Crafting Your Future: Professional Practice and Research

This report provides details about the background of the retail industry and sectors, analyzing the critical environment, changes, trends with literature review. Also, evaluating creative and ethical leadership skills required in the retail industry. Further, providing self-reflection on skills, experience developed and helps in growing in future career path. Lastly designing the personal development plan for explaining strengths, weakness and other developments of skills needed for growing in adopting the career option as a business manager in the retail sector.

CRAFTING YOUR
FLUTURE: PROFESIONAL
PRACTICE AND
RESEARCH

Table of Contents.
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY .................................................................................................................................3
Research Essay.................................................................................................................................3
Brief background and context of the industry/sector/market being researched and analysed.....3
Brief literature review by critically analysing the industry’s competitive environment, changes
and trends in that environment using the appropriate tools.........................................................4
Analysing for the Industry in terms of its direction and opportunities helps in developing
career and requires specializing skill set and its place in relation to opportunities.....................5
Analysing creative and ethical leadership skills are required in retail industry. ........................5
Digital showcase of self-reflection .................................................................................................6
Personal Development Plan.............................................................................................................8
A. Personal Analysis....................................................................................................................8
B. Setting Goals ..........................................................................................................................9
C. Personal objectives................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Professional portfolio comprises the abilities and skills which helps inn developing
professionally. This portfolio helps in enhancing the skills and helps in better targetting about the
strengths and abilities for presenting in creative way as while developing and choosing career
option. Development professional way helps in learning and acquiring new skills for growing
career as with succeeding work options. As consultant to offer specialist advice to the retail
sector company (sainsburry) as for entering and developing career as a Business manager. This
report provide details about background of industry and sectors. Analysing critical environment ,
changes, trends with literature review. Also, evaluating creative and ethical leadership skills
required in retail industry. Further, providing self reflection on skills, experience developed and
helps in growing in future career path. Lastly designing the personal development plan for
explaining strengths, weakness and other developments of skills needed for growing in adopting
the career option as business manager in retail sector.
MAIN BODY
Research Essay
Brief background and context of the industry/sector/market being researched and analysed
Retail industry sectors comprises selling and distributing the good and services to large
number of consumers. Retail industry mainly includes selling and doing retail sales as of
grocery, departmental stores, various Independent stores. Sainsbury recognized as the
multinational retailer selling various food and non-food products to large number of consumers.
The company is mainly selling retail and grocery products also clothing products, equipments,
providing various financial services to large number of consumers globally. The market being
researched is the mass market in which sainsburry is serving groceries and other food and non-
food products by charging fair prices also offering various discounts. The company is serving to
mass market by valuing the quality of products. Sainsbury the retail industry is serving
consumers with up most priority by building the strong brand image with offering the best
quality and providing various ranges of food products (J Sainsbury plc - Company Profile,
Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on J Sainsbury plc, 2022).
The retail sectors is being researched which mainly comprises selling food products to various
individuals directly by offering product portfolio as established the supermarkets.

Brief literature review by critically analysing the industry’s competitive environment, changes
and trends in that environment using the appropriate tools
By using Porter five forces analysis helps in evaluating and analysing the companies
competitive environment. By using this analysis helps in determining the companies and market
potentials as for generating profits for the retail business sector. Porter five force comprise five
factors which helps in evaluating companies competitive environment.
According to the (Kim, Kim and Hwang, 2020) Competitive Rivalry of the retail sectors
as operating a supermarket in the dynamic environment. Supermarkets face large level of
competition as of Sainsbury , large level of competitors are mainly ASDA, TESCO. Due to large
level of competition in retail market as for selling the same food and non-food grocery items to
consumers. With the intense competition as of changing trends. Consumers shift to those retails
markets which is offering products to lower prices with optimum quality. For this due to high
level of competition it provides various opportunities as for growing career option in the retail
sector. As it also offers different jobs in retail market and provide possibility for growing
continuously.
As per the view point of (Kleisiari, Duquenne and Vlontzos, 2021) Threat of Substitutes
is high, as retail market mainly comprise of selling grocery products to consumers. For this there
are various retail stores, supermarkets operating into the dynamic market. This provides
consumers for substituting from one store to another which provide products at low cost and
effective with charging prices. As with the high substitutes selling retail grocery products, it
impact individual job level as of manager and the retail business profit earning ratio.
According to (Lumpkin and Achen, 2018) Threat of New Entrants in retail market is
intense and quite high . Which impose barriers to retail sectors as for increasing profits. This aid
in adopting various strategies to the retail sectors by optimizing the infrastructure and offering
low cost products to large number of consumers with improving and adding new features.
Further more the retail sector must have to increases its efficiency for serving and producing
various food products. As with the new entrants offering new innovate products to consumers
will affects the other retail stores and market.
Bargaining Power of buyers as per the (Naidoo and Gasparatos, 2018) bargaining power
is high of the buyers as large number of buyers are available in market as for purchasing grocery

