E-Mail in Business Communication E-Mail: History, Relation,

E-Mail in Business Communication

E-mail: History, Relation, and Impact on effective Business Communication

Email in Business Communication

Electronic Mail

Impact of Email to Business Communication

Implications of Emails as Business Communication Tools

Email is an important form of communication in today's organization that is increasingly seeing a geographical dispersal of the workforce. To communication tool has replaced traditional business letters and memos in preference for email memos. The research carried out a review of literature on email and business communication and found the tool is used in 100% of businesses today. However, despite the wide acceptance, the tool lacks in social and visual cues which lender the messages toneless. The lack of tone and physical gestures leads to misinterpretation, ill will, disconnectedness, loss of intellectual capital and integrity for the business. The research finds that the informal history of emails, heterogeneity among users, technological limitations in social-emotions, and lack of business communication standards as the cause of the limitations.

Email in Business Communication

Introduction

The introduction of the internet provided key tools in communication, which provide new receiver and sender applications like forums, email, blogs, and Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP). Many of these have proven popular and useful among businesses and workplaces. The popularity increases with the rapid evolution of the workplace from a single office premise to a geographically dispersed workplace. Business managers today continually disperse business operations through means like outsourcing, internalization, and subcontracting to increase economies of scale and gain a competitive advantage (Ferari, 2007). These geographically diverse teams drive businesses to use communication technology like video conferencing, VoIP, Wi-Fi, and email. The electronic mail has seen rapid growth and has become a toll in business communication over other forms of communication. This has brought out issues like etiquette rules in business correspondence, which businesspersons need to learn and adopt (Agnew & Hill, 2009). In business communication, the basic principles of communication are expected to apply to all forms of communication, even electronic mail. The challenge for man businesspersons is the email's positive reflection on the business professional aspect. Electronic mail is also expected to adhere to the professionalism and courtesy needed in business communication. This requirement is increasingly important today as the electronic mail is more widely used in communication.

Email has made it easier for bosses and organizations to communicate more effectively in the workplace. However, the tool creates unpleasant distractions, manic messages, and disagreements in the workplace. Frequent email messages between employees and management has lead to the laying down of protocols in many businesses to reduce email amounts and find balance at work (PR Newswire, 2012). The need to investigate email as an effective or distraction to sound business communication arises from its rapid use today. Managers need to realize the role email is playing the workplace and the impact it has on employees and productivity. These facts make up the driving force of this research as a thorough qualitative analysis of literature is done to find scientific evidence and data on email as a tool in business communication.

Background and Significance of the Topic

A study carried out by Kahn & Blair (2004) shows that email is rapidly becoming an important tool in communication. The survey indicates that 100% of the organizations surveyed used emails, 74% saw the tool as productive with clear benefits. The survey indicated that the organizations used new technologies in business communication, with 100% using the email (Kahn & Blair, 2004). Of the surveyed 59% used mobile messaging, 81% used wireless Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), 71% used online discussion forums, and 51% used peer-to-peer file sharing. This shows that by 2004, all business used email communication as part of business communication in any business processes. This rapid development of the communication in the world of business has humble beginnings. This tool was a creation of a team of inspired individuals from technological, government, and professional forums seeking a means to share conversations and ideals.

Emails as a tool of communication began with email marketing and commercial internet in 1969, as the U.S. Defense Department during the cold war created ARPANET (Davis & Mullen, 2011). ARPANET was a computer-based message system created to survive nuclear attacks. The design was to allow individuals to communicate with each asynchronously despite their position (Wallace, 2004). In the early stages, electronic communication entailed a file sharing system, where an individual would post a note in a folder for another to see. By the 1980s, the internet had expanded to other institutions like universities that enjoyed connected digital messaging using internet services like Usenet (Davis & Mullen, 2011). The messaging systems were founded on mainframes mostly found with government and major institutions. The evolution of information technology to microprocessor chips, led to the creation of improved, faster, and efficient technologies like the laptop and personal computers. As the personal computer was rapidly adopted in business, so did electronic messaging became a business communication tool following the creation of user-friendly software.

