General Benefits of Social Media, Cloud and Security - Asian Agri - Case Study Example

Information Management Contents Executive Summary 3 General Benefits of Social Media, Cloud and Security 3 Asian Agri 5 Adaptation of Social Media 5 Adaptation of Cloud Computing 7 Security Measures 8 Conclusion 9 Reference List 10 Executive Summary This report elaborates information about the social media and cloud computing and the selective adaptation of the same by the executives and employees of Asian Agri. It highlights on the disadvantages of social media and cloud computing as well as the obstacles that can be mitigated successfully with proper security measures. Proper usage of social media and maintenance of its own database can enable the company to maintain healthy bonds with the employees within the organization, save time, create base for smooth communication and increase organizational competitiveness and profitability. The report will highlight details about the benefits and drawbacks of social media in details. General Benefits of Social Media, Cloud and Security Social media can be defined as a means of interaction among people, where they share, create or exchange ideas and information over virtual networks and communities (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). It facilitates highly interactive platform with the use of web based and mobile technologies. The social media has successfully created an entirely new landscape for communication (Kshetri, 2010). There exists a diverse and rich ecology in the various social media sites varying in terms of functionality and scope (Kshetri, 2010). There are few sites that are directed at general use and few others for professional purposes. The ones for general use are Friendster, Hi5 and the most significant one is Facebook (Marston, et al., 2011). LinkedIn is a professional network. Besides that, there are media sharing sites such as, YouTube, MySpace, and Flickr, which concentrate on shared videos. Many organizations use social media to internally interact with the employees, which helps to reduce costs, meet important objectives, stimulate innovation and increase revenue. However, many organizations have failed to use the same efficiently and derive beneficial results. The social media is a great source of building emotional capital within an organization. Emotional capital is emotion based assets developed by a company with the employees over time (Kshetri, 2010). Executives reap real benefits by using social media as a mode to develop emotional capital, thereby leading to a lower turnover, improved flow of information, high employee motivation and collaboration. Also, there are few companies who internally use the social media and fail to utilize it for building emotional capital. The use of social media within an organization can help the executives establish strong bonds with the employees. There are many executives who are reluctant and unable to develop the right strategies or make proper allocation of resources available to efficiently engage with the social media. Many companies even overlook or ignore the opportunities and threats that are presented by inventive consumer. The basic reason for this ineptitude can be related to lack of proper understanding about the social media and its various forms (Kshetri, 2010). Cloud computing is the system that relies on sharing of various resources, as oppose to employing personal devices or local servers to handle various applications (Kshetri, 2010). The aim for the usage of cloud computing is to provide high performance computing power for performing trillions of computation works per second in consumer oriented applications such as, the financial portfolios, delivering personalized information and providing power large or data storage for immersive games on computer. Cloud computing offers multiple benefits to all businesses, thereby enabling them to set up virtual offices and providing with the flexibility to connect the businesses anytime and anywhere. The access to cloud computing is easier now owing to an increase in the number of devices such as, tablets and Smartphone, which are web enabled (Kshetri, 2010). It can easily reduce maintenance and managing costs of the IT systems. Instead of using expensive equipments and systems in business operations, cloud computing can be incorporated to reduce the cost. It cuts down the operating cost and energy costs as well as eliminates the payment of wages to expert staffs, time delays and up-gradation cost of the system, software and hardware. Hence, cloud computing is very cost effective, user friendly and simplifies organizational work load. There are a number of organizations, on the other hand, who avoid using this technology due to lack of knowledge and interest to interact with employees and share company data with the outsiders (Kshetri, 2010). Security issues are a major problem in the business world for a long period of time. Cybercrime is the most important issue faced by the contemporary organizations. Companies become prone to being hacked and breached with steep rise in data collection and creation of information that are stored electronically. While hacking is a more common act where an outsider tries to get hold of data stored in an organization’s information system, data breach is also seen to take place frequently (Kim, Ng and Lim, 2010). The data breach is mostly done by an insider who attempts to unethically obtain the trade secrets, intellectual property (IP), personal health information (PHI) as well as personally identifiable information (PII) (Kim, Ng and Lim, 2010). Organizations are more prone to data breach than hacking. Therefore, companies are reluctant to adopt social media and cloud computing. It is perceived that social media adds to the risk element within an organization (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). Asian Agri Asian Agri is a manufacturer