Evolving from 1.0 to enterprise 2.0: an interpretative review- Empirical stages and approaches towards the new (virtual) working environment

An Intranet initiative shouldn‟t be interpreted as an una tantum project, but within a longer evolution process which makes it assumes a more and more relevant role in facilitating and sustaining organisational change. Evidence demonstrated that Intranet has radically changed its role: from a predominantly unidirectional topdown channel for communication & information (the 1 st era) to a what we defined “Virtual Workspace”, an integrated working environment where employees can find what they need to work, to learn, to know and to interact with others (the 2 nd era). 2006 empirical results provide evidence that a new stage of the abovementioned process emerged, pushed by further emergent worker needs and enabled by social computing tools, Service-Oriented Architecture, BPM, mash up and new supply model (i.e. software-as-a-service): the enterprise 2.0. The chapter analyses that evolution, basing on a 5-year empirical research which involved a panel of 110 firms, and provides a framework of analysis and an evolution model.