Special Issue: Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Although social media is a relatively new phenomenon, its roots can be traced to well-established and mature technologies and social behaviours that have underpinned information exchanges. What distinguishes social media, setting it apart from existing forms of online communication, is the ability of users to easily create and share information with their networks in real time, using not just computers, but also mobile devices. This has significant implications as information can reach wider audiences much faster, capturing their attention even when they are away from their computer screen. The success of online services such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are testimony to the importance of social media and the impact they have had on both individuals and businesses.

This special issue aims to contribute to the growing body of literature examining social media and their increasingly important role in online communications by studying their application in various fields and contexts. In particular, we are interested in the role of social media in facilitating social change. Authors are invited to submit original conceptual and empirical papers, addressing areas such as those listed below:

• Social media as a facilitating factor of social change and innovation
• Social media and online communications
• Social media for collaboration and crowdsourcing
• Social media and social networking
• Social commerce
• Social consumer behaviour and CRM
• Social media and branding
• Social marketing and promotion
• Social media in e-government, e-democracy and politics
• Applications of social media in developed and developing economies
• Social media and mobile technologies
• Case studies of innovative social media applications

The above areas are just indicative and this special issue would welcome papers discussing other topics relevant to social media. Prospective authors are encouraged to contact the guest editors for any enquires they may have in relation to the special issue. For more information about the journal and for the submission guidelines please visit: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/techfore. Papers should be submitted via the journal's online submission system: http://ees.elsevier.com/tfs.

Important dates:

• Last date for submitting the manuscript: 1st March 2013
• End of the first review cycle: June 2013
• Tentative date for completing the revised papers: August 2013
• Tentative date for completing the second review cycle: November 2013
• Submission of the final manuscripts for print: early 2014

For more information please visit: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/technological-forecasting-and-social-change/call-for-papers/call-for-papers-special-issue-on-social-media/