The Implication of Digital Technologies on SME (The Implication of Digital Technologies on SME) INTRODUCTION 1 P1 Primary and Secondary Sources

RESEARCH PROJECT
(The implication of digital technologies on SME)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P1 RESEARCH PROPOSAL.................................................................................................2
P2 primary and secondary sources.........................................................................................8
D1...........................................................................................................................................9
M1.........................................................................................................................................11
M2.........................................................................................................................................11
P3 Conducting primary and secondary research using appropriate methods for a business
research project that consider costs, access and ethical issues.............................................11
P4 EVIDENCES OF DATA COLLECTION......................................................................12
P5 RESEARCH OUTCOME, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS..............19
M3.........................................................................................................................................20
D2.........................................................................................................................................21
P6 REFLECTION................................................................................................................21
P7 Alternative research methods..........................................................................................22
M4.........................................................................................................................................23
D3.........................................................................................................................................23
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................23
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................25
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................27

INTRODUCTION
In the modern era use of advanced technologies have become essential for the organization.
These digital technologies are now changing the corporate environment (Mithas, Tafti and
Mitchell, 2013). There are many big firms those which are financial strong and that is why they
continuous make changes in their working by implementing the latest techniques and
machineries. But for small entities it is quit difficult to implement these digital technologies in
workplace. IT spending is costly but fruitful system this can help in accomplishing goal of the
companies to great extent (Landorf and Ward, 2017). In includes internet, e-commerce and
various tools through which entity can expand their business and can make communication with
mass audience.
Digital technologies are effective electronic tools that support in improving production
ability of business and support in raising their performance level. It drives sustainable growth
and makes positive changes in organizations. It helps in constant improvement and improving
performance of business unit to great extent. Internet, email, social media sites, e-commerce has
become part of human life (Nwankpa and Datta, 2017). Traditional business activities were
unable to meet with the organizational goal, it is essential for corporations that to transform
activities and adopt digital technologies so that they can compete with big firms and can sustain
in the market for longer duration. This is great tool that impacts positive on entity. This helps in
improving administration functions and by this way storage, filling, sharing of information can
be done significantly (Evangelista, Guerrieri and Meliciani, 2014). Digital technologies include
social media tools, that helps in effective communication with the customers and employees. By
this way small firms can engage its stakeholders and can make them positive towards the brand.
Use of advance technologies is beneficial tool that supports in improving production capabilities
and can improve quality of products of the corporation as well.
Present study will be based on Nisa retail limited which is award-winning retail firm. It is
private limited company which has strong network and good reputation in domestic market
(Venkatraman and et.al, 2014). Research project will define various stages that an organization
have to go through for digital transformation. Furthermore, some challenges of integrating
emerging technologies will be explained. It will explain implication of digital technology on
Nisa will be illustrated in the current research project (Golwalkar and Shelar, 2016).
1

P1 RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Title
“The implication of digital technologies on SME”
Background
Digital technologies have changed the environment of business units, it has provided new
opportunities to firms and has supported in improving their standards and performance level.
With the help of advance technologies entities are now able to improve quality of their
production (Hanelt and et.al, 2015). Implication of digital technologies are highly beneficial for
small medium firms, it aids in improving their administration, communication, storage and
production process which support in meeting with needs of consumers (Oldham and Da Silva,
2015).
Aim and Objectives
Aim
“To identify impact of digital technologies on business activities and its performance: A study on
Nisa retail firm”
Objectives
 To explain stages that organisations have to go through for digital transformation.
 To identify challenges of integrating emerging technologies within Nisa.
 To determine implication of digital technology on Nisa.
 To explain e-commerce and its benefits for the SME business.
 To analysis benefits of digital technologies for engaging stakeholder.
 To suggest ways through which entity can successfully implement these technologies in
workplace.
Research Questions
 What are the main stages that organisations have to go through for digital transformation?
 What are the challenges of integrating emerging technologies within Nisa?
 Explain implication of digital technology on Nisa?
 Explain e-commerce and its benefits for the SME business?
 What are the benefits of digital technologies for engaging stakeholder?
Rationale
2

