Unit 16 Managing Communications, Knowledge and Information

Introduction

Samsung was established in 1938 in South Korea, Samsung has grown from a modest trading company to a multi-national conglomerate with 56 worldwide subsidiaries, assets of $206.54B, annual turnover of $177.23B and $16.52B profit in 2014/15 (Forbes 2015).Samsung operates in three major markets - electronics, engineering and chemicals and employs people in more than 60 countries. Samsung has 26 manufacturing plants across the world, therefore its global nature has also resulted in an internationally recognisable brand name.
Samsung operates in so many product and market areas, it combines all its expertise, technology and facilities in order to improve product development. This is known as ‘synergy’. Additionally, Samsung is a vertically integrated company, controlling all phases of the process, from raw materials through to manufacture, the retailer and the customer. Samsung continuously strives to improve product quality, implementing numerous quality control checks from bottom to the top.
The global strength of Samsung provides flexibility – being a global organisation enables it to find the best sources of raw materials, together with the best locations in which to manufacture and assemble its products. The corporate philosophy is to devote its human resources and technology to the development of a global society through ever better products and services. Samsung pursues unique set of strategies to achieve its objective of maintaining global competitiveness.

1.2 Product research and development

Samsung is a relative newcomer to the highly competitive world of mobile communications, developing a cellular telecom system as late as the 1990s. Samsung has now decided to use the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) network to enter the global markets. As part of the trend towards convergence in the electronics world – bringing computers, entertainment and communications closer together – Samsung has implemented a brand building exercise, stretching the brand name to take in new products. Drawing on the expertise and economies of scale from being one of the world’s leading manufacturers of memory chips and display screens, Samsung will be able to compete with those companies already in this market.
Samsung developed a new product, a slim line phone with an innovative design, which has been deliberately positioned in the mid to high end of the market. Having launched series of smart phones, tablets and TVs on the market, Samsung has become one of the pacesetters and change agent in this sector, by introducing some ground breaking products such as Galaxy S7, Galaxy Tablets Pro S, Galaxy notes and SUHD TV. Samsung has acquired a sizeable portion of the market and also demonstrated remarkable innovation in modern technology and design that meet ever changing consumer demand.

1.3 Communication Channels

The promotional plan, designed to increase brand recognition, has involved extensive sponsorship of some of the most prestigious sporting events broadcast across the globe. For instance London 2012 Olympics and London based premier league team were selected as platforms from which the Samsung brand name is sported. An extensive mobile phone advertising campaign on the internet and terrestrial TV, in the specialist press was reinforced by an outdoor campaign in the last two and half decades involving adverts on the sides of black cab, TFL buses, underground stations and bill boards on strategic locations across the country.
As mobile phones are usually bought through specialist retailers or through phone service providers. Samsung has made it a priority to establish a solid distribution base by forming strategic trade partnerships with the core retailers and mobile phone retailers. The strategy involves extending these networks and searching for every opportunity to make the products available to the consumer, including worldwide web. Point of sale materials and brochures have been produced for impressive in-store displays and professional training sessions guarantee that retail staff have a thorough knowledge of the products.
By exploiting its global qualities and substantial market knowledge, Samsung has developed distinct marketing strategies to launch high-tech products in the UK market. Through successful, diverse approaches to individual markets it has maintained its corporate philosophy - to devote its human resources and technology to the development of a global society through ever better products and services. Samsung corporate concept is anchored on effective communication to the stakeholders. 2.1   LO1: Report

LO1:  Understand how to assess information and knowledge needs.

Scenario One

In task one, write a coherent business report describing how to assess information and knowledge requires for Samsung UK market penetration plan. This task offers you an opportunity to achieve LO1: – AC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and M1

AC1.1 to AC1.4 must be fully addressed in your report;

• Discuss different decisions to be taken by the Samsung senior management team for this audacious plan to manifest [AC1.1].
• Guidance: information from strategic, tactical and operational levels of management are essential, while knowledge from tacit and explicit will be used to supplement information
• Examine information and knowledge required to ensure that effective decision taking is possible across board in Samsung UK [AC1.2].

Guidance: consider the following factors strategic plan, UK business laws, selection and recruitment and personnel development, etc. 

• Assess internal and external sources of information and understanding available in Samsung UK for decision making [AC1.3].

Guidance: internal sources are sales figures, personnel records, customer records, and financial documents such as trading, profit and loss accounts and the balance sheet. While external sources are; government websites, trade/association journals, researches, newspapers, magazines and multi- media such as twitter, face-book and search engines etc.

