Managing a Successful Business Project

This research project focuses on the concept of talent management and its importance in Halfords. It discusses various strategies for implementing talent management and provides recommendations for improving talent management strategies at Halfords.

MANAGING A
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
PROJECT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Aims and objectives.....................................................................................................................3
Project management plan.............................................................................................................4
WBS and Gantt chart...................................................................................................................5
......................................................................................................................................................7
Literature review..........................................................................................................................7
Research methodology.................................................................................................................8
Analysis and interpretation..........................................................................................................9
Recommendation.......................................................................................................................13
Reflection...................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1
Appendix 1.......................................................................................................................................2
Questionnaire...............................................................................................................................2
Appendix 2.......................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Talent management is the process by which companies will determine the talented
employees that could lead the positive impact over the organization. It is one of the important
element that will lead to companies to achieve success. It is a process by which companies in
addition of attracting the employees also able to retain them in the organisation. Halfords is one
of the retailer that provides specialized services in the field of leisure and car products. This
research will discuss the concept of talent management along with its importance. This research
will lie its focus over the various strategies by which talent management will be implemented
within the Halfords. It will also analyse the data that is being collected through specific research
methodology and lastly conclusions and recommendations are also being drawn on the basis of
evaluated data.
MAIN BODY
Aims and objectives
Rationale:
Halfords is one of the famous retailer of leisure and car products. It is well specialist in its
services. However, in the recent time it is facing the issue of staff retention in the organization
where large number of employees are leaving the company. Since management of talent in the
company is very essential for every organization including Halfords so this research project will
lie its focus over the concept of talent management along with helping the Halfords through
various strategies in order to implement the talent management in the workplace.
Aim:
To evaluate the various strategies for talent management in the organization: A study on
Halfords.
Objectives:
 To analyse the concept of talent management.
 To evaluate the importance of talent management in Halfords.
 To analyse the various strategies for implementing talent management in Halfords.
 To recommend the ways to improve talent management strategies at Halfords.
Research questions:
 What is talent management?

 What are the importance of talent management?
 What are the strategies for raising talent management?
Project management plan
It refers to a plan that evaluate the various necessary aspect that are being required to
consider in order to have successful completion of project. Under this project the aspects of
project management plan are:
Cost:
It refers to that factor which gives details regarding the total cost required in order to
execute this research. For the current research an estimated cost would be £ 500.
Scope:
The main scope of this research is to determine the various strategies by which talent
management can be implemented in the organization. This research is based on UK.
Time:
This aspect is concerned with time element that is being required in order to successfully
accomplish this project. For the current research the estimated time would be 10 weeks.
Quality:
It refers to overall quality of research that make it valid and authentic. In order to
maintain the quality, the research should have to consider that the data will be collected from
authentic sources.
Communication:
It refers to that element which plays an important role in the success of the project. It is
very essential that there should be effective communication between responders, stakeholders,
managers and various other personnel so that the actual data will be gathered.
Risk:
It is an important element because there are various risk that may arise while collecting
the data. The validity and authenticity of the collected data is one of the major risk that research
usually face.
Resources:
It refers those resources that are being required in order to execute the research. For the
current research human and technological resources are the key elements.

WBS and Gantt chart
Work breakdown structure:
It refers to that chart which shows the breaking of whole work associated with the project into
different segments and elements (Pan, Yin and Chen, 2019). It is usually adopted so that there
should be adequate differentiation of work and appropriate focus will be lied over every task.
Gantt chart:
It is a chart that depict the scheduling of project and its associated activities. In addition, of
segregating the activities it will also determine the time frame that will be a symbolic
representation of required time for the associated task (Robles, 2018).
Task Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Auto
Schedule
d
Identification of research
topic 2 days Tue 3/23/21 Wed 3/24/21
Auto
Schedule
d
Developing aims and
objectives 2 days Thu 3/25/21 Fri 3/26/21 1

