] Sometimes the next big thing on the Net reshapes the ] online world (universal e-mail, a graphical browser for ] the Web); sometimes it evaporates upon contact with ] business reality (PointCast, anyone?). Wise companies ] explore new trends cautiously, and that seems to be ] what's happening with weblogs. ] ] Most of the companies I've observed using blogs are ] trying it on their customers before unleashing it ] internally on their staffs. The external need, ] apparently, is more pressing. Many businesses already ] have other systems in place for managing internal ] information, ranging from simple brown-bag lunches to ] overkill knowledge-management regimens. But companies are ] always looking for better ways to touch base with ] existing and potential customers, and there's no hotter ] way to communicate on the Net than via a weblog. Management by Blog? |