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The reality of conducting business over the internet is becoming more apparent daily in the lives of global consumers.  The buying and selling of products over this platform has become the norm for most companies and their customers.  As stated in our textbook, as of 2018, eighty- two percent of American households had broadband access to the internet (Laudon, 2019).  The text also states that 232 Americans accessed the internet by using their smartphones in 2019, and mobile e-commerce accounted for 267 billion dollars in the same year (Laudon, 2019).  With statistics like these, it is easy to see the advantages of using platforms on social media for advertising, market research, brand building, and customer service.  The volume of traffic on social media brings the advantages companies seek into perspective.  If a company is looking to reach the broadest audience, dollars are wisely spent on reaching it through social media.         The one disadvantage that companies face in using social media is the questionable trustworthiness of the message.  As one source states: “In the social media environment, where messages are transmitted by sharing and forwarding actions among users, whether and to what extent an individual feels that he or she can trust the person forwarding/sharing a message can have great impact on his or her actions regarding the message” (Roy, Huh & et al., p.269).  It is human nature to not trust the product being sold if one cannot trust the person selling the product.  This makes it difficult for some companies to rely on social media because of the necessary reliance on shared content among non-expert users.    References    Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2019). Management Information Systems (16th ed.). Pearson Education (US). https://savantlearningsystems.vitalsource.com/books/9780135192047     Roy, A., Huh, J., Pfeuffer, A., & Srivastava, J. (2017). Development of Trust Scores in Social Media (TSM) Algorithm and Application to Advertising Practice and Research. Journal of      Advertising, 46(2), 269–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2017.1297272 

   Social media are a controlling interest in many lives today. We use social media to keep up with people, but also to keep us with some of our favorite brands. Millions of businesses, for example, have sought Facebook as a place to advertise their businesses. “Companies are increasingly promoting themselves through social networks, which helps to intensify communication by providing direct, easy, and fast contact with customers” (Fayvishenko et al., 2023, p.1). With literally billions of people on social media, it is a goldmine for those businesses to gain more visibility for their products and give more people brand recognition. There are a lot of companies that have similar names, but the branding and logos are what can be the

difference when a customer is looking for a particular product from a company they like. Social media also allow the owners of businesses to interact in real-time with their customers. Customers may leave comments as to the service they received, and the owner can immediately respond. The quick response is what makes social media a good choice for improving customer service interactions between owner and customer. Businesses can maintain their market share by keeping in tune with changing customer tastes, and networking with other people who can help their business grow. There are so many new products and new trends on social media, that "Influencers" or Internet celebrities use to gain more followers, but also help certain businesses out with sales. As good as social media can be for businesses, they can also be just as bad.             Depending on how the company is doing, there will always be someone that has an opinion of the business. Social media give the space to comment on a business and nearly all customers will see the comment. Many people read reviews before shopping online and those reviews determine their purchasing decisions (Kolhar, 2018). The “comment” section on sites like Facebook, Twitter, or other media outlets gives people a chance to rate what they bought or the service they received from a business with their written opinions. A brand can be destroyed if they receive too many unfavorable comments about the business. It is hard to win customers over on the internet if a company performs poorly for its customers. This can lead to comments that can get personal and cause some mental issues for some owners. Some people can still tell their “friends” on social media not to follow certain businesses because of their experience. Sometimes those comments are just competition, doing everything they can to stop their competitors from gaining a bigger following and potential new customers. Owners who want to retain their customers may not be able to respond to the negativity the way they want to because it will hurt their brand and will look as though they have terrible customer service. Building a brand can be a long process that can also take considerable resources with advertising and research, which can be undone by bad business practices and terrible customer service and become a disadvantage of using social media for business. People almost have unlimited choices when shopping online and the presence of businesses that use social media to advertise and build their brands. With the addiction of social media to just about every demographic, there will always be people who will see how a business advertises, builds their brand, treats their customers, and which ones do their research to attract them. References

Fayvishenko, D., Cherniavska, L., Bondarenko, I., Sashchuk, T., Sypchenko, I., & Lebid, N. (2023). THE IMPACT OF BRAND SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ON THE DYNAMICS OF THE COMPANY'S SHARE VALUE. Business: Theory and Practice, 24(1), 24+. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/btp.2023.17117   Kolhar, M. (2018). E-commerce Review System to Detect False Reviews. Science & Engineering Ethics, 24(5), 1577–1588. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-017-9959-2

First 2 need responses 150 words each and 2 sources!

