vision2learn

Learner Handbook
Business and Administration Level 2 (2015)

1
Contents
Learner support Pages 3 6
Welcome
Who to go to for help
Course time-frame
Guided learning hours
Learner advice and support

Tips for using the platform Pages 7 9

How to login
How to contact your tutor
How to access your units
How to access your assessments
How to submit work
How to view your deadline dates

Study skills
10 successful study tips Pages 10 12
Weekly study planner

Assessment hints and tips Pages 13 36
Useful assessment tips
Key words to help you
Avoid copying directly from course materials
Referencing other material
Unit one: Principles of personal responsibilities and working in a business environment
Unit two: Principles of providing administrative services
Unit three: Principles of managing information and producing documents
Unit four: Principles of supporting change in a business environment
Unit five: Principles of supporting business events
Unit six: Principles of budgets in a business environment

Guidelines for acceptable conduct Page 37

Academic misconduct
Appeals procedure
Personal extenuating circumstances

2
Welcome
Dear Learner,

Welcome to your vision2learn Principles of Business and

Administration course. This course is being delivered through a
partnership agreement with your centre, vision2learn and awarding
bodies.

The course covers all the essential principles of business and

administration in a clean and colourful format. You will gain essential
knowledge in carrying out a range of administrative tasks and real-
life scenarios will help you to apply basic business techniques. Each
interactive Session will help you to develop your understanding and
put into practice everything you learn throughout the course.

Were sure youre raring to go but please take some time to read
through this learner handbook as its full of essential information to
help you progress as successfully as possible.

We hope your vision2learn course will help you to:

Update your skills and enhance your employability

Train for work or return to work
Improve your CV and progress your career
Study on your own terms.

Please feel free to contact our in-house team of advisors throughout

your course study time as we are here to support you along with
your online tutor. More details of who to contact and how can be
found in the Who to go to for help section on the next page.

We hope you enjoy your learning experience!

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Making online learning a success

To ensure that your online learning experience is rewarding, you

will begin by completing and submitting the course induction
(if you havent already). You will work through a short series of
questions and your responses will enable your tutor to offer you
some feedback and advice on how to get the most out of your
course. Your tutor will also learn a little bit about you and your
learning style.

Who to go to for help

Online tutor: You will be allocated an online tutor after you

have gone through your eligibility check. They are available
online via v-mail to provide you with guidance and robust
feedback throughout your course. v-mail is an internal
messaging system which allows you to communicate with your
tutor quickly and easily.

The customer care team: This team is dedicated to helping

you successfully complete your course. If you have any
personal issues which are preventing you from submitting your
assessments please give us a call to discuss this and update your
action plan in agreement with your specific centre.

Course-specific support: There is specialist support available

on each course. Advisors are available to help in cases where
you are unable to resolve issues with your online tutor and
would like to discuss course content with someone. In certain
cases there is also an in-house course leader who can advise
further.

The technical team: These are the people to talk to if you need
advice on any difficulties you may have submitting work or any
other technical issues that are not covered in this handbook.

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Web chat: This is a new tool where you can interact with our
learner support team via your PC or laptop.
The contact centre is open:

Monday 8am 8pm

Tuesday 8am 8pm
Wednesday 8am 8pm
Thursday 8am 8pm
Friday 9am 5pm

You can reach the learner support team on 0191 215 4100.

There are additional tools to help you through your learning

journey with vision2learn:

Group forums: Please view the group forums on a regular basis,

as your tutor will post helpful information on here to guide you
through your qualification, you can also interact with other
learners studying the same course.

Learning to learn: This is an integral part of your learning and

can be accessed through your platform. It will provide help on
managing your own time (both study and personal) and helpful
study tips to ensure that you get the most out of your time with
vision2learn.

Course time-frame

Principles of Business and Administration is a 16 week course.

Setting an individual learning target or goal

As you will probably be working alone for much of the course,

you should set yourself goals toward which you can work.
We suggest that, as a minimum, you set aside 8-10 hours of
learning per week, with a definite end date for the qualification.
Please send your tutor a copy of any goals you set, so that they
can monitor your progress toward them.

5
Learner advice and support
Your main point of contact is your online tutor. They will
support you throughout your studies and provide you with
feedback to help you complete your course. You must contact
your tutor via v-mail. If you have queries that your tutor cannot
answer, the vision2learn office is open from 9am5pm, Monday
to Friday.

