The Role of Digital Marketing in Improving Organizational Performance during COVID-19: A Study on Marks and Spencer

This research paper explores the role of digital marketing in improving the organizational performance of Marks and Spencer during the global pandemic COVID-19. It examines the challenges faced by the company in the absence of digital marketing and the conceptual framework of digital marketing in the context of the retail industry. The research methodology includes a survey strategy and frequency distribution analysis.

RESEARCH METHODS
1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Background of the research.........................................................................................................3
Research aim, objectives and questions.......................................................................................3
Research rationale with justification...........................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
Conceptual framework of digital marketing in the context of retail industry.............................5
Challenges faced by Marks and Spencer during COVID-19 in absence of digital marketing?. .5
Role of digital marketing in improving the organizational performance of Marks and Spencer
during the global pandemic COVID-19......................................................................................6
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................8
Time scale....................................................................................................................................9
Gantt chart...................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Background of the research
Digital marketing plays a very important role in an organisation as it helps in promoting
the goods and services through the use of internet and other different types of digital
communication (Ketter and Avraham, 2021). With the high impact of COVID-19 in the global
market has resulted in reducing the overall business productivity and performance of employees
working. This is defined as the form of online marketing and helps the business in selling their
goods by the use of internet during the time of pandemic to the customers. The chosen
organisation in the following research is Marks and Spencer. Marks and Spencer is considered as
a British multinational retailer which is headquartered in Paddington, London and mainly
focuses on delivering good quality clothing, home and beauty products to the customers.
Research aim, objectives and questions
Research aim:
To identify the role of digital marketing in improving the organizational performance
during the global pandemic COVID-19: A study on Marks and Spencer
Research objectives:
• To understand the conceptual framework of digital marketing in the context of retail
industry.
• To examine the challenges faced by Marks and Spencer during COVID-19 in absence of
digital marketing.
• To identify the role of digital marketing in improving the organizational performance of
Marks and Spencer during the global pandemic COVID-19.
Research questions:
• What is the role of digital marketing in context of retail industry?
• What are the challenges faced by Marks and Spencer during COVID-19 in absence of
digital marketing?
• What is the role of digital marketing in improving the organizational performance of
Marks and Spencer during the global pandemic COVID-19?
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Research rationale with justification
The main idea of carrying out this present research is that it helps in identifying the role
of digital marketing in enhancing the performance and productivity of the business during
COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has affected the operations of the business adversely within
the retail industry and this has decreased the working efficiency and effectiveness of employees
to work in the company (Redjeki and Affandi, 2021). There are mainly two types of objectives
that have been fulfilled by the researcher while conducting this study ad they are defined as
personal and professional objectives. In relation to personal objectives, the researcher has gained
knowledge and skills related to the role of digital marketing during the time of pandemic. On the
other hand, in terms of professional objectives, the researcher gets detailed knowledge about
digital marketing and how it helps the organisation in improving their overall performance in the
time of COVID-19 pandemic.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual framework of digital marketing in the context of retail industry.
As per the view of Sample, Hagtvedt and Brasel (2020), digital marketing can be defined
as the process of selling goods and services of an organisation through online websites in order
to reach large number of customers. Digital marketing plays a crucial role in the business
because it helps in connecting with the customers by the use of internet with different social
media channels for achieving the predetermined goals of the organisation. There are various
forms of digital marketing channels such as online websites, social media platforms, mobile
devices and many more that helps in reaching large audience in the market. It is important for the
retail managers to adopt digital marketing tools with the changing marketing conditions so that
high growth and success can be attained in the competitive business market. The main goal of
setting up digital marketing within the business is to enhance the working operations of the
business and in improving the working efficiency and capability of employees. Digital marketing
is also known as online marketing and helps the business organisation in selling their quality
products through different social media platforms so that more and more customers get familiar
with the brand (Ho, Pang and Choy, 2020). There are several benefits of adopting digital
marketing tools within the business so that they reach large share in the market. Now a day’s
customers are moving towards social media and spent most of their time online and that is why it
is important for the company to sell their products through online platforms so that all the
customers get to know about the their best services. This helps the retail industry in promoting
their services by creating innovative and creative posts that result in attracting number of
customers towards buying the quality product in the competitive market (Ritz, Wolf and
McQuitty, 2019). It is the most important tool in today’s business world as it helps in increasing
the growth and profitability of the business in the market. Thus, digital marketing is the most
necessary concept in today’s competitive environment and helps in achieving the set goals and
objectives of the business in an effective manner.
Challenges faced by Marks and Spencer during COVID-19 in absence of digital marketing?
As per the view of Hu (2022), every organisation needs digital marketing to promote
their products and services to the customers so that high growth and productivity can be attained
in the competitive retail industry. Digital marketing is needed by the company in order to
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improve their online presence in the market and in attracting potential clients and customers.
With the effect of COVID-19 in the global market, many businesses have resulted in closure and
this has resulted in decreased productivity and profitability. In the absence of digital marketing in
an organisation, they will face the problem of not getting potential customers for the purchase of
goods and services which is regarded as a major problem within the company. There are several
challenges the company face in the absence of digital marketing during the time of COVID-19
pandemic which are defined as under:
 High competition – With the effect of COVID-19 in the business market, it is very
important for the company to sell their goods through online market so that more and
more customers purchase the product (Rahadjeng, Wahyuni and Leniwwati, 2022). High
competition is considered as the major challenge that company will face in the absence of
digital marketing within the business. To survive in the market during the time of
pandemic, it is important for the company to use social media channels for promoting
their products to the potential customers.