of palm oil and has operations spread over several mills and estates. The company conducts export activities as well. The business activity of this manufacturing firm is segregated into three different regions. Each region consists of several mills and estates. The company is hesitant towards adapting to social media and cloud computing, which is not quite justifiable. With the changing technology, it is necessary for any organization to adapt to these inventions in order to upkeep its welfare and system up-gradation, thereby facilitating business development and establishing relationship with employees as well as customers (Kshetri, 2010). Adaptation of Social Media The adaptation of social media by Asian Agri might not be helpful in long run. The usage of social media can be disadvantageous to the company, taking in account certain advantages at the same time. It can be useful for interacting with employees and connecting with the stakeholders like, suppliers and consumers, more effectively but there is always a chance of information misuse. The job shop and small to medium sized manufacturers can gain the most if they build effective social media channels (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). As the manufacturing industry largely depends on word-of-mouth promotions to acquire orders and business, the tools of social media can enable job shops and contract manufactures to stand out from the competition and gain a competitive advantage globally so as to tap new customers (Jansen and Grance, 2011). The usage of social media is not so effective for manufacturing firms. Asian Agri can utilize the social media to interact with and motivate employees to strive towards the greater organizational goals. Again, there is an equal amount of chance of the employees getting involved in personal conversation and wasting the fruitful time of the company. Social media can be utilized by Asian Agri in certain departments like the Marketing, Human Resource and Corporate Communication. To attain globally accepted standard the usage of the social media can be carried on in the Marketing department of the company instead of all other departments (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). This can ensure more privacy in the company. Effective usage of social media can facilitate a smooth flow of communication across functional units and hierarchical levels (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). The right usage of tools related to social networking like, Facebook, can be appropriate for many firms. It can increase the emotional capital. Asian Agri being a manufacturing firm should introduce social media in the departments like marketing, communication and human resource (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). This will, enable the company to market the products well through various blogs in the internet. Asian Agri is a manufacturing firm which has the least possibility to benefit from the extensive usage of the social media. The company will be able to gain a foothold in the market and enhance competitiveness easily if it incorporates the media in major department like marketing. Asian Agri can gain greater acceptance worldwide by way of posting information about the business and products and services offered primarily through the help of the marketing aids. Making usage of the social media throughout the company can increase the inefficiency of the employees as they might be involved in wasting the valuable time of the organization by carrying on personal interactions. Chances of security breach and hacking also increases (Hamlen, et al., 2010). The employees of Asian Agri are not allowed to use the social media within the company premises, which is justifiable as this might assist in restraining the misuse and leakage of information. Both vertical and horizontal communication can smoothen if Asian Agri is able to adopt social media tools in the marketing department primarily. The company can then extensively promote the products offered in Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Path (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011) through this media. Adequate amount of information about the company, products, suppliers and branches can increase awareness regarding the company among the masses, thereby establishing enhanced B2B (Business to business) relations with various companies. Besides that, the blogs published can help the company to carry free of cost advertisements, which will improve their goodwill and revenue margin (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). Asian Agri should therefore not use the social media across all the departments of the organization. It is a manufacturing firm which does not require the usage of social media but to keep the global competitiveness it can incorporate the usage of social; media in few departments as mentioned above. Besides that, Asian Agri can safeguard all the confidential details by not discussing those with the lower level employees and executives. Only the top managerial team should share the confidential details among themselves, which will minimize the breach of security. Therefore, the usage of social media might be disadvantageous to Asian Agri and it can thus incorporate the same in few important departments only. Certain restriction measure should be in place instead of fully allowing the usage of social media within the premises of Asian Agri (Mangold and Faulds, 2009). Adaptation of Cloud Computing Cloud computing is an information technology (IT) based service, software or infrastructure offered by a serviced provider, which can be accessed from any computer through internet protocols (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). It is a programmatic or web based control interface, which enables the user to avail self-service. Asian Agri does not allow the usage of cloud computing without approval of the