Report: Implementing Digital Technologies for Small Business Growth

This report delves into the intricacies of managing a successful business project, focusing on the implementation of digital technologies to foster growth and innovation within small businesses, using Continental Consulting Limited as a case study. The report outlines project aims, objectives, and a comprehensive management plan, including cost analysis, quality assurance, risk assessment, communication strategies, and time management considerations. It also explores the use of Work Breakdown Structures and Gantt charts for effective project organization and scheduling. Furthermore, the report examines both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including questionnaire design and interpretation, to understand customer needs and market trends. The analysis provides insights into the benefits of digitalization, competitive advantages, and the overall impact of digital tools on business performance and profitability. This report provides a detailed analysis of project management principles and their application in a real-world business context, offering valuable information for students and professionals alike.

Managing a
Successful
Business Project

INTRODUCTION
The managing a successful business project is the important part of the business to
acquire the desired outcomes from the project. It involves maximum resources and its failure
more impact on the business functions. So it is the duty of the project manager to organise
project and accomplish desired outputs in an effective manner. Beside this, managers conduct
planning, controlling, organising and staffing the activities to achieve the better results. Apart
from this, digital technology play vital role in success and development of organisation. There
are different advantages which are associated with the development of digitalisation such as
capturing large market share, assist in the growth activity, maximum amount of sales and profit
etc. This assignment is based on Continental Consulting Limited; it is a research consultancy
organisation in London. This report cover various elements such as project aims and objectives,
management plan, work-break down structure and Gantt chart. Types of research, preparation of
questionnaire and its interpretation will also be analysed in this project.
TASK 1
P1 Projects objectives and aims
In the today world, it has become essential and significant for the enterprise to implement
digital technology so that they can create a positive image in front of the audience. Further, it has
become more important activity for the organisation to attract large number of customers easily.
It is identified as a promotional technique for the firm (Ahmed Dine Rabeh and et. al., 2013). If it
is carried out easily then it will have better and positive effect on the enterprise as well as the
customers. Digital technology in the business operations highly assist on the innovation and
growth of small enterprise in a systematic manner.
Topic: “ Implementing digital technologies within organisation which support small business
growth and innovation”.
Background of the project:
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Continental consulting limited is a research organisation which is located in London.
Main concern of such enterprise is business process re-engineering and their potential clients
include small and medium manufacturing companies. In this, business need to apply digital
technology which support them to easily complete their project within predetermined period of
time. The traditional form of operating business entity has modified and large number of person
engage through digitalisation when organising business activities effectively. In this, internet and
mobile technology are also use business entity in order to make change on a regular basis. The
advance of communication and computer science have change the through and place of business
functions whereby enterprise have changed the business procedures and as an output made
company to work in an efficient manner (Blackburn, Hart and Wainwright, 2013). Things like
connectivity, cloud computing, downtime, mobile solution and customer segmentation have
allowed company to become organised in various ways. In this, small and large organisation
adapt and organise different activities and functions in a digital way. Continental consulting
limited follow digitalisation which benefited to the company to maximise their sales and
turnover as well as capture large amount of market share easily.
Aim: “The impact of digital technology supporting small business growth and innovation”
Objectives: This is important for business to find out their objectives while implementing digital
technology in the business operations and activities. Some objectives are shown as below:
 To identify the significances of digital technology in accomplishing sustainable
objectives.
 To assess the relation of digitalisation on Continental consulting limited for attaining the
competitive advantages.
 To evaluate the positive effect of digital technology on the Continental consulting
limited. To analysis various approach through which Continental consulting limited can attain
competitive benefits through digital tools.
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Research Question: This part of the project is mainly based on the objectives which assist the
small and large organisation to find out customer's requirement about digitalisation (Bovee and
Thill, 2012). Some questions are explain as below:
 How digital technology is significant in accomplishing sustainable objectives?
 What is the relation between digitalisation for Continental consulting limited for attaining
the competitive edge?
 What are the positive effects of digital tool on the Continental consulting limited?
 What are the various technique's which can be adopted by the Continental consulting
limited for attaining competitive benefits through digital technology?
P2 Project management plan
Project management plan (PMP)is depict as an activity and procedures required to define,
unify, combine, coordinate and identify entire subsidiary plans. It is more essential for the
business administration is to create the PMP which assists to develop effective plans about
various aspects which are involved as a main part of project (Chesbrough, 2010). Such plans are
perform as guidelines which is applied in the implementation process of digital technology.
Beside this project manager needs some aspects including scope, cost, time, communication,
resources, risk, quality and so on. All these are support the Continental consulting limited to
save their time and cost as well as accomplish their desired outcomes easily. Some aspects which
are considered in project management plan are shown as below:
Scope: It is an important part of project management plan which support the organisation
to find out their success and development. Utilisation of new technology in the business that
supports them the organisation to improve their overall structure from its production and
distribution of services or products to the customers (Cragg, Caldeira and Ward, 2011). So scope
of the project is large which help in the enhancement of all aspects such as production,
advertisement, enlargement, management and distribution through utilisation of digital tool.
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Such project is feasible in nature which support the company to keep their strong position at
marketplace.
Cost: This part of PMP gives necessary data regarding the project cost which is essential
to develop digitalisation in business operations effectively. In this process, business entity needs
