1. HIGHER/INTERMEDIATE 2 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT UNIT 1 TOPIC 2 REVISION SLIDES

2. SOURCES OF INFORMATION Primary e.g. interviews, observations Secondary e.g. newspaper, Internet Internal e.g. sales figures, employee details External e.g. gov stats, competitors accounts

3. TYPES OF INFORMATION Written Oral Pictorial Graphical Numerical Must be able to describe each type and say why it is useful to a firm

4. RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF INFO Accurate Complete Objective Concise Appropriate Cost-Effective Available Timely YOU MUST BE ABLE TO APPLY THESE TO SOURCES AND TYPES OF INFORMATION NOT JUST TO LIST OR DESCRIBE THEM ON THEIR OWN

5. USES OF INFORMATION Monitor and Control Identify New Business Opportunities Measure Performance Assist Decision Making

6. ICT - HARDWARE Mainframe Computers Personal Computers/Laptops Fax E-mail Internet Teletext Mobile Phone PDAs Video-Conferencing Must be able to describe and give advantages and disadvantages to the firm of using them

7. ICT - Software Word Processing Spreadsheets Databases Presentation Software Publishing Software CAD CAM Must be able to describe what each is and how a firm could use it.

8. COSTS OF ICT Expensive to buy in/upgrade current systems Expensive to train staff Efficiency is lost while getting use to the new systems If system crashes cannot do any work or work could be lost

9. BENEFITS OF ICT Increase productivity Improve efficiency Cut costs for firms Enhanced reputation Gaining a competitive edge Increase speed of decision making

10. LEGISLATION Data Protection Act Computer Misuse Act Freedom of Information Act