Title: UNIT 8 ICT SYSTEMS IN BUSINESS
1- UNIT 8 ICT SYSTEMS IN BUSINESS
- A STUDENTS GUIDE
- You will be tested on this on a weekly basis.
2BCS Keywords The Business Environment
- Aims and Objectives
- (Students should understand the objectives of
businesses.) - Survival
- Expansion
- Maximisation of Profits
- Maximising Sales Revenue (Sales Turnover)
- Maximise market share
- Provide a good product or service
- Apply these to sole traders, partnerships,
limited companies
3BCS Keywords The Business Environment
- Measuring Success of a Business
- (Students should understand the criteria for
judging the success of a business. Students
should understand - who stakeholders are and the influence they have)
- Making/increasing profits
- Job creation
- Expansion
- Increased market share
- Good Reputation (Ethical Practices)
- Apply this knowledge to local, regional, national
and multi-national organisations
4BCS Keywords The Business Environment
- Stakeholders
- (Students should understand who stakeholders are
and the influence they have) - Customers
- Owners
- Managers
- Employees
- Suppliers
- Apply this knowledge to organisations. What
conflicts/tensions might exist?
5BCS Keywords Business Administration
How does administration support the
main business functions? The importance of
accuracy in the preparation, storage and
retrieval of information Job roles Routine
and Non-routine tasks Routine and Non-routine
decision-making Prioritising and Planning.
6BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
Different kinds of working environment (Open
plan vs cellular offices) Advantages and
disadvantages of different office layouts
Impact of modern developments on
working Practices e.g. Hotdesking, flexitime,
video conferencing etc. ergonomics
sustainability.
7BCS Keywords Health and Safety at Work
- Health and Safety at work act
- Display Screen Regulations
- Be able to apply knowledge of these acts to the
workplace. What reponsibilities does an employee
and an employer have under the UK law?
8BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
- Primary vs secondary sources of data
- Main input devices
- Manual input (Keyboard, Optical Mouse,
Controller, Scanner, Web cam etc) - Direct input devices (Magnetic stripe, MICR, OMR,
OCR, Bar Code Reader)
9BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
- Main storage devices
- CD ROM
- DVD
- Magnetic Tape
- Floppy Disk
- Hard Drive
- USB Memory Stick
10BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
- Main output devices
- TFT screen/ Monitor
- Speakers
- Printer
- Plotter
- Buzzer
- Motor
- LED
11BCS Keywords Security of Data
- Responsibilities outlined under the Data
Protection Act - Keeping Data safe
- Virus protection
- Firewalls
- Passwords
- Encryption
- Screen savers
- Levels of access
12BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Main Methods of advertising for staff
- Internal vs external recruitment
- Advantages and disadvantages of different methods
of recruitment including- - Job Centres
- Agencies
- Notice Boards
- Newspaper advertising
- Trade Press
- Internet
13BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Understanding the recruitment process
- Job analysis
- Job Description
- Person specification
- Job advert and where to advertise (see previous
section) - Long Listing
- Short Listing
- Interview
- CV vs Application form
14BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Employment Contracts
- What goes in an employment contract? (Main
features) - Why have an employment contract?
- Temporary vs Permanent
15BCS Keywords Employment Rights and
Responsibilities
- Equal opportunities legislation
- Sex discrimination act
- Race relations act
- The Employment Equality Act (Age) Regulations
2006 - The Disability Discrimination Act
16BCS Keywords Rewarding Staff
- Methods of remuneration and reward
- Time rate
- Piece rate
- Salary
- Bonuses
- Commission
- Fringe Benefits
- Perks
17BCS Keywords Training
- On the job training (In house/internal)
- Off the job training (external)
- Induction training (content)
- Identify benefits to training individuals (to the
business and the employee)
18BCS Keywords Internet and e-commerce
- How does a business use the internet?
- Source new products
- Sell on-line (e-commerce)
- Research new markets/products
19BCS KeywordsThe Purpose of Communication
- Why is communication (Clarity/Accuracy) important
in Business? - What are the benefits of effective communication?
