Evaluation of a 6 task business project

FOR: Alec Fergus (Manager) REF: 022023

FROM: Maynaka Maheswaran (Assistant Manager) DATE: 22/06/07

EVALUATION

INTRODUCTION

The manager asked me to prepare the report, evaluating my coursework. The report is being prepared because the manager wants all the information in one document. It is an easy way for the manger to receive relevant information. The report will be handed in straight to the manager and it will be done as soon as possible.

FINDINGS

2.1 – TASK 1

In task 1, I created a Logo, Business card, Compliment slip and Letterhead. These are important because they tell people where my business is and what my business is like. If I don’t have business stationary then there will be no contact between the business and clients. No-one would come to my business. My logo looks professional. This is because of the colour. I used blue because it is business like, it is a cool colour and it is calm. My business is called Job link so I designed 3 circles which are linked with each other. One circle represents the client, second circle represents the business and third circle is the employment agency. I used Paint for the logo because I needed to change the colour to make the blue colour look business like. Looking at my logo it is easy to understand the way I have designed my logo that way. The problem with my logo is that there is no line it so it was difficult to measure the logo. To solve the problem I put a border around my logo so it is easy to measure. I used Microsoft Word to paste my work and to add a header and footer. I also used Microsoft Publisher for the business card, compliment slip and letterhead. I used Publisher because it is quick and easy to use. The advantages of the stationary to the business are that customers will know which business it is, they will know where it is that will make people come to the business. When we send out information, people will know it is our business.

I had to make sure that I did not break the law because if I did break the law they would take me to court. I needed to make sure that my logo is not same as someone else’s logo. Legal copy right does not allow you to copy other people’s logo but if they copy other people logo then they must change it or they can go to court but this means their business can lose everything for example they can lose their clients and profits. I did not copy some one else logo which is ethical. It is important to have business stationary that is all the same which means my logo will be the same place because they will know that is my business not someone else’s. If my logo was the same as other business it would make people confused, because they would not know which company the logo was representing. It makes my stationary and business look professional. If I print the business stationary in black and white and hand it out to the people that want a job, they won’t come to my business because my business stationary is not good looking. This is because if I only print in black and white there will be no-one who will be attracted to or interested in my business and this means they won’t come to my business as well. It is cheaper to print in black and white but the people will think that my business is poor quality and not good enough. If I printed in colour it will make my business stationary look fantastic, but it is expensive to print in colour. It will encourage people to use my business and that way I make my money back. So the best way is to print in colour because it would get the money back for the people who come to my business.

2.2 – TASK 2

The registration form is used by clients to fill out all the in details. The purpose that it serves is that it finds the client information and, matches it to the job. The consequences of the registration form not collecting the right information is that it will a take long time to find out what job they want, it is waste their time and the information may not be useful. I added the questions in the registration form to ask people, what types of jobs they want but did not ask for their hobbies or other things which not relevant to the job because it will take long time to do it. I tried to make the registration form look business like. I added important questions such as details, personal details and references.

This is a preview of the whole essay

I made sure that equal opportunities were considered which show that registration forms are fair and there is no sex or race discrimination. I added the Data Protection Act (DPA) on the design and content of my registration form. This means I can’t pass the personal details to anyone who is not in my business. Clients need to know that their information will be kept safe by my business. It is important for them to see this on the form. I used Microsoft Word to add the text. The problem was that I needed some space and I made a text box so I can get some more space. The boxes needed to be the same size. When I printed my registration form some information that should be print that was missing. I made lines write information down but they here not in the right place. I added some more information to fill the space or gap. I made sure that all the information fitted on one page.

2.3 – TASK 3

I used Microsoft Access to create a database. A database contains information such as name, address, phone number, months of work and type of job. My employment agency used a database because it is easy to use and quick. The database sorts out the information for example if the employment agency want to find out how many people want to work in July, they can use a filter to get the right information. The filter will show how many people want to work in July. A filing cabinet has lots of files with all the information, such as personal and job details. The problem with a filing cabinet is that it is difficult to find out who wants to do what job and it takes a long time to find it. Another disadvantage about filing cabinet is that there is only one application form and the employer might need to look up the application form that another person is already using it which means only one person can use it at one time and it is wasting time. The problem is that there might be a fire in the business and it will burn all the records from filing cabinet which mean all the record will be destroyed and the clients will be asked to fill in forms and the people can break in the filing cabinet. They won’t be happy because they will have to do it again. If someone is moving house the forms will need to be changed which means they have to cross it out and write it again but it will look messy.

