Social Media Espionage — A Strategic Grid

Abstract

The changing communication environment transforms social media as a source for obtaining competitive intelligence on rival firms through “social espionage.” This conceptual chapter discusses how the competitive information in the Web, along with the trend of corporate transparency, has created both opportunity and risk for firms in social media. Among the opportunities, we discuss (1) tactical marketing campaigns, (2) encouraging switching behavior, (3) identifying and targeting competitors’ weak points, and (4) learning from their success and failure. On the other hand, we discuss how engaging in social media results in a loss of total control in the dialogue between a firm and its customers and, ultimately, leaves a firm vulnerable to the same opportunistic tactics it may leverage in order to draw benefit from a competitor’s social media presence. Finally, we provide some recommendations aimed at reacting to social espionage in the form of a strategic grid.

Citation

Salminen, J. and Degbey, W.Y. (2015), "Social Media Espionage — A Strategic Grid", New Technology-Based Firms in the New Millennium (New Technology Based Firms in the New Millennium, Vol. 11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 261-274. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1876-022820150000011020