- Process of Communication
- (Sender, Message, Channel of Comm., Medium,
Receiver, Feedback) - Barriers to communication
20BCS Keywords The Importance of ICT in Business
Communications
- Why is one piece of software more appropriate
than another? - Identify the features of software used and
explain the uses of main types of software
21 22BCS Keywords The Business Environment
- Aims and Objectives
- (Students should understand the objectives of
businesses.) - Survival (Many smaller businesses such as Sole
Traders and Partnerships aim to survive. This
means to keep the business going. Many small
businesses fail within the first year.) - Expansion (Some businesses may aim to expand.
This means to grow bigger. They can do this by
taking on new staff, increasing the size of their
premises or by introducing new products/services.)
- Maximisation of Profits (Some businesses aim to
make as much profit as possible. Profit is equal
to Sales Revenue Cost of Sales. PLCs often have
this as an aim in order to satisfy their
shareholders. ) - Maximising Sales Revenue (Sales Turnover) (Some
businesses aim to maximise their Sales Revenue.
This is the money they make from selling their
products or services. No of items sold x Selling
price Sales Revenue.) - Maximise market share (Some businesses aim to get
as many customers as they can. This means trying
to increase the of customers in a particular
market over a given period of time) - Provide a good product or service (Some
businesses aim to provide a good product or
service. Smaller businesses often have this as an
aim in order to differentiate themselves from
other businesses. This can lead to a good
reputation and repeat trade) - Apply these to sole traders, partnerships,
limited companies
23BCS Keywords The Business Environment
- Measuring Success of a Business
- (Students should understand the criteria for
judging the success of a business. Students
should understand - who stakeholders are and the influence they have)
- Making/increasing profits (Successful businesses
make profits. Profit is the money left after
subtracting Cost of Sales from Sales Revenue.
Typically, businesses want to improve their
profits year upon year.) - Job creation (If a businesses if doing well and
growing, it will need to expand its operations.
More people will need to be employed to keep up
with the demand. Therefore, job creation can be
seen as a measure of the success of a business) - Expansion (Successful business grow and get
bigger. They may expand into new premises. They
may expand their actual premises. They may take
on new employees or they may expand the
products/services they sell (product range) - Increased market share(If a business if doing
well, it will attract more customers. Some of
these will come from the businesss rivals. Some
of these customers may be new to the market. If
more customers are coming to the business
compared to their rivals, the market share will
increase. - Good Reputation (Ethical Practices) (If a
business if doing well, customers will talk about
them. A good reputation is a sign that over a
period of time, customers have built up trust in
a business. One way to develop a good reputation
is to develop ethical practices. This means
making business decisions that are in the best
interests of the local community/environment/wider
world.) - Apply this knowledge to local, regional, national
and multi-national organisations
24BCS Keywords The Business Environment
- Stakeholders
- Customers (Customers are interested in the
business because they usually want the best
possible product at the lowest possible price.
They are interested in value for money) - Owners (Typically, the owners of the business
want to maximise the return on their investment)
One way they could do this is by raising prices
and cutting costs. - Managers (Managers in a business are usually set
targets. They are usually interested in meeting
their targets so that they can receive a bonus) - Employees(Most employees want a fair days pay for
a fair days work. This might be at odds with what
the owners want) - Suppliers(Suppliers are interested in a business
because they want to know that the business will
be able to pay them for their products. They will
also want to get the maximum price for the
products they supply. This may conflict with what
the owners or managers want.)
What are Stakeholders? Can you give some
examples of different Stakeholders? Stakeholders
are people or groups who have an interest in what
a business does and whether or not it is
successful. Examples of stakeholders include
the owners or shareholders, employees, managers,
suppliers, customers, the government and the
local community. Why might different
Stakeholders want different things from a
business? While all stakeholders are keen for the
business to do well they may still want different
things. For example, the owners of a business
want to make money, one way to make more money
might be to pay lower wages. This would
obviously be against the interests of the
employees who are another set of stakeholders.
25BCS Keywords Business Administration
How does administration support the
main business functions? - The administration
department controls all the paperwork and
supports the other departments by servicing their
needs for secretarial work eg. Filing, mailing,
handling information.
