Reflection on University Experience

The assignment is a reflective account of the author's university experience. It discusses the difficulties they faced in learning independently, particularly with complex topics, but highlights the supportive environment provided by colleagues. The author reflects on how this experience has helped them develop important skills such as communication, numeracy, computer skills, problem-solving, and teamwork. They also mention understanding and applying models like Belbin, VARK, and Tuckman to improve their skills. The assignment concludes with an action plan for further improvement, emphasizing the use of these models to become a more well-rounded team member.

FOUNDATIONS OF
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
Introduction.................................................................................................................................1
1. Sustainable approach to business strategies and management................................................1
2. Different Approaches to Corporate Social Responsibilities of Micro, Small and Medium
and Corporate Businesses...........................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
PART 2............................................................................................................................................7
Overview of the report................................................................................................................7
Gibb's Reflective Cycle ..............................................................................................................7
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Communication is the heart of all types of businesses. Business communication is the
information sharing between people within outside an organisation that is performed for the
commercial benefits of the company (Borner and Zerfass, 2018). In businesses, there are majorly
four types of communications are used which are interpersonal, non-verbal, oral and written
communication. Communication plays a very important role in all aspects of the business as
effective communication helps in building good relationship between the employer and staff that
raises the productivity of company.
This present report is based on the understanding as well as applications of sustainable
approached that is used management of business. Further, report will also include strategic
planning and Challenges of Corporate Sustainability Report. In addition to this, the second part
of this report is based on the reflection of key skills and knowledge. Apart from this, report will
also resent the depth knowledge of several approaches to CSR of Micro, SME and Corporate
businesses.
PART 1
Introduction.
The present part of the report is based on sustainable approaches to business strategy as
well as management evidence by examples of strategies that businesses uses in order to operate
in a sustainable and ethical manner. In addition to this, different approaches of Corporate Social
Responsibilities of Micro. Small and Medium enterprises as well as differences among their
approaches are also included in this part.
1. Sustainable approach to business strategies and management.
Management is foremost important in all kind of business areas and its operational
activities which assist in getting all the workforce together in order to accomplished the goals
and objectives of company efficiently and effectively. The Sustainability movement is prominent
for the fast pace changes in organisational practices. Creating a sustainable approach to
management will help in gaining the advantages by companies that have adopted a different
approach to their customers, both internal and external (Lin-Hi and Blumberg, 2018).
A sustainable business in any organisation which participates in Eco- friendly activities
will ensure that all activities in business helps in adequately address the recent environmental
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condition while maintaining profitable business activities in order to attain the goals as well. An
essential principle of sustainability is a balanced approach to all stakeholder groups like
customers, employees, partners, communities and shareholders. Companies that are engaging
their employees in a new and different trust relationship are the one which helps in making
profitable activities in its activities. Because sustainability supports a long term view to
shareholder value and helps in encouraging companies to invest and encourage their employees
to increase their performance and productivity for the company (Akhtar and et.al., 2018).
Sustainable management is the interconnection of business and sustainability. It is the
operations of managing a firm’s impact on the three bottom categories people, planet, and profit.
Sustainable management supports a business’s long-term viability, and assist in making more of
profit. It can be done in many ways which involves investing in fair-trade products, reducing
packaging materials, and ensuring humane working conditions at supplier factories. A
sustainable business is any organization that participates in environmentally friendly or green
activities to ensure that all processes, products, and manufacturing activities adequately address
current environmental concerns while maintaining a profit. In other words, it is a business that
meets the needs of the world without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs.
As looking at today's corporate practices, it can be said that businesses are giving
emphasizing on the concept of sustainability by involving economic, environmental social
viewpoint while taking ethical management decisions of corporate growth and development. A
useful prospective for sustainable business practitioners will be between the balanced values
approach and the systems approach. It would use a systems approach, but it would focus on the
system from the inside of the business perspective and focus on the business interrelation with
the external environment. Business sustainability is often defined as managing the triple bottom
line a process by which companies manage their financial, social and environmental risks,
obligations and opportunities. These three impacts are sometimes referred to as profits, people
and planet.
