M&S: CSR's Impact on Sustainability and Competitive Advantage Report

This report delves into the significance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for Marks and Spencer (M&S), a leading UK retail company. It emphasizes CSR's role in enhancing competitive advantages, particularly through digital campaigns. The report outlines the research's background, rationale, aims, and objectives, which include understanding CSR within the retail sector, analyzing its impact on sustainability and competitive advantages, and recommending strategies for continuous development. Task 1 covers devising aims and objectives, developing a project management plan encompassing cost, scope, time, quality, communication, risk, and resources, and creating a WBS and Gantt chart. Task 2 involves small-scale research using qualitative and quantitative methods, data analysis, and the communication of recommendations. The report also discusses the research methodology, including research philosophy, design, strategy, approach, data collection, analysis, and sampling methods. It highlights the importance of ethical and sustainable practices for maintaining brand image and achieving business success. The report concludes by offering recommendations to help M&S leverage CSR for sustained competitive advantage and successful digitalization initiatives.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
Topic: Corporate social responsibility and its importance for sustainability and competitive
advantages........................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Device aim and objectives for chosen project.......................................................................1
1.2 Project management plan which cover cost, time, scope, time, quality, communication,
risk and resources........................................................................................................................2
1.3 WBS and Gantt chart with time-frame and stages................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
2a Small scale research with apply qualitative and quantitative research methods to meet with
aim and objectives.......................................................................................................................7
2b. Research and data using with appropriate tools and techniques...........................................8
2c. Communicate appropriate recommendations from data analysis to draw meaningful
conclusions................................................................................................................................18
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20

