Corporate Social Responsibility of Marks & Spencer: A Case Study
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Added on 2020-12-26
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A case of study of Marks & Spencer.” Executive Summary This research project has focused on proper planning of the Corporate social responsibilities that required to be taken into consideration so that firm may be able to enhance its overall performance. The main focus of this project CSR operations and social impact of store closure and relocation measures to a greater extent in the context of Marks and Spencer, retail giant in the UK.
Corporate Social Responsibility of Marks & Spencer: A Case Study
Added on 2020-12-26
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Corporate Strategy andGovernance Project“Strategies to reduce the social impact of stores closure and re-locations toimprove Corporate Social Responsibilities of the UK Clothing Industry. Acase of study of Marks & Spencer.”
Executive SummaryThis research project has focused on proper planning of the Corporate socialresponsibilities that required to be taken into consideration so that firm may be able to enhanceits overall performance. This research will also lay emphasis on adequate planning that canimpact the operations of the organisation to a greater extent. The main focus of this project CSRoperations and social impact of store closure and relocation measures to a greater extent in thecontext of Marks and Spencer, retail giant in the UK. Moreover, improving the quality ofbusiness operations by implementing appropriate and well-mannered strategies that have a goodgrowth and development of business operation's to carry out its corporate social responsibilitieswith much effectiveness. A qualitative research assessment is used in this study andquestionnaire is used to gather primary information about topic. It is analysed that organisation isdeeply impacted by the store closure and relocation with the management of the Corporate socialresponsibilities measures like following corporate social responsibility.
INTRODUCTIONA good governance or management of the corporate operations assists an enterprise tocarry out its operations and other activities. Especially, in the retail sector, the Corporate socialresponsibilities need to be maintained for improving business activities and operations. It helpsin enhancing the market performance of business significantly. it supports management of thestrategies developed within the firm.Brief history of Marks and Spencer and retail industryMarks and Spencer is a UK based retail service provider that is well known around theworld for its high quality and luxury based apparels and food items. Recently it has collaboratedwith other brands like Kelloggs to sell their products. The Annual turnover of the organisation isabove $10 billion. In the recent time, the firm has faced a great term of competition in the retailsector due to entry on many new brands, that had affected its overall performance in market.The retail industries and sector is one of the most happening and fastest growingindustrial sector. It is a major employer in many countries and thus, requires a great range ofrevenues and strategies to carry out its operations (Sako and Zylberberg, 2015). In the recenttime, due to increase in the number of operator firms in the sector, the extent of competition hasincreased manifoldsIn the recent time, the selected firm, Marks and Spencer has seen a gradual decrease inprofit in the clothing sector. This has turned out to be a major concern and thus requires a goodand effective strategic management of corporate activities and operations in much suitable andeffective way (Cook and Glass, 2015). M& S was established in the year 1884, initially in theyear 1894 it has made partnership with Thomas spencer which was a wholesale firm. In theyear1998it has became the leading clothing brand which has made profit 1 billion. But later oncompetition has created big trouble for M&S, as Marks and Spencer’s have switched many of itssuppliers in order to boost its sales so that it can remain in competition. In the year 1997 and1998 its market share gets down and company’s share price got affected badly. The profits of Marks and Spencer has been gradually decreased. In relation to this, studywill be conducted for carrying out the strategies so as to minimise store closures and relocationwhich has impact on overall operations of company. Seeking this, research questions, purposeand objectives of main research will be conducted so that firm may be able to regain profits andlosses could be curtailed in a better manner.1
Research PurposeThe major purpose of the present research is to assess strategic actions that could be putin place to reduce the impact of the closure or relocation on the community. As the organisationis facing an effective decrease in sales in clothing. Looking at this, the retail firm to has to makethe suitable plans and schemes to gear up these issue. Hence, the organisation is required tomanage the business operations and activities in effective way.Aim:“To suggest proper strategies for decreasing the impact of closing a store and itsrelocation to enhance Corporate social responsibilities measures like CSR. Case study on M&S.”Objective:To analyse the influence of store closing and relocation in retail sector.To assess effective measures to reduce the store closure and relocation activities for aretail firm like Marks and Spencer.Research QuestionsAnalyse the impact of society on store closure and re-locations on Marks and Spencer? What are different ways by which social impacts of store closure and re-locations arecontrolled?Methodology usedIn present study, quantitative method is used this has helped in analysing impact theoverall growth and carrying forward of the data assessment and evaluation process supports inraising quality of corporate government measures and the social impact of store closure andresettlement to other place in order to have a good placing of the CSR functions of selected retailbusiness entity (Filatotchev and Nakajima, 2014). As for the present report quantitative researchoperations are been taken in consideration, that will involve the effective assessment of thestatical data presented or obtained. It will involve the assessment of both primary and secondarydata on the basis of the questionnaire or survey conducted and getting the proper statistics tocarry forward the data assessment and research process that is been formulated by the scholar.Target Audience:The target audience or the respondents and participants that are chosen for the dataassessment activity that assists the entity to achieve their roles and objectives with a higherefficiency (Sako and Zylberberg, 2015). For the present research activity, people in the2
