RDI/EDEXCEL Level 5 BTEC Higher Nationals Programme: Business Management Module : Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information (MCKI)

Assignment

Date for Submission: 13th November 2012 The submission portal on ilearn will close at 23.59 (GMT) on 13th November 2012

Assessor : P. Reilly

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit a learner will: LO1 LO2 Understand how to assess information and knowledge needs Be able to create strategies to increase personal networking to widen involvement in the decision-making process Be able to develop communication processes Be able to improve systems relating to information and knowledge.

LO3 LO4

Assessor : P. Reilly

Context You have been asked by senior management of an organisation of your choice to identify one objective required to manage a day-to-day or a medium term operation and analyse it in the context of the following tasks. (To identify an organisational objective you are advised to discuss and agree a viable objective with a relevant manager or to seek advice / guidance / approval from your on-line tutor. Any such communication should be documented and provided as evidence in the final submission.)

Assessor : P. Reilly

Task 1 Information and knowledge needs 1a) Discuss a range of different objectives that you have considered for this assignment and briefly explain the different knowledge / information requirements of each one. Justify your choice of objective to use for this assignment. (1.1, 1.2, 1.4) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer: Examples of appropriate business objectives could be : Company X aims to achieve 98% customer satisfaction by 31/12/2011 The market share for Company X will be 40% of total market by end Dec 2011 Sales revenue for product B is forecast to be 55k by end July 2012 1b) Identify the types & sources of data and information required to enable ONE chosen objective to be achieved. (1.3) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer:
Sources: internal and external, primary and secondary, formal and informal, team workers, customers and other stakeholders Types: qualitative and quantitative, tacit and explicit, official and unofficial, policy and opinion

Task 2 Personal Networking 2a) Identify the stakeholders to whom the information regarding this objective needs to be communicated and outline how, why and when communications should take place. (2.1) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer:
Types: meetings and conferences, workshops and training events, internet and email, written, telephone, video conferencing one-to-one meetings Approaches: structured and coordinated, planned, formal and informal Strategy: advantages, disadvantages; informal, face-to-face, formal in writing, emotional, intelligence Sources: stakeholders and useful contacts, internal and external

2b) Provide documented evidence to demonstrate the communication links that you have with stakeholders of the specified objective and explain how you have involved others in decision making processes at work. (2.2, 2.3) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer:
Sources: stakeholders and useful contacts, internal and external Methods: formal, informal Strategies: formal and informal, direct or via media, relating and interacting trust and confidentiality, forming business relationships, decision making and decision taking

2c) On a personal level consider your own communication skills. Identify any weaknesses and develop a short (1/2 side A4 max) personal plan to improve your communication skills. (2.4, 3.4) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer:
Types: meetings and conferences, workshops and training events, internet and email, written, telephone, video conferencing one-to-one meetings Assessor : P. Reilly

Approaches: structured and coordinated, planned, formal and informal Methods: formal, informal Strategy: advantages, disadvantages; informal, face-to-face, formal in writing, emotional, intelligence Strategies: formal and informal, direct or via media, relating and interacting, trust and confidentiality, forming business relationships, decision making and decision taking

Task 3 Communications / Information / knowledge systems 3a) Consider the existing communications processes within your chosen organisation. Recommend 1 (one) improvement that could be made to the communications process and outline how you would implement this improvement. (3.1, 3.2, 3.3) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer:
Types: meetings and conferences, workshops and training events, internet and email, written, telephone, video conferencing one-to-one meetings Approaches: structured and coordinated, planned, formal and informal Strategy: advantages, disadvantages; informal, face-to-face, formal in writing, emotional, Intelligence

3b) Describe the existing approaches to the collection, formatting, storage & disseminating of information and knowledge within one specific department / area within your chosen organisation and suggest two (2) improvements. (4.1, 4.2) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer:
Type: hard and soft, websites and mailings, access and dissemination Style: trends and patterns, diagrams and text, consistent and reliable, current and valid; legal and confidential

3c) Give details of one area of where the access to systems of information and knowledge could be improved for employees in your chosen organisation. (2.4, 4.3) You are required to consider the following in formulating your answer:
Type: hard and soft, websites and mailings, access and dissemination Style: trends and patterns, diagrams and text, consistent and reliable, current and valid; legal and confidential

Assessor : P. Reilly

Student Guidelines 1. You should write this assignment in an INFORMAL REPORT style. See the Group Learning Space on Ilearn for details of an informal report layout. 2. You should use diagrams and tables of figures where appropriate ensuring to reference their source. 3. You should include a reference list AND bibliography using the Harvard referencing system.
4. It is advised that you write your WHOLE report within approximately 3500/4000 words.

