IBM: Bringing Social Networking to Corporations

Using a myriad of software your company can benefit from social networking. Much of the software is freely available or low cost and was started for more of a consumer use (like Second Life) than for business use.

However, IBM (as expected) is offering software, "Lotus Connections" that lets companies leverage social networking within (and I guess without) the corporate walls.

The NY Times writes Lotus Connections has five components ó activities, communities, dogear (a bookmarking system), profiles and blogs ó aimed at helping experts within a company connect and build new relationships based on their individual needs.

All of these technologies are readily available in whole are in part through Microsoft Exchange/Outlook, Delicious, many blogging platforms (Blogger, Typepad) and other technologies.

However, there's not one company providing a suite of these tools, with support, for corporations. Microsoft is the only company, so far who can challenge IBM to provide services like this at any significant scale.

I'd love your feedback. Use the comments link to tell me.

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