Topic: Corporate social responsibility and its importance for sustainability
and competitive advantages
INTRODUCTION
Report present the importance of CSR in order to enhance the competitive advantages in
Marks and Spencer (M&S) which is one of the leading retail company in UK. Report further
present the importance of CSR in the company in order to launching an event that focus on
digitalization and also present the challenges which are faced by the company that may affect the
company's overall performance and further describe the research methodology that helps to
understand the project in more effective way. then includes some recommendation which help a
quoted company in order to sustain their brand image in market using CSR activities in order to
conducting an event for digitalization.
TASK 1
1.1 Device aim and objectives for chosen project
Background of the research
Corporate social responsibility is broad term that used to describe company efforts to
develop effective results for improve society. Efforts are also made to make changes from
donating money to non-profit and implementing environmental policies in Marks and Spencer.
This is because, CSR is important for companies, non-profit and employees. Furthermore, it is
mandated in UK to improve local and global communities. It also creates greater customer
retention to make dual benefits for contributing better work in the business. Furthermore, it also
provides an opportunity to beat with competitors to make positive brand image that benefited for
fostering trustworthy and durable work (Saeidi, Sofian and Saaeidi, 2015).
Rationale of the research
In order to conduct present research, it can be stated that at lower cost, corporate social
responsibility can be successfully develop in new areas of the business. Furthermore, it also
considers reducing carbon footprint so that company able to gain competitive advantages.
Furthermore, participating in the programme of corporate social responsibility also assists to
consider integral part and subjective shared within the business enterprise. It assists to cover
more media that positively provides highly development of common performances in good
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manner that bring into society (Ni and Van Wart, 2015). Moreover, Marks and Spencer also
works in ethical and sustainable manner to deal with its environmental and social consideration.
As a result, careful development has been successfully developed human rights to perform
different activities and tasks.
Aim and objectives
Aim: To analysis corporate social responsibility and its importance for sustainability and
competitive advantages with digital campaign in Marks and Spencer.
Objectives
 To understand corporate social responsibility with digital campaign in retail sector
business.
 To analysis importance of corporate social responsibility to gain sustainability and
competitive advantages with digital campaign in Marks and Spencer.
 To interrelate corporate social responsibility and importance of sustainability and
competitive advantages in Marks and Spencer.
 To recommend ways through corporate social responsibility continuously develop to
attain competitive advantages.
Research questions
 What do you understand corporate social responsibility with digital campaign in retail
sector business?
 What are the importance of corporate social responsibility to gain sustainability and
competitive advantages with digital campaign in Marks and Spencer?
 How to interrelate corporate social responsibility and importance of sustainability and
competitive advantages in Marks and Spencer?
1.2 Project management plan which cover cost, time, scope, time, quality, communication, risk
and resources
Project management plan consider important role in business success that assist to
increase overall plan for new business development. In this regard, different activities execute,
monitored and controlled to ascertained detailed information of resources which can be
successfully implement project management plan (Madueño, Jorge and Martínez-Martínez,
2016). It includes following elements:
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 Cost: It is most essential part that assists to accomplish desired level of results in the
business. With this regard, £850 has been used that assists to gain aim and objectives.
With respect to complete different activities, it can be stated that cost is most important
consideration which implement to gain more profitability (Cheng, Ioannou and Serafeim,
2014). Scope: With the implementation of corporate social responsibility, there is wide scope
which improve knowledge of researcher in positive consideration. Hence, it develops
performances of the organisation to accomplish aim and objectives in positive manner.
Marks and Spencer is very big enterprise which considers more scope to develop desired
level of results in the business (Gallardo-Vázquez and Sanchez-Hernandez, 2014). Risk: It is one of the important perspective that need to be reduced so that plan can be
successfully develop to attain more effective results at workplace. Furthermore, it can be
stated that time and money there are two major risks exists which increases cost of
operations, etc. Therefore, implementation of corporate social responsibility assists to
focus on competitive results (Farooq and O'Brien, 2015). Time: Time management is one of the important perspective that assists to focus on
working with appropriate schedule and work pattern. With the help of competitive
advantages, Marks and Spencer can deal as per customer demand in effective manner to
develop more profits and revenue. Quality: Quality is also important perspective that assists to create successful project
management plan to find errors and mistakes (du Plessis and Van Niekerk, 2014). In this
way, Marks and Spencer need to focus on appropriate working system that can be
develop more desired level of results to maintain effective quality in products and
services to satisfy customer demand and requirements. Communication: Communication is most important perspective that require in project
management plan. With the help of this perspective, it is important to focus on team work
that would be develop successfully to gain competitive advantages. Effective
communication program also lead with corporate social responsibility that can be
successfully implement to gain more profits and revenue at workplace (Leiblein, Tucker
and Hofer, 2016).
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 Resources: In order to conduct research, there are several resources required that assists
to accomplish goals and targets. Therefore, in the present research, technical, physical,
human resource required that will consider positive results at workplace.
1.3 WBS and Gantt chart with time-frame and stages
Illustration 1: Work Break Down Structure
§
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Design 1 day Mon 12/10/18 Mon 12/10/18
Development of Project
with initial document 5 days Mon 12/10/18 Fri 12/14/18
Identify resources of
project 5 days Mon 12/17/18 Fri 12/21/18 2
Formulation of aim and
objectives 3 days Mon 12/24/18 Wed 12/26/18 2,3
Setting deadlines for
each activity 1 day Thu 12/27/18 Thu 12/27/18 4
Gathering Team 8 days Fri 12/28/18 Tue 1/8/19 5
Develop 1 day Wed 1/9/19 Wed 1/9/19 6
4

Conducting meeting 5 days Thu 1/10/19 Wed 1/16/19 5,7
Scope of project 2 days Thu 1/17/19 Fri 1/18/19 8
Collection of data 5 days Mon 1/21/19 Fri 1/25/19 9
WBS structuring 5 days Mon 1/28/19 Fri 2/1/19 10
Planning of budget 4 days Mon 2/4/19 Thu 2/7/19 11
Implement 1 day Fri 2/8/19 Fri 2/8/19 12
Assuring quality 9 days Mon 2/11/19 Thu 2/21/19 13
Training of team 3 days Fri 2/22/19 Tue 2/26/19 14
Evaluate 1 day Wed 2/27/19 Wed 2/27/19 15
Implementation of
globalisation 8 days Thu 2/28/19 Mon 3/11/19 16
Monitoring and control
of project 5 days Tue 3/12/19 Mon 3/18/19 17
Checking of respondents
views 6 days Tue 3/19/19 Tue 3/26/19 18
Closure 1 day Wed 3/27/19 Wed 3/27/19 19
Evaluation of project 5 days Thu 3/28/19 Wed 4/3/19 20
Areas of modification 5 days Thu 4/4/19 Wed 4/10/19 21
5