Turnaround times: Your tutor must respond to you within 48

hours of receiving your v-mail. If you find that your tutor is not
giving you the support you require please contact us so we can
help.

Assessment feedback: Your tutor has 5 working days to mark

and return your assessment as either a pass or resubmission.
Resubmissions must be carried out within 5 days of receiving
feedback to ensure that you do not fall behind. If you are unsure
of what you need to do to pass, contact your tutor via v-mail for
more support.

Moderation: Your work will be internally moderated midway

through your course after you have passed a number of units. It
will also be moderated when you have passed all units. This may
result in additional actions for you. You will receive a v-mail
to inform you of your completion (subject to internal and
external moderation). However, it is important to keep logging
in for full completion after the final moderation has been
carried out, in case there are any outstanding actions resulting
from moderation. These must be completed in order for your
portfolio to be passed on the system.

Centers carry out an external verification (EV) visit where your

work may be chosen to be sampled. Please ensure that you keep
your work up to date and complete any actions promptly so the
EV process is as efficient as possible.

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Tips for using the platform
How to login

Go to www.vision2learn.com. Click Login and enter your

username and password. This information will be sent to you in
an email when you have been assigned to your tutor.

How to contact your tutor

Your tutor can be contacted via v-mail. The v-mail option can be
found on your toolbar at the top of the web page.

How to access your units

Once logged in, you will see your course units. Click on your
course, and then click on your chosen unit and session.

How to access your assessments

The assessment for your course can be accessed from the

course menu when you first log in. Simply click on the blue unit
title to expand it. At the bottom of that submenu you will find
the assessment link. Click it to access the page containing your
assessment.

If the assessment link is not there, you will be directed to your

assessment at the end of each session. 7
How to submit work

When you complete an assessment, you will need to send it to

your tutor for marking. You can do this by following the steps
below.

1. Log in to your vision2learn account and visit the My study

area.

2. Each time you start a new assessment it will appear under

Your assessments. You will find the title of your completed
assessment under the black assessment banner.

3. When you have found the name of the assessment you wish
to submit, click it. A Send assessment page will open on
screen. Notice that the name of your tutor and the name of the
assessment you are submitting have been added automatically.

4. To attach your assessment document click the top Browse

button. Use the file window to locate the file within your
computer.

5. Left-click the file so it becomes highlighted and the name of

the file appears in the file name box. Click Open to add your
file to your v-mail message.

6. If you have other documents or files to attach, select the Add

additional attachment button and repeat the previous steps.

7. If you would like to add a message to your tutor you can type
this in the Message box.

8. Finally, click on the Send assessment button. Your v-mail

message and attachment(s) will be sent to your tutor.

Once you have submitted an Assessment it will be removed

from Your assessments on the My study area. You can now
track its progress on your My progress page. This page will
allow you to see when your assessment is marked or needs
resubmitting.

You can find a video demonstrating how to submit your

assessment at the following link:

http://www.vision2learn.com/video/submitting-assessments/
multiscreen.html

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How to view your deadline dates

Deadline dates can be found in your Action plan. On your My

study area, please click on the course you are studying and then
click on Action plan.

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Study skills

This section of the handbook is designed to help you study

successfully. It will help you to:

Organise your study

Make the most of your learning experience
Define learning strategies
Manage your time effectively
Stay motivated!

10 successful study tips

1. Planning your time is the first step towards successfully

achieving your qualification. In your life there will be many
other things to balance alongside your studies, so its important
that you decide when you are able to study successfully. Try
creating a weekly plan which includes all commitments, as well
as time to concentrate on your studies. Please see the weekly
planner on page 12 of this handbook.

2. Planning your study will help to identify when you will

study, how long you will study for and what you will study in
each section. This clear plan will help to keep you focused on
succeeding on your course.

3. Organise your course materials by working through each

section thoroughly, making easy-to-read notes as you go. If
you like to make handwritten notes or have access to a printer,
you could colour code paper based notes about different topics
and sessions as you work through, which can help when youre
completing your assessment.

4. Take regular study breaks. Its important to remember

that studying whilst tired can stop you from reaching your full
potential. When working at a computer you must consider your
posture and take regular breaks to refresh tired eyes.

