Unit 6: Business Project Report: Workplace Transformation and Retail

This report is a comprehensive analysis of a business project focused on workplace transformation within the retail industry, specifically examining Next Plc. The report delves into the project lifecycle, identifying stages like initiation, planning, execution, and closure. It outlines the factors crucial for a successful project management plan, including deliverables, quality, risk management, communication strategies, and resource allocation. The report also analyzes various research strategies and methodologies, such as deductive research approach, positivism philosophy, and the use of survey research. A project management plan is presented, detailing research aims, objectives, quality control measures, deliverables, risk assessments, communication plans, and resource allocation. The report includes a work breakdown structure and a project schedule. Furthermore, the report covers the execution phase, data presentation, and analysis using frequency distribution tables, leading to conclusions and recommendations. Finally, it reflects on the value of the project and the student's learning and performance.

Unit 6 Managing a
Successful Business
Project
(To identify the need of workplace
transformation in the digital age to
improve workforce satisfaction and
organisational performance within retail
industry)

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Determining the different stages of Project Lifecycle along with its significance for the
success of project ........................................................................................................................1
P2 Identifying the factors which is required for complaining a project management plan.........2
P3 Analysing a extent of research strategies and methods as well as their significance in
project management.....................................................................................................................3
P4 Making a project management plan that includes research aim and objectives, quality,
deliverables, risk, communication resources along with the research methods..........................5
P5 Developing a work breakdown structure along with a schedule for providing stages and
time-frames to complete the project successfully........................................................................7
LOGBOOK......................................................................................................................................9
PART 2..........................................................................................................................................13
P6 Conducting a business project as stated within the PMP and communicating findings.......13
Frequency Distribution Table....................................................................................................13
Data Interpretation.....................................................................................................................14
P7 Presenting the data to draw a valid and meaningful conclusions and recommendation from
data analysis...............................................................................................................................19
P8 Reflect on the value of undertaking the business project to meet stated objectives and own
learning and performance..........................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................21
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................23
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................23

INTRODUCTION
Execution of the project in successful manner is essential for every project manager for
producing the effective outcome from it. It is important for project manager to design, arrange
and oversees the operation in better manner for accomplishing the desired objectives and
increasing the growth of the business (LONG, 2022). The current research is conducted to find
the need of workplace transformation in the digital age for improving their workforce
satisfaction as well as organisational performance. Selected organisation of the following
research is Next Plc, a multinational retail organisation of United Kingdom. The company is
focus on enhancing the experience as well as satisfaction level of their customers through their
effective products and service.
MAIN BODY
PART 1
P1 Determining the different stages of Project Lifecycle along with its significance for the
success of project
The project management lifecycle is used to describes the high level processes in order
to deliver a successful project. Effective project management help companies to get prevent from
the waste of money as well as resources because most of the unsuccessful projects fails due to
breakdown in communication (Galli, 2018). In the stage of the project management lifecycle, the
project manager come up with the idea for a project, defining its goals, conduct planning for its
execution as well as provide guidance for its completion. There mainly four stages within project
management lifecycle that are defined as initiation, planning, execution as well as closure. In
relation to current research project, these stages are described below:
Initiation- It refers to the first stage that project manager to identify the problem, need or
opportunity as well as insight ways that help team to meet this need, seize this opportunity or
solve this problem (Beagley, 2022). In this step, project manager need to identify the objective of
the project, determine its feasibility as well as deliverables for the project. The initiation stage is
considered as the important stage for the success of the project. The project proposal, RACI chart
and project charter are some tools which is used in this stage.
Planning- In this stage of project management life cycle, the project manager need to
break down the whole project into smaller tasks, develop an effective as well as prepare a
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schedule for the completion of assignments (Kim, Lee and Kim, 2020). By creating smaller goals
for the larger projects, project manager need to ensure that each goals should achieve within the
time-frame. Gantt chart and risk register are some tools that are used in this stage that helps in
making project successful.
Execution- This stage of project management lifecycle help project manager to convert
its project plan into action. In the stage, the project manager need to focus on that the all the
tasks are on track, team members are organised properly, timelines are managed as well as
ensure that the all the tasks are completed in accordance with original plan (Lin and Cheung,
2020). Change requests and Burn-down chart are some tools which may used by the project
manager in order to accomplish the whole project in better manner.
Closure- It refers to the final stage of project management lifecycle when all the tasks of
the project are completed then project enter in its closure stage. In the closure stage, the project
manager need to provide final deliverables, release project resources as well as determining the
success of the project (Klünder, Dörseln and Steven, 2019). The project manager also need to
evaluate what is going to be good and what wrong in the project in order to improved them for
the success of next project. In this stage, the Impact report and Project close out report are tools
which is used by the project manager in order to evaluate the project performance.
