Introduction
This is further support material for Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh
edition. It is relevant to VCE Unit 2 and consists of two sections:
•
Theory support and learning activities
•
Assessment advice (School Assessed Coursework)
Theory support and learning activities
This section consists of four resources that aim to provide activities and teaching
strategies to teach and assess a range of multiple intelligences in the students completing
this unit.
1
Back-to-back dominoes—an experiential communication activity.
2
Communication training day—a business simulation exercise for use as an
Outcome 1 assessment task for Communications.
3
Marketing price setting—an internet business simulation task.
1
Back-to-back dominoes
Relates to:
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Unit 2, Area of Study 1: Communication in business
•
Outcome 1.
This material supplements chapter 18 in the textbook.
Teacher preparation
The key materials you will require prior to running this activity are multiple sets of
dominoes, or to be able to create paper copies of a set of dominoes which can be
laminated for future use. You will need two sets of dominoes per pair of students. If
resources are limited, students could replace the domino focus of this task by drawing
images or logos for the partner student to recreate.
Steps in running this activity
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Arrange students into pairs sitting back to back facing empty desks.
Either using student sets of dominoes or photocopied and cut out cards, give two
identical packs of dominoes to each pair who are sitting back-to-back with open
tables in front of them.
One of the students takes leadership and, as they lay out their dominoes in a pattern
of their choice in front of them, they call out instructions over their head to their
partner who, without looking and based only on the instructions given to them, tries
to recreate their partner’s pattern in front of them.
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
1
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After a period of time, the activity is stopped and the partners look over their
shoulders to see how close they are to the leader’s pattern and how well the
communication between them went to achieve this goal.
Discuss the activity as a class and how communication could be improved to
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process, then swap over the
partner’s leadership roles and try to improve the communication process, and
ultimately the end result, in a second round.
Other variations on this simple activity could include:
•
rotating the groups to have different partner groupings, possibly out of their
own friendship group
•
the receiver being not allowed to verbally respond—only one-way
communication is allowed
•
having groups very close together to increase background noise to increase
the difficulties of establishing effective communication.
At the close of the activity, have the students record their responses to the questions
below, either verbally as a class discussion or individually as a written report.
Discussion questions
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7
8
Explain how successful you felt the communication process was in each
partnership? Why?
Explain how you personally felt during the activity? For example, were you
engaged, frustrated?
Did you understand the instructions communicated to you? Why/why not?
What made the communication process difficult?
What other sounds could you hear around you? Did they distract or help you to
concentrate on the task at hand? What other distractions were there? How did this
impact on you?
What could you have done individually to improve the communication process in
your partnership?
Write down three important rules/requirements you believe are necessary for
effective communication at a personal level.
If you were the manager of a small business, explain how you would try and ensure
your three rules/requirements from question 7 were effectively applied in your
organisation
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
2
2
Communication training day—Outcome 1 assessment task
Objective
The aim of this activity and linked assessment task is to replicate the business world by
having the students conduct their own training presentations. Their task is to run a minitraining program where they instruct/pass on skills or knowledge to the class, and then
have an opportunity to reflect on their communication style and delivery after the event.
Teacher preparation
Book the use of a school video camera to record each of the student’s presentations for
later self-evaluation. Allow the students to select the topic to be delivered, as it is not the
content but the way the content is delivered that is the objective and focus of this
assessment task (under the obvious understanding that it must meet normal requirements
of school appropriateness).
Student instructions
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•
•
•
•
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This mini-training experience must last five minutes—any less will count against
you, any more and you will be cut off during your program.
You are to consider all of the material you have learnt during the study of this
outcome in selecting the most appropriate method, manner and content of delivery
to effectively pass on the information to your target audience—the class.
You must bring a video tape, which will form the basis of your self-reflection.
You must nominate a critical friend who will give you their own feedback on how
the training/instruction went.
After the presentation you must write your self reflection and the feedback from
your critical friend as a two-page business report into your findings (see pages 273–
4 of the text book to help guide you with this).
To aid you with your self-reflection, use the following questions to direct your
thoughts and analysis of your communication style, as well as the theory you have
learnt from the course.
How well did you communicate the content of the training program?
1
How clear and decisive were your instructions?
2
How formal or colloquial was your language?
3
Did your body language support or detract from your message?
4
Consider your clarity, projection, pitch, tone, speed of communication.
5
Were you calm, reasonable, positive?
6
Were you angry, threatening, sarcastic?
7
What did you learn from this experience?
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How could you improve your communication and delivery for your next business
presentation?
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
3
3
Marketing price setting
Relates to:
•
Unit 2, Area of Study 2: Managing the marketing section
•
Outcome 2.
This material supplements chapters 23 in the textbook.
Internet activity: lemonade stand
Visit the Class Brain website, <www.classbrain.com.au>. The business simulation game
is found via the ‘student fun and games’ icon.
