Communication and E- Communication Strategies

This report highlights the key non- electronic communication methods and practices utilized by Qantas Airways along with the key electronic media and communication strategies, SWOT analysis of the communication methods and practices, comparison of such practices with that of the competitors and some suggestions and recommendations for the organization.

Running Head: COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
Communication and E- Communication Strategies

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 1
Executive Summary
Communication can be defined as the exchange of information that takes place between a sender
and a receiver. Communication strategies can be defined as the selection of the most beneficial
objectives of communication and recognition of a specific brand and its strategy in terms of
attitude. The focus of this report is on Qantas Airways. Qantas Airways is the third oldest airline
in the world and was founded in the year 1920. It is the largest airline by fleet size, international
destinations and international flights.
This report highlights the key non- electronic communication methods and practices utilized by
Qantas Airways along with the key electronic media and communication strategies, SWOT
analysis of the communication methods and practices, comparison of such practices with that of
the competitors and some suggestions and recommendations for the organization.

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 2
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Background of Qantas Airways...................................................................................................3
Key Non –Electronic Communication Methods and Practices.......................................................4
Key Electronic Media and Communication Strategies....................................................................5
SWOT Analysis of the Communication Methods and Practices.....................................................6
Assessment and Comparison of the Communication Practices with Competitors..........................7
Suggestions and Recommendations................................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 3
Introduction
Communication can be defined as the exchange of information that takes place between a sender
and a receiver (Habermas, 2015). With the emergence of technology, the process of sharing
information has shifted from face- to- face interaction or paper work to the use of electronic
media. Communication that takes place with the help of electronic media is known as electronic
communication or e- communication. The term communication strategies can be defined as the
scheme of planning the manner in which information is shared. It can often be regarded as the
selection of the most beneficial objectives of communication and recognition of a specific brand
and its strategy in terms of attitude.
The focus of this report is on Qantas Airways. This report highlights the key non- electronic
communication methods and practices utilized by Qantas Airways along with the key electronic
media and communication strategies, SWOT analysis of the communication methods and
practices, comparison of such practices with that of the competitors and some suggestions and
recommendations for the organization.
Background of Qantas Airways
Qantas Airways is the third oldest airline in the world and was founded in the year 1920. It is the
largest airline by fleet size, international destinations and international flights. The international
passenger flights were started by Qantas Airways in May 1935. The main hub of the airline is at
Sydney Airport and is based in the Sydney suburb of Mascot. Jetstar Airways is also owned by
Qantas which is a low cost airline and operates both domestic services within New Zealand and
Australia and international services from Australia along with holding stakes in various other
Jetstar branded airlines. A number of subsidiary airlines also operate on trunk routes within
Australia and to regional centers under the Qantas Link Banner. The headquarters of Qantas are
located in Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales (Qantas, 2019).

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 4
Key Non –Electronic Communication Methods and Practices
The term non- electronic communication can be defined as the information or message
distribution without making the use of an electronic device. With the passage of time, various
technological innovations have taken place due to which the significance of non- electronic
communication methods and practices have reduced to a great extent for Qantas Airways.
Following methods and practices are used by Qantas Airways in order to establish non-
electronic communication with the suppliers, customers, members of the staff and public.
Face to Face Communication- Face to face communication is regarded as the most common
method of non- electronic communication which is used by Qantas Airways. This method is
appropriate for the purpose of attaining instant response from the opposite party. For
communicating with the staff members and suppliers, face to face communication method is
adopted by Qantas Airways. Through the use of this method of non- electronic communication,
the exchange of hard copies becomes easier along with other important papers for the
organization. The formulation of strategies also becomes easier with the help of face to face
communication due to instant responses for the parties involved (Duncan and Fiske, 2015).
Coming to a conclusion in the business meetings is also simplified in case of face to face
communication. Also, it is beneficial to make the use of this method for resolving of any query
with the employees and the clients (Malyuga and Tomalin, 2017).
Memorandum- Memorandum is utilized by Qantas Airways for the purpose of facilitating
internal communication with the employees working in different departments. Various memos
are issued by the organization on day to day basis and are spread across different geographical
areas and departments. Nowadays, the sending of memos by the organization takes place with
the help of an e- mail to the employees (Quirke, 2017).
Letter- Letters is a method of formal and informal non- electronic communication which is
utilized by Qantas Airways. The use of formal letters is made by the organization for the purpose
of appointment of the employees along with their termination, resignation, providing
instructions. Formal letters are often used for the documentation of the contracts. On the other
hand, informal letters are often issued to the customers for informing them regarding the latest
discounts, offers, schemes, etc.

