Implications of Digital Technologies on SME’s

The implications of digital technologies on SME’s

CONTENTS
Title..................................................................................................................................................1
Brief.................................................................................................................................................1
Aim: ...........................................................................................................................................1
Objectives:..................................................................................................................................1
Research questions:.....................................................................................................................1
Reason for choosing this research project.......................................................................................2
Literature review..............................................................................................................................2
Activities and timescales..................................................................................................................4
Research approach and methodologies............................................................................................6
Objectives: ......................................................................................................................................7
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................7
Research approach and methodologies............................................................................................9
Chapter- 4 Data analysis ..............................................................................................................10
P6. Reflection............................................................................................................................23
P7. Consideration for alternative research................................................................................23
Conclusion and recommendation...................................................................................................23
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................25
Questionnaire .............................................................................................................................1
Appendix..........................................................................................................................................1
Research Proposal Form.............................................................................................................2
Research Ethics approval form...................................................................................................8

Title
The implications of digital technologies on SME’s
Brief
Main aim of any firm is to gain maximum profit. This is possible when the requirements
of customers are identified and appropriate steps are taken so that sales and profitability can be
raised. With time, many changes have taken place (Xiong, King and Hu, 2014). Improvement or
advancement in technology has helped in connecting with customers and raising the quality of
services. In order to conduct the research in effective manner, main focus is made on Qbic Hotel
which aims at delivering their customers with high quality services. The research will be carried
out to know the implications of digital technologies on SME’s. Below given are the aim and
objective of the research:
Aim:
‘To analyse the implication of digital technologies on customer’s satisfaction: A study on Qbic
hotel UK”
Objectives:
 To understand the concept of digital technology and customer satisfaction
 To determine the relationship between digital technology and customers satisfaction on
Qbic hotel
 To evaluate the importance of digital technology on increasing customers satisfaction at
Qbic hotel UK.
 To recommend ways to improve the satisfaction level of customers at Qbic hotel UK.
Research questions:
 What is the concept of digital technology and customer satisfaction?
 What is the relationship between digital technology and customer’s satisfaction on Qbic
hotel?
 What is the importance of digital technology on increasing customer’s satisfaction at
Qbic hotel UK?
Main focus of this research is to understand the implications that are attained by the business
when they make use of digital technologies in hotel. Needs and requirement of customer’s
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changes frequently and it is important to make sure that firm take up appropriate steps so that
they are able to improve performance level and to deliver customers with high quality services in
effective manner.
Reason for choosing this research project
There are many reasons for which this research is carried out. In this context, one of the
main reason is interest in this area. I have personal interest in this area as it will help to develop
my understanding towards the strategies that are applied by the firms so that they are able to
develop positive perception within the mind of customers. Further, to carry out the research in
effective manner, it requires to have certain set of skills so that the research is completed
effectively and efficiently. This way, I will be able to develop skills related with research and
understanding different type of methodologies that are helpful to conduct the research. Further,
the research will be helpful for the future development of my carrier. I am willing to develop my
carrier in hospitality sector, so conducting this research will be favourable enough for me to
understand strategies which can be applied to improve the quality of services and developing
strong customers relationship. In addition to this, as the time changes the rate of competition
becomes high, as there are numerous firms that deliver their customers with similar set of
products and services. This study will enable to develop in depth understanding to make changes
as per the present business requirement.
Literature review
There are many research that are conducted by other researchers and these are helpful
enough to develop in depth understanding for the research topic. Literature review covers all the
aspects and adequate information for the aim and objectives that are set by the researcher.
According to Jeong, Jeong and Lee, (2017), there are many changes that take place
within the firm so that they are able to provide customers with high quality services. It is
important for the business to understand the requirement of customers and to take up appropriate
steps so that they are able to raise their sales and profitability. Digital technology enables to
reach out customers and in delivering improved quality of services. There are certain set of
expectations that customers have before purchasing the services or products. These expectations
changes as per the preferences and also with time. When companies are able to understand their
expectations, then it becomes favourable enough to raise customers satisfaction level (Verma and
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Chandra, 2016). There are many technologies that are applied within hotel so that customers can
be provided with high quality services.. In this context, it includes online booking system in
which customers are provided with the opportunities to book their room and it also provide
