Analysis of Social Media Policy Case Study for Business Ethics

This case study analyzes the ethical challenges faced by a business firm due to its social media policy and employee conduct. The firm, led by general manager Susannah Winslow, grapples with an employee posting disparaging remarks, impacting the company's brand image and ethical values. The case study examines the background, alternative solutions, and recommendations to address these issues. Key aspects include the need for improved social media policies, employee training on ethical standards, and integration of ethical values within the corporate culture. The report emphasizes the importance of protecting confidential information, preventing cyberbullying, and promoting responsible online behavior. The recommended solutions involve empowering employees, improving social media policy standards, and applying ethical theories like virtue ethics. The conclusion stresses the need for proactive measures, including strict social media policies, employee training, and active monitoring to safeguard the company's reputation and uphold ethical standards.

Project 3: Case Study Analysis

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Social media policy is referred as one of most essential aspect for every business firm
because it allows to have promotion of ethics. In addition to this, it can be said that by having an
improvement in the standards the issues can be resolved. Legal norms also need to be integrated
by the management to ensure that ethical standards can be attained in desired manner. By
having a continuous improvement in primary sources of privacy and confidential act the issues
can be identified. It has been noticed that taking such practice into account the entity can easily
promote ethical values. It also helps in keeping conversations relevant which motivates
employee. It means the sustainability in terms of ethical aspects can be taken into account
effectively. Improvement in social media policy of company is more appropriate because it
allows to have effective management of employee conduct.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Project 3: Case Study Analysis.............................................................................................1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................................4
CASE STUDY.................................................................................................................................5
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.......................................................................................................6
RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION...............................................................................7
Recommendation....................................................................................................................7
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

BACKGROUND
It has been noticed that business firm is facing issue in terms of social media policy which
also impacts the ethical values. It also creates an issue in regard to ethics and brand image so
management need to have proper analysis of such values. According to given case, it has been
witnessed that employees are being making a disparaging remarks about the business firm over
social media (Wamba and Carter, 2016, pp. 791-806). Businesses are trying to be practical about
protecting valuable assets, like their brand and confidential information. At the same time,
government regulators are acting aggressively in challenging efforts to restrict employee use of
social media.
In addition to this, it can be said that social media policy has been introduced by every business
in order to have sustainable development. It allows to ensure that any kind of confidential
information is not being shared with any third party so that business activities can be protected
more effectively. There are various factors which need to be employed by businesses to have
better development of social media framework and policy (Lipschultz, 2014). It is necessary for
Susannah to ensure that any employee is not involved in cyberbullying and shamming of any
other member. Harassment act frameworks need to be followed by members in order to have
sustainable development. However, employees are allowed to have general discussion about
salary, office timing and work environment. If any employee within company is involved in such
three practices, then it cannot be considered as legal issues. Social policies or framework must be
designed in a manner to share thoughts but not to have ethical values disruption (Haggerty,
2016).
Moreover, breach of confidence is also a critical factor which need to be referred by
Susannah to have effective social media policy. It is necessary for employees to keep
information secure and private so that regulations can be followed. If employee is involved in
such violation then criminal charges can be taken into account which might affect the overall
development and social media frameworks of company (McDonald and Thompson, 2016, pp.69-
84). Ethical values can be well maintained by having improved focus on factors regarding
copyright infringement. Any kind of picture and videos or information must not be post by
employee on social media without permission from the company or copyright holder. In order to
have better development in terms of privacy is also essential so that goals and objectives can be

accomplished. Moreover, ethical factors need to be referred properly so that issues can be
resolved. The purpose of this report is to determine some effective ways to resolve the currently
existing issues in the business by its general manager named Susannah Winslow. She is looking
for certain effective measures to teach an apt lesson to one of the employee who is posting
disapproving remarks about the company on social media site. The main stakeholders who were
actually present in this case study involved the former president, general manager, sales
manager, 2 sales person’s, a dealer and head HR.
CASE STUDY
In addition to this, it can be said that Susannah is facing number of ethical issues due to
improper support from the employees. It also indicates that satisfaction level among employees
are not appropriate which leads them to unethical practice on social media. It is necessary for
business entity to create better awareness regarding social media policies. Susannah is facing
issues in dealing with the issue because they are not having proper outline of social media policy.
It also creates barrier for the company (Napoli, 2015, pp.751-760). Complex business structure is
also a key concern which need to be referred by management so that application of ethical
measures can be taken into account. In present situation the implementation of ethical measures
is not appropriate which create issues in terms of social policy violation. Company is facing the
problem of an employee who has been making disparaging remarks about the company on social
media.
Other than this, issues in terms of ethical values is also a critical concern because employees
are not having information about ethics (Fuchs, 2017). Number of employees within organisation
are involved in un-ethical practice due to improper awareness about legal policies. It indicates
that evidence based learning need to be promoted among employees so that overall practice can
be advanced in critical manner. On consider providing a detailed explanation of the case study, a
very old and trusted employee has been found to break the ethical norms of the organisation
where he posted irrelevant content about the company on a social media site, Facebook. This
became a matter of concern for all involved stakeholders of the enterprise, after which they
started finding measures to rectify the same. It was basically ruining the company’s image in
front of its associated bodies and thereby became a vital issue that was required to be solved to
the earliest possibility.

ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
There are number of methods which can be employed by business entity or Susannah to deal
with employees and ensure about ethical values. It has been noticed that by having an effective
empowerment of the employees the issues can be resolved. By having a sustainability, the key
factors can also be identified in desired manner (Eysenbach, 2014, pp.751-760). It allows to have
effective identification of factors which relates directly with ethical values and employee’s
morale.
Other than this, it has been noticed that improvement in standards of social policy is also a
critical aspect which can be taken into account by the managers. In this respect, business firm
can consider copyright act and harassment act as key values which assist in improving ethical
values. By having a continuous improvement in primary sources of privacy and confidential act
the issues can be identified. It has been noticed that taking such practice into account the entity
can easily promote ethical values (Goldsmith, 2015, pp.249-267). Any online discussion about a
campaign, a new product, a new client, a deal, a new working relationship standards need to be
set out properly. If any person is having a social media relationship with other business, then it
would be considering as breach of contract. Such kind of improvements in practice allows to
ensure that key goals and objectives are being accomplished.
In order to have better development the training can also be offered to employees in regard
to ethical values. By having an appropriate consideration of ethical values the learning and
overall process can be advanced. In addition to this, it can also be said that by having a sharing
of information about ethical values the improvement can be taken into account. Along with this,
issues and barriers in respect to ethical standards can be resolved by having an appropriate
learning of ethics (Tarvydas, 2015, pp.42). Social policies information can also be shared in
systematic manner so that key goals and objectives can be accomplished.
Other than this, company can also focus on integration of ethical values with corporate
culture. With an assistance of this, business firm can easily ensure that members are effectively
aware of ethical standards. Plan must be designed for effective promotion of ethical measures
within corporate culture so that key goals and objectives can be accomplished. By having a
sustainable development in respect to the integration measures the issues can be resolved. Apart
from this, applying several ethical theories is also found to be a possible solution for resolving
this determined issue. Herein, in accordance to the case study, implementing virtue ethical theory

is suitable to determine the ethical value of the individual by his or her character. It is together
based upon 3 vital principles, that involves- Individual character ethics, work character ethics
and professional character ethics.
RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
Recommendation
As per the above case evaluation, it can be said that ethical aspects need to be advanced
among members properly sop that gaols and objectives can be accomplished. In order to have
better promotion of ethics and resolving the issues the management must consider improvement
in social policy as critical aspect. In addition to this, it can be said that diverse benefits can be
attained by Susannah through having an improvement in social policy. By having an effective
consideration of diverse social media policy, better control on avoidance of liability can be taken
into account. Along with this, relationship with employees can be maintained in desired manner.
It has been witnessed that ethical values can be promoted if management is having better relation
with the employees.
It also helps in keeping conversations relevant which motivates employee. It means the
sustainability in terms of ethical aspects can be taken into account effectively. Improvement in
social media policy of company is more appropriate because it allows to have effective
management of employee conduct. Number of policies and norms can be promoted and
employed by the business entity so that goals and objectives can be accomplished. It also
facilitates in protection of data privacy so that sustainable opportunities can be taken into
account. Moreover, ethical values can be promoted if any kind of personal and other details can
be secured. Other than this, it will allow employees to have understanding about significance of
key measures relates to the company.
In addition to this, it can be said that by having an effective consideration of business
transformation programs the issues can be resolved in desired manner. It has been witnessed that
business firm can have changes in diverse manner so that goals and objectives can be
accomplished. Along with this, Companies can warp their own ethical climate by pushing too
much change from the top, too quickly and too frequently. By having a continuous improvement
in such practice the ethical values can be advanced in significant manner. Beside this, on
considering the role of all involved stakeholders, each and every concerned party associated with
this action is suggested to act vigorously. This is for instance; the HR head should hereby frame

strict policies to be followed by all employees of the organisation where they must be banned
from posting anything about the company on their personal social media account. Also, the
company’s social media account must be handled by a trustworthy employee and its proper
usage must be verified by his or her head on regular basis. The general manager, sales manager
and sales persons and other parties associated with the establishment should be taught about the
ethical norms with assistance of effective teaching sessions and should ensure following the
same.
Conclusion
According to study, it can be concluded that social media policy allows business entity to
have promotion of ethical values. It is necessary for business entity to create better awareness
regarding social media policies. Susannah is facing issues in dealing with the issue because they
are not having proper outline of social media policy. It is also necessary for business entity to
offer effective incident response so that issues can be controlled. By having an appropriate
consideration of ethical values the learning and overall process can be advanced. Social policies
information can also be shared in systematic manner so that key goals and objectives can be
accomplished.

REFERENCES
Eysenbach, G., 2014. Social media: a review and tutorial of applications in medicine and health
care. Journal of medical Internet research. 16(2). pp.751-760.
Fuchs, C., 2017. Social media: A critical introduction. Sage.
Goldsmith, A., 2015. Disgracebook policing: social media and the rise of police
indiscretion. Policing and society. 25(3). pp.249-267.
Haggerty, K., 2016. Ethics creep: Governing social science research in the name of ethics.
In Engaging with Ethics in International Criminological Research. Routledge.
Lipschultz, J.H., 2014. Social media communication: Concepts, practices, data, law and ethics.
Routledge.
McDonald, P. and Thompson, P., 2016. Social media (tion) and the reshaping of public/private
boundaries in employment relations. International Journal of Management
Reviews. 18(1). pp.69-84.
Napoli, P.M., 2015. Social media and the public interest: Governance of news platforms in the
realm of individual and algorithmic gatekeepers. Telecommunications Policy. 39(9).
pp.751-760.
Tarvydas, V.M., 2015. The ethics and practice of social media advocacy in rehabilitation
counseling. Journal of Rehabilitation. 81(1). pp.42.
Wamba, S.F. and Carter, L., 2016. Social media tools adoption and use by SMEs: An empirical
study. In Social Media and Networking: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and
Applications. pp. 791-806.