This is in order for your research and summarising skills to be developed, and for effective time management i.e. to allow you to manage your time effectively so that the assignment is completed on time. However, you are required to ensure that the assignment meets all of the learning outcomes (by answering all of the assignment questions) and there is no penalty for being over the suggested word count. However, in the interests of good academic practice assignments submitted with excessive word counts (e.g. 5000 + words may be returned to students and asked to be reduced before marking. Please note that the following elements of your report are NOT included in the word count : Title page, Contents page, repeated assignment questions, tables of figures, reference & bibliography lists, appendices.

Recommended Additional Resources updated 28/6/11

Textbooks

Boddy D, Boonstra A and Kennedy G Managing Information Systems; An Organizational Perspective ( Financial Times/ Prentice Hall; 2 edition (1 Dec 2004) ISBN-10: 0273686356 ISBN-13: 978-0273686354 Websites
http://www.smallbusiness.co.uk source of various articles re. communications in business

Assessor : P. Reilly

Grading Criteria ~ Module 9 MCKI

To achieve a PASS GRADE the evidence must show that the learner is able to meet all of the learning outcomes: To achieve a MERIT GRADE the evidence must show that the learner is able to:

To achieve a DISTINCTION GRADE the evidence must Show that the learner is able to:

Assessor : P. Reilly

LO 1: Understand how to assess information and knowledge needs 1.1 discuss the range of decisions to be taken 1.2 examine the information and knowledge needed to ensure effective decision taking 1.3 assess internal and external sources of information and understanding 1.4 justify recommendations for improvement LO 2: Be able to create strategies to increase personal networking to widen involvement in the decisionmaking process 2.1 identify stakeholders for a decision-making process 2.2 make contact with those identified and develop business relationships 2.3 involve those identified in the decision making as appropriate 2.4 design strategies for improvement LO 3: Be able to develop communication processes 3.1 report on existing processes of communication in an organisation 3.2 design ways to improve appropriateness 3.3 implement improvements to ensure greater integration of systems of communication in that organisation 3.4 create a personal plan to improve own communication Skills LO 4: Be able to improve systems relating to information and knowledge 4.1 report on existing approaches to the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of information and knowledge 4.2 carry out appropriate changes to improve the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of information and knowledge 4.3 implement a strategy to improve access to systems of information and knowledge Overall the work adequately covers the descriptive elements of the brief but little attempt has been made to analyse or evaluate the information presented. There is little discussion of what has been found through research with limited application of research to practice.

M1- Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions relevant managing information theories and techniques have been applied (Q3) complex problems regarding communications strategies have been explored and alternatives recommended (Q2) M2 Select design and apply appropriate methods/techniques the selection of sources of information and methods and techniques of data gathering is justified (Q1) a range of MCKI theories / approaches have been applied (Q1,2,3) M3 Present and Communicate Findings appropriate structure i.e. informal report and NOT essay style, and approach has been used a range of methods of presentation has been used including use of tables (e.g. communications plan in Q2) and diagrams (e.g. systems diagram Q3) Correct use of Harvard referencing throughout

D1 - Use critical reflection to evaluate your own work & justify valid conclusions evaluation has taken place using defined criteria in particular task 3b) realistic improvements have been proposed (Q2 &
3)

D2 take responsibility for managing and organising activities. Independent research, outside of what has been provided in the study materials, has been utilised to prepare a thorough report. (ALL) Assignment is completed fully to deadline (ALL) Investigations into chosen objective / info required etc have been planned, managed and organized. (Q1) D3 demonstrate convergent, lateral & creative thinking. ideas generated and decisions taken re. communications planning / implementation (Q2) problems re. info reqts have been solved (Q3) self evaluation has taken place in Q2c)

Overall the work covers the descriptive elements of the brief and a successful attempt has been made to analyse or evaluate the information presented. There is detailed discussion of what has been found through research with successful application of research to practical work situations.

Overall the work contains thorough analysis throughout with detailed evaluation of what has been found through research with consistent, high levels of application of research to practical real business situations.

Assessor : P. Reilly

Assessor : P. Reilly