Intra-Organizational Communication: Management Best Practice & Trends

This report analyzes the emerging trends in social license and future proofing, emphasizing the shift towards sustainable business models and the adoption of social purpose. It explores how businesses can future-proof themselves by building trust, integrating social purpose into their operations, and embracing innovation. The report highlights the importance of social license, corporate social responsibility, and stakeholder engagement in achieving long-term sustainability and resilience. It also discusses strategies such as establishing a social purpose, adopting global agendas like the Sustainable Development Goals, and creating adaptable management teams. The conclusion emphasizes the need for organizations to rethink their business models to align with evolving consumer behaviors and embrace social responsibility to remain relevant in the contemporary market.

Student’s Last Name 1
Intra-Organizational Communication (Memo Report): Management Best Practice Review
By (Name)
Course
Professor
University
Date

Student’s Last Name 2
MEMORANDUM
TO: colleagues
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: A report on current trend impacting people and organizations.
Introduction
Following the request of the manager to analyze the trends in social license and future
proofing, I was able to explain the concept of future proofing and establish key factors from the
current and emerging trends that facilitate social license operations in any given organization. I
have derived the situation that can facilitate the shift of our organization into a sustainable
business model by adopting elements of social purpose. Additionally, I have established how the
business can adopt certain strategies that facilitate future proofing and enable the business to
remain resilient in times of shifts in the business environment. The recommendations that I have
discussed herein will form the basis of discussion at the team planning forum.
Context
The new and emerging trends in the corporate world have seen an approach that tends to
bring about the meaningful purpose to the operations of a business. The stakeholders are
increasingly demanding their organizations to adopt practices that not only maximize profit but
also practice corporate social responsibilities. The mode of operations for businesses have over
time changed from the traditional profit-making angle to sustainability and social responsibilities

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approach. This trend has emerged due to the changing expectations of the communities,
consumers, suppliers, employees, and shareholders in regards to the purpose of the business. In
order to embrace the emerging business operations modes and at the very least remain relevant to
the market, many of businesses in contemporary times have resulted to techniques that will
cushion them against the uncertain events of the future. This is what has come to be known as
future proofing.
Companies are obligated to make a positive contribution to society through practices that
elevate human life and also conserve the environment. There has therefore been an emergence of
standard business practices and business operating procedures that are being referred to as the
social license. This concept of social license is related to sustainability. This is because business
operation nowadays is directed towards building meaningful trust among the community the
business operates and in other stakeholders as well. The company must take care of the
community and the environment in order to be seen as a good corporate citizen. The company
must also act fast to resolve problems that may arise in order to protect its reputation. When there
is a good corporate image from the shareholders, the social license is protected. It is imperative
as a company to practice social license because the benefit is increasingly obvious. This includes
increased capital from investors. The company will also reap bigger profits as a sustainable
product to attract a huge consumer base. Lastly, social license protect against economic
recessions as sustainability will attract more consumers consequently rising the performance of
the company.
Discussion

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Future proofing involves making anticipation for the future and developing effective
solutions to counter the negative effects of stress in the business while taking advantage of the
positive effects. The main purpose of future proofing is making the business strategies and
objectives remain resilient and effective to change (Wirtz, et al., 2016, pp.42). At the center of
any future proofing strategy, there should exist the commitment to participate in sustainable
development (Devinney, Schwalbach, and Williams, 2013, pp.415). By discussing social license,
the company will strategies on building trust and resilience through long term integration of the
business and the social purpose and expectations from the stakeholders. Future proofing is
increasingly being aligned into the operations and the values and purpose of the whole
organization (Baumann-Pauly, et al., 2013, pp.702). Social license, as an aspect of future
proofing, has established a trend whereby business is transforming beyond the ad hoc
philanthropic programs to mainstream operations of the business (Holley, and Mitcham, 2016,
pp.23). In social license to operate, organizations require some level of acceptance by the local
communities in order to carry out their operations. The social license has evolved from the
broader concept of corporate social responsibility (Prno, 2013, pp.580). In corporate
responsibility, organizations have some social purpose such as engaging in charitable initiatives
or participating in environmental conservation through sustainable approaches in their
operations. Social license to operate is based on the notion that companies do not only require
statutory and regulatory permission but also social permission in order to conduct their business
(Moffat, and Zhang, 2014, pp.63). Social license is not based on any formal agreement but the
real credibility and acceptance of organization in supporting the communities from where their
operations are based (Koivurova, et al., 2015, pp.200). This is because having a social
responsibility as a business is important to the stakeholders and leads to long-term sustainability.

