Contents

Introduction 1 Usefulness of Facebook for the organisation 2 Ethical implications of using this technology 4 Code of Practice of using Facebook in an Organisation 6 Conclusion 8 Bibliography 9 Appendix 10 Step by Step Creating an account in Facebook 10

Introduction

In 21st century continues it is increasingly hard to imagine how business can be conducted without the Internet and its features. Creating a business pages in internet has become an essential marketing and advertising tool for any type of businesses. May companies along with their own websites have attempted to engage themselves in the social networking such as Facebook. The Facebook is one of highly successful social networking websites in the world. For the company it is very important for continues success to walk in one step with new technologies used in the business. The purpose of this report is explain how Facebook can be used by company called “Irina’s Boutique” which have a shops in Ireland selling high quality clothes, shoes and bags manufactured in Ireland as well as abroad and is providing high quality service for the customers. After in this report will be discussed ethical implications of using this type of technology and then listed some main points regarding to the code of practice of using the Facebook within the company. Also this report will examine advantages and disadvantes of creating a business page in Facebook. In appendix of this report will be attached step by step manual for creating a business page in Facebook.

Usefulness of Facebook for the organisation

Facebook is a social networking service which is owned and operated by Facebook, Inc. Today Facebook has millions of users. These users can create profiles with photos, lists of personal interests, contact information, and other personal information. Users can communicate with friends and other users through private or public messages and a chat feature. To allay concerns about privacy, Facebook enables users to choose their own privacy settings and choose who can see specific parts of their profile who not. But nowadays Facebook is used not just to stay in touch with friends, colleagues and family but also it used by firms as a highly effective business tool because today this website is used by over 600m of users around all world and for even small company it is a chance to become recognizable for bigger audience. Also it is cheap way to stay in contact with existing customers and gain new customers. Also by creating business account company will have a chance to promote their products and inform them about any changes or news, send vouchers, gift card booklets, etc. Also creating account in Facebook it will allow to do marketing research much faster in cheaper, for example can provide surveys, forums for existing or new customer or even first time visitors which may help business to find its advantages or disadvantages or even more to help make some changes which will give a chance to attract more customers. Therefore it is very important for any business to succeed hear the message from customers and analyse it. To provide surveys in shop is time consuming and it takes some expenses and there is a high risk that many people will be not interested in surveys in shop at the time when they are shopping. But when they are entering on created account they can read new about shop and may complete questionnaires or surveys or allow them leave their feedback about their experience in the shop, were they happy with service that they received or not. Any customer likes when he/she feels that his/her opinion is very important for place where he/she buys goods. Another advantage of Facebook for business is that it is the fastest way of dissemination of information about company by users themselves other words saying as a virus marketing, where users inform other users by recommendations. Also Facebook account will help not just understand what audience likes or dislikes about organisation but also will provide you with information about your potential customers – their age, interests and wants. This information may be used by organisation to analyse the main company’s strategy.
Recruitment sometimes it can be expensive and time consuming way, because advertisements in newspapers are expensive but notes given on display not always attracts the best employees but using Facebook interested people may send or complete application form true the account created in Facebook.
There are a lot of advantages of creating the business account in Facebook but also there may occur some disadvantages such us; if company will create bad layout or will provide not correct feedback for audience, company will receive bad feedback also reputation and as result will lose potential customers. Also we cannot forget about competition. Competitors under other names of users may leave very bad feedback or lie about their experience which will be read by other users and their opinions about the shop may be affected by these “wrong” feedbacks. According to journalist Mark Sweney (Friday 3 August 2012) article in website called guardian.co.uk in Facebook ther are created approximately 83m fake profiles.
Also if company will use this page just for promoting the product, with main interest sell as much as possible it will not work well for company because this page’s background should be mostly concentrated for creating a friendship with potential and existing customers.

Ethical implications of using this technology

Ethics are very important for business because ethical behavior can attract significant benefits for company. Where unethical behavior, may damage a company’s reputation and make it less fascinating to stakeholders. If company decides to use technology such a Facebook it is very important to maintain ethics in the created company’s page in Facebook. Therefore if company will fail to stay ethical regarding to stakeholders organisation will have a bad reputation and as result will lose a potential customers.
When use such type of technology it is necessary to analyse and check all information which will be showed in page as it shouldn’t contain any discriminating factors and any pictures displayed with customers or employees without their permission. There is important point to remember that Facebook is worldwide website and information may be read and understood in different ways.
Also the page must be monitored day to day because any information displayed which is out of date (e.g. price reductions) is illegal and also is misleading page’s visitors and potential customers which can be described as an unethical attitude to them. Not less important is to create good atmosphere in page that all visitors would feel as a valued part of an organisation. There is no any point of creating very fashion and featured page if contents will damage stakeholders and they will find that it is unethically to them.
Other ethical implications regarding to use of the Facebook is that all private and protected information can be monitored by people and seen by people for whom it was never intended (hackers). There is a high risk in internet today of hackers attacks and it is another unethical point which must be taken an account.
Other point is that information or pictures or videos can be misunderstood by visitors because everyone may have different point of view for the same thing.
Any forums created in the Facebook business page shouldn’t have any bad lexicon used but there is a risk that some visitors may use “bad language” which may have a bad result in future dialogue. To avoid everything mentioned above the code of practice in the organisation must be created. Business page can be created such design that may be unsuitable for kids, people with disabilities its mean that business page is not looking after all possible visitors and it may have disrepute for the company because can be understood as an unethical behavior to the stakeholders.
Other ethical implication of using Facebook is that any important internal company’s information may become available for people and unwanted media. Other words saying unwanted information may become available for unwanted people.
To avoid any unethical implications using Facebook there must be created a code of practice for employees to provide give them some rules that may avoid any future problems regarding to business page in Facebook.

