Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information

Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
Learning Outcomes and Criteria covered by this Assignment
Summary of learning outcomes
To achieve this unit a learner must:
1. Understand how to assess information and knowledge needs
2. Be able to create strategies to increase personal networking to widen involvement in
the decision making process
3. Be able to develop communication processes
4. Be able to improve systems relating to information and knowledge
Outcomes
To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate
the ability to:
LO 1 Understand how to
assess information and
knowledge
needs
LO 1.1 discuss the range of decisions to be taken
LO 1.2 examine the information and knowledge needed to ensure
effective decision taking
LO 1.3 assess internal and external sources of information and
understanding
LO 1.4 justify recommendations for improvement
LO2 Be able to create
strategies to increase
personal networking to
widen involvement in the
decision making process
LO 2.1 identify stakeholders for a decision-making process
LO 2.2 make contact with those identified and develop business
relationships
LO 2.3 involve those identified in the decision making as
appropriate
LO 2.4 design strategies for improvement
LO 3 Be able to develop
communication processes
LO 3.1 report on existing processes of communication in an
organisation
LO 3.2 design ways to improve appropriateness
LO 3.3 implement improvements to ensure greater integration of
systems of communication in that organisation
LO 3.4 create a personal plan to improve own communication skills
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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LO 4 Be able to improve
systems relating to
information and knowledge
LO 4.1 report on existing approaches to the collection, formatting,
storage and dissemination of information and knowledge
LO 4.2 carry out appropriate changes to improve the collection,
formatting, storage and dissemination of information and
knowledge
LO 4.3 implement a strategy to improve access to systems of
information and knowledge.
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Programme: BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit Number: 16
Unit Title: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information
Module Tutors:
Email:
Assignment Number: 1. Report
Distribution Date: 16/10/2013
Submission Date: 15/11/2013
Assessment Format: Produce a report with. The report must be written in professional
manner and properly referenced. The report should comply with the
word count of 1000 with +/- 10% margin. You may use tables and
diagrams to support your report to illustrate the text. The report must
be submitted as a printed copy.
Starting up a new business can be both demanding and rewarding, and for those looking to
establish themselves in the world of retail, the choice can present unique challenges. There is the
initial decision over whether to establish the business as either a bricks-and-mortar operation, or
whether to go completely online. Then there is the competition – the retail sector is tough and it is
worth bearing in mind that any business no matter how unique, is going to have to compete, not
just with similar retailers but with a wide variety of different shops for the consumer spend.
For this first assignment you are required to develop a report which will guide the reader through
the process of setting up a business. Your report should include the following.
? A discussion of the different decisions to be made and an examination of the information
and knowledge required to make the decisions in relation to starting up a business (LO 1.1,
1.2)
? List of internal and external sources of information and understanding. Assess these
sources and justify their suitability and reliability in relation to the business start up. (LO
1.3)
? Recommend any improvements in the methods used in the selection and analysis of
information needed for business start ups. (LO 1.4)
For the second part of the report you are required to develop strategies to increase your personal
networking skills and your involvement in the decision making process.
Assessment Type: Individual
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Your report should include the following.
? A list of stakeholders for the decision making process in relation to starting up above
mentioned business. (LO 2.1)
? A selection of professionals and other stakeholders you should make contact with and
ways to make contact with these individuals.
? Which methods you would use to develop a business relationship with these selected
individuals. (LO 2.2)
? A plan to involve the identified people in the decision making process for example price
strategy and location strategy applicable for this business start up. (LO 2.3)
? Your plan should include a strategy for future improvements in this process. (LO 2.4)
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Programme: BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit Number: 16
Unit Title: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information
Module Tutors:
Email:
Assignment Number: 2. Case Study
Distribution Date: 16/10/2013
Submission Date: 31/01/2014
Assessment Format: Produce a report. The must be written in professional manner and
properly referenced. The report should comply with the word count of
2000 with +/- 10% margin. You may use tables and diagrams to
support your report to illustrate the text. Word count excludes the
index, headings, information contained in tables, references and
bibliography.
You are required a produce a report on following points relating to the case study you were
given.
? Identify the existing processes of communication in the given case study and explain the
different communication processes available to a small voluntary organisation. (LO 3.1)
? By comparing the different communication processes explain how the voluntary
organisation cited in the case study can improve appropriate communication and how
they can ensure integration of systems of communication. (LO 3.2, 3.3)
? Identify and recommend improvements to the organisation’s existing approaches to
collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of information and knowledge (LO 4.1,
4.2)
? Recommend and explain methods by which this organisation can improve its access to
systems of information and knowledge (LO 4.3)
Assessment Type: Individual
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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? If you are given the opportunity work as the volunteer supervisor in this case study,
explain, using a personal plan how you would improve your own communication skills
(LO 3.4)
Case Study for Unit 16 Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Assignment 02
ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION
Introduction
The organisation chosen for this case study on organisational communication is a small
political activists’ organisation for which the writer of this paper once volunteered. The
organisational communication problem encountered was that the volunteer supervisor did
not have projects ready during the scheduled volunteer time slots, and despite a thorough
interview process to determine skill-need matches and prior verbal scheduling of
