HC 1021: Interpersonal and E-Communication Strategy Analysis Essay

This essay delves into the evolution of business communication, highlighting the shift from traditional methods to e-communication strategies. It explores the impact of social media on business practices, analyzing the challenges and opportunities presented by these changes. The essay examines the evolution of communication in businesses over the past two decades. It also includes a case study of Amazon, illustrating how the company has integrated e-communication into its internal and external strategies, leveraging social media platforms for marketing and customer engagement. The analysis also addresses the potential drawbacks and challenges of e-communication, such as internal conflicts and negative social media feedback, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that integrates both traditional and digital communication methods. The essay concludes by advocating for strategic social media communication to enhance brand image and drive sales.

HC 1021
INTERPERSONAL AND E-COMMUNICATION
INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION(S)
STUDENT NAME
[Pick the date]

P a g e | 2
The research made on interpersonal and e-communication strategy has found that
technology in contemporary businesses has become one of the recent social movements that
shows how communication processes have changed from previous times. In order to achieve
strategic positions, businesses have to explore current organisational literature to get an
insight of current practices. This thesis will explore how business communication has
evolved over past few decades along with finding out the role of mass media in business
practices. The skills required by today’s businesses have changed from telephones and faxes
to emails and social networks. Earlier, social media was infancy and social media sites were
treated as unprofessional method for communication in business. But, nowadays business
owners have to incorporate e-communication strategies in their communication strategies to
achieve sustainable growth in their businesses (Bria n.d.). To understand the effects and
variety of speculations required for organisational communication strategy, this essay will
analyse the researches made by various authors to blend the understandings of illegitimate
online and offline methods utilised by today’s organisations. Along with it, finding out key
challenges and opportunities related to present business communication methods has also
become necessary to find out how the business has evolved since last two decades. Many
elements of organisational communication strategies have changed, therefore, whether the
matter has become easier or difficult has become questionable remark (AT&T
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 2008).
Successful businesses utilises many methods of communication process to make
people informed about their smooth operations. 21st century business owners understand the
need of continuous process in communication to keep an eye on hurdles during their business
operations (Emily 2016). But, the challenges related to business communications have
become so critical that it affects the overall communication process. Diversity in workplace

P a g e | 3
has become major challenge faced by multinational companies in which employees from
different backgrounds and culture are present at same workplace and possess different
viewpoints (Bank 2014). Although diversity is equally important to build team works and
acknowledge different work culture, still the challenges to interpret messages becomes
persistent within organisations. Technological advancements like social media, web and
emails have also developed various communication challenges’. Information’s interpreted
face to face contains facial expressions along with making the interpretation turn into
personal expressions. On the other hand technological interpretations like emailing,
messaging and social networking contains digital transformation of messages that avoids
personal touch in it. Challenge lays here is that the receiver may not make apparent about the
information promptly or even may take it the wrong way. Budget is also a matter for
consideration in small businesses as to compete with others who have more advanced
technology becomes difficult. Business who have untrained workers who relies on traditional
methods of communication can also posses communication barrier. Since such kind of
employees remains unaware of advantages of present business communication skills like use
of social media and internet, the owners of the business has to suffer from weakness in their
communication systems(Eigen n.d.).
Business and associations that exists in today’s marketplace, are categorised
according to the changes adopted by them. If the members of management teams identify
core challenges and opportunities behind present communication systems, they can perform
their activities with efficiency. For this, understanding basic challenges becomes crucial as
managers of 21st century have been facing many technological changes since lasts few
decades. According to Waechter (2017), the internet has affected the way in which people
looks upon information’s from different perspectives. Information’s are available nowadays
from different media and in multiple formats through which general public and stakeholders

P a g e | 4
of business can get victory. Thus, businesses are expected to examine the roles of
stakeholders as well as nature of information accessing from other members. The opportunity
lies here is that businesses can gain insight on expectations of stakeholders. Since their
experience’s values for delivering important information, the decision taken by today’s firms
is made according to it. This opportunity brings additional challenges like relying on newer
technology and avoiding threats related to security. With the increased security threats,
businesses of 21st century even have to suffer loss of valuable data whereas others using
obsolete technology also suffers due to incapable information’s (Waechter 2017).
For understanding the impacts of social media and business communication changes
in 21st century, this essay will make a case study of a sustainable business, Amazon.
Information about Amazon’s background and present communication strategy have enabled
to get an insight how companies have changed their approach from traditional to digital
communication process both internally as well as externally. Amazon has come upon a long
way since its establishment in the year 1995 while observing present turnover of about $135
billion. The company performs exceptionally powerfully as measured in terms of revenue per
visitor which is the one thing that can be learned how to earn from financial websites and
social media. Whether it is a search engine, social network, website or transitional retailers,
the company has been able to manage them with expertise. From the beginning, the
company’s mission was to offer “Earth’s biggest selection and to be Earth’s most customer-
centric company”. According to the CEO of the company, to achieve core objective of the
business, one needs to focus on competitors along with focusing upon technology (Solis
2015). Focussing on business model and communication tactics compliments businesses
where stakeholders and people interested in company’s affairs are involved. Amazon believes
that focussing more on customers can prove better and to delight customers by giving
products according to their preferences adds further benefits to the company. Therefore, the

