UNIT4: PRESENTING BUSINESS INFORMATION
TESCO PLC "Pile 'em High, Sell 'em Cheap"
INTRODUCTION
Tesco was founded by Jack Cohen in 1919s', after serving in the first World War, Jack Cohen used his savings and started selling groceries in London East End markets. Tesco was founded in 1924. The name was based on the initials of T E Stockwell, a partner in a firm of tea suppliers, and the first two letters of Cohen. In 1929, the first store was opened in Edgware, North London. The business prospered and in 1947; Tesco Stores Ltd was floated on the stock exchange. In 1956, the first self-service supermarket was opened. Jack Cohen passed away in 1979.
Main activities.
- Selling Grocery
- Non-food products
- Charity
- Financial Services
- Insurance Services
- Telecom
- Tesco.com
Task 1(P1.M)
Select information from a range of sources for a given purpose and explain way in which more accurate business information may be produced from raw data:
The purpose of information to Tesco is identified as:
- To monitor performance of the business.
- To be able to know about their competitors activities.
- To update knowledge in to future advancement and development.
- For making decision.
- Communicating sales promotions.
- Inviting support for activities.
- For consumer, suppliers, local community, government etc, in order to know more about the business. In case someone is willing to put any shares into the business.
- To take their staff as their best asset and Tesco depend on the skills and commitment of their staffs. Tesco aims to be a good employer, attracting and retaining the best staff and making Tesco a rewarding place to work.
However, if Tesco was to have invalid information or inaccurate data, it wouldn't make any purpose neither to the business nor to the outsiders, such as customers ect. The information needs to be valid with a relevant and accurate purpose and meaningful to the business. Information validation is very essential. This is where in this task it would be very useful to Tesco if I would check the source, error management, policy development, and integrated evaluation
Explain ways in which more accurate business information can be produced from raw data:
* Qualitative sources are primary data, they involve the use of qualitative data, such as interviews, documents, and participant observation data, to understand and explain job specifications.
* Quantitative sources are the systematic scientific investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. Quantitative research are secondary data, this kind of data has to do with numbers and figure like accounts, but not letter or words this kind of data is that has already been gathered and this could be the number of people who are to turn up for the interview, staff turnover, staff who are taking holidays, organisation's financial annual report, tesco group sales, tesco number of stores etc. all this information is collected from the raw data to be processed.
* Internal sources of information that is exchanged with-in the organsation, it is the linked between different departments such as:
The financial department who might send the Human resouces people that there is a group of people in the finance department who might need trainning.
* External sources of information comes from outside the company. The external information for the Human Resources department might be the applicants CV that he provides for the interview.
* How Tesco competes by collecting accurate information: They do give people opportunity to download on their E-mail about any kind of information that could be positive or negative about the business. This is gathered as raw information and enables Tesco to understand what people talk about them. This role is practiced by the marketing department called "Email Tesco and competition commission"
Once this information is collected it helps Tesco:
- To understand its market and its customers.
- To identify market segmentation of their customers.
- To enable them to tailor their marketing to meet customer needs.
- To identify their threats and weaknesses
http://www.tesco.com/talkingtesco/news/?page=article8
Features of information:
These could be internal, external, secondary, primary qualitative and quantitative ect. They are part of the types of source of information. Where by internal sources of information is obtained within the organisation. E.g.finance and marketing. It is more like personal. And whereas external sources of information, is obtained from the outside of the business. For example newspapers, TV, radio, library, different company reports, leaflets, magazines and so on. The types of information that may be needed from Tesco are:
- Data sheets.
- Personal data resources.
Speaking of primary and secondary sources of information, the examples are as follows:
Primary sources secondary sources.
- Person - reference material
- Interview - book.
- Email contact - CD Rom.
- Event - video tape
- Discussion. - Magazines.
- Survey - newspapers
There are ways in which more accurate business information may be produced from the raw data selected in task 1. One way to perform raw data/information usefully, accurately and meaningfully is by manipulating. When we say manipulation, it is meant that there will be sorting, re-arranging ect. Processing methods such as copy, and paste source, mathematical manipulation, graphical manipulation, and data handling are useful in manipulation. And these methods are assisted by application such as Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint and so on.
RAW DATA/INFORMATION
Financial Department.
Here is an overview of our financial performance. More detailed information is available in the 5 year summary.
(£ millions)
2004
Restated1
2003
Group turnover2
8,239
8,144
Turnover - continuing operations
5,517
5,147
Operating Profit
Tesco Supermarkets
564
572
Tesco Bank
26
22
Discontinued operations
45
58
Group underlying
profit before tax3
675
695
Earnings per share basic4
20.7p
23.7p
Dividends per share
5.69p
5.58p
The purpose of this financial statement to Tesco is to view the success of the business. http://www.tescocorporate.com/financialhighlights.htm
Here is an overview of our financial performance. More detailed information is available in the 5 year summary.
