Basic 9 - Practice Entrepreneurial Skills in the

Workplace

Organization Management (Datamex College of Saint Adeline)

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 HOW TO USE THIS COMPETENCY-BASED
LEARNING MATERIAL?

Welcome to the module in “Practicing

Entrepreneurship Skills in the Workplace”. This module
contains training materials and activities for you to complete.
The unit of competency “Practice Entrepreneurship
Skills in the Workplace” covers the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes on identifying and measuring objects based on the
required performance standards. It is one of the specialized
modules required to complete the qualification on
Housekeeping NC II
You are required to go through a series of learning
activities in order to complete each of the learning outcomes of
the module. Each of the learning outcomes is provided with
Information Sheets, Self-checks, Answer Keys, Task
Sheets, Job Sheets and Performance Criteria
Checklist. (Reference Materials for further reading to help
you better understand the required activities). Follow these
activities on your own and answer the self-check at the end of
each learning outcome. Write your answers for the Self-
Check on the answer sheets provided by your
trainer/facilitator. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask
your trainer/facilitator for assistance.
Remember to:
Read information sheets and complete the self-checks.
Suggested references are included to supplement the
materials provided in this module.
Perform the task sheets and job sheets until you are
confident that your outputs conform to the performance criteria
checklist that follows the sheets.
Submit outputs of the task sheets and job sheets to
your facilitator for evaluation and recording in the
Achievement Chart. Outputs shall serve as your portfolio
during the institutional competency evaluation. When you
feel confident that you have had sufficient practice, ask your
trainer to evaluate you. The results of your assessment will
be recorded in your Progress Chart and Achievement
Chart.
You must pass the institutional competency evaluation
for this competency before moving to another competency. A
Certificate of Achievement will be awarded to you after
passing the evaluation.
Note:
Training is the sole purpose of this learning materials.
Some pictures are taken from google as references.

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 LIST OF COMPETENCIES
No. Unit of Module Title Code
Competency
Basic Competency
Participate in
Participating in
1 workplace 40031121
workplace
communication 0
communication
Work in a team Working in a team
2 40031121
environment environment
1
Solving/Addressing
Solve/Address
3 General Workplace 40031121
General Workplace
Problems 2
Problems
Develop Career Developing Career
4 40031121
and Life and Life Decisions
3
Decisions
Contribute to Contributing to
5 40031121
Workplace Workplace Innovation
4
Innovation
Present Relevant Presenting Relevant
6 40031121
Information Information
5
Practice
Practicing Occupational
Occupational Safety
7 Safety and Health 40031121
and Health
Policies and Procedures 6
Policies and
Procedures
Exercise Efficient Exercising Efficient and
and Effective Effective Sustainable
8 40031121
Sustainable Practices in the
7
Practices in the Workplace
Workplace
Practice
Practicing
Entrepreneurial 4003112
9 Entrepreneurial
Skills in the 1
Skills in the
Workplace 8
Workplace

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.

Competency - Based Learning Materials 1

How To Use This Competency-Based Learning Material 2
List Of Competencies 3
Table Of Contents 4
Module Content 5
Learning Outcome Summary 6
Learning Experiences 7
Information Sheet 9.1-1 8
Self-Check 9.1-1 14
Answer Key 9.1-1 16
Information Sheet 9.1-2 17
Self-Check 9.1-2 21
Answer Key 9.1-2 23
Learning Outcome Summary 24
Learning Experiences 25
Information Sheet 9.2-1 26
Self-Check 9.2-1 32
Answer Key 9.2-1 33
Information Sheet 9.2-2 34
Self-Check 9.2-2 39
Answer Key 9.2-2 40
Learning Outcome Summary 41
Learning Experiences 42
Information Sheet 9.3-1 43
Self-Check 9.3-1 46
Answer Key 9.3-1 47
Acknowledgment 48

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 MODULE CONTENT

Unit of Competency : Practice Entrepreneurial Skills in the

Workplace Module Title : Practicing Entrepreneurial Skills in
the Workplace Module Descriptor :

This module covers the outcomes required to apply

entrepreneurial workplace best practices and implement cost-
effective operations. This module covers materials to use such
as Information Sheets, Self-Checks, Task Sheets and
Performance Criteria Checklists.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module you MUST be able to:
1. Apply entrepreneurial workplace best practices
2. Communicate entrepreneurial workplace best practices
3. Implement cost-effective operations

Assessment Criteria:
1. Observe and select good practices relating to
workplace operations following workplace policy.
2. Comply with quality procedure and practices
according to workplace requirements.
3. Apply cost-conscious habits in resource utilization
based on industry standards.
4. Communicate observed good practices
relating to workplace operations to appropriate
person.
5. Communicate observed quality
procedures and
practices to
appropriate person.
6. Communicate cost-conscious habits in resource
utilization based on industry standards.
7. Implement preservation and optimization of
workplace resources in accordance with
enterprise policy.
8. Observe judicious use of workplace tools, equipment
and materials according to manual and work.
9. Make constructive contributions to office operations
according to enterprise requirements.
10. Sustain ability to work within one’s allotted time and finances.

