Business and Management Dissertation: ASDA and Technology Impact

This dissertation explores the influence of rapid technological advancements on ASDA, a British supermarket retailer. It examines the role of digital technology in enhancing business operations, focusing on areas like marketing, sales, and customer experience. The research investigates the importance of digital technology, the challenges ASDA faces during implementation (such as cost, time management, and resource availability), and potential solutions like training and resource allocation. The methodology employs a descriptive research design with a deductive research approach to gather and analyze data. The literature review covers the concept of digital technology, its impact on productivity and customer experience, and the issues encountered during implementation. The study aims to analyze the implications of technological changes on ASDA's operations, offering insights into how the company can navigate these advancements effectively.

Business and Management
Dissertation

Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Research Topic......................................................................................................................2
1.2 Importance of the problem ...................................................................................................2
1.3 Aim of the research project...................................................................................................2
2.0 Research Objectives and Research Question.............................................................................2
3.0 Literature Review.......................................................................................................................3
4.0 Methodology..............................................................................................................................5
4.1Research Design, Research approach and Research Type ....................................................5
4.2 Rationale...............................................................................................................................7
5.0 Access to Data and Research Ethics..........................................................................................8
6.0 Limitations.................................................................................................................................8
7.0 Bibliography..............................................................................................................................9

1.0 Introduction
Management is identify a coordination and management of the business activities in order
to accomplish defined goals and objectives. Management in entire business areas and
organisational activities are the acts of acquiring people together in order to attain wanted targets
effectively and efficiently (Alam and Imran, 2015). One of the main issue in business
management is latest technology which highly impact on business operations and activities in a
direct manner. For this dissertation chosen organisation is ASDA which is a British supermarket
retailer in England, United Kingdom. This business was established by Roger Burnley, Rob
McWillian in 1949. company decide to implement latest technology in their organisation to
maximise customer base and improve their productivity within predetermined time period.
Digital technology is one of the important and essential tool which is used by an organisation. It
is the use of websites to promote a service or product to the customers. It is refers to the
effective techniques or tools that target social networks and application to increase brand
awareness or advertise particular product or services. In addition advancement in technology
will support an organisation to achieve better outcomes in given time period.
Business are impacted by changes and modification in the technology. Such type of
change offers risks, threats and opportunities to an organisation. Some enterprise can leverage
changing and modifying technology to enhance process and product or even develop innovative
process and product that will enlarge markets and profit. Rapid changes in technology is highly
impact on the business operations and activities because in this company required more amount
of capital, knowledgeable people and many other. Latest technology is applied by ASDA in
order to enhance their sales and maximise customer base. This technology support an enterprise
to maintain long term sustainability at marketplace (Chaudron and et. al., 2015). It is a form of
internet marketing that covers developing and sharing information on social media network to
accomplish their branding and marketing goals. This technology includes different activities like
image updates and posting text, videos and many other data that drives customer commitment. In
order to implement digitalisation in the organisation, ASDA faced some issues such as time
management, data management, continuing decline of organic research, creating an effective
cross channel strategy etc. All this are identify as main problem which highly impact on
business operations and their different departments such as marketing, sales, finance, human
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resources and so on. Major impact of digital technology is on sales activities because it help an
organisation to maximise brand awareness among customers.
1.1 Research Topic
“To analyse the implication that are cause by the rapid advancement in technology and its
influence on the operations of firm”.A case study on ASDA.
1.2 Importance of the problem
One of the main problem in this dissertation is rapid changes in technology which highly
impact on business activities and operations in direct manner (Collins and Halverson, 2018).
Digital technology is important tool for the ASDA to advertise their goods and services to the
customer's easily. But sometime, rapid changes in technology is adversely influence on
organisation for example: in this business need to use different sources, hire talented workforce,
require maximum amount of capital and many other. All these problem are important and
essential for the ASDA to implement latest technology and gather appropriate outputs and
results. Therefore, digital technology is significant for the organisation to maximise clients base
and increase their brand awareness among different customers.
1.3 Aim of the research project
Main aim of this dissertation is “To analyse the implication that are cause by the rapid
advancement in technology and its influence on the operations of firm. ” A case study on ASDA.
