Managing Successful Business Projects

19 CONCLUSION 20 REFRENCES21 TITLE “To create and market new summer shoes to compete with big brands.” A case study on Top shop company. Organisation undertaken in this report is Top shop which was founded in 1964 in UK and deals in manufacturing and selling clothes and now this company is initiating a development of brand new summer shoes to compete with big brands. In this report, project aims and scenario is explained by producing a project management plan which covers cost, scope, time, quality,

Managing A Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
TITLE..............................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
A. Aims and objectives of the project....................................................................................3
B. Appropriate project management plan...............................................................................4
................................................................................................................................................6
C. Conducting research by using qualitative and quantitative techniques in the present
scenario...................................................................................................................................8
D & E. Presenting and producing results.............................................................................10
F. Recommendation and communications...........................................................................18
G. Performance Review........................................................................................................19
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................20
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................21

TITLE
“To create and market new summer shoes to compete with big brands.” A case study on
Top shop company.
INTRODUCTION
Globalisation is a word which is used to determine the increasing interdependencies of
the global economy, culture and population. This is driven by international trade, investment and
information technology. Project management is a method of organising all activities related to a
project and its parts. It is the application of knowledge, skill, tools and techniques to project
activities to meet the project necessities (Young, 2016). Organisation undertaken in this report is
Top shop which was founded in 1964 in UK and deals in manufacturing and selling clothes and
now this company is initiating a development of brand new summer shoes to compete with big
brands. In this report, project aims and scenario is explained by producing a project management
plan which covers cost, scope, time, quality, communication, risk and resources. This also
provides work break down structure and a Gantt chart which helps in analysing times frames and
stages of completion. Then, it has conducted research by using qualitative and quantitative
methods. Then, presentation of the project and communication of appropriate recommendations
based on conclusions are drawn from the findings.
MAIN BODY
A. Aims and objectives of the project.
A project is a specific and transitory conception that consumes resources which has a
start and end that functions in accordance with specified financing and budgetary devices. It is
very important to devise the aims and objectives for the company. Setting aims and objectives by
manager will help in making clear vision and mission which will be advantageous in knowing
what objectives and aims are to achieved and how they will be accomplished (Archibald and
Archibald, 2016). So manager of Top shop company will make following aims and objectives in
the company for developing new summer shoes.

Aim
To create and market new summer shoes to compete with big brands.
Objectives
 To evaluate the concept of new product development.
 To examine the various factors essential for new product development in Top shop.
 To identify and analyse numerous tools and techniques which Top shop will consider
while developing summer shoes.
 To elucidate the benefits of new product development.
B. Appropriate project management plan.
Project management plan is a conventional, sanctioned written document used to manage
project execution (Binder, 2016). It adds constitution to the procedure by distribution an order to
all the crucial elements participating in the plan. Its primary aim is to find out the project results,
how a prospering conclusion will be achieved, who will be engaged in the project and how the
project will be measured and communicated. The project is aimed to effectively and efficiently
guide all aspects of projects from start to end, with the ideal aim of delivering the results on time
under the specified budgets. It involves different aspects like cost, scope, time, quality,
communication, risk and resources for successfully implementing the plan and accomplishing the
goals and objectives effectively and efficiently. Following are the explanation of these aspects
discussed below :
Cost : This is the first and foremost aspect which is required to be undertaken by the
manager of top shop because launching new and innovative product needs heavy involvement of
cost. It is required proper estimation of installing, repair, machinery, manpower, marketing,
distribution, etc. which must be considered while planning cost for the project. This will also be
useful in preparing the overall budget required for the implementation and execution of plan
efficiently (Boyle, 2017). The cost which Top shop will be required for launching summer shoes
is £6000. Apart from this, investigator will also incur some expense while conducting
investigation which includes stationary, travelling, etc. and it is approximated around £500.
Scope : The scope of the plan is concerned with project planning, designing,
development, testing and presenting hardware and software that will be required for
accomplishing the projects goals and objectives effectively. In top shop, while introducing
summer shoes it will affect various aspects like efficiency, flexibility, revenue, etc. Also

