Social Enterprise

This IDC study examines what enterprise social networking is, its benefits, how it will be applied, and its requirements and challenges. Social networking is changing the communications landscape of individuals as they use online technologies to find like-minded people, develop trusted relationships, and share information. While social networking evolved in the consumer Internet, it will have a significant impact on enterprises and business relationships by increasing the velocity at which people can identify trusted, relevant, and timely information and maintain cohesion. In turn, this increase in enterprise velocity will give corporations that effectively deploy social networks a significant competitive advantage.

"Social networking is increasing the velocity of trusted information exchange and, in doing so, drives revenue acceleration, organizational efficiency, risk reduction, and constituent satisfaction,"said Rachel Happe, research manager for the Digital Business Economy program at IDC.