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 Details of LEARNING OUTCOME

Learning Outcome No. 1 Apply Entrepreneurial Workplace best

practices
CONTENTS
• Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Resource Utilization
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
• Observe and select good practices relating to
workplace operations following workplace policy.
• Comply with quality procedure and practices
according to workplace requirements.
• Apply cost-conscious habits in resource utilization
based on industry standards.

CONDITION
• Student/ trainee must be provided with the following
EQUIPMENT
• Projector
• Laptop
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS
• Pen
• Paper
• Forms
LEARNING MATERIALS
• Competency based learning material
METHODOLOGY:
• Case Study
• Lecture/Discussion
ASSESSMENT METHOD:
• Case Study
• Written Test
• Interview

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 LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Learning Outcome 1: Apply Entrepreneurial Workplace

best practices

Learning Activities Special Instructions

1. Read INFORMATION Read and understand the information sheet.

SHEET 9.1-1 in After reading, answer the self- check to
Entrepreneurial mindset determine your learning.

2. Answer SELF-CHECK Refer your answers to the answer key 9.1-1 for
9.1-1 on Entrepreneurial self- check. You are required to get ALL
mindset answers correct. If not, read the information
sheet again to answer all questions correctly.

3. Read INFORMATION Read and understand the information

SHEET 9.1-2 on Resource sheet. After reading, answer the
utilization self- check to determine your
learning.
Refer your answers to the answer key
4. Answer SELF-CHECK 9.1 2 for self-check. You are required
9.1-2 on Resource to get ALL answers correct. If not,
utilization read the information sheet again to
answer all questions correctly.

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 INFORMATION SHEET 9.1-1
Entrepreneurial Mindset

Learning Objective:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. Discuss the characteristic of an entrepreneur;
2. Differentiate the entrepreneurial mindset; and
3. Value the essential chrematistic of the entrepreneurial mind.

Entrepreneur is a person who starts a new business or

organization taking some personal financial risk to do so.
He or she may quit a secure job to devote time to starting the
new business, use personal savings as capital, or convince investors to
finance the business idea.

Entrepreneurship is the process of discovering new ways of

combining resources. When the market value generated by this
new combination of resources is greater than the market value
these resources can generate elsewhere individually or in some
other combination, the entrepreneur makes a profit.

Entrepreneurial Mind Frame

Allows the entrepreneur to see things in a very positive and
optimistic light in the midst of crisis or difficult situations. In fact, in
Chinese writing the word “crisis” is composed of this characters. The
first character means danger while the second character means
opportunity.

Pasion is the
great desire to attain a or fulfill a mission. It
vision

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is about wanting something so much that a person would be
willing to totally devote oneself to the quest.

Entrepreneurial Heart Flame

The entrepreneurial heart flame is also about emotional

intelligence or EQ, which often manifested in the entrepreneurs’
effort to nurture relationships with customer, employees and
suppliers.

The entrepreneur also looks after the interest of his/her people by

motivating and encouraging them to the best that they can be. This
creates caring culture within the organization that brings about
synergy among the people working toward a common vision.

Entrepreneurial Gut Game

The entrepreneurial gut game refers to the

ability of the entrepreneur to sense without using the
five senses.
This is also known as “intuition”.

The gut game also connotes courage or, in

the local dialect, “lakas ng loob” (strong intestinal
fortitude).

New Product Development

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 The first and most important reason for any new development is
to provide new value to the customer. Without this, there is no reason
for them to trade their money for the new device.

Successful new products spring from the convergence of:

● Creative mind
● Technical mind
● Business mind

Creative Mind
The creative mind conceptualizes and designs a product
that consumers find some use for it. It likewise produces a
product that is pleasing to see, touch, smell, hear and taste.

The Technical Mind

The technical mind is the technology originator. The

entrepreneur may not necessarily possess the technical mind but
this is what drives him or her to convert new knowledge into
something highly functional and operational.

Busines
s
Mind

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 The business mind harness the potentials of new
products by creating the market space for them. It also
organizes sufficient forces and resources to develop. Launch
and commercialize the new product in order to maximize its
market value.

5 Essential Characteristics of Entrepreneur Mind

● Creativity
● Suspicion of predictors
● Comfort with Uncertainty
● Openness to Experimentation
● Functional Humility

Creativity

The seed of entrepreneurship is the ability to see things differently.

Whether it’s with new products or new processes, entrepreneurs are
driven by the uncanny knack to see holes in the marketplace and
devise innovation to fill them.

