Cambridge Analytica: Marketing, Ethics, and Data Analysis Report

This report analyzes the Cambridge Analytica case study, exploring its business opportunities, data acquisition methods, and the services it provided to the Trump campaign. It delves into the ethical concerns surrounding the company's practices, particularly the use of Facebook data, and evaluates the value of data in influencing decision-making in both business and politics. The report also examines the actions of Cambridge Analytica's CEO, Alex Nix, before and after the scandal, and discusses the challenges Facebook faces in light of the Cambridge Analytica situation. Furthermore, the report assesses the interrelation between public goodwill and data-driven technologies, concluding with a comprehensive overview of the case's impact on digital marketing and corporate social responsibility.

Marketing in a Digital
Age and Corporate
Social Responsibility
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INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................5
Business opportunity for Cambridge Analytica? How did the company capture it?..................5
Stand in the shoes of CEO Alex Nix: What could have been done better BEFORE the scandal
in 2017 and earlier? What could have been done better AFTER the scandal broke (early
2018)?..........................................................................................................................................6
Judge the value of data for influencing decision making, in business as well as in politics?.....8
Explain the work and service Cambridge Analytica provided Trump’s campaign. Apart from
the legal side, in your perspective, was it right for Cambridge Analytica to provide this work
for Trump?...................................................................................................................................9
5. Ascertainment of the interrelation between public goodwill of operation and data drive
technologies existence.................................................................................................................9
6. Challenges facing by Facebook today and implication of these challenges along with the
case of Cambridge Analytica on the future of Facebook..........................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................13
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INTRODUCTION
Marketing is most important aspect for organization irrespective of their size, scope and
industrial segment. As it allow them to effectively attract large base of consumers towards
organizational products, services, ideas and values. Marketing is a process in which company
undertake different activities and measures in order to promote different offering of entity
(Boccia, Malgeri Manzo and Covino, 2019). In this they select target set of audience can conduct
promotional measures as to draw their attention. Nowadays organizations conduct their
marketing activities by taking advantage of different practices like corporate social responsibility
and digital platform. Present report has been conducted on Cambridge Analytica ,this institution
was established in the year 2013 by Alastair MacWillson, with having head office in London,
United Kingdom. This firm mainly operates functioning as a British political Consulting firm
and recently play key essential role in presidential election of America and referendum of brexit
in UK. In this they undertook use of digital platform as to conduct political marketing. In this
report formative discussion has been made on company business opportunity and the manner
through which they can grab it. Along with this report include factors that affect decision making
of management and services that are offered by entity to Trump’s campaign. In addition to this
ethical concern for company and challenges faced by Facebook is also involved in this report.
MAIN BODY
Business opportunity for Cambridge Analytica? How did the company capture it?
Business opportunities are defined as a practice that involves lease or sale of product,
services, equipment etc that enable purchaser licensee for being a business. In context with
Cambridge Analytica they provide different type of services to political and business party who
are seeking towards making change behavioral pattern of audience. It has been identified that
respective entity is having business opportunities as they can make expansion of their business in
other geographical location and countries and can support potential business and political parties.
With the help of this entity can effectively encourage audience to buy services of organization
through which they can maximize their profitability and sales ratio. In addition to this present
company is also having opportunity in terms of maximizing their business by taking use of
digital mode. In this they can effectively able to attract attention of audience from wide
locations. In addition to this, company can also take business opportunity by taking use of online
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referral services, direct selling, management consulting, onsite computer services, public
relations consultant, online gaming, search engine optimization business etc. There are different
types of stages through which Cambridge Analytica can acquire business opportunities at a
prevailing in marketplace. Mentioned below stages which will adopted by Cambridge Analytica
is defined below:
 Understand potential clients and past leads: In this stage it is essential for entity to
evaluate potential customers (Wenzel and Will, 2019). This can be done with the help of
identifying past record as this will allow them to undertake effective decision making as
to undertake business opportunities.
 Listen customers requirement: This is the second stage in which company by
understanding and evaluating prospective, need and requirement of consumers can offer
products and services to them as per according to their taste. In this by undertaking
proper research and gathering information of past and potential client help company to
boost their business growth and development.
 Determine competitors: At this stage Cambridge Analytica can effectively able to capture
business opportunity in a well defined manner. In this by identifying competitors and
analyzing their strategies entity can develop effective measure, plans and procedures to
which they can ensure competitive advancements against rivals in respect of industrial
sector.
 Evaluate respective industry trends and insights: At this stage Cambridge Analytica
management by evaluating trends that are prevailing in industry can effectively able to
grab significant business opportunity. As this will allow them to attract attention of
consumers with the help of effective strategies.
By Implementing all these stages Cambridge Atlantic and effectively able to capture
business opportunities and can ensure success along with effective accomplishment of goals and
objectives. This will also allow them to make significant increase in the overall sales and
profitability ratio.
