Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information

This document provides a comprehensive guide on managing communications, knowledge and information. It covers topics such as decision-making, information and knowledge requirements, assessing internal and external sources, stakeholder identification, communication strategies, and improving communication processes.

Managing Communications,
Knowledge and information

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................3
1.1 Range of decisions to be taken for Zara UK market penetration plan..........................................3
1.2 The information and knowledge needed to ensure effective decision taking...............................4
1.3 assess internal and external sources of information and understanding.......................................4
1.4 recommendations for improvement.............................................................................................5
2.1 identify stakeholders for a decision-making process....................................................................5
2.2 make contact with those identified and develop business relationships.......................................6
2.3 involve those identified in the decision making as appropriate....................................................6
2.4 design strategies for improvement...............................................................................................7
3.1 Report on existing processes of communication in an organisation.............................................7
3.2 Design ways to improve appropriateness.....................................................................................7
3.3 Implement improvements to ensure greater integration of systems of communication in that
organisation.......................................................................................................................................8
3.4 Create a personal plan to improve own communication skills.....................................................9
4.1 report on existing approaches to the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of
information and knowledge...............................................................................................................9
4.2 carry out appropriate changes to improve the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination
of information and knowledge.........................................................................................................10
4.3 implement a strategy to improve access to systems of information and knowledge..................10
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Managing communications, knowledge and information is the need of today’s market.
It promotes the business to grow and be productive. As today’s market demands to be more
verse with technology and communication. This scenario its needed to have a competitive
edge over other firms. So its very essential to manage communications, knowledge and
information. To have a successful business like Zara , its very essential to maintain and
mange the knowledge of business and market with the help of communication with the help
of advanced technology. Zara is the world’s largest apparel brand. The present report is based
on the challenges which has been faced by the retail sector(Yates,
Paquette
2011
), this report aims at improving the communication both within the organisation and with the
organisation. It has also been included that how IT systems has managed the tools for
collecting, sorting, disseminating, and has provide access to knowledge and information.
1.1 Range of decisions to be taken for Zara UK market penetration plan
Zara is the most profitable brand of Inditex SA, and they have maintained the internal
and external communication very well. For assessing knowledge and information certain
decisions are required to be taken. For meeting the goals and objectives of a business entity
certain course of actions are taken by the decision takers. Range of decisions that are needed
to be taken for penetration of Zara in the UK market involves decisions of:
 Top level management: decisions regarding objectives of the new venture of Zara are
taken by the top level management people like chief operating officer, chairman.it
also includes whether to outsource or do in house operations.
 Middle level management: the decisions regarding the funding and resource
allocations are taken by them, resources like financial , human resources etc. are
managed by them.
Coordinators: they are responsible for the smooth functioning of various departments such as
finance(Holsapple
., 2013
 ), human resource, marketing etc.
 Departmental heads: the decisions which they take includes the decisions that takes
place in their processes.
1.2 The information and knowledge needed to ensure effective decision taking
The information and knowledge is required for the effective decision making as
without them the decisions cannot be made rational, when Zara decides to penetrate in the
UK market the senior level management must be aware of the companies goals and
objectives, and they have knowledge of every department. That helps them to give them
targets the coordinators ensure them to be in constant touch with departmental heads so as to
bring coordination in the activities. They must have information regarding the short term
plans and problems that the employees face. This knowledge has helped the team for
functioning in a better way(Borghoff

and Pareschi
., 2013
). The knowledge about the weekly targets has been with the employees. And they should
also know about how the organisation is going to work as per the future plans. And the duties
and responsibilities of lower level workers must be communicated to them properly. The
information that is needed for the better managing of communication and information is
needed on qualitative and quantitative front, as it helps in governing the bottom line of the
company.
1.3 assess internal and external sources of information and understanding
The immediate superiors have the maximum information in Zara and they have the
accurate data with them. The next major source of information that can be assessed is online
website of new business. These websites have detailed knowledge of the clothes and they
help them in advertising and marketing. the internal source of information that the business
comprises of is the internal reports of the Zara business. Say for instance total sales of the
store report, the financial statements of are comprises of its internal reports which generally
include balance sheets , profit and loss statements etc. the external reports include the
information that the outside agencies surveyed about the company and the investigations that
are done by them. They are basically in printed form, articles online and news, broadcast
reports, brochures and newsletters(Kebede
2010
). There are whistle-blowers in every organisation which gives the information. It can be
negative as well as positive, may help the top level management to make strategies according
to the information flowed.
1.4 recommendations for improvement
There is no such individual approach that should be followed by brand like zara for
its market penetration in UK. in fact for synergy effect they should integrate all the
approaches together. The improvements that can be done for better communication can be
done by identification, capture, organisation, sharing and evaluation of the sources of
knowledge that the managers use to manage the new venture in UK. The relationship with the
employees should be maintained and they should be managed properly. This will be helpful
in decision making as they employees too will take the project seriously and they will be
attached to it and give better advises. The another thing which could help Zara to grow is to
design a awell structured plan and it should be defined well. It will improve the quality of
source of the information(López-Nicolás
Meroño-Cerdán
2011
). Only that information must be assesses whose source is authentic and others should be
neglected. The information from whistle blowers must be taken under consideration as it will
help them to make better and informed decisions.