investigator will take into account the careful analyses of design, trend, fashion, price, etc. that
people prefer. And this will help in improving the knowledge and skills for the investigator.
Time : For a business project to be successful, time is very important because without
specified time the manager of Top shop cannot accomplish the goals and objectives of launching
new product (Hillson, 2017). So, time required by company to launch a new product will be 15
weeks and time required by investigator to analyse the market demand and needs will be 9 weeks
and 2 days.
Quality : As Top shop is launching a new product in the market so it will make ensure
that for competing their product with the big brands, they keep the quality of their products by
giving more preference to the superiority rather than price. It must have superior quality such
that it attracts the customers and maximises the sales and proficiency. For the investigator, the
information collected regarding the quality preferences from the people must be realistic and true
so that it contributes in developing new product.
Communication : It is the one of the most important aspect of project development plan.
This process of communication involves sharing ideas, thoughts, policies, programs, benefits,
etc. to the people. In top shop, there are numerous departments like marketing, research and
development, production, etc. and this necessitates the effective communication which enhances
coordination and team work. It will be useful in effective implementation of new product.
While investigator will use various modes of communication in the company like calls,
meetings, video conferencing, etc. in order to execute the research effectively (Muller, 2017).
Resources : Launching a new product is difficult task in every company and it requires
huge resources. In top shop, for successfully launching a product various resources will be
needed like manpower, finance, equipments, etc. While investigator will need resources like
digital systems, internet connections, thinking ability, stationeries, etc.
Risk : It is the probability or threat which causes damage, injury or destruction by
internal or external environment and proper action are to be taken for managing risk in project
development plan (Nicholas and Steyn, 2017). Top shop can face risk like change in the
customers tastes and preferences, changes in marketing and government policespolicies,
increasing taxes, climatic conditions, etc. While investigator will have to bear the risk of
uncertainty, loss of information, confidentiality, privacy of content, conflicts, etc.

.
Work breakdown structure : It is the production oriented hierarchical disintegration of
the work which is to be executed by the project team. It will be useful for Top shop in estimating
the cost and control along with the guidance for schedule control and development. Manager of
Top shop will use this method for simplifying the project execution because it divides the larger
task into smaller which can be easily supervised and estimated. It will help the organisation in
estimating cost, time and risk. This also enables the illustration of scope of the projects which
will provide better understanding to the stakeholders (Work Breakdown Structure, 2019).
Gantt chart : It is a table that illustrates the course of a project and all the elements
involved which helps in planning, coordinating and in tracking of specific tasks in a project. Top
shop will use this in analysing when each task is started and ended, how long each task
scheduled, task dependencies, start and end of whole projects, etc. They are build on horizontal

axis which represents the total time span and vertical axis that determines the task that make up a
project.

C. Conducting research by using qualitative and quantitative techniques in the present scenario.
Research is a process of systematized questioning that estates aggregation of data,
documentation of critical information , analysis and interpretation of that information according
to appropriate methods designed by particular professional fields and subject (Winter and
Szczepanek, 2017). It is conducted to determine the credibility of an imperative model to put
together the body of substantial knowledge and findings for sharing them in suitable manner and
generates questions for further investigation. In this research data collection methods used are
discussed below :
Qualitative research: It is a research method of inquiry which develops an
understanding on human and social sciences, to find a way people think and feel. It means, this is
concerned with understanding human behaviour from informant's perspective. Data collected in
this research is through participants’ observations and interview (Sikdar and Payyazhi, 2014).
The sample size is generally small and respondents are selected to fulfil the appropriate number.
Quantitative research : This research is used to quantify the obstacles by way of
generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into usable statistics. It uses data that
can be measurable in nature to formulate facts and uncover patterns in research. This type of
research includes methods like surveys which can be online, mobile , paper, interviews,
observations, etc.
Apart from this, Top shop will use another method in this research for data collection and
they can be primary and secondary sources of data collection. These two methods are explained
below :
Primary data : They are those data or information which are collected for the first time
from sources like interview, observation, questionnaire, etc.
Secondary data : They are those data or information which have already been collected
by some opeople and researcher derives that data from sources like newspaper, magazines,
internet, etc. for conducting research.
In this research, methods used for collecting data are both primary and secondary
(Polonsky and Waller, 2018). During the initial stage of the research, secondary data collection
method was used which helped in learning about the importance of the aims and objectives,
useful in deriving information at earlier stages from sources like internet sites, magazines, etc.

Then after deciding about the aims and objectives , the primary research was conducted to
analyse the trends and fashions which include the quantitative primary research that is
questionnaire (Thamhain, 2014). The sample size of the research is 40 respondents who are the
employees and customers of the company. Furthermore, the research is to be conducted in an
ethical and relevant way so that it can develop reliable results.
Sampling is defined as a process of selecting definite members or subset of the
population to create statistical reasoning from them and to estimate characteristics of the whole
population. There are two types of sampling methods :
Probability sampling :
Probability sampling : This method of sampling selects random members of a
population by setting some selection criteria. This enable every member to have equal
opportunities to be a part of various sampling methods.
Non probability sampling : In this type of sampling, each member of the population
does not get an equal chance of being selected in the sample. In this research, non probability
sampling method is used.
Questionnaire
Name :
Gender :
Age :
Q1) Do you aware about the concept of new product development?
A) Yes
B) No
Q2) What options you prefer while purchasing shoes ?
A) Price
B) Quality
C) Design
Q3) In what time gap you purchase shoes ?
A) Within a month
B) 2-6 months
C) More then 6 months
Q4) What amount you spend while purchasing shoes?