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 5
Reports- Qantas Airways also make the use of reports as a method of non- electronic
communication. The report presents the information in an organized format for a specific
purpose and audience. The comparison of the reports for two different period of time allows the
organization to compare the revenues and expenses during that period. Such reports are also
presented in front of the higher authorities and stakeholders.
The promotion of Qantas Airways is also insured with the help of various other measures such as
advertisements in newspapers and magazines, posters and banners that attract the target market
of the organization.
Key Electronic Media and Communication Strategies
Communication that takes place with the help of electronic devices can be termed as electronic
communication. The advent of electronic communication has reduced the use of non- electronic
communication methods by the businesses. The manner of conducting different activities has
also changed to a great extent as a result of the use of electronic communication. Electronic
media and communication strategies have assisted Qantas Airways in saving time and money
and have made the business activities easier than before. Website, e- mail, video conferencing
and social media are the mode of electronic communication that is used by Qantas Airways.
Website- Through the use of this mode of electronic media and communication, Qantas is able to
communicate the information needed by the customers and prospective investors from the
company. The information offered by the organization on its website includes its history,
services offered, global flights and practices adopted by the management. The strategy used by
this mode is offering current information to the visitors, relationship and community building
and increasing the involvement of the customers (Kernbach, Eppler and Bresciani, 2015).
E- Mail- This electronic communication method is mostly utilized by the human resource
department of the organization in order to establish formal communication with the management
and the employees. E- mails are also used by Qantas Airways for informing the customers
regarding the latest offers, schemes and discounts on its flights. This method is used in the form
of a strategy for updating the previous customers regarding the current offers so that they return
to the organization for using their services again (Kakabadse Kouzmin and Kakabadse, 2017).

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 6
Video Conferencing- Qantas Airways operate on a large scale and therefore different decision
makers of the organization are situated in different areas of the world. This makes it difficult for
the organization to conduct face- to face meetings with them from time to time. Video
conferencing is therefore, an effective way to communicate with the individuals who are not
present at the business meetings. This method is appropriate for delivering face to face
interaction in real time with the remote employees and business partners without leading to
wastage of time and money (Hartley and Chatterton, 2015).
Social Media- Maintaining the presence on social media has now become a basic necessity for
each and every business. Qantas Airways is present on almost every social media network such
as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Such social media pages of the company are updated with
images and videos along with the latest offers, discounts and schemes. The Twitter page of the
company assists in obtaining the queries and grievances of the clients. Moreover, social media is
an effective tool from the perspective of marketing campaigns as well (Dolan, Conduit, Fahy and
Goodman, 2017).
Advertisements on radios and television for the purpose of promoting the discounts, offers and
schemes are also the strategy undertaken by Qantas Airways for reaching to the public and the
prospective customers.
SWOT Analysis of the Communication Methods and Practices
Following strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are highlighted by the SWOT
analysis of the overall communication methods and practices adopted by Qantas Airways.
Strengths- Notable successes have resulted from the adoption of the social media strategy by
Qantas Airways. Open communication with the customers is possible with the help of its social
media strategy. It further allows resolving the queries of the customers on timely basis and
reduces the chances of conflicts. Other practices, methods and strategies adopted by the
organization for the purpose of establishing the communication with the suppliers, business
partners and employees also provide a chance for open communication and are therefore very
effective (Foroudi and Montes, 2017).