P2 Identifying the factors which is required for complaining a project management plan
Project management plan is a kind of approved and formal document that helps project
managers in order to define the monitor, execution as well as controlling of project (Rahman,
2020). While compiling the project management plan the project manager need to consider
certain factors that helps in making the project successful. It involves goals, scope, budget,
timelines and deliverables of a project. In relation to the current conducted research, factors that
are need to be considered for making it successful are described below:
Deliverables- It is used to describes how the large projects will be break down into
different measurable deliverables. It helps in clarifying the different project objectives along with
the activities which is required to complete the whole project (Roy, 2021). It is a most important
factors for project management plan as it allows project managers, clients and other stakeholders
to know about the progress make by the team.
Quality- It describe the factors that helps project manager to determine the ability of their
plan that provide success of the project. The project manager need to identify that what kind of
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information is to gather for making the quality of project (Munyaneza, 2020). In case of current
research, the researcher identify that quantitative data and information is required to collect for
making it high quality.
Risk- It refers to the those factors that help project manager in order identify, address and
control issues that may occur while conducting the project. It is also important for completing the
project on time as well as making it successful (Tolla, 2020). In case of present research project,
there are many risk factors that create problem for the researcher in order to complete it in proper
many. It involves low cost, less time, insufficient resources as well as security risk.
Communication- It refers to a process through which project manager interact with the
stakeholders for the completion of the project (Ravelomanalina, 2020). There are many methods
through which project managers can communicate with their stakeholders in proper manner
such as survey, interview, emails and many more. In respect of current research project, survey
strategy and emails are used by the researcher to complete the whole research properly.
Resources- It refers to a thing which is to conduct the whole project in better manner.
There are many resources which can be used by the researcher to collect the information for the
following research such as books, journals and questionnaire (Ndayambaje, 2021). These
resources helps in attaining the aim and objectives of the research project in better manner.
P3 Analysing a extent of research strategies and methods as well as their significance in project
management
Research methodologies is describe the way that explain how a researcher intends to
conduct the research project in better manner. It can also be considered as systematic plan that
help in resolving the research problem in better manner (Hechter, 2019). The research onion is
an effective framework that classify the research methodology in different methods and
techniques in order to make easier for the researcher to complete the whole research in better
manner. In context of current research project, the methods and strategies are used to complete it
successfully are described below:
Research Approach- Inductive and deductive positivism research philosophyare two
types of research approach that helps in collecting and analysing the data for the research. The
researcher selected deductive research approach in the current research project as it helps in
gathering and examining the quantitative data related to research topic (Humble, 2020). The
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primary motive for the selection of this research topic is it allows researcher to use their logic to
justify work related decision in the research.
Research philosophy- It is classified in two parts that are defined as interpretivism and
positivism. In context of present research project, positivism research philosophy is used as it
helps researcher to take large scale surveys for getting an overview about the whole society as
well as uncover the social trends (Zhang, 2019). The primary reason for the selection of this
research philosophy is to obtain accurate and reliable information related to the research topic.
Research Strategy- Different kinds of research strategies are available in research
methodology like case study, action research, survey, interview, observation and many more.
Survey research strategy has been selected by the researcher in order to collect large amount of
information from the large population (Conway, 2019). This main motive for the selection of this
research strategy is it is an convenient method in order to collect data for the research.
Research choice- Qualitative and quantitative are two major form of research choice that
helps in collecting and analysing the specific kind of information. Quantitative research choice is
used by the researcher for collecting and analysing the numerical information related to the
research topic (Patel, Shah and Shah, 2020). The primary reason for the selection of this research
choice to attain greater knowledge and understanding related to the social world for conducting
the research in well manner.
Time horizon- It is classified in two parts that are defined as longitudinal and cross-
sectional time horizon. In case of current research project, cross-sectional time horizon is
selected in order to conduct the whole research in less time (Facchin, Buggio and Saita, 2020).
The main motive for the selection of this research topic is it helps in comparing the many
different variables in similar time.
Data collection- It is classified in two categories that are primary and secondary data
collection method. Both the data collection methods used in current research project as it helps
in collecting information directly from the participants along with the several sources (Liang,
Leung and Ahmed, 2021). The primary reason for the selection of these data collection method is
it is a cost and time effective method that helps researcher to gain reliable information related to
the research topic.
Data analysis- Different kind of data analysis methods are available in research
methodology such as thematic, frequency distribution , etc. The researcher selected frequency
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distribution data analysis techniques in order to calculate and evaluate numerical information
related to the research topic (Hou and Wen, 2020). The basic reason for the selection of this
research is it helps in summarizing and organising the raw data in tabular format.
