A case study on Waitrose

Research Project

Table of Contents
TITLE: ............................................................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the research .............................................................................................1
1.2 Rational of research .........................................................................................................1
1.3 Research Aim...................................................................................................................2
1.4 Research Objectives.........................................................................................................2
1.5 Research Questions..........................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................2
2.1 The major concept of globalisation..................................................................................3
2.2 The corporate structure of Waitrose.................................................................................3
2.3 The influence of globalisation on corporate structure of Waitrose..................................4
2.4 Different challenges faced by Waitrose when they globalised their business at global level.
................................................................................................................................................5
2.5 Different ways through which Waitrose can easily overcome challenges effectively. ...5
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................6
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS...................................................9
Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................................9
CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH OUTCOMES ...................................................................................21
CHAPTER 6: REFLECTION AND RECOMMENDATION FOR ALTERNATIVE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................22
CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION .....................................................................................................23
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................24
.......................................................................................................................................................25
APPENDIX ...................................................................................................................................26

TITLE:
“To investigate the impact of globalisation on the corporate structures of large
multinational companies and the major challenges they face”. A case study on Waitrose.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the research
Globalisation is identify as an essential process in which goods, people and ideas spread
in all over the world. It describes the way in which people and countries of the globe integrate
and interact. Along with this, corporate structure consists of different departments that contribute
to the organisation's overall goals and mission. Common departments include finance,
marketing, human resource, IT and operations. For this dissertation, chosen organisation is
Waitrose which is a chain of British supermarkets. It was founded in 1904 by Wallace Waite,
Arthur Rose, David Taylor and headquartered in Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom. Apart
from this, globalisation is impact on corporate structure of Waitrose by increasing competition
for marketing department (Aharoni, 2014). This competition can be linked to product and service
price and cost, technological adaptation, target market, quick production and quick response by
companies etc. When an organisation produce with minimum cost and sells cheaper, it is capable
to enhance its market share. Globalisation is also influence on human resource department in
certain ways such as managing cultural diversity, managing various workers from different
cultures within the same enterprise. Globalisation is also impact on operations strategies of
multinational organisation directly. These strategy include economic of scale, global sourcing
research and development, and scanning and learning. Therefore, marketing, operational and
human resource departments are consider main pathway which is highly influenced by the
globalisation. Along with this, in order to globalised business functions, Waitrose face some
challenges such as foreign laws and regulations, international accounting, communication
difficulties and cultural differences etc. All these are main challenges that directly influence on
corporate-structure of company.
1.2 Rational of research
This is consider main part of dissertation which help a researcher to increase their
knowledge about the impact of globalisation on corporate-structure of company and challenges
that they face during globalised their business functions (Ariely, 2012). It is a largest topic that
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assist an investigator to ascertain influence of globalisation and find out better ways about how
to overcome challenges and how to get success at global level. Therefore, main reason behind
selecting this topic is to enhance knowledge and achieve personal and professional objective.
After this, an investigator can easily do further research about the globalisation which will help
them in filling research gap and issues.
1.3 Research Aim
Main aim of this research is “To investigate the impact of globalisation on the corporate
structures of large multinational companies and the major challenges they face”. A case study
on Waitrose.
1.4 Research Objectives
 To identify the major concept of globalisation.
 To understand the corporate structure of Waitrose.
 To determine the influence of globalisation on corporate structure of Waitrose.
 To Examine different challenges faced by Waitrose when they globalised their business
at global level.
 Recommend different ways through Waitrose can easily overcome challenges effectively.
1.5 Research Questions
 What the major concept of globalisation?
 What are the corporate structure of Waitrose?
 What are the influence of globalisation on corporate structure of Waitrose.
 What are the different challenges faced by Waitrose when they globalised their business
at global level.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
A literature review is a type of scholarly paper, which consists the current knowledge
about substantive findings as well as methodological and theoretical contributions to a specific
field of study (Bock and et. al., 2012). In addition, literature reviews are the part of secondary
sources and do not study original or new experimental work. Main purpose of literature review is
to ascertain inconstancies i.e. conflict in previous studies, gap in research etc. These help a
researcher to address all research objectives in systematic and clear manner.