2.1 identify stakeholders for a decision-making process
People who affect the business or are affected by the business are known as
stakeholders. Either they are a part of the business itself or have an influence on the business.
The stakeholders may be classified as:
Internal stakeholders: The people who are in the organisation are the internal stakeholders
of an organisation. This includes the stockholders, employees, customers, creditors, suppliers
and the processes within the organisation. This includes the function like planning(López-
Nicolás
Meroño-Cerdán
2011
 ), implementation, coordination, evaluations and control.
 External stakeholders: The government agencies, competitors, public communities
and media are the important external stakeholder of a business. The external
stakeholder generally do not directly participate in the day to day functions of the
business, but their views and cooperation’s towards the activities play a very
important role in influencing the business functioning. The different stakeholders
have varied interests in the business.
It is important to identify the stakeholders properly and analyse their interests as it
widens the horizon of the though process and helps in better generation of ideas.
2.2 make contact with those identified and develop business relationships
As mentioned above, maintaining a proper communication with stockholders is
also very essential as they are very important element of the business. While
dealing with stakeholders, the communication plan should include following:
 Information related to all the key stakeholders should be noted.
 Consideration of the requirements of the stakeholders should be done.
Relevant content like goals(Choi
Lee
Yoo
2010
 ), mission, vision, objectives etc, should be containing in the
communication with stakeholders.
For developing business relations with the stakeholders the different communication
techniques are:
Direct mail: - Using the system of this the information can be send to the internal
stakeholders
Discussion Forums: - to know the views of both internal and external stakeholders the
organisation may have discussion forums

Advertisements: - Advertisements via print or media
Meetings and Conferences: -conducting meetings and conferences also used for the
communication with stakeholders
Personal interviews: - the stakeholders can be made a part of the decision making process
in an organisation by taking personal interviews of the stakeholders and getting first-hand
information from them regarding their opinion or experience about the business.
2.3 involve those identified in the decision making as appropriate
In an organisation, the key stakeholders of the business like competitors, customers, creditors
etc. need to be an active part of the decision making process. With some of the important
stakeholders, sometimes, the top level management also engages itself in personal interviews.
Individual or group mails are also sent to all the stakeholders to know about their point if
view at large(Schwalbe
., 2015
). By calling a meeting or a conferences the organisation to take the feedback, an
opinion of some of the major stakeholders.
There should be also a level of mutual trust and confidence exists, in the relationship
between an organisation and the stakeholders. The organisation should give access to the
right information to its stakeholders by trusting them. Similarly, the stakeholders have the
responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of the information shared by the organisation
with them.
Between the organisation and its stakeholders, a healthy relationship is required.
Therefore, it is two sided affair.
2.4 design strategies for improvement
It is important to connect with each and every group separately and identify their
requirements for contacting and engaging stakeholders in the decision making of the new
business in the retail sector. Meetings can be held for ensuring that a solution which is
acceptable to all is reached while discussing common topics of interests. The representatives
of the customers, shareholders, community and union can be contacted to avoid the situation
of chaos(Klusch
2012
). Strategies like annual meetings, recreational trips especially with the internal
stakeholders. To build a network and maintain personal and business relationships with
associates the use of social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook is being done
3.1 Report on existing processes of communication in an organisation
To ensure work efficiency and achievement of goals, communication in an
organisation i.e. the flow of information regarding the different process of the organisation
, is important.
The various methods of communication which can be used are:

 Face to face: the organization and the stakeholders may discuss the issues, if any,
by interacting face to face .
 Letters and e-mail: information can be transferred both to the internal as well as
external stakeholders through electronic mail system or by letters.
 Meetings and conferences: for flow of information to the both internal and
external stakeholders, organizations conduct meetings and conferences.
Advertising: through the method of advertising, the organization may address an issue to a
large segment of stakeholders at once(Von Krogh
., 2012
 ). It is a method of mass communication.
 Internet: the internet with the increased use of technology, is widely being used as
a medium of communication with the internal and external stakeholders.
 Notices and memos: to provide a written document of evidence for the
information to both the internal and external stakeholders, notices and memos are
used.
 Team briefings: this method is generally used for internal stakeholders.
 Reports: useful information to the stake holders regarding the functioning of
business is issued by the organizations through the issue of reports.
3.2 Design ways to improve appropriateness
Distortion in communication causes miscommunication or improper understanding
of the message. This occurs because of wrong choice of medium which causes
Misunderstanding and uncertainty. The risk of wasting time and money increases.
There are two types of communications- horizontal and vertical.
The flow of information between different levels in an organization is vertical
communication(Jones
and Sallis
2013
). Flow of information between the people at the same level is horizontal
communication.
The letters and e-mails are a means of one sided communication. Letter is a timetaking
process. The major problem with this type of one sided communication is that only
either side can express its view at a time.
Reports, notices and memos are though written, but it provides one sided information
only.
Telephone is though instantaneous method of communication but neither the result nor
the course of discussion is documented. No reference can be obtained if a person
wants to refer to the result or steps which led to the conclusion.
Advertising although being an effective mass communication method for addressing a
larger audience , is a time taking process. Seeking the reaction of the stakeholder is
also a difficult task.

