Data Solutions:Business Communication Assignment

Question

Task description: In this task, you will write a memo in response to the case study provided below. The memo must be logically structured, free of grammatical errors, professionally styled; in addition, follow the writing conventions for memos as discussed in the lecture and supporting material.

Case study: You are the CEO of Data Solutions, which is a medium sized company that sells data management software. The company is based in Brisbane and has offices in both Melbourne and Sydney. You have become aware that although the external marketing and promotions communications are effective there is a problem with the internal communication. There are three primary general problems:

Problems:

1. Decisions made at the executive level are not being communicated clearly and in a timely manner to the employees.
2. For the most part supervisors and employees do not work in the same offices. Due to this situation, the supervisor to employee communication is ineffective.
3. Emails are being sent out that are unprofessional.

With these problems in mind, you undertake research in order to understand these problems more specifically and come up with logical and practical recommendations to solve these problems. As you refine your knowledge of these problems you narrow each one down to one specific issue. So for example for problem one, the issue could be that the employees do not understand why decisions are being made. For problem two, the issue could be that employees do not feel comfortable seeking work-related feedback from their supervisors. As you develop your recommendations you make sure that you clearly link the problems to the solutions (as articulated within the recommendations). Having this information you now write a memo to all of the members of the organization.

Answer

1. Objectives and background

1. Specific purpose: The process of communication audit in this business communication assignment helps in understanding the appropriateness of the internal and external communication for making betterment in the practices. The key purpose of this process is to identify the best possible practice of communication during the audit of the organisation. The communication can be conducted in different ways for the audit purpose whereas the external communication process encompasses the print media, broadcasts and face to face communication n. In contrary to that, the internal communication focuses on the articles, notices, push messages and memos. The tools and mediums of communication ought to be used properly in the process of audit based on the communication type. There are two types of communication that are formal and informal and these influence the use of communication audit tools. The focus on the improvements of communication can help in development of Data Solutions. The student consigned us with this task because it was a business communication assignment holding very demanding deliverables.
2. General purpose: The general purpose of the process of communication audit in this business communication assignment is the analysis of the previous methods of communication used in the organisational purposes. This is very useful to determine the formal communication record to make the profound quality of audit in the organisation (Kadous et al. 2017). In course of this process of audit in the workplace of Data Solutions, several interpretations arise for procuring sustainable knowledge about the opportunities and gaps related to communication.

2. Context
The context of this business communication assignment deals with the analysis of the three main communication related problems of Data Solutions from the perspective of our top level management for bringing out the problem solving skills to improve the process of communication. It is the process to identify the strength and weakness of the internal and external process of communication for understanding the practice properly to perform the audit. This process evaluates the ongoing communication practices for the target segment of the market whereas the audit also helps in determining the probable improvements of the process in future instances. As the CEO of Data Solutions, the communication problems are analysed be me in order to generate solutions for allowing the leadership to manage the employees better.

3. Problems

1. Problem one—quantitative and qualitative significance
   Qualitative Significance: The most pivotal issue in the audit of the communication in executive level reveals the lack of communication of the decisions of the management to the employees within the proper time. This can lead to a major loophole in the organisational efficiency of employee performance through reducing the productivity and quality.
   Quantitative Significance: This problem also reduces the level of moral support for the employees as they have rights to be aware of the executive decisions to maintain coherence with their performances. Hence, it can lead them to feel detached from the organisational unity of the workforce of Data Solutions by reducing efficiency level and enhancing the operational cost for the organisation.
2. Problem two—quantitative and qualitative significance
   Qualitative Significance: The second problem identified is the poor communication skills of the employees originated from the lack of collaboration between leaders-managers and employees. Hence, it creates a lack of coherence between the performances of the employees to create conflict in the workplace.
   Quantitative Significance: This kind of issue reduces the level of organisational performance by affecting the employees and hindering the regular operational process of the Data Solutions. This is very much important for improving the level of communication skill in the workplace for avoiding the hindrances like a gap in communication.
3. Problem three—quantitative and qualitative significance
   Qualitative Significance: This very problem is regarding the unprofessional attitude of the management for sending the emails to employees for communication instead of making verbal interactions. This leads the organisation to confusion and misconception among the employees for creating conflicts in performances. This approach can impact negatively on the level of performance of the organisation by damaging the best interest of production whereas it can also spoil the collaboration between the employees and management. This can also procure preventions in the process of accomplishing the organisational goals and hence it definitely reduces the moral value and strength for providing good performance in the operations of Data Solutions.
   Quantitative Significance: This particular issue can reduce the financial development of the organisation as the prolific communication is considered as a major key to generate growth for the business entity and revenue. Hence, the disturbances in the process can inflict other associated processes too by making them inappropriate through poor execution process in Data Solutions. The decisions procured by the management ought to be shared with the employees with the verbal mode of communication for sustaining the effectiveness which is probable and fluctuating in technological tools like emails. (Sarapaivanich & Patterson 2015).