26BCS Keywords Business Administration
Routine and Non-routine tasks - Routine jobs are
jobs that are done on a regular basis. An example
might be completing sales invoices. Non-routine
jobs are jobs that occur from time to time.
Routine and Non-routine decision-making -
Routine decision making refers to decisions that
have to be made on a regular basis.
27BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
What is an Open Plan office? An open plan office
is a large room where lots different people will
work at the same time. What are cellular
offices? A cellular office is a smaller room with
only up to 4 people in it. What are the
advantages of Open Plan offices? The advantages
of using Open Plan offices include It promotes
teamwork and makes communication easier within
the office. Employees enjoy the social aspect
of working with others. Equipment can be shared
e.g. printers or telephones. People can see
what other people within the business
do. Managers are easily seen by their
team Managers can check that work is being
done. It is cheaper than having a series of
small rooms for individuals.
28BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
What are the disadvantages of Open Plan
offices? The disadvantages of using Open Plan
offices include It can be noisy and people can
get distracted. No privacy for working with
confidential information. Employee may think
they are always being watched. It is easier to
lose important documents. People may not feel
like the office belongs to them and is
impersonal. What are the advantages of Cellular
offices? The advantages of cellular offices
are A quite and private place to work
in. Meetings can be held privately with
customers. Confidential information can be
easily dealt with. Documents and other
information are less likely to go missing. The
office can be personalised making the workers
feel more comfortable.
29BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
What are the disadvantages of Cellular
offices? The disadvantages of cellular offices
are Employees cannot be constantly supervised
so may not be working. An employee could feel
isolated and not know what id going on elsewhere
in the business. May need more equipment, e.g.
a printer for every office rather than one
shared by lots of people. What factors affect
how a business will set out its workplace? How
the work place is set out will depend on the type
of job being done, and involve things such as
noise, data security and the confidentiality of
information.
30BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
What are some of the modern developments in how
people work? Modern developments in working
include hot-desking, teleworking, flexible
working and job sharing. What is Hot Desking? Hot
desking means that employees do not get their own
desk but share working space with other people.
This could be because the other people are there
at different times or when they have different
tasks to do. What is teleworking? Teleworking is
working away from the office, usually at home,
and keeping in touch with the work place by
telephone and email.
31BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
What are the advantages of Teleworking? The
advantages of Teleworking include The employee
saves time money travelling to work. There
maybe fewer distractions on the
employee. There is time to concentrate on a
specific project. Work can be combined with
family matters such as dropping kids off at
school. The employee needs less formal work
clothes.
32BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
What is flexible working? Flexible working
allows the employee to choose what hours they
work. There will often be a core time when the
employees have to be there, often between 10am
4pm. The rest of the time can be done when it
suits the employee, for example work 10-6 or
8-4. What is Job Sharing? Job sharing is when
two employees divide the work and the hours they
work between them. What are the advantages of
job sharing? The advantages of job sharing
include A business has two employees for the
cost of one, so the staff has the energy of two
part time workers, rather than one tired
one. If one employee is off sick at least half
the job still gets done. The two employees can
cover each others holidays. What are the
disadvantages of job sharing? The disadvantages
of job sharing are One might work harder than
the other. One may be better organised and
efficient than the other. The company has legal
responsibility for two members of staff What is
ergonomics? Ergonomics is the design of an object
so that it easy and comfortable for people to use
efficiently. For example, a mouse is designed to
suit the size of a hand.
What are the disadvantages of teleworking? The
disadvantages of using Teleworking include It
can be lonely and the employee may not be
motivated which could lead to unproductive
days There are other distractions at home that
could stop people working. It is easy to lose
touch with what is happening at work. People
work later because there is no difference
between home work. This can lead stress.
