Dr. Radhika Subhankar Mukherjee

LangLit
IMPACT FACTOR – 5.61 ISSN 2349-5189
An International Peer-Reviewed Open Access Journal

SOCIAL MEDIA IS BRIDGING THE GAP IN FORMAL
COMMUNICATION
DR. RADHIKA SUBHANKAR MUKHERJEE

Assistant Professor
Department of English
Satish Pradhan Dnyanasadhana
College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Thane
ABSTRACT
Social Media over the years has transformed a lot and has become too vital in
this 21st century. Its usage specifically has augmented intensely over the last
decade and endures at a rise. It offers a collective space for social interaction
between seemingly infinite numbers of people. There are numerous benefits
have been recognized in relation to the routine use of social media platforms.
Communication is the dynamic process and we spend 70% of the time in
communication. It is the life-blood of the organization / Institution. Formal
Communication takes place within the line of authority or hierarchy. It
streams along a “prescribed channel, observing all the norms applicable to
the hierarchy, and all the members on line of authority are obliged to follow
this line of communication”. Earlier Social Media was usually used informally
to communicate with our friends, colleagues and family but not the scenario
has transformed in to more of Formal Communication. Previously there was a
gap between social media and formal communication but now we can witness
Social media bridging a gap in formal communication. These days we find
people usually depending on the Social Media. This paper is an attempt to
show how Social Media such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Skype, Twitter,
Messenger and Linkedin are bridging gap in formal communication. This
paper also throws light on the recent trends in Educational methods and the
Institutional formal Communication through the social media.
KEYWORDS: Social Media, Communication, Business Communication and Formal

Communication
Introduction:
Social Media over the years has transformed a lot and has become too vital in this 21st
century. Its usage specifically has augmented intensely over the last decade and endures at a
rise. The word ‘Social Media’ is a Noun which means: “websites and applications that enable
users to create and share content or to participate in social networking” (www.google.com).
Merriam Webster Dictionary defines Social Media as “forms of electronic communication
Vol. 6 Issue 3 110 February, 2020

Website: www.langlit.org Contact No.: +91-9890290602
Indexed: ICI, Google Scholar, Research Gate, Academia.edu, IBI, IIFC, DRJI
LangLit

(such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create
online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such
as videos)”.
Social media offers a collective space for social interaction between seemingly infinite
numbers of people. There are numerous benefits have been recognized in relation to the
routine use of social media platforms: “The six key overarching benefits were identified as
(1) increased interactions with others, (2) more available, shared, and tailored information,
(3) increased accessibility and widening access to health information, (4) peer, social,
emotional support, (5) public health surveillance, and (6) potential to influence health policy”
(Moorhead: 2013, p. 8).
Although there are several benefits associated with the use of social media, specifically
image based social media, some uses of these platforms may lead to potentially unwanted
effects (www.in-mind.org). Social media can be related to an interactive platforms that
permit people, companies, institutions and other organizations to create, distribute, discuss,
share, or exchange information, career interests, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual
communities and networks by means of a Computer or an Android Mobile phone.
Types of Social media:
Social media sites have also grown in numbers by leaps and bounds. As per the statistics
revealed on Statista, approximately 2 billion users used social networking sites and apps in
2015. And, with the increased use of mobile devices, this number is likely to cross the 2.6
billion mark by 2018 (www.statista.com). According to Jamie Spencer some of the most
popular social media sites that are being explored by the world today are:
Social Media
1 –Facebook 23 – Foursquare 45 – MyHeritage
2 – WhatsApp 24 – Renren 46 – Viadeo
3 - QQ 25 – Tagged 47 – Xing
4 – WeChat 26 – Badoo 48 – Xanga
5 – QZone 27 – Myspace 49 – LiveJournal
6 – Tumblr 28 – StumbleUpon 50 – Friendster
7 – Instagram 29 – The Dots 51 – Funny or Die
8 – Twitter 30 – Kiwibox 52 – Gaia Online
9 – Google+ 31 – Skyrock 53 – We Heart It

