Implications of Social Media in Organizations - Essay Example

Implications of Social Media in Organizations al Affiliation Implications of Social Media in Organizations Social media is one ofthe emerging and highly influential business tools in the modern world. Social media is very cost effective in regards to communication (Li, 2013). In addition, social media also holds a diversity of populations relevant to culture, race as well as ethnicity. All these factors contribute a lot towards defining the success of any organization. This is because, for any organization to succeed in the competitive world markets, it is necessary for such an organization to meet these diversities in cultures, beliefs, as well as races relevant to their interests on products alongside meeting their changes in attitudes and tastes. It is important to note that social media is available in several forms for the companies as well as organizations to chose from. The major host is the internet. However, there are a number of websites including Facebook, Twitter, and My Space amongst others, which greatly influence the organizational communication (Sweeney and Craig, 2011). This paper is going to discuss some of the implications of social media in any organization. This is going to take into consideration some of the advantages of using social media in effecting the organization’s processes relevant to communication. In addition, the paper is also going to explore some of the disadvantages associated with the use of social media in organizations. Majority of the organizations nowadays employ the use of social media predominantly for communicating to their customers and to the general public for a number of reasons. These may involve the fact that social media hosts a large number of people, ranging to millions (Olivas-Lujan and Bondarouk, 2013). The millions of users of such social media is a good representative indicator of success of any business organization since they always determine the customer base of such organizations. It is of critical significance to acknowledge the fact that social media is one of the increasing phenomena in the current society. Social media has a lot of influence in the organizations progress relevant to communication. In this respect, it is of critical significance to note that social media has considerably high impacts on the manner in which any organization communicates with its customers, as well as to the general public (Sweeney and Craig, 2011). Relevant to the above, it is important to underscore the fact that social media may also play a significant role as a marketing tool in any organization. As such, the implications of social media in any organization should not be overlooked. Relevant to the above, it is important to underscore the notion that social media is a major determinant for success in any business organization. It is of critical significance to note that majority of governmental organizations as well as business firms always employ the use of social media in a number of ways. In reference to the term organization, it is very important to view it in a myriad of perspectives. For instance, the term organization may take the business perspective, whereby different firms employ the use of such social media to promote their businesses thereby creating leverage in the competitive world markets (Olivas-Lujan and Bondarouk, 2013). On the other hand, the term organization may be viewed in respect of the government structures, where the government employs the use of social media in passing or sharing crucial information to the public whenever there is any urgency required. As such, the government organizations or departments may invest massively on the fact that social media connects a number of people, thereby release of such information to the public may ensure a faster spread of such information as well as message intended to reach the citizens (Sweeney and Craig, 2011). However, it is important to note that on the basis of commercial or business aspects, social media has lots of implications as well as influences to such organizations. In order to realize success in any business organization, the issue of promotion should always be considered. The effectiveness of any promotional strategy depends on the costs incurred in establishing the promotional materials, the time it takes for such promotions to reach the desired audiences as well as the medium through which such promotions are based (Sweeney and Craig, 2011). A good promotional material should always be cost effective. In addition, it is important to note that a good promotional material to employ in organizations should always able to reach a great number of people within the shortest them possible. Social media is one of the promotional materials that several business organizations nowadays depend on for effecting their promotional activities (Olivas-Lujan and Bondarouk, 2013). Several business organizations have found out that the use of social media in advertising the products is very cost effective (Li, 2013). As such, alongside using a considerably dismal amounts in advertising the product and services online, it is also very important to note that the organizations also save a lot of money in such occasions. This leads to a considerable success relevant to profit margin maximizations amongst such business organizations. Other than business organizations, it is also very important to note that different governmental sectors as well as governmental organizations may also consider the cost effectiveness of the social media in releasing the information to the public. Tied to the fact that a great number of people within the public are subscribers to a number of social websites, it is important to note that such information always reach a great number of people within a considerably less time as compared to the use of other medium. In such a situation, it is important to underscore the fact that social media contributes a lot towards ensuring organizational success relevant to effecting their promotional strategies. Other than promotional activities, it is also very significant to note that a number of business organizations also employ the use of social media in their businesses activities relevant to the large number of scribers in such social websites (Hartley, 2010). The success of any business organizations always depend on the effectiveness of communication, the number of customers as well as their consumption potentials. As such, it is critical to note that the fact that social media always contains a considerably large number of people as subscribers always offers a great opportunity for such business organizations relevant to the customer base (Looy, 2015). Thus, majority of business firms or organizations always maximize the use of social media since they are sure that from such, they always communicate to a great number of both potential customers as well as actual customers. It is of critical significance to acknowledge the fact that social media may determine the consumption