The advantage of using the filing cabinet is that people like to write on paper and be able to touch it and put it in the file. The advantages of using computer databases to store information are that it is quick, easy to use, it is easy to organise by using sort, easy to find information by using the filter and people cannot look at the database unless they know the password. The problem with using the computer is that people may need to train to use the database. Also if the computer break down or there is no electricity the computer cannot be used which means there is no access to the records as information. The difference between using the filing cabinet and database on computer is that the filing cabinet has all the information of the people who have filled in the application form. The database has all the personal details in the Microsoft Access. The best thing to use is the database on the computer because there are less disadvantages with this good but more disadvantage on filing cabinet is very bad which mean I was going to use the database on. I am going to use access database for putting them the personal and job details so that if someone has moved I can change the address easily. If I don’t change the address of the person who has moved then the person will leave my business and go to another business because they will be unhappy about not being contracted. As security the database has a password so that people may not access the database without permission. I used Microsoft Word and Microsoft Access but I had some problems. I used Microsoft Word to paste screen shots of the steps of how to filter the database.

2.4 – TASK 4

Emails are used to communicate informally. The advantages to business of using email is that they are quick, the most important information is added, they don’t waste paper and there is not need to post them. They are good for the community and environment. Emails are secure and use passwords so the right person can see the e-mail. E- Mails are used to send short messages to businesses. Also it is easy to type the information up and faster to send it them by computer than a mail merged letter. The disadvantages of using E-mail are that you need to buy the computer and the software which is expensive and if you send the e-mail to other people you have to wait for the reply. Also people can break in and hacking but can put in the virus which means it is easy to get a virus in the E-mail. The advantages to a business of using mail-merged letters are that they are quick and easy to use because the name and address is changed but the letter is the same. These are printed out and sent. The disadvantages to business of using the mail-merge are that it doesn’t sound personal and friendly because the same information is in each letter and the only things that are changed their name and address. The information in the letter can be long and people won’t want to read if it is very long information. For the e-mail I used Microsoft Word. I used a blank e-mail message. The problem was I couldn’t use the Heston Community School e-mail address because I forgot my password so I used Microsoft Word.

I did work well making the E-mail and I followed the instructions. For the database search I used Microsoft Access so it was easy to sort out. The problem was that I needed to make sure that I copied the work properly because I had made spelling mistakes. In the letter I used the letterhead format form task 1 and I used the Microsoft Word. The problem was that I had lots of space at the bottom of the letter so I added a bit more information and moved some information around so it did not look like one paragraph. I had to space the letter out so it looked right. I did well with my letter and put in a bit more information. For the Mail–merge I used the Microsoft Word and Mail Merge Wizard. The problem was that I didn’t put the postcode in the mail merged letter so I needed to go back and to add the postcode details. I needed to make sure the address was right. I did well with my letter because it looks business like. I was pleased with my letter.

2.5 – TASK 5

My manager asked me to write a report about the types of jobs that clients chose over 5 years. I was given a table and asked to analyse it and explain what I found out. A report is a good way to present information because there are graphs and tables to show what is happening and it tells the manager what the problem is, what I found out and what had happened. The advantage of using a report format to present such information is that it looks neat and it is easy to read because it is split into paragraphs and subheadings. The report format is quick and it shows what it is for. The problem is that there is too much detail and people don’t want to read a lot of information. The disadvantages of using report format to present such information are that it takes a long time to complete the report because it needs to be researched and the information sorted out. In the report I needed to explain the graphs and I am telling the manager about the report but there is a conclusion that talks about what happened to people and why they chose the retail or clerical. The advantage of using e-mails is that you can save paper and waste it. It is easy and quick to send e-mail and it is cheap. The disadvantage of using e-mails is that you need a computer to look at the e-mail. Also there is too much information for an e-mail and it does not look too professional. The advantages of face to face discussion are everyone must listen, you can look at the facial expressions to see if people understand and they can ask questions if they are not sure. The disadvantages of face to face discussion are there are no visual aids and images. It can be boring to listen, there is no interaction and it is difficult to remember all the points.

