Business Information Communication Strategies

The assignment examines different methods of communicating business information, both electronic and non-electronic. It delves into the importance of organizational policies, business continuance plans, and legislation like the Data Protection Act in ensuring effective communication. The text provides examples of how these methods are applied to different audiences within a business setting.

Business
communication
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
P1 - explain different types of business information, their sources and purposes......................3
P2 - Present complex internal business information using three different methods appropriate
to the user’s needs........................................................................................................................4
P3 - produce corporate communications......................................................................................5
Formal Communication:....................................................................................................5
Feedback:..........................................................................................................................5
P4 - evaluate the external corporate communications of an existing product or service.............5
P5 - explain the legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of business information..............6
P6 - explain the operational issues in relation to the use of business information......................7
P7 - outline electronic and non-electronic methods for communicating business information,
using examples for different types of audience. .......................................................................10
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Business communication is information sharing between people within and outside an
organization that is performed for the commercial benefit of the organization. It can also be
defined as relaying of information within a business by its people.
P1 - explain different types of business information, their sources and purposes.
Business communication encompasses topics such as marketing, brand management,
customer relations, consumer behavior, advertising, public relations, corporate communication,
community engagement, reputation management, interpersonal communication, employees and
engagement, and event management. ASDA is a leading firm that uses different types of
business information and it is as follows :-
Verbal Information - The best way to communicate but not always the most efficient. It is
immediate and can solve most problems.
Written Information - Can be words, diagrams, graphs and charts. Can come from a wide range
of sources - newspapers, books, trade journals and government publications.
On-Screen Information - Information may be produced on-screen. This can be seen in
multimedia TV and CD-ROMs that combine text, graphics, animation, audio and video.
Multi-Media Information - This means multiple forms of media integrated together. Media can
be text, graphics, audio, animation, video, data etc. An example could be a webpage with
interactive guide and narration.
Web-Based Information - This displays many benefits of multimedia technology. Today's fast
broadband speeds allow you to stream sophisticated content to a computer anywhere in the
world. This allows somebody to access this information wherever they are. This can also be
accessed by smartphones.
Purpose of business communication
Updating knowledge - It is vital that businesses keep up to date with changes within thier
markets. Information is requried so that businesses know:
- how their markets are developing
- how labour markets are changing
- what the economy is doing
- what new laws are being passed that might affect the way they operate
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All of this information helps organisations to make accurate decisions based on full knowledge.
Incorrect decisions are likely to be the result of inadequate information.
Informing future developments - A business that does not adapt, develop and grow will quickly
find itself left behind by the competition. But developments need to be based on informed
decisions. A business will not release a new product unless it has evidence that it will sell.
P2 - Present complex internal business information using three different methods appropriate to
the user’s needs.
Verbal communication is best when you need to discuss something in detail, or when
complimenting or reprimanding someone.
Written
You can't avoid written communication in the workplace; it's everywhere. Emails, memos,
reports, and other written documents are all part of every day business life (Crowley and Heyer,
2015).
Written communication is the most appropriate when detailed instructions are required, when
something needs to be documented, or when the person is too far away to easily speak with over
the phone or in person.
Email is a lifesaver for many people, especially in the business world. If you rely on emails and
memos to conduct your business, it's very important to portray a professional image. Don't use
abbreviations unless they pertain to your field, and always use spell check and read over your
email before you send it to make sure it's clear and Verbal
Verbal communication is simply speaking. This can be done one-on-one, in a group setting, over
the phone, etc. Verbal communication is a personal means of communication and should be
utilized more than just emails or phone calls when possible (Beebe, Beebe and Redmond, 2011).
Being able to see the person you are communicating with face to face can help you gauge their
response by reading their body language and actively participating in dialogue.
concise. Emails should be brief and to the point (Berkhof and et.al., 2011). concise. Emails
should be brief and to the point (Berkhof and et.al., 2011).
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P3 - produce corporate communications.
‘Corporate Organisation’ means an organisation formed by some people, having a
separate entity and perpetual succession.
Various departments and employees of the organisations are connected through communication
network by phones, face-to-face discussion, e-mail, fax, memos, etc. to convey orders,
instructions and information, to supervise and evaluate performance, to understand and perform
individual job, to identify and solve a problem and, ultimately, to fulfill the objectives of the
organisation (Gray, 2010).
Formal Communication:
Most of the corporate communications are formal in nature. Orders, instructions, information,
suggestions, etc. are sent, maintaining formal procedure in a systematic way. If has to pass
through several organisational stages.
Feedback:
As in the case of other communication, feedback is an essential element of successful corporate
communication. It is a two-way process of sending information and receiving response (Griffin,
2013). Through feedback the sender can know the reaction’ of the recipient and take necessary
action.
P4 - evaluate the external corporate communications of an existing product or service.
External communication with the customers, vendors, distributors, competitors, investors,
government agencies, etc., through letters, reports, memos, phones, faxes, websites, internet, etc.,
are made to introduce, negotiate, co-ordinate, explain, interact, discuss and to develop co-
operation and understanding.
Therefore, corporate communication refers to a process of communication through which the
managers, supervisors and executives exchange their views, opinions, feelings, etc. with the
subordinates and employees in any corporate organisation and negotiate with the outside world
with a view to fulfilling the objectives of the organisation (Guffey and Loewy, 2010).
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P5 - explain the legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of business information.
Legal and ethical issues information and also I’m going to explain operational issues as
well in the last park of the task i going to analyse the legal ethical and operational issues using
appropriate examples .
