Chapter 2: Knowledge: the strategic imperative

Chapter 3: Technology: the knowledge enhancer

Chapter 4: Virtualization: networking knowledge globally

Overview

The changes accompanying the evolution towards the networked knowledge economy are causing organizations of all types to reassess their strategies. In Part B three key areas of development that are shaping new strategic opportunities are described.

The first is the focus on knowledge as exemplified by the current interest in knowledge management and related initiatives where knowledge is a focus. The second are those opportunities created by technology, with particular emphasis on technologies that leverage knowledge. The third is really a focus on the changes brought about by the affect of technology of diminishing the importance of location. We refer to this as virtualization. It appears in various guises ranging from virtual working or teleworking to ways of selling and delivering product and services remotely via electronic networks. Together these three areas of development are contributing to the integration of 'hard' (electronic) and 'soft' (human) networking into winning knowledge-based collaborative strategies (see Figure B.1).

Figure B.1: Developments that shape winning collaborative strategies

This part of the book offers insights into these three significant areas. Developments are described along with examples of how organizations are exploiting them and some of the main challenges they confront.