5. Make a note of your planned submission dates. Although

you can study whenever it suits you with vision2learn, its
important to keep track of your planned end date. By clicking on
the icon in your My study page you will find a quick link to
your Action plan deadline dates. If you need any extra time due
to holidays or other commitments you can v-mail your online
tutor.

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6. Consider where you study. Try to find a quiet area to allow
you to study without distractions. Turning off radios, telephones
and televisions will allow you to fully concentrate on your work.

7. Make sense of what you are reading. It is easy to lose

concentration as you read through each session but being
unfocused means you will not fully understand the concepts
and these will need to be revisited for the assessment. There
are two ways of maintaining focus; the first is to complete the
interactive activities throughout the sessions and the second is
to record notes in your journal.

8. Preparing your assessment. Make sure to download your

assessment and to read it through fully before you begin to
answer questions. Once you have made sense of what you are
being asked to do, please ensure you answer ALL questions,
including relevant examples where required.

9. Identify how you learn best. As a learner, you receive and

process information by seeing, listening, feeling and doing.
Using real life examples will allow you to learn from experience
through reflection and observation, so be aware of your
surroundings and experiences to strengthen your answers. Do
not rely completely on the course materials.

10. Do not plagiarise! The Oxford Dictionary (2012) defines

plagiarism as taking the work or an idea of someone and passing
it off as your own, including copying and pasting the course
materials. Tutors will not accept work that is identified as
plagiarised, so please ensure that all ideas are your own. Further
information on this can be found in the Academic misconduct
section.

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Weekly study planner

In order to meet the guided learning hours 10 hours a week

please use the planner below to help you organise your study
time. Remember to arrange your weekly activities to make
time to study.

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun

Pre 9 a m

9.00 10.00

10.00 11.00

11.00 12.00

12.00 13.00

13.00 14.00

14.00 15.00

15.00 16.00

16.00 17.00

17.00 18.00

18.00 19.00

19.00 20.00

20.00 21.00

21.00 22.00

22.00 23.00

23.00 24.00

After midnight

Total
study hours

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Assessment hints and tips
Useful assessment tips

Now youve started your vision2learn course, you will soon be

completing your first assessment. Weve compiled some handy
tips to help you meet the assessment criteria and learning
outcomes for your course, and ensure your assessmentas are
submitted smoothly.

Key words to help you

In the assessment questions there are some key words that you
should look out for to help you compose your responses. These
words can be interpreted like this:

List or identify If the question asks you to list or identify,

then you must write a list, like a shopping list usually with
numbers or bullet points.

Describe If you are asked to describe, then you must give a

description by writing a detailed account like a story but not a
list.

Explain If you are asked to explain, then you must give your
answer and also your reasons.

Outline If the question asks you to give an outline, this means

that you need to provide a few sentences along with some key
points.

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Avoid copying directly from course materials

It is important that you answer assessment questions in your

own words in order to successfully pass your course. So, while
you may need to refer to the course materials to help you
answer a question, you should not copy passages or phrases
word-for-word. This is known as plagiarism.

If you are suspected of plagiarism you may be asked to resubmit

your assessment or, in serious circumstances, be removed from
your course.

Referencing other material

Sometimes you may wish to use other material in your

assessment, such as a news article or a quote. It is good practice
to provide the name and source of the material and when it was
accessed by you.

For example, if you used a news article to help you demonstrate

an answer in your assessment, you could cut and paste the
hyperlink to the article into your assessment, and type in
the date that you accessed the article. Important points to
remember:

Make sure it is additional to the Principles of Business and

Administration course material.

Make sure it supports/is relevant to your answer.

Quote the source.

The main thing to remember when constructing each answer

is to be as robust as you can. Try to include as much relevant
detail from the learning materials as you can. It is very
important to use your own words. The following information
should be helpful to you. If you have any queries get in touch
with your tutor using v-mail.

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Unit one: Principles of personal responsibilities and
working in a business environment

Section 1 Know the employment rights and

responsibilities of the employee and employer

Q1. Identify four main points that would be included in a

contract of employment. If possible, use an example contract
to support your answer (feel free to obscure any confidential
information).

Here, you must list four main points that would be included in a
contract of employment.

Q2a. & Q2b. List three key points of legislation that affect
employers in a business environment. AND List three key
points of legislation that affect employees in a business
environment.

This question is in two parts and you must include three key
areas of legislation that affect the employer and three key
areas of legislation that affect the employee. The legislation
can be the same for both the employer and employee.