Suspicionf oPredictors

Entrepreneurs tend to labor under the ption that data is

assum

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the sole predictor of an outcome. Especially in new markets
and with new products where data is largely interpretive or
extrapolated, entrepreneurs are undaunted by the typical
predictors that may put off fainter hearts.

Comfort with Uncertainty

Similarly, a distrust of prediction and analysis creates an

atmosphere with uncertainty rules. Indeed, the uncertainty
is the very essence of entrepreneurship.

Openness to Experimentation

A comfort with experimentation goes beyond educated

trial and error. The ability to experiment with products,
processes and

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outcomes, no matter where the
results may lead, is the key element of this
quality.

Functional Humility

Egos can destroy the very best ideas. Entrepreneurs

who are committed to solving a business problem or
reinventing a product or service display a functional
humility.

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 SELF-CHECK 9.1-1
Entrepreneurial Mind

A. MULTIPLE CHOICES.
Direction: Read the questions carefully and answer
intelligently. Write the answer on your answer sheet.
1. It allows the entrepreneur to see things in a very
positive and optimistic light.
a. Entrepreneurial heart frame
b. Entrepreneurial mind frame
c. Entrepreneurial gut frame
d. Creative mind
2. It conceptualizes and designs a product that consumers
find some use for.
a. Entrepreneurial heart frame
b. Entrepreneurial mind frame
c. Entrepreneurial gut frame
d. Creative mind
3. It organizes sufficient forces and resources to develop,
launch, and commercialize the new product in order to
maximize its market value.
a. Technical mind
b. Business mind
c. Creative mind
d. Intuition
4. It drives the entrepreneur to convert new knowledge into
something highly functional and operational.
a. Technical mind
b. Business mind
c. Creative mind
d. Intuition
5. A person who starts a new business or organization taking
some personal financial risk to do so.
a. Entrepreneurial heart frame
b. Entrepreneurial mind frame
c. Entrepreneur

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 ANSWER KEY 9.1-1
Entrepreneurial Mind

A. MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. b
2. d
3. b
4. a
5. c

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 INFORMATION SHEET 9.1-2
Resource Utilization

Learning Objective:

After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:

1. Explain what is resource utilization;
2. Differentiate resource allocation from resource utilization;
3. Value the benefits of resource utilization.

What is resource utilization?

Resource utilization defines the
procedure of making the “MOST” out of the
resources, which are accessible to you in
sort to achieve your purpose. This is an
efficient and effective procedure for an
organization.

By having the information about the

availability of resources and conclude them at the right time for
the project, plays a vital role in managing the costs and smooth
execution on the project activities.
So, in the last few years, the scenario of resource
management has been developed in order to manage the
resource optimally for the business which is an integral part of
project management.

Why Business Owners need it?

No business owner would like to waste their resources.
Managing resources is all about doing more with less as is the part of
project management. And it is always centered on optimization and
efficiency. In order for making the project successful, you can plan
out the best method to use your resources.

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 As Example:
For some industries, most constructive effectiveness is so
important for them that they hire appropriate managers who would
be committed to just resource management and are known as
resource manager. But the question arises, what does a
resource manager do even you already have a project
manager in the team?

Certainly, the project managers are responsible for

assigning and creating tasks to get the project complete.
And the resource managers are only accountable for
distributing the resources required to make the project
success.
So, by considering your resources availability, and
having the plan how to use them, you can fix the
problems before they arise.

What are the formulas and Benefits?

Well, there is no commonly related formula for resource

management neither there are any golden rules for it. Still,
we can follow some checkpoints to make it happen.
The first step is estimating the required number resources
for a project. Then estimate the date of complete by
dividing in hours or weeks and include the employee hours
needed on the project.

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 The checklist can include:
● Understand which resources are critical and less in number
● Agree on a common approach to prioritizing work across
shared resources
● Embrace different ways of working across the
organization and resources
● Realize resource management is an ongoing process
● Divide work to resources using a blend of granularities
● Proper planning of the work
● Manage Resource assignments
● Report time
● Apply assignment types that align to your business needs
● Account for non-project time
● Avoid or limit multi-tasking
● Keep your most valuable assets and resources
productive and happy

Once you complete the allocating of tasks, your team

members will execute their activities conscientiously and
complete them.

As a result, you’ll be able to:

● Centralize demand intake and optimize project group and
resource ability to deliver your organization’s planned programs.
● Will get the right people for working on the right projects
at the right time.
● Segregate your resources to
changes in the market
and organization demands
● Keep your assignment process on track, on time, and on
budget

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 All above are pointing to the process of resource
utilization, how to accommodate and expected key
points. Now let’s see “how it could help on
business growth”.
By Resource management protocol, you would be able to put your
complete control over the resources. It leads to significant benefits to
any kind of business or organization. Here I have given the forecast of
future benefits, which you get through Proper resource utilization.