P a g e | 5
company has adopted various social networking resources to achieve their desired goals
according their objectives and bringing changes in communication strategy as per demand
(Chaffey 2018).
Social media and contemporary business communication have even impacted the
business strategy of Amazon in recent years due to which company had to make many
amendments in their communication strategies. The CEO of the company, Jeff Bezos, has
been able to divide Amazon’s marketing strategy by keeping both, online book store and
online media marketing. The products company offers consists of e-books, smart phones,
video streaming, cloud computing, tablets, voice activation technology and many more
(Howells 2017). According to a recent survey made by Chaffey (2018), there are hardly any
new technology that has not been adopted by Amazon as the CEO likes to embrace risk
taking and letdown while coming up with new ideas. Social media has been identified by the
company through the ‘reaching tip’ method with e-commerce and social sites. Company has
been seen using Instagram for e-communication along with Facebook and Twitter. Amazon
does not take social media as advertising eccentric platform unlike many other companies.
Amazon wants to offer its customers more pleasurable experience by scrolling and shopping
through related images of their interest. However, Amazon uses cooperative advertisement,
also known as ‘contra deals’ with vendors and third parties. For this company’ associates
direct customers to their independent website to offer them millions of products available and
fulfil their demand through self and with the help of third parties. Company even pays
commission to the third parties and associates for directing their customer’s referrals in
Amazons personal website for enhancing sales (MacDonald 2017).
Amazon has been operating ecommerce business in more than 10 countries and the
company’s prime membership rose 53% in 2014 globally. The growth was largely identified
in US regions as internet users are estimated to be largest in ratio in US country. Since the

P a g e | 6
company deals successfully outside its home country also, it shows that Amazon has
untapped the opportunity for international growth through e communication and sustainable
infrastructure in reaching its stakeholders (Jon, Dages, & Moore 2016). Amazon started
approaching its customers through online media since 2011 by targeting online marketing
channels such as portal advertising, email marketing, associated programs and social sites.
Amazon had to develop its traditional online bookstore into online marketing as customers of
present generation are highly depended on social networking sites before making purchases
(Sareen 2013). Earlier Amazon used traditional methods of online sales and included best
sellers in its editions for attracting customers. But, the social media effects made the company
integrate e communication strategy into its business to avoid severe impacts on its sales. In
the beginning, the company used social sites for customer reviews and also kept its traditional
selling process. But gradually the influence of social networking seems to earn more for the
company than traditional methods. However it can be argued for finding the exact reason
behind company’s development i.e. whether it was due to paid media or social media or
single earned media. According to Chang (2014), Amazon used two earned media; those are
traditional and social media for producing multiplier effects. However, the research has been
unable to make out which of the methods of Amazon has provided company with greater
sales. Therefore the limitation in this study shows further research to make out accurate
advantage in terms of sales by comparing both methods in case of Amazon.
However, all advantages comes with disadvantages also which can be made out from
this case study. Amazon has made great progress through social media but according to
Hundeyin (2015), the internal communication process of the company is full of conflicts,
backstabbing, and in fighting. According to the surveys made through ex employees, the
work conditions of the company influenced people out there with negativity. Therefore the
ratings made in social sites regarding company’s feedback fell alarmingly where employees