33BCS KeywordsWork place Organisation
What is flexible working? Flexible working
allows the employee to choose what hours they
work. There will often be a core time when the
employees have to be there, often between 10am
4pm. The rest of the time can be done when it
suits the employee, for example work 10-6 or
8-4. What is Job Sharing? Job sharing is when
two employees divide the work and the hours they
work between them. What are the advantages of
job sharing? The advantages of job sharing
include A business has two employees for the
cost of one, so the staff has the energy of two
part time workers, rather than one tired
one. If one employee is off sick at least half
the job still gets done. The two employees can
cover each others holidays. What are the
disadvantages of job sharing? The disadvantages
of job sharing are One might work harder than
the other. One may be better organised and
efficient than the other. The company has legal
responsibility for two members of staff What is
ergonomics? Ergonomics is the design of an object
so that it easy and comfortable for people to use
efficiently. For example, a mouse is designed to
suit the size of a hand.
What is Job Sharing? Job sharing is when two
employees divide the work and the hours they work
between them. What are the advantages of job
sharing? The advantages of job sharing include A
business has two employees for the cost of one,
so the staff has the energy of two part time
workers, rather than one tired one. If one
employee is off sick at least half the job still
gets done. The two employees can cover each
others holidays. What are the disadvantages of
job sharing? The disadvantages of job sharing
are One might work harder than the other. One
may be better organised and efficient than the
other. The company has legal responsibility for
two members of staff
34BCS Keywords Health and Safety at Work
- Which are the main laws about Health Safety in
the workplace? - The main health safety laws include
- - The Health Safety at Work Act 1974
- - The Workplace (Health, Safety Welfare)
Regulations 1992 - - Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992
35BCS Keywords Health and Safety at Work
What responsibility does an employer have with
Health Safety? Under the Health Safety at
Work Act employers must make sure the following
things take place All entries exits are safe
to use There must be a safe working environment
and suitable facilities such as toilets
drinks Equipment must be well
maintained Protective clothing and equipment
should be provided where needed Clear
instructions and training should be given to
ensure safety.
36BCS Keywords Health and Safety at Work
What must employees do about Health
Safety? Again under the Health Safety at Work
Act employees must do the following Make sure
they are working in a safe manner. Take
responsibility for the safety of those they work
with. Make sure they always use any safety
equipment provided Follow any health safety
rules or instructions set by the employer.
37BCS Keywords Health and Safety at Work
What are they key aspects of the Display Screen
Equipment Regulations? This law covers the use
of all computers at work, the key aspects of the
law include Make sure that all desks, chairs
are adjustable and suitable for use. Allow
users to have regular breaks. Give proper
health safety training.
38BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
- Types of Primary Data What Are Some of the
Differences Between Primary Secondary Data? - Primary data is information collected by the
researcher directly through instruments such as
surveys, interviews, focus groups or observation.
Tailored to his specific needs, primary research
provides the researcher with the most accurate
and up-to-date data. - Secondary data, on the other hand, is basically
primary data collected by someone else.
Researchers re-use and repurpose information as
secondary data because it is easier and less
expensive to collect. However, it is seldom as
useful and accurate as primary data.
39BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
What are the most common data storage devices
used on computer? What do they do? Floppy Disk
small magnetic disk for storing files. Cannot
hold much information, also easy to damage and
lose what is saved. Not used very often now.
1.44 MB CD optical disk used to store audio or
digital information. CD-R recordable cd, can
only be recorded on once. CD-RW rewritable cd,
can be recorded, erased and then recorded on
again. 650-700MB DVD works in a similar to a
cd, but can contain more information, such as a
film, or more files. Like CD can be either
recordable or rewritable. Approx 5 GB USB Memory
Stick Often known as flash drives or pen
drives. Offers secure storage as well as being
small and easy to use. Hard Drive Most
computers have an internal hard drive. Storage
space measured in GB or TB.
40BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
- Direct input devices
- Magnetic stripe(Bank cards used Magnetic Stripe
cards until they were replaced by chip and pin
cards. Store cards still contain magnetic stripes
that allow the card to store around 250
characters of information.) - MICR(Magnetic ink character recognition. Used in
banks to read and sort cheques quickly) - OMR(Optical Mark Recognition. With OMR
technology, marks are read by a machine by
shining a light on the paper) - OCR (Optical Character Recognition. Software is
used to recognise characters that have been
scanned into the computer by a scanner) - Bar Code Reader (EPOS systems in supermarkets use
bar code readers to scan items at the electronic
point of sale (checkout). 1 item is deducted from
the database stock inventory. The manager simply
has to set re-order levels and the system will
re-order stock once it becomes low
41BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
What are the most common input devices used on
computer? What do they do? Keyboard Used to
enter text and numbers into a computer. Mouse A
pointing device that move the cursor round the
computer screen. Digital Camera Takes high
quality pictures and records them in a digital
form that can be used on computer. Images can
then be used Webcam Takes pictures that are
uploaded on to a website. There are also
automatic ways of getting information into a
computer system that are often used in business,
the most common are barcodes that are on products
in shops.
42BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
What are the most common output devices used on
computer? What do they do? Monitor The display
screen that shows text, numbers, images etc.
Almost all monitors are now flat LCD
screens. Inkjet printer prints by using small
droplets of ink to create text and images. High
quality printing that can include
photographs. Laser printer uses a laser to
transfer the image onto paper. More expensive
than inkjet. Plotter A pen and an arm are used
together to draw technical drawings L.E.D
Light emitting diode. A light that might be used
to indicate whether a device is on or off. Buzzer
Emits a noise to communicate with the user.
43BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
What two types of network are there? LAN and
WAN. LAN Local area network. This is a network
that will cover one building or site, one example
is the network we have that covers the whole
school. WAN Wide area network. This is a
network over a larger area that involves using a
phone line to connect computers together. The
Internet is an example of a WAN.
44BCS Keywords ICT Data Systems
What is the Data Protection Act 1998? The Data
protection Act 1998 is the law that covers the
processing of information about you. It contains
8 principles of data protection. What are the 8
principles of data protection? The 8 principles
include 1. Data must be obtained lawfully and in
acceptable ways. 2. Personal data must only be
used for the reason it was collected. 3. Personal
data should be relevant and not be more than is
needed. 4. Personal data must be accurate and up
to date. 5. Personal data must not be kept longer
than it is needed. 6. Personal data must be
processed according to your rights. 7. Appropriate
measures must be taken to make sure all data is
safe for unauthorised access or accidental
loss. 8. Personal data must not be passed out of
Europe unless the country has data protection of
the same standard as ours.
45BCS Keywords Security of Data
- Keeping Data safe
- Virus protection (Virus scanner is a piece of
software that runs on a computer system looking
for viruses against a list of known virus
definitions. If it finds a virus, it will
quarantine or delete it.) - Firewalls(Firewalls can be hardware or software.
A firewall sits between a computer system and the
outside world and stops data being transferred in
either direction without the say so of the
computer systems end user. - Passwords(Passwords can be used to stop
unauthorised access to a computer system. They
should be at least 8 characters long, a
combination of text and numbers and not contain
easy to guess references) - Encryption
- Screen savers (A screen saver that requires a
password to unlock is a good way of protecting
sensitive information. This technique is often
used by the Doctors secretary at the local GP. - Levels of access(Many organisations will set up
levels of access for workers depending on the
jobs they carry out or need to carry out. This
means workers who are inputting data shouldnt
have access to deleting programs, for example)
46BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Explain how a firm might select its employees
- By advertising in the appropriate place Eg.
Newspaper - Providing the right information for jobseekers .
- Asking the right information from jobseekers
- Long listing and short listing
- Interviewing candidates
- presentation and communication skills to the
interview panel
47BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Main Methods of advertising for staff
- Internal vs external recruitment
- Advantages and disadvantages of different methods
of recruitment including- - Job Centres Isnt very expensive to do so. Might
not reach many people. People might not have the
skills you are looking for. - Agencies
- Takes the hassle out of recruitment as the agency
can do all of the process on your behalf.
Agencies charge a fee for recruiting. Typically
10 of the salary. Agencies might not fully
understand your business and needs. - Notice Boards (Notice boards can be used within
an organisation to recruit. This is an example of
internal recruitment. This would be cheap way of
recruiting and applicants would know the business
and what to expect. However, new ideas might not
be forthcoming from applicants who have always
worked in the business) - Newspaper advertising (Will be seen by a wider
audience. Might not be where people who are most
suitable for the job are looking. National
advertising is expensive) - Trade Press(Potential employees are buying these
magazines so you are more likely to be seen by
someone with the relevant skills and experience.) - Internet
48BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Understanding the recruitment process
- Job analysis Looking at the job. What is
involved? Usually carried out by Human Resources
and a Manager. - Job Description Contains job title, working
hours, duties and responsiblities, who you will
line manage, who line manages you. - Person specification The attributes required
for the job. These are personal characteristics
that are needed. E.g. qualifications, experience
etc. - Job advert and where to advertise (see previous
section) - Long Listing Going through the applications and
selecting those that have followed instructions.
