Classic Food Shop: Report on Managing Communication and Knowledge

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of communication, knowledge, and information management within Classic Food Shop, a food and beverage company planning to expand. The report explores the decision-making processes at strategic, tactical, and operational levels, highlighting the importance of both internal and external information, including PESTLE and SWOT analyses. It examines various internal and external sources for gathering information, such as staff members, market research, and industry reports. The report also discusses methods to improve information selection and analysis, stakeholder influence on decision-making, and strategies for developing strong business relationships. Furthermore, it assesses the effectiveness of the current communication process, identifies issues such as misunderstandings and employee stress, and suggests improvements through the implementation of new technological tools and training programs. The report concludes with recommendations for enhancing communication and knowledge management to facilitate the successful start-up of new business ventures for Classic Food Shop.

MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS,
KNOWLEDGE AND
INFORMATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1................................................................................................................................................1
1.2................................................................................................................................................2
1.3................................................................................................................................................2
1.4................................................................................................................................................3
2.1................................................................................................................................................3
2.2................................................................................................................................................4
2.3................................................................................................................................................5
2.4................................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
3.1................................................................................................................................................5
3.2................................................................................................................................................6
3.3................................................................................................................................................6
3.4................................................................................................................................................7
4.1................................................................................................................................................7
4.2................................................................................................................................................8
4.3................................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
In today’s globalised world, it is necessary that all communication channels are
appropriately planned, implemented, controlled and evaluated so that the best one can be chosen
which would prove to be beneficial for the business. When communication is well managed in
the organisation, it helps in developing effective business strategies and in making suitable as
well as fruitful decisions by which firm can survive with sustainability in the long run (Black,
Clemmensen and Skov, 2010). In the present report, Classic Food Shop has been chosen that is
serving its consumers of Spain with high quality food and beverages items. It is planning to open
a new shop to target new markets so that scope of business can be increased. Present report will
include the discussion on the ways to assess information and knowledge needs to start-up a
business. Also, strategies will be created to increase personal networking so that involvement of
workers in decision making process can be enhanced. Apart from that, communication processes
will be developed along with improving systems relating to information and knowledge.
TASK 1
1.1
At three levels, decisions are taken in the firm, that is, strategic, tactical and operational.
Thus, it can be said that there are three types of decisions that are being taken by the
management of Classic Food Shop at different levels for start-up of new business. These
decisions are explained as follows:
Decisions at higher level of management – With taking into consideration the Classic
Food Shop, at this level, they are the top authorities of organisation who take decisions with
respect to develop competitive strategies and making different rules and regulations for the
employees of firm. Also, top level managers set company policies with emphasising on all
internal and external factors (Strategic Decisions - Definition and Characteristics, 2016).
Decisions at middle level of management – In Classic Food Shop, middle level managers
take the decisions with regard to implement all policies made at strategic level. Thus, it is their
responsibility to delegate roles and responsibilities to employees in all departments so that
framed policies and plans can be executed in a proper way.
Decisions at lower level of management – This is the stage where all plans are finally
practically implemented by the workers. Making them work in a manner that the set goals of
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firm will be achieved is the responsibility of supervisors at operational level (Yates and Paquette,
2011). Managers at lower level of management take decisions like scheduling the tasks of
workers and interpreting the needs and requirements of consumers.
1.2
Being in the food and beverage industry where demands of customers get changed at a
very fast pace, management is required to have both internal and external information and
knowledge to start-up a new business. With the help of PESTLE analysis, external information
can be gained, that is, political, economic, social, technological, legal and ethical environments
of market in which Classic Food Shop is planning to get opened. On the other hand, internal
information about business is also required that can gained through making SWOT analysis that
will help the organisation in knowing their strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities
(Holsapple, 2013). Accordingly, the firm can make their plans to open a new shop of quality
foods. Apart from that, at three levels of management, different knowledge and information will
be required to make the decisions. At strategic level, Classic Food Shop will need to conduct a
market survey so that changing trends of consumers as well as their tastes and preferences can be
known before start-up of the new business. However, at tactical level, information about
available and needed resources to implement the set plans to open a new shop will be required.
In accordance with that, allocation of resources in different departments by the managers will be
done (Borghoff and Pareschi, 2013). At operational level, knowledge and information about all
tools and techniques will be required through which the plans will be performed into actions.
1.3
Various internal and external sources will be required by the Classic Food Shop to start-
up a new business in the market. Some of them are like:
Internal sources: Staff members of the organisation are internal sources who can
provide relevant and valuable information.
