Managing information, Communication, and Knowledge Systems - Essay Example

? Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information (MCKI) Task Information and knowledge needs Introduction “The new source of power is not money in the hands of a few, but information in the hands of many” (Naisbitt, 2007). In the globalized business environment, there is a growing recognition of the importance of information and communications in the operations of an enterprise. Information and communications technologies (ICTs) have assumed a prominent role in the way a business communicates. ICTs have developed and evolved to provide more opportunities for collaboration and sustained networking. It impacts the way an organization communicates both internally and externally. The knowledge sharing benefits offered by the use of ICTs have encouraged local companies to explore global markets. It has also helped multi-national companies to enter new markets worldwide. The paper analyses the information, knowledge and communication needs of Tesco to achieve its objective. The identified objective for this case is ‘To provide help and support to those who are in need through Tesco’s charity trust’. Tesco was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen. In 1929, the company opened its first store in Burnt Oak. After 75 years of experience, Tesco is the third largest retailing company in the world (Tesco, 2011). In 1988, the company started the charity of the year partnership through which it supports a different charity every year. In 2009, Tesco entered into a partnership with the British Red Cross. Recent research studies have shown that by 2021, nearly half a million people would be living with undiagnosed dementia. Tesco along with the Alzheimer’s society and Alzheimer Scotland have planned to raise ?5million to create awareness of the disease. The main objective is to help raise diagnosis levels from 40% by 2014 (Press Releases, 2010). In the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Tesco has come forward to help the victims of the calamity by garnering support through their sales, employees and customers. Tesco has donated ?50,000 through a disaster relief partnership with British Red Cross. The company has encouraged customers to donate their club card vouchers for this cause. Identifying data and information requirements A business requires different types of data from different sources. These include structured/unstructured data, data from different sources (internal and external) and different quality of data (Ranjan, 2009). Internal data is data gathered from internal sources within the company from employees. External data is information and knowledge collected from external stakeholders, such as vendors, suppliers, customers and shareholders. Data obtained from external sources cannot be directly used in decision making. It needs to be further analyzed for developing appropriate knowledge for use within the business processes. For example, data collected from customers by employees needs to be further analyzed and then used by the executive team in decision making (Ranjan, 2009). In the present information age, companies require access to information, knowledge, people and expertise in order to make informed decisions. As a result, organizations invest a lot of capital, time and effort in ensuring they have the right information to communicate, at the right time to the right person. Tesco’s objective relates to recognizing the need for charity funding and defining strategies to ensure that the funding needs of specific causes like the Japanese earthquake and tsunami are met. Since the strategies are based on identifying the funding needs and accessing funds from different sources, Tesco needs to focus on collecting data on charity requirements that can benefit from such funds. The specific data and information required can be identified as below: Charity causes that require funding – in this case the devastation created by the recent Japanese tsunami and earthquake has been identified for collecting funds from company stakeholders and donating it to the Japanese relief operations. The amount of funding that can be collected for the cause – this involves defining a target amount that can be collected from various sources by Tesco Charity Trust for the cause. Identifying potential sources of funding for the cause – this entails planning strategies for collecting the targeted amount Tesco will make use of both primary data and secondary data sources for assimilating the desired information for planning its funding strategies. Primary data is data collected through research conducted directly by the company. It helps in collecting new data that is not available from a secondary source (Malhotra & Dash, 2009). The main advantage of primary data is that it is highly reliable as the company knows the source from where the information is extracted. The company can take decisions based on this data with confidence. It is raw data which gives the latest information that can be used in decision making. The disadvantage of primary data is that it is costly and time consuming. The company has to spend a lot of time, money, resources and efforts in collecting primary data. Examples of primary data are direct interviews, online/telephonic interviews and surveys. Secondary data is data readily available from external sources. It has been extracted beforehand and used by other people (Malhotra & Dash, 2009). This type of data is primarily used for long-term strategic decision making. The advantage of secondary data is that it is readily available. It is more cost effective than collecting primary data. However, the disadvantage is that it may not always be reliable and trust worthy. The company may not be able to judge if the information obtained from secondary sources is correct. It will not know the source and accuracy of the information (Malhotra & Dash, 2009). Examples of secondary data are press articles, published reports, journals and newspapers. Tesco Charity Trust helps local communities through donations to charitable causes. The company raises “hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity each year” through its retail stores and Tesco vouchers (Tesco, 2011). Large cash donations fund raising activities help the company support charity causes for the local and international communities. Being the most successful retailer in UK the company reflects its support to environmental and social causes through such initiatives that help in promoting