Cornelissen (2008) defines interior marketing communications as "communication with employees internally within the organization" (pg195) He also proceeded to go further to state that the emergence of new inventions in technology like internet blogs and e-mails has progressed into messages not merely been limited to the confine of any office, but have faded the boundaries between inside and external marketing communications. This means the actual fact that employees can now deliver information about a business or perhaps a co-employee electronically to outdoor stakeholders. . . . . . . . . . . . and they can reveal their views and post their grievances as well as organise and demand action from the organization. With usage of email, weblogs and public networking sites for sharing corporate information, many employees become corporate communications professionals themselves.
Before the advancement of World Wide Web, media communication as method of mass communication was to a huge extent one-sided. Newspaper publishers were written by some individuals and read by thousands; television set programmes (including reports and documentaries) were created by some individuals and watched by thousands; catalogs were typically written by one individual and read by thousands. Internal marketing communications was no different. Staff newsletters were typically produced by a handful of employees and disseminated to the complete workforce.
The advancement of Web 2 2. 0, which helped bring with it a clutch of new technologies such as networks, blogs, etc. , improved this dynamics of few-to-many communication. These new systems allowed everyone to take part in the discussion. Out of the blue, communication had not been 'communication' whatsoever; it became 'discourse' i. e in one way to two way approach to communication. This is a fundamental move in perspective. At work, the tasks and explicit electricity of the players however have not changed. The employers remain the employers with the power to hire and fire employees; the employees remain employees who are bound by their work contracts with their employers and are most times to be seen and not noticed. Hence it is interesting to look at if there's been an alteration in the type of interior communication within the workplace consequently of the advancement of the new media.
This paper efforts to look at the ways that each new major technology has evolved the nature of internal communications, and concludes with a view towards the future.
2. 0 New Multimedia inside the Workplace
Holtz (2006) highlights that any technology that becomes a commonly used tool on the Internet will see its ways onto Intranets. There's always a lag between the popular adoptions of the new technology and the adoption of the technology by companies. Holtz is also of the judgment that this is basically because "business leaders have a tendency to dismiss new systems with contempt, browsing them as only diversions for youngsters and computer nerds". (pg22). These business leaders will eventually visit a different side to this as the functions between the old and new mass media is actually changing, or must i say have altered? Companies used to count on the intranet and e-mails to communicate with their employees, so also in person, but with the emergence and infiltration of new multimedia into people's lives, communication has taken a completely different form, which is bound to improve in years to come.
According to Henneman 2010, Gartner Inc, a research and advisory firm have predicted that social networking will replace email as the primary form of communication for 20% of business users by 2014.
2. 1 Instant Messaging
A prime exemplory case of this is the use of instant messaging. Initially no corporate and business use of instant messaging was found to be suitable. However, as the technology started out to be used increasingly more widely, it started to be implemented by firms. Today instant messaging can be used by a huge amount of companies to provide customer support, and to aid internal communications. Within the organization network, especially within large organizations, instant messaging signifies a non-intrusive way two employees can talk. If two employees speak over the phone, the conversation may not be private because it is conducted within an office cubicle where interactions are easily over head. Instant messaging on the other hands allows two employees to talk without making any sound whatsoever, and then the conversation can stay private. Instant messaging also allows these two employees to talk without moving from other cubicle.
Isaacs et al (2002) realize that public use of instant messaging (IM) has a rather different nature set alongside the use of instant messaging in the workplace. They discover that whilst social use of IM is brief, quick and the users multitask when chatting using IM. Press switching is also quite typical. However, the utilization of IM in the workplace is slightly much longer, and therefore much like other impromptu discussions such as face to face conversations, phone calls, etc. Media switching was also not common. Two main varieties of use could be recognized, namely working jointly and coordinating. Working together involved the utilization of IM For a number of collaborative activities, such as multipurpose discussions. The discussions are rather strong, with threading of the announcements. Pairs of employees who interact have a tendency to use IM more frequently, and for working together. The use of IM for coordinating on the other side is often with the aim of scheduling connections in other mediums. The interactions here are slow paced, with fewer and longer changes and little threading and multitasking. Cameron and Webster (2004) find that the success of the utilization of IM is determined by whether a critical mass of users has been proven. They also find that employees use IM as a replacement for other communication mass media and also as yet another method for attaining others. Both Cameron and Webster (ibid) and Herbsleb et al (2002) realize that IM is employed in internal communication where informal communication generally occurs.
2. 2 Social Networking - Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Skeels and Grudin (2009) record that the use of internet sites websites are increasing at work. They opine that the type useful of social media in the workplace, the impact of this use on productivity, and the type of any progression in enterprise-friendly use are all open questions. Their research finds that the use of internet sites often creates tensions which span social categories and the organisation's firewall, That is to say, the impact of the use of networks can offer an affect not only on the inner marketing communications but also on the image and business of the organisation externally. Furthermore, they realize that the utilization of social networking websites have only fragile ties to production.
