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Cultural change and Enterprise 2.0

- Is the “right” corporate culture the basis or an effect of successful e2.0 projects? -

Anja Wittenberger

In the context of enterprise 2.0 there is an ongoing discussion about the following question: 

“Do we have to change the corporate culture to be successful with the internal and external use of social media or is the cultural change a result of the consistent transformation to an enterprise 2.0?”

In addition to the general discussion my daily consultant experience clarifies that task. In customer projects I usually introduce to the clients how to use a wiki as a tool for preparing, executing and wrapping up meetings, for instance live reporting during the meeting by all participants.
Obviously it’s an easy and simple option to gain a higher benefit.
All participants agree that they have to handle many daily tasks which now can be processed with much more efficiency and transparency by using collaboration tools. The pleasure at work increases and they feel more confident and satisfied.
It’s easy to see that a wiki prospectively will be a standard tool during meeting like a flipchart or beamer.

Often the following objection arises: “But we can`t believe, that this is working within our corporate culture.”

So in my opinion two questions come up:
(1)  Is the “right” corporate culture or the relevant corporate evolution in connection with enterprise 2.0 the foundation for a success? or
(2)  Is the cultural change an effect for the successful evolution to an enterprise 2.0?



Corporate culture
Corporate Culture is the sum of all things a company takes for granted. This includes the basic values and the internal and external cooperation. (via Hoffmann Group ) a company without culture doesn’t exist.

The corporate culture and enterprise 2.0 have one essential thing in common. Both need the cooperation and they naturally influence each other.

“..In companies with a bad working atmosphere the effort of these ‘social’ systems can’t be successful!...” Bernd Schmitz ( via http://bit.ly/dPOGWF )

Therefore enterprise 2.0 can’t be an efficacious remedy. Companies without a successful and well-performing enterprise 1.0 are not able to become an excellent enterprise 2.0 just by using a social software suite or statements like “We are open, we share knowledge and we work all together in a collaborative intranet!”

The most important requirements are open communication and a handling of mistakes free of judgement according to the popular saying “Where wood is chopped, splinters must fall”.
The posting of J. Buschbacher and E.Graf (via http://bit.ly/ibD4mm ) reaffirms that a fear of criticism supports failure of enterprise 2.0 projects.

The companies certainly need openness for change, a collaborative working atmosphere, employees, who want to make their work better and faster and last but not least a top-management, which can degrease a little bit of control.

Businesses want and need to change to keep up with development of society and technology. Enterprise 2.0 shifts the focus back on humans and raises the question “How do we want to collaborate today and in the future?”
Exactly for this task the web 2.0 generated various practices and technologies to support companies during the competition of playing a significant role in market.
Most of the businesses already realized that necessity. The change bears chances as well as risks.
Often companies fear enterprise 2.0 is just a reinvention of things already in place and increasing chaos.

This was one of the questions during an interview with Andrew McAffee, teacher at the Sloan school of Economics and the originator of the definition of enterprise 2.0:

“… Andreas Thomann (credit Suisse) :
Web 2.0 is based on a horizontal, democratic and spontaneous kind of collaboration. How does that fit in a corporate structure, which is shaped vertical and hierarchical?
Andrew McAfee:
In fact it sounds like a contradiction. Enterprise 2.0 doesn’t mean that companies have to scrap their hierarchical and tight organized structure. The new technologies are not a substitute for the present structures and technologies, but an addition. The benefit develops especially in times when innovative solutions are required.
In those times companies are interested in gathering the knowledge and horizon of experience of their employees…” (via http://bit.ly/gxBRi6 )

Enterprise 2.0 is focused on methods and technologies of communication and knowledge exchange and benefits the collective improvement.
When companies start to change their ways, technologies and behavior of communication, they change their operating principles as well as their corporate culture by living enterprise 2.0. It doesn’t really matter what kind of corporate culture already exists at this point. You need to get the consciousness that enterprise 2.0 is not an IT-project but an evolution with variances in organization, culture, process and of the technological attempt.
This attitude supports a successful creation of your own enterprise 2.0 initiatives.

Where do we have to start?
First you need to answer the following questions:
What (tools, methods, values) do I want to adapt for my company? What kinds of modification do we need to support the company’s and employees’ efficiency?
What chances accrue from these modifications? What risks do we have to attend? And what kind of adaption suits to my company and its employees? When do we have to start? NOW!

