A problem-centered analysis of enterprise social software projects

The use of social software in organizations has matured over the last years. Enterprise social software such as a wiki, blog and social network creates value for employees, optimizes workflows and contributes to improved collaboration within and across enterprises. However, many organizations face problems and barriers during the introduction of social software tools and platforms, which can have a decisive impact on the overall success. Through a comprehensive analysis of 13 case studies and 6 problem-centered interviews with experts of social software introduction, a framework for problems occurring in enterprise social software projects was created. In total, 21 different problems that influence a social software introduction were identified and clustered into the areas of project management, technology, culture, top management, and employees.