What is the current academic research focus on Web 3.0?

My first blog entry, titled The notion of “fashion” as a useful model for explaining the emergence of certain technologies or ideas affirms “fashion” as a good vantage point of technologies or ideas that are coming to the fore. The argument is based on the management fashion theory, which states that under conditions of uncertainty, organisations copy innovation models promoted by‘fashion-setting organisation’s and that the rates of diffusion and ultimate levels of adoption of any given management innovation cannot be fully explained by rational/technically efficient perspectives (Abrahamson 1996). Fashion setting organisations are typically management gurus, publications and business schools. In the technology context, information systems (IS) researchers have a role to play in promoting fashions or trends.

 

 

To assess the focus of academic researchers when it comes to Web 3.0, I searched for journals that are in English using the key word “Web 3.0”. The search was conducted on four electronic databases. The databases and results (in brackets) are as follows: JSTOR (30), Science Direct (0), EBSCOHost: Academic Search Complete; Business Source Complete; Computer and Applied Science Complete; Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts; and Literary Reference Centre (119) and EBSCO Discovery Service (582).

 

The search results can be categorised into two sections: explaining and demystifying Web 3.0, and attempting to identify potential impacts of Web 3.0. None of the studies are empirical, which is what one would expect from research on a ‘fashion’ or IS trend. The papers that explain what Web 3.0 is define the concept and also explain the key terms and give examples of how it would function.

The papers explore the impacts or consequences of Web 3.0 are to an extent speculative in nature and use words such as ‘envision’, ‘possibility’ and‘potential’. An example is the Morris (2011) paper on Web 3.0 implications for online learning, particularly instructors and learners. The semantic web would assist instructors in course development, supporting learners, synchronisation of learner and instructor calendars and also enable instructors to detect when learners need supplemental lessons. The semantic Web can offer learners the possibility of having relevant content delivered to their device of choice without requesting it. It can also structure virtual reality environments that can make studying and working more ‘real’ (Daly 2009). In a Web 3.0 environment, a search by a learner can return a multimedia report with local lectures, relevant blogs, books, television programmes, etc. instead of a list of hits (Ohler 2008).

The studies tend to focus on areas where information plays a crucial role. These are social networking, media, marketing and advertising, education, digital libraries, online learning and health libraries. There are no studies on individual use impacts or effects, which apply to the broader internet community, despite the use of words such as ‘personal web’ in defining Web 3.0. Whilst focused research enriches and strengthens the conversations around Web 3.0 in a particular area, such as social networking, the risk is that it can be perceived as only relevant to certain areas, a niche trend so to speak. This could lead to Web 3.0 failing to cross the ‘chasm’ between early adopters and early majority as depicted in the diagram below.
 

Figure 1: Technology Adoption Curve (Wallis, 2009)

Academic research therefore needs to broaden the research scope on Web 3.0 to areas that are of interest to a broader section of the population. Areas of interest can be broken down into individual and firm level adoption and use of Web 3.0. Under individual use, research could explore factors that encourage and inhibit adoption of a technology such as Web 3.0. At firm level, research could also look at what encourages and inhibits adoption, and how the effects of adopting Web 3.0 should be measured.

References

Abrahamson, E. (1996). Management fashion. Academy of management review, Vol 21(1), p 254-285.

Daly, C. (2009). The Semantic Web and e-Learning. Available Online: http://elearnmag.acm.org/archive.cfm?aid=1555528[Accessed 22 November 2013]

Morris, R. D. (2011). Web 3.0: Implications for online learning, TechTrends, Vol 55(1), p 42-46.

Ohler, J. (2008). The Semantic Web in Education, Educause Quarterly, Vol 31(4), p 7-9.

Wallis, R. (2009). Will the eBook make it across the chasm?, Available Online: http://blogs.capita-libraries.co.uk/panlibus/2009/05/13/will-the-ebook-make-it-across-the-chasm/[Accessed 22 October 2013]