Start your initiative. Prepare an ‘open space’ event together with your employees. Just live the participation and collaboration in a real event including personal conversations where you give the possibility to all participants to make their ambitions clear in a free way. You’ll see if your company is already open for enterprise 2.0 and you’ll create first pilot projects for testing the tools in the field.

“… creating a real added value is only possible, if you permit the participative components in your company…” said Arnd Layer, IBM Germany. He is the competency Leader of Web 2.0 and social software. (via http://bit.ly/hep4v7 )

The most important requirements for a success of this first step are:

• Defining clear and fix targets
• Voluntary participation
• A solid organizational and subject-specific preparation
• A powerful key note in presentation
• External support for moderation
• A quick and pithy report of the results
• An easy and central access of the results to all employees
• A subject-specific evaluation of the results and take adequate measures
• The conclusion has to be communicated by the top-management

These events achieve a kind of new energy for all employees who campaign for useful changes.

“… When the topic social media comes up, two philosophies come into conflict:

• A mechanistic deterministic philosophy represented by most of the companies and
• A liberate-selfish oriented philosophy represented by (mostly) the younger employees and clients of the companies

This situation causes in many companies an ongoing evolution. …“ (via http://bit.ly/gcembY )

During the next steps this energy and dynamic needs to be channeled and leveraged for a successful development of your enterprise 2.0 projects.

So the following answers appear to the questions posed at the beginning:
Is the “right” corporate culture or the relevant corporate evolution in connection with enterprise 2.0 the foundation for a success?
If a company has an open culture, a flat hierarchy, a well functioning cooperation and a permanent will for evolution, the cultural aspect is given and supports the success of this project.

Is the cultural change an effect for the successful evolution to an enterprise 2.0?
If a company decides to use tools and methods of enterprise 2.0, the company culture will change. The possibility of an open communication accrues for instance by the chance of annotating postings in a blog. Suddenly the employees who share the knowledge in a collaborative intranet prove themselves valuable. These employees will be noticed because of exactly this fact and earn more acceptation from the whole company. Their department or position is not relevant at this point.

Cultural evolution is both, foundation and effect.

It’s an indispensable must to pay attention on this aspect of enterprise 2.0 projects and take adequate measures to support the change.

If you heed the advice resulting from successful enterprise 2.0 projects “think big and begin small”, every company will find the suitable way to become an “enterprise 2.0”.

guestpost written by Anja Wittenberger   ( TwentyOne AG ) works as a
Consultant for collaboration and communication in the enterprise2.0-way

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Our President Christian Wulff, the days, at the opening of an exhibition about the former East German Stasi, short Stasi, found clear words. Occasion of the opening was the way to the 21st Anniversary of the storming of the headquarters of State Security in the context of the peaceful revolution in East Germany. He called in his speech of all federal citizens greater engagement with the former East German past and demanded that the communist regime can not be played down afterwards! Wulff could publicly criticized that it was outrageous that the dictatorship of former workers to their former victims of public ridicule. "We must oppose them loud and clear." It is frightening how many people today idealizing looking back at the GDR looked and it fades out human rights abuses and lack of freedom. He also announced, in cooperation with the investigation of a private foundation series of events under the theme "Future of Democracy" which met with the young people witness the East German regime. Wulff said here that there should be more places for reconnaissance and warning. The future of the Stasi Records Authority: "This was a permanent job" Clear and true words, because injustice can never be undone, not to forget, or worse, be displaced. But operate under a different name on it is not ok too, right? For what is now because of today's reality? Voratsdatenspeicherung, e-ID card, body scanner, unlawful surveillance of employees, and, and, and! Are we in fact arrived not long for the Stasi 3.0? Can well imagine that one day even in this exhibition to commemorate a wheelchair as View object is available! But the Left Party, has run a week a very special way of overcoming the past. Party (with) head Gesine solder has the days once again proven to sail under which some party members further disposition. Lötzsch woke namely last week with an article called "Ways to communism" ghosts of ancient times. Thus, it provided the best downfield pass for all critics of the Left Party. For as I have always said, the leftists are the reservoirs of former communists and social utopian! This will not change, unfortunately, never bet anything that ...? And we are therefore also equal to the absolute opposite political side, because of rights. For the NPD, the past, and overcome their true aspirations easily. The NPD calls appear on their own top officials to sign a far-reaching nondisclosure agreements. This statement is contrary to the opinion of experts the party right, because the NPD threatening its staff for offenders with drastic penalties. In the letter, the members of the Federal Executive reassure the local political organization of the NPD that they are not employees or informants "of an Office of Constitutional Protection, the Federal Intelligence Service, the Military Intelligence" or other domestic or foreign intelligence agencies are otherwise threatens a penalty of 15,000 €. Yes it is possible to try to save ailing party also ne street. The NPD himself would not speak about those, of course, so clearly have ne nondisclosure agreements signed. Is about time that the last constitutional court is clear that the Constitution should not apply also to those who want to abolish it yourself. In German: Raises to finally get that brown mess. "And this jagged", to say to say in their language. And I prefer silence now back on the sofa. Secretly and quietly ...