3.3 Implement improvements to ensure greater integration of systems of communication in
that organisation
Whether in oral or written form, lack of proper communication skills can pose a big
problem.
Proper way of communication is very important. To reduce the complexities in the
communication process, the organization could be structured hierarchically.
the organization needs to introduce a common LAN and intranet facility where the
communication stays within the organization to ensure greater integration and successful
passing of the information from one department to another.
As only the company employees would be able to access company information, the company
wide communication can be shared securely and freely with the employees. To further avoide
miscommunication and misunderstandings, important communications shall be shared
through face to face meetings rather than on e-mail. The employee grievances and
complaints should be addressed through a common channel so it can be tracked and
addressed considering the priority(Galliers
and Leidner
2014
).
Emails should be used for only informal communications but that should also be through the
company intranet LAN.
3.4 Create a personal plan to improve own communication skills
A communication plan is a road map that would help me in communicating
information.the strengths and weaknesses of my own communication skills are as follows-
Strengths
 Verbal communication
 Written communication
 Regular follow-up
Weakness
 Communication in meetings
 Group communication
To be a part of maximum possible meetings and group communications, weaknesses
could be improved. One needs to be aware of the fact that Every individual in a group
communication understands, comprehends, and replies in the way they seem
desirable.
The communication thus should be clear(Eliasson
., 2012

), crisp and concise. The agenda should be communicated well in advance before
attending any meetings.
The flow of the meetings should be as per planned and the objectives should be
defined.
What work is to be done under each project and what each project requires need to be
communicated.
Implementing time saving communication methods could help in effective
communication skills. To avoid any confusion in the communication process,
techniques of clarification and reflection should be used.
.
4.1 report on existing approaches to the collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of
information and knowledge
The approaches relating to the collections, formatting, storage and dissemination of
information and knowledge are mainly done by mails, surveys, databases etc. For collection
of information regarding Zara’s process and job design focused group discussion were carried
out. Face to face interviews were also conducted with the teams at Zara. These all were the
sources of information and primary data. Journals and reports were studies when once the
primary data was collected. The best practices followed regarding facility layout and job
design were analysed and accordingly an implementation strategy was devised for Zara. The
central databases was loaded with information and tools were used to analyses the same to
arrive on results. The output data was passed once it is obtained, on the respective
departments with the set of recommendations to implement the same in a phased manner.
Zara was trying to counter the existing threat from other clothing majors.
4.2 carry out appropriate changes to improve the collection, formatting, storage and
dissemination of information and knowledge
Here are the some changes based in the strategy followed with respect to data
collection and information dissemination would be:
 Primary data collection regarding the clothing usage should be evaluated first.
 Before the analysis of primary data is taking place hypothesis needs to be set.
 Regarding the entry of the other companies of the same domain in the new markets,
secondary analysis needs to be carried out.
 On the basis of primary and secondary data the ‘Go’ and ‘No Go’ decision with
respect to implementing the decision should be taken.
 Before venturing into the new market the workforce availability and location of
facilities needs to be evaluated.
 In case of any external business environment influences the political scenario and
setup should be understood.
4.3 implement a strategy to improve access to systems of information and knowledge
To succeed in the new geographies and in the new product line Zara need to reduce its
process dependence. Zara need to follow a process type layout for its expansion plans in the
Asian market. Apart from changing the facility layout it will also need to change the way it
has been designing jobs for its workers(Laudon,
and Brabston

2011
). They can plan by launching the new product line by setting up the demo
workshops in malls and complexes once Zara becomes aware of the political landscapes
of the Asian market and the user need. Users need to be explained in detail about the
quality and designs, changed from the old lines as well as the ways in which its quality
and designs are better than the competitor product lines. Once the demo workshops get
over the feedback can be taken from the customers about the product and then after
incorporating the changes if any, the product line can be launched. Once these processes
are completed and the manufacturing facility is in place Zara can start manufacturing the
product lines and deliver it to the customers
CONCLUSION
As per the above presented report, it has been concluded that with the proper
management of the communication, information and knowledge Zara has achieved its goals
and objectives, which would be quite impossible to achieve if there is no coordination and
management between the various departments of Zara. The IT department has a crucial role
in managing these as they have done disseminating, sorting, coding etc. Penetrating in the
new market requires lots of research and knowledge and a lot more information about that
market which can be achieved by a structured management of these things viz.,
communication, knowledge and information.
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