The advantages of the PowerPoint are that it is brief and easy to understand, talking face to face but with visual aids. Using e-mail to send a report means that people will look at it later and will not think it is important. If the report is printed on paper, it will seem more important for the manager to read it. It is easy to create a PowerPoint presentation. The disadvantages of PowerPoint are people will need to know how to use PowerPoint which means they may need training. Also they need to have computer in their room. The purpose of the advert is to let other businesses know that my business will find the best employees for them. If I make an advert myself it will be cheaper but it is not professional. It will mean less people will come to my business. If I give it to a business to create my advert it will be expensive but professional and it will make more people want to come to my business. If I print the advert in black and white, it will mean that very fewer people will want to look at my advert but it will be cheaper. If I print the advert in colour it will make lots of people come to my business bit it is expensive. I used the Microsoft word for advert. The advantages of using Microsoft Word are that it is easy to sort out, it is to create the advert easy to read and I can make my page landscape or portrait. The disadvantage of Microsoft Word is that word does not have any Len plates. Ethical issues are that I can’t say that my employment agency is the best in the world. Legally the agency can’t say that we have the best employees and jobs as it can’t be proved if it is true or not. So if they lied about these things they could go to court because it is not true. Also you cannot say I want women to be employees because it is discrimination. I used Microsoft Word for typing the report but the problem was that I needed to use the third person not first person so I changed my report to make it third person. I did well to use lots of information to explain the graphs and I tried to use business words to make it business like. I used paper to draft and advert first then used that design and created it in Microsoft Word. The problem was my advert doesn’t look business like but I need to change that it is business like. I did well to change my advert to make it business like.

2.6 – TASK 6

I used the internet to search for my competition. Search engines are a good way to search as it organises information and shows the most important first. If I use the Yell.com it takes a long time to search but the search engine is quick and it is easy to find information. Ethical and moral issues are to tell people that I have changed my address and phone number and to let them know how to contact my business.

A website is important because it tells customers about the business. The website is about where you come from and to find out what job you want. The advantages to business of using websites is that you don’t need to go my business to get application forms, the quick way is to go to the website and fill the application form online. Also loads of people will look up the website on the internet. The website is quick, easy to read the information and it is cheap. The disadvantage of using a website is that if some people don’t have a computer that they cannot look at my business’s website. If people have filled in the application form and click so send it but there is a problem, it will make people really angry and fed up and feel they have just wasted their time filling in the application form. If the website has mistakes it will be bad for the business. Information needs to be encrypted to stop the people looking at private information. Business’s can do it themselves or they can ask another business to do it for them. Other issues are DPA (Data Protection Act). This means that business can’t give personal details of employees or clients to other businesses. Firewalls and anti virus programs are used to stop people to hacking into my computer and stealing information.

I needed to carry out an agency to find out who my competitors are. I needed to make sure that my business was better than the other businesses and that people would to come to our business. The advantages to our business of having a website are that the whole world can see my website. Also it was easier to fill in the application form than going to the agency to collect the form. It was easy to find the agency using the map and it is easy to have the website so that we can be emailed. The disadvantages to our business of having a website are that people who are not able to use the computer will not see our website. The security issues are that anyone may look at private information. When constructing a website must use password protection so that only the correct people can go on the website and so that information such as e-mails are kept private. Also information put on the application form is private.

The ethical and moral issues that a business had to consider when constructing a website were to make that there was no discrimination based on sex, race and religion. To make the website I used Microsoft Publisher but the problem was that the hyperlink was not working because I didn’t copy it properly. I had to start from the beginning so it would work properly. I added blue colour on the page links but this covered the writing so I had to take it off. The application form was squashed so I moved the page links to the top of the site so I could move the application form and make it fit the page. I did well to search them, put some information in it and my application form is look business like. I added a hyperlink which was I used this website because it was easy to use and to find the businesses that were close to me. For the agency search I used Microsoft Word to collect the information about the competition in the area close to my business. I used the internet to search for competition close to my business. The problems I had were when I copied from the internet and pasted onto Microsoft Word it was too spaced out so I needed to sort it out and put it together. I worked to use the internet to search and then to paste the information into Microsoft Word.

3. CONCLUSION

This coursework was useful because I learnt lots of things. To complete this coursework I used a variety of different software including Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word and paint I learnt how to create business stationary and it was my first time making this. I also learnt what information is needed and how to layout an Application Form. I understand how to make a report by putting in their personal details in the database. I learnt that an e-mail is informal but a mail merged letter is formal. I understand how to advertise to the employers and report on different types of jobs for the manager. I searched the internet to find out the people who live near to my business. I created my website in Publisher that included the welcome page, the application form, employment data and a search my location page.

In this coursework I did lots of things well. These included my logo because it is business like and it is professional. In the registration form I put all the information on one page. In the database I made the fields so that the information fit in each column. I made the advert but it didn’t look business like so I had to change it to look business like.