Surprising (to me, at least) is the number of companies that say social media was introduced to the organization not by employees, but by management--often, but not always, IT.
Next week at VoiceCon, I will be moderating a panel on the use of social media in the enterprise. We have a great line-up of participants, and although I will kick things off with a brief discussion of some recent research Frost & Sullivan has done in this area, the bulk of the session will be spent on discussion and Q&A.The research, based on a survey of nearly 1,500 participants in a range of industries and companies of various sizes, shows that social media sites are widely in use in the enterprise. Fifty-four percent of respondents use Web 2.0 technologies for professional purposes, such as connecting with colleagues, generating leads, and collaborating on projects. Social networking sites are the most used Web 2.0 tool; others include blogs, wikis, and team spaces.
What's most interesting to me, however, is the fact that the majority of respondents said their organizations use Web 2.0 tools primarily for internal use, staff relations, and training. That counters the conventional wisdom, which suggests that client relations, advertising, marketing, and other business communications are the primary drivers for the use of Web 2.0 tools. Also surprising (to me, at least) is the number of companies that say social media was introduced to the organization not by employees, but by management--often, but not always, IT.
Next week, we will examine more closely how and why companies are using social media and other Web 2.0 technologies within their organizations. I have a bunch of questions I'm preparing to ask the panel, but I'd love to hear yours as well. Please post them below, or email [[email protected]] me directly with your suggestions. See you at the show!Surprising (to me, at least) is the number of companies that say social media was introduced to the organization not by employees, but by management--often, but not always, IT.
