An Analysis of Social Networks: Advantages, Disadvantages in Business

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing social networks in a business context. It begins by introducing the significance of social media in modern marketing and its impact on customer engagement and brand building. The research delves into the benefits, such as enhanced customer relationships, increased brand awareness, and improved marketing reach, while also addressing the limitations, including the lack of direct interaction, potential for cyberbullying, and the need for technological infrastructure. The report examines the influence of social networks on business, offering insights into consumer behavior and marketing strategies. It also explores the challenges faced by businesses in collecting customer feedback and the importance of adapting to the evolving digital landscape. The report concludes with a review of the literature, highlighting key findings and suggesting strategies for businesses to effectively leverage social media while mitigating potential risks. The report emphasizes the importance of understanding customer perception and the implications of social networking sites on business operations.

BUSINESS RESEARCH
(ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES / LIMITATIONS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS
IN BUSINESS)
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Advantages and limitations of employing social networks in business
Introduction
The innovative era has ascended within the media promotion over and done with the operative
online background. It aids the business to achieve the presentation part more effortlessly.
Chopra. and Gajjala (2012) specified that the operators of the social network have turned out to
be the patrons of the different online supplies. The position of social broadcasting lies in creating
an enhanced relationship among the marketplace as well as the targeted clienteles. To grasp the
benefit of this sort of circumstances the professional establishments throughout the domain
implement the social networking sites for publicizing procedure quite rapidly (Lo et al. 2010).
As stated by Hayes and Dredge (2010), the culture of social communication gives the facts of
varied creative substances and services to the target clienteles which affect the procedure of
assessment of the artifact and “forming of decision” of the consumers. Social network is an
operational mode over which the association can deliver the significant information concerning
their production or facilities en route for their patrons. The existing customers of a creation
require the control to impact on the determinations of the novel clients through their evaluations
around that specific invention.
Social media supports the society to brand direct interaction with their target consumers.
Boulding et al. (2010) opined that it benefits the clients to distinguish around the features,
superiority and the values of their preferred merchandises or facilities. This evidence comforts
the clients in constructing their purchasing decision. Bian and Moutinho (2011) itemized that the
buyer socialization concept aids the institute to expect the special effects of the responses among
the patrons on their demonstrative and communicative approaches in the direction of creating
judgment for the procurement of items. The social interacting sites deal with heir manipulators
by a virtual stage to interconnect among them that aids to upsurge the technique of “buyer
socialization”.
The individuals attempt to evaluate the facts of the measures and the different state of affairs that
administer the ideologies of marketing processes and the system of issuing the outcomes of the
developments. This boosts the essence of marketing practice that yields spectacular upshot upon
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the clients who take proper resolutions to choose and gain the artifact. The remarkable
impression of the reactions of the customers or the shoppers fashions possible attractions to
select for advertising practices to encompass the wide-ranging categories of persons (Werbin,
2011).
The well-organized methods of communication stand as quite significant features to govern the
conviction and assurance over the merchandises and facilities of diverse creativities.
Nevertheless, Clients usually reflect essential opinion to the traders of services as regards the
merchandises on top of facilities which may not preserve the confidentiality. Responses through
social means or else any type of secretive environment are not set apart. They ought to create any
outline of remark widely (Persson, 2012). In the best interests of that specific motive large
volume of patrons does not plan to deliver criticism through shared networking locations.
Business establishments need to face complications in collecting purchasers’ opinion. This
specific research devises to remain motivated to brand a comprehensive examination around the
benefits and flaws of using social links in business.
Project Objective
The principal purpose of this specific research stands in critically assessing the benefits and flaws
of expending communal networks in commercial applications. It carefully scrutinizes the use of
social networking zones in terms of advantages and disadvantages through the support of
innumerable literary studies which has encouraged reflecting the constructive as well as
undesirable effect of shared interaction of the various sites. The imperative goals of this
investigation are:
 To critically understand the dominant characteristics of social network
 To recognize the individuals’ awareness of the products and services marketed and
promoted through the social media.
 To judgmentally measure the benefits and disadvantages of utilizing social links of
communication in business
 To focus on the issues that affects the public activities while using social interconnecting
sites in the industrialized sector.
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 To recommend effective strategies to surpass the drawbacks
Project Scope
It is perceived that in the preceding ages, business administrations particularly small as well as
medium level industrial projects are facing uncountable complications in intensifying their entire
development of professional set-up in diverse environmental precincts (McCurdy, 2012).
Individuals fitting to the numerous republics are not cognizant of the merchandises and facilities
of those minor and intermediate commercial groups. Mechanically, the target marketplace of
those societies remains identical. Business administrators do not acquire adequate opportunity
and settings in augmenting their target regions of the marketing zone for interpreting a borderline
on the inclusive forms of communication. So as to mark a transformation in the global industrial
practice the officials of innumerable establishments have definite resolutions to accentuate on the
social interacting locations for augmenting their general professional planning. Successively,
with the development of social interacting sites, the corporate administrators have faced
enormous autonomies to familiarize their brands on top of different types of amenities away
from going the provincial marketplace (Priporas and Vrontis, 2014). Simultaneously, beginning
of social communicating system has transported specific drawbacks in global business
presentation in addition. This examination has principally focused to create an unambiguous and
profound type of critical investigation as regards the influence of social interaction on the
enrichment of general business development.
Literature Review
Perception of social networking sites along with its implication on business presentations
According to the former business situation, the societies were greatly familiarized to the
customary means of communicating networks. Traditional forms of interacting media comprise
TV, transistor, wireless besides newspapers, journals, magazines and all that. Societies fitting to
