BCS Exam Notes on Environmental Law

Legal Frameworks

• Data protection law safeguards personal information, ensuring data privacy.
• Health and safety law aims to protect employees from workplace hazards.
• Taxation rules regulate how governments levy taxes on individuals and businesses.
• Disability discrimination and equality law promotes fairness in opportunity for disabled individuals.
• Intellectual property law protects creations of the mind, including inventions and artistic works.
• Market-specific legislation governs the operations of businesses within particular sectors.

Environmental Trends

• Carbon emissions contribute significantly to climate change, impacting global weather patterns.
• Natural habitat changes, such as deforestation, threaten biodiversity and ecosystems.
• Animal welfare laws protect the rights and treatment of animals.
• Waste disposal and recycling practices aim to minimize environmental damage.

VMOST Technique

• Vision defines an organization's desired future state, serving as a motivational focus.
• Mission outlines the organization's purpose and the services it provides.
• Objectives specify measurable outcomes contributing towards achieving the vision.
• Strategy encompasses the long-term plan for reaching the vision and mission.
• Tactics detail specific actions to implement the strategy effectively.

Performance Measurement

• Critical success factors are essential areas for an organization to achieve to ensure success.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) monitor specific metrics to evaluate progress against critical success factors.

SWOT Analysis Structure

• A SWOT analysis must be accurate and aligned with the organization's VMOST elements for effective evaluation.

Strategy Execution Techniques

• POPITTM model focuses on:
  • People: Identifying knowledge, motivation, and communication needs of personnel.
  • Organisation: Analyzing key partners and suppliers affecting performance.

Enterprise Level Processes

• SIPOC framework outlines the relationship between Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, and Customers.
• Value chain analysis identifies primary and supporting activities enhancing customer value propositions.

Value Propositions

• Clearly articulates the benefits customers can expect from a product or service.
• Focuses on demonstrating effectiveness and creating differentiation from competitors.

Business Events

• Business events trigger processes and may originate externally (customer actions) or internally.
• Handoffs between actors in a process can lead to inefficiencies or communication failures.

Task and Procedure Analysis

• Common issues in processes can include duplication, redundancy, lack of standardization, and inefficient practices.

Business Case Structure

• The business case typically includes an introduction, management summary, current situation description, options considered, recommendations, and appendices.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Tangible costs: identifiable monetary values such as staff, equipment, and training.
• Intangible costs: non-monetary factors like productivity loss and recruitment impact.
• Tangible benefits: measurable advantages such as cost savings and improved speed.
• Intangible benefits: qualitative improvements like job satisfaction and organizational flexibility.

Impact Assessment

• Changes may require organizational restructuring, shifts in working practices, and recruitment policy adjustments to effectively implement new systems.

Risk Assessment

• Identifying potential risks and their impacts is crucial; a risk log can track these risks as projects unfold.
• Each risk should include a description, impact assessment, and probability of occurrence.