BBS003-1: Foundations of Business Communication - McGraw-Hill Report

This assignment is a comprehensive analysis of McGraw-Hill Education's business communication strategies. It begins with a business analysis, utilizing frameworks such as SWOT, Porter's Five Forces, and PESTLE to evaluate the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, competitive forces, and external factors. The report then delves into a reflective report, employing the Gibbs reflective model to analyze the student's learning experiences and the development of key employability skills such as communication, problem-solving, and time management. The analysis covers various aspects of the business, including its position in the market, its responses to challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, and its social and environmental responsibilities, providing a holistic view of the company's operations and communication effectiveness.

Foundations of
Business
Communication

Table of Contents
PART 1 – BUSINESS ANALYSIS ................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
SWOT.........................................................................................................................................3
Porter's Five Forces.....................................................................................................................4
PESTLE.......................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
PART 2 – REFLECTIVE REPORT................................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................6
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................7
Gibbs reflective model................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

PART 1 – BUSINESS ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
Business communication is considered as the process which is useful in communicating
with the objective of effective business transaction to make sure the mutual understanding and
benefits of business. Effective communication is important as it tends to transfer prominent
information and understand effective meaning among the sender and receiver with the help of
various communication method. Along with this, there are various business communication
skills which are helpful in terms of improving and developing effective skills and also tends to
communicate with team members to effectively communicate in terms of solving critical issues
(Bovée, Thill and Raina, 2016). To carry forward this report, McGraw Hill is considered which
is an American learning company and also tends to offer customised educational content and
other services by postgraduate education. Along with this, company tends to operate in around
28 countries and also has more than 5000 employees considering its offered products and
services over 135 countries. Moreover, the report tends to cover the effective understanding for
various management theories on the grounds of macro and micro economics considering the
decision making process and strategic management approaches for effective performance of
company.
MAIN BODY
SWOT
This framework is useful in terms of identifying the brand name with its strengths and
weaknesses considering the significant opportunities, strengths, weaknesses and threats. For this,
company tends to undertake significant factors that leads to improve the overall business
performance in comparison to their competitors and overall industry. For this, effective analysis
is mentioned as underneath: Strengths: The effective strengths tends to undertake prominent foundation of education
by re-envisioning the curriculum of schools considering the 10+2 model which is for the
holistic development of students. For this, the cognitive development tends occur at this
stage effectively. For this, McGraw Hill tends to put emphasis on the suitable
infrastructure and considering development of schools in terms of making effective
access and also consider the disability of classrooms to create conducive enviroment.

 Weaknesses: This policy undertake suitable failure in terms of addressing the role for the
private sector for the education sector and undertake existing tropes regarding
philanthropy. Along with this, the current global pandemic tends to put huge impact on
the education system and leads to develop suitable challenge in several ways (Pikhart,
2016). For this, McGraw Hill also gets suffer from the pandemic situation and also tends
to show effective concern in regard of upcoming pandemic which is concerned with the
prominent challenges. Opportunities: It depict the academic credit for the digital locker including the bank
credit by which students are capable in terms of resuming the education after an effective
break and also tends to specify by the higher education commission on the later basis.
Along with this, the effective policies which are developed by educational government
tends to released significant moments for company.
 Threats: The three language formula is not much appreciated by various states including
various states. Along with this, the free breakfast scheme which is proposed by
government tends to make effective initiative and leads to increase fiscal burden on the
mid day meal scheme.
Porter's Five Forces
The porter's five forces model is used by management and marketers for making analysis
and evaluation of competitive sector and business environment of the particular industry. The
company McGraw Hill is an American company which is leading and deals in a highly
competitive market. The porters five forces analysis of the firm is as follows: Threat of New Entrant: The factor do have moderate influence on the business of
McGraw Hill as the company is a market leader but in present condition entry barriers in
the industry are reducing (Conill, 2017). Thus, the threat is moderate for McGraw Hill
new and updated technology partners are entering the marketplace. Threat of Substitute Goods: This threat has high influence or force on McGraw Hill, the
education industry is diversifying and evolving with new technology partners and
practitioners are taking place. Hence, the threat is increasing because with innovation
online and open education resources are developing and eliminating the physical books. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers is low in context of
McGraw Hill. The company is highly competitive and placed on the top in the industry.