A) Less than £20
B) £20-£60
C) More than £60
Q5) What are the benefits that Top shop will get by launching summer shoes ?
A) Increase in product line.
B) Maximising market and customer share
C) Generates profitability and sales
Q6) What factors influences the development of new product in Top shop?
A) Market demand
B) Government policies
C) Environmental factors
Q7) How likely are you to replace your current product with new one ?
A) Extremely likely
B) Some what likely
C) Not at all likely
Q8) Will this product be beneficial for the top shop ?
A) Yes
B) No
Q9) Does company should invest in such new product ?
A) Yes
B) No
Q10) Any suggestions for Top shop.
D & E. Presenting and producing results.
Theme 1: Concept of new product development
Do you aware about the concept of new
product development?
Frequency
Yes 31
No 9

Interpretation : From the above chart it can be interpreted that out of 40 respondents 31 are
aware so it will be advantageous for the company in increasing their product line and 9 are
unaware about the concept of new product development because they are not shopaholic.
Theme 2: Purchasing criteria
What options you prefer while purchasing
shoes ?
Frequency
Price 18
Quality 12
Design 10
Yes No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35 31
9
Price Quality Design
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
18
12
10

Interpretation : From the above chart it can be interpreted that out of 40 respondents 18 are
price conscious because they may have relevant purchasing power, 12 wants superior quality and
if company fails to provide the quality then this can have negative impact and 10 are concerned
with design so company must focus on hiring designers who can develop unique styles.
Theme 3: Time duration for purchasing shoes
In what time gap you purchase shoes ? Frequency
Within a month 8
2-6 months 22
More than 6 months 10
Interpretation : 8 people have selected within a month which shows that customers are
attracted towards the shoes and prefers to buy different and unique every time they visit the
shoes store. Other 22 respondents said that they love to buy shoes within 2-6 months as style of
shoes counts as a status symbols that's why they cannot wear the same shoes again and again. At
last 10 people said that they just want to wear shoes due to comfort and prefers comfort over
style.
Theme 4: Preference in terms of money for purchasing shoes
What amount you spend while purchasing Frequency
Within a month 2-6 months More than 6 months
0
5
10
15
20
25
8
22
10

shoes?
Less than £20 25
£20-£60 8
More than £60 7
Interpretation : From the above chart it can be interpreted that out of 40 respondents 25 said
that they are price sensitive in nature and prefers to buy cheap product as compare to expensive
one. 8 respondents selected margin of 20-60 because they are neutral towards the quality and
quantity of products and chose which products which gives more value to them. Remaining
people chosen more than 60 because they are brand and quality focussed and they can buy
expensive shoes if they are getting high quality of it.
Theme 5: Benefit for launching new product
What are the benefits that Top shop will get
by launching summer shoes ?
Frequency
Increase in product line 5
Maximising market and customer share 22
Less than £20 £20-£60 More than £60
0
5
10
15
20
25
25
8 7

Generates profitability and sales 13
Interpretation : From the above chart it can be interpreted that out of 40 respondents, 5
respondents said that by launching new product, company's product line will increase to a certain
level. 22 said that it will increase customer and market share because new product will attract
existing as well as new potential customers. At last 13 respondents selected generates
profitability and sales because if customer and market share is increase then it will also have a
positive impact on sales of company resulting in increase in profits.
Theme 6: Factors that influences new product development
What factors influences the development of
new product in Top shop?
Frequency
Market demand 24
Government polices 8
Environmental factors 8
Increase in product line
Maximising market and customer share
Generates profitability and sales
0
5
10
15
20
25
5
22
13

Interpretation : 24 respondents thinks that reason behind development of product is market
demand because if customers needs and demands are changing then it will be a opportunity for
company to increase their sales. 8 people think that due to increase in environment concern
company are producing new products so that they can reduce carbon footprint. Same goes with
the government policies because to avoid any legal issues, company changes their process of
production.
Theme 7: Likeability for replacing the product
How likely are you to replace your current
product with new one ?
Frequency
Extremely likely 13
Somewhat likely 20
Not at all likely 7
Market demand Government polices Environmental factors
0
5
10
15
20
25
24
8 8