its corporate social responsibility. The targeted objective to help and provide Tesco’s charity to those in need thus requires a consolidated managerial approach in channelising its resources to the various identified causes such as the victims of the tsunami and earthquakes in Japan and children development activities in developing countries. Information processing and knowledge sharing programs are vital for supporting such causes effectively. Data collection methods Formal information is information obtained through the formal channels of communication, such as presentations, minutes, sales or project reports and webcasts. It is also known as official information. Formal information is disseminated through persons authorized to divulge information about the company, such as corporate communicators, spokesperson and public relation contact. Informal information is unofficial information obtained from informal gatherings. It is not formal and organized. Informal information can sometimes provide useful data (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). Even though there are multiple sources of information available, data is primarily collected from three main areas: micro environment, macro environment and internal environment (Curry, Flett & Hollingsworth, 2006). Micro environment refers to external sources on which the company can exercise a limited amount of control, for example, vendors, suppliers, business partners and other stakeholders. Macro environment refers to external sources on which the organization has no control. Collecting data from macro environment may involve STEEPLE or PESTLE analysis. Internal environment refers to data sources within the organization. The company can exercise a lot of control on the internal environment. There are different types of information. Information can be qualitative or quantitative. It can also be a combination of both qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data is numerical data expressed in numbers. It can be inferred through experiments. Quantitative data is easy to analyze and compare. It can be expressed through graphs, charts and tables. On the other hand, qualitative data is theoretical information and refers to any information that is not numerical. It can be extracted through in-depth interviews, direct observations, written documents and publications. It is not very easy to understand and analyze qualitative data (Curry et al., 2006). The defined goal for Tesco involves a lot of research and data collection in context of social causes, funding requirements and strategic means of raising the required funds. Tesco being a multinational company has extensive resources that can be utilised for the purpose of fundraising and its stores form the key pillars to supporting such initiatives. However, this involves a lot of planning and training its employees who will be part of the fund raising initiative for effective results (Hopkins, 2009). Data collection process will entail both qualitative and quantitative data analysing the macro environment associated with these causes. Formal surveys using questionnaires, response sheets can be used to collect customer perception about the charity objectives and if they will be willing to donate a specific sum to the defined cause. Informal methods of data collection related to the identification of charity causes require a screening of local and international environment that can benefit from Tesco’s charity trust. Secondary data resources like Internet and media can be useful in collecting this data. The use of social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter can help in raising awareness for charity needs and donations supported by Tesco. This can be effective in promoting the image of a socially responsible Tesco among its internal and external stakeholders. However, organizations are known to use unethical means of collecting vital customer related information. Vital information and customer related data is also available through the Tesco club card vouchers that are issued to customers for collecting points while purchasing from Tesco outlets. Consumer displeasure on such issues has been apparent through entries in online blogs (http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2008/02/14/fearing-tesco-clubcard/, 2011) and this can cause negative publicity to Tesco’s image. The ethical issues related to data collection methods and strategies adopted by organizations are significant factors that should be considered while undertaking research. Transparency in passing vital information related to the objectives of the research and data collection process must be applied while gathering vital information from customers or stakeholders (Hopkins, 2009). During the process of data collection, the company must ensure that its research procedures do not have any negative impact, such as physical or emotional harm to the respondents. There are many scenarios that may have a negative impact (Chaleunvong, 2009) - Violating the respondents’ right to privacy by designing questionnaires that ask sensitive questions. Gaining access without proper permission to records containing personal and confidential data. The code of ethics could be violated by observing and recording the behaviour of informants without giving them prior notice or seeking permission. Divulging personal information in a public domain that respondents would want to be kept private. Failure to respect the culture values and traditions valued by respondents. The company should take certain preventive measures so that the above scenarios do not occur. It is good practice to explain the nature and details of the study to the respondents before hand. It is better to proceed after obtaining informed consent before starting the interview. The researcher should work towards getting the trust and confidence of the informants. Only after establishing a good relationship with the informants, the interviewer should proceed to posing personal and sensitive questions. In dealing with sensitive issues, such as family planning or opinions of patients on the health services provided, the identity of the informants can be kept confidential by omitting the names and addresses from the questionnaires. The organization should strictly abide by the code of ethical behaviour and safeguard the confidentiality of the data obtained. The company should also undertake some planning to understand and learn the culture of the respondents. The person conducting the interview should be trained to