 Meetings with employees of Classic Food Shop can prove to be helpful as in this,
they would provide different views and opinions with the help of which
management of cited firm can take suitable decisions with respect to open a new
shop.
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 Also, through organising effective training sessions, existing skills, abilities and
knowledge of employees working in Classic Food Shop can be increased (Internal
Sources of Information, 2013). This will help staff members to provide superior
services to the ultimate customers of new start-up business.
External sources: Through different external sources, information and knowledge that is
important to be known by the management of Classic Food Shop to open its new shop will be
gathered.
 Through conducting market research by the way of surveys, latest information about
customer’s tastes and preferences will be known by the cited organisation.
 Along with that, industrial reports also prove to be very helpful in providing reliable
information about food and beverage sector according to which Classic Food Shop can
make their strategies with respect to start-up a new business (Kebede, 2010).
1.4
To bring improvements in the present process of Classic Food Shop that it uses for
selecting and analysing information, some methods are there that firm can use. These are:
 For its new start-up business, online surveys would prove to be the best way by which
reliable and valuable information can be gained. This method is effective as it saves the
time of employees which they have to spend if surveys will be conducted through one-to-
one interaction.
 On the other hand, SWOT analysis is also one of the effectual ways of gaining
information and knowledge regarding opening of new start-up business of Classic Food
Shop (Ward and Peppard, 2016). It will help in making self-evaluation of the business in
accordance of which suitable strategies can be made.
 Furthermore, as per today’s era, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) prove to be more effectual than any other methods
as these provide accurate information to the firm at a fast pace.
2.1
Stakeholders play a significant role in influencing the decision making process of Classic
Food Shop in relation to its start-up business. These stakeholders are:
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 Shareholders – They invest their money in the business to gain higher returns when
business will earn profits. Firm’s decisions get affected by these stakeholders as if they
would not invest in the business, organisation will not have enough capital to start-up its
new business.
 Employees – They are the assets of organisation who actually perform the operations. By
giving them chance to participate in the decision making process of Classic Food Shop,
different views and opinions with regard to start-up a new shop successfully in the market
can be gained (Peter and Donnelly, 2011).
 Suppliers – For opening a new shop, cited is organisation is required to decide the
suppliers from whom raw material will be purchased. It is important to satisfy these
stakeholders in terms of payment to be made to them as their dis-satisfaction may lead to
delay in operations.
 Customers – To offer products and services as per the demand of target market customers
along with high quality is significant for Classic Food Shop being in the food and
beverage industry where there is intense competition in between firms. Thus, to make the
new start-up business successful, satisfaction of customers is important (Dalkir and
Liebowitz, 2011).
 Government – Government plays the most essential role in influencing the decision
making process of Classic Food Shop with regard to open its new shop. To follow all
rules and regulations imposed by regulatory authorities on food and beverage industry is
essential to make the business successful.
2.2
To develop a strong and healthy business relationship with stakeholders, both; formal and
informal methods can be used. E-mails, mobile calls, official meetings and video conferencing
are the formal or professional ways by which a healthy relationship with employees and
suppliers can be developed in Classic Food Shop. Also, through the ways like memos and letters,
effective business relations can be maintained in between different stakeholders of organisation.
However, organising parties, having dinner together, arranging sport’s events and picnics come
under informal approaches that also prove to be highly effective for developing healthy business
relations of management of Classic Food Shop with its suppliers and employees along with other
stakeholders (López-Nicolás and Meroño-Cerdán, 2011). Through these ways, firm can satisfy
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its different stakeholders and professionals that will create a positive impact on its goodwill in
the market.
2.3
Different people will be involved in the decision making process with respect to price and
location strategy for the new business start-up of Classic Food Shop. First and foremost, there
comes the employees from whom valuable suggestions for setting price of product and location
of shop can be gained. On the other hand, customers play a crucial role in taking decisions with
regard to price and location strategy for new start-up business (Choi, Lee and Yoo, 2010). It is
important for firm to check the spending power of target market customers so that accordingly
the price of products and services will be charged. Also, location must be decided with keeping
in mind the customer convenience. Thus, to decide the location of new shop, taking opinions of
service users would prove to be effective (Schwalbe, 2015). Apart from that, government is also
having contribution in the decision making process of firm as every judgement with respect to
decide price and location for start-up business is needed to be taken with keeping in mind all
rules and regulations imposed by regulatory authorities of nation in which the business is going
to operate.
