Web 2.0: The `Consumerization` of The Enterprise

Technologies used to power popular consumer-oriented applications will eventually saturate the corporate market.

This is leading to the "consumerization" of the enterprise market, said Gartner analysts today at the formal opening of the Gartner Symposium ITxpo 2006 here.

Technologies such as AJAX, REST and RSS  form the technical underpinnings of Web 2.0, the term used to characterize the next generation of Web applications.

This is a significant technological shift from the traditional, siloed and static applications that work independently of each other. Gartner analysts cautioned the audience to be ready for some changes.

Peter Sondergaard, Gartner's head of global research, said that by 2012, consumer technologies will be fully integrated into all settings, including the office, home, remote office and recreational areas.

Moreover, individuals will have the capabilities and tools to dictate the configurations of their applications as often as corporate workers do.

They will gain more control over the deployment of electronic services, such as online banking.

"Changes in consumer behavior and preferences will trigger a power reversal in business models," Sondergaard said during the keynote. "Consumer-to-business will replace the predominant business-to-consumer model."

Source: http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3636806