Managers lack awareness of Web 2.0 - survey

New research suggests that Irish technology managers are not widely aware of the rich internet applications being dubbed Web 2.0, although those who are unanimously agree that they will set the future standard for corporate technology.

The survey carried out for network and application access specialists Citrix, found that 40 per cent of Irish respondents agree they see more effective web applications as consumers than they are able to implement within their business.

The survey of 110 network managers, heads of web development, heads of IT and IT directors in Britain and Ireland, concludes that consumers are increasingly driving the corporate technology agenda and companies must adapt to suit a new breed of internal and external customers that have grown up with Web 2.0.

That's something that resonates with Fergus Burns, chief executive of Nooked, an Irish firm that provides Web 2.0 technology to corporations.

"The workforce of tomorrow are using MySpace, Facebook and instant messaging," says Mr Burns.

"You have to get with the programme because that is what they are used to."

Some of Mr Burns' customers clearly are - he was recently asked to integrate Nooked's technology with the Facebook social networking platform.

Given the recent focus on Web 2.0 by big software players such as Microsoft, IBM and SAP, it is surprising that 64 per cent of techies who responded to the Citrix survey said they had not heard of the application.

"It is clear that Irish firms are positively disposed on the opportunities that Web 2.0 offers for them in the coming years, albeit a little slower on the uptake than those in the UK," said Klaus Oestermann, general manager of Citrix's application networking group.

"While Web 2.0 is often touted as a buzzword, the research has shown that enterprises don't see it as such.

"Rather than being drawn in by hype, very real drivers exist such as a requirement for greater productivity and integration."

The vast majority of Irish respondents (80 per cent) said they were investing in web applications to improve the user experience.

"Talking to clients user interface is everything - if you don't have a good user interface you are finished," says Mr Burns.

Other reasons cited for moving corporate applications onto web platforms included easier access to data (86 per cent), speed of application usage (82 per cent) and improved productivity (79 per cent).