Vision Quest

The Companies

Ernst & Young is a global leading professional services organisation, which provides help to external businesses. It is currently the fourth largest accounting firm in the world providing services such as accounting audits and insurance
insight. Besides that, Ernst & Young has also invested in Business consultancy, which spreads into business management including activities such as insight on risk management, and worker relations (referenceforbusiness.com).

Awarded with a National Fitness Award (2011) after a short launch of 3 years, the company founded by John Treharne, Former English Squash Player, The Gym Group is a soaring success which broke away from traditional Gym service providing companies, and adopted a new
brand of “no membership commitment” gym culture. The company keeps track of modern trends in health activities, and provides optional lessons which customers could decide to participate in. With over 38 gyms in the UK, The Gym Group is a rising company with the potential to stir up a Gym Revolution.

Amazon is a company based in Seattle, Washington. It is the leading e-commerce company in the world. Although it does purchase and sell certain retail products, it is best known for its revolutionary platform in bringing potential customers to their specifically requested retail sellers. Their products range from books, to electronic music with a growing number of items for future purchase. Maintaining more then 50 fulfilment centres around the world, Amazon is a leading, Fortune 500 company in its field of expertise (amazon.co.uk).

Our Recommendations

There is an over reliance of

technology, the reduction in

socialisation, and the reduction in

reliability and validity of information.

We recommend:

Setting up a neutral socialising area, such as a café or general resting area.
Set up social platforms to further improve employee/manager relations

This allows individuals to come together occasionally during work to discuss and socialise as it reinforces stronger psychological bonds, as relationships between individuals becomes a huge factor of consideration before the breach in mutual agreements.

improvement in staff and employee relationships.

Secondary Research

Research data has shown, that all the participants would spend time working electronically everyday, and an average of 80% of all personnel within the three organisations were required to work electronically for more then 6 hours a day. The significance of the data shows that all documents being utilised would be digitalised, and thus communication between employees would be naturally electronically based, where information would either be sent through internet solutions such as email, or modified on processing applications (E.g Word), then printed and submitted. Further research supports this idea, as every employee in all 3 companies use Microsoft Outlook as their main communications technology in peer co-ordination, and Google Docs for information sharing. In addition to this, companies also utilise on trend communication technologies such as WhatsApp, Skype, and Facebook Messenger, which further prove that technology has changed communications into a relatively more electronic fashion, as they provide easy-to-use and previously impossible platforms for essential operational activities such as online meetings, notifications on the run, and increase information efficiency within the business.

Research data has shown that more then 50% of all employees in the organisations under research believe, that electronic communication has made communication more effective. On top of this, an average of more then 50% of the employees believe that electronic communication devices in the company has made the employees and managers, feel closer towards each other.

Employees believe electronic communication has increased the effectiveness of day to day communication in the business, but it has also in turn led to an 85% agreement of increased productivity of the business. In turn, suggesting the current state of electronic communication both

being extremely effective, and its adoption providing high returns in terms of productivity.

Primary Research

Primary research data was collected through questionnaire results. The questions were predetermined
through team ideas drawn out collectively. The combination of questions consisted of 7 quantitative multiple-choice questions, and 3 qualitative questions. The research was conducted through email sampling and face-to-face interviews, then collated and analysed.

Research Objectives and Aims

Research Questions: How has the rise of electronic communication (email, social networking, skype, etc) effected the way staff and managers communicate? What opportunities exist to maximize the opportunities that may arise from new media?

Thesis: The rise of electronic communication from Internet technology has increased the speed and efficiency of communication, and also provided numerous market opportunities for organisations in the 21st century.

To examine this, we have broken down components of our research questions in attempts to answer our thesis:

1. How has technology influenced communications?
2. Current state of effectiveness of communication between of staff and manager.
3. What opportunity exists to maximise potential opportunities?
4. Provide recommendations for companies to improve on their current action.

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With the development of Internet technology in the 21^st century, the pace of life has accelerated. From expanding social networks, to increasing competition between businesses, effective communication between managers and staffs has become the most important aspect within an organisation. With this, an alternative method in achieving faster and more efficient communication was needed, and thus the adoption of electronic communication allowed organisations to survive and adapt in volatile market climates, while also maintaining the ability to pursue and obtain high productivity and efficiency in its business activities. However from this, how exactly has the rise of electronic communication, such as those of “emails” and “skype”, really effected organisations? Has it really lead to an increase in communication efficiency between managers and staff? And what opportunities could Internet technology and the digital media provide businesses in the future? These are questions which this paper would attempt to explore.