The aim of this master thesis is a theroretical analysis regarding the challenges companies face to develop abilities to market themselves on social media. The theoretical analysis examines how the complexity of society is reflected in marketing today and then challenge companies to practice these new marketing activities.

Through an analysis of our individual experiences achieved from internships at marketing companies, we were able to understand businesses most essential complications to market themselves on social media. These analyzed experiences represent the core of this thesis. At the same time these analyzed experiences where aiming to give a theoretical overall understanding why companies experience problems in their marketing with social media.

At first we defined the term competency to operationalize this term further in our theoretical analysis. Afterwards a description of Lars Qvortrup’s diagnosis of the hypercomplex society is clarified, in which we throughout the thesis relate to other theoretical perspectives to understand the interaction between society and social media. With this hypercomplex society, we then examined how social media has become an instrument to market companies. In addition, a new marketing focus on social media is described, in which businesses create valuable consumer communication through insights of values and needs of the consumer.

With an understanding of the characteristics within marketing on social media and the impact of Qvortrup’s hypercomplex society the thesis continues with an analysis of those challenges companies face trying to adapt these issues in their organization. This organizational analysis then states those exact challenges companies have to face in their organization, before they are able to market themselves on social media.

With the hypercomplex society as a focus point, this thesis unfolds how hypercomplexivity impacts companies regarding the challenges companies face to develop abilities to market themselves on social media.