Illustration 2: Gantt chart
Illustration 3: Network planning
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TASK 2
2a Small scale research with apply qualitative and quantitative research methods to meet with
aim and objectives
In order to implement corporate social responsibility, there are several advantages take
place in present study. It assists to focus on meeting with goals and objectives as well. On the
basis of following qualitative and quantitative research methods, it can be stated that desired
level of results can be accomplish at workplace with stated aim and objectives: Research philosophy: Research philosophy can be defined as belief about data that
gathered, analysed and used to conduct effective results at workplace. It encompasses
various kinds of philosophies to transform things that believed into different things
(Clark, Laing and Woolner, 2017). There are two types of philosophies such as
interpretivism and positivism. In the present research, interpretivism research philosophy
has been used that assists to understand reality that together acknowledge and not create
any impact on study. Hence, small sample collected to conduct in-depth study to
investigate qualitative results. Research design: Research design is an arrangement of conditions and collection. There
are several aspects of research design such as descriptive, correlative, case study, semi-
experiment, etc. From the above elements, researcher used descriptive research design
that assists to describe whole consideration to gain more desired level of results.
Descriptive method helps to attain overall aim and objectives through effective research
design (Xu, Deng and Yu, 2018). Research strategy: There are two types of research strategies such as qualitative and
quantitative. It is step by step plan of action that consider direction to thoughts and
efforts. It enables to conduct appropriate and systematic research schedule to produce
quality results and detailed reporting. In the present research qualitative strategy has been
used that assists to accomplish aim and objectives in positive way. Furthermore, it is also
useful to focus on opinion, views, etc. of different participants to attain overall goals and
objectives (Keutmann, Moore and Gur, 2015). Research approach: Furthermore, in order to conduct appropriate findings research
approach consider important role at workplace of Marks and Spencer. There are three
types of research approaches such as inductive, deductive and abductive. From the above,
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deductive research approach has been used by researcher which help to conduct study
from general to specific. Data collection: In addition to this, there are two types of data collection method has
been used such as primary and secondary. Both kinds of data useful to measure
significant outcomes and focus on accomplish aim and objectives. With the help of
primary data, fresh and relevant information has been collected by researcher with
conducting survey from questionnaire (Clark, Laing and Woolner, 2017). Furthermore,
secondary information has been collected from previous research and other authors
regarding selected topic. As a result, it assists to focus on gaining aim and objectives in
desired manner. Data analysis: In the present research, researcher focuses in thematic data analysis that
assists to develop more significant results at workplace. With this regard, on the basis of
aim and objectives questionnaire has been prepared (du Plessis and Van Niekerk, 2014).
Furthermore, it contains relevant information on the basis of themes to conduct research
in appropriate manner.
 Sampling: In research, two types of methods exist to consider sampling such as non-
probabilistic and probabilistic. Probabilistic sampling includes sample those are
probability selected. On the other hand, in non-probabilistic sample does not have known
probability that is being selected in convenience or voluntary response. In the present
study, probabilistic method used in which simple random sampling strategy has been
used in which data collected from different population (Clark, Laing and Woolner, 2017).
There are 30 managers from Marks and Spencer has been selected as sample size to
accomplish aim and objectives.
2b. Research and data using with appropriate tools and techniques
In order to conduct research, there are following questionnaires has been prepared that
assists to accomplish aim and objectives at workplace:
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
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1. Do you have any knowledge regarding Corporate social responsibility?
 Yes
 No
 Cannot say
2. What is the level of your knowledge regarding Corporate social responsibility in Marks and
Spencer?
 I have no knowledge
 I have some kind of knowledge
 I have basic understanding about this concept
 I am familiar with CSR topic
 I have well versed in CSR concept
3. How to gain competitive advantages with implementation of CSR activities in the chosen
enterprise?
 Following legal requirements
 Offer good quality of products and services
 Being environmental friendly
 Get involved with social campaign
 Treating employees with respect
4. How much attention do you pay with CSR policy in particular company?
 It is not important for anyone
 It is not really important but prefer for companies that is responsible
 Social campaigns and advertisement also implement in particular enterprise
 It is really important for gaining competitive advantages
5. What are the most important reason to implement CSR policies in the selected business unit
to increase competitive advantages?
 To improve brand image of Marks and Spencer
 To attract more employees in the business
 To help society and environment
 To enhance income
 To develop customer attention in Marks and Spencer
 All the above
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6. How CSR policies influence to Marks and Spencer to gain competitive advantages with
digital campaign in positive consideration?
 Undoubtedly favourably
 Favourably
 Neither favourably nor negatively
 Negatively
 Undoubtedly negatively
7. Do you engaged to implement CSR activities and improve society well-being and
improvements with digital campaign?
 Yes
 No
 Cannot say
8. What factors influences to Marks and Spencer products and services?
 Low prices
 Environmental friendly products
 Wide range of products
 Modern design of products
 High quality of products
 All the above
Theme 1 Managers have knowledge regarding corporate social responsibility
1. Do you have any knowledge regarding
Corporate social responsibility?
Frequency
Yes 22
No 5
Cannot say 3
10
22
5
3
Yes
No
Cannot say

