Tesco's Business Communication Strategies

This assignment examines Tesco's business communication strategies. It analyzes how Tesco utilizes various channels like emails, messages, and leaflets to connect with customers and share information about products and discounts. The report also discusses the importance of addressing legal and ethical issues within Tesco's communication practices.

BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................3
Project 1 ...............................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................3
Verbal, written, on-screen, multimedia, web based. .......................................................................3
Describe where each of these pieces of information has come from (their source)........................3
Describe what the purpose is of each piece of information.............................................................4
TASK 2 ................................................................................................................................................4
M1 describe the pros and cons of each method you mentioned in P1............................................4
TASK 3 ................................................................................................................................................5
D1 Evaluate the appropriateness of business information used to make strategic decisions .........5
TASK 4 ................................................................................................................................................6
Project 2 ...............................................................................................................................................6
TASK 1 ................................................................................................................................................6
P 3 Corporate communication for Tesco ........................................................................................6
TASK 2.................................................................................................................................................7
P4 External corporate communications of an existing product or service.....................................7
TASK 3.................................................................................................................................................8
M 2 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the legal, ethical and operational issues for the
use of information............................................................................................................................8
TASK 4 ................................................................................................................................................8
D 2 Evaluate the effectiveness of business information and its communication as key
contributors to the success of an organisation, using examples to illustrate your points................8
Project 3................................................................................................................................................9
TASK 1 ................................................................................................................................................9
P 5 Explain the legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of business information..................9
Legal Issues......................................................................................................................................9
TASK 2 ..............................................................................................................................................11
P6 Explain the operational issues in relation to the use of business information..........................11
TASK 3...............................................................................................................................................13
P 7 Electronic and non-electronic methods for communicating business information.................13
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Communication is the nervous system of an organisation. It keeps the members of the
organisation informed about the internal and external happenings relevant to a task and of interest to
the organisation. It co-ordinates the efforts of the members towards achieving organisational
objectives. It is the process of influencing the action of a person or a group. The present report is
based on understanding business communication aspects for transferring information and managing
operations efficiently.
Project 1
TASK 1
Verbal, written, on-screen, multimedia, web based.
Verbal Information:-The best way to communicate but not always the most efficient. It is
immediate and can solve most problems (Alna S., Haccoun and Belcount, 2010).
Written Information:-Can be words, diagrams, graphs and charts. Can come from a wide
range of sources - newspapers, books, trade journals and government publications (Ang, 2014).
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 (Cerne,
2012).
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.
Describe where each of these pieces of information has come from (their source).
(Internal):-Internal information could come from a variety of sources within the
organisation.
Finance, Sales, HR, Production, Marketing, Customer Services, Admin
(External):-External data exists in the form of published materials, collected by someone
else outside the company.
Government:- These are supplied by, among others, the ONS, the DTI and the OECD.
Some of the key government publications include the Monthly Digest of Statistics, Regional Trends

and Labour Market Trends (Cerne, 2012).
Trade Groupings:-These are groups of businesses from the same industry or marketplace
that provide a service to representatives of their industry.
Commercially Provided Databases:-Many private research organisations specialise in
building up databases of people who are known to have interests in certain products and services.
These can then be bought.
Research:-Organisations continually conduct research to find out about their markets,
customers and views of their staff (Cochoy, 2014).
Describe what the purpose is of each piece of information.
Reliable and valid information is essential to all businesses and organisations. Without this
reliable information a business will have no idea of where it stands in its market, its financial and
sales figures or how to proceed in the future. Organisations use information for a variety of
purposes.
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
TASK 2
M1 describe the pros and cons of each method you mentioned in P1
There are many advantages for verbal communication there are also disadvantages such as
language barriers and issues with getting a point across to a large group of people, which in Tesco
Plc. is an issue as it is a big company. Also, there can be issues with people disputing what was said,
for example if a mistake has been made because an employee didn’t know something that they
should have been told, the manager could say that they did tell them and there is no physical
evidence to show who is telling the truth (Danaher, and Rossiter, 2011).

TASK 3
D1 Evaluate the appropriateness of business information used to make strategic decisions
The strategic plan is an idea which aims is to achieve something that the organisation wants
such as more customers. Strategic idea is set from different steps which are leading to success, of
course only if the plan is well working. At least the strategic plan to be effective, each department of
certain organisation has to play their role in an appropriate way.On this assignment I am going to
look at strategic plans of Tesco (Malik, Awais, and Khursheed, 2016).
Companies, like Tesco, that enjoy long-term success, are focused businesses. They have a
core vision that remains constant while the business strategies and practices continuously adapt to a
changing world. In an increasingly competitive global environment, without a clear vision a
business will lack direction and may not survive (Eagle, 2014).
TASK 4
P 2 Prepare a Report on Tesco sales performance and sales channels performance

Task P2 Leaflet
Year Values (in GBP million) Percentage change
2013 64826 -
2014 63557 -1.96%
2015 62284 -2.00%
2016 54433 -12.61%
2017 55917 2.73%