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2.1 The major concept of globalisation.
According to the Mrkirschner, (2019), globalisation is the effective process of attaining a
global marketplace for products and services. It is introduce as an attempt to reduce the impact of
national boundaries or limits as a deterrent for marketing materials. It is defined by loosening of
laws and legislation that influences the export of goods. In this, multinational organisations can
manufacture and sell products in a variety of various nations. In addition, globalisation is a best
term that followed to describe increasing economic, political and social interaction and
interrelation across cultural and political boundaries. Globalisation has different advantages for
economic, political and social development. For economic development, opportunities of
employment in developing nations have maximised via global business expansion. For political
development, globalisation has lead to biggest interdependence among different regions and
countries; this promote political cooperation or practice toward common goals. At last, for social
development, globalisation enhanced flow of ideas and knowledge has allowed to learn much
more regarding other cultures and people. Therefore, globalisation is a biggest concept that help
a multinational organisation by improving different functions of company such as marketing,
operation, human resource, information technology etc. All these are consider as a part of
corporate-structure of multinational organisation.
2.2 The corporate structure of Waitrose.
According to the Andrea Rea, (2019), corporate structure introduce to the enterprise of
various departments within an organisation. In context of Waitrose, corporate-structure refers to
how a company is organized to achieve its objectives or goal. It is more important and essential
because it determines the authority, control and ownership of the company. In an organisation,
these characteristics are represented by mainly three groups including officers, directors and
shareholders. Along with this, corporate structure of Waitrose also includes different
departments such as human resource, marketing, operations, IT etc. All these are main
department and work with the aim of achieving long term growth and success globally.
Corporate or governance structure of Waitrose is designed to safeguard the future of partnership,
raise its prosperity and ensure its unity. Therefore, corporate-structure of Waitrose linked with
different departments and help an organisation to achieve better results or outputs within
predetermined period of time.
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2.3 The influence of globalisation on corporate structure of Waitrose.
According to the Briscoe, Tarique and Schuler, (2012), corporate structure includes
different departments of company that contribute their efforts in achieving overall mission and
goals). In the structure of Waitrose, certain departments are included such as human resource,
operations, finance, IT and marketing. Along with this, globalisation has influence on all these
departments which are determined as under:
Marketing department: Globalisation is having essential influence on marketing
department of Waitrose. It help an organisation to makes their product or services more readily
available to global customers and develops employment chances in the nation (Globalization and
Organizational Structure, 2017). It is also significant for retailer by increasing completions
which is mainly related to cost of product and service, target market, adaptation of technology
etc. Thus, globalisation positively influence upon corporate-structure of company.
Human resource department: Globalisation is highly focuses on diversity, it has a
biggest influence on the way businesses manage their workers. For this, different new and
updated technologies have come out that are essential for HR professional to handle the
processes concerned in globalisation but there are few difficulties that are faced by company. HR
department learn to hire and retain knowledgeable workers at an international level. As an
organisation has to deal with complex and changing demands, human resource professional will
have a requirement to predict and handle culture-fit-policies.
Operational department: Globalisation also impact on operations strategies and
department of Waitrose in both favourable and unfavourable manner. International factors that
can be followed as a business operations strategies include, economic of scale, international
sourcing, learning and scanning, and research and development.
Therefore, all these department are introduce as an essential and main part of corporate
structure of Waitrose. It will also help an organisation to retain long term and strong position
globally.
2.4 Different challenges faced by Waitrose when they globalised their business at global level.
According to the Dynamic Language, (2014), there are different number of challenges
faced by company when they globalised their business functions. Some barriers and challenges
are determined as under:
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Organisational communication: Lack of communication channels also consider main
challenge for Waitrose that highly influence upon corporate-structure of company. This barrier
influence on marketing department while communicating with customers towards product and
services. It is also influence on human resources department when selecting talented workforce
for developing business functions globally (Yu, Byun and Lee, 2014).
Laws and regulations of country: This is a biggest challenge for Waitrose because it is
not easy for them to follow all rules and regulations of country in systematic manner. It is highly
impact on business growth and success of Waitrose globally.
2.5 Different ways through which Waitrose can easily overcome challenges effectively.
According to the Crane and Matten, (2016) there are different ways available for
Waitrose to overcome challenges such as organisational communication, improper laws and
regulation, Language and cultural barriers, Local competition, Tax codes and compliance issues,
Supply chain risks, Operational risks with hiring staff etc. All these are main challenges faced by
company, thus, in order to overcome all these issues some suggestion are provided to the
company which are determined as under:
 Company should follow rules and legislation of other country properly where they
expand their business functions.
 Waitrose should use effective channels of communication that help in overcoming
communication barriers .
 Waitrose should adapt to the environment and set up a go-to market strategy
(Overcoming challenges of international expansion, 2019).
 Organisation should Find the right partner and make strong relationships with local
businesses.
 In order to overcome supply chain risk, company should develop a strategy, a business
plan, and a budget.
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