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Stand in the shoes of CEO Alex Nix: What could have been done better BEFORE the scandal in
2017 and earlier? What could have been done better AFTER the scandal broke (early
2018)?
It has been identified that due to the unethical practices that was undertaken by Cambridge
CEO Alex Nix faced number of challenges and issues that significantly affect business
operations as well as functions. In addition to this it also affects organizational profitability and
growth. This has been evaluated that in the year 2017 CEO Alex Nix undertaken some certain
form of illegal or unethical practices that turns out to be a scandal and impact negatively on
business operations. Mentioned below there are some aspects that really get affected before and
after scandal:
 Marketing communication strategy and message: Due to the illegal practices that has
been undertaken by respective organization in which they illegally take use of
information and data of customers as to develop formative strategy, turn out to be a
scandal. This has been determined that before scandal organization operate their business
with having an attractive goodwill in marketplace. This helps company to attract attention
of large base of consumers with having their loyalty. Further help entity to accomplish
their desired goals in a successful manner. While after the scandal goodwill of company
decreased at high rate that also affect operations of entity severely. Due to low level of
goodwill, lead company to face different type of issues in conducting marketing
communication.
 Corporate social responsibility and corporate reputation: Corporate social responsibility
is an important aspect through which entity can not only provide welfare to society
community and individual but can also developed effective goodwill in marketplace
(Upadhye and Varshneya, 2019). It has been identified that before scandal respective
organization attract attention of audience while undertaking different type of Corporate
Social affairs. In this they provide welfare to society and individuals in order to increase
their living standards. But after the scandal entity faces issues related to decrease in
number of loyal consumers as well as their trust towards company. This also impact upon
potential investors who are seeking towards making huge investments in company.
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 The impact on brand awareness and brand trust: Brand Awareness or trust is developed
by offering High Quality Services with having lot of consumer loyalty towards company.
These factors really get affected due to unethical practices that have been undertaken by
entity before the scandal. Company conducts different type of programs and campaigns
as to ensure awareness of consumers in order to seek their trust with an aim to increase
overall profitability of organization. But after scandal situation entity face distrust of
potential consumers towards company brand.
According to the above evaluation it has been identified that, business operations of
respective organization faces negative impact at great extent. In this it is essential for entity to
develop strong and effective strategies us to overcome the issues.
Judge the value of data for influencing decision making, in business as well as in politics?
Business organization functions and activities get affected by different type of factors. In
this has been evaluated that decision making process of organization get impacted by number of
factors that are prevailing in environment. In this management is required to take understanding
of all the factors and develop strategies as to ensure future success. It has been determined that
decision making process in politics get influenced by different type of elements thus it is
essential for both organization and political entities to effectively understand negative and
positive impact of factors ensure competitive advantages:
Corporate social responsibility:
Corporate social in responsibility involve different type of activities and measures that
are being undertaken by an organization with an aim to increase market value and ensuring high
goodwill. Corporate social responsibility act as most important element for organization and
nowadays large number of entities take use of this aspect in order to increase their business
goodwill. This factor have significant impact on politics and business as by taking use of
corporate social responsibility and duties both business and politics can attract attention of more
consumers and can increase their standard of living while ensuring their trust towards
organization.
Impact on society:
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It is most important factor which is required to be considered by company and politics. In
this it is essential to identify values, believes, preferences of society and develop decisions
accordingly (Kamasak, James and Yavuz, 2019). It highly impact upon business functioning, in
context with political as well as business and it is it is essential for them to identify culture of
society and undertake decisions as to provide them satisfactions accordingly. It will help them to
conduct business while fulfilling organizational goals in a successful manner.
Ethics and legislations:
Legislations and ethics is important segment for any organization or in context with
politics as it have high capability to impact upon operations. It has been evaluated that
government of a nation formulated different type of legislation and ethical practices that are
required to be adhered by both politics and business. Thus it is essential for both parties to have
proper understanding of ethics and legislation and implement them as to attend desired goals.
Explain the work and service Cambridge Analytica provided Trump’s campaign. Apart from the
legal side, in your perspective, was it right for Cambridge Analytica to provide this work
for Trump?
Cambridge Analytica offer different type of marketing support activities to political parties
and business organization within am to fulfill their goals and objective in a well defined manner
and ensure future success. Marketing support activities provided by organization also have
motive to change behavior and mind set of audiences and consumers (Muslu and et. al., 2019). In
context with Trump campaign this has been evaluated that Cambridge Analytica offer formative
support in Trump campaign and election through which he succeeded with high number of votes.
This has been identified that as to fulfill their objectives company have undertaken different type
of a legal and unethical practices that lead towards reducing market value of organization. As it
also make reduction in overall sales ratio of entity. It has been identified that due to unethical and
illegal activities that are being undertaken by Cambridge Analytica that increases votes for
Trump in which company with face book showed negative and bad articles of opposing parties.
This lead towards creating bad image of opposition that increases from chances to win election.
