In today's workplace, people have emerged as the most valuable asset to unlocking the power of information and ideas. To innovate and remain competitive, organizations need to provide the right tools, culture, and IT ecosystem for employees, business partners, suppliers, and customers to communicate and collaborate. IDC's Enterprise Social Networks and Collaborative Technologies service brings together in-depth coverage of enterprise social software trends as well as traditional collaborative applications for a complete view of internal and external business communication and collaboration.

• Enterprise social software
• Email applications
• Conferencing applications
• Instant communications applications (aka messaging applications)
• Team collaborative applications (TCA)
• Social business technology adoption and cultural evolution
• The impact of enterprise social software, mobile, and SaaS/cloud computing on traditional collaborative applications; the intersection of enterprise social software with enterprise applications, CRM applications, and PLM applications
• The convergence of messaging, conferencing, presence, and telephony into unified communications (UC) applications

• Worldwide Collaborative Applications Market Analysis
• Enterprise Social Software Forecast and Competitive Analysis
• Email Applications Forecast and Competitive Analysis
• Conferencing Applications Forecast and Competitive Analysis
• Instant Communications Applications Forecast and Competitive Analysis
• Team Collaborative Applications Forecast and Competitive Analysis
• Social Business Transformation: Objectives, Maturity Model, and ROI
• IDC MarketScape: Social Business
• Enterprise Social Software Adoption and Buyer Case Studies

In addition to the insight provided in this service, IDC may conduct research on specific topics or emerging market segments via research offerings that require additional IDC funding and client investment. Enterprise Social Networks and Collaborative Technologies.

1. What are the business use cases and spending trends for collaboration and enterprise social software?
2. How can vendors maximize sales growth in emerging and maturing collaborative market and customer segments?
3. Is enterprise social software disrupting communication and collaboration in the workplace?
4. What is the impact of cloud computing and cloud-scale collaboration and social solutions on buyer dynamics?
5. How will collaborative applications and social solutions support innovation management?
6. How are organizations driving value and adoption of enterprise social networks (ESNs)?

IDC's Enterprise Social Networks and Collaborative Technologies service reviews strategies, market positioning, and future direction of several providers in the collaboration and social solutions market, including:

Acquia, Actiance, Adobe, Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Atlassian, AT&T, Attachmate, Avaya, Awareness Inc., Bantu, blueKiwi, Brightidea, Brainshark, BT, Brainloop, Bunchball, CA Technologies, Central Desktop, Cisco, Citrix, Clarizen, Clearswift, Collanos, Communispace, Comverse, Conenza, Convoq, Critical Path, Cybozu, Elluminate, EMC, EPiServer, Ezenia!, Facebook, Fujitsu, Glance, Google, Groupsite, HandySoft, Hearsay Social, HP, Huddle, harmon.ie, IBM, IGLOO Software, INgage Networks, InterCall, IntraLinks, Ipswitch, Jive Software, Leverage Software, Lithium, LiveWorld, Mango Spring, Microsoft, Mindjet, Mitel, Moxie Software, Myriad, Mzinga, NewsGator, Nokia, Novell, ONEsite, OpenText (Vignette), Oracle, PGi, Pluck, Polycom, QAD, RADVISION, RIM, Saba Software, salesforce.com, Sendmail, SAP (SuccessFactors), SelectMinds, Sharetronix, SlideShare, Small World Labs, Socialspring, Socialtext, Sonexis, Sparta Social Networks, Spigit, Telligent, TIBCO (tibbr), Traction Software, Trampoline Systems, Unisys, Verizon, VMware (Zimbra and Socialcast), Yahoo!, Yammer, and Zoho.

For IT suppliers or IT buyers doing business planning and budgeting, sales and marketing, or performance measurement, we have the custom offerings to optimize your success at every stage of your business. Our data- and content-driven approach helps you make better decisions, drive more effective marketing programs, and effectively measure your success — resulting in a greater return on your investment.

Whether you are a technology buyer or provider, IDC Insights' research translates today's global end-user requirements and trends into business opportunities for your organization. With dedicated businesses targeting energy, financial services, government, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail, IDC provides unmatched integration of global technology and vertical industry expertise to deliver industry-specific customer intelligence that gives clients a powerful business advantage.

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