Marketing Strategies for M&S

This assignment delves into the marketing strategies employed by Marks & Spencer (M&S). It examines various aspects such as the impact of different profitability objectives on strategy choices, the importance of customer satisfaction in building brand image, and the role of training and development in employee performance. The analysis also highlights key elements within M&S's training programs and their influence on employee growth and success.

RESEARCH
PROJECT

Table of Contents
TITLE: ............................................................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
1.1 Overview of the Research .....................................................................................................1
1.2 Background of the Research .................................................................................................1
1.3 Significance of the Research..................................................................................................1
1.4 Research Aim ........................................................................................................................2
1.5 Research Objectives ..............................................................................................................2
1.6 Research Question ................................................................................................................2
1.7 Time Scale ............................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................4
Introduction .................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Importance of Training and Development within Organisation............................................4
2.2 The impact of employees training on developing organisational performance and
productivity..................................................................................................................................4
2.3 Relationship between training and enhancement of performance of organization................5
2.4 Essential various ways by which organisation can sustain higher position at market place.
......................................................................................................................................................6
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................6
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS ................................................................................................9
5.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................23
5.2 Recommendation ................................................................................................................23

TITLE:
To analyse the importance of training and development within organisation and its impact
on organisational performance and productivity. A Case study on Marks and Spencer.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview of the Research
Training and development can be considered as an necessary element of each
organisational concern as it helps in enhancing organisational performance and productivity at
market place. In this modern era the basic intention of each business concern is to offer quality
goods and services through processing skills and ability of people at work place. Organisations
and its higher authorities are concern on hiring well educated and skilled people at work place as
to enhancing firms performance and profitability (Beier, Teachout and Cox, 2012). Marks and
Spencer plc is a most popular British multinational retailer which is headquartered is in city of
Westminster, London. The central objective of each business arrangement is to satisfying the
changing necessarily and preferences of buyers through producing more qualitative goods and
products.
1.2 Background of the Research
In the modern era each business organisation are focused on developing organisational
performance through increasing their sales and revenue. Marks and Spencer is public limited
company and deals in luxury goods and services. The company was founded in the year of 1884
by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. Company is basically focused on selling branded goods
as to sustaining customers for long time. Organisations are concern on hiring expert and
educated people at work place in order to attract customers through rendering detailed
information about the offered goods and services.
1.3 Significance of the Research
The elementary purpose for administration the investigation is to enhancing the skills and
ability of individual in the area of analysing the importance of training and development within
organisation and its performance. In this modern global each organisational concern is concern
on exhortatory employees at work place through providing effective training and development
session. Training helps in developing the skills and ability of employees at work place and also
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provides a significant direction to attaining desired goals and objectives (Brewster and
Hegewisch, 2017).
1.4 Research Aim
This is the most essential part of research as it helps in defining a clear vision about the
variables that are involved in the research title. This is a predetermined statement which aid the
investigator to carry out the work in right manner. The major aim of this particular research is to
analyse the importance of training and development within organisation and its impact on
organisational performance and productivity. A Case study on Marks and Spencer.
1.5 Research Objectives
 To determine the importance of training and development within Marks and Spencer.
 To ascertain the impact of employees training on developing organisational performance
and productivity.
 To identifying the relationship between training and enhancing organisational
performance.
 To recommend various ways by which organisation can sustain higher position at market
place.
1.6 Research Question
 What are the importance of training and development within Marks and Spencer?
 What is the impact of employees training on developing organisational performance and
productivity?
 How to identifying the relationship between training and enhancing organisational
performance?
 What are the essential ways by which organisation can sustain higher position at market
place?
1.7 Time Scale
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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This a most effective part of any research investigation as it helps in conducting an in-
depth research on some specified objectives. A comprehensive review of literature is essential as
it gives an up to date understanding and specification of a particular subject (Costen and Salazar,
2011). In this subdivision of research is based on view points of authors and writes who are
having some knowledge on the given area of research.
2.1 Importance of Training and Development within Organisation
As per the views of Shelly frost, 2018. Training and development of workforce plays a
very crucial role in success and growth of an organization. Marks and Spencer is a multinational
company operating in various countries. Its employees have to treat and serve customers who
belongs to various regions therefore they would need skills to serve their customers well.
Through proper training and development programme a company can bring efficiency in the
overall operations and results in higher sales and profitability for the firm (Srimannarayana,
2011). There is a constant change that is taking place in the global environment in order to walk
with such changes the workforce of the company should be well trained and developed in the
requires skills. A effective training and development programme will ensure that performance of
employees is enhanced and there is a satisfaction among employees. Consistency is achieved in
workings of the company like safety, discrimination, and administrative tasks. It also helps
organization in effective management of its scarce resources like machinery production
processes etc. Reduction in errors in the working of employees within company can be seen and
accidents are also minimized. It also results in cost efficiency because cost of monitoring is also
reduced through effective training and development programme.
2.2 The impact of employees training on developing organisational performance and
productivity.
According to Daley, 2012, training and development is most important part of
human resource. This department organise different training session in order to develop skills
and knowledge of employee working in organisation. Implementing new and innovative methods
of training brings effectiveness in working processes of employee working at workplace.
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Training and development enhance performance of employee to produce large number of
products in stipulated time frame. It helps to achieve goals and objectives of organisation. It is
very essential for organisation to design different methods of training in systematic manner so
that skills and knowledge of employee can be improve (Seidle, Fernandez and Perry, 2016).