However, this approach relies on an accounting based perspective and does not fully
capture the time element that is inherent within business sustainability (Shim and et.al., 2018). A
more robust definition is that business sustainability represents resiliency over time – businesses
that can survive shocks because they are intimately connected to healthy economic, social and
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environmental systems. These businesses create economic value and contribute to healthy
ecosystems and strong communities
2. Different Approaches to Corporate Social Responsibilities of Micro, Small and Medium and
Corporate Businesses.
Corporate social responsibility also known as business social responsibility can be
achieved when the company began a voluntary and active contribution to the social,
environmental and economic improvement (Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), 2018). This
is in order to improve their competitive, value situation and value of the corporations. When a
good performance of these three characteristics is achieved, it is known as the triple bottom line.
This triple bottom is used for sustainable business and as the name implies, covers three
dimensions: environmental, economic size and revenue statements (Tjosvold, 2017). Triple
bottom line performance is known through sustainability reporting and/or corporate social
responsibility.
The practices of sustainable business are being pursued as well as promoted by the largest
and the most profitable companies in world-wide. But there are many micro, small and medium
firms still think that sustainability is only applicable to big organisations. It is because of their
high profile as well as more attraction of media and therefore are specially concerned about
securing and enhancing their image or reputation in the market. It important for all types of
businesses to follow CSR policies and present a report but the difference among these are that
they used to follow different practices and there practices are depended on there resources and
funds. Large corporations often invest healthier resources as well as they are more able to invest
in CSR, corporate social responsibility. But, the fact is that Corporate Social Responsibilities is
crucial as well as effective for all types of businesses irrespective to their size.
Micro Businesses- Micro Businesses are very important for the businesses of the
economy. They are also responsible to follows Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) as they
responsible for environment protection and awareness (Brannen, Piekkari and Tietze, 2017).
Micro businesses when start their businesses are very much concerned about the environmental
awareness. The first practices of CSR is adopted by them is legally earning profit by make aware
of environmental surroundings. They mostly follow recycle and reuse practices for solving the
issues as well as they also use this practice as a part of building of brand. There are many micro
businesses in United Kingdom which are following the practices of protecting environment as a
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part for building brand because in present world the sustainability of business is growing very
fast. For example- Green plus is an environmental programme which emphasized on becoming
greener as well as more sustainable.
Medium Businesses- Medium Enterprises arr also very much concerned about the
Corporate Social Responsibilities. It is discussed above that is very important for all types of
businesses to follow policies of CSR in order to raise the productivity of firm. In United
Kingdom, Medium enterprises are account for 99 percent of all businesses making accountable
for most employment creation as well as private sector gross domestic product in the economy.
There are many people who are working in medium enterprises (Anagnostopoulos and et.al.,
2017). In UK, medium enterprises are also taking advantages of CSR policy by organizing
programmes for employment creation, environmental protection etc. In addition to this, medium
enterprise also follow the practices of providing and creating employment of both women and
men. There are many women who are working both inside the home and outside. This is also one
of the best practices or policies which medium term enterprises used to follow.
Large Corporate Businesses- Corporate Social Responsibilities is means by which for
companies can take stand on public issues as well as aids to make an optimistic change. Large
organisations faces many challenges operating in the market of United Kingdom. The moral
obligations of large organisation is to satisfy and keep stakeholders happy. Thus, large
organisations follows many policies and practices in order to fulfils the needs and expectations of
stakeholders. There are many policies and practices of CSR which are follows by large
organisations, for example, Environment protection, Preventive Healthcare, Skill Building,
Donations to poor people, Individual programmes of social responsibilities etc. The investment
mad by organisation in following these policies and practices are huge amount or as per the
profitability of company.
For example, Tesco Plc, one of the largest company in UK. They contribute large amount
of fund in order to satisfy the needs and expectations of stakeholder. For environment protection,
Tesco has set up 50 sustainable solar lights in partisanship with UV Green Energy Services
Agency in Whitefield. Tesco has distributed 200 dustbins for the promotion of cleanliness as
well as they have planted 7051 Trees (Borner and Zerfass, 2018). In addition to this, Tesco had
funded Sankara Eye Foundation programme by supporting 1600 surgeries.