Auto
Schedule
d
Develop project
management plan 5 days Mon 3/29/21 Fri 4/2/21 1,2
Auto
Schedule
d
Literature review 10 days Mon 4/5/21 Fri 4/16/21 2,3
Auto
Schedule
d
Determining research
methodologies 12 days Mon 4/19/21 Tue 5/4/21 4
Auto
Schedule
d
Completing proposal 2 days Wed 5/5/21 Thu 5/6/21 5
Auto
Schedule
d
Designing questionnaire 5 days Fri 5/7/21 Thu 5/13/21 6
Auto
Schedule
d
Data collection 15 days Fri 5/14/21 Thu 6/3/21 7
Auto
Schedule
d
Data analyzation and
interpretation 11 days Fri 6/4/21 Fri 6/18/21 7,8
Auto
Schedule
d
recommendation and
conclusions 5 days Mon 6/21/21 Fri 6/25/21 9
Auto
Schedule
d
Submission 1 day Mon 6/28/21 Mon 6/28/21 10

Literature review
Concept of talent management
As per the views of Gallardo-Gallardo, Thunnissen and Scullion (2020), talent
management refers to attraction of talented employees towards the company. This means it is
concerned with recruiting the appropriate and talented employees for the company that will help
it to achieve success.
However, on the contrary McDonnell and et.al., (2017) said that apart from recruiting and
attracting, talent management is also concerned with retaining the employees within the
company. This means that along with recruitment, incorporation of such practices in the
workplace that will lead to retention of talented employees. Thus, talent management refers to
attraction, retention, training and motivation of employees so that they will retain with the
company.
Importance of talent management
Narayanan, Rajithakumar and Menon (2019) elucidates that talent management is an
important part of every organization. It is the key of success that will lead the organization to
accomplish its objectives and goals. Since employees are the asset of every organization so talent
management will help the organization in terms of retention of talented employees within the
workplace.
On the other hand, Tafti, Mahmoudsalehi and Amiri (2017) elucidates that talent
management will not only help the organization in terms of accomplishing its goal but it will also
leads to development of workers. This means that through talent-management and its practices in
the form of raining, motivation and various other will also help the employees in terms of
development of their career.
Strategies of raising talent management

Savanevičienė and Vilčiauskaitė (2017) states that motivation is the best mode by which
employees will be retained in the organization. This means that providing appropriate motivation
will lead the employees to be satisfied and this will also lead to raising the retention rate which is
an essential element of talent management.
On the contrary to this Borisova and et.al., (2017) argues that adequate recruitment is the
best strategy of talent-management. Since it is concerned with bringing talented employees for
the company so implementation of appropriate recruitment strategy will lead to bring talented
employees for the company and will ultimately execute the concept of talent management.
Research methodology
It refers to a use of tools that helps the researcher in order to execute the research in a more
effective and comprehensive manner. It consists of:
Research type:
It refers to collection, analysation and interpretation of data and accordingly drawing
conclusions. There are two types of research:
Qualitative:
It refers to collection of that that includes non-numeric terms. It is generally collected in
order to develop deep understanding regarding the concept (Miles, Huberman and Saldaña,
2018).
Quantitative:
It refers to collection of data in numerical and statistical form and making the
analysation. It is usually collected to determine the average and drawing prediction.
For the current research qualitative data is being collected so that the objective of
research will be justified and accomplish.
Research philosophy:
It refers to belief of the research regarding the way by which data regarding the
phenomenon will be gathered, analysed and used (Cazeaux, 2017). There are two types of
research philosophies including interpretivism and positivism. For the current research
interprevivism philosophy is used because it will make the outcome of qualitative research more
effective and justified.
Data collection:

It refers to collection of data which is generally categorized into two parts including
primary and secondary. For the current research uses both primary and secondary data. As
primary data is being collected in order to have better clarification of objective. Also, the data
associated with primary sources are more reliable and accurate (Lovarelli and Bacenetti, 2017).
While secondary data that contain data gathered from books, journals will support the primary
data which will also helps in raising the reliability of research.
Sampling:
It refers to a small size of population that shows the characteristics of the entire
population (Etikan and Bala, 2017). For the current research a sample of 20 personnel belonging
to managerial level is being taken.
Data analysis:
It refers to analysation of collected data. There are different ways of data analysation.
However, for the current research thematic mode is being chosen. As per this method different
themes are being made of the collected data and then analysation of each theme is being
performed (Terry and et.al., 2017).
Ethical consideration:
It is an important element of every research. Researcher always have to be cautious
regarding the concept of ethical consideration that while collecting data there should be free will
have respondent, no pressure and violation of personal feeling and judgement will be hurt.
Validity and reliability:
It refers to that concept where the collected data is being analysed that whether it is being
collected from the valid and reliable source or not. It is very essential that the data will be valid
and reliable in order to make the research fruitful and effective.
Analysis and interpretation
Theme-1 Reason of high turnover rate
1. According to you what is the most significant reason of
high turnover rate of company?
Frequency
Lack of better opportunities 5
Poor co-ordination. 4

Low focus on concept of talent-management 11
Total 20
Interpretation:
From the above table and graph it can be interpreted that out of 20, 11 respondents said
that low focus on talent management is the main reason of high turnover rate in the company.
However, 5 respondents also favour that lack of better opportunity in the company is also a
reason for such high turnover rate while 5 are in favour of the reason regarding poor co-
ordination. Since, majority of respondents are in the favour of the reason regarding low focus on
talent management so it can be right to said that this is the main reason of high turnover rate of
Halfords.
Theme-2 Organisation of training sessions
2. Did you organize training session on regular interval ? Frequency
Yes 8
No 10
Can't say 2
Lack of better opportunities
Poor co-ordination.
Low focus on concept of
talent-management
Total

Total 20
Interpretation:
As per the above graph and table it can be interpreted that organisation usually didn't
organise training session on regular interval. As 10 respondents out of 20 favours that company
usually didn't organize training session for their employees. This means that majority of
responses are in the support of the statement that Halfords usually not organize training session
for their employees and as a result of that it its employees are not categorized under well
efficient category.
Theme-3 Motivation strategies
3. Which of the strategies are implemented for motivating
employees in the company?
Frequency
Reward policy 10
Involvement in decision-making process. 6
Implementation of feedback policy 4
Total 20
Yes No Can't say Total
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Column B

Interpretation:
The above analysis through graph and table interpret that in order to raise the level of
motivation company usually follows the policy of reward whereby it gives rewards to employees
as a means of raising motivation. As 10 respondents out of 20 favours that company follow
reward policy in its workplace regarding motivation while 6 respondents states that they give
chance to employees to be a part of decision-making process. Since, majority of responses
received in the favour that in order to raise the motivation level among employees company lies
its focus towards the implementation of reward policy.
Theme-4 Existing talent management strategies
4. What are the current strategies, you are following for
implementing talent management practice?
Frequency
Providing training. 4
Performance appraisal 5
More focus on recruitment 3
All of the above 8
Total 20
Reward policy
Involvement in decision-making process.
Implementation of feedback policy
Total
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Column B

Interpretation:
As out of 20, majority of respondents, that includes 8 out of 20, favours that company
usually follow a combination of various strategies including providing training, performance
appraisal, focus over recruitment for the implementation of talent management within the
workplace. This means that company has well focussed towards the various aspects regarding
talent management concept in terms of implementation these existing practices.
Theme-5 Suggestion regarding talent management strategy
As it is see that the turnover rate of Halfords is high. So it indicates that the talent
management practice of company is not good. This means that it is very essential to implement
this concept in the organization. There are various strategies that Halfords have to adopt in order
to restore this concept. Appropriate launching of training sessions in order to enhance career
opportunities will be considered as a good strategy regarding the concept of talent management.
Likewise, adopting appropriate recruitment practices, cultivating cultural diversity, imposition of
effective communication practices and various other are the strategies that will help the
organization in restoring the concept of talent management in the organization.
Recommendation
From the above analysis and interpretation it can be recommended that it is very essential
for Halfords to implement the concept of talent management in the workplace. As number of
Providing training.
Performance appraisal
More focus on recruitment
All of the above
Total

