Analysis of Information and Knowledge Requirements for Stakeholders

1.1 Analysis of key information and knowledge requirement
for range of stakeholders in different organizations
Stakeholder is a person, group, society, social group or any organization that has interest in
business. They can be affected by organization's actions, objectives and policies. Stakeholders can
be internal or external to the business. Some of the stakeholders are creditors, directors,
shareholders, employees, government, owners, suppliers and community. Primary stakeholders are
usually the internal stakeholders who engaged with economic transaction within the company and
secondary stakeholders are those who may not be necessarily connected in direct economic
exchange activities within the company.
Secondary stakeholders include general public, communities, business support groups
and media. Different stakeholders require distinct knowledge and information. They are
like employees who get affected by business directly because they are inside the firm
and associated with the actual operations of firm that takes place every day.

1.2 Explanation of systems used for communicating
information and knowledge
Communication system is a path and way through which stakeholders can communicate
with the organization. Through communication system, they can get the knowledge and
information related to company's updated policies, financial condition as well as
profitability and so on. Different stakeholders can communicate with different systems
of communication like customers and suppliers as they can interconnect with the firm by
marketing and promotional activities. Through marketing of products and services,
customers can get information and they can interact with the firm by online or any other
medium of promotional activities.
Employees can get connected by their management through meetings, conferences,
emails, newsletters, etc. These are formal methods of communication. Through
meetings, employees can send and get message by many people at a single time. This is
an effective system for internal stakeholders. Government can also communicate with
company by regular interval meetings. Secondary stakeholders require less sensitive
and normative information. They can use the channel such as company's websites or
emails. Social media is another effective system of communication. Under this,
stakeholders can directly communicate with company's representatives.

1.3 Analysis of potential barriers to effective workplace
communication
At Mark and Spencer, communication is important for exchanging important message
and information about company's activities and functions. If this information cannot be
transferred in a proper manner to the right person at the workplace, it may create
conflicts and issues related to operations of business. There are some potential barriers
which affect the communication in firm. The most common barrier is language barrier as
in M&S, in this many employees are working that are from different states or countries.
They have their own language according to their nations and cultures.
In that case, they cannot communicate in their local language. Another major barrier is
physical barrier. Some time employees sitting arrangement arise the miscommunication.
Employees can communicate in such conditions, either by telephone or by personal
meetings. Emotional barriers also affect the effective communication at workplace
because some employees are of shy nature or they have self-esteem issue because of
which they may not be communicate effectually. Fear and mistrust of individual are
attributes of emotional barrier. Sometimes, perceptual barriers also affect the effective
communication at Marks and Spencer. Different opinions, views and thoughts of
different people in organization affect the business functions to a high extent. Lack of
interest, attention and distraction also creates barriers in effective communication at
workplace.