2.0 Research Objectives and Research Question
Research objectives: It is identify as a main section of research in which an investigator prepare
some questions in order to complete all activities of research in an appropriate and systematic
manner (Davies, Coleman and Livingstone, 2015). This part of research is based on two
variables one is dependent and other one is independent. In which success and growth of an
organisation is depend on the technology. There are some important and useful objectives which
are determined as under:
 To analysis the concept of digital technology in regards of ASDA.
 To examine the importance of digital technology on business operations and activities.
 To evaluate the main issue faced by ASDA while implementing digital technology at
their workplace.
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 To analysis different ways through which ASDA can easily overcome issue related to the
rapid advancement in technology.
Research questions: It is another important part of research which is based on research questions
and effects on investigator towards accomplishment of goals and objectives of research (Deegan
and Sutherland, 2016). There are some important questions according to the objectives are
determined as under:
 What are the concept of social media marketing in regards of ASDA?
 How social media marketing is important for business operations and activities of
ASDA?
 What is the major issue faced by ASDA while implementing social media marketing at
their workplace?
 What are the ways through which ASDA can easily overcome issue related to the rapid
advancement in technology?
3.0 Literature Review
Literature review is a kind of review article and scholarly paper which includes actual
knowledge about substantive findings as well as methodological and theoretical contribution to a
specific research topic. In this part of research, different number of scholars and authors are give
their point of view about the research topic.
Concept of digital technology in regards of ASDA.
Digital technology is identify as one of the main and essential tool which is used by
ASDA in order to improve their operations and enhance productivity within predetermined time
period. Digital technology is large concept which is used by each and every company for
introducing their products or services to the customers and in marketplace. There are different
forms of technology such as modern and traditional. Under modern method, Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and many other forms are used to attract large number of customers and achieve
better results within predetermined time period. According to the Harmon, 2018, digital
technology includes entire kind of applications and electronic equipments that follow data in the
way of numeric code. Thus it is essential and significant concept for the growth and success of
an enterprise within predetermined time duration.
Importance of digital technology on business operations and activities
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According to the Don Q. Dao, (2018), digital technology is more beneficial and essential
for the growth and success of ASDA. This provide different benefits such as improving
productivity, enhancing customer experience and many other. These are determined as under:
Improved productivity: Each and every business looking in order to enhance their
productivity level. One of the important way to accomplish this goal and target is by developing
innovations that can support their workers collaborate, work better and communicate. Digital
technology also support an enterprise to increase their sales by providing product or services in
quick manner.
Improve customer experience: Digital technology is also more essential and effective for
the organisation to maximise customer experience by providing quality products or services in
speed manner. It help an organisation to maximise customer base and accomplish long term
goals and objectives within predetermined time period.
Main issue faced by ASDA while implementing digital technology at their workplace
there are different issues and problems which are faced by an organisation while they
implement digital technology in their organisation. Some issues and challenges are determined as
under:
Cost and time: It is identify as one of the main issue faced by ASDA and its employees.
In order to implement digital technology in organisation, sufficient amount of capital and time is
required. So it is highly impact on business operations and its different activities such as
marketing, human resource, operational and production and many other. All this are directly
impact on business performance and productivity in direct manner.
Resource availability: In order to analysis appropriate resources, those who are
technologically and inventive sound is a big challenge and issue to digital transformation. It is
highly effects on business operations and activities directly (Gratton and et. al., 2016). For
example sales activity is depend availability of various resources such as fund, human resources
etc. In absence of such resources business manager of an enterprise is not able to complete all
activities in appropriate and proper manner.
Different ways through which ASDA can easily overcome issue related to the rapid advancement
in technology.
In order to maintain and address rapid advancement in technology, different number of
ways are used by the ASDA. Some ways are determined as under:
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Provide training and development classes: It is identify as one of the main and essential
way for the organisation to address rapid changes and improve their profitability and
productivity within predetermined time duration. Training is also help an enterprise to train their
workers about technology which will help an enterprise to accomplish their wanted goals and
objectives in given time period.
Use appropriate resources: It is another important and essential way which should use
by an organisation in order to overcome technology related issue in an appropriate manner. In
this ASDA should apply different resources which will be essential for the growth and
development of an enterprise (Hill, Betts and Gardner, 2015). Thus, it will also essential for the
company to maximise their sales and revenues.
