Aim This assignment aims to provide the opportunity for demonstrating how communications, knowledge and information can be developed and used to improve communication within the organisation and with other organisations.

It also covers how IT systems can be used as a management tool for collecting, storing, disseminating and providing access to knowledge and information.

Case Study: Costa Coffee

Costa Coffee is UK success story, a coffee specialist which has grown tremendously in the last decade. Opening a new store somewhere in the world every single day, the name and fame is spreading rapidly.

And that entails an explosion in data, too. Costa would not let their overload of data slow the company down, and took action pro-actively. Through Micros, their Microsoft Dynamics NAV-agent, they came in touch with SQL Perform.

By archiving 1/3 of their data in diff rent departments, the efficiency of their work stream in Finance, Sales and Administration is guaranteed for years to come. Costa will repeat this exercise annually to make sure the amount of data will always remain manageable.

When the two Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa started their coffee shop in London in 1971, their only concern was to bring their passion for coffee to the UK. Today, Costa Coffee is a household name in almost 30 countries worldwide. Their success in this very competitive market is not coincidental.

Costa has gotten this far thanks to their continuous quest for quality, their concerns for sustainability and the environment, and their ambition based on ample experience. And thanks to their secret coffee blend recipe, of course.

At the end of 2015, Costa Coffee will have more than 3,200 stores in 30 countries, and more than 4,000 Coffee Express vending machines.

By 2020, Costa targets to create an additional 5,000 new jobs, reduce their carbon emissions by 15% and have built a total of 100 school projects.

Source: Costa Coffee, (2015)

Reference:

Costa Coffee (2015). Costa Coffee: Case Study. [online]

Scenario 1

Write a business report explain how to assess information and knowledge requires for Costa Coffee UK new product development plan.

Your report should cover topics given in Task.

1.1 Provide detailed discussion on the various types of decisions to be taken by the top management of Costa Coffee UK to devise the market development plan.

1.2 Examine the information and knowledge that Costa Coffee UK has to consider in making strategic and effective decisions.

1.3 Assess the present internal and external sources of information that are available for Costa Coffee UK.

1.4 Based on your analysis, present and justify your recommendations to Costa Coffee UK to increase their current and potential customers.

1.5 Critically evaluate internal and external sources of information in 1.3 and demonstrate how beneficial for Costa Coffee UK in decision making process.

Scenario 2

A Written Business Report & Reflection

You have been promoted as the Customer Service Manager for the new Costa Coffee Chain at Edgware Broadway. You are responsible to design a suitable networking strategy for the launch of Easter on the new product of Costa Coffee that will be attended by different stakeholders in the sector.

Your report should cover topics given in Task.

2.1 Identify five stakeholders that are important for Costa Coffee that you will invite for launch.

2.2 Propose appropriate communication channels that are cost effective to be used to invite your identified stakeholders.

2.3 Based on your identified stakeholders explain stakeholder's interest and feedback.

2.4 Design all-inclusive strategy for the launch of Costa Coffee UK's new product to be outstanding and unforgettable.

2.4 Write a short reflective report on the outcome of the product launch and include key areas of improvement needed for future events.

2.5 Critically evaluate any three of the strategies you have applied in task two to increase personal networking and also widen involvement in the product launch of Costa Coffee.

Scenario 3

You have taken a new responsibility on Communication Department to help the newly appointed Communication Assistant Manager. You are assigned to prepare a business report for Costa Coffee UK on a communication project.

Illustrate your skills and potentials in devising the communication network channels to improve the image of Costa Coffee UK in the local community. This is part of Costa Coffee UK's corporate social responsibilities (CSR) to the local community.

Your report should cover topics given in Task.

3.1 Report the current Costa Coffee UK's communication structure and system.

3.2 You are required to design methods to improvise the overall communication systems at Costa Coffee UK with the emphasis of recent technology invention with modernisation.

3.3 You are to provide with implementation plans that will improvise the current communication mediums between Costa Coffee UK and the local community.

3.4 As you have taken up the responsibility in the Communication Department, create a personal plan to improve your own communication skills.

3.5 Based on your communication skills identified in 3.4, you are expected to demonstrate how by improving your communication skill will be beneficial to Costa Coffee UK.

3.6 Justify your conclusion, by showing how realistic is your proposed communication strategy (3.3), including advantages to the community.

Scenario 4

As the Customer Service Manager, you are expected to effectively associate with creativity and innovation into your department, with modern realities in telecommunication sector.

You have to prepare power point [12 slides; with an integrated speaker notes] for the top management of Costa Coffee UK.

The management of Costa Coffee UK is interested to know how you intend to enhance on the existing information systems within the organisation.

Your report should cover topics given in Task

4.1 Report on the current method of data collection, formatting, storage and dissemination at Costa Coffee UK.

4.2 Conduct appropriate changes to improve on the above identified methods in AC4.1 for Costa Coffee UK.

4.3 Implement users-friendly strategy that can improve access and usage of systems in Costa Coffee UK.

4.4 As the Customer Service Manager, you are to write a short essay (300 words) in which you critically investigate the potential benefits of improving systems to Costa Coffee UK.