ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the research contributed to understanding of social media phenomena focusing only on Instagram. It aims to discover reasons for its thriving acceptance by the users in only a few years. The chapter discusses conceptual generalizations to build a theoretical framework, presenting this complex phenomenon using system theory and innovation management. It focuses on a literature review of social media to test hypothesis on social media as communication channels in innovative processes. Use of social media is rapidly growing among certain social groups. The chapter focuses on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Instagram gained until 2012 150 million users and was in 2012 purchased by Face-book. A comparative study of its users and selected theoretical framework revealed that they have some characteristics similar to and others different from change agents and opinion leaders of social changes. Well planned and managed combinations of communication channels that include social media present a great challenge for managers and governors.