By the late 1980s, the first electronic messaging commercial providers appeared like CompuServe and MCI, with the internet soon following (Davis & Mullen, 2011). This increased personal connectivity led to increased conversation in business as employees communicated over online sources like Usenet group. As the internet connected the globe, new and improved technologies emerged like Yahoo and Hotmail, which later were joined by Gmail. Businesses began using these messaging tools as their popularity increased in the world (Wallace, 2004). Moreover, businesses also developed their own messaging systems over their intranets using file sharing systems and company websites. In the last five years, electronic messaging tools from social media platforms are used for business communication, mainly for marketing.

Currently, business managers manage employees in virtual workplaces, often deferring to common corporate communication channels including email, computer-mediated communication (CMC), and electronic communication technology (ETC). This is because traditional communication channels like business letters or telephone can be expensive and time consuming. The evolution of the email in the business communication from it informal roots has caused confusion. Electronic mail construction is an informal tool of communication, but its use in business communication creates confusion on its role and norms (Wallace, 2004). The challenge for the business organization is the proper definition of email as a business communication toll given that few business curricula have defined templates of email business letters.

The proper formatting of business letters and the lack of defined formatting of email messages calls for the definition of etiquette in electronic messaging. Email messages are having diverse positive and negative effects on a business (Kruger, Epley, & Parker, 2005). While they may reach a wider target market for the marketer, they may create the wrong impression on a potential investor. This study identifies that email will continually be widely utilized in business communication, since organizations will continue to set up remote locations. Organizations continually need these locations to support business driven culture, decrease real estate costs, employee attrition, energy and pollution, and increase employee productivity and profitability (Ferari, 2007). Therefore, there is need to investigate its role in business, effect, and practices as compared to conventional business communication.

Moreover, studies like that of Kruger, Epley, and Parker (2005) show there is a connection between egocentrism and email misunderstandings, indicating the people write and interpret emails based on their perspective and make the assumption that receivers will understand the intention. In addition, Enemark (2006) finds that management of conflict difficult especially through emails, which do not use verbal and non-verbal cues. They are informal, transmitted quickly, miss critical paralinguistic signals like volume, tone, and pitch.

This foundation forms the basis for this research, as valuable information is created on email and its role in business communication. The study is essential given the diverse views on the correct business formats for email messages, the divergent ideas of how to use the email, and its consequent effects to a business. The study finds that there is need in the scholarly community to investigate ways to strike a balance between personal and virtual communication in business communication. To investigate the role of email as a business communication tool, a thorough review of literature is performed.

Discussion

Electronic Mail

Electronic mail is experiencing a rapid growth especially in the last five years following an increase in outsourcing and internationalization ventures businesses are engaging in. The rapid growth of email in business communication is associated to the advantages it creates to business communication. According to Lesikar, Flatley, and Rentz (2008), email is a more effective communication tool to the telephone, especially where there is language and cultural barrier. Emails are preferred for long distant business communication for they eliminate the telephone tag, save time, speed up decision-making, are cost effective, and still provide records like conventional business communication tools.

According to Hughes, Stolley, and Driscoll (2007) email is experiencing popularity for it facilitates fast and convenient flow of information between users across different time zones and locations. This is an added advantage given that mail services for any business is too slow for communicating information and receiving a decision. In this context, the telephone provides the same advantage but is very costly over a long distance. Secondly, email increases efficiency in business communication, and reduces telephone tag. Email reduces the unnecessary telephone interruptions created by delivery of messages across long distances (Dufrene & Lehman, 2010). Hughes, Stolley, and Driscoll (2007) also find that emails reduce the cost of communication especially over long distances as compared to telephone or postal mail. In addition, emails reduce administrative costs for they eliminate paper waste since they do not need printed copies.

Impact of Email to Business Communication

The corporate manager is left managing a geographically diverse workplace due to internalization, globalization, and outsourcing. This leaves managers and teams to use instantaneous and synchronous communication methods mainly over the internet like email, video conferencing, CMC and ETC. These methods are preferred over telephone conversation due to their clarity and cost effectiveness. However, despite the benefits studies show there are intrinsic problems with using email communication. Email communication is identified as causing privacy issues, does not provide emotion and tone, and is easily ignored or deleted by recipient (Lesikar, Flatley & Rentz, 2008). Kruger, Epley, and Parker (2005) find that the tone of email exchanges is a challenge since recipients barely interpret emails correctly often about 50% of the time. This leads to misunderstandings, mistrust, ill will, and disconnectedness.