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 7
Weaknesses- the communication practices and methods adopted by Qantas Airways suffer from
certain weaknesses as well. The strengthening of the internal communication system in Qantas
Airways is needed such that the staff managers and the employees can openly discuss their
grievances and queries with the higher authorities. The needed encouragement should also be
provided to the staff members such that they can effectively offer their suggestions and ideas
regarding the plans and operations of the company by way of an effective communication
channel.
Opportunities- a number of opportunities are available to Qantas Airways for improving its
communication methods and practices due to the development of technology. Innovation is
required to be made in the website of the organization such that the customers can share their
experiences on the flights of the Qantas. Popular hashtags can also be created on social media
which will ensure the expansion of the reach of posts by Qantas. Internal communication apps
can also be created which enhance the internal communication through easy sharing of the
messages at any place and time (Quintanilla and Wahl, 2018).
Threats- Rigid methods for internal communication have been adopted by Qantas Airways which
has led to the practice of one- way communication within the workplace. The existence of one-
way communication within the organization is often regarded as the threat for the business as it
results in the possibility of conflicts due to the presence of unresolved queries (Malhotra and
Ackfeldt, 2016). Over a period of time, no innovation has been made in the communication
strategies adopted by the business for communicating information to its customers. This can lead
the customers to choose the services of the competitors (Urabe, Child and Kagono, 2018).
Assessment and Comparison of the Communication Practices with Competitors
Singapore Airlines and the American Airlines are some of the biggest competitors of Qantas
Airways. Both the airlines bring innovative communication and e- communication strategies in
order to facilitate effective communication in the organization and to attract the customers.
Singapore Airlines utilize both offline and online strategies of communication for advertising
and promoting its services. The website of Singapore Airlines is also innovative which provides
all the requisite information to the customers. The American Airlines is also good at its
communication strategies and utilize social media for this purpose for reaching a wider audience.

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 8
Promotion campaigns are conducted by both the airlines from time to time with the help of
sponsorships, events, internet, outdoor advertisements and television advertisements (Petersen,
Kushwaha and Kumar, 2015). The efficient information flow within the two organizations has
led them to attain competitive position in the marketplace. This further implies that there is open
communication in the workplace such that fewer grievances arise among the managers and the
employees. The employees are free to ask regarding the queries faced by them from the top
management. The social media and blogs of these organizations are also updated from time to
time in order to offer latest information to the public and customers (Louise, Paul, Mark and
Rob, 2016).
The comparison of the communication methods adopted by Qantas Airways with that of its
competitors i.e. Singapore Airlines and American Airlines provides that some improvements are
required to be considered by Qantas for the purpose of attaining a superior position in the
market. However, there are not many insufficiencies in the communication and e-
communication strategies of Qantas Airways. The strategies of the competitors should be taken
into consideration for obtaining ideas regarding their strategies (Beebe, Beebe and Ivy, 2015).
Suggestions and Recommendations
After considering the communication strategies, methods and practices adopted by Qantas
Airways, it is recommended that the company should aim at improving its communication with
the customers and prospective customers with the help of engaging celebrities with the brand.
Celebrities are often referred to as the crowd pullers and will play a great role in the
enhancement of the communication of the organization. In this manner, the company should
increase its focus on its promotional strategies.
Furthermore, it is recommended that the company should start using a tailor made application for
the employees, staff members, managers and the senior management for the purpose of
facilitating effective internal communication (Ruck, 2015). The app will further assist the
employees in receiving the urgent information and therefore the urgent tasks will not get
delayed. Innovation management systems can also be utilized by the organization for providng
an opportunity to the employees to share their innovative ideas with the higher authorities
(Caetano, 2017). The communication strategy adoption should also be ensured in a way such that

