Unit 16 Managing Communications Knowledge and Information

Introduction

Aim

The aim of this unit is to show how communications, knowledge and information can be improved within an organisation including making better use of IT systems.

Unit abstract

This unit recognises that communications do not automatically take place effectively in organisations and that both information and work-based knowledge is often insufficient when decisions are made. Learners will look at how managers can improve the planning of their communications processes as well as their communication skills. Learners will understand why managers need to adopt a more inclusive approach to stakeholders affected by the decisions they make and why they need to network on a more structured basis. The unit also looks at how managers can make the information and knowledge they gain accessible to other parts of the organisation. The unit is designed to develop learner understanding of the interaction between communications, knowledge and information. It also covers how IT systems can be used as a management tool for collecting, storing, disseminating and providing access to knowledge and information.

Learning outcomes

1 Understand how to assess information and knowledge needs

Sources: internal and external, primary and secondary, formal and informal, team workers, customers and other stakeholders
Types: qualitative and quantitative, tacit and explicit, official and unofficial, policy and opinion

2 Be able to create strategies to increase personal networking to widen involvement in the decision-making process

Sources: stakeholders and useful contacts, internal and external
Methods: formal, informal
Strategies: formal and informal, direct or via media, relating and interacting, trust and confidentiality, forming business relationships, decision making and decision taking

3 Be able to develop communication processes

Types:meetings and conferences, workshops and training events, internet and email, written, telephone, video conferencing, one-to-one meetings
Approaches: structured and coordinated, planned, formal and informal
Strategy: advantages, disadvantages; informal, face-to-face, formal in writing, emotional, intelligence

4 Be able to improve systems relating to information and knowledge

Type: hard and soft, websites and mailings, access and dissemination
Style: trends and patterns, diagrams and text, consistent and reliable, current and valid; legal and confidential