

MGI’s estimates suggest that by fully implementing social technologies, companies have an opportunity to raise the productivity of interaction workers-high-skill knowledge workers, including managers and professionals-by 20 to 25 percent. Yet the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) finds that twice as much potential value lies in using social tools to enhance communications, knowledge sharing, and collaboration within and across enterprises. Companies will go on developing ways to reach consumers through social technologies and gathering insights for product development, marketing, and customer service. In fact, the most powerful applications of social technologies in the global economy are largely untapped.

While 72 percent of companies use social technologies in some way, very few are anywhere near to achieving the full potential benefit. Companies use them to reach consumers in new ways too by tapping into these conversations, organizations can generate richer insights and create precisely targeted messages and offers.

Whether discussing consumer products or organizing political movements, people around the world constantly use social-media platforms to seek and share information. In a few short years, social technologies have given social interactions the speed and scale of the Internet. Executive Summary (PDF-3MB) Full Report (PDF-4MB)