● Conflict resolution – By having the

complete control over the resources,
their skills, experience, and their
knowledge, you can quickly assign a
qualified team for the project. So, you
do not need to conflict the resources
in between the workflow.

● Reduce Project Deadline – Same

way, improving the project delivery
time could help to minimize the cost
and maximize the margin. Research
shows the organizations who adopt the
Resource Utilization methods
have significantly reduced the project
cost.

● Resource Strength – Resource

management procedure could give
you the real live visibility to the
resource capabilities and the capacity
for future projects. And it would
enable a better customer prospect for
future revenue opportunities.

● Reduce administration costs –

Having the full control over your
resources would reduce the
administrative costs, which are linked
for project and maintenance

● Increased revenue – The proper

resource utilization could help to
assess and manage the whole pool in
on hourly, daily, weekly on by
monthly basis. So, it may develop a
process to ensure your most precious
resources are being used for a
maximum effect, and all the workload
is balanced to avoid waste.

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Resource allocation vs. resource utilization
These processes might sound similar, but they have some
slight and important differences:

● Resource allocation sees a project

manager choosing suitable staff for a
project and then managing them as the
project is completed, reassigning them
or altering their workload if necessary.

● Resource utilization, however, is the

process of strategically measuring how
effective resources are. While allocation
organizes your project, it’s utilization
that makes your project successful.

Both processes are key to achieving project success, however

resource utilization is often undervalued. Creating a robust
framework for assessing the quality of existing resources might
seem complicated, but with the right tools it can be easy. Once
you’ve decided on the budget and resources available, and the
metrics you want to use to measure efficiency, you can implement
resource management into your projects.

What are the benefits of resource utilization?

Resource utilization,
ultimately, helps you make the
most of your available resources:

● Proper utilization of resources is

important for maintaining
productivity, because it prevents
staff from underperforming or being
overburdened by workloads and
burning out.
● Projects can be managed with better visibility, reducing
the risk of oversights.
● Using resources to their maximum potential gives you a
better ROI
● It ensures that specific resources aren’t being over or
under- utilized.

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 ● It allows PMs to be agile and reschedule resources
as quickly as possible to avoid problems surfacing or
becoming worse.

SELF-CHECK 9.1-2
Resources Allocation

A. Short Essay Questions

Direction: Read the questions carefully and answer

intelligently. Write the answer on your answer sheet.
1. Contrast resource allocation from resource
utilization. Which is more important?
2. Discuss the benefits of resource utilization

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 ANSWER KEY 9.1-2
Resources Allocation

A. Short Essay Questions

1. Resource allocation is how your company assigns or

splits- up its resources to meet tasks, deliverables
and overall goals while Resources utilization measures
‘how’ effectively your company is making use of the
available resources.

2. It is not enough to simply focus on allocating

resources correctly. It is also essential to be able to
measure how well resources are being utilized and to
make meaningful adjustments. The ineffective
utilization of any resources, especially talent, can lead
to dissatisfied customers, unmotivated staff or burn-
out, and possibly catastrophic results like the partial
or complete loss of business.

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 DETAILS OF LEARNING OUTCOME
Learning Outcome No. 2 Communicate Entrepreneurial
workplace best practices

CONTENTS:
• Office communication protocol
• Ways to improve Quality in Business
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
• Communicate observed good practices relating to
workplace operations to appropriate person
• Communicate observed quality procedures and practices to appropriate
person
• Communicate cost-conscious habits in resource
utilization based on industry standards.

CONDITION:
Student/ trainee must be provided with the following:

Equipment
• Projector
• Laptop

Learning Materials
• Competency based learning material

ASSESSMENT METHOD:
• Case Study
• Written Test
• Interview

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Learning Outcome 2: Communicate Entrepreneurial
workplace best practices
Learning Activities Special Instructions

1. Read INFORMATION Read and understand the information sheet.

SHEET 9.2-1 in Office After reading, answer the self- check to
Communication Protocol determine your learning.

Refer your answers to the answer key 9.2-1 for

2. Answer SELF-CHECK self-check. You are required to get ALL
9.2-1 on Office answers correct. If not, read the information
Communication sheet again to answer all questions correctly.
Protocol

3. Read INFORMATION Read and understand the information sheet.

SHEET 9.2-2 on Ways to After reading, answer the self- check to
improve Quality in determine your learning.
Business

4. Answer SELF-CHECK Refer your answers to the answer key 9.2-2 for
9.2-2 on Ways to self-check. You are required to get ALL
improve quality in answers correct. If not, read the information
business sheet again to answer all questions correctly.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

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 INFORMATION SHEET 9.2-1
Office Communication Protocol

Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU should be able to:
1. Explain what is protocols;
2. Discuss office communication protocol;
3. Value the importance of communication protocol.

