Scoble and Connectbeam

Robert Scoble’s ScobleShow features an interview with Connectbeam CEO Puneet Gupta, and a podcast of a demo of Connectbeam’s offering. Check it out – this is a great example of how Web 2.0 can bring value to Enterprise.

I’d talked briefly in earlier posts about Connectbeam and business bookmarking and where Web 2.0 could make a difference to businesses – bringing “knowledge processing” as opposed to just “knowledge management” – here’s more information for you to think about.

A key facet of today’s business environment is the rise of knowledge as THE asset driving value generation and wealth creation. And the biggest challenge to organizations, is the fact that knowledge today rests not with the business, but with the individual.

The situation is somewhat akin to the challenges of the early days of the Industrial revolution, where manufacturing skills rested with the craftsman, and the ability to scale was restricted both by the low availability of craftsmen in large numbers, and the varying nature of those skills. Not to mention that a loss of the expert usually had dire impacts for the business.

Just as the rise of mechanization and automation was the inevitable response to solve the twin problems of low skill availability and varying skill levels, it’s inevitable that processes and techniques will come into vogue to address the issues related to portability of knowledge and expertise. As well as the “standing on shoulders of giants” element that collaborative working and building on a foundation of shared knowledge brings.

As Puneet Gupta mentions in the interview – today’s offerings are still piecemeal solutions addressing parts of the problem. Social bookmarking, wikis and blogs, static information – each of these can bring some value, but the real value lies in putting together a superset that can integrate all of these together in the context of organizational requirements. And in the process, not just codifying existing knowledge, but providing the basis for processing it to generate value afresh.

We are still at an early stage; We are going to see significant innovation and learning driving change through all activities.

And the most exciting parts will be at the heart of any business.