web 2.0

Business applications giant SAP this year will be rolling out enhancements meant to make end users more productive through easier collaboration, according to company executives.These additions are being designed around so-called Web 2.0 technologies, such as shared Web pages called wikis, as well as online forums and mini applications called widgets. The goal is to make it easier for knowledge workers who use SAP products to collaborate.SAP is far from alone in getting the end-user collaboration bug. IBM on Monday debuted its own Web 2.0 strategy, introducing two new tools that bring social-networking instruments such as blogs and wikis to its Lotus suite and portal software. For these entrenched business software companies, the idea is to invest in end-user productivity to entice customers to upgrade. SAP earlier this month said it expects to miss its 2006 sales target. More workers are expecting the same "user experience" at work that they get on the Web, noted Joshua Greenbaum, principal analyst at Enterprise Applications Consulting. Introducing Web-based collaboration can help sway a customer decision to upgrade. web 2.0