senior management. This is appropriate to maintain the security issue within the organization. Cloud computing can increase the risk of misuse of important information. Besides that, it will add to the cost of the company. Asian Agri will need to pay outsiders for the maintenance of its database. With the maintenance of its own database, Asian Agri can uphold a large amount of data without making payment to the outsiders (Gantz and Reinsel, 2011). It would be beneficial to the company instead to spend on the maintenance of storage and access issues related to database management of the company. This can ensure the preservation of security issues. Besides that, cloud computing is not necessary to be used in upstream manufacturing business (Hamlen, et al., 2010). Without the usage of cloud computing Asian Agri can equally store data related to the amount of production in various units, units distributed per day, number of exports, time, expenses and various other information. In this way such crucial information’s will remain intact and will, not be misused. Asian Agri should upgrade itself with the ERP system, social media and Big Data system to a certain extent but not in cloud computing (Díaz-Sánchez, et al., 2011). Thus it can be inferred that without the usage of cloud computing Asian Agri can save a huge amount of cash flow and keep the information of the organization intact within its boundary (Mangold and Faulds, 2009). Companies such as, eBay, Zygna and Netflix, are the top companies that uphold cloud as their major strategy for computing in the absence of their own technology (Kshetri, 2010). They refuse to own all the computing assets as it might hamper progress, instead of accelerating the same. On the other hand, Asian Agri in the presence of own computing system, can shield information outflow and use funds in the storage and maintenance issues and introduce cloud computing (Kshetri, 2010). The executives of the company can feel free of hazards as information of the company can remain protected in the absence of the cloud computing. Security Measures Many organizations have faced cybercrime in the past. It can be carried in the form of hacking and security breach. Hacking can be defined as the act of breaking into any website, server or steal and damage data (Kim, Ng and Lim, 2010). A data breach takes place when any sensitive confidential and protected data has been viewed, used by unauthorized individual or stolen. The network vulnerability goes beyond hacking of any firewall (Kim, Ng and Lim, 2010). Rather, vulnerability of an entire organization is the focus of present day attacks. The attacks include entry through vulnerability points such as, remote controlled HVAC systems, smart meters and mobile devices (Lori, 2009). The fastest among them are the embed devices, where an electronic component is embedded in other that is connected to a network (Kim, Ng and Lim, 2010). These devices contain codes, which are often hacked at the time of creation so as to include malwares (Buyya, et al., 2009). Such acts result in the exposure of various kinds of sensitive data. Companies generally purchase the hacked component and install them in the system. After the installation, the malware easily spreads throughout the corporate information and steals customer information at the selling point (Kim, Ng and Lim, 2010). Asian Agri can overcome these problems by mitigating scopes of negligence by the well-meaning insiders, targeted attacks by outsider groups and malicious insiders like, white collar employees, terminated employees and industrial espionage. The company should have a sound IT policy. The maintenance of passwords and timely changes of the same is necessary in this respect. It is equally important to have restriction on the website usage and access to the password (Kshetri, 2010). This can help Asian Agri to maintain the security system of the organization efficiently. The top level management should only have access to the password. The company might face trouble and incur high costs while dealing with the security measures, but it is necessary to enhance the security system of the organization instead of keeping any loose ends which can lead to the information loss. The IT policy of Asian Agri should be changed as per the need of the organization so that the security problems are taken care of effectively (Kshetri, 2010). Conclusion The review conducted indicates that Asian Agri should make use of the social media in some major departments of the organization. The extensive use of social media and cloud computing can increase the issues related to the security breach. Asian Agri can maintain its own database management system and spend on its storage and maintenance issues instead of spending on the adaptation of cloud computing system. The company can equally maintain competitiveness and flexibility by following this policy. Security measures should be given primary importance by Asian Agri. The elimination of cybercrime can facilitate a secure and smooth communication system. The bond between the entrepreneurs and the employees can develop if Asian Agri allows usage of social media in the departments like marketing. The company should extensively hire employees who can ensure safety and high-end protection of the system. The top level management of Asian Agri should make sure that vital business information is not disclosed to the lower level managers and employees, thereby preventing security breach and hacking to a large extent. Adaptation of the latest technologies can help the company to gain more business opportunities and awareness among the masses but there should be certain restrictions as well. Asian Agri can thus benefit by following all the measures and suggestions provided throughout the paper. Reference List Buyya, R., Yeo, C. S., Venugopal, S., Broberg, J. and Brandic, I., 2009. 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