2. 3 Blogging and Micro-blogging
Ehrlich and Shami (2010) study the utilization of micro-blogging in the workplace and discover that confidentiality issues independent micro-blogging inside the workplace and outside the office. Micro-blogging was however relatively trusted, for the next main purposes:
Conversation and help from colleagues - inner micro-blogging allowed the employees to own conversations with their colleagues in an environment that was perceived to be familial. As the discussions were held within the organization boundaries, they thought that constructive criticism could be voiced, and also to seek for help. The sense of belonging to the organisation also gave some employees an obligation to help others and actively search for co-workers who needed help.
Real time information writing and consciousness - Among the main great things about interior micro-blogging was that it allowed employees to get information in real time. It allowed for the free sharing of information as well as ideas.
Reputation management - The authors of articles in the micro-blogging also attemptedto utilize this activity as a method of reputation management. They shared information that was useful to a wide variety of people not only with the desire to help their audience but also with a desire to improve their reputation as access the latest information.
Feeling linked - micro-blogging helped create a sense of interconnectedness and familiarity, especially amidst mobile workers. This was partly because micro-blogging didn't focus solely on work-related subject areas but also included personal issues.
2. 4 Wikis
Hilska (n. d. ) examines the consequences of the execution of a wiki-based intranet. He detects that wikis have multifarious uses in such a work environment such as writing the minutes of meetings, publication of information and announcements, task management, job management, documents, for use as home pages for individuals, departments and work teams, etc. Wikis therefore can be reported to be used for both internal communication as well as collaborative work. He also finds that there is too much to be gained from the use of wikis, such as permitting people to participate in internal communication, participate in collaborative projects, show information, look for information from fellow workers, and manage work. Wikis also help easy authorship by all the employees in an organisation. The primary disadvantage of using wikis that was determined is that it was difficult to acquire relevant or more currently information.
3. 0 Discussion
Fidler (1997) points out that the rise of the new multimedia is but one influx of change among many others that contain occurred before. He factors to the changes in communication that may be traced again from enough time of recorded record, including the technology of the telegram message, the technology of the telephone, the printing press, etc. In every of these changes that contain been presented into communication, it can be said that the theory of survival and delayed adoption has kept true. The various forms of press, as well as mass media enterprises will change and evolve in response to the changing environment, usually they will become extinct. The types of communication will evolve, in a way that the older varieties of communication won't be used. The telegram for example, became quite irrelevant when telephones were created and widely implemented. As VoIP (Tone over Internet Protocol) technology matures and becomes more usable, the migration of users to the Internet may well render the telephone obsolete. The Iphone for example facilitates videoconferencing between users immediately using the Internet. This technology is therefore already sufficiently mature and established. What remains is for the adoption of the technology and cross--network adoption of common protocols.
The main question that arises from the talk above is, as the type of communication has evolved from a few-to-many style of communication to a debate in which a sizable segment of the original 'audience' participate in the communication, how has the mother nature of communication in the workplace changed?
Lengel and Daft (1989) make the important point that the selection of medium of communication has an impact on this is of the meaning. This collaborates with other findings mentioned above that IM is generally preferred for casual communication.
Holtz (2006) also points out that the staff is not only an employee 24/7; he's also a customer, shareholder, etc. Hence inside commercial communication cannot continually be recognized from external corporate and business communication. Indeed the use of the new media for whistleblowing and activism is high (Walter, 2009).
The author will abide by van Dijk (2006, pg. 240) who suggests that new marketing has the effect of organising the entities engaged in the communication or dialogue. As the advertising facilitates both general population and private conversations, the choice of medium of communication reflects the desire of the initiator of the communication to really have the items of the chat be general public, or maintained private. Furthermore, new media always provides an electric record of the communication. This facilitates the verification of the note and authorship of the communication. This helps to provide composition to the assortment of people who collectively use the mass media. Within corporate conditions, it could be seen that organisations which may have a relatively chiseled structure generally employ new advertising to a larger degree than those that have a rigid and bureaucratic structure. The flat structure allows for wide open communication, and the consequent creation of societal structures by using new mass media. It encourages participation and connection by starting a door of opportunity for employees to speak their intellects.
Rooksby et al (2009) provide a great overview of the use of new marketing in the workplace. They describe that internally new media technologies are often used to locate the individual who know the response to a question, somewhat than to get the response to the question itself. One of the reasons for this could be that as the current economic climate becomes more and more knowledge based, the answers that are looked for could be implicit knowledge rather than codified. This use of new marketing for expertise finding represents a chance for folks in the organisations to share their expertise. This in turn helps organisational learning, knowing and judging people's competencies, the creation of ad hoc teams to solve time-critical problems, and generally producing communal capital.
They further make clear that information itself is not really a scare resource any longer, but time and attention are. Social networking technologies help people deal with information overload by finding the right person, way to obtain help. These solutions help people become linked, and to promote and take in information. Therefore leads them to create social connections, fulfilling the individuals need to hook up to the people in their vicinity.