Q3. Identify a range of places where a person can find

information on employment rights and responsibilities. You
should identify at least two internal and two external sources
of information.

Here, you must list two internal and two external sources of
information on employment rights and responsibilities.

Q4. Describe how representative bodies can support

employees.

In this question, you need to describe how representative bodies

can support employees. A good source of information regarding
trade unions can be found at www.tuc.org.uk. MEMO

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Q5. Identify employer and employee responsibilities for
equality and diversity in a business environment. You
should give at least two employer responsibilities and two
employee responsibilities.

This question is in two parts - employer and employee

responsibilities - and you must answer both parts to
pass the question successfully. In addition to the learning
materials, EHRC: Advice and Guidance
has some excellent information that can help you answer this
question.

Q6. Explain the benefits of making sure equality

and diversity procedures are followed in a business
environment. Your answer should include one benefit for
the employer, one benefit for the employee and one benefit
for the overall organisation.

This is a three-part question in which you need to include a

benefit for the employer, the employee and the organisation as
a whole.

Section 2 All about health, safety and security

Q1a. & Q1b. Identify employer and employee
responsibilities for health and safety. AND Identify
employer and employee responsibilities for security.

This question is in two parts. You need to include both employer

and employee responsibilities for health, safety and security.
In addition to the course materials, www.hse.gov.uk provides
useful information on employer and employee responsibilities
for health and safety.

Q2. Explain the purpose of following health, safety and

security procedures in a business environment.

Why does managing health and safety properly make

good business sense? In addition to the learning materials,
a good article about this can be found at http://www.
healthandsafetyworksni.gov.uk/whymanagehealthandsafety.

Q3. Describe three different ways of maintaining a safe and

secure business environment.

You must provide three descriptions in your answer. Think

about how you can contribute to the safety and security of your
work or business environment. Can you think of any real-life
examples to support your answer?
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Section 3 Communicating effectively with others

Q1. Describe three different methods of communication.

You should include two verbal, two non-verbal and two
written methods of communication.

Include two examples for verbal, non-verbal and written

communication. You should include a description of the
communication methods you are using in your answer. It is
not sufficient just to list the communication methods as your
answer

Q2. Using two specific examples, explain how to choose

the most appropriate method of communication to meet
your needs and the needs of others.

If you needed to speak with your Manager regarding a

confidential issue, how would you approach them i.e. face-to-
face, telephone, email? Would you approach them in private or
in a public place where people can hear you?

Q3. Describe at least two ways of actively listening.

As well as using the course materials, a good article about

active listening can be found at http://www.mindtools.com/
CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm.

17
Section 4 Working with others

Q1. Explain the purpose of agreeing standards for your

own work. Give at least two reasons.

You need to explain why having standards of work is important,

rather than listing different standards, such as must answer 10
telephone calls in an hour. If you didnt have standards of work,
how would you know if you are doing a good job or not? How
will colleagues who depend on you know what to expect if you
dont have standards?

Q2. Explain the purpose of taking on new challenges and

being able to adapt to change at work.

If youre willing to take on new challenges, will this make you

more valuable to the organisation or not? Will you learn new
skills? If you resist new challenges and changes, how will your
colleagues feel about you?

Q3. Explain the purpose of treating others with honesty and

consideration.

If you are honest and respectful to your colleagues, how do you

think this will affect the work environment? Will it help to build
better working relationships or not? Also how would you expect
colleagues to behave towards you if you are unfriendly and
unhelpful to them?

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Section 5 Planning your own work

Q1. Explain the purpose of meeting work standards

and deadlines when completing tasks in a business
environment.

Why is it important you meet the work standards required of

you? What would the consequences of not meeting your work
standards be?

Q2. Identify two different methods that you can use to plan
your own work in a business environment.

What tools and techniques can you use to plan your work? You
need to describe two methods you can use to plan your work. A
good source of time management tools and techniques can be
found at http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.
htm.

Q3. Describe ways of keeping other people informed about

progress and compare their effectiveness. What are the
benefits and drawbacks of each approach?

You need to select two communication methods you could use

to keep people informed of your work progress, i.e. face-to-face,
telephone, email, meetings and give a benefit and drawback for
each of them.

19
Section 6 Improving your performance

Q1. Explain the purpose of continuously improving your

performance in a business environment.

