Analysis of IT Systems and Business Operations at Marks & Spencer

This report examines the utilization of IT systems within Marks & Spencer, a major retail company. It explores how IT systems support various departments, including HR, marketing, and finance, contributing to the achievement of business objectives. The report details diverse ways IT systems store and process data, encompassing both internal and external storage methods, as well as data processing stages. Furthermore, it assesses how IT systems facilitate value-added change, improving business operations, sustainability, and overall performance through advancements like cloud computing and application development. The analysis highlights the importance of IT in achieving cost efficiency, gaining a competitive edge, and enabling globalization for M&S. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive overview of IT's critical role in driving business success for Marks & Spencer.

Business
IT Systems

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
P1 Examine utilisation of IT systems within functioning of M&S.............................................1
P2 Explicate ways in which IT systems contributes within accomplishment of objectives of
M&S............................................................................................................................................2
P3 Study diverse ways in which IT systems store as well as process data.................................3
P4 Assess how IT systems renders support value added change within improvisation of
business operations, sustainability and performance..................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6

Introduction
The accumulation of technologies which deals with processing, storage as well as
communication of data is referred to as information technology system. They provides a means
for interaction by making use of software, websites and hardware (Boons and et. al, 2013). IT
systems are being utilised by businesses to deliver their services in precise as well as in impelling
manner. In this assignment Marks & Spencer has been considered. It deals within retail sector
and was founded in 18884 by Michael Marks & Thomas Spencer. This assignment comprises of
IT systems within organisation along with their contribution within business. In addition to this,
various ways for storage as well as ways in which value added support is provided by IT have
been illustrated.
P1 Examine utilisation of IT systems within functioning of M&S.
Information technology is a wider term that is liable for illustrating technological
enhancements with respect to processing as well as managing electronic information. Business
firm entirely depends on information system so that they can carry out their operations in an
appropriate manner which makes them competitive within market. For formulation of decisions,
organisation can use decision-making system as they are rendering their services world wide
(Brown and Scherer, 2012). There are various departments in M&S who carry out diverse
functions. They have been illustrated below:
Human resource operations: HR department of M&S is liable for carrying out
recruitment, selection and training of employees. If IT systems are being utilised by them then it
will become easy to render effective services. For an instance by making use of email, transfer of
messages will become easy, training can be provided by usage of video conferencing (by
connecting with experts from market), collaboration software can be utilised by them to work on
similar project from different locations and advertisements can be published on social media, etc.
Through this their working process will become easy.
Marketing operations: This is the core asset of every firm to identify expectations of
their customers as well as ensure their presence within market for longer duration. By making
use of IT, M&S can have digital marketing of services that are being provided them (Cao,
Thompson and Triche, 2013). For this, word processing software can be utilised for creating
content, online advertisements can be utilised to make people aware about services that are being
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delivered by them and feedbacks can be taken by them by making use of social media (it will
assist them to acknowledge needs of their customers & their expectations).
Finance activities: It is necessary for each firm to ensure that financial activities are
carried out in an appropriate manner as a missing or an extra zero will lead to large problem.
This denotes that it needs high preciseness as well as accuracy in its digits. For this it is
necessary effective it systems like TPS is being utilised by M&S. This will aid management to
collect, modify as well as retrieve data associated with transaction and also assists within
monitoring of the activities (Côrte-Real, Oliveira and Ruivo, 2017).
Research & Development operations: After carrying out marketing operations, R&D is
responsible for working on the results that are obtained from that. R&D department of M&S can
make use of internet to have knowledge about what their competitors are doing and what else
they can do to grab attention of their customers. Like, they can make use of simulation tools by
which they can identify how to design their clothes as it is done virtually, if designs will look
appropriate then they can furnished accordingly.
P2 Explicate ways in which IT systems contributes within accomplishment of objectives of
M&S.
