Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information: Samsung UK

This report analyzes Samsung's strategy for entering the UK market, focusing on managing communications, knowledge, and information. It begins by assessing information and knowledge needs, including decisions senior management must make, and identifies internal and external sources of information. The report then explores strategies for increasing personal networking to widen stakeholder involvement in decision-making, including identifying stakeholders, communication channels, and designing an inclusive meeting strategy. Furthermore, the report examines the existing communication structure within Samsung UK and proposes methods to improve communication systems aligned with modern realities, including a plan to enhance communication between the local community and Samsung UK. The report provides recommendations for the company's management team to improve market penetration and overall operations.

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 1
Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge, and information
By [Name]
Course
Professor’s Name
Institution
Location of Institution
Date

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 2
Introduction
Samsung Company deals with electronics, technology, and chemicals. This
company was started in 1938 in South Korea and has grown from a medium firm into a
multi-billion company that has 26 manufacturing branches across the world. Samsung
has been successful due to synergy of operations and it combines expertise,
communication, and technology to make better products which are satisfactory to the
clients. The company aims at entering the UK market through a promotional plan so as
to increase brand recognition. Some of the strategies that Samsung has decided to use
in the UK involve sponsoring major games such as the Olympics and the premier
league teams. Therefore, this company aims at exploiting global qualities and
substantial information and knowledge so as to penetrate the UK market by developing
high – tech products which target the middle and the high-end clients. The success of
these plans is anchored on a good communication scheme that is meant to inform the
customers and all the stakeholders on the decisions made by the company. This article
is divided into four section in which the first part expounds on how to assess information
and knowledge needs in relations to Samsung. Section two talks about ways of creating
strategies so as to increase personal networking while Chapter three outlines the
development of communication processors and the last part of the article summarizes
the design and modification of an appropriate information system.
LO1: How to Assess Information and Knowledge Needs
Decisions that Samsung Senior management team has to undertake
to ensure the success of their UK market penetration plan
Samsung Company began in 1938 in South Korea and has expanded
tremendously across the global to become of the leading companies dealing with
electronics. The Company has ventured in the UK through a promotional plan that is
meant to increase the brand recognition through sponsoring major sporting events and
Barclay’s premier league teams. Also, the company has done extensive marketing
through TV, TFL buses, underground stations, etc. Therefore, for this audacious plan to
become a reality the senior management team at Samsung must undertake various
decisions which include; marketing objectives, marketing strategies, product and market

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 3
scope, company target and pricing decisions (Dean and Sharfman 1993, p590). For the
success of the promotional plan, the management must first decide the objectives
behind the marketing strategies and then working towards the set objectives. For the
case of the Samsung Company, their purpose for the promotional plan in the UK is to
increase the brand recognition. Once the company has set the aim of the marketing
strategy, the management team should then come up with marketing strategies to
implement. Marketing strategies are the means through which the set objectives can be
achieved. Samsung Company has decided to use marketing means such as
sponsorship of major sports in the UK such as the Olympics games, sponsoring of
premier league teams, use of television advertisement, use of brochures, posters at bus
stations, etc. The third decision the management has to come up with is the product and
market scope which expounds on the product that the company aims to sell in the new
market. For the case of Samsung, the company has decided to deal with electronics
which includes displays and mobile phones. Another decision that the management
should consider is that it should set targets which include; sales targets, market targets,
etc. The last decision to make is about the price that the company should sell its
products after marketing and distribution to the customers. By making well-informed
decisions then the promotion plan will manifest. Also, right choices are made if available
information is interpreted well.
It is worth to mention that decisions that Samsung Company needs to make can
be categorized into five types i.e. programmed decisions, non – programmed decisions,
strategic decisions, tactical decisions and operational decisions (Saaty 1990, p.15).
Programmed decisions are arrived at following preset standards while the non –
programmed decisions do not follow a particular route. Strategic decisions affect a long-
term situation of the company and need to be undertaken very carefully while the
operational decisions involve short-term decisions and the tactical decisions are the
decisions undertaken by a company when implementing strategies, for example, the
decision made by Samsung to use a promotional plan to increase their brand
recognition in the UK is a tactical decision.