Small medium firms have innovative ideas and have capabilities to gain competitive
advantage. But due to lack of financial resources and lack of experience they are unable to
sustain in the market for longer duration (Matt, Hess and Benlian, 2015). Such firms are
struggling in the market. The main reason of conducting this investigation is to make mall firms
aware with the benefits of technologies so that they can utilize it well and can gain competitive
advantage. Furthermore, it is vast topic and huge data are available thus, scholar has chosen this
topic so that individual can prepare a quality report on it. With the help of sufficient availability
of data individual can be able to collect relevant information and real implication of digital
technologies on small medium business units (Tai, Wang and Wang, 2017).
In addition, Researcher has self interest in this topic. Individual has experience of
working on advanced software and individual like to work on latest machineries. Scholar knew
this fact that digital technologies can be beneficial for the small firms in raising their
performance level. Interest in this subject has forced the person to conduct the investigation on
this topic.
Significance of the study
In the modern corporate era, most of the firms are using the latest techniques so that they
can improve their quality and can meet the needs of consumers. In such environment, it has
become difficult for small firms to sustain in the market for longer duration, for sustaining them
in the market they are required to adopt digital technologies. With the help of this investigation
scholar will be able to identify issues faced by small firms while implementing digital
technologies in the workplace (Peppard and Ward, 2016). So, researcher will be able to find
ways through which these entities can convert transformation from traditional methods to digital
methods into opportunities. This would be better for small firms in gaining new ideas and
improving their performance level to great extent. Digital technologies have become essential
part of corporations. This study will help the other firms those who are operating as small entity
and aiming to expand their business (Rudram and et.al, 2016). With the assistance of this study
they will get to know issue they may face while transformation into digital technologies and how
they can handle this situation. Furthermore, investigation will be beneficial for other scholar,
they will get to know importance of digital technologies so they will get idea through this
research project so that they will be able to conduct further study on the same subject (Ross,
2016).
3

LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
It is essential part of the research, scholar has to review earlier literature on the same
subject in order to develop better understanding about the subject matter. In this section
investigator will review each aspect of digital technology and its impact on business activities by
involving previous studies into this research (Karjaluoto and Ulkuniemi, 2015).
Stages that organisations have to go through for digital transformation
As per the view of Barrett and et.al, (2015) digital transformation is the great tool that
support firms in improving their efficiency level and reducing operational times. For successful
transformation entities are required to first identify their objectives (Digital Transformation &
Organizational Performance, 2017). By making effective objectives company can identify the
ways through which it can successfully implement digital tools in the workplace and can raise its
performance level. Retail firms those who are operating at small scale, their main objective is to
develop communicate with customers through digital media. They want to improve loyalty and
satisfaction level of clients so that their sales volume can be increased. This objective can force
small firms to implement new technologies through which can effectively coordinate with mass
audience and can identify their needs and requirements. This is the first stage through which
companies can easily transform from traditional methods to digital technologies (The Impact of
Digital Technologies on Innovations in Retail Business Models, 2013).
Karjaluoto and Ulkuniemi, (2015) stated that small and medium firms have to study
about technologies and they need to look upon their cost of implementation as well. Small
entities need to pay attention on SMAC stack for identifying the future benefits of these
technologies for business. This can force them transformation to digital technologies easily. Most
of the small corporations look for the consequences they can face after implementation of theses
techniques such as cyber crime, high cost etc. By this way they will be able to find ways that can
support in gaining success in the market and gaining competitive advantage. On other hand
Ross, (2016) argued that envision the future platform for digitalization is the main stage that
need to be followed by entities for successfully transformation from traditional methods to
digital technologies. This is the great way through which small corporations can enhance their
working efficiency and can sustain in the market for longer duration.
Challenges of integrating emerging technologies
4