2.4
In order to bring future improvements in the process of operating new start-up business,
Classic Food Shop can adopt suitable strategy in the plan so as to make it successful. The most
common and helpful strategy will be use of new technological tools as latest techniques will lead
to reduce the workload of employees as well as result in higher production at low cost. Though
these tools, plans can be implemented in an easy manner as well as in a short duration with high
efficiency. Also, it would help in making sales forecasting through which risk of loss in profits
due to excess of supply can be reduced (Kim and Abbas, 2010). Apart from that, training and
development is also a better option to enhance the skills, knowledge and abilities of workforce
that will make them efficient enough to perform in such a way that the profits of Classic Food
Shop can be increased.
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TASK 2
3.1
Presently, the communication process used in Classic Food Shop is not effective and this
is the reason; to bring improvements in the same is required so that business would grow. Right
now, organisation is using traditional way of sending and receiving information to and from staff
which includes telephones, letters and memos. As the firm is using conventional communication
process, it is facing the issue of misunderstanding as well as sometimes, other party makes
wrong interpretation of sent message. Because of this reason; employees of Classic Food Shop
are not clear with what they are exactly expected to do which is leading to increased level of
stress among them (Dozier, Grunig and Grunig, 2013). Also, employees are not able to meet the
set deadlines by which they are getting de-motivated. Due to having ineffective communication
process, Classic Food Shop is not gaining the desired profits and thus, risk from competitors has
increased for the firm.
3.2
With the help of different ways, communication process in Classic Food Shop can be
improved. One of the best ways to improve the flow of information in firm is electronic mails (e-
mails). These are helpful for sending any kind of information like audio, video or words from on
party to another and this is also at a fast pace (Smith, Dinev and Xu, 2011). Another way by
which communication in organisation can be made smooth is organising meetings with
employees. In this, employees can share their views, ideas and suggestions to higher authorities
directly and take their advice at the same time. Apart from that, one to one interaction is also an
effective way by which communication among staff members of Classic Food Shop can be
improved. It helps in creating and maintaining healthy, positive and strong relations in between
employees and employers.
3.3
For expanding the business in new markets, Classic Food Shop can use various
communication processes that will help in its future growth. At the first stage, when planning is
done and strategies are formulated with regard to increase the scope of business, a little
communication is required as only collection of information and knowledge is done at this level
(Klusch, 2012). However, later, when formulated strategies are required to be formulated,
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communication plays a significant role. Here, employees need to know the reason begin
execution of plan along with the way in which it is going to be implemented. To make them
understood the same, employers need to have good communication skills so that employees
would perform their tasks in the manner as it is desired by the management. Development of
existing process to open the new shop of cited firm will lead to offer positive results. Through
this, suitable decision can be taken as well as on the same, reviews of employees can also be
taken (Black, Clemmensen and Skov, 2010). On the basis of same, if required, modifications
will be made by the management of Classic Food Shop.
3.4
Being the leader in Classic Food Shop, personal development plan that will help in
improving my communication skills is stated as below:
Skills Present
Condition
Strategies Time
Frame
Confidence Average With courage, I will make conversation with the
team members to convey my opinions to them that
will improve my communication.
2 months
Engaging
audience
Poor By keeping eye contact with the person I am
speaking to and hearing what he says in a proper
manner, my communication skill will be improved
by which I can make suitable strategies for the
expansion of new business of Classic Food
Restaurant (Yates and Paquette, 2011).
3 months
Listening
skill
Poor Through organising meetings, I can improve my
listening skills as in this, I will have to hear the
views, opinions and suggestions of team members
so as to reach at the final conclusion.
1 month
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4.1
The existing approaches to collection, formatting, storage and dissemination of
information and knowledge which Classic Food Shop is taking in use are not suitable enough
that can lead organisation to perform its operations effectually. It is explained as below:
 Collection – For collecting information for running business, all sources used by
organisation are not reliable. Firm is using file management system to keep the data
managed. However, this practice involves issue of data redundancy as well as
inconsistency.
 Formatting – Classic Food Shop is doing formatting of information in a proper and
effective manner (Holsapple, 2013). It is using Microsoft applications like word, excel
and power point for doing proper formatting of data along with other corrections.
 Storage – For storing the collected and formatted information also, firm is not using
effective techniques as traditional approaches like rack management system are still
being used by Classic Food Shop. In this, files are manually saved which involves risk of
stealing of confidential information.