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past problems due to the flood!

The winter sets just a little break, outside it is almost springlike. Just prepare all the thaw, the same problems the next. While we here in Werratal all relatively harmless looks, it looks at our other major river in the circle, looked anything but harmless. The Fulda and especially her little tributary, the Haune are currently part come on the mighty river. But how it looks at this stage seems to be over the worst and the water levels fall somewhat. Let us hope that this country generally transferred back to a normalization of water levels. But where it is currently far, "an average level of the state" comes from the FDP. Helmsman Westerwelle still holds firmly to its position on the bridge and defended the days when a combative 70-minute speech to continue his post. At the end there was applause for even three minutes (well, most have stopped for 'a minute, yes, but our Guido himself was not slow to stop). But I must say, as I see it as are to be on the right track, had not even a small trace of self-criticism, what with fierce rallying, wild gestures and self-belief. Such talk was far from the reality of it last about 70 years ago in Berlin (Grins). If only the last straw, he had shouted: "Do you want total campaign?" Too bad that the FDP continues to slip in favor of the voters, to a total of under 4%. But probably we are just all too obtuse to see what the FDP has not done anything good for us? I would say at least times that of Fleet Admiral Westerwelle, has succeeded in spite of high water to bring the lobbyists cutter FDP due to huge - even ne power! But no matter on 11 April, four weeks before the regular FDP party wants the Bureau with the State Chair . Meet Whether we can then careening? Or does one just jump over the fence? Or put in down on a desert island - Westerland? What do you think, all right on the Andrea Liberalia? Meanwhile sets the CSU, a control concept that will relieve the Germans by a total of 6 billion euros. Has not really well first, the FDP had promised. Should now have the CSU, the better "control" men? Well, it is now well-CSU for: Cash Union Sailing! Horst Seehofer as Captain Ahab, "As the front! The yellow-blue Westerwal because he blows! "

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blasphemed enough, you would like a few feet dry!

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PS: Westerwelle to call Wal would not be real, is currently more of a stickleback!

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on a (happy) new!

First of all, I wish you all a happy new year! May it brings all this, what do you wish Sun The year 2011 has indeed now also begun the same time with a solar eclipse. If we want but let's hope that there will be this year but for one or another lucid moment.

But wait a lucid moment we've all have is indeed now have not even arrived, but was postponed to next year. Namely, the already oh-so-long-promised tax simplification. The reasons stated a spokesman for the Treasury that the costs had not planned from the simplification of the tax law recently passed in the Federal Budget 2011 (so much for the so-called forward-looking policy !!!). In addition, retroactive changes could result in some cases to considerable red tape (Double !!!). What a botch, for as the simplification as from 01 January would have been, they would be won only with the tax return to "Next year" first came into effect. Therefore, I'm curious on the excuse next year, which is introduced then for reasons not to reform. time not many years ago a politician has said that the tax return must be so easy to fit on a beer mat? Then the government should now kindly drink their beer and give cover to the Federal Treasury as a template! But according to the theme policy in Germany, is now a separate study from the Bertelsmann Foundation, which skin makes the same point. Because in Germany it is clearly unjust to this study than in many other industrialized countries. A comparison of the 31 Member States of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), it only landed in 15th place Worrying, especially child poverty in Germany is, according to the study. In this country, 10.8 percent of children lived below the poverty line. Even Hungary (ranked 8) and the Czech Republic (ranked 13) did better on this issue than Germany (rank 14). Denmark landed at number one by the way, here are just 2.7 percent of children affected. But also in the field of education researchers see the need to catch up to Germany. Despite improved PISA results, therefore, the success of students in this country still depends greatly on about how much money the Parents have. The opportunities for social advancement through better education in Germany were again significantly lower than in many other OECD countries, the study says. This perception is in this area is also reflected in the ranking: Germany landed at rank 22 only in the lower middle. So you see new year - old problems! Oh, and then is now still in the egg dioxin were found. Until now I see but yet ... ;-) Take care you people!