Wrong training methods reduce the performance of employees and reduce productivity of
organisation. Likewise right training methods enhance the work effectiveness of employee and
enhance productivity of organisation. Development of employee leads to enhance performance
by implementing innovative leads to satisfy needs of organisation.
Various training programmes which is offered by organisation which helps
employees to groom their skills so that it help to complete different processes as per
requirement of task (Harrison, 2011). So it aids to enhance performance of employees which
increase productivity of organisation. Training and development enhance work efficiency of
employees.
2.3 Relationship between training and enhancement of performance of organization
As per the views of Vishwas vats, 2016. Training affects organization in various ways
and it helps in overall growth of the company. The various benefits of training in enhancement of
performance of the organization are as follows :
 Development of skills and knowledge : Proper training helps employees in acquiring
right kind of skill sets to perform tasks and do their job in a better way. The attitude of
employees are also changes towards their work after effective rounds of training and
development.
 Time and cost efficient : Poor performance is also a result of not knowing about the job
properly and how to efficiently perform it. Training ensures equipping employees with
necessary skill sets to perform well. There is a reduction in mistakes and wastages
committed during work (Hendrick and Kleiner, 2016).
 Employee satisfaction : Training enhances knowledge, skills and attitudes of the
employees towards their work. It leads to an increase in the confidence level of
employees and they become more confident in their decision making judgements. They
also work hard for achievement of career and organizational goals.
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2.4 Essential various ways by which organisation can sustain higher position at market place.
According to Zoe Wood, 2016 Mark & Spencer implement various strategies which help
to sustain higher position in marketplace. Marketing manager of company apply innovative
strategies in order to enhance the level of profit. It also put their efforts in order to fulfil desire of
customers. The management focus on different point which help company to achieve highest
position in marketplace.
 Fashion: Mark & Spencer launch various types of cloths which are concerned with latest
model update. It launches various types of clothes which are of latest model.
 Prices: Company understand value of money. It is most important factor which attract
large number of customers (Lambert, Vero and Zimmermann, 2012). Because M&S
provide different products at affordable price.
 Availability: It is strategies which is implemented by manger to maintain availability of
latest model of cloth in marketplace. M&S used to manage to attract large number of
customer in order to enhance sales of clothes by making available different clothes which
are of different size and available in all size.
 Stores: Mark & Spencer deals with retail cloth shops, company opened various types of
shops which are making available according to taste and desire of its customer.
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Types of investigation
There are two types of research investigation such as qualitative and quantitative. The
quantitative approach gives result of quantitative part of research experiment. Qualitative
research investigation give assessment of experiment in the form of theories, hypothesis which
determine various condition of experiment (Martin, 2012). We considered qualitative research
because it is easy to understand outcome of research project.
Research design:
A research design is the set of methods and processes which are used to collect and
analyses the variables which are specified in research. It include with the collection of data and
statistical analyses of plan.
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There are three types of research design like descriptive, exploratory, experimental, design of
research
Descriptive research design: It is concerned with the problem which can be solved by
observing various aspects, analysis, and description. It qualitative result of problems.
Exploratory research design: Exploratory research help to solve the research problem with
help of data collection methods (Rothwell, 2012).
Experimental research design: It I give quantitative result of research. This is basically design
to solve the numerical section of problems.
Research philosophy: research philosophy is the most essential part of research methodology.
These philosophical approaches enables to decide which approach should be adopted by research
er. There are two type of research approaches like interpretive and positivism.
Interpretive research philosophy: it concerned with assessment of difference between human as
social factors. It is based on social life world and differences between the earlier approaches.
Positivism research philosophy: This approach is concerned with natural work procedure
(Saks, Salas and Lewis, 2014). This approach is based on the basis of data collection and
development of hypothesis.
Research approach: Research approaches is a plan and procedure that includes steps of broad
assumptions to detailed methods of data collection analysis and interpretation. There are two
type of research approaches like inductive research approaches and deductive research
approaches
Inductive research approaches: it does not involve formulation of hypothesis. It starts with
research questions and aims and objectives which are necessary during the process of research.
Deductive research approaches: it is based upon theoretical assessment it is predetermined
approaches in order to solve numerical section of data. We considered inductive philosophy
because it give qualitative solution of problems.
Data Sampling: It is a measurable investigation method which are utilized to choose, control
and break down delegate subset of information indicates all together recognize example and
patterns in bigger informational index being inspected.
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Sources of data collection: Information accumulation is the way toward social event and
estimating data on target factors in a methodical methodologies. There are two kinds of
information gathering like essential information accumulation and optional information
gathering.
Primary source of data collection: Primary data is that particularly customised to analyses
needs (Salas, Weaver and Shuffler, 2012).
Secondary source of data collection: secondary source of data collection is concerned with to
gather the data externally or by other persons.
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CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Email Id:
Phone Number:
Q1) Dose training and development session has a positive impact on organisational growth?
Yes
No
Q2) What is the importance of training and development within an organisation?
Enhancement of Knowledge
Skills development
Improvement in productivity
Increase profitability
Q3) Which methods of training are adopted by Marks and Spencer in order to providing
training to their employees and workers?
On the Job
Off the Job
Q4) What is the effect of training and development on the productivity of the firm?
Increased profitability
Increased sales
Increased market share
Q5) What is the effect of training and development on the working of employees?
Increased confidence
Enhancement in productivity
Better results
Q6) What are the major elements in training and development?
Personality development
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Communication skills
Customers relationship management
Q7) Provide recommendation for sustaining organisational productivity and performance?
Questionnaire
Q1) Dose training and development session has a positive impact on
organisational growth?
Frequency
Yes 26
No 4
Q2) What is the importance of training and development within an
organisation?
Frequency
Enhancement of Knowledge 10
Skills development 6
Improvement in productivity 8
Increase profitability 6
Q3) Which methods of training are adopted by Marks and Spencer in order
to providing training to their employees and workers?
Frequency
On the Job 25
Off the Job 5
Q4) What is the effect of training and development on the productivity of the
firm?
Frequency
Increased profitability 9
Increased sales 15
Increased market share 6
Q5) What is the effect of training and development on the working of Frequency
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employees?
Increased confidence 12
Enhancement in productivity 13
Better results 5
Q6) What are the major elements in training and development? Frequency
Personality development 16
Communication skills 10
Customers relationship management 4
Q7) Provide recommendation for sustaining organisational productivity and
performance?
Thematic Analysis
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Theme 1: Training and development session has a positive impact on organisational growth.
12
Yes No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30 26
4
Column B