2004
Restated1
2003
2002
20014
2000
Financial results (£m)
Group turnover2
8,239
8,144
8,206
8,441
7,414
Turnover - continuing operations
5,517
5,147
5,025
4,048
3,403
Operating profit
Tesco Supermarkets
564
572
505
462
509
Tesco Bank
26
22
22
3
3
Discontinued operations
45
58
50
53
39
735
752
677
628
651
Interest payable
(60)
(60)
(49)
(76)
(72)
Joint ventures
-
3
(1)
(3)
Group underlying profit before tax3
675
695
627
549
580
(Decrease)/increase on previous year
(2.9)%
0.8%
4.2%
(5.3)%
(23.2)%
Earnings per share4
Basic
20.7p
23.7p
9.1p
4.5p
8.3p
(Decrease)/increase on previous year
(12.7)%
24.1%
31.7%
(20.8)%
(37.3)%
Underlying3
23.4p
24.2p
21.5p
8.8p
20.5p
FINANCIAL CALENDER: 2001-2005
3 December
DRIP interim dividend: Last date for return of revocation
of plan mandates
25 November
Interim dividend: Record date
23 November
Interim dividend: Ex-dividend date
6 November
Interim Results Announcement (FY 2005/06)
October
Second Quarter Trading Statement (FY 2005/06)
September
Interest payments: 8% Irredeemable Unsecured Loan Stock
interest paid
4 August
DRIP Final dividend: Plan share certificates issued
1 July
Interest payments: £300m 6.50% Notes due 2012
1 July
Interest payments: Euro 800m 5.625% Notes due 2008
8 July
Capital return: Future redemption dates and B share dividend
payment dates (x% LIBOR)
20 July
Final dividend: Final dividend payable (FY 2004/05)
3 July
First Quarter Trading Statement (FY 2005/06)
3 July
2005 Annual General Meeting (FY 2004/05)
July
DRIP final dividend: Last date for return or revocation
of plan mandates
22 June
DRIP final dividend: Plan shares purchased for participants
27 May
Final dividend: Record date (FY 2004/05)
25 May
Final dividend: Ex-dividend date (FY 2004/05)
8 May
Preliminary Results Announcement (FY 2004/05)
5 April
Interest payments: £250m 6.125% Notes due 2017
5 April
Interest payments: £350m 6.00% Notes due 2032
April 2005
IFRS briefing event
24 March
Fourth Quarter Pre-close Trading Statement (FY 2004/05)
March
Interest payments: 8% Irredeemable Unsecured Loan Stock
interest paid
20 January
DRIP interim dividend: Plan share certificates issued
8 January
Capital return: Future redemption dates and B share dividend
payment dates (x% LIBOR)
3 January
Third Quarter Trading Statement (FY 2004/05)
Related info
January
DRIP interim dividend: Plan shares purchased for participants
7 January
Interim dividend: Interim dividend payable (FY 2004/05)
TASK 2:
There are ways in which more accurate business information may be produced from the raw data selected in task 1. One way to perform raw data/information usefully, accurately and meaningfully is by manipulating. When we say manipulation, it is meant that there will be sorting, re-arranging ect. Processing methods such as copy, and paste source, mathematical manipulation, graphical manipulation, and data handling are useful in manipulation. And these methods are assisted by application such as Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint and so on.
MANIPULATION
Financial Department.
Financials:
This is an over view of TESCO financial performance.
£ Millions
2004
2003
Group turnover2
8,239
8,144
Turnover continuing operations
5,517
5,147
Operating Profit
Tesco stores
564
572
Tesco Bank
26
22
Discontinued operations
45
58
Group underlying
675
695
profit before tax3
Earnings per share basic4
20.7p
23.7p
Dividends per share
5.69p
5.58p
Manipulation:
Financial results have been put into a table form. It has been manipulated by font sizes. From 10 to 12, font type from Times new roman to Book Antiqua. This is how the information has been re-arranged. The margins were adjusted in order to make it neater. This information before it was manipulated; it was collected from resources such as Tesco web site.
FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL RESULTS {SUMMARY}
Here the information has been re-arranged. The font size and font style and been changed as well. This is because of the way it was formatted. It was not neat enough for the audience to read, So I decided to present it this way, looking useful and meaningful to any reader. Some unnecessary rows were deleted as they were occupying space.
Financial results (£m)
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
Group turnover2
8,153
8,144
8,206
8,441
7,414
Turnover - continuing operations
5,517
5,147
5,025
4,048
3,403
Operating profit
Tesco Stores
564
572
505
462
509
Tesco Bank
26
22
22
3
3
Discontinued operations
45
58
50
53
39
Interest payable
-60
-60
-49
-76
-72
Group underlying profit before tax3
675
695
627
549
580
(Decrease)/increase on previous year
-2.90%
0.80%
4.20%
-5.30%
-23.20%
Earnings per share4
Basic
20.7p
23.7p
9.1p
4.5p
8.3p
(Decrease)/increase on ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
564
572
505
462
509
Tesco Bank
26
22
22
3
3
Discontinued operations
45
58
50
53
39
Interest payable
-60
-60
-49
-76
-72
Group underlying profit before tax3
675
695
627
549
580
(Decrease)/increase on previous year
-2.90%
0.80%
4.20%
-5.30%
-23.20%
Earnings per share4
Basic
20.7p
23.7p
9.1p
4.5p
8.3p
(Decrease)/increase on previous year
-12.70%
24.10%
31.70%
-20.80%
-37.30%
Underlying3
23.4p
24.2p
21.5p
8.8p
20.5p
(Decrease)/increase on previous year
-3.30%
2.60%
4.40%
-8.30%
-23.50%
Dividend per share
5.69p
5.58p
4.84p
4.32p
4.32p
Manipulation:
Processing methods that are being used are, copied and pasted from source. Then this source is being manipulated with Microsoft excel, and word. This is where the pie chart and table was formed. Now the information is ready to be read and summarised.
