The Impact of COVID-19 on Businesses & Remote Work at Microsoft

This dissertation proposal investigates the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and the advantages of remote work, focusing on Microsoft Corporation as a case study. The proposal includes an introduction outlining the background of the pandemic's global impact and its effects on business operations. It defines the aim and objectives, which are to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 and the benefits of remote work, particularly within Microsoft. The proposal presents a literature review covering the pandemic's economic consequences and the advantages of remote work, such as employee safety, better work-life balance, and location independence. The methodology section details the research philosophy, approach, strategy, and methods, including the use of positivism, a deductive approach, and a survey strategy. The proposal outlines data collection from primary and secondary sources, with a sample size of 25 participants from Microsoft. The anticipated results, discussions, and conclusions are summarized, along with a list of references including books, journal articles, and online resources. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the pandemic's effects and the benefits of remote work in a corporate setting.

Dissertation Proposal
Table of Contents

Topic: How businesses been affected by Covid 19 and advantage of working remotely. Case
study on Microsoft Corporation.......................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Background......................................................................................................................................1
Aim and objectives..........................................................................................................................1
Literature review..............................................................................................................................1
The affect lead by Covid 19 on businesses............................................................................1
The possible advantages associated with working remotely in context of Microsoft
Corporation.............................................................................................................................2
Methodology....................................................................................................................................2
Results..............................................................................................................................................3
Discussions......................................................................................................................................3
Conclusions......................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

Topic: How businesses been affected by Covid 19 and advantage of working
remotely. Case study on Microsoft Corporation.
Introduction
In current scenario COVID-19 which is global pandemic has become a serious issue and
problem for all orgnisation (Armitage and Nellums, 2020). Thus, current investigation is lead out
on the topic of “How businesses been affected by Covid 19 and advantage of working remotely.
Case study on Microsoft Corporation.
Background
It has been seen that COVID-19 has became a global pandemic and affecting business
operation and performance of all orgnisation. Thus, selection of current research topic is
rationale and justifiable as it leads to better understanding about the affect of COVID-19 along
with evaluating the advantage of working remotely for an organisation.
Aim and objectives
The aim of current investigation is to evaluated about the affect of COVID-19 along with
leading information about the advantage of working remotely. An investigation lead out on
Microsoft Corporation.
Research objectives To review about the affect lead by Covid 19 on businesses. To determine the possible advantages associated with working remotely in context of
Microsoft Corporation.
Research questions
 How business of Microsoft Corporation is being affected by Covid 19?
 What are the possible advantages associated with working remotely in context of
Microsoft Corporation?
Literature review
The affect lead by Covid 19 on businesses.
As per the information provided by Naveen Donthu and Anders Gustafsson, 2020,
COVID-19 is a global pandemic and dangerous virus that had serve many economic
consequences across the world and brings drastic change in consumers behaviours that is having
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a serve negative effect on the business in form of lockdown and reduction in productivity
(Atkeson, 2020).
The possible advantages associated with working remotely in context of Microsoft Corporation
With respect to the information provided by Emily Courtney, 2020, it has been observed that
working remotely leads to many advantage for an orgnisation through keeping its employees
safe from spread of COVID-19. Further, better work-life balance and Location Independence is
also lead by working remotely for Microsoft Corporation which ensures higher commitment and
better performance and efficiency in employees (Lapis, 2020).
Methodology
Use of following research methodology would be made for conduction of current
investigation on Microsoft Corporation:
 Research Philosophy- Use of positivism form of philosophy would be made as it leads
to better testing of quantitative form of data (Hopkins and McKay, 2019).
 Research approach- Implication of deductive approach is justifiable for current
investigation as it ensures more effective scanning of set objectives in numeric terms.
 Research strategy- Adoption of survey strategy would be made where data would be
collected with the help of questionnaire.
 Choices of method- Selection of quantitative method is made for current investigation as
it ensures more efficient and easy gathering of data in numeric terms that is easy to
present and communicate. Time Horizons
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 Data collection - Data would be collected from both primary and secondary sources.
 Sample method- A sample Size of 25 participants would be selected from employees of
Microsoft Corporation with the help of random sampling method.
Results
The results of current investigation would consist of better understanding about the factors
of COVID-19 on businesses along with impaction of advantage of working remotely.
Discussions
The current dissertation would consist a discussion about the affect of covid-19 on business
operation and there success level. Further, a discussion about the advantages associated with
working remotely through use of some online or digital forms is also there.
Conclusions
On the basis of current Dissertation Proposal it can be concluded that COVID-19 is leading
negative effect in business orgnisation which is hampering there performance. Further, working
remotely leads to safety from spread of COVID-19 along with leading better work-like balance.
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REFERENCES
Books and journal
Armitage, R. and Nellums, L.B., 2020. COVID-19 and the consequences of isolating the elderly.
The Lancet Public Health. 5(5). p.e256.
Atkeson, A., 2020. What will be the economic impact of covid-19 in the us? rough estimates of
disease scenarios (No. w26867). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Lapis, P., 2020. 7 ways for lawyers to look after well-being while working remotely. Brie .
47(4). p.8.
Hopkins, J. L. and McKay, J., 2019. Investigating ‘anywhere working’as a mechanism for
alleviating traffic congestion in smart cities. Technological Forecasting and Social
Change. 142. pp.258-272.
Online:
Naveen Donthu and Anders Gustafsson, 2020. Effects of COVID-19 on business and research.
[Online] Available Through:<
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296320303830 >.
Emily Courtney. 2020. The Benefits of Working From Home: Why The Pandemic Isn’t the Only
Reason to Work Remotely. [Online] Available Through:<
https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/benefits-of-remote-work/>.
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