Interpretation: In order to carry above graph, it can be stated that there are 22 respondents
exists those stated that they have knowledge regarding corporate social responsibility.
Furthermore, there are 5 respondents exists they have not any knowledge regarding CSR.
Maximum respondents have full knowledge regarding CSR so that they are able to communicate
more effective results at workplace.
Theme 2 Managers have basic understand about the topic regarding corporate social
responsibility in Marks and Spencer
2. What is the level of your knowledge
regarding Corporate social responsibility in
Marks and Spencer?
Frequency
I have no knowledge 1
I have some kind of knowledge 1
I have basic understanding about this concept 25
I am familiar with CSR topic 2
I have well versed in CSR concept 1
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Interpretation: Furthermore, there are 25 managers of Marks and Spencer stated that they have
basic understanding towards Corporate social responsibility. As a result, it contains desired level
of results to focus on business development. Moreover, there is one manager stated that he has
not any knowledge regarding corporate social responsibility that create negative impact on
overall functioning and effectiveness of the organisation. In addition to this, there is one other
person has view that he has well versed with corporate social responsibility that contain more
effective results at workplace of the chosen business.
Theme 3 Treating employees with respect is the best aspect to gain competitive advantages
3. How to gain competitive advantages with
implementation of CSR activities in the
chosen enterprise?
Frequency
Following legal requirements 5
Offer good quality of products and services 5
Being environmental friendly 5
Get involved with social campaign 5
Treating employees with respect 10
12
11
25
21 I have no knowledge I have some kind of
knowledge
I have basic
understanding about this
concept
I am familiar with CSR
topic
I have well versed in
CSR concept

Interpretation: From the present graph, it can be interpreted that there are 10 respondents have
views that competitive advantages can be gain with treating employees with more respect.
Therefore, in Marks and Spencer manager need to treat in right manner to their subordinates.
Furthermore, there are 5 respondents have views that with the help of following legal
requirements the chosen business will able to gain competitive advantages at workplace.
Furthermore, there are 5 other respondents who stated being environmental friendly helps to
produce good quality in products and services. According to 5 respondents, it can be stated that
get involved with social campaign assists to perform effective functioning in CSR activities
implementation. As a result, competitive advantages can be gain successfully at workplace of
Marks and Spencer.
Theme 4 CSR activities are more important consideration for Marks and Spencer to gain
competitive advantages
4. How much attention do you pay with CSR
policy in particular company?
Frequency
It is not important for anyone 2
It is not really important but prefer for 2
13
5
5
5 5
10
Following legal
requirements
Offer good quality of
products and services
Being environmental
friendly
Get involved with social
campaign
Treating employees with
respect

companies that is responsible
Social campaigns and advertisement also
implement in particular enterprise
2
It is really important for gaining competitive
advantages
24
Interpretation: In the present graph, it has been shown that there are 24 managers have views
that paying attention in the chosen business is more important perspective that assists to gain
competitive advantages. As a result, it ascertained significant outcomes to develop more profits
and revenue at workplace. Furthermore, there are 2 respondents have views that CSR activity is
not important for each person in the business. There are some other 2 persons who have views
that social campaigns and advertisement are also positive consideration that assists to gain
competitive results at workplace. Remaining 2 respondents have views that it is not really more
important to prefer responsible results in the business.
Theme 5 All the above are most important reasons to implement CSR policies in the
business to gain competitive advantages
14
It is not important for anyone
It is not really important but prefer for companies that is responsible
Social campaigns and advertisement also implement in particular enterprise
It is really important for gaining competitive advantages
0 5 10 15 20 25
2
2
2
24
Frequency

