Digital Disruption: Project Management Case Study of ALDI Success

This case study examines how ALDI has successfully navigated digital disruption and transformation by implementing digital technology across its business activities. The study focuses on the impact of digital technology on sales and marketing, inventory control, and product quality control within ALDI. It includes an analysis of project aims and objectives, a comprehensive project management plan covering cost, scope, time, quality, communication, risk, and resources, along with a work breakdown structure and Gantt chart for project timeframes. The research employs both qualitative (interviews with managers and employees) and quantitative (customer surveys) methods to gather data and insights. The findings lead to recommendations for advanced operational strategies to further enhance ALDI's success in the digital era, reflecting on the value of the project management process and its contribution to learning and performance. The document is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools and resources for students.

MANAGING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PROJECT

Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................... 3
LO 1............................................................................................................................................. 4
P1 Devise project aims and objectives for the chosen scenario................................................4
P2 Produce a project management plan that covers the aspects of cost, scope, time, quality,
communication, risk and resources..........................................................................................5
P3 Produce a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart to provide timeframes and stages
of completion............................................................................................................................ 6
M1 Produce a comprehensive project management plan, milestone schedule and project
schedule for monitoring and completing the aims and objectives of the project.......................8
LO2............................................................................................................................................ 11
P4 Carry out small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research methods
appropriate for meeting project aims and objectives..............................................................11
M2 Evaluate the accuracy and reliability of different research methods applied.....................15
D1 Critically evaluate the project management process and appropriate research
methodologies applied........................................................................................................... 16
LO3............................................................................................................................................ 17
P5 Analyze research and data using appropriate tools and techniques..................................17
P6 Communicate appropriate recommendations as a result of research and data analysis to
draw valid and meaningful conclusions..................................................................................18
LO4............................................................................................................................................ 20
P7 Reflect on the value of undertaking the research to meet stated objectives and own
learning and performance......................................................................................................20
M4 Evaluate the value of the project management process to meet the stated objectives and
support own learning and performance..................................................................................21
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
D2 Critically evaluate and reflect on the project outcomes, the decision- making process and
changes or developments of the initial project management plan to support justification of
recommendations and learning during the project..................................................................22
Performance review...................................................................................................................... 23
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................. 25
References................................................................................................................................... 26
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
Introduction
Digital technology has made an impressive change in the business activities and thus many
business sectors have been amazingly improved in terms of business performance. Digital
technology has changed the business sector in terms of innovation. It made different kinds of
activities including marketing, inventory management, production procedure and other
operational activities easier to execute. The entrepreneurs have been able to gain more profit
with the sophisticated digital platform. The new procedures that are being applied to perform
business activities are completely based on digital technology in this recent era. Digital
technology has also helped the enterprises to reduce operational cost providing with efficient
process at comparatively lower cost than the labor cost. Here, in this study ALDI, a retailer has
been taken to analyse how it has been able to become more successful with taking help of digital
technology which has replaced its traditional procedure of doing business.
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
LO 1
P1 Devise project aims and objectives for the chosen scenario
Aim
The aim of the study is to analyse how ALDI has implemented digital technology in its business
activities
Objective
● To analyse the impact of digital technology in sales and marketing department of ALDI
● To evaluate the role of digital technology in inventory control in ALDI
● To analyse the implementation of digital technology in product quality control in ALDI
● To recommend more advanced operational strategies to make ALDI more successful
Project strategy
The project has included the departments of inventory control, sales and marketing and product
quality control of ALDI.
Performance, cost and time objective
The researcher will take interviews of the managers of ALDI to understand the level of digital
technology implemented. The cost to complete the project is £600 and the defined time is 7
weeks.
Project scope statement
● Included scope- The project has included the departments of logistics, sales and
marketing and inventory control departments to analyse the usage of digital technology in
performing business activities
● Excluded scope- The research has not included the role of technology in the production
department as the chosen company is not a production company
Project assumptions
● The researcher has been provided adequate resources
● The respondents of the interviews and the surveys have responded to their best known
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
P2 Produce a project management plan that covers the aspects of cost, scope,
time, quality, communication, risk and resources.
A project development process consists of the following stages.
Planning- According to Loebbecke and Picot (2015, p.150), a plan is produced to have a
direction and expected outcomes so that the whole research can go to the right direction.
Execution- The planned activities must be implemented properly so that the predefined activities
can get completed successfully.
Monitoring- After execution, the activities must be monitored so that any dispute in the working
procedure can be identified.
Control- As opined by Holmlund et al. (2017, p.230), the identified issues must be regulated so
that the process can move forward smoothly and the management must be ready to replace the
existing strategy with new one.
The following factors are to be considered to conduct a research.
Cost- The estimated cost of the research is £600 to collect the potential resources.
Scope- The research will help the managers of ALDI to take proper strategies in those sectors.
Time- The researcher needs 7 weeks to complete the research
Quality-The research will be evaluated based on the authentic views of the professionals of the
company
Communication- The research paper will be communicated to the managers of the company
both in the form of hardcopy and softcopy.
Risks- The whole process may face some risks including unwillingness among the employees to
get habituated with new advanced technology
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
P3 Produce a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart to provide timeframes
and stages of completion.
Work breakdown structure
Level Activities Description Time period
High Setting aim and
objectives
The research aim and
objectives must be
made so that the
research can follow a
particular direction.
Week 1
High Identifying
appropriate data
collection methods
Appropriate data
collection methods are
to be selected so that
accurate information
can be collected
Week 1
Medium Data analysis Data must be analysed
so that the researcher
can reach to the
expected outcomes
Week 2-week 3
High Developing findings The researcher needs
to draw some finding
out of the collected
information
Week 4-week 5
Medium Coming to a
Conclusion
The researcher has to
come to a valid
conclusion
Week 6
Medium Preparing
documentation
The research must be
documented
Week 7
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
Gantt chart
Activities Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Define aim
and
objectives

