Evolved Technologist -

In May 2007, SAP Research hosted the second International Research Forum in Eltville, Germany and brought together leading thinkers from academia, business, and government to examine mega trends in Information Technology. In this unique collaborative atmosphere, a world-class collection of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and researchers brainstormed about service-oriented business transformation.

International Research Forum 2007 captures these insights and advances the research agenda that emerged from the Forum. This book explores a sequence of trends that will transform the future of business technology:

• How the collaborative technologies of Enterprise 2.0 are transforming the nature of work
• How the maturation of the Service Grid is creating a new a paradigm of services as building blocks that are adaptable to many enterprises
• How User-Driven Innovation enables end users to create tools for themselves and increases entrepreneurial agility
• How increased innovation and more flexible IT will facilitate Business Model Transformation

These trends pose new opportunities and challenges for the enterprise. Businesses must adapt current models to survive in a global economy of ever-increasing speed, size, and innovative capacity. Yet this new world of “Emergent IT” does not require businesses to replace current practices entirely. If properly managed, new models can complement old ones.

This book represents a primer on future trends as described by leading thinkers in each field. Companies that understand the barriers and potential of Enterprise 2.0, the service grid, user-driven innovation, and business model transformation will be better positioned to prosper in a changing world.