volunteer times, this problem persisted for months. With the lack of a communication
plan, the consequence was a diminished enthusiasm for the cause and growing level of
frustration causing this writer to cease volunteering for the organisation despite having a
true belief in its mission.
Knowledge
The major problem in this case study was that the volunteer supervisor was engaged in so
many projects that she did not invest the time to communicate projects to delegate to the
volunteer. Most volunteers for this organisation worked on updating databases,
solicitations, and mailings. This writer’s volunteer emphasis was on writing and doing
special projects.
Therefore, it was only through horizontal top down communication from this particular
supervisor that these special projects could be delegated. Because the volunteer work was
so different than the other volunteers, there was no real value to vertical communication.
In Organisational Communication, Kathryn Baker, contends many communication
theories are not so relevant in today’s service world as well as today’s technologically
globalized world. (Baker, 2002) While many organisational communication principals
would apply, this organisation operates locally and nationally, and falls into Baker’s
description of ‘the service’ organisation. What the supervisor could have done was
implement time saving communication systems, such as writing memos, e-mails, and
other written communication methods to delegate tasks to be done within that specific
time frame. If this was done, the task(s) often were so simple that they did not take all the
volunteer time, and she was left scrambling to find another volunteer project.
Sensitivity
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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The person that appears to be most responsible for the problem was the volunteer
supervisor. However, she was being asked to do more than supervise volunteers; she was
an assistant to the Marketing/Communication Director and was involved in a very
extensive public awareness campaign which required a lot of hands on work on her part.
Additionally, the communications department seemed at odds with other parts of the
organisation, and other departmental managers often were putting demands on this
supervisor as well. Her lack of time resulted in her being a poor communicator, and even
though this volunteer’s skills could have helped ease her work load, she couldn’t slow
down enough to implement a concrete communications strategy.
Skills
The writer of this case study looks to Carter McNamara’s Basics in Internal
Organisational Communications (McNamara, 2007) who suggests a communication plan.
This plan can involve verbal or written communications that would cover how to
effectively manage a non-traditional volunteer. As cited earlier, this supervisor dealt
mostly with people with specific tasks, not project skills, and therefore did not need a
one-on one short session with them during their volunteer time. They also had the value
of communication with one another to help them out when they ran into a specific
problem.
Values
The value of the frustrated volunteer was the desire to create some quality work and be
included within a network of volunteers for this cause. The value of the supervisor was to
impress her managers. The values of the volunteer and supervisor were not mutual. If the
goals had been mutual, it might have created an environment that would have made it
more conducive for the supervisor to take the time to communicate special volunteer
projects of value. It’s rather ironic that during the initial volunteer meeting, how the
writer of this paper could assist the cause was a major point of discussion. This paper
does acknowledge that as with many political activists’ organisations, things happen on
the spot, and there is a great deal of crisis management, and not a lot of pre-planning.
Additionally the communication focus for this organisation was external, not internal.
This organisational culture spilled over into the communication methods of this writer’s
volunteer work, and was a cause of a great deal of frustration. Alternative Solutions The
volunteer supervisor should delegate another volunteer to hand out the written
instructions for the volunteer time block, and because of the nature of the work, keep the
volunteer time appointment in her appointment book, not just on the general volunteer
log. This would have eased the frustration and allowed the writer of this paper to feel like
a valuable contribution was being made to this particular cause.
Above case study is extracted from,
Booth, T. A. (2008). Organisational Communicatio. Business Intelligence Journal , 120-
122.
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Assessment Criteria:
P1-P15 Pass Criteria
M1-M3 Merit Criteria
D1-D3 Distinction Criteria
To Achieve a Pass
To gain a pass grade you must attempt all three assignments and you must satisfy the pass
criteria as outlined below.
LO 1.1 discuss the range of decisions to be taken (P1)
LO 1.2 examine the information and knowledge needed to ensure effective decision taking
(P2)
LO 1.3 assess internal and external sources of information and understanding (P3)
LO 1.4 justify recommendations for improvement (P4)
LO 2.1 identify stakeholders for a decision-making process (P5)
LO 2.2 make contact with those identified and develop business relationships (P6)
LO 2.3 involve those identified in the decision making as appropriate (P7)
LO 2.4 design strategies for improvement (P8)
LO 3.1 report on existing processes of communication in an organisation (P9)
LO 3.2 design ways to improve appropriateness (P10)
LO 3.3 implement improvements to ensure greater integration of systems of communication
in that organisation (P11)
LO 3.4 create a personal plan to improve own communication skills (P12)
LO 4.1 report on existing approaches to the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination
of information and knowledge (P13)
LO 4.2 carry out appropriate changes to improve the collection, formatting, storage and
dissemination of information and knowledge (P14)
LO 4.3 implement a strategy to improve access to systems of information and knowledge (P15)
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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To Achieve a Merit
To gain a merit grade you must achieve all the pass mark criteria and in addition you must
satisfy the criteria as outlined below.
Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions through effective judgement (M1)
Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques. You are judged on the application
of relevant theories and techniques and the justification for their application (M2)
Present and communicate appropriate findings. This includes the use the appropriate structure
and approach with coherent, logical development of principles/concepts for the intended
audience (M3)
To Achieve a Distinction
To gain a Distinction grade you must achieve all the pass mark criteria and all the merit mark
criteria and in addition you must satisfy the criteria as outlined below.
Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions including realistic
improvements which have been proposed against defined characteristics for success. (D1)
