DataLab: Generation, Analysis, Iteration 1 Report on M&S Retailer

This report analyzes the business processes of the M&S retailer, starting with process mapping and flowcharts to identify key activities and decision points. It examines how the retailer can leverage digitization and digital transformation to improve efficiency and customer experience. The report then delves into information and data management systems, including HRIS and sales information systems, and identifies the required databases to support these systems. Furthermore, it explores the implications of big data for business processes and investigates the application of big data analytics tools, such as Apache Hadoop, to improve decision-making and optimize operations. The report concludes with a discussion of intelligent tools and systems and their potential benefits for the business.

DataLab Generation, Analysis,
Iteration
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK-1............................................................................................................................................3
Discuss the business process in process map, flow chart, identify its main activities and
sequence of them.........................................................................................................................3
Determine the main decisions being made in the process and required inputs & outputs of each
decision........................................................................................................................................6
Discuss how selected process, or some part that can be digitised or may benefit from digital
transformation..............................................................................................................................7
TASK-2............................................................................................................................................8
Identify how information/data management systems..................................................................8
Identify what databases are needed to be attached to (and support) the information systems
that you identified........................................................................................................................9
TASK-3..........................................................................................................................................10
Explore the opportunities for intelligent tools and systems to be employed.............................10
How suggested the intelligent tool or platform that support for business.................................11
Discuss and reflect on the implication of suggested intelligent tool.........................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15
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INTRODUCTION
Data Analysis is all about the process of transforming, inspecting and modelling data or
information with specific goal of discovering useful information, supports for decision-making.
In this report, it is mainly focused on the business process such as retailer M&S which may
perform different functionality. it will represent the process map or flow chart, identify its
processing activities or sequence. This documentation will describe about the input and output in
process map and examine the actual output of each decision. Furthermore, it will discuss about
the information management system, database that will support for running the business process
efficiently and effectively. it will explore the opportunities for intelligence tool and system in
business process in order to handle the competitiveness, consumers and other stakeholders.
TASK-1
Discuss the business process in process map, flow chart, identify its main activities and sequence
of them.
Marks & Spencer is one of the British multi-national retailer with headquarter in London,
UK that specialises in selling clothing, home products and food items. M&S was founded in
1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds. It operates 959 physical stores across the
UK, including 615 that only sell food items and through its television advertising, asserts the
exclusive nature and luxury of its different kind of food and Beverages.
M&S is based on the top most retailer, which may be used the process map as visual
documentation and record all business process or workflow. It is simply stated, a process map in
the form of diagram which includes shapes and arrows which follows a logical progression of
business process. Main purpose of process map includes:
 Reduce time needed to executive a process
 Improve the overall business result or outcome.
 Improve delivery service of M&S in local markets.
Through process mapping of M&S which has been used to improve the complexity of business
deliverables. All kind of process maps begin and end with potential consumers.
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Process of Retailer (M&S)
Figure 1 Process Mapping
In Selected enterprise such as M&S, it should starts with process and ends with potential
customers. Basically, retailer will establish a strong coordination with client with several other
staff members in the process including: sales representative, dressing rooms, cashier etc.
Sometimes, it is depending on the various kind of decision along with process of consumer
follows a different route towards end of map.
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 Customer goes through the process of shopping for retailer without communicating with
other staff member. This process can be shown in blue light.
 The potential client interact with sales representative in order to search particular item but
it does not need further. This additional phase is basically applicable in process.
 In M&S, the potential client may interact with sales team for help in identify the specific
product and needs to visit again for purpose of fitting (Ahmad, Miskon and Tlili, 2020).
This process is represented in grey, in which consumer interact with dressing room staff
member.
 Two different additional process is represented in dark blue which means consumer wish
to replace or return item. Therefore, this step leads to loop and route 2 of process. In
order to select and distribute the item requested by client.
Determine the main decisions being made in the process and required inputs & outputs of each
decision.
As per analysis, it has been examined that decisions being made in the process by
customers, sales representative, cashier and dressing rooms or staff members.