4.0 Methodology
Methodology is refer as an effective, theoretical and systematic analysis of the approach
followed to a field of study. It is a systematic process which is used by a researcher to collect
accurate and appropriate amount of information from the respondents. There are different
methods applied for collecting accurate and real data from the participants.
4.1Research Design, Research approach and Research Type
All these are identify as one of the main and essential part of the research methodology
used by the researcher to accumulate appropriate and relevant data and information from the
respondents. Some essential method of research methodology are determined as under:
Research design: Each and every activity of research is depend on research design. This
part of the research methodology is executed by an investigator to identify main issue and impact
of research. There are mainly three kind if research design such as descriptive, experimental and
exploratory. All these types of design are useful for the researcher to collect accurate data from
the participants (Kane and et. al., 2015). As per the topic or research, descriptive design is taken
because it will be more suitable and appropriate for deriving valid conclusion. As per this type of
design, survey can be applied by an organisation in order to study in attitudes, behaviours, habits
and beliefs of members of a company, target audience or other enterprise. Descriptive studies
output in big information that is gathered in large amount. The data collection lets for collecting
in-depth and detail data that may be either qualitative and quantitative.
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Research approach: There are basically two types of research approach, one is deductive
and other one is inductive. According to this topic, investigator can follow deductive approach of
research in which they can create a hypotheses and theory and design an effective research
strategy in order to test the hypothesis (Ku, 2017). On the other hand, under inductive approach,
in which researcher will accumulate information and create an effective theory as the output of
their data analysis. In this topic and research, investigator applied deductive research approach
because it will support them to easily collect and gather proper information from the
respondents. In addition, deductive approach needs the investigator in order to work general to
particular. The research of the particular phenomenon is completed in link to the actual
established theories and laws. In this approach of research, an investigator start to study with
deciding model or theory for addressing the research objectives in appropriate and accurate
manner. Main aim of deductive approach is to testing the existing theories appropriately and
accurately. It is a continuous and effective process from which the models based on cultural,
social changes require to be re-examined.
Research type: There are mainly two types of research which is applied by an
investigator to collect accurate and relevant information from the participants. Qualitative and
quantitative, both are main types of research which is followed by an investigator to accumulate
information in accurate and proper manner. In case of qualitative research, it is an effective
process or activity of naturalistic information that seeks in detail understanding and knowingness
of social phenomena within their actual setting. The three main important areas are cultures,
societies, communication, language and individuals. Qualitative investigators follow a different
types of methods in order to develop accurate understanding of how an individual see their social
actuality (Newmna and Scurry, 2015). For example: open-ended questionnaires, diary accounts,
ethnography, participant observation and many other. On the other hand, quantitative research,
in this data is collected in numerical form which can develop into categories and measured in
measurement unit. This type of information can be applied to construct tables and graphs of raw
data. Main aim of this type of research is to develop general laws of phenomenon and behaviour
across different contexts. Thus, both type of research are important and useful for the
investigator to accumulate accurate response and information from the respondents.
Data collection: For collecting accurate data, there are basically two types of data
collection method such as primary and secondary. Both methods are useful and valuable for the
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researcher to accumulate real information about the topic. Primary method of data collection
support an investigator to prepare a questionnaires which will further supporting in collecting
proper and accurate information. On the other side, under secondary method of data collection,
different number of articles, books, journals, public research, magazines etc. are used by the
researcher to collect information and identify response of respondents towards research topic.
According to the topic, secondary research method is used because it is more useful and valuable
for the gathering accurate data in proper and quick manner (Ng, 2016). Main reason behind
selecting secondary source of data collection is it helps in getting customer information, supports
to analyse external market, provide internal analytical data, support in decision making and many
other.
4.2 Rationale
Main aim of preparing this research is to identifying the impact of rapid changes in
technology on business operations and activities. This objective is achieved with providing
training and development classes to the employees who have lack of knowledge in this field.
There are different proposed research methodology which are determined as under:
Sample: It is representative section of a large number of population. In quantitative type
of research, sample size of population and how it is chosen can be applied to establish reliability
of the output of investigation. Sample size show the various number of participants chosen from
the entire population that are applied in the research (Oldham and Da Silva, 2015). Sample size
is more essential in quantitative research because it help in analysing the reliability of outputs of
study. In this research sample size is chosen for 30 respondents through convenience sampling
method. It is more essential and valuable method for the investigator to select sample size in
appropriate and systematic manner.
