# data[].attributes.headline
The use of emojis and abbreviations in daily communication.

# data[].attributes.subject
The use of emojis and abbreviations in daily communication.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This blog is the first in a series of blogs that displays our master's and MBA students as the experts they are. We fast forward the learning experience to bring you research papers written by our exceptional postgraduate student body-the following is the result of months of exceptional research.

Authentic Leadership II: Managing Relationships: BMBA2, 22 November 2022
Eliza Brett Romina Rojas Chanathip Jhongjaiteth Madhuri Chilamakuri INTRODUCTION
This research paper looks at the use of emojis and abbreviations in the workplace and attempts to understand whether they are perceived as professional or if they damage the reputation of the user. The way we communicate with each other socially and professionally is constantly evolving, with over 92% of the world's internet population now using emojis in everyday life (Daniel, 2021). Back in 2015, emojis were named 'the fastest growing language ever' (Nield, 2015) and is celebrated with an official World Emoji Day every year. In 2021, in the US specifically, 75% of employees use emojis at work, which increases the chance of misunderstanding and communication breakdown in the workplace (Clutch, 2021). As MBA students, we are interested in the results to see how we can apply the learnings to communicate effectively, professionally and avoid misunderstanding with our team and clients as future managers and business leaders.

The results are taken from a series of primary and secondary research, including eight in-person interviews with industry professionals from the worlds of marketing, banking, FMCG, automotive and technology, an online survey with 61 participants from a range of industries, and finally an understanding of research on this topic that has been published over the last few years.
KEY FINDINGS
Our first key finding from our survey and interviews was that emojis and abbreviations in the workplace are mostly used internally, and between colleagues rather than to and from a boss or direct reports. 95% of survey participants said they use both emojis and abbreviations for internal messaging purposes on their internal company platforms and 98% of these participants agree that it's acceptable to receive emojis from colleagues. It is not commonly used across email communications (internal or external) and none of our participants use emojis or abbreviations in professional work documents. A 29-year-old marketing manager supported this when saying "email isn't the platform for emojis, and I would never use slang abbreviations like 'LOL' in emails".

When we looked at why survey and interviewees used emojis we found that 88% of survey participants use emojis to be more friendly and help express their emotions better. More than half the interviewees supported this, with one FMCG manager stating: " Now emojis are so common in the workplace, not using an emoji can be seen as cold and emotionally unintelligent, even if that's not the intention." Furthermore, Hunt (2021) suggests that "88% of global emoji users are more likely to feel empathetic toward someone if they use an emoji" .

Today, emojis have also become a tool that co-workers use to manage feelings and relationships not only in marketing or tech firms but also in more formal firms such as banks. Even HR departments in the banking industry are encouraging managers to use emojis to become more friendly with colleagues, managers, and direct reports. Many of our interviewees support this by saying they use emojis and abbreviations "to establish a balance between being informal and formal with colleagues, managers and direct reports, as well as expressing feelings that might help soften the intention."

This is more relevant than ever as more companies are adopting a hybrid-working model and as Yokoi and Jordan (2022) mentioned in their Harvard Business Review case titled 'Using Emojis to Connect with Your Team': "Effective leadership in the digital age, is pointing to the growing use of emojis in the virtual workplace as an alternative to physical cues".

As mentioned previously, using emojis in everyday life is standard practice now (Daniel, 2021) and a conversation could seem dull and bland without the use of them. As Peek (2022) also suggests, emojis are used to enhance a message and react accordingly, especially when the receiver cannot see the sender's body language.

Yokoi and Jordan (2022) also confirm that younger generations could misinterpret emojis. The study stated " Gen Z's are reportedly offended by their colleagues' use of the smiley face emoji , which they see as patronizing. And cultural and geographical differences can mean that one person's friendly gesture is another's offence This was also supported by an interviewee marketing manager who said: "I think some emojis and abbreviations mean different things to different people and mean different things to different generations."

CONCLUSION

As mentioned above, as the workplace shifts to a more hybrid-model, professionals can use emojis and abbreviations to enhance emotions and help be perceived as more open and friendly. Most importantly, we found more companies are now adapting their culture and promoting the use of these tools throughout their businesses.