Interpretation : 20 respondents selected somewhat likely because marginal utility of those
people reduces due to which attitude towards product changes in a negative way. 13 people
selected extremely likely because there needs and preference of shoes changes very often and 7
people chosen not at all likely because they prefers comfort rather than style.
Theme 8: Products be beneficial for Top shop
Will this product be beneficial for the top
shop ?
Frequency
Yes 18
No 22
Extremely likely Somewhat likely Not at all likely
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
13
20
7

Interpretation : From the above chart it can be interpreted that out of 40 respondents, 18 people
respondent in favourable manner because they have liked the new product but 22 reacted in
unfavourable manner for which company can get less than the expected results.
Theme 9: Company should invest in new product
Does company should invest in such new
product ?
Frequency
Yes 21
No 19
Yes No
0
5
10
15
20
25
18
22

Interpretation : From the above chart it can be interpreted that out of 40 respondents, 21 are in
favour of investing in new product because they have liked the concept but 19 are not in favour
because they might feel that it can influence the financial stability of the company.
F. Recommendation and communications.
Top shop should emphatically launch their summer shoes in London fashion week which
will start from 16th February 2019 to 20th February 2019. If top shop will be able to analyse the
market demand and various government and environmental policies, then they will be able to
successfully execute the new product in the market and will be able to gain competitive
advantage globally. Also there are few recommendations which Top shop should take into
consideration and they are:
 Top shop should conduct the market testing analysis before finally introducing the
product in the market. As this technique will help the company in learning the pros and
cons and consumer behaviour relating to the product.
 It is highly recommended that marketing department of Top shop should place great
emphasis on promotional and communication technique. It should promote product such
that people will be aware about the new product and its benefits, designs, etc. They
should use marketing activities like in store promotion, online, internet, posters, bill
boards, etc. As this will target large pool of people.
Yes No
18
18.5
19
19.5
20
20.5
21
21
19

 Also while developing the overall budget for the new product development, Top shop
should assign maximum budget to the promotional and marketing techniques because it is
very important for the company to compete with big brands in global era.
 The company should focus on research and development that there are relevant skilled
and knowledgeable people who have the potential to create unique new product
effectively and efficiently.
 Also from the above interpretation, it has been interpreted that maximum customers are
price conscious so Top shop should develop effective pricing strategies to tap more
customer base. It should set prices such that people will prefer to buy the product.
Communicating results
For communicating the ideas and plans to the people in the organisation, I have opted for
presentation which will help me in providing the aims and objectives to them. This method will
help me in effectively explaining people about the new product, its benefits, etc. Also, by
conducting presentation I will be able to clearly explain how this plan will be implemented, how
people will have to work, what research methods will be used and how they will be useful, etc.
Apart from this, I will also be able to take people's doubt and queries which will makes them
clear about the misunderstandings and they will work according to the aims and objectives
decided.
G. Performance Review.
Success of the project : The aims and objectives of the Top shop has been accomplished
for launching new product successfully. This has been attained by conducting thorough research
on 40 respondents. But at the same time I faced various obstacles like lack of qualified and
skilled workers in research and development department. Many time I faced the problem of
shortage of funds, it also became time consuming, etc.
Own performance review
Skills How I developed Why it is important
Interpersonal skills I developed my interpersonal
skills by communicating
people at work place by
organising presentations,
Effective primary research
through questionnaire requires
me to have effective
communication so that I can

improved it by communicating
people while conducting
primary research.
convince people to respond to
a particular situation and also
in analysing their needs and
demands.
Time management skills Developing time management
skill helped me in maintaining
balance between work and life.
Also by adopting various time
management strategies like
prioritising works, SMART
objectives, etc.
This is because project and
research needs to be completed
on time. And also how much
time is required for each
activity needs to evaluated to
accomplish organisations aim.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded launching new product is a very crucial task
which needs great efforts to be successfully launched in the market. This report has depicted the
aims and objectives of the scenario with considering various aspects of project management plan
like cost, quality, etc. This has also used WBS and Gantt charts which helped company in
conducting the activities of the plan effectively. Then qualitative and quantitative research are
conducted through questionnaire on 40 respondents which helped in analysing that new product
must be launched. Later part of the report has discussed the success of the projects and own
performance which examines the skills required and problems faced by the researcher.

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Online
Work Breakdown Structure. 2019. [Online] Available Through:
<https://www.workbreakdownstructure.com/>