Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media in Modern Business

This research report examines the advantages and disadvantages of social media practices in business. The report begins with an introduction highlighting the opportunities for organizations to promote their products and services using social media, contrasting its effectiveness with traditional methods. It defines the project objectives, scope, and provides a literature review summarizing the importance of social media in enhancing brand awareness. The methodology section details the research philosophy (interpretivism), approach (inductive), design (exploratory), and strategy (qualitative and quantitative). Data collection methods, including primary and secondary sources, are outlined along with sampling and data analysis techniques. The report also addresses research limitations, ethical considerations, and a research timeline. The conclusion reiterates the significance of research tools and methodologies in achieving reliable results and emphasizes the impact of ethical understanding on research outcomes. References and an appendix are included to support the findings.

Running Head: ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH

2
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Table of Contents
Assignment II.............................................................................................................................3
Introduction............................................................................................................................3
Project Objective....................................................................................................................3
Project Scope..........................................................................................................................3
Literature Review...................................................................................................................4
Summarizing literature review............................................................................................4
Justification of research problem........................................................................................4
Literature gap and opportunity...........................................................................................4
Research Questions................................................................................................................5
Research methodology...........................................................................................................5
Research Philosophy...........................................................................................................5
Research Approach.............................................................................................................6
Research Design.................................................................................................................6
Research Strategy...............................................................................................................6
Data Collection Method......................................................................................................7
Sampling Method................................................................................................................7
Data Analysis Method........................................................................................................8
Research limitation.............................................................................................................8
Ethical Consideration..........................................................................................................8
Research timeline................................................................................................................8
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................9
References................................................................................................................................10
Appendix..................................................................................................................................12

3
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Assignment II
Introduction
In the current scenario, an organization has major opportunity to promote their product and
services by using social media in the different area. The traditional approach of promotion
cannot be effective to make a different image at international level. Through social media, an
organization can be able to enhance their product and services in different countries in less
time and cost. It is analyzed that the social media marketing is effective for generating the
brand awareness in many geographical corners. Besides this, traditional media vehicles are
not enough in increasing the brand image at world level (Braojos, et al., 2015). This research
study has concentrated on the advantages and disadvantages of social media practices in
business.
Project Objective
The main aim of this research is to address the advantages and disadvantages of using social
media in business.
 To analyses the meaning and concepts of social media.
 To identify the advantages of using social media in business.
 To explore disadvantages of using social media in business.
 To recommend the strategies to improve the application of social media in business
Project Scope
This research proposal is significant to create depth understanding towards the advantages
and disadvantages of using the social media in business. The application of social media in
the business can be motivating subject for the research. The best knowledge towards the
application of social media can improve the performance of the organization and enhance the
professional life in the upcoming period. This research proposal is effective for the researcher
to get a feasible result in future. In the current scenario, an organization implies the social

4
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
media to maintain the efficacy of organization and staff member. This research proposal can
be imperative for the organization to make an effective decision and improve the social media
practices in their firm. This research proposal can be imperative for the researcher due to
gaining their knowledge towards different tools and techniques of social media.
Consequently, it can support to improve the productivity of company and organization
(Inversini, et al., 2014).
Literature Review
Summarizing literature review
As per the view of Drotner and Schrøder (2014), the significance of social media practice in
enhancing the brand awareness is the major concern of this research study. Through the
appropriate social media marketing approaches and policies, an organization can be able to
introduce their goods and services at international level. Under the literature review, many
kinds of social media approaches are discussed. It also discussed the advantages and
disadvantages of social media marketing in business. Besides this, this research study is
based on critically analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of social media practices. An
organization can obtain the positive result and promote the brand with the help of social
media.
Justification of research problem
In the current scenario, an employee of an organization is not capable to manage the modern
technology. Hence, employees are unable to promote their business through social media.
Additionally, this research is supportive to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of
social media practices in business.
Literature gap and opportunity
Under the literature review, the research will primarily focus on the offering the many kinds
of strategies to improve the social media practices. From this, the researcher will get the