Demonstrate convergent / lateral/creative thinking by showing evidence on receptiveness to
new ideas and effective thinking in unfamiliar contexts. (D2)
Take responsibility for managing and organising activities including accommodating the
unforeseen and recognising the importance of interdependence. (D3)
Your subject tutor will be able to give you general guidance and feedback on improving your
work however it is your responsibility to seek feedback from the subject tutors on the above
criteria for you to achieve the intended grades.
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Support materials
Textbooks
Avgerou C — Information Systems and Global Diversity (Oxford University Press, 2003)
ISBN: 0199240779
Boddy D, Boonstra A and Kennedy G — Managing Information Systems; An Organizational
Perspective (FT Prentice Hall, 2002) ISBN: 0273655957
Kovacic B — New Approaches to Organizational Communication (State University of New
York Press, 1994) ISBN: 0791419185
Little S, Quintas P and Ray T — Managing Knowledge: An Essential Reader
(Sage Publications, 2002) ISBN: 0761972137
McKenzie J and van Winkelen C — Understanding the Knowledgeable Organisation (Thomson
Learning, 2004) ISBN: 1861528957
Preston P — Reshaping Communications (Sage Publications, 2001) ISBN: 0803985630
Quirke B — Communicating Corporate Change (McGraw-Hill, 1996) ISBN: 0077093119
Stewart T A — Intellectual Capital: The New Wealth of Organisations (Nicholas Brealey
Publishing Ltd, 1998) ISBN: 1857881834
Video
The BBC and the Centre for Tomorrow’s Company — Communications from the ‘Building
Tomorrow’s Company’ series.
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Plagiarism and Collusion
When producing the assignments, Learners must not copy any material whole or part from
fellow students intentionally or unintentionally. Any materials including phrases, paragraphs,
diagrams, tables, charts or graphics copied from books, journals, web sites or any other
sources must be properly referenced according to the Harvard referencing system. Even if the
words are changed or altered learners must clearly reference the source. Learners are required
to produce a ‘Turn-it-in’ originality report for any coursework, essays submitted for
assessment. Any assignments submitted without a ‘Turn-it-in’ report will be refused and
returned without marking.
Collusion: Unless stated otherwise, you must not produce assignments in collaboration with
fellow students where the assessment is based on the individual work. Such material will be
refused by the assessor and you will receive no mark. You must not share your individual
assignments with fellow students and in an event both lender and the receiver will be
disqualified for the assessment.
Plagiarism and Collusion is seriously dealt with in accordance with the regulations at Regent
College and any learner who fails to produce an original piece of work may be disqualified of
taking the assessment and may have to repeat the unit.
Please visit the link http://www.regentcollegelondon.com/Policies.asp to read our Academic
Misconduct Policy for further information on above. You can also access this policy by
accessing VLE.
Extension and Late Submission
Please visit the link http://www.regentcollegelondon.com/Policies.asp to read our Assessment
Policy in order to acquire information concerning the above matter. You can also access this
policy by accessing VLE.
Attendance and Punctuality
Attending all your sessions is vital for your studies. We expect students to attend 100% of
your classes. Please visit the link http://www.regentcollegelondon.com/Policies.asp to read
our Attendance Policy for further information on above. You can also access this policy by
logging on to VLE.
General Guidance
This unit is assessed on 100% coursework including your active participation in lessons. You
must submit both assignments to receive an overall mark.
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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You should plan well in advance on how to tackle this assignment. You should seek
knowledge outside the classroom lectures and activities to gain maximum learning outcome.
You should access recommended supporting materials as suggested and use the knowledge in
your assignments.
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Programme: BTEC Higher National Certificate in Business
Unit Number and Title: Unit 16, Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information
Module Tutor: Saminda Wattuhewa
Learner name:
Information/feedback on assessment and grading criteria
Assessment criteria
(Pass-P)
Achieved
Evidence
Feedback
LO 1.1 discuss the range of
decisions to be taken (P1)
Yes/No
LO 1.2 examine the information
and knowledge needed to ensure
effective decision taking (P2)
Yes/No
LO 1.3 assess internal and
external sources of information
and understanding (P3)
Yes/No
LO 1.4 justify recommendations
for improvement (P4)
Yes/No
LO 2.1 identify stakeholders for
a decision-making process (P5)
Yes/No
LO 2.2 make contact with those
identified and develop business
relationships (P6)
Yes/No
LO 2.3 involve those identified
in the decision making as
appropriate (P7)
Yes/No
LO 2.4 design strategies for
improvement (P8)
Yes/No
LO 3.1 report on existing
processes of communication in
an organisation (P9)
Yes/No
Feedback Sheet
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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LO 3.2 design ways to improve
appropriateness (P10)
Yes/No
LO 3.3 implement
improvements to ensure greater
integration of systems of
communication in that
organisation (P11)
Yes/No
LO 3.4 create a personal plan to
improve own communication
skills (P12)
Yes/No
LO 4.1 report on existing
approaches to the collection,
formatting, storage and
dissemination of information
and knowledge (P13)
Yes/No
LO 4.2 carry out appropriate
changes to improve the
collection, formatting, storage
and dissemination of
information and knowledge
(P14)
Yes/No
LO 4.3 implement a strategy to
improve access to systems of
information and knowledge
(P15)
Yes/No
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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Grading criteria (Merit-M;
Destination-D)
Achieved
Evidence
Feedback
Identify and apply strategies
to find appropriate solutions
through effective judgement
(M1)
Yes/No
Select/design and apply
appropriate
methods/techniques. You are
judged on the application of
relevant theories and
techniques and the
justification for their
application (M2)
Yes/No
Present and communicate
appropriate findings. This
includes the use the
appropriate structure and
approach with coherent,
logical development of
principles/concepts for the
intended audience (M3)
Yes/No
Use critical reflection to
evaluate own work and
justify valid conclusions
including realistic
improvements which have
been proposed against
defined characteristics for
success. (D1)
Yes/No
Demonstrate convergent /
lateral/creative thinking by
Yes/No
BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information Regent College
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showing evidence on
receptiveness to new ideas
and effective thinking in
unfamiliar contexts. (D2)
Take responsibility for
managing and organising
activities including
accommodating the
unforeseen and recognising
the importance of
interdependence. (D3)