06/07/1905 07/07/1905 08/07/1905 09/07/1905
-0.14
-0.12
-0.1
-0.08
-0.06
-0.04
-0.02
0
0.02
0.04
-1.96% -2.00%
-12.61%
2.73%
Sales data of Tesco Plc
Percentage change -

Project 2
TASK 1
P 3 Corporate communication for Tesco
 Big price drop on the products offered
 Shop some of the finest artisans, ethnic and organic brands
 Fruits and vegetables at cheapest price possible

 Products available at nearly half prices
 Valid only for a Month
TASK 2
P4 External corporate communications of an existing product or service
External communication is the transmission of information between a business and another
person or entity in the company's external environment. Examples of these people and entities
include customers, potential customers, suppliers, investors, shareholders, and society at large
(Alna, Haccoun and Belcount , 2010).
Advertising – Advertising is a way to inform in a way of notice or announcement to the
public or businesses about promotions, services and products. Other can be information about
upcoming events or a massive sale. Advertisement can be informed through TV, leaflets and Radio.
CWOA inform their customers about new events taking place via Television advertisement as well
as posters on public transport vehicles and on their websites (Brewster, 2005).
To build better relationships with the media, organizations must cultivate positive relations
with influential members of the media. This task might be handled by employees within the
company's media relations department or handled by a public relations firm.
The role of the PR specialist therefore also consists of issues management, namely the "set
of organizational procedures, routines, personnel, and issues". A strategic issue is one that compels a
company to deal with it because there is "a conflict between two or more identifiable groups over
procedural or substantive matters relating to the distribution of positions or resources" (Brewster,
2005)
Building relationships with customers and responding to inquiries from the public fall under

the public relations function of corporate communications. Duties in this area include producing
newsletters, brochures and other printed materials designed for the general public. Corporate
communicators also manage a company’s website and social media presence, which includes
monitoring what customers and clients are saying about the company on social networking websites
and responding to inaccurate posts or requests for information (Chitty, and et.al., 2011).
TASK 3
M 2 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the legal, ethical and operational issues for the
use of information
Legal issues are the laws raised by different companies so that users or customers will be
aware of them. Ethical issues involve right and wrong or what is considered good, and what is
considered evil in a society. Legal and ethical issues for social networking sites are usually different
from other businesses (Malik, Awais, and Khursheed, A., 2016).
 Make sure you conform with advertising regulation- this means for the users to respect the
principles of fair competition generally accepted in business. Not mislead by inaccuracy,
uncertainty, exaggeration or otherwise.
 Don’t make any offensive statements- for example two people have faced claims for slander
after making comments about another person on Twitter.
 Don’t invade anyone’s intellectual property- it is not allowed to tweet anything which might
be protected by copyright or any other intellectual property right. This includes all sorts of
material, including photos and articles.
Operational issues is an issue to do with a process or how something is done. It can aso be a
statement that describes how to measure a certain variable or how to define a certain term.
The way how Twitter deals with the operational issues is simular with Facebook. With a
number of policies and procedures have to be put in place, concerning; security of information,
backups, organisational policies.
TASK 4
D 2 Evaluate the effectiveness of business information and its communication as key contributors to
the success of an organisation, using examples to illustrate your points.
Company to be successful, it is essential it has a efficient communication and information
management system. Tesco, in the last decade, have become globally dominant within the
supermarket sector. Their communication strategy is said to be one of the factors that contributed to
this success.

Information between internal and external stakeholders is essential and proper
communication can make the difference between success and failure. In a dominating supermarket,
like Tesco, it’s not unusual for internal stakeholders (employees) to become loyal external
stakeholders (customers) (Alna S, Haccoun and Belcount 2010.).
Stakeholder for Tesco may include:-
 Consumers
 Employees
 Suppliers
 Government
 Financial institution
 Media
Being an international company, for the communication to be effective, it’s essential that
culturaldifferences are taken into account (Brewster, 2005).
Television Advertisement :-One of the biggest factors of Aldi’s success in the UK has been
said to be because of their TV adverts. They’ve won a number of awards for their advertising and
research showed that viewers remembered and enjoyed their adverts more than any rival company.
They mix a hint of humour with the hint of simplicity to attract customers. Aldi claim that they are
there for a quick, cheap and convenient shop – which is exactly what their adverts promote (Chitty,
and et.al., 2011).
Project 3
TASK 1
P 5 Explain the legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of business information.
Legal Issues
These are various items of legislation (law) to protect the use of business information.

