Will Instant Messenger Services Increase or Decrease Efficiency in the Workplace

Instant Messaging as a New Form of Business Communications: Pros, Cons, and Implications

With the emergence, development, and dominance of Internet technology and communication in today's highly "digitized" environment, human society is continuously bombarded with information at real time. The concept of "real time" refers to synchronous or simultaneous exchange and transmission of information, best illustrated through the instant messaging. Instant messaging is a form of text communication in the Internet that allows communicators/users to correspond with each other at real time, allowing greater interactivity and information flow at a short period only.

Instant messaging differs from asynchronous forms of Internet communication, such as e-mail (electronic mail) and discussion boards, primarily because it (instant messaging) is no different from a typical conversation between or among people. The only difference is that instant messaging does not involve face-to-face communication (although this barrier has been resolved with the use of web cameras, which allow communicators/users to see each other over the Internet, through instant messaging systems).

Recently, the use of instant messaging has encompassed the 'social level' -- that is, instant messaging is not only used as a means to socialize to other people in the Internet, but it is now used to conduct conversations and transactions among business organizations. In this paper, the researcher looks into the utilization of instant messaging in the business environment -- its pros and cons, as well as its implications for future directions and trends of business communications in the period of information technology.

The issue and phenomenon of instant messaging as a business communications tool is precedented with developing Internet technologies, such as Short Message Service (SMS), Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS), and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) (Perlin, 2003:36). These technologies allowed communication become interactive anytime, anywhere, and the proliferation of these technologies (originally used for mobile phones) gave birth to instant messaging, allowing communicators to converse and see each other through the Internet medium.

Oliva (2003) stresses the importance of instant messaging in business communications because of its pervasiveness, ease of accessibility, and ease of use. Indeed, instant messaging has very useful "business applications," which include being constantly in touch with a client, allowing decision-making activities be accomplished without the 'physical' presence of the decision-makers and members, and maintaining "special and close relationships" with clients/consumers.

In fact, the usefulness of instant messaging encompasses the maintenance of social relations between the business organization and its clients. According to Cunningham (2003), instant messaging benefits business organizations because it "potentially save telecommunications and network costs as well as storage space... The technology would reduce e-mail and network traffic..." (32). The usefulness of instant messaging is also reflected in new policies and regulations (set by the New York Stock Exchange and National Association of Securities Dealers) that require business organizations to 'retain for three years all instant messages exchanged between member firms and their customers' (de Souza, 2004:8).

The functionality of instant messaging, however, does not address security and ethical issues that arise with the prevalence of this business communications tool. Perlin (2003) argues that despite its advantages, instant messaging is a problematic communications tool, because it lacks the 'IT support' and lack of security, being a 'public communication system (37). Furthermore, another danger that instant messaging poses to the state of business transactions at present is its accessibility, where information, whether they are legally- or illegally-obtained, can be easily accessed and transmitted, without the proper security and authorization. Thus, these disadvantages cause detriment to the smooth flow of business communications and transactions.