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Microeconomic Principles

Question 1 ( 10 marks)

Evaluate the following statements (your answer for all three parts should be no more than
200 words ):

a) ”Since I own my own home , housing costs me nothing” . (3 marks)

b) “These lectures are boring and useless, but since I have paid for them, I am going to
attend all of them”. (4 marks)

c) “Petrol is essential for people who own motor vehicles, therefore the demand curve
for petrol is perfectly inelastic”. (3 marks)

Question 2 ( 2 0 marks)

The table below shows the production possibilities for two countries , Australia and Canada.
These countries each produce only two goods, ‘cheese’ and ‘wine’:

Australia’s production
per day
Canada’s production
per day
Cheese

Wine
1600
OR
3200
800
OR
2400

a) On separate diagrams draw the production possibility frontier (PPF) for
each country, putting cheese on the x axis and wine on the y axis. Assume constant
opportunity cost.

b) Use the information in the table to explain the meaning of absolute advantage.

c) Which country has the comparative advantage in wine production?
Which country has a comparative advantage in cheese production?
Make sure you fully explain your answers.

d) Assume a terms of trade of 1 unit of cheese = 2.5 units of wine. Explain why each
country would find these terms of trade acceptable. Draw the consumption possibility
frontier (CPF) in the PPF diagram from a) for each country. Explain how you
constructed the CPF.

e) Use the diagram from d) to demonstrate the ‘gains from trade’. Explain your answer.