McGraw Hill has a strategy to stay independent which enable the firm higher power and
competitiveness over others. Bargaining Power of Customers: The consumers and buyers power is increasing and
constantly becoming huge over organisations like McGraw Hill in the market. The main
reason of so is increasing substitutes. The needs and requirements of buyers can be
effectively fulfilled by the new, modern and technological solutions and hence, the power
of customers over the brand is moderate now and it is moving upwards rapidly (Borner
and Zerfass, 2018).
 Existing Rivals: The existing rival force is huge too, as known that industry is becoming
competitive due to introduction of substitutes. This is resulting in changing rivals
practices into aggressive one for sustaining in the industry which is a high force.
PESTLE Political: The higher education of UK is worth bearing in the mind for the something
effective regarding the hub for the further education (Lin-Hi and Blumberg, 2018).
Moreover, the higher education of UK receiver some sort of public funding and
government is able to effectively subsidise the cost of eduction of McGraw Hill and
students as well. Economical: Most of the students tends to put emphasis on decision taken for the large
amount of students and also the debt which is pay for effective degrees. Along with this,
the fast growing number of graduates tends to unable to pay off the loans the makes the
higher education less and less attractive (Skripak, 2016). Social: It depict the issues of students which is related with the debt of prominent topic
considering the discussion of socio culture view point. For this, students are able to
accept the large amount of debts that can put negative impact on their performance. Technological: Currently, the online education resources are effective in terms of
improving and also not much difficult to imagine the future undertaking the vast amount
of educational materials which is available online and also free of cost that somehow put
negative impact on the sale of study material of McGraw Hill. Legal: Undertaking the current situation of environment, it is identified that McGraw hill
does not effectively consider its CSR policies and it tends to put negative impact on the

image of company. For this, they need to opt several laws which are developed by the
government and should be imposed on them to develop their image.
 Environmental: Considering the environmental conditions, it is identified that company
need to undertake significant initiatives in terms of making environment more clean as it
leads to improve the overall image of company and make them more sustainable in
market (Ferreira and Teixeira, 2016).
CONCLUSION
By considering the above discussion, it is identified that effective business
communication is important within an organisation in terms of exchanging prominent
information in terms of promoting the goals and objectives of company that leads to increase
profitability and revenues. Business communication tends to encompass various topics like brand
management, customer relations, marketing, consumer behaviour, public relations and many
more. In relation with this, effective analysis is done with the help of prominent frameworks and
also identify suitable issue which is faced by company.
PART 2 – REFLECTIVE REPORT
INTRODUCTION
Reflection is defined as a practice which assist in showcasing the learning and experience
gained after performing an action in a proper manner. In addition to this, it involve the strength
as well as weaknesses that an individual find after conducting a particular activity. Reflection is
mainly based on the professional and personal skills which must be present in a person
undertaking their study and employability skills as well. For presenting the reflection in a proper
manner, employability criteria is undertaken that involve skills such as research, communication,
problem solving, ICT, conflict management, time management and many more. For conducting
research, Gibbs reflective cycle were used that involves a series of steps and describe the
perspective and feelings of a person by gaining an experience from the particular activity.
MAIN BODY
Gibbs reflective model
This model is helpful in encouraging an individual as it is concerned with self analysis as
well as systematic reflection of self in a smooth manner which leads to improvement in the level

of performance. In addition to this, it assist in analyzing and evaluating skills & performance
associated with employable skills which are just by the other person (Reljić, Pajnkihar and
Fekonja, 2019). In relation to this, the steps is given below:
Description: It is useful in providing the appropriate description and briefing of the
situation involving what are the outcomes, what is happening and what is involved within the
activities. The description is mainly based on the skills and performance that I perform in front
of my staff members and senior authorities of organization which is judged by subordinates.
My current positions is leader and as per this various skills is required in me that is problem
solving, motivating, time management, research, teamwork, effective communication etc. All
this assist me to deal with the changing business conditions and employees as well (Gallagher
and et. al., 2017). In relation to this, I personally felt that I am effective in skills that is team
management, research, technical and problem solving. It is analyzed by me that I can manager
team and its members in a easy manner. In addition to this, I have the ability to motivate team
members in order to attain objectives within stipulate time period.
Feelings: It is described as the emotions and feelings of other individuals that is
experience as an action of my skill. In addition to this, the feelings developed because of my
reaction may impact positively or negatively on my team members and their performance as
well. In addition to this, it is determined by me that as a leader I am quite ineffective in