Protocols
Simply said, protocols are
internal rules that an
organization's members are
required to follow and use. By
making sure targeted activities are
handled under protocols, the
organization ensures consistency
and conformity at every level. The
downside, however, is that too
many protocols lead to
redundancy, bureaucracy and,
worse, unnecessary delays. This
works against an organization
trying to be nimble and flexible.
Strike a balance between
conformity and responsiveness.

Writing Rules
As part of the protocols,
organizations also benefit from
making sure that any
communications follow clear-
use rules. This means making
sure staff understands how to
communicate properly in
writing.
Quick, techy acronyms,
such as LOL, WTB, WU, LTR and
so on, don’t belong in
professional writings.
Staff should understand they
need to
communicate in proper language
that places a premium on spelling
and grammar.

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Communication

Communication means the

imparting or exchanging of information
or news.
Businesses and
organizations depend on
communication lines staying
open and remaining dependable
between different parts and
divisions.
Without the ability to
communicate effectively, company
functions start to fall apart really quick.
However, everyone communicating
their own way at the same time also
leads to chaos. This is where
workplace protocols come into play.

Electronic Communication
To add to the challenge of
managing how people in the same
organization communicate, electronic
and computerized methods have
complicated the issue.
The speed of electronic
communication frequently results in
problems happen faster and
spreading further when mistakes are
made. Smart phones, email, instant
messaging and computer files only add
to a flurry of communications.

Written C o m m u n i c a t i o n
Written messages, the most
traditional of business communication
methods, are easily standardized by
organizations so they can be correctly
routed correctly and properly prioritized.
This is done by choosing different
methods for different levels of
importance. Emails, notes and basic
messages can be used for daily
communication.

Memorandums and letters on company letterhead

present communicated issues in a more formal manner.
Reserve issue papers and reports for policy discussions and
important decision-making

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efforts.

Electronic Messaging
Electronic Messaging means
the type of Electronic Record that
is transmitted via an electronic
network to the e-mail address of
a person.
The problem with emails,
instant messaging and the
Internet is that organizations
frequently lose control of the
message and its audience very
quickly.
Organizations are well-served
by regularly training staff on the risks
and perils of electronic
communication, reserving these tools
for daily, regular communication and
training staff on understanding how
to regularly purge old
communications and keep only
important information.
Too often, people use these tools
for silly or personal messaging. The
results can range from embarrassing to
serious should these files later get
resurrected in lawsuits or legal matters.

Verbal Communications
Verbal communication is the
use of sounds and words to
express yourself, especially in
contrast to using gestures or
mannerisms (non- verbal
communication).
Protocols for verbal
communication can be
implemented in similar fashion as
written
documents. There should
be levels for verbal
meetings,
including casual
discussion, formal
meetings, hierarchy
meetings, and
policymaking/decision-making
interactions.
Each of these contact events
should have an understood
expectation of how to communicate,
for how long and
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how to process reactions and decisions. Failure to do this in a
business

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frequently results in ad hoc interaction which, while
comfortable in small groups, begins to cause problems as
organizations grow.

Virtual Communication
Virtual communication, is
when people communicate
without being face- to-face.
Instructors can communicate and
provide lessons from anywhere
and anytime, as long as they (and
the audience) have the right
tools.
Effective virtual
communication is a necessity in
today’s business environment.
It’s common in many
organizations to have full-time or
part-time remote employees.
Partners and customers do
business with organizations in
various countries. In order to ensure
organization, meet their goals,
employees need to understand
effective virtual communication
practices and put them into action.

Things to Consider for an Effective Virtual

Communication Use the Right Technology

There are a variety of
technology solutions available
to help employees communicate
virtually. Aside from telephone
and email, businesses can
utilize instant messaging
platforms such as Skype to
enable employees to ask quick
questions and keep each other
updated.
Collaborating with teams on
projects becomes easier with
tools such as Slack, which
businesses can use to
better organize project-related
communications. Video conferencing
with tools like Zoom and GoToMeeting
are
popular for having a virtual face-to- face conversation.

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 It’s important to choose the proper technology for the
task at hand when communicating virtually. For example, it
may not be necessary to have video conference to ask a quick
question.

That might be better suited for an instant message.

Similarly, project management tools such as JIRA are the best
place to record project updates so they don’t get lost in your
email inbox.

Be Fully Present in Virtual Communication

Multitasking at work helps
employees to be more productive.
However, in virtual communication,
it’s important to be focused on the
conversation. Avoid the impulse to
check emails while having a phone
meeting or text a friend while
updating teammates on Slack.
Virtual communication requires
employees to actively pay attention
to the conversation. Since colleagues
are often not in the same physical
location, it’s vital to ensure all
communication is accurate, focused
and clear.

