Analyzing CSR Activities at Expansys PLC: A Business Report

This report analyzes the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of Expansys PLC, a UK-based retail organization. The report begins with an introduction to the aims and objectives, focusing on the role of CSR in achieving sustainability and competitive advantage, particularly through recycling. It details a project management plan, including cost analysis, risk assessment, and resource allocation, alongside a work breakdown structure and Gantt chart. Qualitative research, based on employee surveys, explores awareness and satisfaction with CSR activities. The findings highlight employee perceptions of Expansys PLC's CSR efforts, including recycling programs. The research also evaluates employee awareness of CSR and their satisfaction with the company's initiatives. Finally, the report provides recommendations based on the research findings and concludes with a reflective report, offering insights into the study's process and outcomes.

Managing a
successful business

TABLE OF CONTENT
PART 1............................................................................................................................................2
P1 Aims and objectives of Expansys PLC.............................................................................2
P2 Preparing the project management plan............................................................................2
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart......................................................................4
PART 2............................................................................................................................................6
P4 Research through qualitative method................................................................................6
PART 3............................................................................................................................................6
P5 Tool and techniques..........................................................................................................6
P6 Recommendation...............................................................................................................8
P7 Reflective report................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

1

PART 1
P1 Aims and objectives of Expansys PLC
Topic: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its importance for sustainability and
competitive advantage.
Aim: To study the implementation of CSR activities within retail organisations to meet
sustainable objectives by undertaking the process of recycling as a contending advantage- A
study on Expansys PLC.
Objectives: It is on the basis of above intended purpose of this survey, there exist some well-
defined objectives as stated below-
 To interpret the role of CSR in retail based organisations of UK.
 To assess the enforcement of CSR activities in business to achieve a contending position
in the market with sustainable objectives.
 To analyse the contribution of recycling in fulfilling the CSR of Expansys PLC.
Research questions: It is on the basis of above outlined objectives of this survey, below are the
investigation queries that will in turn assist the surveyor to carry out a directional study. These
research questions are as mentioned below-
 What is the role of CSR in retail based organisations of UK?
 How CSR activities can be enforced to attain a competitive position in the marketplace
with sustainable objectives?
 How recycling can contribute in the fulfilment of CSR for Expansys PLC?
P2 Preparing the project management plan
It is to progress towards a succeeding plan ahead with a well-defined tactic that is in turn
referred to be a suitable way to work with a progressive plan (Jones, Hillier and Comfort, 2014).
This is to support the scholar to create a beforehand blueprint of the study plan where such pre-
planned method will together aid to conduct a guiding work for well-timed execution of the
undertaken goals and objectives. It is thus to construct a successive plan, Expansys needs to
focus on some crucial factors as referred below- Cost- Financial plan of 500 GBP has been fixed by the surveyor to conduct this study. It
is however on the basis of a primary exploration where under this expense, a liable set of
data will be collected as well as documented by the researcher.
2

 Risk- Failing to meet the deadline due to a limited time period and budget is referred to
be a leading risk that must be evaded with proper scheduling of both time and fiscal
strategy (Ramanathan, Bentley and Pang, 2014).
 Scope- This study has a greater scope of identifying the factual concept of CSR activities
in retail business organisations by together comprehending its importance in
accomplishing a competing position in the market with sustainable objectives.
 Resources- Resources plays a greater role in gathering likely information to carry out a
guiding investigation with verified outcomes (Leone and et.al., 2016). With a similar
reference to it, the investigator in the current research work has opted for both primary
and secondary sources to collect a liable set of data.
Name of various tasks Time period Beginning Finishing Predecessors
Research project 96 days Thu 3/2/17 Fri 3/3/17
Preparation 20 days Thu 3/2/17 Tue 5/30/17
Probing topic to conduct
investigation 8 days Thu 3/2/17 Mon 3/13/17
Formulating statement for
emphasizing on any
challenging matter
3 days Wed 5/31/17 Fri 6/2/17 3
Assigning resources by with
suitable time frame 9 days Thu 5/18/17 Tue 5/30/17 4
Implementation Plan 56 days Thu 5/4/17 Fri 3/31/17
Choosing Literature review 10 days Thu 5/4/17 Wed 5/17/17 5
Defining research procedure
for study 15 days Thu 4/13/17 Wed 5/3/17 7
Scheming expenses 5 days Mon 4/3/17 Fri 4/7/17 8
3

