Unit 3 P1: Explain how organisations use information

1. Explain the difference between data and information. Give examples to highlight the differences between them

Information is organised data that is structured or presented in a given context but with data it is raw unorganised facts that need to be processed. Data is one piece when multiple pieces of data are organised it is useful so it is called information for example if a company has the details of all its employees in a spreadsheet each one of those employees is a piece of data but together it is information for the company to use.

2. Explain the difference between the data types shown below. Give examples. Highlight pros and cons where appropriate

Qualitative – Qualitative is an opinion of a user for example KFSC “sports manager decides what type of event will be held and the date”, the employees might have a different opinion on where the event is held and the date.

Quantitative – Quantitative is the opposite of qualitative because it is a fact which means there is evidence of the information for example “the administration assistant creates an advertisement for the event that is faxed to the local newspaper” this is a fact that the administration will do that.

Primary – Primary is information which the user has found themselves but can cost a lot more to obtain for example they could run a survey which could go on for days to find out how many people go to the gym.

Secondary – Secondary information is information other people have created which in most cases will be from the internet or off another company. This information can be a lot cheaper than primary because the company didn’t have to do the hard work collecting the information.

Many departments within an organisation, deal with information (internal and external departments). Give examples of information the following internal departments might use at KFSC

Finance

Finance will deal with information for KFSC working out their budgets for new equipment the amount of money they gain throughout the month.

Personnel

KFSC personnel will deal with information like how much the customer would like to lose in weight to work towards that when they are training or if the customer has a medical condition so the staff can make sure nothing goes wrong.

Marketing

Marketing deal with information for KFSC for example marketing can make a ad with the information of how much KFSC costs and where the gym is located and what to bring when joining.

Purchasing

Purchasing could deal with information for buying new equipment for example KFSC could need a new treadmill. The sales department could take that information and order a new one to be sent to the gym.

Sales

sales would deal with information of how much gym equipment KFSC has bought like they could be selling boxing gloves for use in the gym they could use the information of how much they have sold and tell purchasing to order more.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing could use information from a company to produce 100 of a product they produce. and send them to the company to be sold KFSC does not have this for their company.

Administration

Administration could deal with information about what employees are being late or not doing a good enough job and they could be fired from working at KFSC.

1.4 What external departments might require information from KFSC?

Governments departments

Governments department will need information off KFSC of how much money they are making so they can tax the company.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing department could need information for how many sets of boxing gloves they need and the manufacturing department could make them and ship them to the company.

1.5 Now we are aware of what type of information each department uses, what is the purpose of it? Why do they collect this information? relate your answer to the purpose shown below, ensure you draw upon KFSC scenario as much as possible

Operational support e.g. monitoring and controlling activity

Monitoring the customers health and fitness and controlling the customers diets for example the employees could give tip to the customers of what to eat and other nutritional advice.  

Analysis e.g. identifying patterns/ trends

Analysis finding a pattern for KFSC for example they they could look at how much a piece of equipment is used and working out the trend for example KFSC use of the equipment at the gym could rise in may because customers are getting ready for the summer  holiday so they might need more equipment and also they could higher the prices on membership to make more money from the business.

Decision making e.g. operational, tactical, strategic

operational are the lowest part of the KFSC like the trainers they will make day to day decisions. tactical are the deputy manager he or she will control the trainers and will take orders off the strategic. Strategic is the manager of KFSC they will make the big decisions and anything the lower employees can not do.

Gaining commercial advantage

Gaining commercial advantage is making the KFSC grow and make more profit. they could use information from different gyms in the area to see their prices for membership and KFSC could lowers the price of theirs so they get more business which means more profit.

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