Exploring the Disadvantages of Social Media in Business Technology

This report examines the various disadvantages of social media from an organizational viewpoint. It highlights the negative impacts on work performance, productivity, and data security, citing research indicating potential profit decreases due to social media usage during work hours. The report delves into the threats to confidentiality, including the potential for data breaches, misuse of information, and the challenges of managing privacy concerns. It also addresses issues like employee harassment, misinterpretations leading to workplace conflicts, and the legal ramifications of social media misuse. Furthermore, the report discusses the challenges related to marketing strategies, including the need for constant updates and the risk of misleading advertisements. It also emphasizes the importance of monitoring negative feedback and remarks to protect brand image and customer trust, along with the issues related to big data management. The report concludes by suggesting solutions such as controlling social media usage, implementing smart internet browsing practices, proper planning, and effective monitoring of feedback to mitigate the negative impacts and maintain a positive brand image.

Technology Management
Challenges

Table of Contents
Disadvantage of Social media from an Organisational viewpoint...................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

Disadvantage of Social media from an Organisational viewpoint
The advancement of technologies, evolving of latest and high tech gadgets and enormous
and effective use of social media has become a trend now. Especially, the usage of social media
platforms has seen a major rise up and now almost every one is present on the social media
platforms. Even the organisations and their employees are now connecting with each other by the
means of this medium (Alexander, 2014). The Social media tools or platforms like Facebook,
twitter, Instagram etc are becoming a good and expressive mode of communication. Company's
or business organisations too are using this platforms to promote their product and services and
connect with their customers. It will help the organisations to interact with their customers,
suppliers, investors and stake holders. Thus, this can be said that Social media is good tool for
the company.
However, the disadvantages of social media that can be faced by the organisation can't be
denied.
Social media has been like a boon as well as the curses like the business enterprise. The
improper utilizations of these interactions medium can prove fatal for an organisation on a
deeper level. There are many instances and consequences that can impact the operations of the
organisation and thus the social media tools and elements are required to be managed by the
enterprise (Dwivedi and et.al., 2018). The most significant and major disadvantage of these
medium is that it critically impact the work performance and productivity of an organisation.
1

Based on a research, it is been said that the organisation which allows its employees to use the
social media during the work hours is likely to have a decrease in profit for up to 1.5%.
Undoubtedly, Face books and other mediums help in the better promotion of the business,
products and services, this disadvantage and drawback can't be neglected. Other than this, the
usage of social media is a high threat to confidentiality of the firm. Any post or upload that
showcases the functionality of an organisation will impact the operation and integrity within of a
business organisation that can cause loss of customers and market.
Other than this, the major drawback or loop hole in utilization of the social media is the
lack of proper privacy and personal space. Many times, the organisation involves a number of
employees in a post, which leads to the decrease in privacy of many employees and may lead to
the severe consequences like unwanted spam messages, friend requests etc. such cases may
further end up to harassment issues which is a serious concern to be handled by an organisation.
Such practices not only ruin the interpersonal bonding among the employee's but also, tarnish the
image of the organisation (Fuchs and Sandoval, 2015). Also, the misinterpretation of a message
can cause the rise in conflict and misunderstandings and may cause the tension at the work place,
impacting the employee's performance and company's core compatibility.
The harassing behaviour of the employees using the social media platform is the major
challenge that has to be rectified by a business organisation. The HR and IT department of the
firm has to see through the occurrence of such practices by the co workers ant the work place.
Such practices also lead to the dissatisfaction among the employee's affecting the efficiency of
the organisation. Other than this, many times the misuse of the social media may cause the
violation of legal practices that can impact the overall performance of the firm. Any sort of
misuse or unethical utilization of online media may cause the business entity to face a legal issue
2

which can demean the performance, reputation and customer loyalty of the firm, decreasing the
revenue generation.
The major security threat that an organisation can face is also caused by the usage of
social media. As the online medium is prone to get hacked, this is a major predating to the vital
resources, plans, strategies and intellectual property of the organisation. Proper monitoring is
required to be taken by the organisation in order to maintain the integrity and better execution of
business activities (Güler, 2015). Also, the safeguarding measures has to be implemented by an
enterprise in order to prevent any unauthorized access to their information. The organisation also
faces a major challenge which involves the restriction and illegal use of the advertisements.
Many times, some advertisements claim to offer the product and services of a branded firm at
very minimal cost compare to that offered by the company itself. It not only misguides the
customers of the company but also lead the customers or clients to get cheated, impacting the
brand entity and valuation of the organisation. The misleading claims can toll a good number of
customer and revenue to a firm and may also cause the company to land in a legal obstruction
related to consumer law.
3

Apart from this, if the enterprise plans to use the social media platform as the marketing
tool, it requires to have an effective marketing strategy, developing which is yet another
challenge for an organisation. As social platform needs regular monitoring and updates, the firm
has to imply a good amount of their time and resources to get the positive and fruitful outcomes
from it, which may not be feasible for many enterprises (Harrigan and et.al., 2015). Other than
this, the failing of social media promotion strategy will lead to loss of valuable time and money.
To get the proper and desired benefit from the online strategies, one has to be highly active over
the using of its various means and tools. The constant change in the trending is the major issue
which will be faced by the marketing team of a company and thus has to make regular alterations
in their strategies, taking the vital time and man power of an enterprise. As online media is
technology based, and any change in technology will reduce the usability of the older techniques
implemented. Thus, the effective business planning is also a fatal drawback that impacts the
performance of an organisation on wider level.
Besides this, social media is and image oriented system. While it can be a beneficial tool
to develop a positive image of an organisation, and sort of defamation of wrong conveying of
message or a hoax about a company or its product and services. For instance, CEO of Snapchat,
Evan Spiegel had to face backlash when a tweet gone viral stating Snapchat as an app for “rich
audience” and not for the people from a “poor country” like India. This caused a storm on the
online world and many people demanded the ban on Snapchat. Even numerous customers
uninstalled the app, causing the mobile app to lose off up to 2.5% of its market share. Similarly,
Nestle faced the severe consequences when a hoax news about Maggi containing the poisonous
compounds spread on internet. It caused a major loss to the customer base and brand loyalty of
an organisation (Ladkin and Buhalis, 2016). Such cases are a major drawback factors that cause
the firm to counter negative reviews and defamation from their customers. Such events make the
4