LangLit

10 – Baidu Tieba 32 – Delicious 54 – Buzznet
11 – Skype 33 – Snapfish 55 – DeviantArt
12 – Viber 34 – ReverbNation 56 – Flickr
13 – Sina Weibo 35 – Flixster 57 – MeetMe
14 – LINE 36 – Care2 58 – Meetup
15 – Snapchat 37 – CafeMom 59 – Tout
16 – YY 38 – Ravelry 60 – Mixi
17 – VKontakte (VK) 39 – Nextdoor 61 – Douban
18 – Pinterest 40 – Wayn 62 – Vero
19- LinkedIn 41 – Cellufun 63 – Quora
20 – Telegram 42 – YouTube 64 – Spreely
21 – Reddit 43 – Vine 65 – Discord
22 – Taringa 44 – Classmates 66 – TikTok
Communication:
Communication is the dynamic process and we spend 70% of the time in communication. It
is the life-blood of the organization / institution. The Word ‘Communication’ is derived from
the latin word “communicare” or “communis” which means “to impart”, “to participate”, “to
share” or “to make common.” Merriam Webster Dictionary defines Communication as “a
process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of
symbols, signs, or behavior”. According to Keith Davis: “Communication is a process of
passing information and understanding from one person to another” (1981). Miller defines
Communication as a “means that information is passed from one place to another” (1989).
Peter Little defines communication as, ‘Communication is the process by which information
is transmitted between individuals and/or organizations so that an understanding response
result’ (1965).
Business Communication:
Business communication is one of an essential part of business. The success of business

depends on the effective communication between employers and their employees.
Communication in the organization is important as it fosters the followings objectives, such
as: giving Instructions, sending and receiving information, aids evaluation, provides

LangLit

direction, Training, Persuasion, Raising Morale, Education, Advice and Counseling,
Suggestions, Decision making, etc.
Formal Communication:
Formal Communication takes place within the line of authority or hierarchy. It streams along
a “prescribed channel, observing all the norms applicable to the hierarchy, and all the
members on line of authority are obliged to follow this line of communication” (Mulgaonkar:
2018, p.45). Formal communication may move vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
Social media platforms like Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook have become embedded in
the lives of countless individuals. Our day begins and ends with the Social media. In the
ancient times one used to spend quality time in interacting in person with friends, families
and colleagues but now we hardly interact in person as we are busy in interaction with the
help of Social media. It has also successfully changed the ways in which business houses or
individuals communication.
Social Media bridging a gap in Formal Communication:
Earlier Social Media was usually used informally to communicate with our friends,
colleagues and family but not the scenario has transformed in to more of Formal
Communication. Previously there was a gap between social media and formal communication
but now we can witness Social media bridging a gap in formal communication. These days
we find people usually depending on the Social Media such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter,
Messenger, etc. For the study I have considered the recent trends in Educational methods and
the Institutional formal Communication through the social media. There are many such
illustrations that we find in our lives that proves that the gap in formal communication is no
more as Social Media has bridged this gap.
1. Whatsapp Messenger: WhatsApp Messenger is a freeware, cross-platform messaging

and Voice over IP (VoIP) service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text
messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents,
user locations, and other media. WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan
Koum, former employees of Yahoo!. After leaving Yahoo! in September 2007, they took
some time off in South America.
Official communications that were limited only in the office has now come out of the office
to employee and employers residence as well. Initially people did not appreciate official
messages floating on Whatsapp after the duty hours. Whatsapp was usually considered as
unofficial site and they get offended to find someone sending the messages to them. Infact
there were very few who had Andriod Mobile Phones so there was also a little scope to
circulate official messages. Now the time has changed our lifestyles and we could easily find
each one has Andriod mobile phones. So the communication that was once within the office
and moved out of the office as well. There are so many instances that one easily can find in
our lives move often, such as:

LangLit

 Creation of Official Groups: We have official groups being formed on Whatsapp to
circulate all kind of official correspondence to the employees. Time has crossed the
official limit and it is now 24/7 duty in reality as you get and give orders beyond the
duty hours to get things done in a better way. There was time when one used to get
grumbled even to receive instructions or orders on landline phone at home but now
each one has changed their outlook towards Social Media and now they are more
acceptable of official communication over Whatsapp.
 Quick Feedback: Whatsapp also paves way open for quick feedback. It notifies the
sender of the message that his message is in process or sent or read by the receiver.
The receiver as soon as he reads the message responds to it as a feedback to the
sender.
 Downloading the Documents: Android provides many features that enables one to
download various files such as word file, Excel file, Power-Point Presentation file,
Adobe PDF file, etc. One can keep those documents safe and preserve them in a
folder, email or in a pendrive.
 Circulation of Images and Documents: We are also privileged to use Whatsapp for
circulating photos and videos from the gallery of the phone. It also enables us to click
a picture and forward over the Whatsapp itself.
 Recording Messages: We can even record our audio messages on Whatsapp and it
also has a feature that helps the illiterate person to transform his/her speech in to text
by using Whatsapp keyboard Micro phone. The Whatsapp communication can be
easily emailed to others or else can also be kept for ourselves by emailing the chat
with documents, photos and videos to ourselves as well.
 Similar to Computer and laptop: Whatsapp has many features that is similar to a
computer and Laptop features. It enables us to quickly respond to the information
required by the sender of the message. We can also email the documents and Images
received on Whatsapp by forwarding it through Whatsapp Export Chat. It serves as a
proof to present in the time of crisis or problems.
 Web Whatsapp: Whatsapp provides the professionals to use it on the desktop to
send bulk official messages or broadcasting facility. Here one can send messages to
250-300 members or receivers at once. It doesn’t require simcard if it is registered.
 Contact with the students outside the classroom: A Teacher can easily form a
group on Whatsapp of her class students and remain in constant contact with them. A
teacher can be around through Whatsapp as to guide the students around the clock.
 Get in touch with the Parents: Whatsapp enables the Teachers to get in touch with
the parents by forming an official group of parents so as to constantly update
regarding important notices, updates, feedback, answering their questions, solving
their queries, etc.
 Official Marketing: With the help of Whatsapp we can officially do marketing about
the upcoming events and also make an appeal for donation.
 Assignments, notes, videos and feedback Links: A teacher can send out
assignments details, questionnaire, notes, educational links and videos through the
Whatsapp. There are more features that even aids for feedback forms links such as
Google forms, etc.

