Looking Ahead: The Future of Enterprise 2.0

Do Web applications really matter in corporate competitive battles? Do they differentiate organizations from each other and help separate winners from losers? Emphatically yes, claims Andrew McAfee, who uses this chapter to explain just how technology matters and how Enterprise 2.0-the effective use of Web tools in pursuit of business and strategy goals-increases its importance. But will companies be able to embrace the new order? Acknowledging that entrenched organizational practices-two obstacles in particular-can make Enterprise 2.0 difficult, McAfee reveals how the tools and approaches of Enterprise 2.0 can themselves be very powerful weapons for changing these practices, while preserving your organization's underlying values-because leadership, management, and hierarchy remain essential for the success of Enterprise 2.0 companies. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 8 of "Enterprise 2.0: New Collaborative Tools for Your Organization's Toughest Challenges."