From Social Media to Social Business
Social Business Development Roadmap in China

In 2010, CIC first raised the concept of Social Business in China, following up with the release of the first installment in the white paper series, “From Social Media to Social Business” in 2011. In the past 2 years, we have been delighted to see social business blossom to be more than a concept. Across industries, organizations are exploring and practicing social business from different angles and by different means. For example, social marketing has become an essential component of corporate marketing strategy and enterprises are increasingly monitoring online discussions to warn of potential crises and enhance customer service.
However, our ongoing observation of China’s digital ecosystem has highlighted that there are still organizations lacking in a comprehensive understanding of social business practices and implications. Often, adoption of social business stalls at social marketing or crisis monitoring. Where as we would never play down this application, it does suggest that, to some extent, the far reaching significance of social business remains undervalued. As enterprise remains tentative in its exploration of the full potential of its social business undertaking, organizational innovation via social business has been reluctant to stray beyond social marketing campaigns.
As a result, the 3rd and final installment in the "From Social Media to Social Business” white paper series, “Social Business Development Roadmap in China”, is aimed at leading business into hitherto uncharted territory.
In the 1st section of this white paper, "The Core and Extension of Social Business”, we lay out a thorough analysis of social business from the perspective of operations. We establish the concepts of ‘core’ and ‘extension’ based on global standards and CIC’s own social business research, clarifying what actually constitutes social business and its ultimate significance to enterprise today an in the future.
The 2nd section, “Enterprise Social Business Maturity Roadmap”, examines how organizations achieve social business evolution. To support this, we surveyed 350 professionals in conjunction with our partner, Fudan University MBA iLab, to understand their attitudes, opinions and expectations of social business, as well as their own companies’ uptake. After the data analysis, we summarized the typical characteristics of organizations at different stages of social business, offering insight and advice about how organizations can embrace the social business evolution.
Reflecting on the “From Social Media to Social Business” white paper series in its entirety, we have introduced the concept of social business, systematically described the development history of Chinese social media towards social business, initiated an innovative and integrated market research model and explained the significance and inherent value of social business to organizations. Ultimately, this series can be regarded a step-by-step guide for enterprise to realize social business.
We think the true significance of social business is in reshaping brand-consumer communication and business discipline; we believe that all businesses will become social businesses.
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Social Business Development Roadmap in China (pdf, 1.3 Mb).