This if not managed or mitigated, has a negative impact on businesses, business relationships, and productivity. Therefore, there is need for tools and techniques to compensate for the absence of voices and faces in email communication, to gain an understanding of the social norms in communication. The problem of email communication unlike conventional business communication tools is the lack of social cues and norms that reduce conflict and support cognitive communication effort (Ferari, 2007). Enemark (2006) identifies that in business communication there is a need to build relationship and trust through active listening, verbal and non-verbal communication signals, use of social cues like eye contact, suitable facial expressions, and open posture. Effective business communication also calls for verbal prompts, encouraging gestures, and listening, which are present in synchronous interactions yet lack in asynchronous interactions like emails. The inability of the email to create interpersonal rapport makes business relationships fragile, especially during a conflict.

Emails lack business communication language and presentation from the multitude of visual cues offered by software. Many creators of emails are not aware of these visual cues, nor are they aware of the recipient have compatible software to support visual cues in messages. According to Madhukant (2009), visual cues like margin changes, bolding, coloring, fonts types are present in each email, yet few email creators use them. In addition, if they exist in an email they are interpreted as gibberish by the receiver's computer. This is because email programs support basic ASCII code rather than the new and extended special character sets (Ferari, 2007). While these add finesse to the message, they also transgress basic business communication standards. Business communication requires messages to have on point, plain and formal presentation without flowery language or presentation.

According to Barrett and Davidson (2006), emails cannot support the socio-emotional component of business communication as seen with traditional face-to-face modes of communication. This creates a disconnection between mailing individuals as identities disappear. Email removes all social cues allowing for more efficient, shorter, and efficient communication in individuals with affect-limitation (Barrett & Davidson, 2006). Email becomes a problem to effective business communication due to the asocial communication displayed in electronic mail. According to Barrett and Davidson (2006), people are used to using CAPITALS to signify shouting, informal communication symbols like for a smile,; -) to indicate a wink, with little attempt to insert the correct English oral in an affect-limited medium. The icons are referred to emoticons, and a widely accepted in electronic mail conservations (Barrett & Davidson, 2006). However, emoticons are not part of traditional business communication, and sending an email with emoticons indicates the lack of business etiquette. According to Lindsell-Roberts & Settle-Murphy (2007), a receiver who is not familiar with the meaning of different symbols can misinterpret emoticons. For example using X to guarantee nondisclosure to the recipient may be misinterpreted as a big wet kiss.

A second comparison between email and correct business communication are the subject lines. Many email messages do not have subject lines or are uninformative making it difficult for the reader to detect the goal of the email before opening the mail (Madhukant, 2009). In business communication, the subject line gives the focus and intention of the email from the sender to the reader. It sets the tone of the message, and allows the reader to define the message content prior to opening. The subject line is meant as an eye catcher and attention creator for the message (Lindsell-Roberts & Settle-Murphy, 2007). Therefore, the lack of or uninformative subject line drivers may recipients from emails in their inbox. A written business communication is expected to have concise and informative subject line to highlight the aim of the message.

According to Lindsell-Roberts & Settle-Murphy (2007, emails also tend to have weak structures and organization as compared to standard business communication messages. Email messages have a proliferation of dashed out notes, which is the result early email users habit, which continue to this day. Most email messages have weak structure and organization following the practice of writing messages in an informal style. This leads to many emails in business communication as render ineffective, while lacking follow up for response and clarification (Kruger, Epley, & Parker, 2005). Business communication requires messages to have structure and organization, where ideas and points flow in an orderly and logical manner. This also implies the use of correct business language, which is focused, precise, and correct English grammar (Lesikar, Flatley, & Rentz, 2008). In addition, emails fail as effective business communication tools for they tend to have too much information. Traditional business communication requires messages to be concise and to the point avoid unnecessary explanations (Mudhukant, 2009). Most email users lack the ability to focus messages, while delegating most of the information in form of attachments. In business communication, the letter or business mail gives concise information that is informative and representative of the different attachments and files sent between correspondents. A long and lengthy email intimidates the receiver and less user-friendly leading to misinterpretation and ignorance.