to calculate accurate amount of the cost to achieve overall objectives related to the projects.
Beside this, Continental consulting limited requires to provide training to the employees about
the knowledge of digital technology, in this they also need some amount of money (Crane and
Matten, 2016). There are different aspects in which project manager need sufficient fund which
are shown as below:
Total forecasted budget
(Particular)
2017-18($)
Implementing technology cost 14000
Promotional expense 7000
Advertisement expense 5500
Catalogues 1500
Training charges 6400
Total Cost 34400
Quality: Another essential and main part of the plan which provide success and
development of company at different place. In this role of project manager is to make effective
and better quality in its specific project and services (Den Hertog and et. al., 2010). It support the
organisation to increase customer base as well as accomplish their desired outcomes within
predetermined period of time. In this regards, business entity need to organise an effective
research program which support them to easily know about market trends, customer's needs,
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competitors and many other. Such type of information support the company to build their strong
image and preference in marketplace.
Risk: It is another part of the plan which supports the company in identification of actual
risks. This type of risk mainly associated with the development of advanced technology. It is
necessary for the Continental consulting limited to determine potential risks. Further, it benefited
to the company in reduction of negative effect on business performance and profitability.
Potential risks which are observed are related to training requirement, maximum funds, poor
knowledge and so on (Eckerson, 2010). Employees are main part of enterprise and without their
help they can not achieve their wanted results. All these risks control the company in
improvement or betterment of the business profitability and performance appropriately.
Communication: With the help of this part of project management plan, an enterprise
easily aware all employees about digital technology and process. It provides chances is to take
employees support and coordinate their all activities and operations in achievement of wanted
outputs. It is essential for the organisation to provide their all information to the customers with
the apply of social media. Such method support the company to make strong relation with
customers as well as achieve competitive advantages easily (Hotho and Champion, 2011). This
will have Straith effect upon their profit and turnover. In the present study, the questionnaire
approach is followed to find out the employees perception which are given with the assistance of
relevant graphs and Gantt charts.
Time: This part of the PMP provides the data about time duration which is needed to
implement advanced technology effectively within the organisation and its different departments.
It also show about the time period which is taken in the development of digital tools. In this
Continental consulting limited follow critical part approach with purpose to find out the period of
time. It is necessary to wind up project parts as well as accomplish wanted outputs
(Kankaanranta and Planken, 2010). It provides the chances to the business management to
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allocate roles and duties to all departments effectively. It assist the business to complete their
project in given time period in a systematic manner.
Resources: It is useful part of project management plan which covers essential data or
information regarding the various resources and aspects which are necessary for the organisation
in implementation of digital technique's in the business operations (Keller, Parameswaran and
Jacob, 2011). In this Continental consulting limited needed some resources such as amount of
fund, human capital etc.
P3 Gantt Chart and Work-Break Down Structure
Work-Break Down Structure: It proposes graphical nature that supports project
managers predict outputs based on different scenarios. This is often determined as a result-
oriented tree that includes entire procedures of project's in an organised and planed manner. It is
used by the manager of Continental consulting limited in order to break down their projects or
activities into easily controllable elements (Lai and Ong, 2010). Thus it is needed by the firm to
analysis performance and productivity of employees. Further it support the organisation to
maximise their sales and revenues within predetermined period of time.
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Gantt Chart: It is one of the essential and main part which is applied in project
management. It is essential in planning and designing a project as well as identifying the series
of tasks that need completion. It shown as a horizontal bar chart which displayed various lengths
that represent the timeline of project, which can cover duration, task sequences and the opening
and ending dates for all task. This charts has different activities which is present by the project
management in order to complete activities in given time duration (Lin and Chen, 2012).
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TASK 2
P4 Small scale research by applying the qualitative and quantitative method
Research is main and useful element for the each and every organisation to analysis basic
requirement and wants of the audience (Shang, 2012). It provide accurate amount of the
information to the company about market trends, customer's needs, requirement of digital tools
and many other. In this qualitative and quantitative methods of research play vital and essential
role which are explain as below:
Qualitative research: It is one of the important and essential part of the research which is
used by the all business in order to gain a better understanding of underlying motivations,
reasons and opinions (Introducing Research Methods, 2014). It gives insights into the issue or
assist to create hypotheses and unique ideas for actual research. In this part of research,
investigator needs different resources such as group discussion, individual interviews, and
observations.
Quantitative Research: Such kind of research is applied to quantify the issue by mode of
generating numerical information that can be changed into valuable statistics (Smith, 2011). It is
followed to quantify behaviour, attitudes, opinions and many other defined variables. It is a type
of collection approach which covers paper surveys, kiosk survey etc. This method also includes
telephone interviews, website interceptors and many other.
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With the help of those tools business manager conduct a survey and prepare an effective
questionnaire which help the investigator to easily analysis customers needs and wants
appropriately. Thus, it support the enterprise to maximise customer base as well as achieve better
results.
Questionnaire
Name
Gender
Age
Q1) Do Continental consulting limited carries out digital technology in the organisation?
 Yes
 No
Q2) Does Digital technology can support in accomplishing sustainable objectives?
 Yes
 No
Q3) In your Opinion, do digitalisation support in achieving competitive edge?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly Disagree
Q4) What are the benefits and advantages of planning the digital technology in the
organisation?
 Enhancing the goodwill
 Maximising the customer base
 Developing reputation in the marketplace
Q5) In what time period, the Continental consulting limited should apply the digital tools and
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