Web 2.0 for Work: Social Networking in the Workspace

The Web 2.0 revolution has taken social relationships by storm, with a wide variety of applications offering online interlocutors a myriad of opportunities to communicate. However, these same social applications have yet to become widely accepted in organisations for work. We suggest that Web 2.0 applications can enhance coordination and collaboration, knowledge sharing and problem solving, by strengthening social networks in the workspace. Based on prior research undertaken by ourselves and others, we aim firstly to develop and test a theoretical model that explains the salient factors determining successful application of Web 2.0 technologies in Chinese firms. We will then undertake a case study based investigation of Web 2.0 applications in a small number of selected firms with the intention of revealing how these applications exert an impact on key dimensions of organisational performance. Finally, we will undertake a large-scale survey of organisational employees to validate the theoretical model. We expect that this three-pronged approach will generate knowledge of significant value for both IS researchers and organisations, especially those yet to adopt Web 2.0 applications at work.