information for the total price that service users have to pay for the total days of stay in the hotel.
These are types of services that enables to raise the level of satisfaction.
Ren, Qiu and Lin, (2016), stated that there is negative impact over the business when
firms are not able to understand client’s requirements. Customers have the options to make use
of the services that are delivered by other firms. When management of firm is not able to meet
the requirements, then it has negative impact over the business as people shift to other firms
which could understand and address their requirements in better way. Further, digitalization is
possible when organizations make frequent changes in the tools and equipment’s on frequent
basis. There are many set of issues or problems that are faced by the businesses in which one of
the main issue is related with making the employees implement change. As per Chong, Lim and
Wong, (2016), there are different type of preferences that employees have, some may be in
favour of implementing the changes but there will be few who may not be in favour. It is
important for the management to provide adequate information at the initial stage so that all the
workers are able to understand the requirements and make up their mind towards the change.
There are other issues in which making use of new technology may not be favourable as all the
workers may not be able to make use of it in effective manner.
Mandelli and La Rocca, (2014), stated that training and development is highly important
for the employees as this enables to make the workers to develop their skills and capabilities and
to implement or make use of the technology in effective manner. Further, there are technologies
in which customers are able to lock up their rooms with the help of mobile application. In this
modern world, hotels develop applications in which all the information in respect with the
services are included. Customers are able to reach out the services in no time. In context with the
small-scale enterprise, there are issues in relation with finance (Mouradian, 2015). They are not
able to make use of the services to implemented digital technology due to lack of financial
support. It is important for the business to have proper planning in which they are able to
understand set of technologies that they are willing to implement. When there is proper planning,
then it becomes favourable enough to make use of the new of updated technology.
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Apart from this, there are other set of consideration that has to be made by the hotels so
that they are able to raise the sales and profitability. According to Law, Tavitiyaman and Zhang,
(2015), there are different type of roles and responsibilities that are given to each worker. When
they are not able to perform their set of roles effectively, then it affects the business in
negatively. In this context, it is important for the business to understand the requirement as well
as issues that are faced by workers and take appropriate steps so that employees are able to
improve the performance level. As per Hemsley-Brown, Hemsley-Brown and Alnawas, (2016),
employees have direct interaction with customers, they are the one who present the products and
service to customers. Workers know better about problems or issues that are faced by customers.
When employees are provided with opportunity to share their view, then they get boosted up and
they develop positive perception towards the firm. Further, suggestions that are taken from
employees enable to make improvement in services that are delivered.
There are many social sites that are available for the hotel in which they can present
information about the products and services to customers. This is highly effective to know
preferences of customers as well as their requirements (Lo, Lo and Qu, 2017). There are firms
that post advertisement on social media in order to know customers response and changes and
made accordingly so that they are able to deliver high quality services to customers. Digital
technology and customer’s satisfaction have strong relation with each other. They are helpful
enough to develop strong relationship with services and to make proper system in which all the
requirements and details of customers can be stored (Högberg, 2015).
Further, there are frequent changes that take place in relation with technology and it is
important for the firm to understand the type of technology that will be favourable enough to
support firm to grow and in improving and in developing strong customers.
Activities and timescales
Activity 1th
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Literatu
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Review
Drafting
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Finish
Proposal
Design
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Carry
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Research
Data
Analysis
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Discussi
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Editing
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on
Research approach and methodologies
This is an important aspect that enables to conduct research in systematic manner. There
are different type of techniques and methods that are used in research. This enables to develop in
depth understanding for the research topic. Below given are the research methodologies that will
be followed:
Research approach: This is important aspects that enables to focus on the aim at are set
by the researcher. This is of two types which are inductive and deductive (Mackey and Gass,
2015). Among these two, there researcher will make use of inductive approach as it focus on the
theories and models related with the research topic. It is helpful enough to develop in depth
understanding.
Research philosophy: This is helpful enough to make proper investigation for the sources
that are focused on the issues that are related with the research. There are two different types
which are interpretivism and positivism. Among these, the investigator will make use of
interpretivism as it enables to focus on objectives set for the research topic.
Research design: It is determined to be the blue print of the research. These are of three
type which are descriptive, exploratory and experimental (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault, 2015).
The researcher will follow descriptive research method as it enables to focus on the theories
related with the aim and objectives that are set. Further, it enables to gather information and to
develop in depth understanding.
Data collection: This enables to gather information by making use of different sources.
These are of two types; primary and secondary. In this research, the investigator will make use of
both primary and secondary (Silverman, 2016). Primary method is gathered with the help of
questionnaire and secondary through books, journals, online sources, etc. Both will help to
provide appropriate information for the research in effective manner.
Sampling: It is not possible to make analysis of population and so it is important to select
samples. To carry out the research, the investigator will make use of non-probabilistic sampling.
This is selected as it enables to select the sample as per preference of researcher. The research
will be conducted from 20 employees of Qbic hotel as they will be helpful to provide adequate
information.
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