understand and respect the culture of the respondents during data collection. Task - 2 Communication plan The company must design a viable plan for information, communications and knowledge?sharing to suit its requirements and specific priorities. The nature of business and style of functioning of the organization will require specific tools and information systems to be put in place. After the organization has established an overall vision and commitment for knowledge sharing, specific needs at each level can be assessed and activities can be planned and organized accordingly. For the company to successfully manage its communication information and knowledge, it must have a long-term strategy with sound policies that addresses the communication needs of its employees, business partners, suppliers, customers, other stakeholders and the community at large (Robbins, 2008). Tesco can simultaneously deploy multiple platforms and multimedia to communicate. In doing this, it has to ensure that the users also have access to the same platform and have the appropriate systems in place to take part in the communication process. For example, users have the required software to access the relevant data and information. Communication can be effective only when it is two way and involves active participation from both the communicator and the receiver (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). The organization must design their information sharing structure and systems in such a way that it allows participants to have control over the content and direction of information. Communication systems must allow for discussion. The people involved in the communication process must not be restricted to only receive information or knowledge. They must also be motivated to contribute to the discussion. The message to be communicated must be clear and specific. The information to be shared must be planned in advance and well drafted. It must be relevant to the parties involved in the process. The organization should ensure that only people who have a stake or interest in the subject matter are part of the information sharing process. The company must ensure the user/participant in the communication process understands the contents of the message well. The organization also has to ensure that the message of the communication is in a language that is understood by the user. The user or participant must be able to put the information shared into further use with ease. In designing and implementing communication plans, one of the critical decisions to be made by an organization relates to the selection of the appropriate mode of communicating with employees. There are multiple options to choose from such as face-to-face individual communication, group meetings, electronic media, print media (newsletters, handouts, rule books, manuals etc), webinars and webcasts. Face-to-face communication is one of the best ways to communicate with employees because it is direct and has a personal touch. It encourages two-way communication. The communicator can easily deduce if the content of the message is understood by the receiver. The receiver can also pose questions or add to the discussion by sharing useful information. It also most suitable approach while dealing with sensitive or confidential information. Group meetings are ideal when the message has to be simultaneously communicated to a large number of employees (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). Electronic communication is fast, easy and cost effective. It is also time saving as a message can be disseminated to a large number of employees at the same time. For organizations like Tesco having operations in multiple cities and countries with different time zones, electronic media and web-based communication is most appropriate. Webinars and webcasts can be used to disseminate information from the global headquarters to employees located worldwide (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). Communication strategies at Tesco Effective communicates aids the organization to function and helps it to achieve success. It contributes to job satisfaction and employee engagement. It also boosts employee morale. Effective communication strategies help employees to understand the understand terms and conditions of their employment. It helps them to understand their roles and responsibilities. It also brings about faster acclimatization to the work environment in the organization. This helps to build employee loyalty and commitment. When good communication mechanisms are in place, then employees have a voice and a platform to discuss their concerns. This helps employees to convey their point of view to the employer. When employees know that their views are taken into consideration for decision making, it boosts their levels of job satisfaction, morale and loyalty. Effective communication helps avoid misunderstandings. This reduces the occurrence of grievances and lawsuits. Ineffective communication has a number of negative consequences, including include misunderstanding, damaged relationships, broken trust, anger and hostility (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). There could be multiple reasons for communication becoming ineffective, such as poor planning and strategy, difficulty in implementing the communication plan, wrong choice of communication vehicle, language of communication, poor timing or even subtleties like wrong body language and tone of voice. The most prevalent mode of communication at Tesco is e-mail and face to face meetings. Electronic communication is fast, easy, cost effective and time saving. It enables the company to reach a large number of employees at the same time. It is also well suited for situations where the message has to be communicated immediately, such as emergencies. However, there are certain disadvantages of communicating through e-mails. The tone of voice and inflection is not present as there is no physical proximity and direct contact between the parties involved in the communication. The major hurdle in designing and implementing effective communication strategies is the selection of the correct vehicles for communicating with employees. This choice has to be made every time a message has to be disseminated to employees. The person communicating has to consider the nature and objective of the message when choosing the appropriate medium for informing employees (Robbins & Coulter, 2007). Tesco can improve its communication strategy by linking the communication