Singapore, Web 2.0 and IBM

Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0 and whole heap of other 2.0 concepts are rapidly becoming accepted across the industry.

Developing 2.0-style applications needs a variety of different technical skills, in a myriad of different technologies and an appreciation of new development styles. Composite applications, mashups, or situational applications are based on the being able to loosely couple together services from diverse resources. Although conceptually simple, the technical realities are somewhat different, especially if these composites are to be made industrial-strength. In this light it is encouraging to see IBM working with Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore to train and develop around 800 graduates over the next 3 years.

Developing the management techniques needed to adopt web 2.0 and enterprise 2.0 thinking to different cultures, business practices and business styles in the next challenge. Not all business problems are suited to the non-hierarchical and collaborative management models that pervade much of 2.0 thinking. Instead some business are driven more by heavily structured business processes where benefits come from inter-weaving 2.0 thinking into those processes, rather than seeking to usurp them.

It would be great to see the next round of investment between corporates and academia focus on developing the management and leadership capabilities needed to manage in a 2.0 era.