Tesco & COVID-19: A Case Study of Technological Innovation Impact

This case study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on technological innovation within Tesco. It aims to determine the influence of COVID-19 on Tesco's overall functions, identify the pandemic's impact on technological innovations, and examine the strategies used by Tesco to improve technological innovation during the crisis. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing secondary data sources such as books, articles, and journals to gather and analyze information. The study highlights Tesco's shift to digital and delivery services, the implementation of self-checkout systems, and the use of in-store cameras to ensure product freshness. It also explores strategies such as fast billing services and supply chain optimization to enhance market presence and manage brand image. The expected outcome is to demonstrate the importance of technological innovation for organizational resilience during crises like COVID-19.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
(How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted
on technological innovation in business? A
case study of Tesco.)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Research Aim, objectives and questions.....................................................................................3
Research problem........................................................................................................................3
Significance of the research........................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................7
EXPECTED OUTCOMES..............................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
APPENDIX......................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Technological innovation is referred as a new and improved procedure or product whose
technological features are importantly different from before. Technological innovation is one of
the elements of the whole concept of innovation (Power, Dolby and Thorne, 2021). Executed and
implemented technological product innovations are product innovations or process innovations
that have been taken to the new market. COVID-19 global pandemic has created disturbances in
the smooth functioning of the business operations of the organisation (Gleason and et, al., 2020).
The present investigation has focused on taking out data about the impact of COVID-19 over
technological innovation within an organisation. The chosen company is TESCO, it is a British
multinational groceries. The company is headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England. It is
popular as the third largest retailer in the whole world in respect of gross revenues and the ninth
largest in the whole world compared by revenues.
Research Aim, objectives and questions
Research Aim
To identify the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on technological innovation within an
organisation.
Research Objectives
 To determine the influence of COVID-19 on overall functions of TESCO
 To identify the impact of global pandemic on technological innovations of TESCO
 To examine the strategies that would be used by TESCO for improving their
technological innovations during COVID-19
Research Questions
 Explain the influence of COVID-19 on overall functions of TESCO?
 What is the impact of global pandemic on technological innovations of TESCO?
 What are the strategies that would be used by TESCO for improving their technological
innovations during COVID-19?
Research problem
The main problem of the present investigation is that organisations have faced issue in
implementing technological investments within the workplace during COVID-19. In this global
pandemic situation, companies have pressure on coming up with technological innovations so

that they could reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 over business functions and activities
(Martin-Neuninger and Ruby, 2020).
Significance of the research
The present investigation has great importance because it carries out data about the
impact of COVID-19 over the several operations of TESCO. It has majorly focused over one of
the most significant elements of the business i.e. technological innovations (Alexander, 2020).
This will be also important for professionals, researchers and students who want to have great
piece of information about the topic of impact of COVID-19 on technological innovations.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Explain the influence of COVID-19 on overall functions of TESCO?
According to Arribas-Ibar, Nylund and Brem (2021), grocery and food retailers like
TESCO has greatly influenced by the impact of COVID-19. The company had to face excess
demands because people were rushing for getting essential items. This has made companies to
shift from to digital to delivery so that they can reach large number of customers and fulfil
demands of existing and prospective customers. It is also identified that this new normal has
become permanent for retail companies like TESCO. This has also formed an environment for
more technological innovations with a requirement of realigning supply chains, gaining deeper
understanding the way to connect with more number of loyal customers.
What is the impact of global pandemic on technological innovations of TESCO?
According to Liu (2020), it is identified that COVID-19 has given way to more
technological innovations. Especially supermarkets have focused on technology innovations so
that their raw material supplies could get easier, control the inflationary risks on the products and
many more. There is positive impact of global pandemic on technological innovations of TESCO
because it has come up with different technological innovations so that their work could become
easier and spread of virus could be easily controlled. Tesco has developed direct sale which is
their major movement to shift from bricks and mortar and leads the company to develop click
and collect functionality. This could be only possible with the assistance of technological
innovations. Besides this Tesco has set up self checkout systems so that to provide ease of
shopping to their customers. Another strategy used by Tesco is to setup in-store cameras such as
Broccoli cam so that freshness of fruits and vegetables can be detected and store manager can
easily replace the same in order to deliver best products to customers and to provide contact free
experience to them as well.
What are the strategies that would be used by TESCO for improving their technological
innovations during COVID-19?
According to Pisani (2021), technological innovation is one of the significant movement
which is required to be used by the businesses so that to manage business complexities and to
acquire success as well. In the context of Tesco as the company is associated with the business of
retailer so that for them gaining an edge out of their competitors is necessary. In this manner in
order to enhance their market presence the company is using various technological advancements

such as by providing fast billing services so that in-store queues can be avoided and protocols of
COVID can also be followed. On the other hand Tesco is trying their supply chain in optimal
manner so that they can manage their E-commerce in proper manner. In this way Tesco is able to
differentiate their business from their competitors and it could be helpful for the organisation to
manage overall brand image as well.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is the significant chapter because it assists in taking out apt piece
of information as well as help in analysing information in systematic and appropriate way. For
attaining the aim and objectives of present investigation, qualitative research methods will be
chosen so that theoretical information could be collected and analysed (Pandey and Pandey,
2021). The whole investigation will be based upon secondary information and for this various
sources of secondary will be used such as books, articles, newspapers, journals, publications and
many more. Therefore, the whole research will be based upon qualitative information and several
secondary sources (Nayak and Singh, 2021). Gantt chart will be considered because it assists in
scheduling different tasks and activities in defined period of time so that every aim and objective
could be attained.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The expected outcomes of the present investigation would be technological innovation is
very important because it helps organisation in the long run (Babii, 2020). It would also be
determined that consistent technological innovation assists organisation to be secured from
sudden crisis like COVID-19.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alexander, I.N., 2020. The influence of technological innovations on organization's competitive
advantage: Case study on Irish food retail company (Tesco) (Doctoral dissertation,
Dublin, National College of Ireland).
Arribas-Ibar, M., Nylund, P.A. and Brem, A., 2021. The risk of dissolution of sustainable
innovation ecosystems in times of crisis: The electric vehicle during the COVID-19
pandemic. Sustainability, 13(3), p.1319.
Babii, A., 2020. Important aspects of the experimental research methodology. Вісник
Тернопільського національного технічного університету, 97(1), pp.77-87.
Gleason and et, al., 2020, October. Disability and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Using Twitter to
Understand Accessibility during Rapid Societal Transition. In The 22nd International
ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (pp. 1-14).
Liu, S., 2020. Food supply pressure in France and Germany during COVID-19. Journal of
Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 9(4), pp.139-142.
Martin-Neuninger, R. and Ruby, M.B., 2020. What does food retail research tell us about the
implications of Coronavirus (COVID-19) for grocery purchasing habits?. Frontiers in
Psychology, 11, p.1448.
Nayak, J.K. and Singh, P., 2021. Fundamentals of Research Methodology Problems and
Prospects. SSDN Publishers & Distributors.
Pandey, P. and Pandey, M.M., 2021. Research Methodology Tools and Techniques.
Pisani, N., 2021. How COVID-19 Will Change the Geography of Competition. MIT Sloan
Management Review, 62(4), pp.1-4.
Power, N., Dolby, R. and Thorne, D., 2021. ‘Reflecting or frozen?’The impact of Covid-19 on
art therapists working with people with a learning disability. International Journal of Art
Therapy, pp.1-12.

APPENDIX
Gantt Chart