State Goals, Intentions and Results

Like in-person communication,
virtual communication can sometimes
go off track. In order to value
everyone’s time, it’s productive to
begin each communication by stating
goals and intentions and outlining
what kinds of results you want to
achieve.
Treat virtual meetings with
the same kind of preparedness as
in- person ones. Draft an agenda if
you’re leading the meeting and
send it out to
attendees beforehand. If you’re
attending the meeting, review the
agenda and prepare your contribution.
For text-based communication, such as emails, messages
and updates, be sure to respond to show the sender that you
have read the communication. State your intentions to act on
the information as necessary. Sometimes, a simple “thanks for
the update” is all that is required and tells your colleagues that
you have received the message.

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Keep Teams Updated
Effective virtual
communication requires honesty
and responsiveness. Since
body language and tone of voice
can get lost in certain kinds of
virtual communication, it’s vital
to be aware of what the recipient
can and cannot ascertain from
your message. For example, if
something in a Slack
message has upset you, the sender
likely won’t know unless you tell
them because they cannot see your
expression or hear your voice.
In addition to updating
teams with honest
communication, it’s
important to be available during
business hours to respond to
colleagues in a timely manner. Many
remote teams handle time-sensitive
issues, and colleagues cannot wait
hours for an email response. As a
result, be sure to have the virtual
communication channels open on
your computer at all times during
working hours so you can receive
notifications and reply as needed.

Provide Guidelines and Training

If your business doesn’t have a
virtual communication policy, it’s wise
to establish some guidelines to help
employees understand how to
communicate effectively. Providing
introductory training on how to get the
most out of the virtual communication tools
helps employees to utilize all the features and
realize productivity benefits.

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 SELF-CHECK 9.2-1
Office Communication Protocol

A. True or False

Direction: Read t h e questions carefully an d answer intelligently.

Write the answer on your answer sheet.
1. Effective virtual communication requires honesty
and responsiveness.
2. Virtual communication requires employees to actively pay attention
to the conversation.
3. It’s important to choose any technology for the task at hand when
communicating virtually.
4. Protocols for verbal communication can be implemented in
similar fashion as written documents.
5. Too many protocols lead to redundancy, bureaucracy and,
worse, unnecessary delays.

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 ANSWER KEY 9.2-1
Office Communication Protocol

A. True or False
1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. True

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 INFORMATION SHEET 9.2-2
Ways to Improve Quality in Business

Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU should be able to:
1. Enumerate the steps to improve quality of business

Quality
Quality is a distinctive
attribute or characteristic
possessed by someone or
something.
Whether you sell a product or a
service, these five steps will help you
ensure that you are constantly
improving the way you do business-to
the delight of your customers.
Every business owner likes to
think that he or she has a commitment
to quality. If that were truly the case, of
course, no product would ever disappoint,
and no service would result in a
complaint. So how can you improve
quality at your company? Here are 5
steps you can take to put you on the
right path.

1. Make a commitment.
W. Edwards Deming, the father of the
quality movement, argued that a
company’s commitment to quality had to
come from the top, and it had to be
reinforced over and over again.
"Constancy of purpose means
that quality decisions are not
situational," writes the operational
expert Rebecca A. Morgan. "End of
month quality is the same as
beginning of month.
So are you ready to commit? If you
are, you should tell your staff and then
think about how you will handle the first
conflict between your stated objective
and a pressing deadline or an attractive
short cut.

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2. Track mistakes.
If you are going to commit to
quality, first you must define exactly
what quality is. For manufacturers, this
process involves statistical quality
control, the process of setting a product's
specifications and then sampling a small
number of units from the production line
to see how closely they measure up to
those specs.
Standards are set and, if too much
deviation occurs (or if quality appears to be
trending in the wrong direction), the
manufacturing process is altered.

Tracking quality is admittedly more

difficult in a service business, and efforts
by groups such as the International
Organization for Standardization (known
as ISO) to create meaningful
benchmarks beyond manufacturing have
had mixed results.
One way to gauge customer
satisfaction is by tracking what is called a
net promoter score. Devised by a Bain
consultant named Fred Reichheld, a net
promoter score keeps tabs on the number
of customers who would recommend a
business to their friends.
A customer who answers 9 or 10 is seen as a
promoter; a customer who answers 7 or 8 is seen as passive; and
a customer who gives a company a score of 6 or lower is seen as
a detractor. By subtracting the number of detractors from the
number of promoters, a company arrives at its net promoter
score.

3. Invest in training.
An old saw of the quality movement
is that any business with a quality control
department is doomed to poor
performance, for it has demonstrated to
every other employee that quality is not
his or her chief concern.
Instead, quality experts recommend that
businesses train workers at all levels to
look for ways to improve quality and to
ameliorate problems.

