Leading through digital disruption - Collaboration Activity: Preparation for Summative Assessment

This report focuses on Argos, a top 10 ecommerce brand in the UK, and how it is dealing with digital disruption. It covers topics such as capturing insights, making informed decisions, acquiring and allocating talents, and creating a digital ready culture. The report also discusses the importance of effective collaboration and ethical leadership.

LEADING THROUGH DIGITAL
DISRUPTION - COLLABORATION
ACTIVITY: PREPARATION FOR
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
1- Company overview..................................................................................................................4
2- Explaining threats that company is facing due to digital disruption.......................................4
3- Explaining what is the digital transformation that Argos is going through and what are the
objectives of this change..............................................................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
1- Explaining which type of insights Argos have to capture to gain awareness of its business
environment.................................................................................................................................5
2- Defining which techniques and approaches organization can utilize to capture those insights
......................................................................................................................................................5
3- Presenting some digital technologies that company can use for implementing technique and
approaches identified...................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
1- Explaining which techniques and methods Argos can utilize to make informed decisions....6
2- Explaining how Argos can guarantee that decisions are data driven and inclusive................6
3- Presenting some digital technologies that can aid company in making informed decisions...6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................6
1- Explaining which methods & techniques can be adopted to acquire and allocate right talents
......................................................................................................................................................6
2- Explaining which actions Argos can put in place to keep engaged and be assured it does not
quit...............................................................................................................................................7
3- Presenting certain digital technologies that can help firm in cleverly acquiring, engaging
and allocating these talents..........................................................................................................7
TASK 5-...........................................................................................................................................7
1- Identification of leadership role...............................................................................................7
2- Key needed attributes and behaviour for informal leader.......................................................8
TASK 6............................................................................................................................................8
1- Initiative for effective collaboration........................................................................................8

2- Recommending collaborative tools.........................................................................................9
TASK 7............................................................................................................................................9
3- Attributes of leader supporting digital transformation............................................................9
4- Critical behaviours needed to be adapted by the leaders.......................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Digital disruption is defined as transformation or a change that is causes by emerging
digital technologies & venture models. This term refers to a process of change that happens when
new digital technologies affect the strategic value proposition of existing products and services.
The current assignment will be based on Argos, which falls under the category of top 10 e-
commerce brands in the retail sector, UK. The study will explain chase for change, capture
insights, fast decision-making process in organizational context, acquire & engage talents and
creation of digital ready culture. Furthermore, lastly the report will define steer collaboration and
creation of ethical leadership style.
TASK 1
1- Company overview.
Argos is one of those famous retailing brands in the United Kingdom, that contributes to
enhance consumer satisfaction and make their shopping easier (Top 10 E-commerce Sites in the
UK, 2021). Along with offline operations, organization is able to manage venture online in term
of using e-commerce platform. As an e-commerce brand, it may take initiative to provide varied
categories of products such as clothing, food, financial services, general merchandize and more.
It successfully operates in retail industry, with skilled and talented employees who are able to use
their skills and effectiveness to satisfy target market.
2- Explaining threats that company is facing due to digital disruption
Due to digital disruption, Argos may face major challenges that emerge as key threats.
For example, just because of this external factor, firm may take approach to update all its
systems and develop plan to use advanced technologies. In these terms, it may put negative
impact on chosen retail brand. Increasing prices, lower reliability and performance are the best
example of threats that may put negative impact on firm and lead to create more complications,
which is quite essential for management to overcome.
3- Explaining what is the digital transformation that Argos is going through and what are the
objectives of this change
Argos is going through a strategic digital transformation and that is implication of Scala
digital signage, which management tend to implement in each of their stores, in the UK and
across the nation (Argos Goes Digital by Creating an Interactive In-Store Experience, 2021).
The main objective of this change is to build and manage good relationship with consumers in

