Impact of social computing on business outcomes

A new computing paradigm termed Social Computing has gained rapid growth during recent past. Social Computing has introduced a myriad of web and mobile based applications. These applications are enhancing the traditional brick and mortar businesses as well have caused emergence of new web and mobile based business models known as sharing economy, peer economy, market economy, crowd companies, or collaborative consumption. These new business models possess advanced business processes built entirely upon Social Computing applications. To define Social Computing and understand the dynamic behaviour of Social Computing characteristics a generic model for Social Computing was developed and in this paper we extend that model to investigate the impact of Social Computing on business outcomes. We applied qualitative inductive content analysis coupled with causal chains to current and well researched business scenarios published in established business magazines. This approach has helped root out reliable inferences about the causes of the phenomenon and extract an emerging multistage causal model. This multistage causality will give a deeper meaning of the causal inference between Social Computing and these beneficial business outcomes. This understanding will help businesses to take a more methodical approach to effectively implement social computing.