Any with mistakes are discarded.
49BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Short Listing Selecting candidates based on
their ability to meet the person specification
and job description as demonstrated in their
application form/CV and covering letter. The
short list will be typically 5-10 in number and
these candidates are invited to interview. - Interview Candidates are asked to a formal
meeting where they are questioned to see how
welll they meet the person specification and job
description. - CV vs Application form A CV stands for a
curriculum vitae and tells an employer about the
candidate. It details their name, their education
and qualifications, their hobbies and interests
and their work history. Employers will sometimes
ask candidates to send their CV and a covering
letter to apply for a job. An application form
can be tailored by the employer to ask for
certain pieces of information from the person
specification and job description that might be
important.
50BCS Keywords Recruitment and Selection
- Employment Contracts
- What goes in an employment contract? (Main
features)The main parts of a job contract
include The Name of the employee and the name of
the employer, The Job Title, The Period of
Employment, Remuneration (How the employee will
be paid), The Working hours and Notice Period - Why have an employment contract?The employment
contract helps to protect the employee and the
employer. A period of notice will be specified so
that an employee cannot walk out on the employer
without having completed this period. This gives
the employer time to recruit. Similarly a
contract gives the employee stability and allows
them to plan for their future knowing they have
financial security. - Temporary vs Permanent Temporary work or
temporary employment refers to a situation where
the employee is expected to leave the employer
within a certain period of time. Temporary
employees are sometimes called "contractual",
"seasonal", "interim", "casual staff",
"freelance" or the word may be shortened to
"temps. - A permanent contract indicates that the job is
required on an on going basis. Staff on permanent
contracts have the security of knowing that the
job is not seasonal or casual.
51BCS Keywords Employment Rights and
Responsibilities
- Equal opportunities legislation
- Sex discrimination act
- Race relations act
- The Employment Equality Act (Age) Regulations
2006 - The Disability Discrimination Act
52BCS Keywords Rewarding Staff
Explain Time rate, piece rate, Overtime rate,
Piece Rate, Bonus Payments, Salary,
Commission Time rate- Workers are paid for the
time it takes to do the job. This can be
demotivating as it will not encourage anyone to
work faster Overtime rate - Many firms pay time
and a half or double time for workers working
outside their normal hours of employment . For
example- for working Sunday you might get 9.00
per hour instead of 4.50 (double time ) Piece
Rate This is where you are paid for each piece
you make or produce. Example Teachers might be
paid 2.50 per exam script marked. Bonus
Payments This is a payment above and beyond
your usual salary. Firms often reward workers for
hard work at Christmas with a Christmas bonus
53BCS Keywords Rewarding Staff
Salary - A fixed regular payment, typically paid
on a monthly basis but often expressed as an
annual sum, made by an employer to an employee.
Commission A way of rewarding staff whereby
the staff member receives a percentage of the
sales price. Fringe Benefits These are non-cash
payments to workers which are given on top of a
workers wage. They include travel, health and
social benefits What are Perks? These are
extras, other than money, that an employee
receives in addition to actual pay.
54BCS Keywords Training
- On the job training (In house/internal)-Workers
are trained within the business by someone more
senior. They learn from someone elses
experience. - Off the job training (external) Workers are
sent away from the organisation to learn skills.
This might be a day release at college, for
example. - Induction training (content) A period of
training at the start of employment where the new
worker is shown around the business. They are
introduced to their line manager and shown where
they will be working. Basic fire drill and health
and safety procedures are explained and any
uniform is handed out. This period of training
helps a new employee to settle into their new
surroundings. - Identify benefits to training individuals (to the
business and the employee)- To the employee More
training will mean that they will feel more
valued and be able to complete their job without
frustration. This should lead to happier
employees who will be more productive. For the
employer, happier employees are less likely to
want to leave. This means that recruitment and
training costs will fall.