company to re engineer their business strategy and product line, costing a huge loss of amount.
The defamation attempts are to be looked after strictly and with legal obligation. Such practices
can leas to cyber bullying, harassment and lose of respect in market (Dahl, 2018). Other than
this, a negative feedback, review or comment can cause sullying the brand image of an
organisation. Also, such factors are needed to be taken in effective thought process by a business
entity in order to maintain their customer base.
Apart from this, many times the usage of Facebook, twitter and other social media
platforms cause the firm to get burdened by the large amount of information or big data which
causes the inefficiency within the organisation to manage this data and may cause the system
break down, impacting the performance of and enterprise (Rutsaert and et.al., 2014). To manage
such risks, the firm has to smartly plan the online strategy and then move over the platform. In
addition to this, many times this big data consists of unidentified and not usable information or
data which not only put the unnecessary pressure over the organisation but also possess a major
problem of data sorting and extraction of useful data. The data mining is a costly affair and
requires high skilled labour to work up on. In order to imply it, the HR department of the firm
has to conduct specialised recruitment process to get the skilled labour, which again cost a good
amount of financial resources and time of an organisation.
5

Thus, rectification of such disadvantages and drawbacks are to be mitigated and nullified
by the enterprise in order to maintain their positive brand image and utilization of the resources.
This rectification measures will not only help in good rise in the brand entity of the firm and thus
the organisation has to look after the effective rise in its performance and increase the
satisfaction and trust level of their customer base (Martin, Parry and Flowers, 2015). Some
major solutions that can be used to reduce or remove the negative impact of social media are as
follows:
 Controlling the usage of Social media at work place: The business entity has to see
through the better handling of the controlling measures for the social media and imply
different measures in order to increase the effectiveness of their workers and reduce any
sort of conflict within the organisation. Strict policies is required to implemented in order
to have an effective control over the misuse of online media. Also, the firm has to imply
the legal considerations and anti bullying, and anti harassment laws to sustain a good
work environment and increase the performance of the organisation or business entity.
6

 Using the smart approach while browsing the internet: the organisation has to see
through the better management of the operations that will help in the effective
management of the business activities (Ladkin and Buhalis, 2016). Prevention of hoax
messages and spam mails and monitoring the fake social media accounts is the major
strategic actions that can be taken by the firm. Also, the firm can take certain steps to
make its customers aware about the risk of hoax mail and accessing the authorized sites
and accounts in order to prevent the deceit and cheating. Also, they can use the anti
malware and antivirus software's that prevent the unethical penetration within the firm.
 Proper planning should be followed: an organisation has to look after the better
planning of the operations that will help in the effective rise in the compatibility and
meeting of targeted goals and actions involving the usage of social media platform to
handle its business operations (Dahl, 2018). As social media marketing is susceptible to
failure on large scale, strategic planning is must that will help the organisation to grow
and develop. Other than this, the organisation also need to see through the better planning
and allocation of the resources that are been gained by the business organisation in order
to gain a good sustainability in market. Some major tools like data mining software's can
be used which will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation in a better
way.
 Monitoring the negative feedbacks and remarks: the business entity has to see through
the effective handling of the negative or adverse reviews received by the customers or
clients. The firm has to see through the proper rectification of the issues faced ad
complained by the client over the social media in order to maintain their brand image and
trust level of their customers (Güler, 2015). Also, the proper planning of the actions or
solution to business issues will help in better improving in the performance of the
organisation and gain a good sustainability in market.
Thus, the disadvantage and threat factor of the social media platform should not be
neglected by the business entity. It will help in good growth and development of the business
organisation.
7

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alexander, D.E., 2014. Social media in disaster risk reduction and crisis management. Science
and engineering ethics, 20(3), pp.717-733.
Dahl, S., 2018. Social media marketing: Theories and applications. Sage.
Dwivedi, Y.K. And et.al., 2018. Social Media: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Information
Systems Frontiers, 20(3), pp.419-423.
Fuchs, C. and Sandoval, M., 2015. OF CAPITALIST AND ALTERNATIVE SOCIAL
MEDIA. The Routledge companion to alternative and community media, p.165.
Güler, K., 2015. Social media-based learning in the design studio: A comparative
study. Computers & Education, 87, pp.192-203.
Harrigan, P. and et.al., 2015. Modelling CRM in a social media age. Australasian Marketing
Journal (AMJ), 23(1), pp.27-37.
Ladkin, A. and Buhalis, D., 2016. Online and social media recruitment: Hospitality employer
and prospective employee considerations. International Journal of Contemporary
Hospitality Management, 28(2), pp.327-345.
Martin, G., Parry, E. and Flowers, P., 2015. Do social media enhance constructive employee
voice all of the time or just some of the time?. Human Resource Management
Journal, 25(4), pp.541-562.
Rutsaert, P. and et.al., 2014. Social media as a useful tool in food risk and benefit
communication? A strategic orientation approach. Food Policy, 46, pp.84-93.
8