products for the rail stores, supermarkets also attracted for purchasing innovate and new trendy
products which us served by retailers. Bargaining power of the retail industry is high, for this
threat of substitutes is also high for this retail sector must adopt the differentiated quality of
products. Also, the suppliers are those which supply raw materials to produce the ultimate goods,
supplier power is ow in retail sectors, retail business tends to shift from one supplier to another
as of obtaining low cost of raw materials.
Analysing for the Industry in terms of its direction and opportunities helps in developing career
and requires specializing skill set and its place in relation to opportunities
When entering in retail sector as a business manager various growing the opportunities
helps in acquiring new and creative skills as for operating the retail supermarket stores and
provide different opportunities for growing career. It provides various career opportunities as a
retail manager as it is mainly increasing opportunity as of the merchandising the products and
various outlets (Tereso and et.al., 2019). Various career opportunities as of when an individual
heave interest in merchandising, marketing, selling, doing market research and campaigning of
the products and services provide by the retail industry. Also, handling sales, management,
administrative departmental services.
Analysing creative and ethical leadership skills are required in retail industry.
For a leader and manager in business profession in the retail sector various ethical
leadership skill must be acquired in order to promote creativeness which helps in enhancing
companies inventiveness and other practices.
Honesty: These skills emphasizes on being honest with the employees while
communicating various information as for completing task in the retail business sectors as in
supermarkets. This helps in building effective relations and ensures trustworthiness for
employees as well as for consumers helps in building loyal consumers and retaining employees
in company.
Transparency: By communicating all the necessary information to consumer and
employees in transparently manner helps in ethically operating task in retail sector.
Respect: Respecting employees and consumers is the key skill as of ethical leadership
(Javed and et.al., 2020). This helps in keeping word of mouth and disclosing all the information
related to work in the retail industry. Respecting each other role helps in attaining goals
effectively.

Trust: By being honest helps in building trust and belongingness with consumer and
employees, trust is important for employees which helps in allocating task and responsibility as a
leader and achieving goals in effective way as by communicating freely and guiding
effectively(Sohl and Folta, 2021).
Integrity and customer loyalty: This is effective ethical leadership skills as by aligning
al the task and goals of employee in consistent manner (Hoffman and Tadelis, 2021). As by
establishing strong moral purpose and being honest with employees and consumers helps in
attracting talented workers and establishing loyal consumer base for purchasing grocery and
retail products from store.
Digital showcase of self-reflection
My experience during my learning journey which impacted the growth of my leadership
has been considered to be the factor that has been able to influence my future as a business
manager in the retail sector. I wanted to get hired in Sainsbury as a manager due to the 1 year of
experience which I had for the creation of the growth opportunities. In my experience I was able
to learn all about the key practices which are crucial for a manager in the retail sector. I was a
assistant manager in that organization before I became the manager. This was the time when I
was able to develop a knowledge and experience which allowed me to bring operational growth
to my leaderships skills.
The assumptions that I made for this job role was that it would be very similar to my
experience in the small retail store. I expected large quantities of differences. These assumptions
were also towards the customers which would come into the retail store. I was hoping that the
customers which came to these stores were considered to be the ones that already knew what
they were looking for hence as a manager it was hard for me to develop strong relationships with
the customers. I can also explain the ways in which I was able to develop a key understanding of
the ways in which management of the employees was more important in the retail sector due to
the growth of the operations.
My experience with the management of the employees in the past showed me exactly
how effective I was in managing the customers. For me being able to manage the employees was
the result of my excellent communication skills, social skills and also the interpersonal skills.
However, the key factor which provided my organization the success was that I was a team
player despite being a leader I believed in the working as a team through collaboration. For me

