Social Software Trends in Business: Introduction

Abstract

Social networking and Web 2.0 are the hottest words in technology right now; but is there more than just hype? This chapter will define and describe social software and Web 2.0, separate their true concepts from the marketing and buzz, and follow by identifying what might be next for this dynamic technology space. After establishing the social software and Web 2.0 concepts, this chapter identifies the value that they can bring to a company when used in a business context and the shortcomings or pitfalls. This chapter will set the foundation for subsequent discussions of social software and Web 2.0 for specific industry applications.