Sampling- Probability and non-probability are two kinds of sampling methods that helps
in selecting samples from the large population. In context of current conducted research,
probability sampling used for collecting the information from the equal number of respondents.
In the following research researcher selects 30 respondents through random sampling (Ahmed,
and Ali, 2022).
P4 Making a project management plan that includes research aim and objectives, quality,
deliverables, risk, communication resources along with the research methods
Research Aim:
To identify the need of workplace transformation in the digital age to improve workforce
satisfaction and organisational performance. “A study on Next Plc”
Research Objectives:
 To develop understanding and need of workplace transformation within retail industry
 To investigate the advanced technologies of workplace transformation used by Next Plc
for employees to carry out their roles and collaborate
 To examine the impact of workplace transformation on workforce satisfaction and
organisational performance within Next Plc
Research Questions:
 Explain the concept and need of workplace transformation within retail industry?
 What are the advanced technologies of workplace transformation used by Next Plc for
employees to carry out their roles and collaborate?
 What is the impact of workplace transformation on workforce satisfaction and
organisational performance within Next Plc?
Deliverables:
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The deliverables allows researcher in order to classify the whole project into several tasks
along with the various measurable variables. In case of current research project, the whole
research projects is divide in different tasks and each tasks is allotted in different measurable
deliverable within 28 weeks (Rasoarimalalanarivo, 2020). The different tasks of the whole
research projects involves introduction, aims and objectives, literature review, research
methodology, data collection, data analysis, conclusion and recommendation, reflection as well
as submission of the final report.
Quality:
In case of current conducted research, the quality of the research is very high as the
researcher collects data and information through quantitative research methods as it helps in
making the whole research more reliable and valuable (Kibangula, 2020). It helps in making the
whole research project successful. The researcher collected information by directly asking
questions from the respondents that helps researcher to collect accurate and up-to-date
information for the research. It also helps in making the quality of the research project high to
make it successful.
Risk:
The researcher need to identify the risk along with the method to mitigate it in order to
make the whole project successful. In context of current research, there are many risk factors that
create problem for the researcher in order to complete the whole research in successful manner.
Low cost is one of the risk in the current research project and the respondents used questionnaire
in order to collects information in less cost (de Oliveira, 2021). Time is another risk where the
researcher used Gantt Chart to mitigate limited time risk. Limited resources are also a risk for the
researcher where the researcher collected information the different sources such as books,
journals and scholarly articles. Security risk is another risk that create problem for the researcher
to complete the research properly. By protecting privacy and confidentiality of the respondents
the researcher mitigate security risk.
Resources:
The researcher uses different resources to collect valuable information and data for the
current research project (El Kabbag, 2019). It involves questionnaire, books, journal, scholarly
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articles and many more. These resources are helpful in making whole research project
successful.
Research methods
It refers to the method or techniques which is used to complete the whole research project
in better manner. In context of present research project, the researcher uses quantitative research
methods as it allows them to collect numerical information about the facts and figures of
research topic in effective manner (Mohamoud, 2019).
P5 Developing a work breakdown structure along with a schedule for providing stages and time-
frames to complete the project successfully
Work breakdown structure is described the project management tool that involves step-
by-step approach in order to complete the large projects through several moving pieces. In
context of current research project, Gantt chart is used in order to breakdown and schedule the
whole research project for providing different stages and time-frames. Gantt chart is mainly
described the project management tool that help project manager to analyse the schedule
planning of different project tasks (Joshi and Goyal, 2019). It is display in the form of bar chart
that helps in illustrating the schedule of the research project. It provides graphical illustration of
project schedules that help project managers in order to make a plan, analyse as well as
coordinate the task in better manner. Gantt chart makes the things easier and simpler that help
researcher in orders to complete the research project successfully.
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LOGBOOK
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Project Log Book
Project Logbook For MSBP
Learning Week No: (Project Week no. )
Date:
No. Planned Activities Action Plan
1 Update your last week’s work Data Collection and Data Analysis
2 Problem encountered and how did you
handle the problem?
Points to consider:
What barriers did you face?
Time management
How did you overcome them?
By using Gantt chart
3 Task for this week What have I learnt about myself this
week?
Points to consider:
How did you feel when you had to deal with
tasks/problems? Did you find it useful to
complete the tasks?
I am get frustrated in order to deal with
the tasks or problems. Yes I found that it
is useful to complete the tasks.
How well have you perform? What did you
contribute? What can you improve on next
week?
According to my opinion I perform very
well. I have collected in-depth
information about the research topic. I
can improve time management on next
week.
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