5
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
opportunity to critically analyze the social media practice. This research study will
concentrate on discusses the advantages and disadvantages of social media practices in
business rather than demonstrating the types of social media (Poell, 2014).
Research Questions
 What is meaning and concept of social media?
 What are advantages of social media in business?
 What are disadvantages of social media in business?
 What are approaches to improve the application of social media in business?
Research methodology
The research methodology can support the researcher to collect the appropriate techniques to
collect the adequate data towards the research issues. The research methodology chapter
includes some techniques such as research strategy, research philosophy, research design,
data collection method, and sampling. In addition, the research limitation and research
limitation, and data analysis method can also help the researcher to get feasible result towards
the research issues (Ventola, 2014).
Research Philosophy
Research philosophy can be effective to collect the adequate data in the context of advantages
and disadvantages of using social media in the business. For this research study, the
interpretivism philosophy will be implied by researcher because it enabled the researcher to
collect the perception and opinion of participants towards the research dilemma. It can
support to collect the reliable and valid result in the context of the research issue. Besides
this, the researcher will not imply the positivism and realism because there is no need of
proving the hypothesis (Wamba and Carter, 2016).

6
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Research Approach
In this research study, the researcher will use the inductive approach as compared to the
deductive approach. Since, the inductive approach will support the researcher to collect the
theoretical understanding regarding research matter. It will also help the researcher to
improve the validity and reliability of research result. With the support of this research
approach, a researcher will be capable to collect the valid conclusion and discusses the
advantages and disadvantages of social media practices in the business. Beside this, a
researcher will not imply the deductive approach because it cannot be appropriate to collect
the appropriate data in the context of research issues (Tsimonis and Dimitriadis, 2014).
Research Design
In this research study, a researcher will use exploratory research method to gather the valid
information towards the research matter. In addition, the exploratory research design will
enable the researcher to collect the appropriate information towards the research issues. At
the same time, it can be said that researcher will capable to pool the perception of
respondents regarding the research issue to attain the objectives of research and answer the
research questions. In addition, the research will not imply the descriptive research design
because there is no need to identify the cause and effect relationship (Luo, et al., 2015).
Research Strategy
The research strategy can play an imperative role in the accomplishment of research
objectives in a systematic manner. There are two kinds of research strategy such as
qualitative and quantitative research design. For this research, a researcher will imply both
research strategies to meet the reliable result and solve the research issues. In addition, the
qualitative research strategy enabled the researcher to collect the nob-numeric data in the
context of the research dilemma. Beside this, a researcher will use the quantitative research
strategy to collect the numeric data about the research matter (Marwick and Boyd, 2014).

7
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Data Collection Method
The data collection method can help to collect the suitable data regarding the research issues.
There are two kinds of data collection method such as primary and secondary data collection
method such as primary and secondary data collection method. For this research, a researcher
will sue mixed data collection method. The primary data collection method will aid the
researcher to collect fresh data regarding research issues. There are different kinds of sources
that are included in the primary data collection method like an interview, survey through a
questionnaire, and observation method. It will help to improve the reliability and validity of
the result. On the other side, the secondary data collection method allows the researcher to
collect the theoretical knowledge from the existing data. There are different methods that are
considered in the secondary data collection method such as journal article, book, online and
offline sources, and company sites (Paton and Johnston 2017).
Sampling Method
In this research, the researcher will use probability sampling method to collect the
information in context research issues. The probability sampling method enabled the
researcher to perform the research without any biases. From this, a researcher will offer an
equal chance to the participants for reacting to the questionnaire. A researcher will select 45
participants from Austar Telecommunication Company. These participants will be selected
from the different region of Australia. Besides this, the non-probability sampling method is
not considered by the researcher because it can create the biases in the research. The non-
probability sampling method will enable the researcher to select the participants on behalf of
skills, age, experience, and knowledge. The participants are free to share their opinion
regarding the research issues (Scott, 2015).