FINANCIAL CALENDER 2005:
Financial dates.
2005 Annual General Meeting (FY 2004/05)
25-Nov
Capital return: Future redemption dates and B share dividend
23-Nov
Capital return: Future redemption dates and B share dividend
6-Nov
DRIP final dividend: Last date for return or revocation
October
DRIP Final dividend: Plan share certificates issued
01-Sep
DRIP final dividend: Plan shares purchased for participants
DRIP interim dividend: Plan share certificates issued
04-Aug
DRIP interim dividend: Plan shares purchased for participants
1-Jul
Final dividend: Ex-dividend date (FY 2004/05)
1-Jul
Final dividend: Final dividend payable (FY 2004/05)
8-Jul
Final dividend: Record date (FY 2004/05)
First Quarter Trading Statement (FY 2005/06)
20-Jul
Fourth Quarter Pre-close Trading Statement (FY 2004/05)
22-Jun
Interest payments: £300m 6.50% Notes due 2012
27-May
Interest payments: £350m 6.00% Notes due 2032
25-May
Interest payments: 8% Irredeemable Unsecured Loan Stock
8-May
Interest payments: 8% Irredeemable Unsecured Loan Stock
05-Apr
Interest payments: Euro 800m 5.625% Notes due 2008
05-Apr
Interim dividend: Ex-dividend date
Apr-05
Interim dividend: Record date
24-Mar
Interim dividend: Interim dividend payable (FY 2004/05)
3-Jan
Preliminary Results Announcement (FY 2004/05)
January
Second Quarter Trading Statement (FY 2005/06)
07-Jan
Third Quarter Trading Statement (FY 2004/05)
Manipulation:
This data has been manipulated this way in order to look presentable, with clear and easier understandings. Only excel was used so that it could be formatted. Ascending order, change in font size and font style were the major changes. Some cells were deleted in order to fit the whole on one page and makes it look neater.
RETAIL STATISTICS:
Refurbishments
Extensions
Total
New stores
Total
Brought forward
34
34 4
2000/01
6
34
50
27
77
2001/02
90
27
17
25
42
2002/03
40
29
69
39
08
2003/04
2
4
6
85 1
01
2004/05 - H1
2
3
38 2
41
Total
50
05
255
348
603
Forecast remaining 2004/05
4
6
0
4 3
24
Further refurbishment
-13
-13
To complete
21
21
Expected total portfolio at March 2005
54
11
373
362
735
Manipulation:
Giving the pie chart and bar chart the same background is another way to present information to look beautiful, and attractive. In this case the information looks accurate and professional. Word and excel were the main processing methods.
ANNUAL REVIEW & SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2004.
2004
Restated3
% change
Sales - continuing operations1
£15,517m
£15,147m
2.4
Underlying profit before tax2
£675m
£695m
-2.9
Profit before tax
£610m
£667m
-8.5
Underlying earnings per share2
23.4p
24.2p
-3.3
Basic earnings per share
20.7p
23.7p
-12.7
Dividend per share
5.69p
5.58p
0.7
Manipulation:
This particular data was chosen to be manipulated in this way. It was thought that this way the information/data would look more impressive, very clear to understand. Hence it is beautifully presented. Processing method; Microsoft excel and word. Changes made; data put into table. From table to pie charts, font size and also font style. And why I also manipulated the fonts as well is because it is easier for my Information Officer to read and classify.
Task 3
Demonstrate how management uses a range of appropriate methods to communicate business information.
Communication is the activity of conveying information about something that is communicated by or between people or groups. Reports, notices and advice of any nature are communication materials. Communication could be in a form of written materials, visual like television or oral which is word of mouth.
Tesco Finance and Marketing department uses a range of methods to communicate business information. Speaking of communication, there are ways in, which all the selected and manipulated information can be submitted to finance and marketing department.
There are so many methods on communications. For example:
- E-mails - Memorandum
- Presentations - Fax
- Letters - Flowchart
- Telephone calls - Invoice
- Reports - meetings
- Publicity materials - Flow charts
- Videoconferences
The managers I am working with do have a high level of interpersonal and communication skills as Tesco employs graduates. They use their talent and make sure every one receives accurate and understandable information that links to these two departments and links to other departments to achieve their goals.
The term communication means: when the other end receives any kind of message and understands it. The reason why we need to communicate with people with the above methods is because to protect our self - esteem. In case of any pressure for example. Communication is also a business and occurs in formal and informal.
Types of communication:
There is internal and external communication that tends to happen in business communication. Internal, is communication between colleagues within the same company. External, the communication with the outsiders like for example customers, shareholders, local community, government, and also suppliers.
In my opinion, it is better for me to submit the information above that is requested by the information manager by different means such as reports, meetings, flow chart, and telephone and also by email. But according to my view,
I will select different audiences that I may present the information. These audiences could be customers, employees at
Tesco, employers etc. but in case I am to present it to the Information Officer.
Letters
These are handwritten or machine written texts of one or more persons or one or more corporate bodies destined to another person or corporate body. This method of communication is mostly done when something is confidential or needs a reply.