 Initially, the potential consumer will start the process in order to make an important
decision in regards of accessing or reviewing the clothes items. Afterwards, it will be
establish a coordination for selection of particular item or product. After completing the
process, the potential consumer can pay for desired items and end process (Hohman,
Wongsuphasawat Kery and Patel, 2020). In order to find out the accurate input or output
of consumer decision.
 Another process, it has been taken decision by sales representative in process mapping.
Once consumer can select the items. Afterwards, sales representative will give input to
distribute requested item, provide the information of return policy or procedure.
Furthermore, it will be generating an output and make an important decision.
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 Decision being made in the process where dressing room attendant and cashier will check
the clothing items. Afterwards, it provide a proper billing details to the potential
consumers.
Discuss how selected process, or some part that can be digitised or may benefit from digital
transformation.
On the basis of process mapping, M&S retailer will try to implement the concept of digitised
which means that gain opportunity where resolving the process of product identification. This
can possible when M&S adopt the concept of digitalization in which provide the online facilities
and services. The potential client will check the availability of product through website, and then
go to physical stores. In this process, it would be implementing the digital concept in order to
eliminate any kind of errors, bugs at the time of product selection. Therefore, retailer can utilise
new approach and expand their business across global marketplace.
In above selected process by M&S, it can be converted into the digitised manner. It is
obvious thing that modern technologies that can be introduced into the process. Therefore, it will
make it more efficient manner (Jaiganesh and Jayaraman, 2020). But the important aspect is to
review the process map for M&S retailer. Within selection process, when implementing a
digitalizing process which means that some digital technologies are being used in the process and
managing data integrity. In order to convert the process into more efficient, productive and more
profitable manner. Retailer will satisfy their potential consumers through digital as well as
physical experience of enterprise. Digitalization allows the use of digital information in order to
optimise business results, create a new client experience.
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TASK-2
Identify how information/data management systems
Information or data management system is nothing but it is kind of different resources such
as hardware, software, computer, system connections and end users. These are becoming
consider as useful for processing and dissemination of information for retailer business. In the
process of information system, it has been collected, gathered, stored and processed for end users
in different projects.
HR information system or HRIS is becoming consider as one of the most important
software. It helps for M&S retailer to collect, store data on the organisation employees. In most
of cases, HRIS encompasses the basic functionalities needed for end to end HRM. By using HR
information system, it is mainly focused on the performance management of staff members,
when they can easily fulfil all essential need or requirement for consumers in regards of clothes
items. HR information system can either run on the business process to handle different
operations and functions such as customer record, compliance, efficiency and performance of
enterprise (Locke, Feldman and Golden-Biddle, 2020). In this way, it can easily managed or
control the specific need or demand of consumers. Main purpose of HR information system and
its functionality to identify the performance of business in context of growth or development.
A sales information system provides an overview of data and processes in sales,
distribution. The scenario is that make it possible in distributed sales of different product as well
as services. By using Sales Information system, it has been maintained a logistics data which
may sent from de-central sales. In order to update the information of any product and service in
proper manner. Main purpose of sales information system is managed or controlled the overall
selling information. Therefore, retailer keep maintain a proper records of particular items.
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Identify what databases are needed to be attached to (and support) the information systems that
you identified.
The relational database management system (RDBMS) databases are basically needed to
attach with information systems of HR and Sales. RDBMS is one of the most commonly used
database management system that always support for gathering or collecting large amount of
information within system. In M&S, Database should be collected information about product
details, production plan and customer information. Relational database is becoming consider as
one of the important advance level in the retail business because it can easily handle the
complexity of enterprise business process in proper manner.
For Example- M&S is based on the leading brand so that it always try to update their
information or data within system in proper manner. But it can possible when consideration of an
appropriate database in order to the keep record information of consumers, product, suppliers,
production, services and so on. Therefore, it become easier for handling huge amount of running
data of M&S within proper manner (Sahal, Breslin and Ali, 2020). Usually, there are various
kind of DB tools such as Mysql, Ms Access, Ms SQL server etc. these are commonly used by
retailer to record information and accessible at any time. In this way, it has been determined that
importance of database of enterprise and fulfil all essential need or requirement for potential
consumers.