P a g e | 7
anonymously sneaked on each other’s and managers. In few hours over 6600 comments were
posted in social sites out of which 78% were negative. This became one of the trendiest
topics in social media while many found this incident upsetting. Some believed that allowing
such conditions in corporate world is permissible while others were found angrily protesting
against using Amazon for making purchases. Some of the sites even suggested boycotting
Amazon permanently from their site. This incident can be said as one of the biggest corporate
social media crisis that took place in 2015 (Cook 2015). This was on the other hand biggest
PR error made by the company along with one of the worst impact of social media faced by
Amazon.
E-communication and social media has become one of the most popular trends which
have grown enormously since last few decades. Brands such as Amazon, Starbucks, Apple
and Wal-Mart are few examples of 21st century businesses that have made sustainable
positions in the marketplace by adopting social media strategy under e-communication
strategy in their companies. Social media has introduced new technologies of business
communications as evidenced from the above case study. The central aim behind this essay
was to generate recent knowledge about social media impacts on communication process in
21st century businesses while examining a case study of present sustainable business. The
essay finds that social media has huge impacts in businesses in which social networking sites
like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. plays a very important role. By making the brands
visible along with enabling effective marketing strategies, these sites have proved to be
significant for getting integrated in business communication strategies. User generated social
media communication effects consumer’s perspectives towards brands due to which the need
of social media strategy has been used by present business owners. The fact of social media
communication in business is that it is fully controlled by firms and thus it can be expected
that it would influence its stakeholders in positive manner. However, negative impacts of

P a g e | 8
social media can even destroy company’s image in front of them. Therefore it can be advised
that traditional communication shall not be replaced entirely by e-communication, rather it
should be treated as an additional element for company’s communicational strategies.
Moreover, contemporary company’s can design their social media communication strategy in
such a manner that it indirectly influences customers for sales along with maintaining brand
image.

P a g e | 9
REFERENCES
AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 2008, The Business Impacts of Social Networking,
viewed 01 May 2018, https://www.business.att.com/content/whitepaper/WP-
soc_17172_v3_11-10-08.pdf
Bank, C 2014, The impact of social media: advantages or disadvantages, viewed 01 May
2018, http://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_17_vol4(2)july-nov_2015.pdf
Bria, F n.d. SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR IMPACT ON ORGANISATIONS: BUILDING
FIRM CELEBRITY AND ORGANISATIONAL LEGITIMACY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA,
viewed 01 May
2018,https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/10044/1/24944/3/BriaPDF_FE.pdf
Chaffey, D 2018, Amazon.com case study – 2018 update, viewed 01 May 2018,
https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/online-business-revenue-models/
amazon-case-study/
Chang, Tong, B & Tung-lung, S 2014, Why Amazon uses both the New York Times Best
Seller List and customer reviews: An empirical study of multiplier effects on product sales
from multiple earned media, viewed 01 May 2018,
https://ac.els-cdn.com/S0167923614002012/1-s2.0-S0167923614002012-main.pdf?
_tid=49c6e8b2-4d23-4d77-8128-
28ceab13438b&acdnat=1525189729_07140100c9b6fd0766429f1e2ab3eb00
Cook, J 2015, Public-relations pros: Amazon’s belated rebuttal to the NYT ‘recasts the
foundation of crisis PR’, viewed 01 May 2018, https://www.geekwire.com/2015/public-
relations-pros-amazons-belated-rebuttal-to-nyt-recasts-the-foundation-of-crisis-pr/

P a g e | 10
Copp, E 2016, 10 Benefits of Social Media for Business, viewed 01 May 2018,
https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-for-business/
Dages, J , Mei, L & Chris, M 2016, WALMART VS. AMAZON, viewed 01 May 2018,
https://www.economist.com/sites/default/files/ballstate_ws.pdf
Eigen, D n.d. Business Communication Challenges, viewed 01 May 2018,
https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/business-communication-challenges-1118.html
Howells, R 2017, The “Amazon Effect” On The Supply Chain, viewed 01 May 2018,
http://www.digitalistmag.com/digital-supply-networks/2017/09/08/amazon-effect-on-supply-
chain-05350754
Hundeyien, D 2015, Amazon Has Just Showed Us How NOT To Manage A Social Media
Crisis, viewed 01 May 2018, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/amazon-has-just-showed-us-
how-manage-social-media-crisis-hundeyin
MacDonald, B 2017, 4 Ways Amazon's New Facebook Integration Impacts eCommerce,
viewed 01 May 2018, https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/9309/4-ways-amazon-s-
new-facebook-integration-impacts-ecommerce.aspx
Sareen, H 2013, Why Amazon Is the Most Social, Least Social-Friendly Commerce Platform,
viewed 01 May 2018, https://www.clickz.com/why-amazon-is-the-most-social-least-social-
friendly-commerce-platform/39915/
Solis, B 2015, Apple's Odd, Yet Effective, Social Media Strategy, viewed 01 May
2018,http://www.briansolis.com/2015/09/apples-odd-yet-effective-social-media-strategy/
Waechter, F 2017, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR 21ST CENTURY
ASSOCIATIONS, viewed 01 May 2018,

P a g e | 11
https://congrex.com/association-management/challenges-opportunities-21st-century-
associations/