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 Training takes on several
dimensions. For starters, you should set up
a new-employee initiation program that
trains workers to focus on quality issues
from their first day on the job.
Different CEOs have different perspectives on
how best to do this. Ralph Stayer, the quality-
obsessed CEO of Johnsonville Sausage in
Sheboygan Falls, Wisconisn, believes your
existing employees should be put in charge
of training new employees, because only they
can provide a firsthand perspective on how
your company's operations work.

Ari Weinzweig, founder and CEO of the Zingerman's Family of

Companies in Ann Arbor, Michigan, takes a different approach:
He personally leads all new-employee orientation training sessions
(which last several days) because he believes an employer never
has a better chance of instilling values and a sense of purpose
than right after he or she has hired a new employee.

Whether you hand train duties to your

employees, take them on personally, or
some combination of the two approaches,
it's important that you provide workers with
a history of the company through the lens
of quality.
Let them know what problems you have
had in the past, how you corrected these
problems, and where you company stands
with respect to its quality goals today. You
should also go over your definition of quality in
detail, and show them how you measure
quality (see the previous section.)
Finally, train workers to see the connection between their actions
and, more broadly, their work ethic, and the company’s overall
performance. By
tying individual behavior to an overall system of work, and then
showing where that system can, on occasion break down, you will be
giving workers the information they need to be good stewards of
your business.

4. Organize quality circles.

Your staff members may roll their eyes at
the introduction of such a dated technique, but
organizing employees into quality circles can be
an effective way to identify and address
problems. Simply put, quality circles are groups
of employees who are encouraged to assess
processes and recommend improvements, all
with the goal of promoting quality, efficiency, and
productivity.
The concept was developed by Deming in post-war Japan, and

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made its way to the United States in the late 1970s. At one point,
half of all large corporations had adopted quality circles, but
then interest in them faded.

That's a shame. Quality circles, by any other name, are

teams of workers who are given the authority and responsibility
for making a business better. To succeed, experts say that
participation in a quality circle should be voluntary; circles should
draw members from all corners of a company; and the circle
should set its own agenda (rather than pursuing a company
owner's agenda.

Once you have invited workers to join a

quality circle, provide them with adequate
resources to pursue their analysis, and
schedule a time in the future at which they
may present their findings. It is important
that you act on their recommendations,
even if the group's conclusion is not
necessarily one you would have drawn
yourself. Remember, the purpose of the
exercise is less to solve a particular
problem than it is to engage workers in the
process of finding and addressing concerns.
Moreover, you should be tracking customer
complaints or product defects on a regular
basis, so if the circle's recommendations do
not produce the desired result, you'll know it,
and be able to act.

5. Have the right attitude.

Too many people turn the quest to
improve quality into something oppressive. No
less an authority than Deming rejected the idea
that the quality management had to be dreary
and involve a lot of negativity.
"The prevailing system of
management has crushed fun out of the
workplace," Deming moaned in an
interview in the 1990s.
This attitude is not necessarily easy to
adopt and runs afoul of some of the basic
management practices we take for granted. For
example, Deming was not a fan of performance
reviews, as the writer John Case has explained.
If your evaluations are fair, you will
determine that half your workers (by
definition) are below average, and you will tell
them so," Case writes. "Result: half the work
force is instantly discouraged and
demoralized, and any sense of common
purpose is undermined."

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 Rather than pointing out inadequacy
wherever it might be found, Deming believe
that the job of managers was to frame the
pursuit of quality as an interesting, noble,
and worthwhile goal.
If you are to truly improve quality at
your business, whether you manufacture
products, distribute goods, or perform a
service for your clients, your first step (and
also the hardest) is to resist the temptation
to dwell on your company’s flaws and instead
rally your team around the cause of rooting
them out.

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 SELF-CHECK 9.2-2
Ways to Improve Quality in Business

A. Enumeration
Direction: Read t he questions carefully a nd answer
intelligently. Write the answer on your answer sheet.
1. Enumerate ways to improve quality in business.

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 ANSWER KEY 9.2-2
Ways to Improve Quality in Business

1. Make a commitment
2. Track mistakes
3. Invest in training
4. Organize quality circles
5. Have the right attitude

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 DETAILS LEARNING OUTCOME
Learning Outcome No. 3 Implement Cost Effective

Operations CONTENTS:

• Easy Tips to Cut Costs at Work

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
• Implement preservation and optimization of workplace resources in
accordance with enterprise policy.
• Observe judicious use of workplace tools, equipment and
materials according to manual and work.
• Make constructive contributions to office operations according to
enterprise requirements.
• Sustain finances and allot time within one’s ability to work.