different topographical limitations are not really acquainted with the business dealing method of
the officialdoms particularly small as well as medium scale units. Consequently, shared media
policy stands as operational media that provides the means of transportation of data and
information for the populaces of different physical marketplaces to interconnect with everyone
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while remaining at their individual places. According to the recent investigation, 40% of the
masses are associated through social networks (Szczepaniak, 2013).
At the preliminary stage the public relations were exceedingly reliant on the automated devices
other than the print media. Global clients get minimum chances in involving their personal
opinion concerning the trustworthiness of merchandises and services. In this state of affairs, the
social linkages turned out to be the utmost substantial platforms for familiarizing the product
within the native marketplace (Scott and Jacka, 2011).
Many business groups tend to contribute their accessible announcement of merchandises and
facilities over social media pages. Individuals by way of the present development do not wish to
track the updates of news report in the categorized method. Consequently, the publicizing
directors are proposing to utilize the data published in Facebook for capturing the consideration
of clients. Alternatively, individuals of some other places go well with other interacting locations
also. Consumers of international zones can acquire the latitude to deliver their specific attitudes
as regards the superiority of services for a precise brand. Siddiqui et al. (2010) discoursed that
corporate experts do not obligate to move anywhere so as to collect indispensable view from the
clienteles. The assortment of target marketplace can similarly be improved through the
implication of social broadcasting.
The influence of social links on business establishments
Rennie and Morrison (2013) remarked that particularly the persons who fit in to the age
assembly of 40 -60 years, may not precisely be conscious of performing their actions through
high-tech method. In this sort of circumstances, social networks turn as a strategic and
undesirable impression on the general production status of the association. All at once, some
distinguished scholars have specified that the common interactive media has developed as a link
between the consumers of diverse topographical marketplaces. Professional groups are bendable
in introducing the brand within the transnational marketplace with the support of social networks
of business communication. Robotically the commercial experts have elevated their target
audience further than reaching the provincial areas. The personnel based on varied line of work
require augmenting their talent and proficiency live as per demands of the enterprise.
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Required benefits and drawbacks of social interacting sites
As highlighted by Slovensky and Ross (2012), communal networking places form the flexible
stand for the functional units to generate delicate outline of individual qualities, identifiable page
besides opportunity for accumulating the responses of clients. The Teams become adapted to
interconnect with varied classes of societies. The shared media has turned out to be the unique
form of foreseeable stages for commercial promotions over and above the corporate expansion.
Contrariwise some business experts believe that social media embrace key weaknesses as well.
Linking with the all-inclusive world
Shared communications has associated the all-inclusive domain within a precise borderline. An
operator of specific form of social broadcasting can interconnect with everyone who aims to
utilize the features of online tools for presenting their brands on top of the merchandises to the
international marketplace. Borgatti, et al. (2013) identified that the intercontinental patrons
inevitably acquire an operative space to afford their feedback concerning the dependability of
yields.
Online Publicity for the global patrons
The online operators may avail the chance of viewing the announcement if the contents are
focused with the key characteristics of products and services. Chen and Bryer (2012) specified
that the marketing and public relations sector ought to emphasize on progressing the information
in such manner that the communities of different physical ages as well as spiritual upbringings
can effortlessly realize the values and significance of buying. The after sales service is
identically imperative while promoting the features of an artifact to the spectators. This provide
them the adequate scope of acquiring the items of their choices.
Buyers’ Reaction
The advertising of the yields and the transaction of the substances concoct the planning of the
communication approaches and the developments of appropriateness. The persuasive activities in
addition to the high-tech pursuits generate the stage of fashioning awareness and familiarity that
associates the clients. The individuals prompt their aspiration through the arrangement of
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announcement perceived in the representations and images that produce constructive or
undesirable interpretations concerning the group and the visible items. The reproduction of the
observable matters harvests exhilaration, curiosity and responsiveness that pulls the invention’s
appeal and reassure them to obtain (Priporas and Vrontis, 2014).
Demerits
Absence of direct interaction:
The customers cannot avail the opportunity of delivering direct response to the dealing sources
of products and functioning services. In accordance with the view of Okazaki and Taylor (2013),
direct communication is decidedly imperative to catch an operational criticism from the
consumers. Societal platform is not capable to bring together the honest and sincere opinion from
the clients as every remark is visibly available
Cyber bulling and illegitimate actions
The social networking sites can produce harassment with maltreatment of individual details
published in the sites (Dabner 2012). The individuals of diverse backgrounds irrespective of
geographical divisions, age, racism, culture etc. are unsecured in by means of the shared
networking sites
Manipulating young group triggering limited customers
The individuals belonging to diverse age assembly are not perfectly familiarized with the
expansion of technological tools. Hence, business establishments attempt to grab the
responsiveness of consumers of younger generation instead of varied age-groups of different
physical locations across the world.
Need of satisfactory technological paraphernalia
It has been experimented that business establishments exclusively the SMEs occasionally fail to
provide the appropriate design social networking sites for to communicate. Nevertheless,
personnel do not possess the chance to mature their high-tech skill owing to the nonexistence of
applicable equipment at the workstation. The, services ought to be reliant on head on interaction,
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direct advertising and so forth. Technological apparatus empower the institute in preserving
modern forms of communication and obtain an instantaneous reply from the purchaser service
sources.
Figure: Customer’s perception of Social Media
(Source: McCurdy, 2012)
Lack of economic strength
Economy stands as the substantial aspect constructed on the regularity of professional expansion.
In accordance with the estimation of Borgatti et al. (2013), marketing directors ought to invest
suitable financial plan for the industrial up gradation. The clienteles belonging to worldwide
marketplaces would be conscious of the varieties of branded products.
Research Questions
Primary Question
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Customer
complaint
s
Consumer
Loyalty
Professed
quality
Client
expectation
Purchaser
Fulfillmen
t
Perceived
Value