Tesco sends letters to their customer's to inform them of the new products in store and their prices. Sometimes catalogues are included in the package and they show the customer what to expect from a Tesco store. Share holders of Tesco might also receive letters with Tesco letter heads informing them of the share price and the new plans that directors have come up with.
Telephones
Telephone has become the major way of communication where by a big percentage of individuals have mobile phones and might prefer being informed directly on mobile phones. Telephones are quick and efficient where by you are most likely to get the information passed on the feedback as well.
Tesco employees are contacted through phones like when a manager has a shift that needs to be covered, he will call different employees who might be available at that particular time. In addition, when there is recruitment, contestants who are suitable for the job are also contacted by telephone.
There is also internal phoning linked together in different functional departments as they all work for achieving on goal of Tesco. Each department in Tesco automatically needs information from the other as in terms of co-ordination. The different departments might also call each other to make an inquiry like, where by a sales person might call up the manager when needed at the shop floor.
Electronic mail or email is a method of composing, sending and receiving message over electronic communication system, which is connected to the Internet provider. This method of communication is quick and useful to the business.
Tesco sends questionnaires to its customers in a form of an electronic mail incases of surveys, which the customer will reply, and send back. This is a good means of communication because it can send one message to many recipients thus saving resources.
Flow chart
This tells the audience how information flows in an organization. The diagram below shows how goods are cleared in Tesco store before they are stored in the warehouse and placed on the shelves.
Invoice
This is an itemized bill that is sent from the supplier to the customer buying on credit. Tesco's suppliers send them invoices and Tesco will send invoices to its creditors who order in bulk and they do not pay at the date of transaction. The bill will explain the transaction and expenditures. Below I have shown an example of a sales invoice
Notice board
Is the most effective way of communicating to employees on a daily basis. Since it's a notice board, then every one is meant to read what is on the notice board. Employees have different shifts so it will be hard for the manager to pass on relevant information to all staff members.
In Tesco, shifts timetables are displayed on the notice board to inform the employee of the time and days they should be at work. When the week commences, everyone gets to know his or her timetables. Incase of any changes or immediate or emergency meetings, a notice will be put on the notice board to inform the staff.
Analyse with justification, presentation methods which meet the needs of a specific audience
The audience requirements vary from age, gender, ethnicity, readability, legibility, attention span, accessibility, interest and many others.
Tesco had made specific provisions at stores and Internet for people with specific needs or those who are unable or disabled to make it to the shop floors.
Tesco has an online shopping system which enables the customers who are unable or less able to come to the shop floor do their home shopping from Internet.
The staff has been trained concerning disability issues and customer service is aware of the customer's requirements at the shop floor. This is part of the induction programme, which ensures that the staff is aware of the needs of the disabled customer.
Tesco has a personal check in point where customers can check in their own products. Disabled people who cannot stand in the long quos can find this method appropriate and convenient whenever they visit the shop floor.
Many deaf people have intelligence speech, particularly if their deafness occurred in later life and consequently many rely on services offered voice through facilities. They use telephone call and once a call is established then the text-using customer can communicate directly and only employ the text system through the operator when the staff is speaking to the deaf customer.
Task 4
Describe the use of creative corporate communication techniques in a selected business.
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION:
This is a management tool that tunes all intentional forms of internal and external communications. This is in away the organisation creates and keeps its corporate image towards its major target groups in form of :-Overall tone of voice, visual style, grid, typography, photographic and illustrative content all come together to create the look and feel of the organisations image.
Analysis of successful strategy of creative corporate communication:
There are different types of corporate communication and these are examples:-
- Corporate image analysis.
- Visual identity and logo development.
- Key message definition, mission & vision.
- Internal communication.
- Retail outlet design development.
- Exhibition, conference, workshop development.
Use of Tesco corporate communication:
Tesco tends to communicate on many levels and a company's image becomes affected by the audience. The main use of corporate communication is that it makes the Tesco Plc reaches where it wants be, what it wants to achieve, by giving Tesco an identity and a visual interpretation of the brand. This type of communication tends to bind all marketing communications together.
One of the main importance of corporate communication to the business, is that it helps them to achieve a greater return on their investiment in marketing communication
What sells Tesco to the public is their corporate image which leaves an impression on the people's minds and reveals the image that customers bare in their minds about Tesco, once the name Tesco comes across. This has advantages towards the company
- It helps to encourage sales.
- Gives a good reputation.
- Differentiates Tesco from other company of similar nature.
- Tesco Brand gives audience confidence to buy new products launched because of its good reputation.
- Attracts new staff.
Creative corporate communication is all about getting the company message to the public, which can be communicated; through different forms and below I have explained some.
Mission statement
Is a declaration of what a business aspires to be. The statement is the business reason for being, an announcement of why it exists, an explanation of which it serves and an expression of what it hopes to achieve in the future.
"Tesco is a team dedicated to professional management of both people and property. We are committed to each other through mutual respect and support. We realise the importance of individual growth in order to strengthen the whole. We invest in the development of the individual through training, education and reward."
Tesco is committed to serve our owners, our residents, agencies and each other with integrity, fairness and honesty. We seek a balance between preservation of our resources and realisation of profit. We strive to combine accuracy and reliability with accountability."
Logo:
This is an emblem used as the badge of a company and it is always to be found on promotional materials. The Tesco logo is designed to communicate to the public something about the company and as well stay in the peoples' memory.
