The Impact of Digital Technology on Business Activities

The proposed research project aims to explore the impact of digital technology on business productivity, with a focus on Harrods as a case study. The objective is to investigate how effective utilization of digital technology can benefit organizations like Harrods, saving additional expenses by eradicating traditional techniques. The research will involve analyzing data and interviewing respondents to provide conclusive results within a stipulated time frame.

13HNC/D in Business
2016
Research Ethics Approval Form
All students conducting research activity that involves human participants or the use of data collected
from human participants are required to gain ethical approval before commencing their research.
Please answer all relevant questions and note that your form may be returned if incomplete.
For further support and guidance please see your respective Unit Tutor.
Before completing this form, we advise that you discuss your proposed research fully with your Unit
Tutor. Please complete this form in good time before your research project is due to commence.
Section 1: Basic Details
Project title: The impact of digital technology on business
activities. .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Student name: ...................................................................................
Student ID number: ..........H1609042.........................................................................
Programme: ...................................................................................
School: ..................................................................................
Intended research start date: .............................................
Intended research end date: .............................................
Section 2: Project Summary
Please select all research methods that you plan to use as part of your project:
• Interviews:
• Questionnaires:
• Observations:
• Use of Personal Records:
• Data Analysis:
• Action Research:
• Focus Groups:
Other (please specify): .........
• ...........................................................................................................................................................
☑

12HNC/D in Business
2016
✓
No: ☑
Yes:
Will participants be given information about the findings of your study? (This could be a brief summary of
your findings in general)
No:Yes:
Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation (i.e. give them a brief explanation of the
study)?
No:Yes:
If No please explain why below and ensure that you cover any ethical issues arising from this
Studies involving observation: Confirm whether participants will be asked for their informed consent to
be observed.
No:Yes:
How will participants be recruited (identified and approached)?
Through random sample method
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
How will you obtain consent from participants? Will this be written? How will it be made clear to
participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any time?
Studies involving questionnaires: Will participants be given the option of omitting questions they do not
wish to answer?
Adults: ☑
Young People aged 17–
18:
Ages 12-16:
Section 3: Participants
Please answer the following questions, giving full details where
necessary. Will your research involve human participants?
Who are the participants? Tick all that apply:
☑
☑
☑

13HNC/D in Business
2016
No: ✓Yes:
Will participants be given information about the findings of your study? (This could be a brief summary of
your findings in general)
No:Yes:
Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation (i.e. give them a brief explanation of the
study)?
No:Yes:
If No please explain why below and ensure that you cover any ethical issues arising from this
Studies involving observation: Confirm whether participants will be asked for their informed consent to
be observed. No
No: : ✓
Yes:
How will participants be recruited (identified and approached)?
Random sampling methods
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
Through email will use to inform participants about what are doing
How will you obtain consent from participants? Will this be written? How will it be made clear to
participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any time? Through the survey process
yr
Adults:
✓
Young People aged 17–
18:
Ages 12-16:
Section 3: Participants
Please answer the following questions, giving full details where
necessary. Will your research involve human participants?
Who are the participants? Tick all that apply:
✓

14HNC/D in Business
2016
Section 4: Data Storage and Security
Confirm that all personal data will be stored and processed in compliance with the Data Protection Act
(1998) Yes: ☑ No:
Who will have access to the data and personal information?
During the research:
Where will the data be stored? Database information system
Will mobile devices such as USB storage and laptops be
used? Yes: No: ☑
If yes, please provide further details:
After the research:
Where will the data be stored? In computer
How long will the data and records be kept for and in what format?till
the research
Will data be kept for use by other researchers?
Yes: No: ☑
If yes, please provide further details:
Section 5: Ethical Issues
Are there any particular features of your proposed work which may raise ethical concerns? If so, please outline
how you will deal with these:
It is important that you demonstrate your awareness of potential risks that may arise as a result of your
research. Please consider/address all issues that may apply. Ethical concerns may include, but are not
limited to the following:
1. Informed consent. All the information will be provided to respondents.
2. Potentially vulnerable participants.
3. Sensitive topics: not sensitive topic
4. Risks to participants and/or researchers. No risk
5. Confidentiality/anonymity.: Yes
6. Disclosures/limits to confidentiality.:
7. Data storage and security, both during and after the research
(including transfer, sharing, encryption, protection). Yes
8. Reporting. Yes
9. Dissemination and use of your findings. No

15HNC/D in Business
2016
Section 6: Declaration
I have read, understood and will abide by the institution’s Research and Ethics
Policy: Yes: ☑ No:
I have discussed the ethical issues relating to my research with my Unit Tutor:
Yes: ☑ No:
I confirm that to the best of my knowledge:
The above information is correct and that this is a full description of the ethics issues that may arise in the
course of my research.
Name: .....................................................................................................................................................................
Date: ...................................................................................
Please submit your completed form to your Tutors

16 HNC/D in Business
2016
Research Proposal Form
Student Name .........................................................................................
Student number H1609042 ...........................................
LSST Campus ……….
Tutor ............................ ...........................................................
Date ...........................................
Proposed Research Title The impact of digital technology on business
activities. ..........................................................................................................................................................

15HNC/D in Business
2016
Section One: Title, objective, responsibilities
Title or working title of research project (in the form of a
question, objective or hypothesis)Title - The impact of digital
technology on business activities. Objective- To explore the
impact of digital technology on business productivity: A study on
Harrods.
Responsibilities- Effective utilization of digital technology in
organization
Section Two: Reasons for choosing this research
project
Reasons for choosing the project (e.g. links to other subjects you
are studying, personal interest, future plans, knowledge/skills
you want to improve, why the topic is important):
For expanding the operations.
To impart benefit to organization by using digital technology and
save additional expenses by eradicating traditional techniques.
Section Three: Literature sources searched
Use of key literature sources to support your research question,
objective or hypothesis:
25 respondents were interviewed for data analysis and for finding
answers to research questionn.
Section Four: Activities and timescales

18 HNC/D in Business
2016
Activities to be carried out during the research project (e.g.
research, development and analysis of ideas, writing, data
collection, numerical analysis, tutor meetings, production of final
outcome, evaluation, writing the report):
The research should be carried out by analyzing and interviewing
respondents to obtain conclusive results. The data collection
should be representative of all the elements of the subject in
researching about topic. The research should produce effective
results so that it may be successful in studying the topic.
How long this will take:
Milestone one: .........................................................................................
Target date (set by tutor): .........................................................................................
Milestone two: .........................................................................................
Target date (set by tutor): .........................................................................................
Section Four: Research approach and methodologies
What type of research approach and
methodologies are you likely to use
and why? What your areas of research
will cover:
I would like to apply research approach
by gathering data and carry out