term of effective communication. Another objective of this process is to deliver a comprehensive
in store brand experience to target audience. This technology may enable company to drive
digital point of sale systems successfully.
TASK 2
1- Explaining which type of insights Argos have to capture to gain awareness of its business
environment.
It is quite important for selected e-commerce organization to capture the insights
regarding varied things. For example, it may take approaches to develop understanding about
major or biggest rivals, which enable to gain awareness of extent to which competition level
reach. Along with this consideration, Argos may take approach to consider macro-economic
trends and key partners who are able to grow firm and make it successful in the retail sector
(Wehrle and et.al., 2020). These form of information may allow company to develop the best
tactics that they may utilize to gain competitive advantages.
2- Defining which techniques and approaches organization can utilize to capture those insights
In order to capture the insights of competitors, Argos and its management may take
approach to utilize and consider competitive analysis as effective method, which driven their
attention toward developing comprehending about varied things of rivalry brands. Furthermore,
for purpose of macro-economic trends, it may take action to conduct external or internal
environment analysis. Market research may also help to generate the awareness about key
partners, among which individual candidate is able to invest money in emerging and developing
brands in which in return provide more benefits to them than investment.
3- Presenting some digital technologies that company can use for implementing technique and
approaches identified
AI is the best technology that give proper information about trending things like
consumer preferences, competitors actions and more. Social media is also included in list of
digital technologies that provide key data that organization can use to grow and succeed in the
future like now. Search engine in the recent time has been used by many organizations and
individuals, for purpose of collecting useful information about rivals that are operating and
running ventures in similar sector (Odone and et.al., 2019). These digital technologies play vital
role in unpredicted success and progress of Argos.

TASK 3
1- Explaining which techniques and methods Argos can utilize to make informed decisions
Internal and external business environment analysis is one of the best techniques that
Argos and its management may take into their consideration, which enable them to make
informed decisions and conduct practices accordingly to achieve set aim & objective. Group
communication via advance technology usage play crucial role to make strategic decisions that
help organization to grow and stand competitive in the retail industry (Kitada and et.al., 2018).
Along with above techniques, firm may consider more that contribute to provide desire outcomes
in effective manner without creating challenges during process of aim achievements, that is quite
essential.
2- Explaining how Argos can guarantee that decisions are data driven and inclusive
Organization may assure that its decisions are inclusive in term of collecting appropriate
information about a concept regarding which it may take action to make possible change or
something useful. Furthermore, it may also ensure that all strategic decisions are data driven in
form of considering key objectives and prioritizing each, which is quite essential for it to do so.
Management may take approach to provide guarantee regarding same thing in term of
identifying the effectiveness and outcome of a decision that put direct impact on current practices
of venture.
3- Presenting some digital technologies that can aid company in making informed decisions
Artificial Intelligence is the best digital technology that used to make an informed
decision and drive the attention of individuals toward conducting any activity accordingly. It
encompasses those key features that contributed to take right judgements based on external and
internal environment analysis consideration, which is important for Argos to consider. Social
media is the best example of digital technology that can aid organization in making right or
informed decision in appropriate manner, which in turn lead to increase profitability,
productivity and performance level of business more than key rivals.
TASK 4
1- Explaining which methods & techniques can be adopted to acquire and allocate right talents
Organization can take adopt the best and most effective techniques such as awareness,
that leader or manager in Argos may generate in workplace to acquire and appropriately allocate
right talents. Furthermore, it can also take initiative to use digital technology for purpose of