Furthermore, we found that there is a possibility for misunderstandings and to avoid this we must consider these three key factors when using universally understood emojis such as thumbs up and smiley face: generational differences, company culture and professional relationship. Finally, as part of this research we were surprised to see that even in very different industries, most are using emojis and abbreviations internally and are encouraged to do so. However, we cannot conclude that our findings apply to all industries around the world. As perfectly summarized by one 35-year-old finance manager we interviewed: " The only thing that doesn't change is change. We must adapt to the new generations and use their language".

REFERENCE LIST

Clutch. (March 18, 2021). More Than 75% of Employees in the U.S. Used Emojis at Work in 2020, Increasing the Possibility of Translation Mistakes in the Workplace. Cision. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-than-75-of-employees-in-the-us-used-emojis-at-work-in-2020-increasing-the-possibility-of-translation-mistakes-in-the-workplace-301249993.html

Daniel, J. (2021). The Most Frequently Used Emoji of 2021. Unicode. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://home.unicode.org/emoji/emoji-frequency/ .

Hunt, P. D. (2021). World Emoji Day 2021: How emoji can help create a more empathetic world, for all of us . Adobe Blog. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2021/07/15/global-emoji-trend-report-2021

Nield, D. (May 19, 2015). Apparently Emoji is the 'fastest growing language ever'. Tech Radar. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.techradar.com/news/internet/apparently-emoji-is-the-fastest-growing-language-ever-1294306 .

Peek, S. (2022). Should You Use Emojis in Business Communications? - business.com. Should You Use Emojis in Business Communications? - business.com. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.business.com/articles/put-an-emoji-on-it-should-you-use-emojis-in-business-communication/

Yokoi, T & Jordan, J. (2022, May 30). Using Emojis to Connect with Your Team. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2022/05/using-emojis-to-connect-with-your-team

INTERVIEWS

Survey Findings

Do you use emojis at work? Are they considered professional? These are questions designed to decipher the modern world. For even more enlightening and alternative views of the future of business, check out our MBA brochure.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Does the Use of Emojis and Abbreviations Impact Professionalism and Individual Reputations in the Workplace? | Hult International Business School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hult MBA students share their extensive, classroom-led research on whether emojis can ever be considered professional in the workplace.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is a College Degree Necessary for Success? | Goodwin University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you need a college degree to be successful, or can you obtain a lucrative career with training experience? Explore your options and get expert opinions.

# data[].attributes.headline
should physician assisted suicide be legal

# data[].attributes.subject
should physician assisted suicide be legal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The question of a physician’s involvement in aid in dying (or “assisted suicide”) is being debated across the country. This article adopts no one position because its authors hold contrasting views. It aims instead to articulate the strongest…

# data[].attributes.headline
should there be a law to prevent cyberbullying

# data[].attributes.subject
should there be a law to prevent cyberbullying

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Bullying is hardly a new problem. In recent years, however, it has moved from the school grounds and school bus to social networking sites and text messages. Cyberbullying is the use of the Internet or mobile technology to harass, intimidate, or cause harm to another. Nearly all states have bullying laws in place to address traditional bullying. A growing number have online bullying or electronic harassment provisions.

This article discusses cyberbullying laws, how they differ among the states, and how these offenses are charged.

Why Is Cyberbullying Such a Serious Problem?

Cyberbullying can be as traumatizing, if not more traumatizing than traditional forms of bullying.

It is persistent. Cyberbullying victims can be messaged or attacked at any hour of the day or night.

It is ever-present. Bullying communications are right on the victim's phone, in group chats, on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Cyberbullying is also found in gaming communities.

It is permanent. As the saying goes, "the internet is forever." Unflattering images and defamatory lies can have an influence on every area of a young person's life.

It is less visible to adults. School officials and parents might see physical bruises if a child is attacked at school, but they might not ever see what happens on a cell phone or in an internet community.

Cyberbullying attacks on a young person's character and self-esteem become a source of emotional distress. They can cause embarrassment, shame, anxiety, and depression. Cyberbullying has been implicated in a number of teen suicides.

For example, a high school student takes an unflattering picture of a classmate. They send it to all of her friends (via mobile phone) with hurtful comments. Then the targeted student is teased by dozens of classmates. Instead of having to deal with one bully, the victim now faces cyber-harassment from a group of people. The photo goes viral, attracting attention from strangers who join in the teasing, creating a terrible situation for a young person who is excruciatingly attuned to peer pressure. The results can be tragic.