• Justify your recommendations for improvement to the Samsung UK management team [AC1.4].

Guidance: advice Samsung UK management on what they need to do, in order to increase UK customer base.

• Evaluate internal and external sources of information that you have mentioned in AC1.3 and also demonstrate how they can benefit the organisation in decision making process [M1].

2.2  LO2: Portfolio

LO2: Be able to create strategies to increase personal networking to widen involvement in the decision making process

This task offers you an opportunity to achieve LO2: – AC 2.1, 2.2, 2.3,2.4,M2 and D1 Scenario Two
You have joined Samsung as a liaison trainee manager and you are instructed to produce a portfolio on to create awareness for the forthcoming Samsung product launch in the metropolis, it is your duty as the newly appointed community liaison trainee manager for London area to plan and design appropriate networking strategy that will widen involvement in this event, using different channels to communicate with the stakeholders. To this effect you are encouraged by your line manager to identify cost effective channels for communication with the event attendees.

• Identify at least a minimum of four and maximum of six stakeholders that you will invite for this important occasion [AC2.1].

Guidance: stakeholders could be anyone or group, with direct or indirect interest in the event.
Make contacts with your proposed invitees using appropriate and cost effective channels [AC2.2]. Guidance: telephone, emails, letters, fax, word of mouth, Facebook and twitter.

• Involves those invitees you have contacted for this occasion ensure that their interests are well represented throughout the occasion [AC2.3].

Guidance: use the stakeholders’ feedback and opinion to inform your own agenda and implementation strategy.
Design all-inclusive strategy that will make the event more interesting and memorable for all [2.4]. Guidance: use promotional activities and gift items that everybody can benefit. Include an agenda of activities in your portfolio. AC2.1 to AC2.4 must be fully addressed in your portfolio

• Write a succinct post event reflection base on the outcome of the product launch, highlight areas that needs improvement[M2]
• Critically evaluate individual strategies you have applied in task two to increase personal networking and also  widen involvement in the product launch [D1]

2.3 LO3: Report

LO3: Be able to develop communication processes

This task offers you an opportunity to achieve LO3: – AC 3.1, 3.2, 3.3,3.4,M3 and D2
Scenario Three
As the new community liaison trainee manager, you are directed by the general manager to prepare a business report as part of your major project for the organisation. Demonstrate how you intend to develop a robust communication network channels that will link your employer and the local community better than before. This project is viewed by your employer (Samsung UK) as part of its corporate social responsibilities (CSR) to the local community.

• Report on the existing communication structure and system in Samsung UK [AC3.1].

Guidance: email, telephone, letter, website, announcement board, internal memo and meetings formal and informal etc.

• Design appropriate methods to improve the overall communication systems in-line with modern realities in the sector[AC3.2]

Guidance: accessibility and inclusivity of feedback forms, especially for customers with statements.

• Implement plans that will guarantee better communication mediums between the local community and Samsung UK[AC3.3]

Guidance: regular town hall meetings and using local medias as preferred communication mediums.

• Create a personal plan to improve your own communication skills, as the newly appointed community liaison trainee manager[AC3.4]

Guidance: use personal-SWOT analysis and set out personal communication development plan. AC3.1 to AC3.4 must be fully addressed in your report

• Evaluate your own personal communication skills identified in AC3.4. Demonstrate how they will benefit your new position in Samsung UK[M3]
• Justify your conclusion through synthesis of ideas, by showing how realistic is your proposed communication strategy, including advantages to the community [D2].

2.4 LO4: Power Point slides

LO4: Be able to improve systems relating to information and knowledge. This task offers you an opportunity to achieve LO3: – AC 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and D3

Task Four
It is imperative that you develop a strategy for effective communication with the public, by improving systems relating to information and knowledge in Samsung UK. You are required to prepare power point [12 slides; with an integrated speaker notes]. Demonstrate step by step how you intend to enhance on the existing information systems in Samsung UK.

• Report on the existing data collection, formatting, storage and dissemination approaches in Samsung UK [AC4.1].
• Conduct necessary changes to improve on the above mediums in AC4.1, in-line with your new mandate in Samsung UK [AC4.2].
• Implement users-friendly strategy that can improve access and usage of systems in Samsung UK [4.3]. AC4.1 to AC4.3 must be fully addressed in your slides

As the community liaison trainee manager, you have been asked to write a short essay (300 words) in which you critically investigate the potential benefits of improving systems to both Samsung UK and the local community. [D3].