Ensuring equitable compensation is very crucial for employee satisfaction and retention. Here are some strategies that organizations can implement: Internal Equity: Conduct Regular Pay Audits: Regularly review and analyze pay data to identify and address any disparities. This will help ensure that employees that are performing similar roles are compensated fairly. Transparent Pay Policies: Make sure you clearly communicate how pay decisions are made, including the promotions, criteria, and raises. Transparency reduces perceptions of unfairness and can build trust. Compare your organization’s rates of pay with the standards of the industry to ensure competitiveness. This can help draw in and retain top talent. Standardized Pay Scales: Implement standardized pay scales based on job roles, experience, and performance. This reduces the risk of bias and ensures consistency. Training for Managers: Provide training on unbiased pay practices and the importance of pay equity. Educated managers are better equipped to make fair compensation decisions. Looking into the legal side of co-workers discussing their salaries, in the United States, normally it is not illegal to discuss salaries. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) has a policy that protect the rights of employees' when discussing their working conditions and salaries. There are some employers that frown upon such discussions, but legally these policies cannot stop employees' from discussing their pay Harvey, 1993).  Performance-Based Compensation: Ensure that pay increases and bonuses are based on objective performance metrics. This helps in rewarding employees fairly based on their contributions. Encourage and act on employee feedback regarding compensation. This can help identify any perceived inequities and address them promptly (Noe, et al., 2021).

External Equity  Regularly benchmark salaries against industry standards and competitors to ensure that compensation is competitive. This can be done using market data and salary surveys. Consider regional cost of living differences when setting salaries, especially for organizations with multiple locations. Keep ahead of compensation trends and changes in the job market to adjust pay scales accordingly. Communicate compensation decisions effectively and training for

managers on fair pay practices. Ensure compliance with all relevant pay equity laws and regulations to avoid legal issues and promote fairness. By executing these procedures organizations can create a fair payment system that is recognized by employees, both externally and internally (Harvey, 1993). References: Harvey, M. (1993). Designing a Global Compensation System: The Logic and a Model. Columbia Journal of World Business, 28(4), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-5428(93)90006-B Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P.M., (2021). Human resource Management: Gaining a competitive advantage (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.  

There is a lot that organizations can do to ensure that individuals feel they are receiving equitable compensation from an internal and external perspective. Organizations can do research to see what other companies may be paying their employees. There are many times that employees work at a certain place and have the same job title as another individual that works for another company, but the pay may be different by a lot. Many employees resign from their place of employment and go to another company performing the exact same job because the new job they transitioned to pays more than the last one with the same job title. Organizations can also inform the new hire of the salary range of the position during the hiring process. Organizations can have open communication about pay if employees feel as if they are not receiving equitable compensation.  “First, pay has a large impact on employee attitudes and behaviors (Noe, Raymond., 2022., p.478).” When employees feel as if they are not paid what they should be, their attitudes about their job and even the company changes. It is not illegal to discuss salaries with coworkers, but some organizations do not allow employees to discuss pay between one another. “Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA or the Act), employees have the right to communicate with their coworkers about their wages, as well as with labor organizations, worker centers, the media, and the public (National Labor Relations Board., 1935., p.1).” Although it is not illegal to discuss wages if an employee feels uncomfortable sharing that information they do not have to. Discussing pay can be a serious topic and can make people feel uncomfortable or even angry.                                                                                                                References  Noe, R. (2022). Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education (US).https://savantlearningsystems.vitalsource.com/books/ 9781266028540   

National Labor Relations Board. (1935). Your Right to Discuss Wages. https://www.nlrb.gov/ about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/your-rights-to-discuss-wages

These 2 questions need 150 each and 2 sources each!