 What are the operative measures of the advantages and disadvantages using social links
of interaction in business?
Secondary Questions
 What are the significant characteristics of Social media?
 How can the individuals’ awareness of the products and services marketed and promoted
through the social media?
 What are the issues of public actions in using social networking sites for business drive in
the industrialized sector?
 What are the suitable recommendations to meet the challenges?
Research Design and Methodology
Qualitative research
Reliability and Validity of Data
The researcher should maintain research ethics. The examiner ensures that the composed data
drives to be used merely for the investigation and it will not be circulated elsewhere. The validity
as well as reliability of the composed information is gathered from the selected associates of the
exploration. The responses from the marketing managers are accumulated and are assumed to
provide the genuineness and instructions of secrecy of organizations (Toloie-Eshlaghy et al.
2014)
Sampling and Sample Size
Non-probability sampling, with convenience technique will be employed to indicate 3
“marketing officials of Commonwealth Bank, Australia” to play a part in the Conference.
Data Collection
Qualitative statistics will be accumulated by leading a telephonic interview of 4 marketing
managers of Commonwealth Bank, Australia.
Quantitative research
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Research Design
There are illustrious approaches of research design appropriate for examining and practically
employed by the researcher. These are classified as Exploratory and Explanatory plus
Descriptive. Exploratory plan of study happens “in case analyses” wherever it might be aptly
carried on to productively perform the research actions. Explanatory research follows in the
circumstance where the investigator may not be able to fix the goals and intentions for the
investigative predictions of research expansion (Bernard, 2011). The strategy of descriptive
pattern marks to right govern the research actions centered on the robust underpinning of pre-
defined objectives. Here, the researcher targets to involve the Descriptive form of investigation.
Research Instrument
Statistical and numerical analysis through Excel sheet and SPSS software
Quantitative Data Analysis Process
In the present study, the investigator will amass quantitative facts by issuing online survey
forms (through Face Book) to 70 clients of Commonwealth Bank, Australia
Sampling and Simple Size
The researcher will practice probability sampling with simple random technique to choose 55
clients to join in survey.
Interviewing and Questionaries’ Design
The investigator disseminated the quantitative questionnaires to the clienteles and collected the
quantitative figures. There are close ended Questions based on Likhert scale to acquire higher
measures of replies when operators don’t need to express many words. Similarly, responses to
closed-ended queries can be examined statistically,
Reliability and Validity of Data
The researcher assures the reliability and validity of information to handle the requisite data
composed from the magnitude of designated sample of the patrons. The researcher set the
quantitative questionnaire accomplishes the inspection of the emotional state and judgments
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concerning the feedback toward the confident measures adjusted for media publicity by the
organization (Rosengren et al. 2013).
Research Limitations
The clienteles may not deliver current the precise information to uphold the confidentiality and
discretion of the practical actions. . Further limitations display the deficiency of adequate
economic possessions and time.
Time Schedule (Research plan)
Main Objectives 1st
week
2nd
to3rdweek
4th & 5th
week
6th week 7th & 8th
week
9th
to10thweek
Choice of the Topic 
Literature Appraisal 
Research Methodology 
Gathering of Secondary
Data