8
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Data Analysis Method
The data analysis method is an effective way to assess collected data of research. There are
two kinds of a method such as qualitative and quantitative data collection method analysis.
For this research, a researcher will use the descriptive statistical analysis method to evaluate
the collected data systematically. A researcher will use MS-Excel and obtain the reliable
result. A researcher will include the bar diagram, column, and chart to examine the collected
data. For this research, the researcher will not apply the SPSS method to assess the collected
data (Fuchs, 2017).
Research limitation
Research limitation can directly influence the outcome of research. Moreover, the researcher
will consider many factors that can influence the research outcome. The specified time for
accomplishing any research can be a negative impact on the research result. The primary data
collection method can take more time period, which can impact on the research.
To eliminating the research issues, a research will use e-mail method. The direct
communication can increase the chances of research success (Junco, 2014).
Ethical Consideration
Ethical consideration stain can be effective for the researcher due to obtaining the favorable
result in the context of research dilemma. For this, research will execute the ethical norms of
the research, which will support the researcher to improve the quality of research. The
researcher will be considered certain factors such as proper referencing, university
instruction, data manipulation, and proper referencing. Since, it can help to eliminate the
ethical issues from the research. A researcher will maintain the private data of researcher to
make an effective relationship with the participants in long-term (Munar and Jacobsen, 2014).
Research timeline
The time structure of this research is shown below:

9
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Table 1: Research schedule for completing project
From the above research plan table, it is accessed that the primary and secondary data
collection method takes more time than the other activity.
Conclusion
On behalf of the above discussion, it can be concluded that the proper identification of the
research tool can help the researcher to get a reliable result in the less time and cost. It can
also be concluded that the research methodology is a combination of different methods such
as data collection methods, research philosophies, strategies, and approaches. These methods
are supportive to collect the reliable result in the context of advantages and disadvantages of
social media practices in the business. Finally, it can also be concluded that the knowledge
about research limitation can support to obtain the favorable result in less time and cost. It
can also be summarized that the understanding towards the ethical issues can influence the
research outcome.

10
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
References
Braojos-Gomez, J., Benitez-Amado, J., and Llorens-Montes, F. J. (2015) ‘How do small
firms learn to develop a social media competence?’, International Journal of Information
Management, 35(4), pp. 443-458.
Drotner, K., and Schrøder, K. C. (2014) Museum communication and social media: The
connected museum (Vol. 6) the UK: Routledge.
Fuchs, C. (2017) Social media: A critical introduction. USA: Sage.
Inversini, A., and Masiero, L. (2014) ‘Selling rooms online: the use of social media and
online travel agents,’ International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 26(2),
272-292.
Junco, R. (2014) Engaging students through social media: Evidence-based practices for use
in student affairs, USA: John Wiley and Sons.
Luo, N., Zhang, M., and Liu, W. (2015) ‘The effects of value co-creation practices on
building harmonious brand community and achieving brand loyalty on social media in
China’, Computers in Human Behavior, 48, pp. 492-499.
Marwick, A. E., and Boyd, D. (2014) ‘Networked privacy: How teenagers negotiate context
in social media’, New Media and Society, 16(7), pp. 1051-1067.
Munar, A. M., and Jacobsen, J. K. S. (2014) ‘Motivations for sharing tourism experiences
through social media’, Tourism management, 43, pp. 46-54.
Paton, D., and Johnston, D. (2017) Disaster resilience: an integrated approach. USA:
Charles C Thomas Publisher.
Poell, T. (2014) ‘Social media and the transformation of activist communication: exploring
the social media ecology of the 2010 Toronto G20 protests’, Information, Communication
and Society, 17(6), pp. 716-731.

11
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Scott, D. M. (2015) The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use social media, online
video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, and viral marketing to reach buyers
directly. USA: John Wiley and Sons.
Tsimonis, G., and Dimitriadis, S. (2014) ‘Brand strategies in social media’, Marketing
Intelligence and Planning, 32(3), pp. 328-344.
Ventola, C. L. (2014) ‘Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best
practices,’ Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 39(7), P. 491.
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). USA: IGI Global.

12
ACADEMIC & BUSINESS RESEARCH
Appendix
Research Plan
Research activities Time Structure
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Research selection
Research aim development
Data a collection method
Questionnaire development
Sampling Method
Data analysis
Report writing
Final submission