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 4
The information and knowledge required to ensure that effective
decision-making is possible across board in Samsung UK
In today’s economy, companies are facing stiff competition from their competitors
since the marketplace is changing continuously. It is, therefore, crucial for these
organizations to have a very well organized communication structure which enables
them to remain relevant and competitive. Good decision making by the management
depends on the amount of information and knowledge. Therefore, it is very crucial for
companies to know the level of information and knowledge they have. However, it 's
hard to determine the amount of information and knowledge that an organization has
because the knowledge differs based on the tacit and explicit knowledge of each
individual (Cooper et.al 2003, p50). For an effective decision-making, Samsung needs to
know the information and knowledge they have and then, use that information to
innovate, improve processes, enhance employee’s knowledge, etc.
Internal and external sources of information and understanding
available in Samsung UK for decision-making
Internal and external information is obtained from internal and external
stakeholders respectively. Thus, the internal stakeholders are the individuals that give
information from inside the company, and they affect the firm directly while the external
stakeholders affect the operations and decisions of the company indirectly. An example
of the information obtained from the internal sources that Samsung should have
included; financial information, personal and administrative information, marketing
information, manufacturing information, etc. (Cooper et.al 2003, p50). Financial data
compares the cost of production and the revenue and using this information; it can be
decided if the company is making profit or loss. While the knowledge of the personal
and administrative information will enable the management to understand the
qualification of the staff members and then decide on the training to offer and the
marketing information is used to determine the marketing strategies. On the other hand,
external information is collected from other organizations such as trade journals,
government agencies, legislation, opinion polls, etc. (Cooper et.al 2003, p50).

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 5
Recommendations for improvement to the Samsung UK management
team
For Samsung Company to successfully to penetrate the UK market,
they should also consider producing devices that cover both the low end,
middle and the high end. Currently, the company is focusing on the middle
and high-end market, but there is a large market for the low-end customers
which can be tapped.

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 6
LO2: Portfolio to create strategies to increase personal
networking to widen involvement in the decision-making
process
Stakeholders to invite for decision-making process
Stakeholders are individuals whose decisions play a critical role in the success of
business. The stakeholders for the Samsung Company can be grouped into two broad
categories i.e. internal and external stakeholders (Papadakis et.al 1998, p.120). The
internal stakeholder of the company includes; board of directors, investors, employees,
etc. While the external stakeholders include; the suppliers, government, banks, etc.
All of the stakeholders mentioned above should be invited to decision-making
meetings and engage them in constructive dialogues. This will reduce conflicts among
them and hence facilitate better and well though decisions.
Contacts with the proposed invitees using appropriate and profitable
channels
The most important stakeholders to be invited for the decision-making meeting
mentioned above include; board of directors, investors, employees, the suppliers,
government, banks. The board of directors, investors and the suppliers can be
contacted through memos send via the use of emails or fax. For the banks, they can be
contacted through telephone calls while the government agencies can be invited
through the use of official invitation letters. For the employees, various methods can be
employed i.e. word of mouth, mailing, notice board, etc. All the stakeholders should
keep a constant communication and engagement through the innovative and efficient
communication means to avoid cases of conflicts (Papadakis et.al 1998, p.120).
Involvement of the invited stakeholders in decision-making
It is paramount for all the interested parties to be involved in making decisions
process is undertaken by Samsung Company which makes sure that a consensus
decision is arrived at. By involving the stakeholders in decision making, they get a better
understanding of the situation of the organization, and they can make corrective
decisions. For example, the board of directors might give suggests that may affect the

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 7
operation of the company for example by approving the promotional plan in the UK.
Also, depending on the situation of the company, investors might decide to buy more
shares or sell their shares. Based on the opinions suggested by the employees the
management can make decisions that provide better-working conditions for their
workers. Also, the popularity of a company depends on what they give back to the
society. Therefore, by inviting the community, the management of Samsung will be in a
better position to decide what to give back to the society as per the needs of the people.
Constant engaging with the banks builds the company’s trust with the banks, and they
can get a loan for investments. The bank can also, advice the company on the best loan
options to apply for and lastly, the involvement of the government in decision-making
ensures that the company always operates within the government’s expectations. Thus,
by involving all the stakeholders in decision making, then the veto power of the societal
actors is diminished. Also, the different stakeholders involved in decision making ensure
that better decisions arrive at since the various groups are share ideas and opinions
(Papadakis et.al 1998, p.120).
Design of an all-inclusive strategy that will make the event more
enjoyable and memorable for all
The meeting can be made more enjoyable and memorable if all the stakeholders
are given a chance to voice their opinions and also give suggestions that can be used to
implement the recommendations provided (Papadakis et.al 1998, p.120). After the
meeting, employees should be provided with fair terms and conditions, promotions,
recognition, etc. There should be implementation and adherence to the legal
requirements, payment of taxes, etc. Also, the community should benefit through
employment and provision of social amenities such as water, electricity, education, etc.
LO3: Development of communication processes
The existing communication structure and system in Samsung UK
Communication process involves passing of information from the sender to the
receiver and the process has four elements; sender, encoding, transmission, and
feedback. Since Samsung is a large company with many employees across the global,

