As a part of a wider research group, we analysed the state of Enterprise 2.0 in Europe. Our main contributions focussed on analysing how companies throughout the EU were using Enterprise 2.0 technologies, and examining the legal implications of their use. The first stage of this research was to create a set of case studies: in-depth accounts of how individual companies were using enterprise 2.0 tools to work in a more innovative, effective or efficient fashion. We identified several case study candidates and developed a community of individuals working closely with Enterprise 2.0, and provided crucial insights throughout the project. The second stage of the study was to analyse the macroeconomic and environmental impacts, as well as the the infrastructural needs and the legal challenges for organisations using Enterprise 2.0. The third, and final, stage of the research was to produce policy recommendations based on the analysis.
The research included:
- Analysing the uptake of Enterprise 2.0, the related organisational requirements, and the transition to a knowledge based, low-carbon economy;
- Collecting evidence on the macroeconomic impact of Enterprise 2.0;
- Creating a clear definition for Enterprise 2.0, describing the market and positioning of EU industry, also in comparison with the US and Asia;
- Involving a high-profile advisory committee to ensure all the deliverables were peer-reviewed;
- Identifying and examining both the direct and contextual challenges, including the need for Next Generation Access and legal barriers; and
- Proposing possible policy actions to overcome the challenges and grasp the opportunities emerging.