MBA and Social Work

Introduction

· This section will discuss the focus of this paper, which includes internet and social media use by the House of Blues. An S.W.O.T. analysis will also be conducted to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of using the internet and social media as a future implication for the House of Blues. Ethical concerns that may arise when companies use internet and social media will also be discussed, as well as an example using evidenced based strategies.

· The House of Blues Entertainment portfolio, a division of LiveNation, is wide-ranging including the legendary Fillmores and the intimate House of Blues clubs throughout the United States. House of Blues Entertainment is the country's pre-eminent live music venue collection featuring state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology in one-of-a-kind custom designed environments aimed to bring fans and artists together in unparalleled musical environments (Pr, 2012)

House of Blues Internet and Social Media Use

· This section will discuss how the House of Blues are currently utilizing social media and the internet as part of their company’s strategic plan.

· The House of Blues launched its first Web site in 1994, and produced its first streaming event; Stevie Wonder, Chuck D, and the Blind Boys of Alabama live from the Sunset Strip; on Martin Luther King Day in 1995 using CUseeMe technology. In 1996, HOB and Progressive Networks (now RealNetworks), formed liveconcerts.com to webcast weekly concerts using RealAudio technology (Bloom, 2001).

· The House of Blues is currently using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and Google Plus social media (House of Blues Entertainment, 2015).

Evidence-based Strategy for House of Blues future use of the Internet and Social Media

· This section will discuss evidence-based strategies used by the House of Blues as the company navigates into the future using the internet and social media.

· “The House of Blues have decided to use the internet in an advanced way by opening many interactive themed venues that will bring internet access and video teleconferencing to the public’s dining experience. The House of Blues' new multimillion-dollar restaurant promises to offer patrons a chance to interact with technologically advanced public venues not yet developed” (Reece and Atwood, 1996).

· “In response to the emergence of mobile technology as a mass-market medium, in late 2005, House of Blues in partnership with Motorola, became interested in offering new and existing customer’s novel types of interactive campaigns as a means to incentivize and reward its youth demographic. Soapbox Mobile fulfilled the company’s needs with a complete, full-service mobile solution using the Soapbox anywhere platform to power interactive mobile campaigns including triggered and personalized SMS-based quizzes, contests, and alerts. These mobile campaigns were aimed at drawing attention to upcoming music events specific to each of House of Blues’ nationwide locations” (Miller, 2015).

· An e-commerce business company called Live Nation has reached out to House of Blues to help them create a global presence. Through the internet, Live Nation has expanded the chain of House of Blues by allowing them to sale event tickets through e-commerce websites such as Ticketmaster (O’Connor, 2015). This global presence has allowed the House of Blues to expand its audience and intensify its cultural diversity.

S.W.O.T. Analysis

· This section will analyze the implications of the internet and media through strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Strengths

· Having the internet and social media allows for global presence

· Excellent ambience draws people into their environment

· Variety of events, including live venues that happen on the premises

· Ability to allow customers to live tweet during special events

· Strong brand developed through its wide product range

Weaknesses

· Locations are not available in every state

· Using Wi-Fi could allow easy access for computer hackers

Opportunities

· Diversification with internet and social media will allow customers to stay connected

· Inclusion of more variety into the social networking sites offered

· Adding more customer-centric programs to enhance customer loyalty

Threats

· Similar companies entering the market decreasing the existing market share

· The current market saturating after a few years

· Online media and online ordering services forcing people to avoid outdoor restaurants

Ethical Concerns Using the Internet and Social Media

· One way that internet or social media use can present ethical problems for the House of Blues is through spam emails. For example, someone malicious could send spam to people who are signed up to receive newsletters and such for the House of Blues. This could present an ethical issue, because the source of the email is difficult to trace and the consumer would be unable to remove themselves form the email list. This creates ethical problems, because when the consumer opts out, they are really confirming the legitimacy of their computer address (Palmer, 2005).

Recommendations

· Recommendations on creating effective business strategies when using the internet and social media will be identified in this section.

· Steinman and Hawkins (2010) stated that “companies should monitor their own social media outlets as well as third-party social media platforms to ensure that their intellectual property is not being misused by those providing content through the media outlets.

· Internet tracking and screening services are available to monitor the use of your business’ marks and copyrights on third-party sites, including checking social media sites for profile or user names that are identical or substantially similar to your company’s name or brands. This form of business impersonation can damage a company’s brand and reputation if left unchecked; such monitoring can also serve as a positive indicator of business success”.

Conclusion

· This section will summarize the findings from the strategy recommendations regarding the House of Blues’ use of social media and the internet.

· The high adoption rates of the Social Media by the public and businesses justify particular interest in the adoption process and in particular on the motives of businesses to adopt these as part of their organizational strategy with emphasis on marketing-related activities (Lorenzo-Romero, Alarcon-del-Amo, & Constantinides, 2014).

References