Identify
data
collection
methods

Data
analysis
 
Findings  
Conclusio
n

Project
report
documenta
tion

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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
M1 Produce a comprehensive project management plan, milestone schedule and
project schedule for monitoring and completing the aims and objectives of the
project.
Project management plan
Wee
k no
date update Risk
identificati
on
impact Effect on
project
Risk
reduction
actions
The task
for the next
week
1 2-4-
201
8
Developing
aim and
objective
Upgrading
technology
High Not
efficient
traditional
technology
Developin
g advanced
technology
Technology
evaluation
1 2-4-
201
8
Identifying
appropriate
data
collection
method
Not reliable
information
High Incorrect
conclusion
Taking
help of
different
research
methods
Analysing
data
2 to
3
9-4-
201
8
Data analysis Insufficient
and
incapable
questions
may be
developed
Mediu
m
Inconsistent
research
outcomes
Only the
experience
d
respondent
s are
selected
Data
findings
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
4 to
5
30-
4-
201
8
Findings Inappropriat
e findings
high Inconsistent
research
outcomes
Proper
observatio
n is needed
Make
conclusion
6 -8-
5-
201
8
Reaching to a
conclusion
Improper
conclusion
Mediu
m
Inconsistent
and
improper
research
Taking
support of
proper
concepts
Preparing
documentati
on
10 to
12
18-
3-
201
8
Preparing
project
documentatio
n
Not
following
the
appropriate
specification
High No
evidence of
the project
Proper
style is
followed
Submit the
report
Milestone
Activities Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Developin
g aim and
objectives
Milestone
1
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
Identifyin
g data
collection
methods
Milestone
2
Data
analysis
Milestone 3
Findings Milestone 4
Conclusio
n
Milestone
5
Project
document
ation
Milestone
6
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Cope up with digital disruption and transformation: A case study of ALDI
LO2
P4 Carry out small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative
research methods appropriate for meeting project aims and objectives.
The researcher has conducted both the qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey) research
techniques to collect information. The qualitative research method will lead the researcher to get
authentic information from the professionals where the researcher will get the views from the
consumers who are the purpose of doing business with the help of survey (Susskind and
Susskind (2015, p.78). The researcher has chosen 50 customers of ALDI for survey.
Interview questionnaire for ALDI managers
Questions Logistic manager Inventory manager Quality controlling
manager
How digital
technology has made
you flexible in your
activities?
The manager added
that electronic
document and digital
signature has made
the logistic activities
easier than previous
days (aldi.us, 2018).
The manager said that
the inventory
controlling software
has led the activities
more flexible and
time effective. With
the help of that kind
of software they
easily can manage the
inventory within a
very short period of
time.
The manager also
agreed with the two
managers and said
that with the help of
quality checking
software, they have
been able to assure
the product quality
without investing
much time (aldi.us,
2018).
Are you preferring
digital trend than
conventional one?
The manager has
showed a positive
attitude toward the
asked question that
they feel more
comfortable and
flexible in the digital
platform that the
conventional
procedure (aldi.us,
The manager also
said that they had to
spend much more
time to manually
manage the inventory
whereas, they can
now efficiently
manage product
inventory even within
very short span of
The quality
controlling manager
said that they have
been able to reduce
labor cost that used to
be allocated in the
traditional process to
check the products
manually with the
help of quality
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