Here, you must explain the purpose of continuously improving

your performance in a business environment. What benefits
does it bring to the business and the employee? It is not enough
to just list your answers; you must give your answers and then
expand upon them with further reasoning as to the benefits of
continuously improving your performance.

Q2. Describe at least two ways of improving your

performance at work. Where relevant, illustrate your answer
with specific examples from your own experience.

You need to give specific examples of how you can improve

your performance at work. Could you do extra training, work
shadowing, have a coach/mentor at work or use a learning
plan? You need to describe how these steps could improve your
performance at work.

Q3. Identify at least two different types of career pathways

or options that may be available to you.

What types of career could you do? Be specific with your

answer.

20
Section 7 Problems at work

Q1. Identify at least two different types of problems that

can occur in a business environment.

You must identify at least two types of problems that can occur
in a business environment. You should include at least one
minor problem and one major problem.

Q2. Describe at least two specific problems that can occur

at work and explain how they can be dealt with.

In Q1 you were asked to identify types of problem whereas this

question asks you to describe specific problems. You looked
at several examples on Page 2 of the course materials. Try
and think of your own examples then explain how you, or the
organisation, could deal with each one. Think about who might
be able to help and what knowledge or experience would be
useful when dealing with these issues. Each explanation should
be at least 50 words long.

Q3. List at least two problems you are able to deal with
yourself and two problems you would need to refer to
others to deal with. Explain how and when you would refer
these problems to others.

You may use any type of problem for this question, think about
who is best placed to fix this problem and why. Then explain,
how you could transfer any problems to other relevant people.
How and when would you do this? Would it be done verbally or
would you have to complete a form or send a recorded email?

21
Unit two: Principles of providing administrative
services
Section 1 Understand how to make and receive
telephone calls
Q1. Complete the table below with descriptions of at least
two different features of a telephone system and how /
when they would be used

Please make sure you complete every section of the table.

Describe each of the features in the left hand column then
describe how and when the feature would be used, use
examples to support your answer.

Q2. Prepare a brief report advising people on:

How to follow organisational procedures when making

and receiving telephone calls

The purpose of giving a positive image of yourself and

your organisation when making and receiving
telephone calls.

When answering the phone, should it be answered within a

certain number of rings? How should you greet people when
you answer the phone? Before making a call, is there any
preparation that you need to do? An example procedure for
answering the telephone can be found at http://sbinfocanada.
about.com/cs/management/qt/telephonetips.htm.

22
Section 2 Understand how to handle mail

Q1. Explain the purpose of correctly receiving, checking

and sorting mail and packages (both incoming and
outgoing).

Why is it important that people receive mail on time? What

could the consequences be if mail was lost or late (both
incoming and outgoing mail)?

Q2. Complete the table below with the following

information:

At least two examples of internal mail services that are

available to organisations

At least two examples of external mail services that are

available to organisations.

You must provide two examples of internal mail services and

two examples of external mail services. Please make sure you
complete every section of the table.

Q3. Describe two methods that you can use to calculate

postage charges for mail and / or packages.

Give a description of two different methods which you can use

to calculate postage charges.

23
Section 3 Using different types of office equipment
Q1. Describe the main types of equipment found in offices
and how they are used. Include examples of at least three
different types of office equipment.

Give a description of at least three different types of office

equipment. How are they used in the office?

Q2. Explain the purpose of following manufacturers

instructions when using equipment.

You need to consider the four areas that are mentioned in the
course materials when answering this question and refer to
them in your answer.

Q3. Explain the purpose of keeping equipment clean,

hygienic and ready for the next user.

Give reasons why it is important to keep equipment clean,

hygienic and ready for the next user.

Section 4 Minimising waste at work

Q1. Explain why waste should be kept to a minimum in a

business environment.

The DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk contains some useful

information on the advantages of good waste management for
businesses.

Q2. Identify at least two main causes of waste in a business

environment.

List two causes of waste. We looked at common causes of waste

on page 6 of the course materials.

Q3. How can you keep waste to a minimum in a business

environment? Describe at least two ways of doing this.

For this question you need to give a full description of how

waste can be minimised within a business. Again the DEFRA
website gives useful information that supports the learning
materials.

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Section 5 Making arrangements for meetings

Q1. Complete the table below listing at least two different

types of meetings and describing the main features of each
type of meeting.

