I am to assess & evaluate how good this system is & highlight any problems that present themselves. I am then to make recommendations as to how they can improve their system by using more ICT. Introduction In this report, I am to investigate into a business & the business communications systems that they employ. This will include internal business communications (i. e. between management & employees) as well as their external communications methods.

From this, I must evaluate how good the current communications systems are before suggesting problems with it and how to overcome them. Then I will make recommendations to how they could improve their current systems. This may include changing the ways in which they use the equipment they have, or suggesting other communications medium. I have chosen to research into a manufacturing company, Handles & Fittings Ltd. (HAF). They are leaders in the designing, manufacturing, and distribution of architectural ironmongery, bathroom accessories & electrical fittings.

Although UK-based, they market worldwide. Stephen George founded handles & Fittings Ltd. in 1980, and it has grown considerably in the last 20 years, incorporating offices in Hertford, and clientele all over the world. Advantages of primary research are it is quick & cheap if you do not have to interview many people. It allows generalisation to a larger population. Also, you can verify the information by re-questioning the interviewees or respondents. However, if you have to interview a lot of people it can be time-consuming.

Respondents to the questions may interpret the questions differently, making comparison of the answers difficult. You are not able to check whether the people are responding the questions honestly. I will be doing most of this report using primary research techniques. This will mean producing questionnaires for employees to answer, and interviewing various members of the business. I will still be using secondary research skills to research the company on the Internet in order to get base details.

I think that the business will use various methods of communication. As they are a medium sized business; I think that HAF will use the ‘usual’ methods of communication; email, telephone, facsimile, memos. Having seen their website, I know that they have an ordering page already set up, as well as general information on the company and products. On the next page, there is a sample of the questionnaire I sent to HAF. I have outlined questions to find out more about the company’s communication systems.