Findings: As per the above report it has been analysed that training and development has a huge
positive impact on organisational as well as employees performance. 26 out of 30 peoples are
agreeing with this statement and remaining people are not satisfied with the same.
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Theme2: Training and development is important within an organisation.
Findings: As per the above mentioned graph it has been analyzed that training and development
is very much important for organizational as well as employees development. It has various
14
Enhancement of Knowledge
Skills development
Improvement in productivity
Increase profitability
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
10
6
8
6
Column B

importance such as Enhancement of Knowledge, Skills development, Improvement in
productivity, Increase profitability.
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Theme 3: Marks and Spencer adopt most suitable techniques for providing training to their
employees in order to developing their skills and ability.
16
On the Job Off the Job
0
5
10
15
20
25
25
3
Column B

Findings: According to the above mentioned report it has been determined that there are various
techniques of training and development In which Marks and Spencer adopt most suitable tool for
enhancing skills and development of people at work place. 25 out of 30 people select on the job
training and remaining people go with the option of off the job training.
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Theme 4: Training and development has a huge effect on the productivity of the firm.
Findings: As per the given report it has been analysed that training and development has a huge
effect on the productivity of firm as trained employees are good for organisational growth and
18
Increased profitability Increased sales Increased market share
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
9
15
6 Column B

success. 9 out of 30 people are go with the option of increased profitability, 15 people select the
option of increased sales and remaining people go with increased market share.
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Theme 5: The effect of training and development on the working of employees.
Findings: According to the above mentioned report it has been determined that training and
development has a huge impact on employees growth and success.
20
Increased confidence
Enhancement in productivity
Better results
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14 12
13
5 Column B

Theme 6: The major elements in training and development.
Findings:
21
Personality development
Communication skills
Customers relationship management
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
16
10
4
Column B

As per the above given graph it has been concluded that training is important for
Personality development, Communication skills, Customers relationship management.
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CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Conclusion
As per the mention report it has been assumed that management of firm implement
different type of strategies which help to maximise level of profits. It also implement new and
innovative techniques which help to manage order given by customers and also fulfil the desire
of customers. By implementing new range of products and services company able attract large
number of customers which help to meet satisfaction to customers. Organisation works on the
views given by customers in order to build a sustainable brand image in marketplace. It also take
various initiative to know different issues of employees who are working at workplace. Company
should implemented different steps to resolve the different issues arises in organisation. The
manager of firm should implement different strategies in order to enhance the performance of
organisation which leads to maximise profitability of company. By considering views of
employees and its loyal customer organisation can achieve higher position in marketplace.
5.2 Recommendation
In order to improve performance of organisation,manager of organisation should take
various initiative steps in order to development of company. Implementation of new and
innovative technologies help to develop skills and knowledge of employees. It helps to complete
different task in order to attain goals and objectives of organisation. It is recommended that
company should focus on the feedback which are gained by customer. It will help to fulfil desire
of customers. Those feedback are important factors by which company can attract large number
of customers. Implementing concept of strategic performance which help in meet different needs
of customer. M&S should also communicate with their employees in order to enhance
productivity of organisation. It also help to know the various issues if employees and implement
initiative steps to resolve those problems. This recommendation help to expand business in
marketplace and sustain stable position in marketplace. Changing strategies enables company to
stand before the rivals present in marketplace.
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