potentials of any business organizations’ products. If a company or an organization offers considerably low services to the clients, such a business reputation may end up being tainted in the social media (Sweeney and Craig, 2011). This is due to the less strict laws that regulate what people always post on social media. In such cases, such businesses may fail to compete well in the market fronts. This follows that through the use of social media, a number of customers may feel discouraged with such companies. Thus, they may take the stance of disassociating themselves with such a company. This may greatly influence the company’s success as it can result to great losses. However, on the other perspective, it is important to understand that other companies may also offer good services to the clients. As such, several people may credit such companies in the social media. This contributes a lot towards building good reputations of such companies or organizations (Olivas-Lujan and Bondarouk, 2013). As a result, those organizations may end up maintaining their customer bases thus leading to maintenance of the consumptive capacities of their products. This leads to success of such companies or business organizations. In addition, the good reputations enjoyed by such companies or business organizations may also be very important in luring other potential customers who may be subscribers to such social websites. This contributes a lot towards broadening the customer bases of such companies. As a result, the consumption potentials of the products of such companies or business organizations always increase. This makes such companies stand better chances in the business or market fronts as they maintain competitive advantages over other companies that may have been weakened by the same social media (Hartley, 2010). These are some of the implications of social media in any form of organization, mostly the business fronts. It is important to acknowledge the role that direct communication always serves in ensuring the success of any business organization. In any organizational set up, there are a number of stakeholders. Some of these stakeholders always involve the employees, he employers, the suppliers, distributors as well as the customers. In most situations, the customers are always viewed as the chief stakeholders in any form of business set up. Thus, any business operation within any organization always greatly puts top priority on customers (Sweeney and Craig, 2011). This is because the customers are always the end users of the products produced by such companies. In reference to the above, there is no company that can succeed in the business front by producing products, incurring the costs of supplies and distributions, and their products fail to be utilized by the customers. This means that the success of any business organization depends on consumption of the products that they produce (Looy, 2015). If the products are consumed in a relatively low rate, then the organization may also stagger in making profits. On the same note, if the products are consumed at higher rates, then such organizations are most likely to make profits at a considerably higher rate. The implication of social media in such organizations is always a critical factor. The consumption of such products is akin to the level of information sharing accorded by such organizations to all the stakeholders (Looy, 2015). In connection to the above, it is important to note that social media always plays a critical role in influencing direct communication between the organization and its customers, employees, suppliers as well as distributors. This is very important in realization of success. Through the use of social media, the organizations get to learn a lot of things from their potential customers as well as actual customers (Olivas-Lujan and Bondarouk, 2013). These include the changes of tastes of the customers, their preferences as well as some of the things that they may want introduced in such organizations. as such, the organizations are presented with better opportunities to learn and adjust to the customer’s preferences. This maintains the trust as well as boosts the consumption potentials from such customers. In a broader sense, it can also lead to expansion of the customer base thereby leading to enhanced consumption rates of the products offered by the organizations (Hartley, 2010). Through social media, the organizations may also monitor and evaluate some of their services as well as products based on the feedbacks from the customers. Some customers may also criticize some organizations. As such, organizations may always take such criticisms positively and adjust some of the issues of concern detailed in such criticisms. This is important in making the businesses succeed relevant to the use of social media. However, social media may also have negative implications on any organization. In cases involving accidental release of confidential information by organizations, rivals may always use such information to destroy the company’s image (Hartley, 2010). This complicates the success of such businesses in the competitive market fronts. In addition, difficulties of organizations in monitoring the employees’ activities in social media may also result to unauthorized employees speaking on behalf of the organization. This can be fatal if they share bad information to the public as well as customers. This is a kin to the difficulty experienced by organizations in tracking and preventing negative and misleading statements against such organizations from the social media users. In summary, it is important to note that social media is very important for the success of organizations. Many organizations greatly use social media for communication purposes with their stakeholders including customers. This determines the profit realization in such companies. Social media is a strong promotional tool with high efficiencies in reaching customers within the shortest time possible. Majority of people are always subscribers to such social sites. This makes it possible for organizations to interact with the people in beneficial manner, thereby maintaining their competitive levels within the world markets. Moreover, through social media, organizations can learn and adjust to the customers’ priorities, concerns, changes in tastes and preferences thereby influencing the consumption of the products leading to success. References Hartley, D. E. (2010). 10 steps to successful social networking for business. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press. Li, E. Y. (2013). Organizations and social networking: Utilizing social media to engage consumers. Looy, A. V. (2015). Social media management: Technologies and strategies for creating business value. Olivas-Lujan, M. R., & Bondarouk, T. (2013). Social media in strategic management. Bingley, UK: Emerald. Sweeney, S., & Craig, R. (2011). Social media for business: 101 ways to grow your business without wasting your time. Gulf Breeze, FL: Maximum Press. Read More