Rooksby et al (2009) declare that public capital is difficult to quantify; it is also difficult to identify its exact influence on the productivity of an organisation. However, the forming of social connections that is facilitated by the interpersonal networking technologies helps to build trust, reciprocity, and understanding between the workers in an organisation. That is clearly very important for the success of the company.
Cornelissen (2008, pg. 194) explains that organisations require employees to cooperate to be able to achieve the company's goals. Today's organisations tend to be large firms with a big number of employees. These employees are frequently necessary to perform highly specialised jobs, leading to efficiency payoffs. These tasks however need to be coordinated, such that together they create value for the company. The organisation has to balance its needs as well as the needs of its employees in order to ensure that they remain stimulated and happy. Internal communication therefore functions a number of purposes, such as to fulfil the needs of the employees.
Raeth et al (2010) narrate that the pattern of adoption of new mass media serves as a having three distinctive phases, namely the theory phase, the project phase and the use and impact stage. The idea period is when the theory for the development and deployment of new technology is put forward inside the company. This idea period moves forward when you can find support from management, proper justification for the task, financing, etc. When development is set up, then your adoption of the new technology is thought to proceed to the project period. Here the genuine system is developed and deployed. When it's followed by the get ranking and record employees, then the adoption is known as to have relocated to the use and impact period. In this stage, the new systems are widely-used, and the benefits are facilitated by training, communication and advocation. There is also analysis as to whether the systems are successful in attaining the desired goals.
Rooksby et al (2009) also highlight that you of the major problems associated with the use of interpersonal press is time losing. The time spent by employees in networks is not necessarily productive, which may lead to significant thrown away time. Furthermore, there are also concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of information that is shared on new multimedia technologies, such as sites and social networking websites. In office uses, there is a similar matter about the maintenance of confidentiality of information.
Cornelissen (2008, pg. 194) points out that new mass media technologies have dished up to blur the boundaries between inner and external communications. Which means that the communications that would otherwise have remained within the organisation are sometimes disseminated beyond your organisation.
4. 0 Conclusion
The writer contends that new marketing has indeed transformed society, and consequently the nature of internal communications, as referred to by Popp (2009). As the world has become more and more globalised, this is reflected in the changes in contemporary society where people have friends and family all around the globe. New multimedia facilitates connections between these folks in considerably flung geographical areas.
Herman and McChesney (2001) rightly declare that communication is now more important in today's globalised economy. World is also changing, as it is now more open up, democratic and activist in nature. New marketing has certainly been a facilitating factor to the change, but it is important to notice that world itself could be thought to have been ready for change. Without this, new media alone would not have had the opportunity to benefit any change. The writer opines that consistent with these changes in the wider modern culture, an identical change in inner communications (in the delayed adoption fashion) is also already occurring. New organisations tend to have a flat framework, which is more democratic. The usage of social mass media for internal marketing communications permits the effective communication of employees in way flung physical locations. A best example of this is actually the organisation which supports one of the very most well known open up source databases on the globe, MySQL. The employees in this organisation are scattered all around the globe, and also have to count on new marketing for communication. The surge of democracy can be thought to coincide with the go up in organisations with a set structure. For these reasons, it could be said that the changes inside the work place reflection the changes in wider population to a large level, with a delay. The brand new media will indeed bring a number of advantages to the organization entity, just like they do to the wider culture, such as creating interactions, enabling collaboration and communication, etc.
Klopper (2010) also expresses that internal marketing communications tools create the opportunity for employees to not only ask questions but to answer them, increasing their awareness as an influencer in their niche categories. He identifies a report done by IBM which looked at over 5000 posts by their workers who use an interior IBM micro-blog called blue twit which though a lot like twitter but can only be utilized internally, it was revealed that employees benefitted as they saw their conversation on bluetwit as "family talk" because users could constructively criticise company products. Because of this, people were in a position to utilize this tool to engage in a two way communication.
Hence in conclusion, it's been noted that the 'new multimedia' of the past is the 'old mass media' of today. Change is inevitable, and it has been seen that interior communications within the place of work often is commonly a representation of the overall nature of communications in the wider modern culture, and has helped companies recognise the actual fact that they need to keep changing in order to meet or surpass their competitors and in so doing not lose manpower and company reputation credited to lack of employee proposal. Hayes (2010) records that some organizations probably neglect to recognise the need for change until they have got little choice but to react to an unforeseen situation.
Naslund (2010) believes that communal media and areas are as distinctive as the businesses in which they exist. . . . . . . . Certainly building internal communities and introducing public advertising initiatives can be a powerful method in building the brand, exchange ideas, discuss openly and encourage employee engagement and discussion, it is also a new and refined method of figuring out with the energetic society which have been created within the company, so also an influential means of re-instating the reality that employees make up the construction of the company.