Identify two different types of meeting and then provide a

description of the main features of each type of meeting. Think
about the focus of the meeting, who might be involved in the
meeting and is the meeting formal or informal.

Q2. When arranging a meeting:

What sources and types of information are typically

needed?

How should meetings be arranged?

This question is in two parts. Break your answer down into the
two sections of the question. What information, equipment and
facilities are required to hold a meeting? If you were asked to
arrange a meeting for a group of people, how would you arrange
the meeting?

Section 6 Organising travel and accommodation

Q1. Explain the purpose of confirming instructions and

requirements for business travel and accommodation.

What could go wrong if you didnt have the right information

when arranging travel and accommodation?

Q2. Complete the table below with an outline of the main

types of business travel and accommodation arrangements
that may need to be made and the procedures that should
be followed when doing this.

You need to consider the different modes of transport people

can use when travelling for work and also where they would
stay overnight, when away on business. When making these
arrangements, think about what needs to be considered for
each one.

Q3. Explain the purpose of keeping records of travel /

accommodation arrangements in a business environment.

Why are accurate records of travel costs useful to a business?

Consider the four areas mentioned in the course materials.

25
Section 7 Diary management procedures

Q1. Briefly explain the purpose of using a diary system to

plan activities at work. Give at least two reasons.

Why is it useful to keep a diary of what you are planning to do?

If you didnt keep a diary what could the possible consequences
be?

Q2. Identify the information needed to maintain a diary

system in the workplace.

What information would you include in a diary in order to get

the most use from it? Think of the 5 Ws.

Section 8 Delivering effective customer service

Q1. What are the differences between internal and external

customers in a business environment?

Briefly outline or describe what internal customers and external

customers are and identify the differences between them.

Q2. Explain why customer service should meet or exceed

customer expectations. Include at least three reasons in
your answer.

Why is it important that organisations have happy customers?

You need to give three reasons. As well as the course
materials, the Institute of Customer Service - http://www.
instituteofcustomerservice.com/ - has some useful information
about customer service.

Q3. Explain the importance of building positive

relationships with customers. Outline two ways in which
this can be achieved.

You need to explain how you can make customers happy.

Would meeting their expectations make them happy? As well
as the course materials, the Institute of Customer Service
- http://www.instituteofcustomerservice.com - has useful
information on this subject.

Q4. How do customers demonstrate their own needs and

expectations?

How do customers give feedback on a companys level of

service? Is it verbally? Is it by completing surveys?

26
Section 9 Reception services and procedures

Q1. What is the purpose of the receptionist role as the first

point of contact in a business environment?

You need to include what the purpose of the receptionist is

within a company. Include the different duties a receptionist
will carry out in your answer.

Q2. Describe how a receptionist can present a positive

image of themselves and the organisation and explain why
this is important.

It is important that the receptionist gives a positive impression

of themselves as they are often the first point of contact people
will have with an organisation. How does a receptionist create
a positive impression? Does appearance, communication (both
verbal and non verbal), behaviour and professionalism make a
difference?

Q3. In relation to your own organisation (or one that

you are familiar with), explain what must be done when
carrying out entry, departure, security and confidentiality
procedures in a reception area.

Provide an account of what must be done when carrying out

each of the procedures listed.

27
Unit three: Principles of managing information
and producing documents
Section 1 IT at work
Q1. In relation to your current business environment (or
one that you are familiar with), identify at least two different
types of information technology that may be used when
completing work tasks.

List two different types of IT that may be used in a business

environment. We looked at five of these technologies in the
course materials.

Q2. What are the benefits to businesses (and others) of

using information technology for doing work tasks?

As well as the learning materials, the website http://

smallbusiness.chron.com/information-technology-business-
success-4019.html contains some useful information regarding
the benefits IT can bring to a business.

www.

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Section 2 Managing information

Q1. Explain the purpose of agreeing objectives and

deadlines when researching information

Why is it important that you know what you are required to

research and the date it needs to be completed by? If you didnt
have the topic or date, what could the possible outcome be?

Q2. Identify the different ways of researching, organising

and reporting information.

This question is in three parts and each needs to be answered

fully. Break your answer down into the areas of research,
organising and reporting information. How would you conduct
your research? How would you organise the information you
collected? How would you present your findings?

Q3a. For your own organisation (or one you know well),
describe the procedures that need to be followed when
archiving, retrieving and deleting information.
Your answer should cover procedures for both electronic
and paper-based information.