Most people do not feel safe in putting or giving their personal details on different social
networks like Facebook and Twitter and another organization who uses the personal detail from
the people or customers , the reason being of many hackers invading other people's privacy this
also can happen with many businesses as well such as Tesco, Asda e.g. if they do not have a
security (Hargie, Boohan and Murphy, 2010).
his is a law in the UK that legislates against certain activities using computers, such as hacking
into other people's systems, misusing software or helping a person to gain access to protected
files on someone else's computer. It is split into 3 sections and makes illegal:
Unauthorised access to computer material✓
Unauthorised access to computer systems with intent to commit another offence✓
Unauthorised modification of computer material✓
Ethical Issues
Business ethics are moral principles concerning acceptable and unacceptable behavior by
businesses. Codes of practice exist in organisations to maintain business ethics on:
Use of email✓
Internet✓
Whistle-blowing
Organisational policies
Information ownership
Picture
Use of email
Many organisations today have a code of practice on the correct use of email.
Internet
Many companies also have a code of practice on the use of the internet and what their employees
can and cannot use the internet for (Holliday, Hyde and Kullman, 2010). There are also codes of
practice which govern selling on the internet, which many businesses adhere to.
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P6 - explain the operational issues in relation to the use of business information
Organisations have to store and manage countless pieces of information, with some being
far more important than others. Lying at the heart of any information system are two
fundamental issues of ensuring that:
 The organisation receives the information it requires
 The appropriate member of staff receives the informatioThis task I’m going to explain the
legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of businesses information and also I’m going
to explain operational issues as well in the last park of the task i going to analyse the legal
ethical and operational issues using appropriate examples .
Most people do not feel safe in putting or giving their personal details on different social
networks like Facebook and Twitter and another organization who uses the personal
detail from the people or customers , the reason being of many hackers invading other
people's privacy this also can happen with many businesses as well such as Tesco, Asda
e.g. if they do not have a security (Hargie, Boohan and Murphy, 2010).
 his is a law in the UK that legislates against certain activities using computers, such as
hacking into other people's systems, misusing software or helping a person to gain access
to protected files on someone else's computer. It is split into 3 sections and makes illegal:
Unauthorised access to computer material✓
Unauthorised access to computer systems with intent to commit another offence✓
Unauthorised modification of computer material✓
Ethical Issues
Business ethics are moral principles concerning acceptable and unacceptable behavior by
businesses. Codes of practice exist in organisations to maintain business ethics on:
Use of email✓
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Internet✓
Whistle-blowing
Organisational policies
Information ownership
Picture
Use of email
Many organisations today have a code of practice on the correct use of email.
Internet
Many companies also have a code of practice on the use of the internet and what their
employees can and cannot use the internet for (Holliday, Hyde and Kullman, 2010).
There are also codes of practice which govern selling on the internet, which many
businesses adhere to.
P6. The operational issues in relation to the use of business information
To make sure that information is managed appropriately, a number of policies and procedures
have to be put in place, concerning:
 security of information
 backups
 health and safety
 organisational policies
 business continuance plans
Security of Information
Information security management deals with maintaining the integrity and availability of
organisational information and knowledge (Kissane, Bylund and D'Agostino, 2012). Many
companies keep their information on IT systems, but as the reliance on technology increases, so
does the risk posed by system failure and malicious attacks (e.g. viruses). The IT security policy
should take account of the common risks to the information that their business relies upon. This
might include secure login ID for using IT systems.
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Backups
Most businesses will have a back up system in place. John Lewis Partnership have back ups for
internal data and customer data. Why do you think this is?
Health and Safety
Ergonomic equipment and RSI can be issues.
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Acts
Organisational Policies
Policies that relate to the use of business information can help make sure that decisions affecting
staff:
 are understandable and consistent
 meet legal requirements
 take full account of their impact
 contribute to productive working relationships (Knollmann, 2011)
Policies help make sure that staff have guidance to help them comply with legislation (Data
Protection Act for example). They should also help ensure that consistent decisions are made,
which can be as important in internal communications as they are in handling customers.
Business Continuance Plans
These are the steps put in place to make sure a company is capable of surviving a worst-case
scenario. e.g. regular backups of information (Koprowska, 2014). As a result of the plan,
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employees may need to change the way they work - for example, storing information centrally
rather than on their hard-drive.
P7 - outline electronic and non-electronic methods for communicating business information,
using examples for different types of audience.
Method Of Communication End users Justification Written: Letters Memorandum Fax
Letters are highly used within all businesses. Letters are not difficult to produce and do not
require a lot of time to produce. They are a trusted method of communication as they provide
written record which can be used in a dispute (Levinson, Lesser and Epstein, 2010). Within a
business letters can be used to contact customers and can also be used to contact other members
of staff or management. For example a letter would be written to the manager by an employee
when they decide to resign from their position.
Letters are suitable to be used within businesses as the writing style used in letters is very
formal and the format of a letter is very well structured. This gives off good messages about the
company and will make a good impression to the person reading the letter. If a company were
contacting one of their customers regarding a payment they have not made a letter would be
appropriate as it addresses the person it is written to directly and the formal language and clear
structured used in the letter will give off a good impression of the company. Memorandums are
used in businesses for proportionately shorter messages between members of staff.
Memorandums are much less structured and less formal than letters, they can include bullet
points (Salmon and Young, 2011). A memorandum can be used when notifying another member
of staff on a task they need to complete Memorandums are suitable methods of communication
for communicating between members of staff as they are informal and can include bullet points.
CONCLUSION
Summing up the present report it can be stated that WAP can be used by businesses as
staff can email and will receive their emails even when they are not at a computer screen.
Similarly, to the suitability for mobile phones WAP is suitable as it has good portability and can
be used in many locations. However mobile phones would not be able to gain access to the
internet without WAP. WAP is suitable for use within businesses as it enables employees to
access their emails wherever they are so that they do not have to wait until they are next at work
or somewhere with internet access.
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REFRENCES
Books and journals
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