the most important part of the ways in which I was able to grow my experience which was
directly towards the success of the individuals. However, there were areas in which I lacked
growth was creativity of my operations which was the main reason why I was not able to bring
new ideas into the company that I worked for (Tereso and et.al., 2019). This is also the reason
why I was poor with my critical thinking this was the factor that affected the experience as a
manager.
However, my focus was always on improving myself as a leader which was the factor
that influenced me towards the ways in which I can bring new ideas to the business. Hence, for
being more effective in the decision-making I adapted the idea of consulting with the employees
in order to make sure that the decisions made by me were more efficient. My poor, IT skills were
the biggest issues that I faced during the digital communication. Hence, I established training and
development practices in which we were taught about the ways in which we can improve our
technical abilities.
I will take various action as for improving my organizing skills in retail sector as being
the manger. These skills are very important as for completing and organizing various task of
employees and various activities. Also, I will be prioritizing each task for completing in on time
as being the manager in retail store. Further by creating morning routine for reaching on time
and categorizing the administrative work and completing it with the priority. I will also maintain
and design to do list as for completing work with the due date and on time as of managing the
financial budgets. As organizing all the flow of activities helps in improving the communicating
skills this helps in being productive manager as for utilizing time in saving it for completing
important task. Also, for improving the IT, creative and critical thinking skills as I will attend
various workshops for IT skills also using various tool as for managing the work in company it
helps in increasing efficiency and saves time for completing work. Furthermore, for developing
critical thinking skill as by asking various questions and investing detail information for
researching and selecting the best alternative among various options. Further I will suggest
various solutions and addressing various new projects for improving brain storming an
encouraging creativity.
I have learned various skills which is necessary for being the business manager in the
retail sector as of Sainsbury. Before being a manager in the Sainsbury supermarket store, I was
working as assistant manager there I have learned different knowledge and skill which has

helped me to acquire the leadership skills which is very important as of being the manager in
retail sectors. These skill helps me in guiding all the employees by explaining there roles in
company. Also, I have learned the communication skills with the previous job when working as
assistant manager in small store. Also, while working in teams in previous job has helped me in
acquiring team working skills which has further supported me with growing and driving better
experience as working as Sainsbury manger, these learning experience helps me in reducing all
the hurdles which was occurred in previous job and aid in directing towards my career as
business manager in Sainsbury.
As being the assistant manger in the previous job, I was not involving and encouraging
employees as it consider the view points in taking decision related to business which has
impacted by critical thinking skills as business manager in Sainsbury. If this happened again I
will encourage all employees by welcoming their views about the hurdles and taking decision
with selecting the best alternative. This will help me in improving my critical thinking as by
taking decisions in effective manner. Also, providing various opinions for taking decisions and
solutions to company.
Personal Development Plan
A. Personal Analysis
STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES
My biggest strength as being a manager is that
with great communication skills helps me in
informing all employees for working
effectively in company. Also, I am able to
handle problems and pressure well helps me in
solving problems in effective manager arising
in company. also, with the excellence
communicating and team Woking skills will
help me in grasping better carer options as
manager in coming future in big companies.
As by acquiring various skills for being the
effective manager in company. This skill
provide me various opportunities as by
identifying the gab between the working and
skills gap. As this skill and my previous
experience helps in grasping various career
opportunities in big companies and handling
and organizing the day to day task and
maintaining the financial records and budgets
for the big companies.
ASPIRATIONS RESULTS
My main aspiration as want to work with As acquiring the critical thinking skills by

utmost respect in big companies. This helps in
motivating me and acquiring additional skills
as for engaging in career growth . Also, my
main motivating factor is to gain managerial
success and grab top managing position in
business as for handling all the operating and
financing activities for the company. Also,
becoming expert and managing effectively all
workings so that it will help me in growing
more career opportunity as a manager. Further,
by considering various individual for making
decisions while managing day to day operation
in business this motivates me for thinking
critically.
encouraging employees for participating into
decision-making helps in gaining positive
results by solving the business problems wit
taking appropriate decisions in company. As
with gaining managerial success in life helps
me in managing effectively day to day
operations in company and handling all he
operations ineffective manner.
B. Setting Goals
What do I want to
learn?
What do I have to
do?
What support and
resources will I
need?
How will I
measure my
success?
Target date for
review of results.