plan with its overall business strategy. In developing and executing communication plans, Tesco should consider its mission, values, long-term vision, strategic goals and its employment brand. The company must ensure that its communication strategy satisfies certain basic tenets. It must work on protecting credibility to build on the company’s loyalty and trust. Tesco should ensure there is consistency and purpose in its communication plan to build a strong employment brand that attracts the best talent from the marketplace. It must be willing to receive feedback from employees and senior management. Tesco can also take inputs from people it does business with, such as suppliers, vendors, partners, customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. It must put in place training and development programs that nurtures and support managers in fulfilling their roles as organizational leaders. Senior management has a key role to play in ensuring the effective of communication strategy. A top down approach is well suited where senior executives at the top level make the critical strategic decisions and pass on the action plans to be implemented throughout the organization. Senior management set the tone of the communication and the same is disseminated to employees throughout the company. There must also be mechanisms put in place to get feedback from employees at all levels. This feedback is important as it helps the senior leadership to ascertain if their communication has been understood and is effective. The feedback gathered must be used analyzed and used constructively in follow-up messages. It helps in timely resolution of issues and filling gaps in the communication process. Individual assessment of communication ability Task – 3 Tesco’s knowledge sharing systems There are four main functions of knowledge, information and communication systems in organizations. It helps in disseminating information about the company, its products and market services to target markets. It helps in promotion and marketing. Information and communication helps in raising visibility and creating a brand image for the company. It facilitates the sourcing of external information and knowledge into the organization. Information and communication helps employees to gain business intelligence by aiding their collaboration and networking efforts with people in other companies. It also facilitates the flow of information internally in the organization. It helps employees to share ideas, information, knowledge and expertise. Tesco has invested immensely in developing its knowledge sharing systems across its stores and offices. The knowledge sharing systems use a wide variety of collaboration tools and information systems to promote employee skills and competencies in the desired direction. The systems provide the necessary information base and knowledge resources for harnessing the human resource capabilities and improving individual potentials to perform better (Ivis, 2009). Recommendations for efficient knowledge sharing systems at Tesco Managing information, communication and knowledge in an organization is a multi-faceted and complex process. The company needs to strategically plan and organize its initiatives to get maximum benefits. It has to redefine its organizational plans and policies in this regard. Enterprises should make full use of their knowledge centers in sharing information and expertise. They can also create new knowledge systems whenever required. Organizations must be prepared to develop new skills and competencies to adapt to the changing business environment. Companies must also be committed to using ICTs judiciously. Measures must be put in place to prevent the misuse of ICTs. It is not sufficient to only nurture and develop the internal sources of information and knowledge. Organizations must also build the competency to source information and knowledge from external sources. (UNDP, 2008) In creating an action plan for information, communications and knowledge sharing, there are certain guidelines and steps to be followed. In the first step, the organization needs to conduct an assessment of its existing information systems to understand the strengths and positives. In the second step, the company has to ascertain the areas of improvement in its information sharing system. Next, it has to understand the specific skills and competencies that have to be improved both at the company level and employee level. In the fourth step, the organization has to lay down the actions to be taken immediately for strengthening and enhancing its information and knowledge sharing systems. It then has to make the critical decisions of the nature and amount of information to be shared; choosing the persons to share the information, and the mode of information and knowledge sharing. In the final step, the organization has to choose the information tools, technologies and systems to be put in place. It has to choose the best option from among the alternatives available in order to meet its specific objectives and requirements. Conclusion Technology has proved to be a great enabler of change and this is evident in the way it has manifested itself in all sectors of business and commerce and individual spaces. Business enterprises are adopting new and innovative technology and tools for the purpose of improved communications and collaboration between the customers and its associates. The growth of open communication channels has promoted the emergence and development of healthy communities or group practices that have made a visible impact on business growth strategies. The significance and increasing reliance of organizations on knowledge management practices is largely accountable to the increasing globalisation of the economies that warrants business enterprises to stay updated on market trends and changes in the industry dynamics that has a direct impact on profitability and growth. Tesco can apply these principles to achieve its social objectives and promote a responsible image to its customers and other stakeholders for improvement in market shares and customer loyalty. References 1. About.com, 2010. What is quantitative data (online) available at: http://psychology.about.com/od/qindex/g/quant_data.htm [accessed: 5 April 2011] 2. BusinessDictionary.com, 2011. Tacit knowledge (online) available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/tacit-knowledge.html [accessed: 5 April 2011] 3. BusinessDictionary.com, 2011. 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