Logos are provided for use by vendors, media and analysts in preparation of reports or overview relating to Tesco. No other use of this Logo is permitted without prior written approval from Tesco.
They are used to give people a confidence to buy new products, launched by the company, attract audience attention, differentiate from other companies and inform people about the company accomplishment.
Packaging:
This is becoming increasingly important not just to maintain quality and to protect products but as a form of communicating a message about the company. Either way, it is used successfully to promote increased sales. Lately, Tesco has an advert on the television based on packaging where goods are packed in unrelated bags and then Tesco gets a solution of packing the different items.
Packaging might be for containment, protection, communication, functionality, environmental issues and package safety, they will bare Tesco's name as a brand of Tesco.
Livery: This is a distinctive colour scheme used by a firm on all its vehicles packaging and promotions. Tesco used white, blue and red and it is used on all its stores worldwide. A unique livery makes Tesco's products instantly recognized worldwide thus encouraging sales.
Strap line/ supporting promotional statement
This is a phase that is attached to a product, which will represent a business, intended to last in people's minds/ memory. The importance of a strap line is to take up space in a customers mind that whenever they see " Every little helps" they will automatically know that it is Tesco products being advertised. Tesco uses strap lines as a form of promotion as well as a corporate communication method.
Analyse a successful strategy of creative co-corporate communication
Use of communications media
The communication media report offers interesting reports and articles, among others, on these branches: interactive media, media business, digital television, E-business, online advertisement, information and communication technology. In many cases, combining various media with each other makes sense. Tesco, for example, work together primarily by e-mail but makes their corrections by telephone: this is quicker and allows for quick questions and more extensive explanations.
This association with the media helps Tesco to promote its products and services and allow the public to know about their future plans.
Target audience
This is the specified audience or demographic group for which an advertising message is designed. Tesco has many stores that are designed to target different markets like the Tesco extra, express, and Metro. They all target different audiences there are those that use Tesco Express as a Convenience Store serving local neighbourhoods, highway motorists will shop in Tesco Metro whereas Tesco Extra, is a hypermarket, with a wide range of non-food goods delivery van and home shopping services.
Multimedia associations
This is the way Tesco reaches the public through images, sound and its products. Tesco will use certain images that will be coloured in red, blue and white showing Tesco's livery. However, Tesco is widely known for its products and they advertise their services with certain sounds in the background.
Distinctiveness from potential competitors
Tesco puts logos on all its products to show the difference between their products and those of its rivals like Sainsbury or Asda. They have a strong strap line that differentiates them from the other retailers; their facilities are different together with the uniforms given to the workers.
They have the late Mr. Cohen slogan that says "Pile m high, sel em cheaper". This is Tesco method used to differentiate its product from its competitors who are our threat in the market, Asda, Sainsbury's, and Morrison. Tesco sells its product cheaper than its competitors that raise profit by using the above slogan.
Channel choice
The communication channels that the brand is to be advertised should well suit the purpose of the promotion. When Tesco wants to reach out to a large multitude it will use media channels that are viewed by many people such as ITV Channels are viewed by many people in the United Kingdom, and Tesco has its branches all over UK. Therefore it will be beneficial to the company to choose such channels.
Task 5
Show how the use of creative communication techniques can enhance the presentation of business information and evaluate the significance of the accuracy of business information in a selected case
Show how the use of creative communication techniques can enhance the presentation of business information
TESCO is using diversified techniques to communicate their business structure to the public and these techniques have made TESCO the people favorite shop and the leading retail shop in the UK. Tesco covers 31% of the market share. To stay competitive, they also introduced non-food products to stay as the number one retail shop.
Endorsement and affiliation:
* Tesco is one of the few companies that reach out to the community through sponsorship programmes. This year they are sponsoring the women's cancer race for life to help raise money for the cancer patients/research. This kind of activity leaves an image of Tesco as caring to the needy those winning more customers and customer loyalty.
Sponsoring age cancer targets to cancer patients and other new potential of showing how the organisation cares about the suffering ones. These types of images are located on events like in the stadiums and other entertainment fields where a range of people are gathered for that event. Here every fan of the event will be encouraged to support tesco in terms of customer-wise as they sponsor the race as the example, and most of the audience who attends this race are there for willing to raise money for cancer patient/research. This technique is quite cheaper for Tesco and attracts more customers as their fan.
Computers for school- vouchers create corporate communication with the public and loyalty to parents and the public relation. Tesco provides one voucher for each £10 shopping to customers, so this means that they provide them according to the total cost of the money the customer is spending. This is a high-level communication technique that enhances to present Tesco corporate communication.
Product promotions- This includes advertising, point of purchase, personal selling, public relations and many others. The advertisements that are made on television reach a wide range of audience who on advance get to know about TESCO's offer. Products are put on sale but people might not know this, the need for adverts is to inform the public of the products on sale or just launched on the market.
Catalogues- Tesco has now started publishing catalogue book that can be picked up from the shops or delivered by mail. Most of the item that Tesco is offering in their store is designed and published catalogues to give the customer an idea as what they are buying. This has made it easier for Tesco to sell some of its products to the customers who just place orders for the catalogue, then sales goes up.