Exploring and understanding
data 17 days Tue 3/21/17 Wed 4/12/17 9
Analysing the findings 9 days Tue 3/21/17 Fri 3/31/17 9
Closure of the project 20 days Fri 3/10/17 Fri 3/3/17
Representing and concluding
results 7 days Fri 3/10/17 Mon 3/20/17 11
Delivering appropriate
recommendations 5 days Thu 3/2/17 Wed 3/8/17 13
Recording the project 6 days Thu 3/2/17 Thu 3/9/17 14
Final proposal 2 days Thu 3/2/17 Fri 3/3/17 15
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart
Work breakdown is basically a structure that depicts a methodical arrangement to
conduct a directional investigation for timely achievement of its aims and objectives. The present
breakdown structure over here is in context to an elected business enterprise called Expansys
PLC as a renowned retail organisation of UK. It is a proven tact that is extremely very useful for
an apt clarification of those activities that are needed to be undertaken for the study. It is though
in agreement of an agreed time period to work upon each stipulated tasks for a systematic
attainment of study goals (Dururu and et.al., 2015). It is where a suitable work breakdown will
timely determine the project wind-up in progress that will in turn reflect a proper administration
of all undertaken activities. Gantt chart is hereby stated as another vital tool with a clear
prediction of time allocation in accord to the proposal. It is together reflected to be a great
supportive tool that helps the surveyor to appropriately go through all distributed tasks to
confirm a well-timed accomplishment of the entire project. Below represented is a graphical
illustration of work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart:
Structure of Work breakdown-
4

Gantt Chart
5

PART 2
P4 Research through qualitative method
Name:
Gender:
Age:
1.)Are you aware of Corporate social responsibility activity implemented by your Expansys
Plc
Yes
No
Can’t say
2.) Which type of Corporate social responsibility activity is good for your Expansys Plc
6

Recycling
Women empowerment
Health and safety
Green environment
3.) Does your Expansys Plc encourage employees to participate in Recycling corporate social
responsibility activity?
Yes
No
Do not know
4.) Does your company required to provide training facility for making aware of corporate
social responsibility activity?
Yes
No
Do not Know
5.) Are you satisfied with recycling corporate social responsibility activity implemented by
your organizations?
Highly satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Highly dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Theme 1: Employees are not aware of Corporate social responsibility activity implemented
by Expansys Plc.
1.)Are you aware of Corporate social responsibility activity implemented by your Expansys Plc no. of responde
7

Yes 5
No 7
Can’t say 3
15
Interpretations; From the above chart it can be interpreted that there are there are 7
respondent who state that Expansys Plc not make aware to its employees about corporate
social responsibility activity. On the other 5 participant state that they are aware of CSR
activity which is implemented by their organizations. While on said that it did not know
about corporate social responsibility activity which is implemented by the organization.
Hence it show that Expansys Plc not take any responsibility for making its employee aware
of different CSR activity. Further organization need to initiate corporate social responsibility
activity in order to gain competitive advantage and for financial sustainability. If employee
are not aware of all this activity then it may face difficulty in gaining competitive advantage.
Theme 2: Recycling is best corporate social responsibility activity is good for Expansys Plc.
2.) Which type of corporate social responsibility activity is good for your Expansys Plc no. of respondent
Recycling 8
Women empowerment
2
8

Health and safety
3
Green environment
2
15
Interpretations; From the above chart it can be interpreted that there are 8 participant who
state that Expansys Plc need to initiate recycling Corporate social responsibility activity
while 3 replied that health and safety of employee is best Corporate social responsibility
activitys. On the other hand there are 2 participant who state that women empowerment is
best activity while 2 said that green environment is one of the best Corporate social
responsibility activity which support organization in gaining competitive advantages. Hence,
it show that all Corporate social responsibility activity are good for organization that if firm
make product which are environment friendly then it can keep its surrounding environment
neat and clean. Furthermore, if organization implement recycling corporate social
responsibility activity then it can make good reputation in market because it help in reducing
the wastage and now a days people want their near by place neat and clean. So this activity is
one of the best for an organizations
Theme 3: Expansys Plc not encourage employees to participate in Recycling corporate social
responsibility activity.
9