Applied Collaboration

To agree on the fact, that collaboration is a key feature of new media, is nothing extraordinary.
But what is the use in it?Why should we do it? And how does it related to our specific business?

I use the term applied collaboration as a summary for collaboration, online-socialising and networking in the enterprise.
You can not not collaborate – it' just communication, seen from another perspective. You can only choose between good and bad, productive and not so productive ways to collaborate.
The other choice you have: Your collaboration or anyti-collaboration can be transparent or hidden – but actually that shouldn't bne your choice. You should not have the possibility to hide the fact that you are putting obstacles in someone's way by doing nothing or by spreading rumours – and there should be no need to emphasize all the good things you do.
Social networks, versioning tools, easy ways to join and consult or ask colleagues deliver a solution for you. You don't have to send 20 unrequested status mails per day (“I'm sorry I didn't work on your request yet, but I'm really busy with...”), to request 20 undelivered status mails, or to ask ten people if they know anything about LDAP or FX Swaps in non-EU-CEE-countries.
The network does that for you. A good collaboration network delivers a consistent overview about who people are, what they are doing generally, what they are doing right now, what there experiences are, and where they will be.
Applied collaboration has to deal with
* cooperation
* communication
* information
* planning
* sharing
* hiding

That's pretty obvious? Can you give me some examples, some that really touch real enterprise life? I'll think of some...