Data analysis: The data analysis will be completed with the support of thematic
evaluation or analysis (Topol, 2015). In this case, different number of themes will be developed
with will support in executing each and every activity of research in effective and accurate
manner. These pattern will be created every question as this will highly essential for the scholar
in minutely evaluating the response of respondents.
Research equipments: There are different types of research equipments which are
applied by the researcher in order to collect accurate data from the target audience and
respondents. In this, questionnaires, interview, survey, observation etc., are more useful and
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valuable equipments which will help in investigator to collect information in an accurate and
proper manner.
5.0 Access to Data and Research Ethics
It gives guidelines and direction for the responsible conduct of investigation (Selke,
2016). There are some ethical principles which should follow by the researcher such as honesty,
objectivity, integrity, carefulness, openness, respect for intellectual property, confidentiality,
responsible publication, responsible mentoring, respect for colleagues, social responsibility and
so on. All this are help an investigator to ask appropriate questions to the respondents and
understand such questions not harm on individual behaviour.
6.0 Limitations
There are different number of limitation and issue which are witnessed at the period of
executing research activities in appropriate and accurate manner. One of the main issue which is
found by researcher is time because topic is more vast for getting accurate response from the
participants. For example: particular time period is needed for completing whole research in
systematic and proper way (Succo and et. al., 2015). Cost is another issue for such dissertation
because in order to completing all activities of research appropriately, they need accurate amount
of capital. Thus cost and time are major issue for this dissertation.
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7.0 Bibliography
Alam, K. and Imran, S., 2015. The digital divide and social inclusion among refugee migrants: A
case in regional Australia.Information Technology & People. 28(2). pp.344-365.
Chaudron, S. and et. al., 2015. Young Children (0-8) and digital technology: A qualitative
exploratory study across seven countries.
Collins, A. and Halverson, R., 2018. Rethinking education in the age of technology: The digital
revolution and schooling in America. Teachers College Press.
Davies, C., Coleman, J. and Livingstone, S. eds., 2015. Digital technologies in the lives of young
people. Routledge.
Deegan, M. and Sutherland, K., 2016. Transferred illusions: digital technology and the forms of
print. Routledge.
Gratton, D. G., Kwon, S. R., Blanchette, D. and Aquilino, S. A., 2016. Impact of digital tooth
preparation evaluation technology on preclinical dental students’ technical and self-
evaluation skills. Journal of dental education. 80(1). pp.91-99.
Hill, R., Betts, L. R. and Gardner, S. E., 2015. Older adults’ experiences and perceptions of
digital technology:(Dis) empowerment, wellbeing, and inclusion. Computers in Human
Behavior. 48. pp.415-423.
Kane, G. C., Palmer, D., Phillips, A. N., Kiron, D. and Buckley, N., 2015. Strategy, not
technology, drives digital transformation. MIT Sloan Management Review and Deloitte
University Press. 14. pp.1-25.
Ku, R. S. R., 2017. The creative destruction of copyright: Napster and the new economics of
digital technology. In Copyright Law (pp. 207-268). Routledge.
Newman, F. and Scurry, J. E., 2015. Higher education and the digital Rapids. International
Higher Education, (26).
Ng, W., 2016. NEW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION. SPRINGER
INTERNATIONAL PU.
Oldham, G. R. and Da Silva, N., 2015. The impact of digital technology on the generation and
implementation of creative ideas in the workplace. Computers in Human Behavior. 42.
pp.5-11.
Selke, S. ed., 2016. Lifelogging: Digital self-tracking and Lifelogging-between disruptive
technology and cultural transformation. Springer.
Succo, G. and et. al., 2015. Step-by-step surgical technique for mandibular reconstruction with
fibular free flap: application of digital technology in virtual surgical planning. European
Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. 272(6). pp.1491-1501.
Topol, E. J., 2015. The patient will see you now: the future of medicine is in your hands (Vol.
2015364). New York: Basic Books.
Online
Harmon. J., 2018. Digital technologies. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.quora.com/What-are-digital-technologies>.
Don Q. Dao., 2018. Benefits of Digital Technology in Business. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.techfunnel.com/information-technology/3-benefits-of-digital-
technology-in-business/>.
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