting involved with Facebook, MySpace, etc because that is where the customers are. Jeff Majka's last blog post..Content Remains The King

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:40:33 +0000

Takes one back to Schumacher and Small is beautiful philosophy what? Nicole's last blog post..Need a New Computer?

By: Brick Marketing

Brick Marketing — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:32:24 +0000

Ah, interesting! We did think you were at first talking about small businesses embracing social media but now we see it’s all the somewhat unnecessary stuff they’re not interested in. Great data!

By: Karen Swim

Karen Swim — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:58:46 +0000

@ Andy, more companies could use your wisdom. I am fortunate to have some corporate customers. I am often surprised at how difficult they make things, and while they’re building elaborate systems or holding endless meetings to talk about building elaborate systems, small companies have “been there, done that.” This is such an exciting time in business, I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Karen Swim’s last blog post..Getting to the Starting Line – What Running Taught Me About Goals and Wants

By: Andy Beal

Andy Beal — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:49:17 +0000

@Karen – you’re most welcome. In Radically Transparent, we discuss why even big companies might want to think twice before building enterprise apps. Sometimes you can achieve more by simply going to where the community already hangs out–as opposed to trying to bring them to you.

By: Karen Swim

Karen Swim — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:43:12 +0000

Andy, this certainly should boost the spirits of small businesses who often bemoan not having access to big business resources. Making the transition from Corporate America to owning a small business has certainly enhanced my creativity and innovation. It is funny how we lock ourselves into a mindset that "fancy" is better. Your post validates that simple (and often free) are often the best way. Thanks for sharing the Forrester report and for your insights. Karen Swim's last blog post..Getting to the Starting Line - What Running Taught Me About Goals and Wants