Is Social Networking Analysis Coming to Age in Companies?

A recent article in Business Week clearly portrays the increasing use of Social Network Analysis technologies in Companies and by Consultants. The article is full of examples of use: from IBM internally to Accenture in its consulting business or established companies like Capital One, etc… The accent is put in two main issues: 1) Does the Office Charts reflect reality ? . To what extend the organizational chart reflects reality and facilitates flows? 2) Collaboration. Collaboration is a major issue in companies that want to innovate. Realizing where silos are occurring or if the acquired teams are integrated or where collaboration happens and where not, goes down to questions like if the company will be able to bring new products or if investments are being productive or not. But this is probably the early beginning of the use and integration of tools that will change our conception of what a virtual environment is and how we work!