Web 2.0 delivers new finance model for business?

I was at a talk at the RSA last night for a sneak preview of a new film Us Now about the potential power of ordinary people using web 2.0 tools to change everything from the way government works to the ownership of football clubs. To quote internet guru Clay Shirky change happens not when we adopt new tools, but when we adopt new behaviours. And web technology can make this happen easier than ever before.

After the film I realised the film’s real power was in describing an alternative model for financing projects, based on web 2.0 technology, from BHO to banking. Fortunately as I work at the ICAEW this realisation came a little quicker, and I blogged it on the ICAEW’s IT Counts.

As you’d expect the US is way ahead of the game on this, it’s already got a catchy title ‘Finance 2.0’, with discussion at a recent Silicon Valley event including the US-version of Zopa called prosper.com.

IT Counts open to the public

The ICAEW’s IT Counts website is now open to the public. It’s already won a Web 2.0 Strategies award, and is shortlisted for the 2008 Accountacy Age Awards. Be interesting to see what kind of demographic visitor profile it attracts with its focus on accountancy, IT and business with topics ranging from better use of MS Excel (did I mention it’s sponsored by Microsoft?) to the latest SocialCalc wiki spreadsheet from Socialtext, with the chance via Dennis Howlett to become one of the first users. There’s even mention of the credit crunch. Of course if you want to use the site to make contacts, post blogs and comments you have to register but at least now the content is open for all & Google to read.