Unit 4 Business Communications
BTEC National Diploma Level 3 Business
Unit 4- Business Communications
Ensure for all work produced has the Unit Title and Pass/Task criteria in the header
and your full name, submission date and page number in the footer.
Unit Learning Outcomes:  Understand different types of business information;
 Be able to present business information effectively;
 Understand the issues and constraints in relation to the use of business
information in organisations;
 Know how to communicate business information using appropriate
methods.
P1 Explain different types of business information, their sources and
purposes.
M1 Analyse different types of business information and their sources.
D1 Evaluate the appropriateness of business information used to make
strategic decisions.
Scenario:
You have been asked to carry out an audit on the types of information used within a
business to report back to management on the range of information used, the way in
which it is used, and the appropriateness of information used in decision making.
Task One
P1 Explain different types of business information, their sources and
purposes
Write a report to show the results of your investigation into information in an
organisation of your choice. In order to do this you should complete the following
activities.

Complete a table like the one below to show types, sources and purposes of
information used within the organisation. Try to include at least two examples of
each type of information.
Type of
Example
Description
Purpose
Source
Information
Verbal
Written
On-Screen
Multimedia
Web-based

Where possible cross reference your example to evidence of this in your
appendices, for example, a screenshot of web-based information or a copy of a
letter.
Unit 4 Business Communications
Tip: Make sure that you choose an organisation that will be willing to give you
information to complete your assignment. If you have a problem in finding a suitable
organisation, see your teacher. They may be able to provide you with information to
work on, perhaps in the form of a case study. Most organisations should have
examples of verbal, written, on-screen, multimedia and web-based information. If
the organisation does not have, for example, any web-based information, then it
may be possible for you to describe what information could be web based.
Due Date: - 23rd October
P1 Completed
M1 Analyse different types of business information and their sources
From the information gained in P1 analyse the types of information by explaining
the range of sources that they come from and explaining how they meet their
purpose. Analyse how the different types of information work in relation to each
other.
Tip: Analyse means breaking down and examining each part in detail, so you will
only achieve this criterion if you extend your report significantly. Try to break down
each piece of information and its sources, and see if there are any connections
between them.
Due Date: - 23rd October
M1 Completed
D1 Evaluate the appropriateness of business information used to make
strategic decisions
Identify and explain two strategic decisions made by the business.
Identify what information was used to make those decisions.
Evaluate the appropriateness of the information used to make these decisions.
Tip: Evaluation is about considering in detail the advantages and disadvantages of
something, and coming to conclusions about this. Try to identify the strategic
decisions made by each department and then judge whether the information they
used was appropriate or not.
Due Date: - 23rd October
D1 Completed
Unit 4 Business Communications
P2 Present complex internal business information using three different
methods appropriate to the user’s needs.
P3 Produce corporate communications.
P4 Evaluate the external corporate communications of an existing product or
service.
D2 Evaluate the effectiveness of business information and its communication
as key contributors to the success of an organisation, using examples to
illustrate your points.
Scenario:
You have been asked to attend a meeting to present the results of an investigation
into the effectiveness of the sales and marketing of a particular product or service
from the business, this includes the way in which information is communicated to the
customer.
P2 Present complex internal business information using three different
methods appropriate to the user’s needs
You must prepare materials to be discussed and presented at the meeting combining
different forms of information, for example, text, tables, charts and images from a
range of sources. In order to do this you should complete the following activities.
 Choose a product or service offered by the business identified in P1
 Gather information from a range of sources that will help you look at key
indicators of the sales marketing performance of that product or service.
 Ask the following questions:
o How has it been marketed?
o How effective was the marketing
o How does the business measure the effectiveness of its marketing?
o What are the sales figures?
 Prepare and present your information using three different methods for
example, verbal presentation combined with a report; spreadsheet/chart;
webpage’s; leaflet. You will also need to state the nature of its intended
audience and its purpose.
Tip: Do not forget you can select any information from the organisation as long as it
is suitable to be used to cover the criterion. You have to show three presentation
methods appropriate for the audiences. You cannot therefore present information to
staff using technical language that they will not understand.
Due Date: - 18th December
P2 Completed
P3 Produce corporate communications
Produce a leaflet communicating information about either the business itself,
identified in P1 & 2, or one of its products or services it provides.
Tip: P3 is your chance to be creative in designing a corporate communication. Again,
remember who it is aimed at.
Unit 4 Business Communications
Due Date: - 18th December
P3 Completed
P4 Evaluate the external corporate communications of an existing product
or service
Evaluate the corporate communications from the business identified earlier which has
been used to promote the product or service.
Tip: It is important to remember that not all corporate communications are
effective. Have you ever seen a billboard advert on a major road, which is very
interesting and perhaps funny, but later been unable to recall what it was
advertising?
Due Date: - 18th December
P4 Completed
D2 Evaluate the effectiveness of business information and its
communication as key contributors to the success of an organisation, using
examples to illustrate your points
Investigate and identify examples from organisations that have excellent
communication and information management systems and how it helps the
organisations become a success.
Now compare and contrast the organisations you investigated with your organisation
identified in your previous tasks stating the effectiveness of its information and
communication with examples.
Tip: Evaluating is about considering in detail the advantages and disadvantages of
something and coming to conclusions about this. The best companies in the world
are very good at the way they communicate their information and this is a major
contributor to the overall success of their organisations.
Due Date: - 18th December
D2 Complete
Unit 4 Business Communications
P5 Explain the legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of business
information.
P6 Explain the operational issues in relation to the use of business
information.
P7 outline electronic and non-electronic methods for communicating business
information, using examples for different types of audience.
M2 Analyse the legal, ethical and operational issues in relation to the use of
business information, using appropriate examples.
Scenario
The business has decided it is time to update the staff handbook, and it is aware that
an increasing number of employees are handling data on a day-to-day business. You
have been asked to help by producing three sections of the handbook, either for the
published handbook or the business intranet, on issues related to the use of
information.
P5 Explain the legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of business
information
These sections should both explain and analyse the following topics:
 Legal issues in relation to the use of information.
 Ethical issues in relation to the use of information.
Tip: Before completing this task, make sure that you are familiar with various pieces
of legislation as highlighted in the learning content and the ethical issues also in the
learning content. You will then need to explain how the organisation administers
these issues within the organisations
Due Date: - 12th February
P5 Completed
P6 Explain the operational issues in relation to the use of business
information
 Operational issues in relation to the use of information.
For example this could include how the organisation ensures their information is
secure. In addition, there are health and safety issues associated with information
management and also the development of new systems to manage information, the
possible need for more complex software and staff training.
Tip: Before completing this task, make sure you are familiar with possible
operational issues as highlighted in the learning content. You will then need to
explain how the organisation deals with these issues.
Due Date: - 12th February
P6 Completed
P7 Outline electronic and non-electronic methods for communicating
business information, using examples for different types of audience
Unit 4 Business Communications
In this task you will be examining both electronic and non-electronic methods of
communicating in business.
You should create two tables as follows:


electronic methods
non-electronic methods
of communication available in business. You should also include examples of
recipients (audience) that each method would be suitable for.
Explain in detail the reasons why each method is appropriate for the users that you
have listed. Use the content below to frame the tables.
Audience requirements: e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, special needs, readability, legibility,
attention span, accessibility, interest, distraction avoidance, business experience and
knowledge, industry-related experience and knowledge
Methods of written communication: e.g. letter, memorandum, fax, invoice, flow charts,
publicity material, email and screen based, SMS (short message service), www
(worldwide web)
Methods of non-written communication: e.g. telephone call, video conferencing
Technologies: computers; touch screens; digital broadcasting; DVD (digital
versatile/video disc); mobile phones; the internet and WAP (wireless application
protocol)
Communication skills: formal/informal; verbal/non-verbal; listening; understanding;
seeking clarification; responsiveness; eye contact; facial expressiveness; body language;
use of appropriate professional language; ability to adapt communication techniques to
audience requirements; presentation skills; ability to invite commitment to shared goals
Due Date: - 12th February
P7 Completed
M2 Analyse the legal, ethical and operational issues in relation to the use of
business information, using appropriate examples.
State the advantages and disadvantages of the legal, ethical and operational
issues in relation to the use of information. You will need to obtain information from
a your organisation and build on the work from P5 and P6.
Unit 4 Business Communications
Due Date: - 12th February
M2 Complete