Enterprise Social Media is growing up. Those working in the areas of corporate knowledge sharing, knowledge management and workplace collaboration have long known that the systems they help devise and implement can drive business transformation. Yet the industry has long been dogged by questions about measurable Return On Investment (ROI).

Instinctively, we’ve always known that enterprise social tools help businesses by increasing the opportunities for workers to collaborate more effectively on projects, share knowledge and experience more efficiently, and often help those seeking to get things done to cut through unnecessary bureaucracy by flattening corporate structures. Those of us in the industry know it’s true – we’ve seen it work time and time again – yet a good five or more years since the term “Enterprise 2.0” came into regular use, only now are tough questions about ROI being asked, and answered, in ernest. The second wave of adopters are demanding to see real numbers before taking the leap.

During Social Media in the Enterprise on the 15th of March, we’ll be asking all our contributors tough questions about ROI. What is measurable? What are they measuring? How do the costs and benefits of implementing enterprise social tools compare, directly, with the costs and benefits of parallel activities?

We’ll hear case studies from leading corporations, including Virgin Media, Pfizer, Santander, ASDA, AXA and ING.

We’ll also hear from the consultants who make their living helping their clients better understand the impact enterprise social tools can have on their business processes and, ultimately, their bottom line.

Leading journalists from the field will also be on hand, including Dion Hinchcliffe from Social Computing Magazine, Pete Swabey from Information Age, and Jemima Gibbons who has recently authored a book on Social Media at work, to provide an industry overview, helping us understand how these case studies and the work of leading enterprise consultants fits within the overall picture.

Along the way, we’re hoping to learn more about how the businesses at the forefront of the social business revolution overcome the obstacles to implementation, work towards increased levels of engagement, and sustain positive outcomes. What are the main obstacles and how can they be overcome? What resources are required? What tools are needed? Who “owns” enterprise social media?

Those of us working in enterprise social media know that it can and does transform businesses that embrace it and, on this day, we’ll be rolling up our sleeves and sharing our insights into exactly how we, and others, are making business transformation a reality.

Robin Hamman is Head of Social Media, Headshift
http://www.headshift.com

To find out more about the next Enterprise Social Media event taking place on 15th March 2010 at Olympia, London, visit http://www.enterprisesocialmedia.net/