This question also needs to be answered in three parts. How is

information archived? How would you retrieve the information
you have archived? If the information is no longer required how
is it disposed of?

Q3b. When following the procedures outlined in Question

3a above, are there any legal requirements to consider?

Are there any legal requirements that relate to the storing of

information? Is there any specific legislation relating to an
industry you are familiar with?

Q4. Why is confidentiality critical when managing

information?

Give reasons why confidentiality is critical when managing

information. What would be the consequences if confidentiality
was ignored?

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Section 3 Getting your documents right

Q1. Identify at least two reasons for producing documents

that are fit for purpose.

Why is it important that documents are fit for purpose? Think

about the structure, the content of the document and the
impression it will make on the person reading it.

Q2. Use the table below to describe some of the different

types and styles of documents that are produced in a
business environment, and then explain when these
different options may be used.

Complete all sections of the table. Consider whether a business

letter should be used? When are formal reports used? When
would sending an email be appropriate?

Section 4 Key procedures for producing documents

Q1. In most organisations, time is taken to agree the

purpose, content, layout, quality standards and deadlines
for the production of documents. What are the reasons for
doing this level of planning?

It is worth considering the 5 Ps for this question proper

planning prevents poor performance. Without proper planning
how would the document appear?

Q2. Businesses will spend time checking finished

documents for accuracy and correctness.

a) How is this done?

Are you the only person who checks that a document is correct?
Are there tools you can use on a computer to check the spelling
and grammar of documents?

b) Why is this done?

Why do you do this? What does it achieve and what does it

prevent?

Q3. Explain the purpose of following confidentiality and

data protection procedures when preparing documents.

Why is it important that personal information does not fall

into the hands of the wrong people? What could happen to the
company if this occurs?

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Q4. In business environments, there is often a requirement
to use notes as the basis for text and documents.

a) Compare the different types of documents that can

be produced from notes and include a description of the
format of each document.

You need to include the different types of documents that can

be produced from notes and describe how these documents
would look. What information would you expect to find on a
letter for example?

b) Explain the procedures to be followed when preparing

text from notes.

When taking notes to produce a document, what things need

to be considered? Why are you taking notes? What type of
document will be produced from the notes, e.g. business letter
or formal report? Is it important that the notes are clear and
contain sufficient detail?

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Unit four: Principles of supporting change in a
business environment
Section 1 Why change happens

Q1. Explain why change happens in a business

environment. You should include at least three reasons in
your answer.

You need to explain why change happens within a business. As

well as the course materials, a useful resource to help answer
this question can be found at
http://www.businessballs.com/pestanalysisfreetemplate.htm.

Section 2 Supporting change

Q1. Identify the main reasons for reviewing working

methods, products and / or services in a business
environment.

Areas that need to be considered for this question include

looking at the impact that reviewing work methods could have
on how you operate in your job. Could this result in the business
offering different products or services?

Q2. When a business is going through change:

a) Describe the different types of support that people may

need.

When a business is going through change, think about the sort

of support employees might need and how this will help them.

b) Explain the benefits of working with others.

For this part you need to consider the advantages that working
in a team may bring and the possible consequences of not
working as part of a team, especially when a business is going
through changes.

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Section 3 Getting your documents right

Q1. In relation to your current business environment (or

one that you are familiar with):

a) Explain why you should respond positively to changes in

working methods.

If you are asked to work in a different way, why it is important

you work in the new way? If you refuse to work in the new
way what would the consequences be? How do you feel your
colleagues would feel if they had to do extra work as a result of
you not using the new work methods? it.

b) Explain why you should respond positively to changes in

products or services.

If your company introduces new products and services how

would customers react if you were not positive about them?
If your company doesnt introduce new products or services
and your competitors produce new products and services that
customers like, what could the possible consequences be?

c) Identify ways of responding positively to change.

What types of behaviours would show that you are responding

positively to change? Would it be refusing additional training or
attending the training, for example?

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Unit five: Principles of supporting business events
Section 1 Supporting business events

Q1. When organising a business event, describe the range

of support activities that may be required

You need to describe the range of support activities that may

be required when organising an event. Simply listing the range
of support activities is not sufficient. Think about why a range
of support activities are better than only one or two support
activities.

Q2. Complete the table below by identifying two ways of

providing support before, during and after a business event.
For each section of the table identify a way of providing support
for a business event. Please make sure you complete all sections
of the table.