Critical thinking
skills
By being more
self-aware and
encouraging
employees for
suggesting
various ideas
helps in
evaluating and
brain storming for
selecting the best
alternative .
I will need
opinion and
preferences of
other as for
thinking critically
which helps in
selecting the best
alternative and
taking effective
decisions in
company. Also,
taking
suggestions and
references from
books, various
articles and
journals.
I will measure my
success by
evaluating about
the identification
of solution with
choosing the best
alternatives.
5 th April
IT skills As by attending
various
workshops for
acquiring IT
skills, also
organizing
training and
development
programs for
improving
technical abilities.
Computer
systems Is
necessary for
developing IT
skills. By using
various software
for acquiring
basic knowledge
as for ms word,
ms excel. Also,
with online
course as of code
academy and
coursea helps in
When I am able
to operate the
software and
basic function on
the computer as
for managing
tasks. Also,
judging ability to
learn about the
production
system and
keeping costs line
of productions
helps in
10 th April

acquiring IT skills
, also attending
various training
programs.
measuring
success of
acquiring the
technical abilities.
Organizing and
creativity skills
By prioritizing
each task and
maintaining to do
list for managing
time and
completing work
as desired.
Creating plans by
using pen and
paper, also
organizing each
task by making
to- do list using
notebook and
book marking
slips.
Will measure
success as when I
am able to
organize and
complete work
before time. Also,
managing all day
to day operations
with consistently
communicating
and scheduling all
the work and task.
15 th April
C. Personal objectives
Short-term goals (next six months)
Improving critical thinking skills as for involving different opinion and suggestion from
employee in order to improve the team working results in productive employees.
Becoming more organized and completing task before time as for prioritizing work, managing
all day to day operation's effectively for optimizing results and improving customer services.
Medium Term Goals (next 2 – 3 years)
Medium term goal is to reduce the cost of manufacturing as for producing cost-efficient
products for increasing profits as a manager in company.
Learning and imparting new abilities for increasing growth of company and increasing market

share.
Long Term Goals (following 3 to 5 years)
Hiring potential employees for increasing the efficiency and productivity for achieving profits.
Getting promoted to the higher position at work as for managing the whole large level company.
CONCLUSION
From the above portfolio report it can be concluded that choosing career option in retail
sector in Sainsbury. Retail sectors in recent times is growing fastly and provide various career
opportunities. Choosing a business manager in retail sector, Sainsbury is recognized as retailer
selling various food and non-food items to large level of consumers. With analysing industry
competitive environment by using the porter five forces model. Also, various skills needs as
ethical leadership as trust, respect, integrity, honesty. Further, respecting on the experiences
which helps in transferring various skills for growing career in the future. With the development
plan helps in analysing the strengths weakness and also developing skills and abilities for
establishing the bench mark for future.
REFERENCES
Hoffman, M and Tadelis, S., 2021. People management skills, employee attrition, and manager
rewards: An empirical analysis. Journal of Political Economy. 129(1). pp.243-285.
Javed, B and et.al., 2020. Openness to experience, ethical leadership, and innovative work
behavior. The Journal of creative behavior. 54(1). pp.211-223.
Kim, W., Kim, H. and Hwang, J., 2020. Sustainable growth for the self-employed in the retail
industry based on customer equity, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. Journal of
Retailing and Consumer Services. 53. p.101963.
Kleisiari, C., Duquenne, M. N. and Vlontzos, G., 2021. E-Commerce in the Retail Chain Store
Market: An Alternative or a Main Trend?. Sustainability. 13(8). p.4392.
Lumpkin, A. and Achen, R. M., 2018. Explicating the synergies of self‐determination theory,
ethical leadership, servant leadership, and emotional intelligence. Journal of Leadership
Studies. 12(1). pp.6-20.

Naidoo, M. and Gasparatos, A., 2018. Corporate environmental sustainability in the retail sector:
Drivers, strategies and performance measurement. Journal of Cleaner Production. 203.
pp.125-142.
Sohl, T. and Folta, T. B., 2021. Market exit and the potential for resource redeployment:
Evidence from the global retail sector. Strategic Management Journal. 42(12). pp.2273-
2293.
Tereso, A and et.al., 2019. Project management practices in private organizations. Project
Management Journal. 50(1). pp.6-22.
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