LangLit

 Aids teaching-learning: Teachers can achieve faster and more seamless
communication with the students and create an avenue for learning beyond the
classroom.
 Voice call and Video call: Whatsapp even enables the users with an official Voice
and Video call facility. It enables Telephonic and face to face communication over
Whatsapp.
2. Facebook: Facebook is an American online social media and social networking

service company based in Menlo Park, California. It was founded by Mark
Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo
Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. The founders
initially limited the website's membership to Harvard students and
subsequently Columbia, Stanford, and Yale students. Membership was eventually
expanded to the remaining Ivy League schools, MIT, and higher education
institutions in the Boston area, then various other universities, and lastly high school
students. Since 2006, anyone who claims to be at least 13 years old has been allowed
to become a registered user of Facebook, though this may vary depending on local
laws. There are many features that enables a formal communication to their users
with other professionals, students, organizations, etc. Some of the instances of the
formal communication through Facebook are:
 Institutional Official Page: These days Educational Institutes have their official page
on Facebook too. The admins are more active in providing and sharing the updated
details and information of the Facebook with the current students, alumni’s, parents,
and friends. They post trailing pictures with captions to be more clear and precise in
relation to the developments and events organized in the institution. It aids in building
Good-will of the institution.
 Poetry / Writers / Artists group: Facebook provides with many groups of
likeminded people who come together to form an official forum by forming a group.
The members are flowing in from all the parts of the country and share their valuable
writings in the form of poems, articles, short-stories, quotes etc. Few examples of
these groups are Poetry Planet, Poemarium, My Prerna…A Poetic Journey, America-
Indian Literary Connections, Writer’s Unite, Wri-ders Blooms, Indian English Poets
and Translators, World Pictorial Poetry Forum, Literary Conflux, Writer’s Group,
International Poets Society, Free Poetic Universe, Literary Voice and many more.
 NET/SLET Guidance: There are many groups functioning on Facebook that caters
to the need of the students who aspire to become professors by qualifying the
NET/SLET Test. Some coaching and guidance are free and some are not. Few
examples of these groups are: NET/SLET Literary Theories, UGC NET 1st Paper,
UGC NET in English and NET/JRF & TGT/ PGT (English Hub).
 Subject wise Groups: Facebook also provides an opportunity for the various
educational groups consisting of various subjects that provides more knowledge and
guidance for the concerned students, teachers and professionals. The groups will be
both open and closed group depending on the wish of the admin who formed the
group. These group has participation across the world. For instance: European
Literature, European Academic Research, Indian English Drama, Indian English

LangLit

Writing, Global English Language Teachers’ Association, Professional development
Group for English Teachers, Teach for better India, etc.
 Hobby classes: Facebook not only helps us to unite with the academic group but also
with the creative and hobby boasting group. It enables one to get in touch with
various artists and helps everyone to become creative by interacting and posting their
creativity and arts. Some of the groups of Facebook are: My Craft Page and Fevicryl
Hobby Ideas.
 Call for Conferences/ Seminar/ Workshops/ Publication: Facebook enables both
the teachers and the students to present a research paper in the upcoming Seminars
and Conferences across the world. It also provides an opportunity to publish our
Research papers, articles, poems, short-stories in Journals, Books and Conference
proceedings. Some of the groups on Facebook are: Research Innovator, European
Academic Research, Asian Signature, The Creative Launcher: An International and
Referred e-Journal, Seminar/Conferences/Books/Journals, CPF: Journals, Books,
Seminars, Conference, Workshops, Call For Submissions, Authorspress: Publishers of
Scholarly Books, Call for Papers, etc.
3. Twitter: Twitter is an American microblogging and social networking service on which