Section 2 Being professional

Q1. Explain the purpose of displaying professional and

helpful behaviour when supporting a business event.

Why is it important that you behave in a professional manner?

By displaying professional behaviour how will this benefit the
event? Also, if you displayed unprofessional behaviour what
could the possible consequences be?

Q2. Describe ways of exhibiting professional and helpful

behaviour whilst supporting a business event.

Think carefully about what constitutes professional and helpful

behaviour. Does this include how you look and appear to
people? What about how you talk to people and the non-verbal
communication you demonstrate? How should you deal with
attendees / speakers queries and requests?
NOTES
Section 3 Dealing with problems

Q1. What are the main types of problems that may occur
when supporting a business event? You should include at
least three different types of problems in your answer.

Three types of problems can occur whilst holding a business event.

You need to include one example of each problem in your answer.

Q2. Identify possible solutions for each of the problems

you have listed in Question 1 above.

For the three examples you have given in Question 1, you need
to outline specific solutions of how you would overcome each
problem. 34
Unit six: Principles of budgets in a business
environment
Section 1 The purpose of budgets

Q1. Why are budgets used to manage financial resources?

You must provide reasons why budgets are used to manage

financial resources. Think of what a budget is and the different
benefits it can bring to an organisation.

Section 2 How to develop budgets

Q1. Why is it important to agree the format in which a

budget will be presented?

You must provide reasons why a format in which a budget

will be presented is agreed. Think about the benefits to the
organisation of agreeing on a standardised format.

Q2. Why do you use estimations when developing a

budget?

Provide reasons why estimations are used when developing a

budget. What are the benefits of estimating?

Q3. Explain two methods that can be used in order to

identify realistic estimations when developing a budget.

Firstly, provide two examples of methods that can be used to

identify realistic estimations. Then, explain how these methods
work.

Q4. Explain why it is important to identify the following

when preparing a budget.

For each of the points, give reasons why it is important to

identify them when preparing a budget.

Q5. How would you identify timescales, priorities and

financial resources when preparing a budget?

Provide ways in which you would identify timescales, priorities

and financial resources.

Q6. Why is it important to negotiate and agree a budget?

Write a detailed account of why it is important to negotiate and

agree a budget. What are the benefits of agreeing a budget?
What would happen if a budget couldnt be agreed? What do
budgets allow an organisation to achieve?

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Section 3 Managing budgets

Q1. Why is it important to monitor, control and record

income and expenditure?

Provide reasons why it is important to monitor, control and

record income and expenditure. What can an organisation
achieve by doing this? What are the potential consequences if
an organisation fails to do so?

Q2. Complete the table below. First of all, describe two

situations where you could be required to make revisions
to budgets and / or budget plans and then explain why
these revisions may be needed.

Firstly, give an account of two different situations where an

organisation could be required to make revisions to budgets
and/or budget plans. Then, give reasons why these revisions
may be needed. Please make sure you complete all sections of
the table.

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Guidelines for acceptable conduct
Academic misconduct

As previously highlighted in the Assesment hints and tips

section, plagiarism will not be tolerated.

Reading other peoples ideas about a topic is perfectly

legitimate research and forming your own ideas from that
research is absolutely fine, but the other persons work must
not be copied word for word.

Quoting other peoples work word for word is only

acceptable provided credit is given to the author of that
work (e.g. in a reference footnote spelling out the source). In
this case you should explain in your own words why the quote
is important or relevant to your own ideas.

Course materials cannot be copied and pasted into your

submissions; this is a form of plagiarism and will not be
accepted.

Learners who are rude to members of staff including in-house

staff and online tutors will not be tolerated. Please remember
that we are all here to support you and to work together to help
you complete your course successfully.

Appeals procedure

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the course, your tutor
or the level of support that you receive, we first recommend
discussing this with your tutor. Please v-mail your tutor with
any concerns to make them aware of the situation. The next
step, if your tutor cannot resolve your issues, is to speak to the
vision2learn customer care team. The customer care advisors
will be able to further advise you and forward your appeal to the
correct person.

Personal extenuating circumstances

If you cannot submit your work for any reason please v-mail
your tutor. Tutors can provide learners with extensions of up
to 2 weeks. If any extra time is required please get in touch
with our in-house team as they can then contact the centre to
request further extensions.

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