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. Introduction Samsung was established in 1938 in South Korea, Samsung has grown from a modest trading company to a multi-national conglomerate with 56 worldwide subsidiaries, assets of $206.54B, annual turnover of $177.23B and $16.52B profit in 2014/15 (Forbes 2015).Samsung operates in three major markets - electronics, engineering and chemicals and employs people in more than 60 countries. Samsung has 26 manufacturing plants across the world, therefore its global nature has also resulted in an internationally recognisable brand name. Samsung operates in so many product and market areas, it combines all its expertise, technology and facilities in order to improve product development. This is known as ‘synergy’. Additionally, Samsung is a vertically integrated company, controlling all phases of the process, from raw materials through to manufacture, the retailer and the customer. Samsung continuously strives to improve product quality, implementing numerous quality control checks from bottom to the top. The global strength of Samsung provides flexibility – being a global organisation enables it to find the best sources of raw materials, together with the best locations in which to manufacture and assemble its products. The corporate philosophy is to devote its human resources and technology to the development of a global society through ever better products and services. Samsung pursues unique set of strategies to achieve its objective of maintaining global competitiveness. Product research and development Samsung is a relative newcomer to the highly competitive world of mobile communications, developing a cellular telecom system as late as the 1990s. Samsung has now decided to use the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) network to enter the global markets. As part of the trend towards convergence in the electronics world – bringing computers, entertainment and communications closer together – Samsung has implemented a brand building exercise, stretching the brand name to take in new products. Drawing on the expertise and economies of scale from being one of the world’s leading manufacturers of memory chips and display screens, Samsung will be able to compete with those companies already in this market. London School of Science & Technology 4 Unit 16 - Managing Communication Knowledge and information - September 2016 Samsung developed a new product, a slim line phone with an innovative design, which has been deliberately positioned in the mid to high end of the market. Having launched series of smart phones, tablets and TVs on the market, Samsung has become one of the pacesetters and change agent in this sector, by introducing some ground breaking products such as Galaxy S7, Galaxy Tablets Pro S, Galaxy notes and SUHD TV. Samsung has acquired a sizeable portion of the market and also demonstrated remarkable innovation in modern technology and design that meet ever changing consumer demand. Communication Channels The promotional plan, designed to increase brand recognition, has involved extensive sponsorship of some of the most prestigious sporting events broadcast across the globe. For instance London 2012 Olympics and London based premier league team were selected as platforms from which the Samsung brand name is sported. An extensive mobile phone advertising campaign on the internet and terrestrial TV, in the specialist press was reinforced by an outdoor campaign in the last two and half decades involving adverts on the sides of black cab, TFL buses, underground stations and bill boards on strategic locations across the country. As mobile phones are usually bought through specialist retailers or through phone service providers. Samsung has made it a priority to establish a solid distribution base by forming strategic trade partnerships with the core retailers and mobile phone retailers. The strategy involves extending these networks and searching for every opportunity to make the products available to the consumer, including worldwide web. Point of sale materials and brochures have been produced for impressive in-store displays and professional training sessions guarantee that retail staff have a thorough knowledge of the products. By exploiting its global qualities and substantial market knowledge, Samsung has developed distinct marketing strategies to launch high-tech products in the UK market. Through successful, diverse approaches to individual markets it has maintained its corporate philosophy - to devote its human resources and technology to the development of a global society through ever better products and services. Samsung corporate concept is anchored on effective communication to the stakeholders. Sources: http://www.samsung.com/uk/home& Factset; Bloomberg; S&P Cap IQ; Forbes (2015). London School of Science & Technology 5 Unit 16 - Managing Communication Knowledge and information - September 2016 LO1: Report LO1: Understand how to assess information and knowledge needs. Scenario One In task one, write a coherent business report describing how to assess information and knowledge requires for Samsung UK market penetration plan. This task offers you an opportunity to achieve LO1: – AC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and M1 AC1.1 to AC1.4 must be fully addressed in your report; Discuss different decisions to be taken by the Samsung senior management team for this audacious plan to manifest [AC1.1]. Guidance: information from strategic, tactical and operational levels of management are essential, while knowledge from tacit and explicit will be used to supplement information Examine information and knowledge required to ensure that effective decision taking is possible across board in Samsung UK [AC1.2]. Guidance: consider the following factors strategic plan, UK business laws, selection and recruitment and personnel development, etc. Assess internal and external sources of information and understanding available in Samsung UK for decision making [AC1.3]. Guidance: internal sources are sales figures, personnel records, customer records, and financial documents such as trading, profit and loss accounts and the balance sheet. While external sources are; government websites, trade/association journals, researches, newspapers, magazines and multimedia such as twitter, face-book and search engines etc. Justify your recommendations for improvement to the Samsung UK management team [AC1.4]. Guidance: advice Samsung UK management on what they need to do, in order to increase UK customer base. Higher Grade Evaluate internal and external sources of information that you have mentioned