* Internet- Tesco uses the Internet services provide to reach the very busy people who cannot have a spare time to go to the store or make there own shopping at the shop floor. Tesco customers, make product orders together with product payments on the Internet. This gives convenient to those particular group or people. By the use of Internet, Tesco advertises its products and sells at the same time.
* Introduction of improvement in mechanism-
TESCO introduced a self-service check in point in the shop floor where by the customer who does not want to line up in the long queues will scan his own products, make payments either in cash, credit or debt card or by cheques and leave so quickly. This shows that TESCO minds about people's priorities and it is dealing with people's problems to create convenient shopping at the store.
* Congeniality- At Tesco this is another creative technique to their customers. For example, they provide or handle customers with baskets as soon as they enter the store for shopping, they have a special way of greeting customers when serving them at the check out, they also use a method of helping customers to pack their shopping into the bags when they are busy and especially during bank holiday seasons e.g. Christmas seasons.
* The staff uniforms- symbolises the colours on the company's logos. It is like an identity that the particular person works for Tesco. It encourages people to work for Tesco which is very important for an organisation. They are presentable to work with them.
* Logo- Tesco decided to design its logo or an identity is very unique, making it look different from other organisations. By giving it a unique colour match, which involves white background, red and blue. Just the colours are enough to symbolise the company and this means the company has communicated externally. E.g. to the customers, government, suppliers, local community, (stakeholders).
* Exhibition-They have trade exhibitions that is held once a year inviting 12 thousand customers to be meet.
* Use of Tesco corporate communication:
Tesco tends to communicate on many levels and a company's image becomes affected by the audience. The main use of corporate communication is that it makes the Tesco Plc reaches where it wants be, what it wants to achieve, by giving Tesco an identity and a visual interpretaion of the brand. This type of communication tends to bind all marketing communications together.
One of the main importance of corporate communication to the business, is that it helps them to achieve a greater return on their investments in marketing communication
Recruitment of a financial officer-
Tesco had inadequate manpower in the finance department and they want to make a new recruitment so that a problem is solved. The finance department manager writes to the strategically manager that they need more manpower, of permission is granted to recruit new staff, then information will be sent to the HR dept with the job description and personal specification.
Internal information
* Request letter for recruitment
* Job description-application form
* Person specification
* Interview requirements
* Date of the interview
External information
* C.V
* Qualification
* Reference
* Name & address/personal details
* NI number
* Permit to work/passport
* Bank details
Evaluate the significant accurate business information
* Accurate information allows reliability. The company will rely on the information that the applicants can provide. If the information is accurate, the company will recruit the best taken for the place/vacancy according to the history. However if there are loop holed in the information that is passed on between two partners for example instead of writing financial personnel wanted the HR advertising team writes to marketing personnel, they will have the wrong people for the job who will hand in their C.V and the whole process would be a waste of the company's resources.
* For future references. The information might be reviewed at a future data so that necessary updated can be made, for example if an employee gives a wrong phone number and a time comes that the company has to reach the employee. The only details they will have is the one on the application form so if there discrepancies, the company will not be able to contact the person
* For easy and appropriate communication and understanding. Accurate information will enable the recipient to understand what the message is referring. The job advert. might say in clear and legible writings full time financial assistants wanted. If the message is accurate, the public will clearly understand who TESCO needs for that particular job. However if it is not accurate, the information will be misleading and in the end misused.
* Preparation of the company reports. Managers at particular intervals will have to prepare reports for the company. Therefore the finance manager will have to mention the new recruit who joined the finance team. Depending on the information that the HR was able to collect and record from the application form. This will give accurate statistics.
* Accurate information foresters effective long term planning. Planning for the future is basically done with comparisons to what has happened in the past. The management will base on what has happened in the past to give/formulate what need to be done in the future. For example if statistics show at finance dept employed a couple of new members to the company, then the future plan will have to accommodate for the new recruits
* To win public trust and customer loyalty. The public will always be expectant of TESCO's new move in the market and if they announce anything, it has to be accurate. For example building of the green store, opening of new regeneration store in Becton, London, Lancashire and in Shettleston in Glasgow.
* Avoid unnecessary discrepancies
* Tesco corporate massages states-
"Pile 'em High, Sell 'em Cheap"
This is an Authorised biography of Sir John Cohen founder of Tesco' by Maurice Corina. Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1978.
