Messaging and Email

The need to communicate short messages with the expectation of a prompt response is necessary reality in today’s world. It is important in personal, religious and career spheres. The advent of cell phone text messages gave us a useful tool for quick connections without the need for extended phone conversations. Various other platforms developed in the last decade extend the utility of text messaging to the possibility of attaching documents and voice recordings. Relatedly, email has played an important role during the last four decades in providing efficient communication and transfer of documents, photographs, recordings, etc. These platforms, along with more recent ones, make it possible for individuals and organizations to communicate and exchange materials effectively and easily. Consequently, managers and leaders must think strategically about which platforms to use, how much to use them, and how to organize their use.

In an effort to think strategically, ZACU’s administration has organized its use of texting and emailing in such a way that academic and administrative tasks and communication can be efficient and effective. In doing so, we asked strategic questions about each platform.

The questions to be asked are:

1. What are the inherent strengths of the internet platform?

2. What are the human resource implications of employing the platform?

3. Are there financial costs to using the platform?

4. What sort of training will be necessary to implement the use of the platform?

Messaging

Presently, ZACU uses Whatsapp as is primary texting platform. The reasons for this choice are several. First, the platform is in widespread use in Zambia. Second, it allows users to post documents, photographs, and recordings as well as messages. Third, it is relatively inexpensive to use. Because of the immediacy of the platform, Whatsapp lends itself to quick communication, allowing users to discuss an issue within a matter of hours or minutes. This facilitates decision-making and brainstorming in a way that cannot be accomplished through email.

We could have chosen to use Facebook Messenger, which is also widely used, but that platform is more proprietary in nature and therefore less flexible. We could also have chosen to use regular cellular text messages (i.e, sms), but that platform lacks some of the useful features of Whatsapp. Other platforms exist (such as Snapchat, etc.) and one might consider their use for their inherent strengths.

For more information on messaging, consult the following:

o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_messaging

Emailing

Email has been around for 50 years but heavily used during the last 30 years. It continues to provide an essential service for personal, government, business, and educational purposes. The strengths of email include the ability to send complex messages, store messages in folders, attach documents of various kinds, reply specifically to a particular email, and create groups for the distribution of information.

ZACU’s email system has been structured to provide effective administrative and academic communication. Students have been instructed to submit assignments via class email addresses rather than use Whatsapp. This strategy has several benefits:

1. It channels assignments directly to the lecturer in charge of the class.

2. It preserves an electronic record of the communication.

3. It permits easy attachment of academic documents.

4. It allows users to easily respond to a particular email topic.

5. Most email systems include the ability to create email lists, enabling senders to send a particular email to larger groups of people at one time.

Moreover, ZACU email addresses follow a predictable pattern to enable the community to easily remember addresses. Anyone connected to ZACU must learn to use email and manage emails. In reality, anyone with serious ambitions in today’s world should be well-acquainted with email and its features.

For more information on email consult the following:

o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email