employees are leaving the company and raising the turnover rate so appropriate implementation
of the concept of talent management will get the rid of this issue.
In addition, of this it is being recommended that proper launching of training sessions,
focusing over the talent management practice in the form of focussing over recruitment policy
along with providing career enhancement opportunities and implementation of such strategies
that will raise the level of motivation will help the Halfords in terms of getting resolving the
issue of low retention rate.
Since talent management is the essence of success of every company so it is
recommended that along with operation of existing policy, Halfords also have to lie focus on
enhancement of the level of existing policies along with adoption of some more additional
strategies in the form of raising career opportunities in the company so that employees will retain
in the company. Similarly, cultivating diversity approach in the organization will also lead to
better resolving of issue.
Reflection
During the execution of the entire research I learned and experienced many new things.
Since it is a major and detailed research, so I segregated the entire research into various parts. As
per the time period in the form of 10 week, I completed my entire research regarding the concept
and strategies of talent management. As I differentiated the research into different task, so I fulfil
every requirement of the task in the form of clarifying and justifying every objective that I made
in the beginning. As I set the deadline regarding the task in advance so it helps me to learn the
time management concept that how I can complete my work and the task within the set period. I
find the major risk at the time of collecting the data that my collected data will fully justify my
research in terms of validity and reliability. I also find some barriers in the form of accessing
data from personnel of managerial level but due to effective communication of Halfords I can
easily access the data. Through the whole journey of the entire research, I learned many things
including the importance of talent management and the various strategies that are being essential
in order to restore the concept in the workplace. This research also taught me that how to manage
the entire project along with its execution in the form of managing the cost, time distribution.
Also through this research I kept introduce with unique task of Gantt chart and work break down
structure where I learned that how the planned activities are presented in the form of diagram

along with a combination of time. Overall through this project I learned many new concept along
with reciting my existing one.
CONCLUSION
`From the above research it is concluded that talent management is one of the important
task and concept of every organization. It is very essential that it should be well implemented in
the workplace so that companies will achieve success in addition of achieving growth. From this
report it is also understood that through the adoption and implementation of various strategies'
talent management can be restored and executed in the workplace of the company. The research
also gives information regarding the different methods of conducting the research along with
implementing the thematic perception in support of qualitative data so that the research can be
justified and reliable.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Borisova, and et.al., 2017. Talent management as an essential element in a corporate personnel
development strategy. Academy of strategic management journal. 16. p.31.
Cazeaux, C., 2017. Art, research, philosophy (p. 202). Taylor & Francis.
Etikan, I. and Bala, K., 2017. Sampling and sampling methods. Biometrics & Biostatistics
International Journal. 5(6). p.00149.
Gallardo-Gallardo, E., Thunnissen, M. and Scullion, H., 2020. Talent management: Context
matters.
Lovarelli, D. and Bacenetti, J., 2017. Bridging the gap between reliable data collection and the
environmental impact for mechanised field operations. Biosystems engineering. 160.
pp.109-123.
McDonnell, and et.al., 2017. Talent management: a systematic review and future
prospects. European Journal of International Management. 11(1). pp.86-128.
Miles, M.B., Huberman, A.M. and Saldaña, J., 2018. Qualitative data analysis: A methods
sourcebook. Sage publications.
Narayanan, A., Rajithakumar, S. and Menon, M., 2019. Talent management and employee
retention: An integrative research framework. Human Resource Development
Review. 18(2). pp.228-247.
Pan, W., Yin, L. and Chen, H., 2019, July. Applying Work Breakdown Structure Technology in
Standardization Organizations Evaluation. In Proceedings of the 2019 10th
International Conference on E-business, Management and Economics (pp. 217-220).
Robles, V.D., 2018. Visualizing Certainty: What the Cultural History of the Gantt Chart Teaches
Technical and Professional Communicators about Management. Technical
Communication Quarterly. 27(4). pp.300-321.
Savanevičienė, A. and Vilčiauskaitė, B., 2017. Practical application of exclusive and inclusive
talent management strategy in companies. Business, Management and Education. 15(2).
pp.242-260.
Tafti, M.M., Mahmoudsalehi, M. and Amiri, M., 2017. Critical success factors, challenges and
obstacles in talent management. Industrial and Commercial Training.
Terry, and et.al., 2017. Thematic analysis. The Sage handbook of qualitative research in
psychology, pp.17-37.
1