An exploration of literature indicates that the difficulty of comprehending business emails is the different approaches of individuals to emails as compared to business letters with given templates. Business letters have basic formatting rules, which are widely accepted and applied in business communication. According to Madhukant (2009), heterogeneity among email users arises from the different uses of CAPS. In email messages, different users use ALL CAPS, or no capitalization even in first word of sentences or nouns. Studies associate this oversight of Basic English language writing, as the lack of basic knowledge of keyboard and typing skills who try to conceal their poor grammar skills (Lindsell-Roberts & Settle-Murphy, 2007). This makes emails sloppy business communication tools, from the sloppy errors, oversights, and ignorance of basic rules. A common cause of sloppy messaging in emails is the use of editing and posting functions like COPY, PASTE, and CUT functions that reduce typing time but increase error rates.

According to Wallace (2004), business letters are expected to have a letterhead at the top, a date, and an address. The addresses also have a given format, beginning with the recipient's name with their official title. In a business communication, the expectation is line spacing is provided, with salutations following benefit the address. The salutations begin with Dear and the recipient's first name or their title and first name (Wallace, 2004). Moreover, in business communication the norm is to use "Ms." In the salutation rather than "Mrs." Or "Miss." The letter body is very concise, short, well structured, and formal language. In the closing remarks, business communication often uses remarks like "cordially," "regards," or "sincerely." A space follows this, then the signature of the sender, the sender's typed name in the next line, and their title. The business letter is accompanied by the disclosure of copies or enclosures sent to other parties. This is similar for business memos, but memos have an opening line indicated by "Date:," "To:," "From:," and "Subject:" indications (Wallace, 2004). These aspects are not part of most of the email communication occurring in businesses.

The appearance of a lack of business etiquette in emails is the lack of standardization in email formats in organizations. Most email messages begin with different salutations unlike the business letter. Salutations comprise of "Hello again," "Hi there!" "Hi from Pete," "David," "Hi David," "Good morning David," "Howdy David," "Dear David Crystal," "Annwyl David Crystal," "Dear Professor Crystal," or "Estimado Professor Crystal" (Wallace, 2004). The use of "Annwyl" represents a Welsh replacement for Dear. There are different variations of salutations in email messages, which deviate from the business communication format. This is because email as a communication media, represents a mixture of written, speech, and formatting styles (Kallos, 2009). For this reason in email messages people will use different ellipses or punctuations to imply a pause to separate phrases, similar as to those they use when speaking. This is different from the business communication format, which requires the use of Standard English formatting, punctuation, indentation, and uniform paragraph length (Kallos, 2009). Emails do not paragraph, and if paragraphs are present, they have different lengths, and indentations.

Implications of Emails as Business Communication Tools

According to Lindsell-Roberts and Settle-Murphy (2007), emails are the lifeblood for virtual teams. However, they fail to meet their objective due to poor formatting. Many of the email messages fail in indicating the goal of the message and are treated as an informal conversation than a concise business memo. Emails also lack the logical transitions between ideas, proper spell checks, and have poor typing habits (Lindsell-Roberts & Settle-Murphy, 2007). The second largest problem or complication with email communication is the sending to the wrong email address.

The existence of heterogeneity in email communication as compared to business communication tools is associated to different style shifts, ways, intended use, and capabilities of the receiver and sender. According to Hamel (2005), employees in the workplace have become adept to matching and mixing different formats and styles in n attempt to create the right tone at the right time, as they take advantage of email's convenience, speed, and low cost. In effect, this attempt to nail down a standardized business email format becomes difficult. On the other hand, Wilkins (2002) identifies that the instability and informality of standardize norms leads to various ways people use media, especially in formatting styles and language styles. This is associated as a cause of the lack of business composure in emails, as there are enormous amounts of email language in use in the world especially the business community. The variance is mostly seen with the salutation that is highly informal that it plays a key role in establishing the tone of the message as informal or formal. The other cause of heterogeneity in the use of emails in business communication is the homogeneity of emails, as they cannot signal cues and tones.

Interestingly, research on the use of email reveals that email creates added administrative duties associated with the backing-up, archiving, and email data management tasks. According to Wilkins (2002), the increased use of emails in business communication is adding administrative and data management functions. The survey indicates that administration will spend 8-12hrs a week in archiving and backing-up, 18 hours in data management, and 5-6 hours in recovering archived messages. Email is not only a messaging system but also a communicating and record-generating system in today's businesses. Despite this fact, Wilkins (2002) identifies that businesses do not recognize the consequences associated with email use and management. Most businesses try to address the problem of email construction as a communication tool overlooking the management aspect. A review of literature reviews that the use of email in business communication is the result of people's communication behavior over the internet.