Information technology has important role in an organisation for attaining their objectives
as well as goals. It will assist M&S to render their services in specified manner. Ways in which
objectives of firm can be attained by making use of IT has been specified beneath:
Product Development: Information technology enhances the ways in which products
reach market. Through the usage of proprietary data as well as marketing intelligence documents
can be produced with respect to requirements of product. Manufacturing as well as computer
aided design will assist M&S to enhance their decisions. In addition to this, collaborative
technologies can be used by various managers present in diverse locations to work on same
project simultaneously.
Process improvisation: Enterprise resource planning aids management to review their
sales which takes place, cost associated with entire process and operating metrics in a real world.
ERP system is responsible for generating legacy systems for HR, finance as well as other
functional areas that leads to make entire internal processes cost efficient and efficacious (Craig
and Campbell, 2012). M&S can utilise ERP system as it aids them within making their processes
accurate, easier and quicker so that affirmative results can be attained.
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Cost efficiency: Execution of information technology is a costly process but once it has
been done there is no look back. In addition to this, it will provide huge benefits such as
minimisation in errors which arises while carrying out transactions as well as by online
processing this aspect will be minimised. Information technology will assist M&S from smaller
to larger activities like storing files to their retrieval, carrying out transactions to formulation of
budgets. This will assist management to have accuracy within their cost as software's hardly
make any mistakes until input given to them is not appropriate (Dennis, Wixom and Roth, 2018).
Competitive edge: By improvisation in existent processes, productivity can be
intensified as work will become easier, this will lead M&S to be competitive in the market. For
an instance by developing an application for their customers, there will be significant
enhancement within their sales, this denotes that there will be higher productivity and
profitability. The reason behind this that people look for easy method to do things. This will
provide M&S with competitive edge as well as ensure their sustainability within market.
Globalisation: As it has been illustrated above that information technology makes it
easier for firm to carry out their operations. This means that there is higher probability for
expansion within international market. By carrying out their operations in global market there is
high possibility for having adequate profit and by making use of network technologies the
communication among them will become easy.
From above, it has been observed that IT has made wider contribution within firm.
Through this, M&S will be able to accomplish their goals and objectives on time as well as in
impelling manner.
P3 Study diverse ways in which IT systems store as well as process data.
The collective methods as well as technologies that are being utilised for capturing as
well as retaining digital information within silicon-based or electromagnetic mediums is defined
as data storage. Basically, it denotes devices as well as data that is being associated with system
by the utilisation of input/output operations that comprises of flash devices, hard disks and
various other media types (Hoffer, 2012). There exist different ways for storing data, they are
internal and external data storage. Random access memory is a physical storage and secondary
storage is depicted as external storage. RAM is stored within integrated circuits that is being
utilised for immediate usage. On the other hand, data which is stored within disks, flash drives,
hard drives and new solid state storage units are archived for having for having research
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activities that are carried out by end users. New technologies are being utilised for expanding
data storage capabilities. At present scenario, solid state drives are being used for holding
enormous amounts of data within small devices which enables different kind of new applications
within industries as well as for consumer uses. M&S can opt for services that are being rendered
by cloud as it provides the additional storage within device.
The process which takes place when data is gathered as well as transformed into usable
information is referred to as data processing. It is carried out by data scientist so that it can be
carried out in an appropriate manner in order to protect them from negative affects (Porter and
Tanner, 2012). This begins with data that is present in raw form and is being transformed into
readable format to give it a desired form & context so that it can be interpreted by the usage of
systems as well as can be used by staff of M&S. In this, there are six stages which are involved,
they are: data is gathered, prepared, input is given to system, it is being processed, interpreted
and then it is being stored. Basically, data processing denotes, transformation of data within
desired as well as usable form.