Appendix 1
Questionnaire
Questionnaire:
PART-A
Name:
Age:
Gender:
PART-B
1. According to you what is the most significant reason of high turnover rate of company?
(a) Lack of better opportunities
(b) Poor co-ordination.
(c) Low focus on concept of talent-management
2. Did you organize training session on regular interval ?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Can't say
3. Which of the strategies are implemented for motivating employees in the company?
(a) Reward policy
(b) Involvement in decision-making process.
(c) Implementation of feedback policy
4. What are the current strategies, you are following for implementing talent management
practice?
(a) Providing training.
(b) Performance appraisal
(c) More focus on recruitment
(d) All of the above
5. According to you which strategy would you like to suggest for better talent management
practice....
2

Appendix 2
Week 2 Week4 Week 6 Week 8 Week 10
Update on weekly
research/tasks
1.What have you completed?
I completed my
research aim and
objective along with
determining the
research question.
Also, at the end of
week 2, I started
making project
management plan
which I finished in
the end of week 3.
During the 3rd week
I initiated my
literature review
which I finished in
week 4th. Here in
this week I begin
my Research
methodology.
I submitted my
proposal in the
beginning of this
week and started
making
questionnaire. Here,
I begin my data
collection.
Finished my data
collection and start
interpreting it.
Started drawing
conclusion.
Completed my
conclusion and
recommendation.
Also submit the
project.
2.Did you fulfil task
requirements?
Analysing the
history of company.
Read books and
journals.
Taking interview of
respondents.
Analysation of data
through themes.
3.Are you on track and within
deadlines set?
yes yes yes yes yes
Any risks and/or issues
identified?
1. Did you identify risks/issues
with a lack of skills required for
undertaking research/tasks?
No because of good
communication in
Nom because of
the availability of
Some issues in the
form of approaching
No issue No issue
1

company. books. to respondents.
Problems encountered?
1. What barriers did you face? I face barrier in the
form of
determination of
estimated cost.
- I find barrier in the
form of collecting
data because of
difficult approach.
- -
2. How did you overcome them? This barrier is
overcome when I
deeply analyse the
aspects of my
research.
- I remove this barrier
with my
communication
ability.
- -
What have I learnt about
myself?
1. Did I find it useful to complete
the tasks?
Yes because this is
the base of my entire
research.
Yes because this is
my secondary
mode of research to
support the primary
one.
Yes because through
this I can accomplish
my primary research.
Most important
because this help me
to analyse whatever
is being gathered.
Yes because I
submitted my report
that make my
completion.
2. How well have I performed? Performed well Average. Performed well. Performed well. Tried my best in
order to be perfect.
3. What did I contribute? I contribute in the
form of making the
I contribute in the
form of making my
I contribute major
part in the form of
Through this I make
the conclusion and
I contribute in
determining the main
2

research successful. secondary data
more reliable.
completion of my
primary research.
analysation. strategies that is
needed to be adopted
by the company.
4. What can I improve on next
week?
Deep research in
order to support
primary research.
Carefully conduct
the research.
- -
5. How might this learning apply
in the future?
Act as a base for
upcoming future
project.
Always remind me
the way of
conducting
secondary research.
Guides me in
making future
questionnaire.
Develop analytical
ability.
Perform similar
project.
6. Tasks planned for next week? Perform secondary
research.
Perform primary
research.
Making analysation. Submission.
Project status to date: On, Ahead, or
Behind
On, Ahead or
Behind
On, Ahead, or
Behind
On, Ahead, or
Behind
On, Ahead, or
Behind
Comments and signature of
the Tutor
3