HOW DO COMPANIES USE WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGIES FOR EXTERNAL KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT?Maxim Lobov

Who am IWas a Master student at the Warwick Business School The research was for my master dissertation. Supervisor - Davide Nicolini From IKON

The objectives of my researchHow do companies use Web 2.0 technologies for managing “external knowledge”?Use of this technology in marketing, recruitment, partners and suppliers’ relationships, and R&D practices to identify, acquire, and utilize external knowledge. Identify which tools companies use, how they use them, what the main challenges are, and the benefits that accrue from using such technologies.

General considerationsIt was master’s project with strict limitation of time, resources and access to the companies.It was exploratory study of undeveloped area.Findings of this research should be checked and developed further in future researches.

Research sample - 1In the research 12 companies took part and 23 interviews were conducted. Interviews were made in 6 countries, including UK, USA, Germany, Russia, Spain and the Netherlands.Twenty-three interviews of 40 minutes in average were made. They were made via phone or Skype, excluding two, which were made via e-mailInterviews were conducted with people from companies of different sizes, countries and industries. All interviews were made in different departments and on different organisational levels. Such scope of countries, companies, departments and organizational levels allows researcher to formulate broader overview of the phenomenon development.

Research sample-2

The most popular tools for external use.Social networks (Most popular worldwide Facebook and LinkedIn, in Russia - Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki), Blogs,Micro blogging toolNB! Wiki was named as the most popular internal tool.

Classifications of tools

AdoptionWeb 2.0 is the most popular in marketing and communication departments(But!) also use in HR, R&D, Customer Service, Consulting, Partners relations, etc.Companies use agencies to implement Web 2.0 and then to gathered and analyse data, as they do not have necessary own capabilities to do it.

Ways of analysing data

Information from Web 2.0

Adoption stageWeb 2.0 is on stage of early adopters.from Norman, 1998: The Invisible Computer

Organisational benefits

Individual benefits

IssuesMain issue related to people not to technology per se.

Factors influence of adoption of Web 2.0

Recommendations- 1Web 2.0 has huge value as a channel for external conversations, not for pushing information outside. Therefore, it should be used for listening and conversations.Companies should consider Web 2.0 as a source of external knowledge and start to develop capabilities in this field.

Recommendations-2It is necessary to make audit of capabilities before implementation of Web 2.0. In case when there are no necessary capabilities to implementation and use Web 2.0, then agencies should be used. They can help to develop necessary capabilities in Web 2.0. However, in long-run period it might be better to use them to gain capabilities, but not as constant provider of service.Management needs to support adoption of Web 2.0, but initiative should come from employees.

Recommendations-3Web 2.0 can be used by most departments in the company. It should not be limited to marketing. Main problem in Web 2.0 is people, not technology. Companies have to develop strategy how to motivate people to use Web 2.0. Organisations need to consider goals and values first and only after that to chose particular Web 2.0 tools that will help to reach goals and will be in line with values and culture.

Recommendations- 4Organisations need to consider age, experience, culture, industry, gender, and size factors during adoption and use of Web 2.0Companies should realize that Web 2.0 is context dependant technology. It cannot just be taken from one company and transferred without changes to another.

My contact detailsMaxim LobovMA Organizational Studies, Warwick Business Schoolos08ml@mail.wbs.ac.ukPhone - +79266094242

Thank you!