Code of Practice of using Facebook in an Organisation

As I mentioned before Facebook is very popular website used by thousand or even millions of people and there is a chance that some or maybe all of your employees is using it.
Employees working in an organisation must have some rules and idea of how to use the organisation’s business page in Facebook. And ther are some point which must be listed in a code of practice regarding to the business page in Facebook:

* Anything you write or receive via the company’s business page is the property of the company and can be monitored and viewed by the managers. * All information such as news, pictures, videos or other information displayed in the page must be agreed with manager and therefore with directors. Remember all misleading information will affect company’s reputation. * A typographical errors or grammatical errors are not pleasing to the eye and certainly do not make a good impression to thevisitors. Spell check must be used. * Everyone must refrain of sending anything that is not appropriate for an all-ages and sex audience also anything that shows obvious disrespect of other people. * Business page must not be used for any illegal or unethical purposes and should not generally be used for entertaining or personal use. * An ignorance of the regulations and guidelines regarding to use of the business page in Facebook is not acceptable. * If an employees are authorised individually to use the company’s business page. They are responsible for the content and use of their own accounts. Users are responsible for all activities carried out under their account. * Employees must take adequate precautions to protect the page from malicious software (viruses) * Employees must not undertake any actions that would bring the company into disrepute or in a worst scenario to a court. * Company expects every employee, to conduct themselves according to consistently high professional and ethical standards. * Any company’s private information must not be displayed in the business page. * Any questions regarding to the business page must be asked the company’s managers. * Any internal information regarding to directors, managers and colleagues must not appear on the business page.

Conclusion

The report discussed usefulness of acebook in an organisation by looking at main advantages and disadvantages of its use. Also covered very important topics such as ethical implications and code of practice within company; which cannot be missed regarding to decision create a business account in Facebook.

Bibliography

Appendix
Step by Step Creating an account in Facebook

After all advantages and disadvantages listed we can see that account in Facebook can give different opportunities for company’s success. Account in Facebook can be created in two different ways one is create account a an user and then create account as a business or create a business account.
How to create business account in Facebook and code of practice. 1. Step
Create a page from six options

For Local business or place choose first option buy pressing on first window or for company, organisation or institution choose second option. We will go with first one firstly. There you will be required to choose the type of business and write company’s name and address details. Then after reading thick a box that agree with Facebook Pages Terms. Then press button get started.

Then you will be linked to the next step of creating a Facebook account. Where you will be asked questions about your existing account on Facebook (if you have it) or create a new one if you do not have it by a ticking right box. After you will be asked to give your email address and create new password, provide date of birth and then tick the box – I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. After press button Sign up Now!

If there will be any problem there is a chance to Check out for help pages. After all completed press Sign Up Now and you will be linked to the next step.

This step requires confirmation of your email address it can be as personal email address as well as company’s email address. Next step is to go to registered email address with Facebook: 1. Open incoming mail from Facebook 2. Press on link

After pressing this link you will be delivered to the Facebook page where you will have a chance to modify your page by uploading public picture from computer or from website.

Press upload from computer and choose required picture for profile.

Then press button next and continue with creating an account.
After you will be required to describe your page, where also you will be able to add another web page such as an original company’s registered webpage. Then press button Safe Info also you have a chance to skip this step if you don’t want to provide information asked.

If there will appear any questions or problem there is a chance always to contact the Help Center. Then press button Safe Info and you will be linked to your page.

On this step you can manage your page and make any changes such as : * Status * Add photos of your products * Inform about any events such as shows, charity etc. * Can see received messages from users * Can write messages to users
This page can be edited:
Also this page is designed that you just need use its features; this page can help gain new audience by inviting existing email contacts or create an Ad

I there is any questions or problems always there is a chance to visit help Center, send feedback or get a help how to start modify this page.

Help Center will help your design and modify the page using features such as: * Get Started * Manage Your Account * Security * Privacy * News Feed (Home) * Timeline * Sharing * Messaging * Connecting * Popular Features * Facebook Mobile * Apps, Games & Credits * Managing a Page * Ads & Sponsored Stories * Report Something * Community Forum

Setting will help manage general information such as email address and password, language.

Manage security settings.

Also you can allow subscribers -with subscribers, you can connect with more than just friends (existing users) also other adds such as gifts, apps and payments.

After all changes done, your page is modified and it looks organized and clear understandable for everybody, you need advertise your page that everybody would have a chance access you page. But it is not enough just to create an account in Facebook and leave it this page must be monitored on everyday’s base, because people (users) who will leave messages they will look for feedback from shop management and if they will not receive it they will be unsatisfied and it is very bad for shop’s reputation other words saying this account must be monitored at all the times.