In 2017, the parents of 12-year-old Mallory Grossman filed a lawsuit against their daughter's Rockaway Township school district for gross negligence. The parents said they repeatedly told school officials about the texts, Snapchat, and Instagram bullying. They also considered suing the parents of the cyberbullying peers.

Common Cyberbullying Tactics

According to StopBullying.gov, cyberbullying can take many forms. including:

Posting a mean or unflattering picture or video of a classmate

Posting rumors (or starting rumors) on a social media platform

Threatening people via text message

Outing someone for their sexual orientation or gender identity

Sending messages telling someone to kill themselves

Pretending to be someone else online in order to friend, and then expose someone

Is Cyberbullying a Crime?

Until the mid-2000s, there were no specific cyberbullying laws. But, legislators have not been blind to the increasing number of high-publicized incidents of suicide and school violence. Some states leave law enforcement in the hands of school officials. In such cases, cyberbullying is often treated as a civil, rather than a criminal matter.

Some criminal prosecutors have been able to use existing criminal harassment laws to prosecute cyberbullies in public schools. Now, nearly half of U.S. states include "cyberbullying" in their broader bullying or harassment laws. Most states also include a prohibition on "electronic harassment."

The trend is to hold offenders accountable for bullying behavior on- and off-campus, but only about a dozen states have school sanctions for cyberbullying actions committed off-campus. Depending on the state, victims may be able to seek remedies in civil courts or try to convince criminal prosecutors to take the behavior seriously enough to consider criminal charges.

Examples of State Cyberbullying Laws

Most states have school sanctions for cyberbullying or electronic harassment in general. Below is a sampling of state laws addressing cyberbullying:

California: Bullying in an educational facility includes communications by electronic means. The Safe Place to Learn Act, along with other code sections, establishes a student's "inalienable right to attend classes on school campuses that are safe, secure, and peaceful." The use of an electronic device to cause someone to fear for their life (an extreme form of bullying) can be charged as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

Florida: Florida's "Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act" prohibits bullying of any K-12 student or staff member. It specifically references cyberbullying, or "bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication". The law does not include criminal sanctions. It directs school districts to draft policies and to report instances of bullying. Schools can suspend or expel students found guilty of bullying. Unfortunately, enforcement varies from district to district. Some schools have used cyberbullying rules to punish students who report sexual assault.

Missouri: Cyberbullying is defined by Missouri statute as including, but not limited to "a message, text, sound, or image by means of an electronic device." School employees are required to report instances of bullying. An individual who uses social media to bully another person with violent threats may be charged with harassment. Offenses are normally misdemeanors, but could be charged as a Class E felony if the victim is a minor and the defendant is aged twenty-one or older. Penalties also increase if the defendant has a prior harassment conviction.

What Are the Penalties for Cyberbullying Cases?

The main difference among state cyberbullying laws is whether sanctions are administrative or criminal. Florida requires school policies but does not define criminal charges. Missouri can charge a cyberbullying offender in criminal court, but only for violent threats.

So, depending on the state laws, the penalties for a cyberbully can range from school suspension or expulsions to jail time.

While parents whose children have been bullied want a stricter approach to bullying, civil rights organizations like the ACLU criticize the use of the criminal justice system to inflict penalties on children. They tend to advocate that student behavior problems can be handled by school administration.

The Department of Health & Human Services offers tips on bullying prevention and anti-bullying policies at its StopBullying.gov website.

Learn More About Cyberbullying Laws From an Attorney

Cyberbullying is a rapidly evolving area of law, and the laws vary from state to state. If you or someone close to you has been charged with cyberbullying, get legal advice from an experienced criminal defense attorney in your area. They can explain the current state of cyberbullying and harassment laws in your state.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bullying is hardly a new problem. In recent years, however, it has moved from the school grounds and school bus to social networking sites and text messages. Cyberbullying is the use of the Internet or mobile technology to harass, intimidate, or cause harm to another.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The phone hacking scandal, currently centred on the News of the World, has reignited the debate on privacy and press regulation.

