Influence of the Internet: New Rules or just a New Tool?
Jaap de Jonge, Editor, Netherlands
You certainly have strong supporters Ricky (M. Porter - Strategy and the Internet, HBR April 16, 2001) to see the internet as ... arguably the most powerful tool available today for enhancing operational effectiveness ... yet he denies the internet can provide a competitive advantage.
When I was consulting some firms on their internet strategy some 7 years ago, I remember many executives at the time were doubting the impact of the internet was going to be as big as Forrester and Gartner were predicting. As more often the case with major innovations, the
time it took for the internet to achieve its full effects was longer than expected, but the
size and scope of its effects are bigger. On organizations, businesses, industry sectors, society as a whole, commerce, communication, learning and indeed on the way human beings are living their lives.
Ultimately wether the internet is considered a tool or a new rule is just words. But that it changes all these things at all these levels considerably that is 100% sure.
