IDC MarketScape Shows Worldwide Enterprise Social Software Maturing and Growing Demand for Broader Collaboration Connecting Internal and External Constituents

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Data Corporation (IDC) has published its 2012 MarketScape report profiling and ranking the leading providers in the worldwide enterprise social software market. This new research indicates that as use cases of enterprise social software broaden and mature, organizations are looking to engage internal users and customers in an ongoing conversation, inside and outside the firewall. With this, activity streams, discussion forums, blogs and wikis are becoming an assumed functionality of enterprise social software to facilitate collaboration in real time and in context.

“Over the past few years, the broader social business landscape has seen sweeping changes in use cases, adoption, technology, and attitudes”

"Over the past few years, the broader social business landscape has seen sweeping changes in use cases, adoption, technology, and attitudes," said Vanessa Thompson, research manager for IDC's Enterprise Social Networks and Collaborative Technologies. "Along with the maturity of social as a customer and engagement channel, use cases have grown into some broad categories, namely customer experience, sales enablement, digital commerce, socialytics, innovation management, and enterprise social networks (ESNs)."

IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Enterprise Social Software 2012 Vendor Analysis (IDC #237336) evaluates the offerings and prospects of 18 vendors' relative capabilities. These providers were evaluated using detailed criteria that IDC identified as key factors contributing to vendor success in the enterprise social software market. Vendors included in the analysis were BlueKiwi, Cisco, Harmon.ie, Huddle, IBM, Igloo Software, Jive Software, Moxie Software, Mzinga, Newsgator, Salesforce.com, SAP, Socialcast (VMware), Socialtext, Telligent, tibbr (TIBCO), and Yammer.

This IDC MarketScape methodology named Socialcast from VMware and Yammer as Leaders, closely followed by Salesforce.com's Chatter as a Major Player. Other Major Players included IBM Connections, Igloo Software, BlueKiwi, Huddle, Newsgator Social Sites, Socialtext, Telligent, SAP, and Cisco WebEx Social.

"Eventually social software will no longer be called out as a separate software market because social capabilities will be embedded across the application portfolio to support the system of relationship," added Thompson. "Vendors will start releasing applications that have the ability to embed inside other applications, but customers will also need to integrate and consolidate internal applications to support the change in the nature of work that social capabilities bring."

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About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

For more information about IDC MarketScapes, please contact Karen Moser at [e-mail].

About IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 100 countries. For more than 44 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.

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