But how much privacy can, and should, celebrities - who make their living in the public eye - expect?

For years, the tabloid press has made its reputation on "exclusives" involving celebrities' private lives.

Stars frequently take out injunctions against newspapers preventing them from revealing possible indiscretions.

The recent phone hacking scandal has drawn claims that up to 3,000 celebrities, politicians and sports stars had their communications monitored.

Some stars have been vocal on the issue, especially Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan, who both claim to have had their mobiles tampered with.

Actress Sienna Miller won £100,000 in damages from the News of the World in May, after the paper admitted hacking her phone.

Yet the relationship between celebrities and the media is such that, arguably, one cannot exist without the other.

Jeremy King, editor of industry paper Media Week, says that although celebrities are in the public eye, it does not necessarily make them "fair game".

"It's a delicate balance between celebrities from the Y-list up to the D-list, who are quite happy to reveal their inner secrets, and the A- and B-list, who go about their business and guard their private lives.

"People are happily hacking to get exclusives from A-listers because they're slightly unusual.

"But if you court the media in the first place and don't like it when they say something nasty, then unfortunately once you push the toothpaste out of the tube it's hard to get it back in."

According to media commentator Mark Borkowski, celebrities need to realise that to a certain extent they are public property.

Despite this, he continues, it can still be possible for them to have a private life.

"If you want privacy, you can obtain it by keeping a delicate balance between the needs of promoting what you have to professionally - and how you conduct your life," he explains.

"You need to have a long-term commitment to the amount of fame you have generated.

"You can't switch it on and off, so you have to have a strategy of dealing with it."

The role of the PR machine is a key player in the issue.

On the one hand, a publicist may tip off the media as to their clients' whereabouts or promote their latest project.

On the other, a PR could be working hard to limit the damage after an unfavourable story.

Celebrity PR consultant Max Clifford says the biggest part of his business is protecting the image of his clients, not promotion.

"If I have a star on my books that has always desperately kept themselves private, then they deserve greater protection," he says.

"[But] if you use the media, you can't complain too much when the media uses you."

Clifford believes there can be times when it is justified to make private lives public knowledge, provided the information is legally obtained.

"There's loads of people that would be the victims of kiss-and-tells that I've stopped because it wouldn't have been justified."

But he adds: "If a politician is lecturing about family values while they're having affairs, then they deserve to be shown up."

"Rich people can afford a PR person or lawyer who can stop it. But if it does slip through and you get caught out playing away, you only have yourself to blame."

Borkowski dismisses the suggestion that if a celebrity has a PR company behind them they are probably trying to hide something.

"If people hire an accountant, are they trying to fiddle their tax?" he asks rhetorically.

"Good PR people are doing their job, which is to manage the media," he says.

The public play a huge part in the privacy debate, thanks to the rise in gossip columns and magazines whose readership depends on an appetite for celebrity scandals.

"The incessant need of the public to know what every celebrity is doing is phenomenal," King says.

"Ironically, this same public are equally outraged when it comes to normal civilians having their private lives publicly played out."

The phone hacking scandal was relatively low on the news agenda when it appeared that celebrities were the only ones targeted.

When it became clear it also involved members of the public, however, public outrage escalated.

"Their attitude is, 'Max Clifford and Sienna Miller use the media and do very well from it, so I won't lose too much sleep over it,'" says Clifford.

So will the scandal change the relationship between celebrities and the media? "It has changed the nature of tabloid journalism forever," Borkowski declares.

Yet King doesn't agree. "Certain celebrities are so desperate for publicity, they'll take the lows as long as they get more highs - and more coverage.

"But higher profile stars will probably think twice about doing exclusive interviews and be more acutely aware of what they do."

Clifford hopes a new press regulator, if instigated, would help tackle the "excesses" of the media.

"You've got to have a free press in this country, and when they get it wrong they must be punished and shown up," he says.

"Hopefully we'll have a half-way house and avoid a privacy law, which to me is totally wrong in any democracy.

"The press must be free, but they must be responsible."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The phone hacking scandal, currently centred on the News of the World, has reignited the debate on privacy and press regulation. But how much privacy can, and should, celebrities - who make their living in the public eye - expect? For years, the tabloid press has made its reputation on "exclusives" involving celebrities' private lives.