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Thus, the above discussion shows that, the Corporate Social Responsibilities are followed
by all companies and it is important for all types of businesses. The practices followed by all
business are also almost same but the difference is that the investment and contribution done by
them are differed in size and amount (Hinterhuber and Liozu, 2017). In addition to this, another
difference is that the contribution made by all types of business is according the goals, objectives
and most important stakeholders of company.
On the other hand, the success of all these types of businesses are measured by an
accounting approach called as The Triple Line. This is one of the best approach for measuring
performance with Three P's (Profit, People and Planet). Companies which fulfils the criteria
according the Three P's are said to be a successful business.
CONCLUSION
The above report concluded that communication is very important for everyone's life or
businesses as without communication none of the goals and objectives can be achieved. This
report has presented the sustainable approaches that businesses likely to use in order to operate in
ethical way which is very important for all types of businesses. Further, the importance of
Corporate social responsibility report was also included by discussing the policies and practices
of micro, small and large organisation. The report had concluded that approaches and policies of
CSR are almost same among all three businesses as the difference among is depends on there
capital investment and goals.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Akhtar, P and et.al., 2018. Essential micro‐foundations for contemporary business operations:
Top management tangible competencies, relationship‐based business networks and
environmental sustainability. British Journal of Management. 29(1). pp.43-62.
Anagnostopoulos, C and et.al., 2017. Stakeholder communication in 140 characters or less: A
study of community sport foundations. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary
and Nonprofit Organizations. 28(5). pp.2224-2250.
Borner, M. and Zerfass, A., 2018. The Power of Listening in Corporate Communications:
Theoretical Foundations of Corporate Listening as a Strategic Mode of Communication.
In Public Relations and the Power of Creativity: Strategic Opportunities, Innovation and
Critical Challenges (pp. 3-22). Emerald Publishing Limited.
Brannen, M.Y., Piekkari, R. and Tietze, S., 2017. The multifaceted role of language in
international business: Unpacking the forms, functions and features of a critical challenge
to MNC theory and performance. In Language in International Business (pp. 139-162).
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Hinterhuber, A. and Liozu, S.M., 2017. The micro-foundations of pricing.
Lin-Hi, N. and Blumberg, I., 2018. The link between (not) practicing CSR and corporate
reputation: Psychological foundations and managerial implications. Journal of Business
Ethics, 150(1). pp.185-198.
Shim, K.J and et.al., 2018. Impact of Moral Foundations on Consumers’ Boycott Intentions: A
Cross-Cultural Study of Crisis Perceptions and Responses in the US, South Korea, and
Singapore.
Tjosvold, D., 2017. Cross-cultural management: foundations and future. Routledge.
Online:
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 2018. [Online]. Accessed through:
<https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/importance-of-corporate-social-responsibility/>.
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PART 2
Overview of the report
The present part is based on the reflection on the learning experience. The reflection is
about new academic skills that has developed during learning in class. All the skills which were
developed will be presented in this report and experience of learning in university will be share
by using Gibb's Reflective model.
Gibb's Reflective Cycle
This is one the best model which was developed by Gibbs G in 1988. It is one of the best
model which is used to share experience of any incidents or anything. It is one of the popular
among the experts from different fields either it is education workers and leaders or professionals
from healthcare filed, it is used by all. I have used this model to describe my learning experience
in my university which was very challenging because of in-dependency on own reading. There
are five major stages which are included in this model to describe or share the entire experience
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Illustration 1: Gibb's Reflective Cycle
(Source: Gibb's Reflective Cycle, 2017)

or knowledge of own (Emery and Chang, 2017). I found Gibb's reflective cycle is one the best
model to share of experience.
Here are five stages of Gibb's Reflective Cycle
Description- This is the first stage of model where the description of entire experience is
shared. I am want to describe my learning experience during my course at University. It was a
great opportunity for me to study and learn lots of things during my course work study but the
expectations of independent leaning are probably new and it is very challenging task for me. In
my university, independent leaning is the key issues which I faced but after sometime it becomes
habitual for me. There are so many things which I have learned from in university as my skills
and knowledge are efficiently developed (Gibb's Reflective Cycle, 2018). My teachers,
colleagues, seniors are very supporting and intelligent. I have good experience and command on
my communication skill both on verbal and written as I have to make notes daily which
improves my writing communication and my verbal communication is very effectively improved
by giving presentation in class on every last day of week (Wilson and Miller, 2018). Further, I
have also experienced to learn numeracy, computer knowledge, problem solving and team
working. On the other hand, in my course work I also have to conduct research on topic given by
my teacher which I feel very pleasant activity in my entire course work.