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Social license, therefore, focuses on achieving consistent and responsible business practices
through influencing the culture of the organization. As a business, there is the need to develop
long-term sustainable strategy factors that will deliver on both social and commercial outcomes
(Hall, et al., 2015, pp.309). This can be achieved through the engagement of a wider scope of
stakeholders both within and without the setting of the business. Social license considerations are
appropriate for public participation and community engagement processes that are a part of the
social impact assessment by organizations. By considering when and how a social license occurs,
the practice of establishing new developments can be effectively guided. Research has shown
signs that sustainable business is a good business and can add value to society while at the same
time increasing avenues for profits (Khan, and Krishnamurthy, 2016, pp.80). The organization
should adopt innovation and sustainability in order to establish a competitive advantage on the
levels of the business model, products and processes. This can be achieved through value
creation that focuses on sustainable alternatives that are driven by societal needs and consumer
aspirations. A sustainable business will increase the organization ability to develop new solutions
that align with the new business model. Future proofing will also help the business in the
element of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk management (De Beer, 2014,
pp.142). The business will, therefore, be able to predict any possible risk that may affect the
business in the future. The company, therefore, has to establish an approach that can anticipate
ERSG associated risks, consequently building a creative structure as this is a great way of future
proofing a sustainable business. Any future proofing initiative adopted by the business should
contribute to the social license role of the business to the community (Bice, 2014, pp.68). There
are some strategies that the business can adapt to future proofing. This includes; establishing a
social purpose. In order for the business to survive in the long run, there is a need to achieve

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more than profits. The business needs to adopt social responsibilities and participate in sharing
value. There is also the need to adopt global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals
of the United Nation (Sahut, and Peris-Ortiz, 2014, pp.660). This will establish the relationship
of trust with the stakeholders. Future proofing is heavily reliant on innovation. There is a need to
try out new ideas and business models and encouraging new ways of meeting social license
operations. The business should create a management team that adapts well to change.
Additionally, there is a need for the business to focus on matters that are important to the
stakeholders. An evaluation must involve both internal and external stakeholders.
Conclusion
From the foregone, it is established that the emerging trends and consumer behaviors in
recent times necessitate organizations to rethink their business models. Stakeholders are
increasingly becoming interested in the social license approaches and are more attracted to
businesses that carry out social responsibility. The result of this is that organizations are
including social purpose in their future plans. Future proofing does not only involve aspects of
social licenses operations but also innovations and resilient trends that will ensure the business
positions itself strategically into the market. This includes embracing changes in technological
advancement and also studying consumer behaviors. Business is also required to obtain social
permission to operate within the communities. The social contract can be seen as being mutually
beneficial in that the business has a market within the community while the community is
elevated through projects of social purpose by the organizations. Contemporary consumers are
highly interested in the operations of the business in the social aspect and these trends have to be
embraced by all businesses in order to remain relevant.

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Bibliography
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Bice, S., 2014. What gives you a social licence? An exploration of the social licence to operate in
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De Beer, E., 2014. Creating value through communication. Public Relations Review, 40(2),
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Devinney, T.M., Schwalbach, J. and Williams, C.A., 2013. Corporate social responsibility and
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Khan, F.R. and Krishnamurthy, J., 2016. Future proofing of tourism entrepreneurship in Oman:
challenges and prospects. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 8(1), pp.79-94.

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Koivurova, T., Buanes, A., Riabova, L., Didyk, V., Ejdemo, T., Poelzer, G., Taavo, P. and
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