They were presented as the next big revolution in collaborative work. Enterprise social networks were supposed to connect knowledge, bring teams closer together, and free the flow of ideas. They promised to break down silos, flatten hierarchies,
Enterprise social networks (ESNs) have failed to transform collaborative work because they have remained on the fringes of daily activities, without integration into workflows or organizational change.
The few effective uses, rooted in concrete tasks, have remained isolated, hampered by a lack of managerial will and a vision focused on communication rather than collaboration.