Data Protection Act 1998:- Many businesses store and use information about people. The
Data Protection Act protects information held about people from being misused (Chitty, and et.al.,
2011). The information stored by businesses on databases must be:
 Obtained fairly and lawfully
 Used only for the purposes stated during collection
 Adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the intended use
 Accurate and up to date
 Not kept for longer than necessar
 Processed in line with your rights
 Subject to procedures to prevent unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction and
damage to personal data
 Protected from transfer to an area outside the European Economic Area (EEA) unless
adequate protection exists for that data
Freedom of Information Act 2000:- This Act provides individuals or organisations with the
right to request information held by a public authority. The public authority must tell the applicant
whether it holds the information, which it must supply within 20 working days, in the requested
format.
There are some exemptions to this Act. E.g. if the cost of a request for info exceeds the
appropriate limit, the public authority may decide whether a greater public interest is being served

by denying a request or supplying the info (Danaher, and Rossiter, 2011).
Computer Misuse Act 1990:-This 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 behaviour by businesses. Codes of practice exist in organisations to maintain business
ethics on:
 use of email
 internet
 whistle-blowing
 organisational policies
 information ownership
TASK 2
P6 Explain the operational issues in relation to the use of business information.
Operational Issues:-Organisations have to store and manage countless pieces of
information, with some being far more important than others (Alna, Haccoun and Belcount 2010).
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 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 plansSecurity of Information
Security Information:-Information security management deals with maintaining the
integrity and availability of organisational information and knowledge. 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 (Cerne, 2012).
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 ofWork Equipment Regulations 1992
 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992Acts
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
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. As a result of the
plan, employees may need to change the way they work - for example, storing information centrally

rather than on their hard-drive.
COSTS:- Most businesses would like to implement the above policies but there are always
costs involved. When deciding what policies to adopt and what measures to take, businesses need to
consider the implementation and maintenance costs versus the benefits to the organisation. Some
key considerations are:
Additional resources needed - would the business need to purchase new equipment or
employ additional staff
Cost of development: is the solution already available (off the shelf) or will they need to
develop it themselves (bespoke)
Increasing sophistication:- As there becomes a greater reliance on technology, and that
technology becomes more and more advanced, there must be training for the employees on how to
use it. If this is not done then the equipment or technology becomes less effective.
TASK 3
P 7 Electronic and non-electronic methods for communicating business information
Non- electronic communication involves the distribution of a message usually in the form
of: Reports, Letters, Flow Charts, Invoices and even Verbal Communication amongst employees.
This form of communicating is not as popular as it once was, but it provides businesses with other
avenues to communicate instead of electronic communication. Furthermore, different types of
communication suit contrasting businesses in addition to, the preference of people involved within a
business.
Sources of business information can come in a variety of different forms which include:
Newspapers, Websites, Books, Posters, Directories, Databases, Government Statistics and so forth.
Business information is basically information gathered of relevance to a business and its
environment (Moonen and et.al., 2013). Businesses use different sources of information as a way of
understanding the markets they entering into, their competitors and how the company can grow.
Moreover, different sources of business information serve contrasting purposes.
Firstly, electronic communication involves the use of technology to distribute a particular message
across. Examples of electronic communication include: the use of Mobile Devices, Video
conferencing, Twitter, Facebook and other Social Media Websites, as well as, Electronic Mail. This
is an effective way of communicating in a business environment as it is cost effective, whilst also,
an easy way to obtain information quickly (Morris and Shin, 2016).

CONCLUSION
Based on the above report, it can be inferred that business communication is an important
aspect of an organization. Tesco uses an effective communication method in order to stay connected
with its client. It shares various information related to products and discount offers to its potential
customers through e mails, messages, leaflets etc. Tesco also have to take care of legal and ethical
issues that can emerge in the organization.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alna S., Haccoun R. and Belcount M., 2010. Managing Performance Through Training and
Development. Cengage Learning publises.
Andrews, G. and Russell, M., 2012. Employability skills development: strategy, evaluation and
impact. Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning. 2(1). pp.33-44.
Ang, L., 2014. Integrated Marketing Communications A focus on new technologies and advanced
theories. Cambridge University Press.
Arendt, S. and Brettel, M., 2010. Understanding the influence of corporate social responsibility on
corporate identity, image, and firm performance. Management Decision. 48(10). pp.1469 –
1492
Brewster, D. S., 2005. Communication. Warringal Publications.
Buciuniene, I. and Kazlauskaite, R., 2012. The linkage between HRM, CSR and performance
outcomes. Baltic Journal of Management. 7(1). pp.5-24.
Cerne, A., 2012. Market Communication as Socio-Political Activity in Emerging Markets Business
Society and Politics. International Business and Management. 28. pp.85 – 103
Chitty,W. and et.al., 2011. Integrated Marketing Communications. Cengage Learning.
Clutterbuck, D., 2011. The communicating company. Journal of Communication Management.
6(1). pp.70-76.
Cochoy, F., 2014. The American Marketing Association: A handrail for marketers and marketing
history. Journal of Historical Research in Marketing. 6(4). pp.538 – 547
Dahlen, M., Lange, F. and Smith, T., 2010. Marketing Communications: A Brand Narrative
Approach. John Wiley and Sons.
Danaher, P. and Rossiter, P., 2011. Comparing perceptions of marketing communication channels.
European Journal of Marketing. 45(12). pp.6 - 42
Eagle, L., 2014.Marketing Communications. Routledge.
Malik, M.S., Awais, M. and Khursheed, A., 2016. Impact of Liquidity on Profitability: A
Comprehensive Case of Pakistan’s Private Banking Sector. International Journal of
Economics and Finance. 8(3). pp.61-69.