A study by the Human Capital Institute and "people management" software provider SABA released today details the use of social networking within local, state and federal government and looks at its effectiveness in conducting government work.
It's not just Obama embracing social media. The study found that federal agencies lead in using social networking tools for project planning and collaboration. And 66 percent of all government agencies currently use some form of social networking - from blogs and wikis to instant messaging and discussion boards. The most significant barriers to future implementation of social networking tools within government are security restrictions.
"This study looks at the challenges and opportunities faced by government agencies, particularly at a time when private enterprise is adopting multiple forms of social networking to help them retain talent, improve service, and meet competitive challenges," said Mike DeMarco, HCI's Senior Research Analyst. "We were pleased to see that sixty-six percent of government workplaces surveyed reported using at least one social networking tool."
Additional results from the report, "Social Networking in Government: Opportunities & Challenges," can be read at www.saba.com/socialgov.