As data is being collected and it is in processed form, it can be utilised for gaining
knowledge from this. This means knowledge management systems will be used for this. This
involves set of practices which are used by firm for identification, creation, representation,
distribution and adoption of experience and insight. It is then embedded within practices as well
as processes of firm. From here, customer relationships can be managed as queries of
individuals can be solved with respect to knowledge attained through this. The process of
managing interactions and relationship among existent as well as potential customers is referred
to as customer relationship management. This will assist M&S to streamline their processes,
enhance sales, improvise customer service and profitability. It denotes there is need for
communication management which involves systematic planning, implementation, monitoring
and revision of channels of interaction that are being utilised by firm (Rouhani, Asgari and
Mirhosseini, 2012). With respect to M&S, it will be comprising of:
 What information is crucial for carrying out project?
 Who needs information and what kind of info is required?
 What will be the duration needed for information collection?
Data communication is defined as process of usage of computing as well as
communication technologies for transferring data from one place to other. This will assist M&S
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to have electronic movement of data in between two or more nodes irrespective of geographical
location.
P4 Assess how IT systems renders support value added change within improvisation of business
operations, sustainability and performance.
As this is a technological era, there is need to effectively make use of IT to ensure that
operations are being carried out in a appropriate manner. This will lead firm to have better results
but in case if latest technologies are not utilised by firm then instead of pessimistic results it will
create pessimistic impact (Scheer, 2012). For an instance, video conferencing is still in practice
but at this moment if some firm is opting for this then it might not seem appropriate. Holographic
technique can be utilised for carrying out interaction. This will provide a real life interaction
rather than a virtual conversation. In addition to this, any case of queries can be solved easily by
having live examples. This denotes that IT has made things easier like if M&S opts for this then
their processing can be made smooth. Like by the usage of Cloud computing, they can store their
data online and whenever it is required it can be accessed.
In addition to this, by developing their own application, their employees as well as
customers will be provided with an ease and flexibility within their operations. Such as by
having an app people can have services instantly and it will also save their time. With respect to
employees, there work will become easier as they do not need to carry out any kind of
transactions, they only need to ensure that products are delivered to their customers in specified
time duration (Shenkar, Luo and Chi, 2014). But for carrying out this, management of M&S
needs to formulate effective strategies and ensures that what technology must be used by them so
that affirmative results can be obtained.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that information technology is a broad field that is related with
managing as well as processing of information within business world. Business strategies
depends on the usage of information system for their growth and success. It is being utilised
within each department. This denotes that IT has wider contribution within accomplishment of
objectives as well as goals of firm. Through this sustainability, performance and operations can
be carried out as per required standards.
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References
Books & Journals
Boons, F. and et. al, 2013. Sustainable innovation, business models and economic performance:
an overview. Journal of Cleaner Production. 45, pp.1-8.
Brown, D. E. and Scherer, W. T. Eds., 2012. Intelligent scheduling systems (Vol. 3). Springer
Science & Business Media.
Cao, Q., Thompson, M. A. and Triche, J., 2013. Investigating the role of business processes and
knowledge management systems on performance: A multi-case study approach.
International Journal of Production Research, 51(18), pp.5565-5575.
Côrte-Real, N., Oliveira, T. and Ruivo, P., 2017. Assessing business value of Big Data Analytics
in European firms. Journal of Business Research, 70, pp.379-390.
Craig, T. and Campbell, D., 2012. Organisations and the business environment. Routledge.
Dennis, A., Wixom, B. H. and Roth, R. M., 2018. Systems analysis and design. John wiley &
sons.
Hoffer, J. A., 2012. Modern Systems Analysis and Design, 6/e. Pearson Education India.
Porter, L. and Tanner, S., 2012. Assessing business excellence. Routledge.
Rouhani, S., Asgari, S. and Mirhosseini, S. V., 2012. Review study: business intelligence
concepts and approaches. American Journal of Scientific Research, 50(1), pp.62-75.
Scheer, A. W., 2012. ARIS—business process modeling. Springer Science & Business Media.
Shenkar, O., Luo, Y. and Chi, T., 2014. International business. Routledge.
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