However it is not right according to me the unethical and illegal activities that Cambridge
Analytica undertakes in order to provide support to Trump. As it negatively impact upon
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consumer mind set and mislead them in number of ways. Along with this due to their unethical
activities they gain trust of large base of consumers. It is unethical to show wrong image of other
individual or person in market place or society. Thus, in accordance with me Cambridge
Atlantica in order to provide support to Trump can take use of ethical and legal manner rather
than misleading audiences with wrong and diabolical information.
5. Ascertainment of the interrelation between public goodwill of operation and data drive
technologies existence
The interrelation between public image of operation and ability of data driven organisation
to get more amount of reliable information is positive (Etter, Fieseler and Whelan, 2019). The
same is ascertained from the case of Cambridge Analytica where this organisation was able to
get the views of millions of users about their behaviour and patterns and used simultaneously for
advertising of presidential campaigns. This would be the reason that the result of election is in
the favour of trump because the party was able to influence the choices of society through
targeting over their demands. The working of interrelation is ascertained from the point that
public goodwill is the only aspect that will allows the organisation to work at mass level in
society for the purpose of ascertaining views. This relationship is not limited to the data driven
organisation. The good image of organisation from industry is always able to attract the eyes of
consumer towards their product and service. The same was gone in the case of Cambridge
Analytica where its good image and effective initial operations towards data driven services
attracts agreement regarding advertisement of trump presidential elections. Also, in this regard,
they use the platform of Facebook to know the views and behaviours of millions of users to
create their advertising campaigns but also harvest the personal information from their profiles
for influencing their behaviour towards final voting in the favour of Trump.
This is clear from the above description that that role of public image and good operations
is direct and positive that strengthened the working ability through the usage illegal and unethical
approaches. The initial impact of using such exercises is positive as ascertained in the case of
Cambridge Analytics but the end is always bad in form discontinuation of business, penalties and
various legal cases.
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6. Challenges facing by Facebook today and implication of these challenges along with the case
of Cambridge Analytica on the future of Facebook
Facebook is the social media organization that provides services in all over the world. This
is the platform used by the individuals of society to interact with each other at global platform.
This is also used by the many organizations for the purpose of marketing of their products and
spreading awareness about their existing and new offerings. The popularity and access of large
number of individuals at one platform, creates the interest of political parties to connect with
society and ascertain their views. This resultant into the negative usage of platform by data
driven organisations through collection of information’s and their selling to third parties.
The case of Cambridge Analytica and Facebook is associated with same controversy.
Cambridge Analytica is British political consulting organization that provides the services
related to digital assets, data mining, data brokerage, data analysis and strategic communication
during the electoral processes. In year 2018, this organization comes into the news due to the
scandal with Facebook where they harvested personal data of millions of people without their
consent and further used for the purpose of presidential advertising purposes. They also took the
help of large number of tools over Facebook platform to know about the personalities of
American voters along with influencing their behaviors. This is considered as the illegal in
nature where personal information is gathered along with behavior for influencing their choice in
presidential elections. This is morally and ethically incorrect where the concept of CSR is not
followed by both the organizations i.e. Facebook and Cambridge Analytica about working for
the benefit of society. CSR is the concept which has to be followed by the organization and
needed to publish the report that what they do in the benefit of society. The working of both
Facebook and Cambridge Analytica is far away from the concept of CSR where they attract
penalties and numerous numbers of illegal cases. There are many number of challenges are faced
by Facebook in today’s environment which was clear from the scandal. These include hacking,
fraud accounts, unauthorized information’s, misleading or untrue information and negative use.
All these are serious in nature where they resultants into illegal activities in future.
The implication of above mentioned scandal and challenges has negative impact over the
future of Facebook which is presented below:
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Negative image: The both aspects create the negative image of platform where users
does not relay over the authenticity of information and delete their accounts or operations due to
fear of leaking personal information.
Low number of users: Initially, the number of users is increasing with rapid rate. The
implication of scandal and challenges has negative impact over this growth rate in number of
users.
No use for business purposes: The decrement of platform usage for business purposes
and marketing also has negative impact of challenges and scandals because they have the fear
that negative image regarding information diminishes the reliability of organisational services in
market (Byrum, 2019).
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from the above report that the role of marketing is increases in
today’s digital environment. This will provide the opportunity to organizations and consumers to
go beyond to their limits for ascertaining positive returns. Organization will use the social media
platforms for the spreading awareness among large number of individuals where consumers can
get the detailed information about the existing and new offerings of the organization. The age of
digitalization not only have the positive impact but have large number of negative impacts. This
is associated with it usage where personal information and views were ascertained and sold to
third parties for earning money which is illegal in nature and beyond to the concept of CSR. The
same case analyzed above of Cambridge Analytica where views of society were gathered over
Facebook and used presidential election. The involvement of Facebook in leakage of private
information attracts various numbers of penalties and legal cases. Also, the image is diminished
where public does not have faith over their operational capacities.
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