55BCS Keywords Internet and e-commerce
- How does a business use the internet?
- Source new products
- Sell on-line (e-commerce)
- Research new markets/products
56BCS Keywords The internet and e-commerce
How has the internet affected businesses? Any
kind of business that takes place using the
internet is known as e-commerce. Internet
business can be broken down into two types B2B
is between two businesses. B2C is from a
business to a customer that is a member of the
public. The internet has allowed businesses to
contact customers that they would not have had
access to before. A company could have its own
website or use another site, such as Ebay, to
sell its products. These sites can seen by
anyone who has access to the internet any where
in the world, this means that businesses can now
find customers in areas that would have been
unavailable in the past.
57BCS KeywordsThe Purpose of Communication
- What is the communication process?
- The communication process consists of six stages,
they are - Sender the person decides they need to send a
message. - The Message itself
- 3. Channel the way the message is sent, phone
call, letter, email. - 4. Medium Is it verbal, written etc
- 5. Receiver the person who the message is to.
- 6.Feedback the reply of the receiver.
58BCS KeywordsThe Purpose of Communication
- What is Internal Communication?
- Internal communication is between people who are
only within the business or organisation. For
example, a memo from a head of department to all
the staff. - What is External Communication?
- External communication will go from the business
to someone out side the company. For example, a
letter to a customer.
59BCS KeywordsThe Purpose of Communication
What are the effects of good or effective
communication? The effects of good communication
include All employees know what to do (Staff
Morale and productivity). Good customer
relations. (Leads to good reputation, repeat
trade etc Motivated employees. Efficient
working. Good company image. Increased
profitability.
60BCS KeywordsThe Purpose of Communication
- What are the effects of poor communication?
- The effect of poor communication include
- Poor working relationships.
- Poor company image.
- Loss of business customers.
- Demotivation of staff.
- Misinformation misinterpretation of
information. - What are formal methods of communication?
- Formal communication includes
- Business letters
- Reports
- Bills
- Contracts of Employment
61BCS KeywordsThe Purpose of Communication
What are informal methods of communication? Infor
mal communication includes Face-to-face
conversations. Rumours and gossip. Telephone
conversations. Notes left of desks. Staff
notice board. Which type of communication
should you use? Whether you use formal or
informal communication will depend on who you are
communicating with, how well you know them and
the message you are sending. For example, if you
were contacting to a new customer that you didnt
know you would use formal communication such as a
letter.
62BCS KeywordsThe Purpose of Communication
How has modern technology affected
communication? New technology has meant that
communication is quicker and easier than ever
before, in particular this includes Mobile
phones allow people to contact others while
almost anywhere in the country. Newer mobiles
are also offering access to the internet and
email. Email allows messages and electronic files
to be sent around the world almost instantly,
something that would have taken days in the
past. Lap Tops mean that people can create
documents, sort and use information while away
from the business before emailing it
people. This kind of equipment has made
practices such as teleworking much easier and
effective.
63BCS Keywords The Importance of ICT in Business
Communications
What is application software? Application
software is a program designed to do a particular
job, examples include word processing, database
and spreadsheets. Application software is often
grouped together in one package that will do
several things. Examples of this include
Appleworks for Apple computers and Microsoft
Office. What are the main types of application
software? Word Processing is used to create
text documents that can then be saved and
changed. Documents can also include images and
numbers. Examples of word processing include
Word Spreadsheets Used for storing numerical
data, which can then be used in mathematical
calculations. Examples include
Excel. Presentation Software Used to create
slides which can be used when giving a
presentation or speaking to a group. Examples
include PowerPoint. Databases Electronic filing
systems that are used to collect and store
information. The information can then be sorted,
searched and used to produce reports. Examples
include Microsoft Access Desk Top Publishing
(DTP) used when combining text and images. DTP
allows parts of the document to be moved around
easily in order to get the correct layout.
Examples include Appleworks Drawing.