Assortment of Primary
Records

Assessment and findings
of Figures

Presumption/Conclusive
part

Recommendation 
Final
plan

Conclusion
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There remains an incessant demand and contentment of the judgments, determination and
achievement. There exists a want of higher service with diverse guidelines, directions and tools
of the conveyance of rapid arrangements of the efficient activities for the proliferation of the
items predestined to work for the elementary requirements. There ought to be regularity in the
appropriate, farsighted and diagnostic sustenance of the dimension of the purchaser performance.
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References
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Bernard, H. R. (2011) Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative
Approaches. 5th ed. Plymouth: Alta Mira Press.
Bian, X. and Moutinho, L. (2011) Consumer Behavior, Branding and Counterfeiting. 4th ed. New
York: Business Expert Press.
Borgatti, S.P., Everett, M.G. and Johnson, J.C., (2013). Analyzing social networks. SAGE
Publications Limited.
Boulding, W., Staelin, R., Ehret, M. and Johnston, W. J. (2010). “A customer relationship
management roadmap: what is known, potential pitfalls, and where to go”. Journal of Marketing,
69(4), pp. 155–166
Chen, B. and Bryer, T., (2012). Investigating instructional strategies for using social media in
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Learning, 13(1), pp.87-104.
Chopra, R. and Gajjala, R. (2012). Global Media, Culture, and Identity. Hoboken: Taylor and
Francis
Commbank.com.au. (2017). Personal banking including accounts, credit cards and home loans -
CommBank. [online] Available at: https://www.commbank.com.au/ [Accessed 04 Oct. 2017].
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earthquake response to inform educational design with Facebook. The Internet and Higher
Education, 15(1), pp.69-78.
Hayes, J. and Dredge, F. (2010) Marketing andCustomer Behaviour. 3rd ed. London: Harvester
Wheatsheaf.
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Healey, J. (2011). Social impacts of digital media. Thirroul, N.S.W.: Spinney Press
McCurdy, P. (2012). Social Movements, Protest and Mainstream Media. Sociology Compass,
6(3), pp.244-255.
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behaviour. European Journal of Marketing, 47(5/6), pp.857-876.
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Appendix 1
Types of Social media
(Source: Persson, 2013, pp-860)
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Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
Flickr
Websites
Social Media
Facebook
Blogs

Appendix 2
Social Development cycle
(Source: Helkkula and Kelleher, 2010, pp - 40).
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Organization, Resources
and people
Measuring
Success
Strategies and
Development
Readiness to
engage
Monitor and
measure
Media Landscape
Channels and
depth of
Agreement
Implementation
Channel Action plans

Appendix 3
Most Popular networking sites
(Source: http://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-
global-social-media-research/)
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