community will also be communicated to act as respondents so that they may provide theirviewpoints quite effectually and it will help the scholar to get the most precise and ground realityconditions about the measures that are been selected within the organisation.Sample frame:In order to get the suitable and effective data assessment measures, the scholar hasselected the proper and most effective manner. The proper selection of a sample size will helpthe scholar or data analyser to get the effective and most effective and significant manner. Thecurrent research activity or assessment process involves the sample size of 30 individuals orparticipants, involving in research process as respondents. This sample frame assists theorganisation to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of operations and thus, significantlyleads to development of a proper rise in understanding. Our sampling strategy was purposivein nature as the sample size taken for the evaluation purposes.Response rate:Response rate is the number of individuals answers the survey out of the total sample sizethat is been chosen (Amran, Lee and Devi, 2014). As the primary data collection measureinvolving the development of a proper interview or questionnaire is been chosen, themanagement of the response rate is very crucial and effective for the data research process. TheResponse rate of entire survey was about 70% in favour of Yes.Means of Data collection and Data analysis:For the research or data assessment process, the primary data collection method is beenchosen to look at the sample size and requirement of precise statical data. Other than this, thethematic measure of data analysis is been taken that will help the organisation to focus andconcentrate upon the research operations with a higher effectiveness and effective manner (DeRoeck and et.al., 2014).LITERATURE REVIEWLooking at the rise in the competition in retail sector and the importance of the Corporatesocial responsibilities to monitor the impact of store closure and relocation for a retail firm likeMarks and Spencer. This process assists in increasing of the efficiency of the retail operationsand activities that will assist in improving core performance of organisation with a higher3
efficiency. The proper assessment of the business activities and corporate operations will assistfirm to enhance the effectiveness of retail facilities and operations. Concepts and Theories on CSRStakeholder TheoryAs per the views of Hörisch, Freeman and Schaltegger (2014), stakeholder is the mirrorimage of CSR. It lists down and describes those individuals and groups which will be affected byactions taken by company. The stakeholder theory implies that those who are touched bycompany in any manner hold rights and obligations for participating and directing overalloperations being member of corporation. The stakeholders in the company have righteous way toraise their individual's voices for contributing towards corporate decisions. They have moralclaim for participating in decision-making process and right to manage corporate affairs. Thefive cardinal stakeholders are shareholders, workers, customers, suppliers and community.Shareholder Theory Mohammed (2013) says that social responsibility of business is to maximise its profits.Businesses have no obligation for supporting social causes that do not fall under the purview oflaw. The corporations' task is to utilise resources and engage in activities for increasing profitsand to stay in the competition. Management of the company which are entrusted as employees oforganisation should not act as 'protectors of public interest' or of society at large and this shouldremain responsibility of state alone in any of the circumstances.Triple Bottom Line ConceptSlaper and Hall (2011) says that triple bottom line is a form of CSR implying thatcorporate leaders takes into account bottom-line results in economic terms such as costs andrevenue and also with regards to organisation effects in social realm and to the environment. Thethree areas described in this concept are economic sustainability, social sustainability andenvironmental sustainability. Economic sustainability takes long-term financial viability overvolatile, short-term profits regardless how high are they. Large corporations have responsibilityfor producing business plans clarifying stable and prolonged actions in it.Social sustainability takes value of balance in lives of people and how the way they live.As the imbalances is at constant growth, this is evident that rich getting more richer and poorgetting more poorer, it shows chances of sudden collapse of society as a whole. The wealth andsavings are to fairly distributed in order to maintain solid balance in society. It focuses on human4
aspect as well as no workers should be treated like machines to reach an hour production. Theenvironmental sustainability affirms with the fact that natural resources are limited and futuregenerations will not be able to enjoy these resources. The recycling and cleaning upcontamination is significant for making better place to live in. By combining these three notionsof sustainability, it guides business towards action to the concept of corporation as a participatingcitizen in community. Environmental and Social Impacts governing CSRGoss and Roberts (2011) argues that major environmental impacts in relation toproduction includes waste-water emissions from finishing, washing process, increase inpollution, depletion of resources from consumption of water and raw materials. CSRresponsibility is to be taken into account as larger environmental impact has major societalimpact on society which should not exhaust natural resources and make life of people miserable.However, Garay and Font (2012) says that organisations should make provision to not to depletenatural resources and initiate recycling of things for making alternative use of same sources foreffective utilization of resources. It helps to get proper usage of resources and societal impact canbe minimised in a better manner. With firms operating on global scale, style of conductingbusiness has transformed and so as to cope up with the same, social responsibility plays crucialrole. Thus, business style has to changed for gaining benefits.Definition of Corporate social responsibilitiesIn accordance with the findings of Azmi, Misral and Maksum, 2018, the Corporate socialresponsibilities can be defined as, “Social influencing measures that will impact the overallexecution of trade and other functional activities with effeciency.” The Corporate socialresponsibilities not only involve the internal functionality of a business enterprise but also theexternal and additional operation that are performed by a retail entity. These measures arerequired to be looked after significantly in order to get the suitable and most effective outputfrom the business activities and their management. A good placing of strategies and followingthem with preciseness will help selected retail enterprise to draft down suitable strategies andaction plans. It is a strategy that will help in proper management of Corporate socialresponsibility operations that are been taken within the organisation.Other than this, Aguilera And et.al., 2015, stated that proper management of Corporatesocial responsibilities measures like local supportive and growth activities that are been followed5
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