CONDITION:
Student/ trainee must be provided with the following:

Equipment
• Projector
• Laptop

Learning Materials
• Competency based learning material

ASSESSMENT METHOD:
• Case Study
• Written Test
• Interview

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 LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Learning Outcome 3: Implement cost-

effective operations
Learning Activities Special Instructions
Read and understand the information sheet.
• Read INFORMATION
After reading, answer the self- check to
SHEET 9.3-1 in Easy
determine your learning.
steps to cut cost at
work

Refer your answers to the answer key 9.3-1 for

• Answer SELF-
self- check. You are required to get ALL
CHECK 9.3-1 on
answers correct. If not, read the information
Easy steps to cut
sheet again to answer all
cost at work
questions correctly.

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 INFORMATION SHEET 9.3-1
Easy Steps to Cut Cost at Work

Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU should be able to:
1. Enumerate steps to cut cost at work;
2. Value the importance of cost cutting.

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 Saving your Company Money by Mark Swartz
All workplaces spend
money. So just about any
employee can try to think up
cost cutting tactics.
The savings don’t have to be
massive. Every dollar not spent
needlessly goes toward the
company’s bottom line.
Here are some simple ways you can
help reduce workplace expenses.

Saving Costs Is Equal to Making Money

Eliminating excess costs is equivalent to earning revenue.
Employers prize people who can add to net profits.
If you dream up an idea that saves P1,000, it’s similar to
increasing sales by P10,000 (assuming a 10% profit margin). If
you find a way to cut two hours a month on the production of a
report, that’s 24 labor hours saved every year.

How This Helps You?

These are the key reasons you should help your employer save
money:
● It makes you look like a committed worker. Employers
appreciate the extra effort made to improve the
bottom-line.
● You can add it to your resume. This is something that
can help you stand out during interviews, at
performance reviews, and when making a case for your
raise or promotion.
● Sharpens your thinking. Although many of the ways to
save money can be modest, some really challenge
you to be innovative.
● Less waste means less haste. When employers
spend less money pointlessly, there’s less chance
they’ll have to shave costs by other means, such a
salary freezes and perk cutbacks.
There is also a possibility that you’ll share a portion of the
savings. Some employers offer an incentive plan that rewards
its people for ideas and actions that lead to cost reductions.

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How to Reduce Expenses

The most direct route to cost cutting is

to minimize expenditures. This can be
accomplished by looking for savings
opportunities.
Are you always pestering the boss to
buy the latest release of software or newest
model of device? Unless this can bring
demonstrable productivity increases, work
with the existing version longer. Or use your
personal device(s) for business as well.
Scheduled to go on a business trip? Maybe it would be
cheaper – yet still effective – to organize a video conference at a local
facility that provides those amenities. If not, think about staying at a
less expensive hotel (or with friends/family if available), and booking
well in advance to get the best fare.
In terms of work routine, how about adding a day or
two of telecommuting? Desk-sharing too. They reduce the
need for expensive office space and they lower outlays for
energy.
Whenever making purchases for work, ask to use the
company credit card. It can cut a few percentage points off the
bill. Or it can add travel points to be used for business trips.

Decrease Waste
Wasted resources squander an
employer’s funds. Recycle, reuse, and
repurpose whenever feasible. By going
greener, costs get leaner.
Striving for a paperless office is a solid
starting point. Don’t print out hard copies
where electronic documents will do. Use two-
sided copying. Distribute hard copies only to
those who must have printed versions. These
three steps alone will lessen paper, toner and
storage charges.
If you work in a manufacturing
environment, waste increases costs. Can you
come up with any ways to use fewer (or less
expensive) materials? Are there duplicated
procedures, or production- slowing processes,
that can be altered?

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Cost Cutters Are Problem Solvers

Every time an employer overspends it

becomes an issue. No organization has a
shortage of these challenges, especially in the
face of competitive and financial pressures.
You can be a dollar detective. It can be
as simple as making sure the last person who
leaves turns off lights and powers down
devices. Or it can be more involved, like
when reducing overtime or cutting the
number of units that fail to meet specs.
Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities
to be frugal. You’ll be helping to save money,
waste, and (when times are tough) maybe
even your job.

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 SELF-CHECK 9.3-1
Direction: Read the questions carefully and answer
intelligently. Write the answer on your answer sheet.
1. Why is it importance to save company money?
2. How is it to reduce expenses?

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 ANSWER KEY 9.3-1
A. Short
Essays
1. Eliminating excess costs is equivalent to earning
revenue. Employers prize people who can add to net
profits.
2. The most direct route to cost cutting is to
minimize expenditures. This can be accomplished
by looking for savings opportunities.

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
1. https://neilpatel.com/blog/perfect-
entrepreneurial- attitude- according-science/
2. https://blog.orangescrum.com/2018/12/how-does-
resource- utilization-help-to-improve-business-
performance.html
3. https://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/easy-tips-
to- save- your-company-money
4. ttps://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/entrepreneur.asp
5. https://www.prosymmetry.com/blog/resource-utilization/
6. https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/09/5-ways-to-
improve- quality.html

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