For many organizations the alignment between social media and organizational culture is a massive challenge because these two concepts do not match in general. The integration of social media in organizations demands preliminary change-oriented cultures which, however, often have inflexible structures that prevent changes. In this thesis, there will be an investigation on the effect of social media integration on the organizational culture by use of literature review, with a special focus on the internal communication within organizations. This thesis first defines the term of social media which are very up-to-date but which are used in many cases so that a differentiated point of view has to be taken. In almost the same manner, the term organizational culture is described. This concept, however, is underestimated because the majority of people do not think of an organizational culture when looking at an organization, but they are rather profit-oriented. Thus, it is crucial to consider this social aspect of an organization. The thesis investigates this concept critically. One of the concerned elements in consequence of the combination between social media and organizational culture is the communication within an organization. An integration of social media technologies has influence on both the internal and external communication. To that effect, changes, consequences, and opportunities of social media integration the context of organizational culture are analyzed and discussed in this thesis. Therefore, the critical analysis of the subject provides an assessment and serves as a basis for the consideration of the effect of social media integration on the organizational culture.
Social media may have beneficial outcomes for the organizational culture. Hence, organizational performance and job satisfaction, which are both closely related to organizational culture, are likely to increase. This is because e.g. the chance for work groups is provided by social media to organize themselves efficiently, although the members of the group might avoid each other at the workplace. Nevertheless, using social media also entails risks for the organizational culture. These risks are likely to weaken job satisfaction of employees and, thus, also the organizational culture. One example is the abuse of social media by employees in order to argue or to develop riots at worst.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Aim of the thesis
1.2 State of research
1.3 Research method
1.4 Process of the thesis
2 Basic terms
2.1 Social Media
2.2 Organizational Culture
2.3 Communication
3 Social Media and Organizational Culture - Impact on the Internal Communication
3.1 Changes
3.2 Consequences
3.3 Opportunities
4 Discussion
5 Conclusion and Outline
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this thesis is to critically investigate the influence of social media integration on organizational culture, with a specific focus on its impact on internal communication within organizations. The research examines how social media technologies affect existing hierarchical structures and interpersonal communication, exploring both the benefits and potential risks associated with this digital shift.
- The role of social media in modern organizational environments
- Analysis of organizational culture as a framework for change
- Impact of social media on internal communication and employee interaction
- Challenges and opportunities regarding transparency and digital integration
- Strategies for managing social media adoption and employee engagement
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Consequences
As consequences of social media integration it needs to be considered that organizational culture, social media, and communication have to be combined. Culture in general, therefore also organizational culture, can be transported by language (Hein 2008, p. 346). Language in turn, as explained in chapter 2.3, is a means of information transfer so that the receiver of a message has the ability to decode it. In this context, the task, the introduction of social media, requires a change-process and especially launching the change-process is a challenge (Terbuyken 2010, p. 153).
Regarding the internal communication, the intranet has the duty of a mainstay, although nowadays the intranet of many organizations is not used by the employees due to old uninteresting, and non-user-friendly contents (Terbuyken 2010, p. 153). This leads to the assignment of improving the intranet performance as well as to foster the employee enthusiasm to use the intranet – these two assignments are part of the change-process (Terbuyken 2010, p. 154).
A possible solution of increasing the intranet performance is the integration of blogs (Terbuyken 2010, p. 154). Here, the dialogue oriented medium as well as the limited access affect the employees reasonably so that they can exchange contents and educate themselves (Terbuyken 2010, p. 154). The dialogue is provided by the opportunities for readers to comment on the blog in order to exchange their views (Peters 2011, p. 90). Furthermore, the integration of wikis within the intranet influences the use of the intranet positively because employees are able to share knowledge about products and experiences with commercial partners (Terbuyken 2010, p. 154). However, the articles in wikis are assessed critically so that they have to be written objectively and conscientiously (Terbuyken 2010, p. 154). In contrast to wikis, blogs are more subjective,
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the aim of the thesis, establishes the current state of research, and outlines the research methodology based on literature review.
2 Basic terms: This section provides a foundation for the study by defining core concepts including social media, organizational culture, and communication.
3 Social Media and Organizational Culture - Impact on the Internal Communication: This central chapter investigates the interplay between social media and corporate environments, focusing on resulting changes, consequences, and opportunities.
4 Discussion: A critical appraisal of the previously identified changes and consequences, addressing the risks and requirements for a successful integration.
5 Conclusion and Outline: This chapter summarizes the main findings and provides an outlook on future trends like BYOD and the evolving nature of social media in organizations.
Keywords
Social Media, Organizational Culture, Internal Communication, Web 2.0, Change Management, User Generated Content, Employee Satisfaction, Organizational Performance, Digital Natives, Intranet, Collaboration, Transparency, Corporate Communication, Digital Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on the integration of social media within organizations and its subsequent effect on the existing organizational culture, specifically examining internal communication processes.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key topics include the definition of social media versus traditional communication, the challenges of adapting corporate culture to digital tools, and the influence of these tools on employee motivation and organizational efficiency.
What is the central research question?
The work investigates the changes, consequences, and opportunities that emerge when social media technologies are integrated into an organization's internal communication framework.
Which scientific method is applied in this research?
The research is based on a comprehensive literature review, synthesizing existing academic contributions and industry observations.
What is the main topic of the central chapter?
Chapter 3 centers on the practical impacts of social media on internal communication, categorizing them into structural changes, specific consequences, and new opportunities for corporate collaboration.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
The paper is characterized by terms such as organizational culture, social media integration, internal communication, digital strategy, and employee engagement.
How does social media affect the relationship between employees and management?
Social media can blur the lines between private and professional life, potentially leading to risks such as unauthorized data dissemination or organized employee dissent, but it also offers opportunities for improved transparency and identification with the company.
What role does the "intranet" play in the author's analysis?
The author identifies the intranet as a traditional mainstay for internal communication that requires revitalization through the integration of modern tools like blogs and wikis to foster employee participation.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Mohamed Asad (Autor:in), 2013, Social Media and Organizational Culture, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/267956