communication which enables me to develop transparency with my team members and enables
me to balance team in a proper manner (Dressler and et. al., 2018). This decline the performance
of all the team members. One of the reason is that ineffective communication did not clear roles
and responsibilities in the mind of team members that decline their moral and affect negatively
on its performance as well. Due to this, team members feel quite bad as they are not able to bring
out creativity and improve their personal as well as professional skills. I also feel nervous for my
team members due to lack of coordination and ineffective communication. In context to this,
many people feel it and face problem to share their view points and feelings that is important for
me to know in order to perform the role of a teacher.
Evaluation: Herein, a person ask about their experience of conditions that is categorized
into two sections that is good and bad that is gained with the assistance of several questions
involving what is going well, what is your contribution and what is not going well. Herein, I
don't feel that staff members is satisfied with the performance as well as skills as I am weak in
team management and communication that impact directly on my performance level and also
arise issues staff that decline the level of productivity (Ardian, Hariyati and Afifah, 2019). On
the other side, because of my effective skills that is time management, research skills, technical
skills and problem solving help me to implement activities and decline the level of conflicts.
Lastly, conflicts are one of the major factor that decline the overall performance of teams that is
occur due to lack of communication and time management skills.
Analysis: This is said to be another crucial step of Gibbs Reflective Model, where self-
analysis is said to be a fruitful chance to improve the identified skill gaps. Away with this, it can
also be said that suitable questions that I may ask to myself which would lead me to improve my
own skills along with the knowledge as well in order to enhance the sense within the different
range of activities. On the other hand, it can also be said that to get work done it will be needed
for me to keep on working with my team members through developing effective results in much
effective and in efficient manner. Based on my own experiences, I have realised that that I am
already good at problem solving, conducting research and team management (Anantasari, 2017).
As well as, I am lacking in some of the skills like team working, communication and so on, and
it is much needed for me to improve on these sections because then only I might start working
effective and enhance my proficiency level at University.

Conclusion: This is another crucial phase of Gibbs model, where it is the responsibility
of my own to conclude on a particular aspect, because then only I may become able to improve
while taking lectures at University. In future context, it is need for me to summaries the overall
learning abilities of my own so that to make appropriate alterations in rightful manner to improve
my own overall personality.
Action plan: This progression portrays that it is much needed for me to enhance and
upgrade my aptitudes in one of a kind way to make due in future conditions and circumstances.
For this, it is very useful to separate my exercises as here I didn't build up any arrangement with
respect to the upgrade of my abilities however ensure that it gets improved in unmistakable
manner by building up my learning aptitudes (Wain, 2017). In connection with this, I established
that at whenever when I work in a gathering I ought to build up my correspondence and group
working abilities to make things understood and straightforward among group associates that
prompts create coordination and participation in the conduct of colleagues and every one of them
conceivable in view of creating and keeping up great relations with team associates at university.
CONCLUSION
With the help of above mentioned report, it is specifically concluded that diversion is useful
so as to decide the self-abilities and information that prompts help a person to improve their
presentation. Also, it is summarised that it is needed to improve different abilities and this can be
done through performing tasks in noticeable manner and through focusing on weak points. On
the other hand, it is also concluded that considering Gibbs Reflective Model, an individual may
effectively develop a plan to improve existing skills and attributes and also they may portray
every single activity as well, and this would help in becoming much more fruitful in future
context.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Anantasari, M.L., 2017. Model refleksi Graham Gibbs untuk mengembangkan
religiusitas. Jurnal Teologi, 1(2), pp.195-208.
Ardian, P., Hariyati, R.T.S. and Afifah, E., 2019. Correlation between implementation case
reflection discussion based on the Graham Gibbs Cycle and nurses’ critical thinking
skills. Enfermeria clinica, 29, pp.588-593.
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. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Bovée, C.L., Thill, J.V. and Raina, R.L., 2016. Business communication today. Pearson
Education India.
Conill, J., 2017. Corporate citizenship, contractarianism and ethical theory: on philosophical
foundations of business ethics. Routledge.
Dressler, R and et. al., 2018. The cross-cultural reflective model for post-sojourn
debriefing. Reflective Practice, 19(4), pp.490-504.
Ferreira, A. and Teixeira, A.L., 2016. Intra-and extra-organisational foundations of innovation
processes—The information and communication technology sector under the crisis in
Portugal. International Journal of Innovation Management, 20(06), p.1650056.
Gallagher, L and et. al., 2017. An evaluation of the appropriateness and effectiveness of
structured reflection for midwifery students in Ireland. Nurse Education in Practice, 22,
pp.7-14.
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.
Pikhart, M., 2016. Theoretical foundations of intercultural business communication and their
practical consequences. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 26, p. 01006). EDP Sciences.
Reljić, N.M., Pajnkihar, M. and Fekonja, Z., 2019. Self-reflection during first clinical practice:
The experiences of nursing students. Nurse education today, 72, pp.61-66.
Skripak, S.J., 2016. Fundamentals of business. Virginia Tech.
Wain, A., 2017. Learning through reflection. British Journal of Midwifery, 25(10), pp.662-666.