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 9
mission of the organization is communicated to the customers and employees of the
organization. Also, the strategies should be evaluated on a continuous basis by making
comparison with the communication strategies of the competitors in order to analyze the trends
of the market and for taking the needed steps in this direction.
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be concluded that communication is the exchange of information that takes
place between a sender and a receiver. The focus of this report is on Qantas Airways. This report
highlights the key non- electronic communication methods and practices utilized by Qantas
Airways along with the key electronic media and communication strategies, SWOT analysis of
the communication methods and practices, comparison of such practices with that of the
competitors and some suggestions and recommendations for the organization.
Qantas Airways is the third oldest airline in the world and was founded in the year 1920. The
non- electronic communication methods used by Qantas Airways are letters, reports, face to face
communication and memorandums. Moreover, the electronic communication methods used by
the organization are social media, e- mail, video conferencing and website. The strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the communication practices adopted by the
organization have also been highlighted with the help of a SWOT analysis. Such communication
practices have also been compared with that of the competitors.

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 10
References
Beebe, S.A., Beebe, S.J. and Ivy, D.K., 2015. Communication. Pearson Education UK.
Caetano, I., 2017. Standardization and Innovation Management. Journal of Innovation
Management, 5(2), pp.8-14.
Dolan, R., Conduit, J., Fahy, J. and Goodman, S., 2017. Social media: communication strategies,
engagement and future research directions. International Journal of Wine Business
Research, 29(1), pp.2-19.
Duncan, S. and Fiske, D.W., 2015. Face-to-face interaction: Research, methods, and theory.
Routledge.
Foroudi, P. and Montes, E., 2017. Corporate e-communication: Its relationship with corporate
logo in the construction of digital interaction platforms. The Bottom Line, 30(3), pp.201-215.
Habermas, J., 2015. Communication and the Evolution of Society. John Wiley & Sons.
Hartley, P. and Chatterton, P., 2015. Business Communication: Rethinking your professional
practice for the post-digital age. Routledge.
Kakabadse, A.K., Kouzmin, A. and Kakabadse, N.K., 2017. Current trends in Internet use: E-
communication, E-information and E-commerce. In Creating Futures: Leading Change Through
Information Systems (pp. 147-178). Routledge.
Kernbach, S., Eppler, M.J. and Bresciani, S., 2015. The use of visualization in the
communication of business strategies: An experimental evaluation. International Journal of
Business Communication, 52(2), pp.164-187.
Louise, S., Paul, R., Mark, F. and Rob, W. 2016. E-Communication Skills: A Guide for Primary
Care. CRC Press.
Malhotra, N. and Ackfeldt, A.L., 2016. Internal communication and prosocial service behaviors
of front-line employees: Investigating mediating mechanisms. Journal of Business Research,
69(10), pp.4132-4139.

COMMUNICATION AND E- COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES 11
Malyuga, E.N. and Tomalin, B., 2017. Communicative strategies and tactics of speech
manipulation in intercultural business discourse. Training language and culture, 1(1), pp.28-48.\
Petersen, J.A., Kushwaha, T. and Kumar, V., 2015. Marketing communication strategies and
consumer financial decision making: The role of national culture. Journal of Marketing, 79(1),
pp.44-63.
Qantas. 2019. Building long term value, [Online]. Available at :
https://www.qantas.com/in/en/qantas-group.html [Accessed on: 28 January 2019].
Quintanilla, K.M. and Wahl, S.T., 2018. Business and professional communication: keys for
workplace excellence. Sage Publications.
Quirke, B., 2017. Making the connections: using internal communication to turn strategy into
action. Routledge.
Ruck, M.K. ed., 2015. Exploring internal communication: Towards informed employee voice.
Gower Publishing, Ltd.
Urabe, K., Child, J. and Kagono, T. eds., 2018. Innovation and management: International
comparisons (Vol. 13). Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.