 Dissemination – With the use of limited resources such as newspapers, letters and
memos, data is disseminated by the cited organisation which in most of the cases leads to
delay in operations (Borghoff and Pareschi, 2013).
4.2
To carry out appropriate changes to improve collection, formatting, storage and
dissemination of information and knowledge, several changes can be adopted by Classic Food
Shop. The first and foremost change can be adopted for the collection of data by using Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) system. This method would prove to be highly effective as through
this, issue of data redundancy and inconsistency will not be there (Kebede, 2010). For making
the formatting in collected information, organisation is already using suitable and effective
approaches. So, in this, no changes are required. However, for storing information, Classic Food
Shop can use database management system (DBMS) with the help of which a lot of time of staff
members will be saved that they used to spent in searching of files. Also, probability of
unauthorised access will get decreased as well as this method will provide high security to
system of storing information (Ward and Peppard, 2016). Apart from that, to disseminate the
final stored information, social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube along with other
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ways such as newspapers and magazines will prove to be effective. Through this way, Classic
Food Shop can make target market aware about its business as a well-established café.
4.3
Through implementing suitable strategy, Classic Food Shop can improve access to
systems of information and knowledge that can further help in strengthening their business.
Thus, for continuing to grow in the future, bid data or cloud computing approaches can be used
by the management. These methods would help in making the communication smooth and fast.
Also, data from remote areas can also be accessed easily without having any issue of leakage of
information. These approaches offer high flexibility to the system as well. In addition to this, if
highly skilled and knowledgeable IT experts will be hired by the management then various
activities related with information technology can be performed in an accurate manner (Peter and
Donnelly, 2011). By implementing this strategy, access to systems of information and
knowledge in Classic Food Shop can be improved.
CONCLUSION
It can be articulated from the above report that communication is significantly required to
be managed in the firm to make the operations run in a smooth and effective manner. It has been
assessed in the report that if communication process if not suitable in the firm, to get successful
in the market and attain its set objectives if not possible. Apart from that, report has also shown
that to increase the scope of business by new start-ups, having proper knowledge and
information is important as lack of data may result in heavy losses that firm might have to face in
the near future. Overall, it can be said that if communication, knowledge and information is
properly managed in the organisation, business can survive with sustainability and consistency in
the long run.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Black, D., Clemmensen, N. J. and Skov, M. B., 2010. Pervasive Computing in the Supermarket:
Designing a Context-Aware Shopping Trolley.International Journal of Mobile Human
Computer Interaction (IJMHCI). 2(3). pp.31-43.
Borghoff, U. M. and Pareschi, R. eds., 2013. Information technology for knowledge
management. Springer Science & Business Media.
Choi, S. Y., Lee, H. and Yoo, Y., 2010. The impact of information technology and transactive
memory systems on knowledge sharing, application, and team performance: a field
study. MIS quarterly. pp.855-870.
Dalkir, K. and Liebowitz, J., 2011. Knowledge management in theory and practice. MIT press.
Dozier, D. M., Grunig, L. A. and Grunig, J. E., 2013. Manager's guide to excellence in public
relations and communication management. Routledge.
Holsapple, C. ed., 2013. Handbook on knowledge management 1: Knowledge matters. Springer
Science & Business Media.
Kebede, G., 2010. Knowledge management: An information science perspective. International
Journal of Information Management. 30(5). pp.416-424.
Kim, Y. M. and Abbas, J., 2010. Adoption of Library 2.0 functionalities by academic libraries
and users: a knowledge management perspective. The Journal of Academic
Librarianship. 36(3). pp.211-218.
Klusch, M. ed., 2012. Intelligent information agents: agent-based information discovery and
management on the Internet. Springer Science & Business Media.
López-Nicolás, C. and Meroño-Cerdán, Á. L., 2011. Strategic knowledge management,
innovation and performance. International journal of information management. 31(6).
pp.502-509.
Peter, J. P. and Donnelly, J. H., 2011. Marketing management: knowledge and skills: text,
analysis, cases, plans. Routledge.
Schwalbe, K., 2015. Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Smith, H. J., Dinev, T. and Xu, H., 2011. Information privacy research: an interdisciplinary
review. MIS quarterly. 35(4). pp.989-1016.
Ward, J. and Peppard, J., 2016. The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a
Digital Strategy. John Wiley & Sons.
Yates, D. and Paquette, S., 2011. Emergency knowledge management and social media
technologies: A case study of the 2010 Haitian earthquake.International journal of
information management. 31(1). pp.6-13.
Online
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