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 8
it is able to communicate with them through their branch managers who then get in
touch with the main office, but this has proved to be difficult (Bantz and Pepper 1993, 9.100).
Appropriate methods to improve the overall communication systems
in-line with modern realities in the sector
The overall communication systems can be improved through techniques such
as assessing the communication level. One – on – one communication should be
implemented when the management wants to pass relevant information to the junior
workers (Bantz and Pepper 1993, 9.100). Also, communication problems handle which
includes resolving issues such as conflict, misunderstanding, cultural variations, etc.
technique should be employed in an effort to improve overall communication systems.
Implementation of the plans that will guarantee better communication
mediums between the local community and Samsung UK
A communication plan that will guarantee a better communication medium
between the local community and Samsung UK should include the following;
understanding the current situation, setting out goals and objectives, identifying the
target audience, coming up with a communication strategy and finally evaluation.
Samsung UK should carry out a thorough research that will enable the company to
understand the current situation in the UK. Having identified the situation, then the
company should set the goals and objective of the communication between the
company and the community. Based on the target audience, firms should then decide
the best communication strategy to apply so to guarantee a better communication
medium between the local community and the company (Bantz and Pepper 1993, 9.100).
Personal plan to improve on personal communication skills
It is paramount for managers to have strong communication skills to enable them
to interact well with the junior staff members. Therefore, it is a requirement for all
managers to have excellent communication skills which can be improved through the
following improvements; improved listening skills, recognize other people’s opinions,
respect and treat other people equally, have a positive attitude, always resolve conflicts
among the employees, avoid stress and complain only when need be (Bantz and Pepper

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 9
1993, 9.100). Therefore, it is very crucial to develop the communication principles stated
above so as to have excellent communication skills.

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 10
LO4: Improvement of systems relating to information and
knowledge
The existing data collection, formatting, storage and dissemination
approaches in Samsung UK
Samsung UK collects information through feedback from the clients, use of social
media, etc. based on the objectives of the company. Then the obtained information can
be formatted using statistical or analytical methods according to the company’s
requirements. Also, the collected information should be formatted into a more
understandable format. The information is then organized in stored in computers
memory or cloud storage. The storage means should be easy to access to facilitate
easy retrieval of the information (Olivera 2000, p.820). Samsung disseminates information
through social media such as the Facebook, Twitter, etc. Also, the company uses
electronic media such a TV, radio, video and also the print media such as newspaper
magazines, etc.
Necessary changes to improve on the above mediums
For Samsung Company to improve in the process of collection, formatting,
storage and dissemination of the information, then the operations should be carried out
in a systematic way. Thus, information should be collected using both content and
problem – oriented approaches. Also, the firm should consider appropriate and the
modern methods of formatting and storage of information. The company should adopt a
less costly method of dissemination of information to the public to avoid making of
losses (Olivera 2000, p.820).
Implementation of user-friendly strategy that can improve access and
usage of systems in Samsung UK
For any company, information and knowledge is very crucial for the operations of
the company. Therefore, it is critical for easy access to the information which should
contain the necessary information for all the departments, and the information should be
kept up to data through constant updating. The information should be grouped together
and be stored where it can be easily accessed such as in cloud storage (Olivera 2000,
p.820).

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 11
Conclusion
The world is constant changing and business completion growing to the next
level. Therefore, companies that will survive the stiff competition must make sound
decisions that should be implemented correctly. It can be concluded that good decisions
are made when pertinent information is available and is interpreted correctly. Also, right
decisions in an organization can only be achieved if both the internal and external
stakeholders are involved in decision-making process. Also, it is a requirement for the
organization manager to possess good communication skill. For the businesses to
improve their data collection, storage, and dissemination process, then the entire
process must be systematic.

Unit 16: Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information 12
References
Saaty, T.L., 1990. How to make a decision: the analytic hierarchy process. European
journal of operational research, 48(1), pp.9-26.
Dean, J.W. and Sharfman, M.P., 1993. Procedural rationality in the strategic decision‐
making process. Journal of Management Studies, 30(4), pp.587-610.
Cooper, D.R., Schindler, P.S. and Sun, J., 2003. Business research methods.
Bantz, C.R. and Pepper, G.L., 1993. Understanding organizations: Interpreting
organizational communication cultures. Univ of South Carolina Pr.
Olivera, F., 2000. Memory systems in organizations: an empirical investigation of
mechanisms for knowledge collection, storage, and access. Journal of
Management Studies, 37(6), pp.811-832.
Papadakis, V.M., Lioukas, S. and Chambers, D., 1998. Strategic decision-making
processes: the role of management and context. Strategic management
journal, 19(2), pp.115-147.