Feelings- My entire experience in the study is good and it was my memorable days.
When I have taken admission in the university, I was very afraid that how I will survive because
I have listened from my peers that in universities we have to learn by own. But After sometime, I
have felt that it was the super opportunity for my future or courier. Skills which need to become
professional person are developed in my personality during my study in university such as
communication skills which is very important for everyone's courier. I have to write report and
make a presentation from which I have developed both verbal and written skills. In presentation
work, I have to work in a group which I feel difficult for sometime but I have used some Belbin
model to develop team working skills (Igo, 2017). With the passage of time, I feel pleasure
working in group or team and my difficult task become good experience for me. On the other
hand, in my course study, research work was also their which I have to collect data from surveys
and analyse it in a meaningful manner where I have to use Microsoft office for making entry in a
data that developed my computer skills and problem solving skills. The entire experience was
awesome and it is very useful and fruitful for my future.
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Evaluation- The things went in the experience is good because everything which I have
leaned is very useful and fruitful for my future. I have developed professional skills which is
very important for me to achieve my goals and objectives in very efficient way. Communication
skills is the backbone of every person because if this skill is not fully develop than none of the
goals of life can be achieved. But during my course study, I have developed my communication
skills. In conducting research, I have to interact with many people which also develop my
communication skills as well as my calculation speed and accuracy was also perfect only
because of my leaning in university. My learning style which I have to follow in my course wok
according to the VARK model was Visual, Aural and Read most of the time but sometime I have
to use Kinaesthetic leaning style where I have to use my experience and practices like in
evaluation of research (Mann and Walsh, 2017). On the other hand, the bad experience does not
have a big list as in beginning, it was very complex for me to learn independently because I have
habit of dependency on teachers in school but the support of colleagues in University was very
supportive for me to resolve my issues.
Conclusion- The experience was all over good as it boosted my personality towards the
professionalism. The entire experience had proved positive for me as I have learned so many
things and develop my skills and knowledge. It is not for me only my colleagues are also very
happy with the university system and course work because it has developed many skills such as
communication, numeracy, computer, problem solving and team working. This learning
experience has made my at that level of advancement where I can do anything and can apply for
a good job as I have all skills which a professional person needs (Li and Peng, 2018). From this
course work or learning, I have also understood and applications of many models such as Belbin,
VARK, Tuckman etc. These models help me when I was lacking somewhere.
Action Plan- At present, I am good at my all skills according to my point of vies as well
as my results and feedbacks from classmates but still everything need improvement. I will set my
goals with SMART criteria so that it will be developed as soon as possible. I will use all the
models which are very helpful for me to raise skills such as Belbin, Tuckman so that I can
become all rounder in team working (Taylor and Taylor, 2018). Further, I will also use
communication principles and models so that I will gain more command on my language and
vocabulary.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Emery, C. and Chang, J., 2017, July. Reflection in a new light: updating Gibbs' reflective cycle
on a foundation degree in healthcare sciences. In HEA Conference, generation TEF.
Igo, L.C., 2017. Leadership Behavior Change in Conflict Resolution: Insights From Online RN-
BSN Students.
Li, A. and Peng, T., 2018. Observing" Myself" in the Video: Fostering Reflective Practice in
Oral Presentation Training. Advances in Language and Literary Studies. 9(3). pp.138-144.
Mann, S. and Walsh, S., 2017. Reflective practice in English language teaching: Research-based
principles and practices. Routledge.
Taylor, R.A. and Taylor, S.S., 2018. October. Reframing and addressing horizontal violence as a
workplace quality improvement concern. In Nursing forum.
Wilson, D. and Miller, R., 2018. REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AND PRACTICE-BASED
INQUIRY. Early Years Teaching and Learning. p.59.
Online:
Gibb's Reflective Cycle. 2018. [Online]. Accessed through: <https://www.crowe-
associates.co.uk/coaching-and-mentoring-skills/gibbs-reflective-cycle/>.
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