5. What are the most important reason to
implement CSR policies in the selected
business unit to increase competitive
advantages?
Frequency
To improve brand image of Marks and Spencer 1
To attract more employees in the business 1
To help society and environment 1
To enhance income 1
To develop customer attention in Marks and
Spencer
2
All the above 24
Interpretation: In the present graph, it can be stated that there are 24 respondents have views
that all the above reasons are most important to implement CSR policies in Marks and Spencer.
For instance, CSR activities helps to improve brand image of the chosen business, it attracts
more employees, helps to society and environment, develop customer attention to ascertained
more creativity at workplace.
Theme 6 CSR policies influence to Marks and Spencer to gain competitive advantages in
undoubtedly favourably aspect
15
1111
2
24
To improve brand image
of Marks and Spencer
To attract more
employees in the
business
To help society and
environment
To enhance income
To develop customer
attention in Marks and
Spencer
All the above

6. How CSR policies influence to Marks and
Spencer to gain competitive advantages with
digital campaign in positive consideration?
Frequency
Undoubtedly favourably 24
Favourably 1
Neither favourably nor negatively 2
Negatively 2
Undoubtedly negatively 1
Interpretation: In the present graph, it can be stated that there are 24 managers have views that
CSR policies influence to Marks and Spencer with undoubtedly favourably to gain competitive
advantages. As a result, in positive consideration it is successfully built to attain overall results at
workplace. Furthermore, there are 2 respondents have views that neither favourably nor
negatively CSR policies influence to Marks and Spencer to gain competitive advantages.
Theme 7 Managers are engaged with implementation of CSR activities and improve society
well-being
7. Do you engaged to implement CSR Frequency
16
24
1
2
21
Undoubtedly favourably
Favourably
Neither favourably nor
negatively
Negatively
Undoubtedly negatively

activities and improve society well-being
and improvements with digital campaign?
Yes 23
No 4
Cannot say 3
Interpretation: In the above graph, it can be stated that there are 23 respondents have views that
they are totally engaged to implement CSR activities and improve society well-being and
improvement. As a result, it considers more effective results at workplace of research.
Furthermore, there are 4 respondents have views that CSR activities not increase society well-
being and effectiveness with improvements.
Theme 8 All the above factors influence to Marks and Spencer for products and services
8. What factors influences to Marks and
Spencer products and services?
Frequency
Low prices 2
Environmental friendly products 1
Wide range of products 1
17
23
4
3
Yes
No
Cannot say

Modern design of products 1
High quality of products 1
All the above 24
Interpretation: There are 24 respondents who stated that several factors exists that influence
Marks and Spencer products and services. It considers low prices, environmental friendly
products, wide range of products, modern design of the products and high quality of products.
2c. Communicate appropriate recommendations from data analysis to draw meaningful
conclusions
 To increase the loyalty among employees of M&S, company should provide the best
reward system to them in order to improve the working efficiency of their employees.
 It is to be recommended to Marks and Spencer, if some digital techniques are used in the
company and if the employees of the company are are directly produces the wealth and
through good coordination and collaboration between team members, the team can easily
achieve the target (Lyon and et.al., 2018). Therefore, it helps a company to improve their
current situation and raise the working efficiency of their employees for their further
production.
18
2
11
1
1
24
Low prices
Environmental friendly
products
Wide range of products
Modern design of products
High quality of products
All the above

 In addition to this, every corporation have a responsibility to provide the best products to
their customers and by using different pricing strategy and providing best quality of
products to their customers will be helpful for them in order to achieve the goals or
objectives of the company. Having good CSR with proper digitalization activities will
further help a company to sustain brand image in market and attract wide range of
customers towards it.
 Moreover, by providing proper training session to their employees will be helpful for
them in order to raise the working efficiency of their staff members. If the performance
will raise then it automatically enhances the productivity and further raise the profitability
too (Mohammed and Rashid, 2018).
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that CSR activities are helpful for
Marks and Spencer to introducing new event related to digitalization. Report also concluded that
many of the employees do not have the knowledge related to digitalization and by using this into
working area will be more beneficial for it in order to raise the production level as well as sustain
its brand image in market. In addition to this, report also concluded that by providing proper
training sessions to their customers will be helpful for a firm to let their employees know about
new techniques and different process which further assist to manage the work in more effective
way.
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