users post and interact with messages known as "tweets". Tweets were originally
restricted to 140 characters, but on November 7, 2017, this limit was doubled to 280 for
all languages except Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Registered users can post, like, and
retweet tweets, but unregistered users can only read them. Users access Twitter through
its website interface, through Short Message Service (SMS) or its mobile-
device application software ("app"). Twitter, Inc. is based in San Francisco, California,
and has more than 25 offices around the world. Twitter was created in March 2006
by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams, launched in July of that year.
Twitter is used for formal communication as well. Some of the fine examples of the
tweets are:
 Tweets by Prime Minister: The Prime Minister directly addresses or passes
message formally with the Citizen of India.
 Tweets by Education Minister: The Education Minister too finds it convenient
to pass urgent messages at the time of natural disasters or emergency situations.
For e.g. Mr. Vinod Tawade’s Tweets during Mumbai Heavy Rainfall.
 Tweets by Educationists: There are many Twitter accounts by Educationists who
try to Tweet by sending messages, videos and photos related to education and thus
enable addition of more knowledge to the one’s who read it. For e.g. Teach
Through-We Grow Teachers, Teach Thought Professional Development,
Ieducator, The Edvocate, etc., are the Twitter accounts that enables the learners
with formal communication, chat, learning. It enables the Learners with an
innovation in education through the growth of Teachers, Project-based Learning
for Students, updates of the latest education news, Training for Web Literacy,
How to make a movie poster and so on.
4. Skype: Skype is a communications platform that allows you to interact with your
contacts using instant messaging, using audio and video conversations, and conducting
meetings. It runs on Windows and Mac operating systems, and on mobile devices. A

LangLit

Skype also enables the teacher to arrange for online teaching. A Speaker may be from any
part of the world by can be easily connected with the students through Skype. It will be
cost effective in case of saving travelling. It is also very effective in conducting Online
Interviews and communicating in the Business world. Some of the features of the Skype
are as follows:
 Creating a group: When you first start using Skype for formal Communication or
any Business, it is worth investing some time setting up contacts and groups so that
you can easily communicate with people that you frequently interact with. These the
steps to be followed for creating a group on Skype.
 In the main Skype for Business window, click the Add a Contact icon
 then choose Create a New Group: Alternatively, right-click any group name
in your contacts list (e.g. Other Contacts),.
 and then click Create New Group.
 A New Group box will appear. Rename it.
 Your group has been created, and you can start adding contacts to it.
 Finding and adding contacts: One can easily find an individual or group on Skype.
In the main Skype for Communication or Business window one can click on the
following to find a person.
 Add a Contact icon: click on Add a Contact, then choose Add a Contact in My
Organisation.
 Find Someone Box: Type the person’s name in the Find someone box. It may
be quicker to find the person you are looking for. Type their surname first and
contacts will appear in a list beneath the box.
 Select a Group: Right-click the listing, click Add to Contacts List, and select a
group to add the contact to your list.
 Change Privacy Relationship: If you want to view or change the privacy
relationship with your contact, right-click the contact’s listing, and then click
Change Privacy Relationship.
 Communicating with your contacts: Skype enables one to communicate with a
contact. One can use anyone of the following options to view the communication
options for that person, then select the one you need to communicate for example:
instant message or audio call or video call.
 Instant messaging (IM): Skype provides you with an Instant messaging feature. It
allows one to communicate with people in real time, and on a moment’s notice. It is
less formal than email, and faster than a phone call. One can have an IM conversation
with one or many people, and send pictures and files.
 Holding an IM conversation with more than one person: Skype enable one to
connect with more than one person at a time. It may be utilized for individual, group or
multi-way communication. If you have already started an IM conversation with
someone, you can add others to it by dragging their listing from your contacts list into
the conversation window. If you want to start a new IM conversation with a group of
students that you have already set up then right-click the group name in your contacts
list and click the option
 Send an Instant Message. Your message will go to all group members. To start a
new IM multi-way conversation with contacts that aren’t in a group, go to your