4. Steps of action to solve communication problems

1. Problem one: The gap of communication ought to be completely eradicated to minimize the improper communication and information sharing between upper-level managers and normal employees in the Data Solutions. The timely exchange of the valuable information to the employees needs to be done by us through using the digital technology which can act as an important tool to completely resolve this problem for procuring faster communication. The digital messaging tools can be used by us for conveying the news of workplace issues and work profiles of the employees to the executive level for making coherent decisions in the operations of Data Solutions. I can sent the memos to employees to acknowledge them with new decisions whereas meetings can be arranged to establish the changes in the operational plans (Holmes & Stubbe, 2015). It can also solve the confusion of the employees about the background of the decision whereas the executives can also get chance to show their sincerity for enhancing collaboration. We have to provide ample provision of time for juniors can ensure the timely completion of the task whereas it can also allow the employees to feel valued and important for the Data Solution.
2. Problem two: This problem is also associated with the lack of presence of high-level management in the workplace whereas the junior employees can feel discomfort and alienation for not having seniors in their side working together for the benefit of the organisation. It completely ruins the working culture and collaborative environment of the Data Solutions. This completely disassociates the lower level employees from the decisions of the organisation whereas the absence of the managers and leaders also create an environment full of confusion and discomfort. The employees cannot even acquire feedback about their performances and they cannot even ask for help to deal with workplace problems whereas I as a CEO of the organisation, ought to procure direct collaboration with the lower level employees through prolific communication for building formal and informal team relationships in Data Solutions. The regular exchange of ideas and collaboration does not only helps in monitoring the performance but also procures an environment of trust and reliance on proper communicative behaviour between me and the ground level employees (Oetzel, 2017). I can arrange interactive sessions and meetings to build a sustainable relationship and collaboration among everyone through interchanging their ideas and views with the proper communicative environment for coming up with innovative ideas. The plans of effective communication are also important to be done along with proper execution to eliminate the problems derived from poor information sharing and communication for development of the practices of Data Solutions.
3. Problem three: The sent emails to the employees ought to be monitored by me and other higher level officials for maintaining the digital communication through ensuring the acknowledgement from the end of employees after receiving. The management of Data Solution can also provide training to the officials to use the digital communication properly to send emails whereas the organisation needs to form a team to eliminate this problem of digital communication for fostering improvement in the communication system in the working environment. As a CEO, I can also use other communication platforms to improve the information exchange for collaboration with ground level employees. The planning of communication can be designed by me to link the information sharing process with the employees for avoiding any issues in sharing decisions and information with employees (Thompson, 2018).

5. Closing

1. Synopsis of the memo: This particular memo has dealt with the issues of communication faced by the Data Solution due to ineffective communication management. The problems are discussed with their qualitative and quantitative aspects of the organisational performances. This memo also consists of the recommendations for each of the problems of communication in the organisation to improve the organisational operations for ensuring the accomplishment of the objectives of Data Solutions. The employees ought to act in compliance with the communication plan and information obtained from higher level management to eliminate work-related hindrances for ensuring developments. The proper communication process can also help in eliminating the gaps in the communication for procuring a better workplace environment with communication to incur innovation and teamwork. On the other hand, the proper communication can also aid the organisation through obtaining a higher level of performance from the employees. In this business communication assignment we have strictly followed the format given in marking rubrics to cover in helping the student to cover all the deliverables in the assignment.

References
Holmes, J., & Stubbe, M. (2015). Power and politeness in the workplace: A sociolinguistic analysis of talk at work. Routledge.

Kadous, K., Proell, C. A., Rich, J., & Zhou, Y. D. (2017). Upward Communication of Audit Issues: The Effects of Intrinsic Motivation, Leader Focus, and Issue Ambiguity on Speaking Up.

Oetzel, J. G. (2017). Effective intercultural workgroup communication theory. The International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication, 1-5.

Sarapaivanich, N., & Patterson, P. G. (2015). The role of interpersonal communication in developing small-medium size enterprise (SME) client loyalty toward an audit firm. International Small Business Journal, 33(8), 882-900.

Thompson, N. (2018). Effective communication: a guide for the people professions. Macmillan International Higher Education.