Network Economy: New Rules or New Tools?
The 12 rules of Kelly on the network economy are certainly impressive.
But we shouldn't speak about
new rules, fundamentally altering the laws of economics, or of doing business, or of business strategy.
We are dealing with major
new tools, enabling new ways of interfacing with people, clients and business partners, new ways of providing value and services to them, new ways of transacting and new ways of communication.
I believe both exaggerating and underestimating the influence of the internet and related technologies are equally dangerous for businesses and organizations in general.
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Jaap de Jonge
Editor, Netherlands
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Influence of the Internet: New Rules or just a New Tool?
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.
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