This is a simulation game that students play to evaluate production, marketing and
sales of a small business. The objective of the game is to operate a lemonade stand, and
make decisions each day on the number of cups of lemonade you are going to make and
try to sell, how much advertising you will spend money on and how much you will
charge for each cup, against the day’s predicted weather forecast.
The aim of this activity as a teaching tool is to use the pricing business simulation
on the website as a foundation for exploring the theories in relation to marketing and
product price setting.
Have the students play the game, recording their results in the following table.
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
4
Day
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Decision
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Results
Day
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Decision
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Number of cups made:
Selling price:
Advertising
Results
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
5
At the conclusion of this activity, have the class discuss the strategies on pricesetting employed in this game, and the effectiveness of each one. Then have the students
respond to the following questions.
1
What other factors had an impact on the price you set within the game?
2
What policy did you follow with respect to pricing? Explain why you believe it was
successful/or unsuccessful.
3
Using your table, describe with examples the impact of any price changes you
made on your profit.
4
Explain the lessons you have learnt if you were to apply this to a real small
business.
Note: As an obvious extension activity it would then be great if the class could then
operate a lemonade stand at school one lunch time to see if they could recreate this
success in practice and then evaluate the lessons learnt.
4
Public relations issues
Relates to:
•
Unit 2, Area of Study 3: Managing the public relations function
•
Outcome 3.
This material supplements pages 26–31 in the textbook.
With the reintroduction of public relations into the study design the search will be on for
additional resources both for teacher knowledge and student activities. The following are
suggested as sources for additional information and case studies for this area of study.
Teacher reference books
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•
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Tymson & Lazar, The New Australian and New Zealand Public Relations
Manual—21st Century edition. A highly respected industry guide book which is
endorsed by the Public Relations Institutes of Australia and New Zealand to PR
Professionals and would make a very good teacher reference book for case studies
and background knowledge.
Kim Harrison, Strategic Public Relations—A practical guide to success, third
edition, Century Ventures, Perth, 2003.
Clarke L Caywood, The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations and Integrated
Communications, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1997
Websites
<www.pria.com.au>
The Public Relations Institute of Australia website which provides a basic background on
the role of public relations in Australia, though requires registration to be able to access
further detail on the annual PR awards winners and case studies to develop for student
use.
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
6
<www.ipr.org.uk>
The Institute of Public Relations for the UK, which provides some interesting material in
‘Careers in PR’ with case studies of ‘day in the life’ of a PR officer, and background
material on this management function.
<www.prwatch.org>
An American-based but global look at PR stories around the world, often from a critical
point of view.
<www.odwyerpr.com>
O’Dwyer’s PR/marketing communications website for links to PR companies and case
studies.
<www.prmuseum.com>
To learn about the ideas that have been developed for industry, education and the
government and how they have been applied to PR programs.
Assessment advice (School Assessed
Coursework)
Introduction
Your teacher will develop an assessment program for Unit 2. Marks will be allocated for
each of the three outcomes in the unit. You will need to complete assessment tasks across
the unit and for each outcome.
The most important aim is to maximise your result on the assessment tasks
provided by your teacher for the School Assessed Coursework.
Assessment task types
There is a range of assessment tasks that your teacher can use to assess your performance
on each outcome. The tasks are
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case study analysis
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business research (print and online)
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development of a business plan
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interview and report on contact with business
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business simulation exercise
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school-based, short-term business activity
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essay
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test
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computer applications and simulations
•
business survey and analysis
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
7
•
•
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analytical exercises
media analysis
reports—written, visual and oral.
Your teacher will decide on the conditions that will apply to each task you complete. This
includes whether full test conditions apply or whether you can access your text and/or
notes. Your teacher will also specify how long you will have in class to undertake the
task.
Page viii in the introduction of the textbook includes a list of the tasks across Units 1 and
2. Please note:
•
the different types of tasks used
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the use of more than one task on selected areas of study and the related outcome.
Assessment task advice
Consider the following advice to maximise your performance on each assessment task:
•
Complete the various learning activities (discussions, note-taking, textbook
activities, videos, excursions etc.) set by your teacher in the period leading up to
each assessment task.
•
The learning activities are developing the knowledge and skills to complete the
assessment task.
•
Use your own words, based on your reading and notes, as often as possible.
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When you have been given an assessment task by your teacher, plan the use of your
time carefully.
Assessment task template
Print the template on the next page and fill in as your teacher provides specific advice
about your Unit 2 School Assessed Coursework program.
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
8
School Assessed Coursework
Business Management VCE Unit 2
Name: _________________________________________
Outcome
Task type/s
Conditions
Date/s
1 Ability to explain and
apply a range of
effective communication
methods and forms in
business-related
situations.
Area of Study 1
2 Ability to apply and
analyse effective
marketing strategies
and processes.
Area of Study 2
3. Ability to apply and
analyse effective public
relatiosn strategies and
tactics.
Area of Study 3
Published by Macmillan Education Australia www.macmillan.com.au
For use in conjunction with Business Management: VCE Units 1 & 2 seventh edition
Copyright © Steve Barrile and Monica Bini 2008
9