E2R

Citation

Heap, J. (2000), "E2R", Work Study, Vol. 49 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2000.07949eaa.001

E2R

E2R

In this world of B2B, B2C, etc. I thought I would coin the term E2R - representing Editor to Reader. E2R obviously indicates a one-to-many relationship, a relationship that is essentially asynchronous and uni-directional. This sounds horribly old-fashioned when we are living in this world where technology has the power to transform activity and communication.

The very terms B2B and B2C (representing business-to-business and business-to-consumer Web portals or other inter-relationships) show that Web technology is changing business practices - sometimes in surprising ways. The fact that three of the world's four biggest car manufacturers are cooperating on a B2B portal for their suppliers is surprising - as is the fact that the fourth (Volkswagen) decided not to participate, and is ploughing a lone furrow by building its own system.

Both decisions - to join, and not to join - are risky. The initiative may fail. Lots of good technological ideas do fail. It is not very long ago that the major UK supermarket chains all invested large sums of money on their affinity/loyalty cards. These were supposed to be the front-end of new customer relationship management initiatives. They would allow the supermarket to target particular customers with specific offers according to their previous buying habits. Now all the major supermarkets have abandoned them (or are in the process of doing so). Good idea - but not the right time?

So, if an organisation can take the time to exploit technology in an evolutionary way whilst ensuring its core business carries on being well-managed, there is a greater chance of long-term success. Of course, in some industries, events move too fast for this to be allowed to happen. However, more organisations fail because they forget to evolve than they are not in on the revolution.

What does this have to do with E2R? Well, MCB, publishers of Work Study, have been quietly working on an e-journal strategy that adds value to existing print journals. (Occasionally, you receive with your journal, details of the latest additions to the range of Web-based services supporting Work Study.) My job is to ensure the journal evolves to keep pace with the changing environment in which it operates, and with your changing requirements.

The Web has changed the way in which this journal is put together; it has changed the service offered to subscribers and it will affect both me and you in other ways in the future.

For now, the E2R model seems to be working. It might be a very well-established model but until you let me know that it is failing, Work Study will continue to evolve within that model. Perhaps the asynchronous and uni-directional factors are strengths; after all I receive very little R2E communication!

John Heap