acquiring right talents as human resource among which each candidate is able to accept any
change and capable to make is successful whether it is related to technology or organizational
(Wehrle and et.al., 2020). It may provide management chance to hire skilled and experience
holders, who are capable to develop creative ideas and able to work with advanced technologies.
2- Explaining which actions Argos can put in place to keep engaged and be assured it does not
quit
In order to engage employees and make assure that they do not back out, management
may take strategic approaches. For example, they may drive their attention and encouragement in
term of motivating to become a part of decision-making process, which is quite essential and
beneficial for them. Within Argos, management may motivate people to take part in this process,
which give them better feeling and boost their morale event better than last few years. In this
manner, they may engage and retain skilled as well as talented candidates forever and grab
chance to work with them.
3- Presenting certain digital technologies that can help firm in cleverly acquiring, engaging and
allocating these talents.
In the recent time, social media, AI and other technologies play vital role to make work
environment productive and effective. By using these and more advanced technologies, HRM in
Argos may conduct the best actions in term of acquiring people and allocating task to them on
the basis of their skills, effectiveness and efficiency which is quite essential for them to do so. It
may contribute to increase organizational performance level and productivity that allow workers
to give tough competition to rivals that are accessible in the same market and run ventures in
similar sector.
TASK 5-
1- Identification of leadership role
In this topic the understanding of the importance of creating a digital ready culture which
helps the organization in developing a disruption and digital transformation. In Argos the formal
leadership role is maintained by Simon Roberts who is the CEO of this organization, The role of
CEO is very important (Reiche and et.al., 2017). They are responsible for the management of
the company's overall operations. It includes the overall delegation and direction of agendas,
driving profitability, managing company organization structure and also helps the company in
communication with its board. Their engagement in the deliberate actions is said to be very

essential for driving alignment. It provides influence to the opinion to the leaders which impacts
the new mindset of the which helps the work to be most socially connected with the individuals.
They are the ones which are responsible for organizing the business in the ways in which they
can set up a new digital operating model which would allow better collaboration, experiments
and speed in the market.
2- Key needed attributes and behaviour for informal leader
Argos as an organization would need the informal leader to have the following attributes
and behaviour,
 The informal leaders need not be from the performance pool of the organization it will be
important for the company to analyse the behaviour of those the individuals. This
analysis needs to understand the effectiveness of their coaching and mentoring skills.
 The behaviour of these leaders needs to be authentic which would give them incredibly
attractive and important source that can take formality of the leaders talking points. Then
need to have a casual approach which would help then to build on credibility.
 The informal leaders need to have short term ideas which can help the company to get out
the result which they want (Arun and Kahraman Gedik, 2020). The objective of the
organization was to achieve passion and bring something else in front of the worthwhile.
TASK 6
1- Initiative for effective collaboration
For effective collaboration in Argos it is important for the organization to understand the
importance of the following practices,
Encouraging the right behaviour :
Without having the right behaviour in the organization a team cannot be effective in the
collaboration. This allows the business in better use of digital technology which can be
implemented perfectly with the E-commerce operations of the business. Utilization of effective
software can also be a good way of encouraging the right behaviour in the business.
Leverage technology :
Application of certain virtual collaboration tools can help the business of Argos to create
a network which helps in making the informal decision which helps in the collaboration of the
activities (Demir and Budur, 2019). These digital tools will be helpful for the business in the
creation of strategical development which would support cost efficiency.

Recognising physical space :
The organization needs to collocate with the highly interdependent employees which are
able to facilitate brief and impromptus face to face collaboration which results in efficiency in
exchanging the resources.
2- Recommending collaborative tools
For Argos the best collaborative tool which it can use Stack. It can be said as the
integrated tool which allows the team to communicate and innovate themselves from different
but similar areas. The use of this tool is the most important in the offline teams but can really
shine for remote or hybrid teams which need to communicate both asynchronously and
synchronously (Hensellek, 2020.). The collaboration with stack is very effective as in the modern
generation having such a tool is considered to be “must have” for the team which are considering
collaboration. The digital operations of Argos will be benefited by this application as it will be
able to successfully generate efficiency in the organizational operations. There needs to be
certain rules on the use of this tool which would talk about the different ways in which it can be
utilized for the engagement purpose. As a tool it would help with,
 Chatting, instant messaging.
 Video Conferencing.
 Project Management.
 Word Processing.
 Digital Asset Management.
 For being an information guide for the company.
TASK 7
3- Attributes of leader supporting digital transformation
The leaders at Argos needs to have the following attributes which will aid the company to
support the digital transformation which it is planning,
Growth mindset :
The leader needs to have the mindset which involves growth. As it will help them to
develop the culture across the employees. For the development of the digital technology this
attribute is very importance it provides the business with an opportunity to grow its business in
different ways.
Prioritizing communication and influence :