LangLit

contacts list and hold the Ctrl key while you click each contact whom you look
forward to connect and then right-click and select Send an IM.
 Sending an image or file using IM: Skype enables one to send a file or image,
either. One can easily Drag-and-drop a saved file into the text input area or Copy and
paste a saved file or image from an Office program into the text input area.
 Responding to an IM alert: Skype enables one to get connected with someone who
starts a new IM conversation with you, an alert pops up on your screen. There are three
options available on Skype for responding to an IM alerts such as:
 To see the message - click anywhere on the photo area to accept it.
 To reject the message - click Ignore.
 Do not want to receive new IM alert - Do Not Disturb.
 Making a phone or video call: If you have a microphone and headset (or speakers)
attached to your computer, you can use Skype for Business to make and receive phone
calls. If you have a webcam, you can also make video calls. Skype for Business
automatically detects your audio and video devices, but before making an audio or
video call you should check that they are set up correctly.
 Skype for Business meetings: If you use Outlook or the Outlook Web App, you can
use Skype for Business Meeting to schedule a recurring or single online meeting. A
link is automatically added to your meeting request that invitees can click to join the
conversation.
5. Messenger: Facebook Messenger (commonly known as Messenger) is a messaging and

platform. Originally developed as Facebook Chat in 2008, the company revamped its
messaging service in 2010, and subsequently released standalone iOS and Android apps
in August 2011 and standalone Facebook Portal hardware for Messenger-based calling in
Q4 2018. Users can send messages and exchange photos, videos, stickers, audio, and
files, as well as react to other users' messages and interact with bots. The service also
supports voice and video calling. The standalone apps support using multiple accounts,
conversations with optional end-to-end encryption, and playing games. Messenger helps
you to simplify customer achievement by providing a direct conversational way for
people to take action where they already spend their time. Messenger has become one of
the world’s most popular managing tools by offering a platform that brings people and
businessmen, professionals, teachers, students together. Currently, there are
approximately 300,000 developers building on the Messenger platform and people and
business are being exchanged on it. For businessmen Messenger can be more useful for
interacting with their loyal customers, manage their Advertisements and meet the
requirements of their potential customers.
6. Linkedin: Linkedin is an American business and employment-oriented service that operates

via websites and mobile apps. It was founded on 28th December 2002 and was launched
on 5th May 2003. It is mainly used for professional networking, including employers
posting jobs and job seekers posting their CVs. It was founded by Reid Hoffman, Allan
Blue, Knostantin Gwricke Ericly and Jean-Luv- Vaillant. It allows the members a formal
communication platform to create profiles and connections to each other in an online
social networking which may represent real world professional relationships. We can
formally connect with the alumni students and get to know about where they are placed

LangLit

and also provide them with the updates of their college. Teachers are often get invitations
for the seminars, conferences or publishing their work.
Conclusion: Though the Social Media came as a platform for Informal Communication
but in the recent years the users have converted their most of the usage to Formal
communication Via Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Linkedin, Messenger and Skype. The
Gap in formal communication which was once prevailing between the line of hierarchy
and professionals, employers and employees are no more due to the advent of the social
media and the attitude towards its usage has connected like-minded people together.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=aSrIXaOYBuzaz7sPgZS68Ac&q=so
cial+media&oq=social+&gs_l=psy-ab.12...0.0..140...0.0..0.0.0.......0......gws-wiz.-
ufC1zuv6i4&ved=0ahUKEwjj8IjJ-N_lAhVs7XMBHQGKDn4Q4dUDCAk
2. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20media
3. Moorhead, S. A., Hazlett, D. E., Harrison, L., Carroll, J. K., Irwin, A., & Hoving, C.
A new dimension of health care: systematic review of the uses, benefits, and
limitations of social media for health communication. Journal of medical Internet
research, 2013,15(4).
4. https://www.in-mind.org/article/selfie-esteem-the-relationship-between-body-
dissatisfaction-and-social-media-in-
adolescent?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItbTxmLnp5QIVz4yPCh1dWwMbEAAYASAAEgI
88PD_BwE
5. https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-
users/
6. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication
7. Davis, Keith. Human Relations at work, New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Book
Company 1981.
8. Miller. Definition of Communication, In Verma, S.K. and N. Krishnaswamy. Modern
Linguistics: An Introduction, Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1989.
9. Little, Peter. Communication in Business. Longmans, 1965, ISBN: 0582422019,
9780582422018
10. Mulgaonkar,S.D. Business Communication- I. Mumbai: Manan Prakashan, 2018,
ISBN 978-93-87547-31-5
11. http://www.docs.is.ed.ac.uk/docs/Subjects/Email/Office365/Communicating-with-
SkypeForBusiness-3799.pdf


Dr. Radhika Subhankar Mukherjee

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Dr. Radhika Subhankar Mukherjee

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

LangLit

IMPACT FACTOR – 5.61 ISSN 2349-5189

An International Peer-Reviewed Open Access Journal