This is a true business information massage that Mr jack Cohen Tesco founder left and still existing in the business. He initially new the technique of stocking more products and sell them cheaper will work efficiently. That message means a lot in Tesco as it makes a quick turnover that makes more profit. In business only a difference of 2p makes a difference on our consumers, and now on top of that we offer other discounts "BOGOF" sale promotions, proclubcards
"We work hard to create value for customers, to earn their lifetime loyalty. We try to deliver what customers want and we treat people - customers and our team - as we like to be treated". "Every little helps". Represents everything Tesco stand for, it's not just a catchphrase or marketing slogan. As the organisation has grown, so has the importance of Every Little Helps; over time, the different products and services that Tesco have diversified into has been so great, they always ran the risk of losing their way. They have relied on Every Little Helps more and more over the years, to act as a common philosophy to bind us all together. Every operational decision made in Tesco is judged against what they call the 'shopping lists'. These lists determine what Tesco strive to achieve every day. Tesco has the superior and belief of that they are "better for customers, simpler for staff and cheaper for Tesco"
These are other samples of Tesco coorperate images that reaches a wide range of audience and some are through affiliation such as: race for life, PTA world cup footballs for schools clubs and U13Cup. This is a quiet strategic plan and cheaper that creates a wide range of potential customers who attend the event on that day. It indicates that Tesco really cares about the young generation as offering schools computers, organising sports events for school Clubs, U13 Club, race for life for women cancer research that raised £230 thousand. This stays in all fan that enjoys these events and of cause no one can go for another store when you have your own supporter who you believe in and have common things in actvities. This way Tesco wins to patronise the audience and the government, because the youth club involves producing the UK feature footballers who will present UK in the world Cup. Tesco life
insurance Televisions Phamacy
Personal finance Clubcard
TESCO (CSR) CORPERATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
"Thursday 29 June 2006
The PTA 'World Cup' Summer Gala has raised over £6000! After months of planning and preparation hundreds of people came to the biggest and best Gala Day to date." www.bcpsonline.org.uk
In 2006
"This season our Boys U13 Challenge Cup is sponsored by Tesco as part of a nationwide campaign. The winners of our County Cup will go on to compete in the Tesco U13 Cup and take on other County FA winners in a seriers of Regional and then National matches before a winning team prevails. This team will then represent England against the other 3 Home Nations to become the UK's top
U13 Club." www.hertfordshirefa.com
"Organisers have been delighted by the support and commitment South London's women have shown Race for Life in the past. In 2004, over 7000 women in the area raised £233,000. This year, Cancer Research UK is hoping to top that figure with a fundraising target of £375,000 for the 8000 women taking part in the Blackheath race. In total, Race for Life is aiming to raise £23 million." www.nunnerywoodcolts.co.uk
Tesco.com grocery delivery to customer.
Most of our co
Reference:
Books
BTEC National in Business by Rob Dransfield, Catherine Richards, Philip Guy and David Dooley.
Published by Heinmann ISBN 0-435-45535-4
Business information systems by Bocij, Chaffey, Greasley and Hickie
Published by Prentice Hall ISBN 0-273-65540
Websites
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=Tesco%20logo&ie=UTF-8oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi
http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspx?poiterid
that no-one tries harder for customers
0. we treat people how we like to be treated
we are better for customers, simpler for staff and cheaper for Tesco.
Select a management area and explain the different purposes for which information may be required.
Task 1(P1.M)
Tesco Aims
* Make profits
* Maximise sales
* Provide good quality food at lower prices
* Win customers from competitors
* Provide a highly competitive service
* Provide employme
* Environmentally friendly.
Tesco is objected to halve energy use by 2010. In 2006/07, they have established a £100 million fund, which will enable them to develop wind turbines, solar panels, gasification, trigeneration and combined heat and power.
Tesco introduced the non-food products as an addition to their food productions. At the moment they have a 7% market share of non-food products on the market and they are aiming at 15% and to be more stronger in it as in food products.
Tesco has a couple of departments as a company and they all carryout different responsibilities to contribute to the day-to-day running of the business. In this part of the assignment am going to discuss the human resource department broadly and why it might need information.
Management areas
* Finance department
* Human Resource department
* Marketing and sales department
* Administration department.
HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT
The Human Resource/ Personnel department is responsible for the management of the personnel in the business; with the aim of ensuring that they work as efficiently as possible.
This department is of great importance to Tesco according to its activities and to effect these activities it needs the information. Activities like:
- Recruitment, selection, retention and dismissal of staff
- Training, development, motivating staffs and promotion of staff
- Monitoring and maintenance of good working conditions
- Health and Safety
- Employee organisations and trade unions.
The HR department must define the job requirements, advertise the position, sort though the applicants and choose the best candidates effectively and efficiently. However this process can be very complex, expensive and time consuming but to choose the best suitable, the HR has to gather enough information.
The HR will need information for training, development and promotion of staff. Staff that need to be trained will have their records jotted somewhere as to what areas they need improvement in order to develop their required skills on the job.
Staff that is diligent and committed to their work might need appraisal and the HR department will forward the names of Tesco staff that is loyal enough to be granted promotion. This will be based on the information that the Human Resource department has at the time.
Information in the Human resources will be required to update the company information system. The staff members that are paid regularly have to be forwarded by the human resources and the time they have worked in that given week. So to update the finance department, they will have to check for that particular candidate on the system.
To do the job advertisement, the HR department will have to collect information about the job role and the person specifications required for the particular job. This will help in the delivering of accurate information to the applicant.
Show the different sources for which such information may be obtained
* Qualitative sources are primary data, they involve the use of qualitative data, such as interviews, documents, and participant observation data, to understand and explain job specifications.
* Quantitative sources are the systematic scientific investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. Quantitative research are secondary data, this kind of data has to do with numbers and figure like accounts, but not letter or words this kind of data is that has already been gathered and this could be the number of people who are to turn up for the interview.
* Internal sources of information that is exchanged with-in the organsation, it is the linked between different departments such as:
The financial department who might send the Human resouces people that there is a group of people in the finance department who might need trainning.
* External sources of information comes from outside the company. The external information for the Human Resources department might be the applicants CV that he provides for the interview.
