A Conceptual Model to Implement an Interactive and Collaborative Enterprise 2.0

Abstract

To implement an interactive and collaborative 2.0 it is important to have, inside the company, organizational and technological preconditions. In this model of advanced enterprise, internal workers must collaborate among themselves to communicate with all external subjects of the supply chain for achieving business goals. The implementation process is a critical and complex procedure that requires a strategic plan in the introduction and adoption of the innovation. In this paper the single actions to follow, for the implementation of the new model of business, with all determinant factors and variables, are described.Keywords: Web 2.0, 2.0, Implementation Procedure, Platform 2.0, Performance1 IntroductionAn 2.0 is a new advanced company that interacts with all stakeholders of the supply chain and in particular with customers using web 2.0 tools (blog, forum, chat, wiki) and social networks.Implementing a model of an 2.0 means to realize an innovative and dynamic process inside the company. It is therefore useful to design a general conceptual framework to describe, in detail, the implementation plan and individual actions (guidelines) to execute.The design of the conceptual framework is supported from scientific contributions [11] [12] [13] [14] [22] [27], The first important step of the model requires the involvement of top management (owner/manager) and, subsequently, the active participation of internal human resources. Our framework is able to evaluate the current position and the predisposition of the enterprise (readiness) to adopt new interactive and collaborative technologies and the degree of openness of the company with the external environment. The paper presents the following structure: in the next section the new model of 2.0 and relative literature are shown. In the third section we describe, in detail, the conceptual framework to implement the new business model considering all determinant factors, variables and guidelines to follow. Finally some conclusions are drawn.2 2.0 Model And LiteratureThe first author who studied the new business model was McAfee [17] who affirmed that Enterprise 2.0 is the use of emergent social software platforms within companies, or between companies and their partners or customers.An 2.0 (Figure 1) is an organizational and technological model based on active participation of all stakeholders (customers, suppliers, sponsors, business partners) in the sharing of internal and external knowledge.This new model of enterprise uses intensely web 2.0 tools [20] that before were generally used only in a private manner and not for business goals.By web 2.0 tools customers can express opinions/suggestions on products/services to improve them. In this way, a bi-directional channel between enterprises and customers is established and the customer can actively participate in the exchange of useful information. Customer opinions constitute a gold mine for generating high value added and for making strategic decisions.In the 2.0, the customer is a central figure and he/she is involved in all processes: conception, design, development, test, marketing, buying and so on. A customer more involved in the production process helps the company to find and eliminate errors/defects for improving the final product/service.The 2.0 model can be interpreted as a new way of doing business, a participative business where the company and customers work together (co-operate, co- create, co-produce...) [25] to improve the final product/service.Collaboration between companies and customers, in a context of co-creation and co- production, encourages the realization of the figure of the prosumer (producer and consumer at the same time) [26], The consumer is becoming a co-creator of value [29] while in the past he/she was a passive responder to the supply chain. …