This will be very important for the organization as it will provide it the scope of
opportunity which will be helpful for implementing the digital transformation in the organization
successfully. Leaders with good communication and influential attribute tend to get their job
done more often than not.
Ability to navigate innovation :
It can be said that the ability of navigating innovation helps the business in the
characterization of the innovation which brings changes in the leaders for adapting to the
changes which digitalization brings in the excited for seeking the operations.
4- Critical behaviours needed to be adapted by the leaders
Argos for its digital transformation in would want the leaders to have the following
critical behaviours,
Using AI for growth :
Leaders need to employee the technology speed approach which will help them to use the
AL technology at its maximum for developing new business plans. This would be the key to the
fasted and better way of maintaining the customers expectations (Lindqvist and Pettersson,
2019).
Nurturing talent with incentives and strategies :
For an organization the best way of using their technology come from the talented
employees at the organization therefore the focus of the leaders will be on making strategies for
hiring and retaining these talented employees.
Governance plan for emerging technology :
As a leader it is essential for to develop a governance plan which will provide the leader
with constant performance report for the effective strategy. It will help the organization in
improving their development.
CONCLUSION
From above analysis, it has been concluded that digital technologies' advancement has
driven the attention of e-commerce brand to implement varied advanced technologies that
contributed to enhanced performance and productivity level. It has gained competitive
advantages by using the best technology, which is quite essential for organization to do so.
Furthermore, from above discussion, it has been concluded that new technology implementation
at workplace has enhanced employees performance & productivity extent. The overall initiatives

have achieved strategic aims and objectives of company that is essential and beneficial too in
varied terms. It has enhanced consumer satisfaction as well along with gaining more advantages.

REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Arun, K. and Kahraman Gedik, N., 2020. Impact of Asian cultural values upon leadership roles
and styles. International Review of Administrative Sciences, p.0020852320935982.
Demir, A. and Budur, T., 2019. Roles of leadership styles in corporate social responsibility to
non-governmental organizations (NGOs). International Journal of Social Sciences &
Educational Studies. 5(4). pp.174-183.
Hensellek, S., 2020. Digital Leadership: A Framework for Successful Leadership in the Digital
Age. Journal of Media Management and Entrepreneurship (JMME). 2(1). pp.55-69.
Kitada, M., and et.al., 2018, July. Command of vessels in the era of digitalization. In
International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (pp. 339-350).
Springer, Cham.
Lindqvist, M.H. and Pettersson, F., 2019. Digitalization and school leadership: on the
complexity of leading for digitalization in school. The international journal of
information and learning technology.
Odone, A.,and et.al., 2019. Public health digitalization in Europe: EUPHA vision, action and
role in digital public health. European journal of public health. 29(Supplement_3).
pp.28-35.
Reiche, B.S., and et.al., 2017. Contextualizing leadership: A typology of global leadership roles.
Journal of International Business Studies. 48(5). pp.552-572.
Wehrle, M., and et.al., 2020. Digitalization and its Impact on the Future Role of SCM
Executives in Talent Management–An International Cross‐Industry Delphi Study.
Journal of Business Logistics. 41(4). pp.356-383.
Online
Argos Goes Digital by Creating an Interactive In-Store Experience. 2021. [Online]. Available
Through: <https://www.scala.com/en/casestudies/argos-goes-digital-by-creating-an-
interactive-in-store-experience/>
Top 10 E-commerce Sites in the UK. 2021. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://ecommerceguide.com/top/top-10-ecommerce-sites-in-the-uk/>