 Low productivity and growth – This is also considered as a major challenge which the
company face at the time of COVID-19 pandemic which results in decreasing the
working efficiency of employees as they are scared of getting infected. It is important for
the company to sell their products through online website so that customers get all the
products at their doorsteps when they cannot move out of their houses.
 Less number of customers – COVID-19 has resulted in decreasing the number of
customers for buying the particular products and services as they are scared of getting
infected by the deadly virus. It is important for the company to adopt digital marketing
within the business so that they attract large number of customers by her unique ideas and
content (Satrio and Muhardono, 2022).
Role of digital marketing in improving the organizational performance of Marks and Spencer
during the global pandemic COVID-19.
As per the view of Morzhyna, Oliinichenko and Postykina (2019), digital marketing plays
a very important role in the business as it helps in increasing the profitability and growth in the
competitive market an in gaining more customer in the large market. It is the responsibility of the
company managers to choose the right channel of digital marketing for promoting the products
and services of e business to the customers in the time of COVID-19. With the help of digital
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marketing, the company can sell its quality products and services in the market through online
portals and this helps the customers in ordering products online in the pandemic time effectively.
The benefits of having digital marketing within the business during COVID-19 are defined as
follows:
 Building brand awareness – As COVID-19 occurs uncertainly in the life of people has
resulted in decreasing the productivity of the business but with the adoption of digital
marketing they can acquire more number of customers (Hu and Olivieri, 2021). This also
helps in building awareness for the brand in the mind of customers so that they their trust
gets increased for the quality and hygiene products.
 Create attractive and helpful content – Digital marketing helps the business managers
in creating helpful and attractive content for gaining high number of customers for
products purchase. It is very important for the company to build trust in the mind of
customers by giving them a sense of trust that they are following all the COVID-19
related norms and rules.
 Increased profitability – Digital marketing helps in selling the products and services of
the company to the customers through online website in the market and this result in
increasing the overall profitability (Emini and Merovci, 2021). It is important for the
company to provide online delivery facility to the customer so that they order the
products easily without any fear.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is considered as the most important section in the complete
research as this helps the researcher in gathering and analysing accurate information about the
selected topic or study (Mohajan, 2018). There are several research methods that help in
collecting and interpreting right and detailed information about the topic in an effective and
systematic manner.
Research philosophy
Research philosophy is the most important method of research methodology as it helps in
getting reliable and valuable information about the chosen topic. Positivism and interpretivism
are two important philosophies of research philosophy. In the following research, positivism
research philosophy is used by the researcher. It is selected because it helps in analysing
quantitative data in a more effective and scientific manner.
Research approach
Research approach is defined as set plan that helps the investigator in gathering quality
information about the topic (Gear, Eppel and Koziol-Mclain, 2018). Deductive and inductive are
the two types of approaches that the researcher considers. Deductive approach has been selected
by the investigator in the present investigation. This approach is selected because it helps in
testing the theories in an effective manner and in less time.
Research strategy
Research strategy helps the researcher in giving direction about how to carry out the
whole research. Focus group, interview, survey, experimental research, ground theory are some
of the research strategies that help in gathering the quantitative information in an easy manner
(Ndlovu-Gatsheni, 2019). In conducting the present research survey strategy is used by the
researcher. It is used because it helps in collecting information from different respondents in a
fair manner.
Research choice
Quantitative and qualitative are two different types of research choice methods that help
in collecting true and correct information. For carrying out the current investigation, quantitative
research choice method is selected by the investigator. It is selected by the investigator because it
consists of numerical fact and figures which are comparatively easier to understand and
calculate.
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Time horizon
Time horizon is the most effective method that helps in completing the research in a
timely manner (Hoon and Singh, 2019). Longitudinal and cross-sectional are defined as two of
the time horizon methods. Cross-sectional method is used by the researcher in carrying out the
present research. It is used because it helps in managing the time in an effective way and in less
cost.
Data collection
Data collection is the method that helps in collecting information on the chosen topic in a
proper manner. Primary and secondary are the two methods of collecting data (Tayebi
Abolhasani, 2019). The researcher has selected both the methods for carrying out the present
research in an effective manner. It is selected because it helps in gathering information about the
topic from various different sources.
Data analysis
There are several techniques that are related to data analysis and are defined as thematic
analysis and frequency distribution analysis and many more. Frequency distribution analysis is
selected by the investigator in the current ongoing investigation (Datta, 2018). It is selected
because it helps in calculating exact and accurate data from different respondents.
Ethical consideration
Ethics are the most important part of the research because it helps in carrying out the
research in a proper manner (Daniel, 2018). There are different ethics principles that help the
researcher in gaining valuable information such as maintaining privacy of participants,
maintaining of private data and so on.
Time scale
For completing the research in the systematic manner, the researcher has used Gantt
chart. Gantt chart is the most effective method that manages the overall time and divides the
activities in different time slots (Robles, 2018).
Gantt chart
Milestone Projectiv
e
Activities
W1 W3 W4 W7 W8 W11 W12 W16 W17 W20 W21 W23 W24
M1 Project
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formulatio
n and
Project
Planning
M2 Literature
Review
M3 Methodolog
y
M4 Data
Collection
and
Analysis
M5 Discussion
of the
results
M6 Report
writing
M7 Presentation
of the
project to
the Board
of
Directors
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