Task 2
Describe the role of management in the manipulation of data/information for a range of business purposes using a range of appropriate methods. Explain ways in which more accurate business information may be produced from raw data
Management is divided in to 3 levels that is to say strategical, tactical and operational levels. According to these divisions, each management level does different tasks more than the others for example strategic does more planning as compared to tactical and operational. They are the ones who lay everything that flows to tactical and in the operation in achieving Tesco Plc goals. These are Tesco great thinkers, Intelligent Marketers who are professionals who makes research for Tesco's to watch its competitors, new rivals, market trend, market development, technology development, economical factors, environmental factors and political factors.
Strategic level
Managers are largely concerned with long term organisational planning. Decisions tend to be unstructured and they are made infrequently. However, the decisions made at this level are likely to have a larger impact on the organisation as a whole are not easily reversed.
Tactical level
At the tactical level managers are largely concerned with medium-term planning. Managers monitor the performance of the organisation, control budgets, allocate resources and set policies. Decisions taken at this level are used to set medium term goals that form stages leading to the accomplishment of the organisations strategic objectives.
Operational level
At the operational level managers deal with short-term planning and the day-to-day control of the organisations activities. The decisions taken at this level direct the organisations efforts towards meeting the medium term goals, abiding by the budget policies and procedures set at tactical level. Operational decisions tend to be highly structured.
Role of management
To manage is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to coordinate, to improve and to control.
Planning
This describes the formal procedures used in such an endeavour such as the creation of documents, diagrams or meetings to discuss the important issues to be addresses, the objectives to be met and the strategy to be followed.
Tesco is one of the many companies that give to charity and this has only been possible every year simply because of adequate planning that accommodates these activities in the budget. This summer Cancer Research UK's race for life supported by Tesco will be at Blackheath for the 4th time and they are hoping to raise £23million. Therefore, sufficient planning for each year has made the race successful.
Responding to external factors
This involves the outside environment of Tesco plc that can affect the running of Tesco. Competitors, government, customers and other stakeholders have to be considered by Tesco's public relations so that Tesco holds a cordial relationship with the public.
The strategical managers seriously deal with outside issues because they are so sensitive to the company's future growth. For example the Hungarian Competition Authority fined Tesco 100million forints (£ 247,000) for publishing misleading information in the promotional pamphlet. The regulator, known as GVH said Tesco was selling digital cameras at a cut price and giving memory cards as gifts and this meant Tesco gained an unfair advantage over its rivals.
Making decisions
As organisations grow in size or complexity, the importance of effective and efficient decision-making increases. The characteristics of decisions taken in Tesco vary according to the level at which they are taken. Decisions at the strategic level will have a greater impact since they make long term plans as compared to the operational whose decisions are directed towards the company's efforts of meeting medium-term goals.
The manager before making any decisions will have to have the intelligence of that particular problem that exists be aware that a decision is necessary then design possible solutions and implications of the solution. There must be a choice of the most appropriate solution that can be implemented and then the solution is evaluated according to its effectiveness.
Make improvements
On a daily basis management will make improvements to attract more customers, bit their competitors, win a larger market share and have a good reputation in the public.
Managers will have to decide on what levels improvements are to be made and on what products
Tesco a supermarket that announced a record-breaking profit of £2.2 billion is to build a new store of wood, recyclable plastic and other sustainable materials. This is meant to be the greenest store in the world and it's going to be at Aylsham, Norfolk market. We should not be thinking that Tesco still need to do more, however they are improving everyday.
Organizing
Is concerned with identifying activities needed to achieve the objectives and allocating tasks to appropriate individuals and groups. It can include designing systems and ensuring that sufficient quantities of human and physical resources are available.
The managers need to make sure that the employees know what is expected of them and the precise extent of their responsibility for carrying out tasks and achieving the objectives. This is greatly done by tactical managers.
Ways in which more accurate business information may be produced from raw data
A number of different data processes can be used to transform data into information. Data are raw facts or observations that are considered to have little or no value until they have been processed and transformed into information where as information is the collection of facts organised in some way so that they are meaningful to the recipient.
Data processes are used to convert data into information through:
- Classification
- Rearranging/ sorting
- Aggregating
- Performing calculations
- Selection
- Graphical applications
- Copy and paste
Performing calculations
This can be through mathematical manipulation or statistical analysis. The manager might use excel 2000, calculator, sage line50 to calculate an employee's gross pay. He will multiply the number of hours worked by the hourly rate of pay. This will show the finance department the employee's timesheet thus creation of relevant information and a pay slip will be drafted from such information.
Rearranging / sorting
This involves organizing data so that items are grouped together or placed into particular order, this can be alphabetically or by numerical order. Employee data through the data handling application access 2000 might be sorted according to last name or payroll number. The company will have different customers but they will order at different intervals so the customer's name might show who buys more frequently than the other.
Copy and paste
This is most common in the times of research about different projects. People usually cannot formulate their own ideas if the research requires facts therefore the researcher will depend on data that already exists. However, that data after being summarized to suit a particular requirement will become information
Selection
This involves choosing items of data based on a set of selection criteria. A sales organistaion like Tesco fore example might create a list of potential customers by selecting those with income above a certain criteria level. Customer's income is raw data but it is grouped and sorted out for usage, it becomes Tesco's information.
http://www.tesco.com/everyLittleHelps/downloads/TescoCSRreview0203.pdf images and raw data for task 1
UNIT4: PRESENTING BUSINESS INFORMATION
1