Discuss what big data may mean for business process and its information systems
Big data is simply refer as complex large datasets, especially from collecting from new
data sources. These are basically represents the data sets as large volume which means that
processing data or information in proper manner. But at certain level, there is massive volume of
data can be used to identify the actual business problem but it could not able to tackle before
once. M&S has been already used digitalize business process which means that uses information
systems in order to access, manage, retrieve, search information.
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Big data is helpful in developing buyer’s person or other shopper profile. It provide the
better option on the basis of consumer preferences such as product, they like best or what times
they usually purchase. These are kind of business operations handle by big data technology. For
Example- the potential consumer can use information about peak shopping times and get rid of
excess stock at sales price.
E-commerce big data may be reveal a lot of things but sometimes, it is unexpected to
understand the behavior of consumers. For instance, using big data concept in order to discover
that people who bought different products. At certain point, it become easier for organization to
image cross-promotional opportunities.
Investigate the application of big data analytics tools in context of business process
On the basis of investigation, retailer such as M&S has been used the Apache Hadoop as
one of the most popular tool in context of big data. Whenever, it is implementing this tool in the
business process which means that easily analyse huge amount of data or information and then
processed further. It means that enable handle the parallel processing of data as it works on
different machines.
For Retailer, Hadoop as big data tool which may able to cluster in a server. As the tool
that are used by hadoop’s storing system are on the same server, where data or information is
present (Senna, Stute and Zangiacomi, 2020). It allows for fast processing and quick retrieval of
information. That’s why, retailer is basically focused on the consideration of big data tool in
order to handle large data processing within system.
TASK-3
Explore the opportunities for intelligent tools and systems to be employed
In context of business process, intelligence tool refer to the multiple kind of application
software which may give a support for retailer business process to collect or gather large amount
of unstructured data from internal or external systems. Various kind of business Intelligence tool
provides better reporting functionality, identify data clusters, support for data mining techniques.
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On the basis chosen business process, It is mainly used the SAS business intelligence tool,
which offering various products and technologies for data scientist. This type of intelligence tool
will provide the support for retailer to handle various kind of business operations in the process.
SAS as business intelligence tool is applicable in the e-commerce business process, building and
expanding its retailer products in marketplace. SAS offers opportunity for organisation that are
focused on visual data exploration and easy analytics, interactive reporting, collaboration and
mobile applications.
The exactly expected from intelligence tools which means that help for predicting the large
amount of datasets. Strategically, information can be drive insight into how, when and who etc.
for example- sales records are handled by sales team but it would exactly need for intelligence
tool in order to predicate the information efficient manner. Afterwards, it will be generating the
report within dynamic manner. In this way, intelligence tool is developing an opportunity for
enterprise to manage or control overall business process in proper manner.
How suggested the intelligent tool or platform that support for business
For a business process, it become informed by data that will gather or collect large
information. But at certain level, it allows for organization to make decision that are guided not
just by small collection of information, but with complete picture of data (Sreesurya, Rathi and
Jain, 2020). Various kind of intelligence tool is helping for enterprise to analysis data and make
informed business decision. It should cover a broad spectrum of modern technologies and
methods, from a way that data is organized or analysed in proper manner.
In context of business supports, it has been suggested that SAS as business intelligence
tool which allows for retailer to make a better decision. Usually, a retailer with a working BI
strategy that will have gathered large amount of data in accurate manner. Within organization,
intelligence tool has been used by different team at workplace including sales, marketing and
customer supports. This will help for establishing a better coordination between each and every
tasks execution. It can make use of convenience of intelligence tool for business process, when
performing their own investigations.
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The competitiveness of SAS intelligence tool that help for increasing the accessibility of
data analysis to large audience. Traditionally, it has been calculated the metrics and compilation
of reports which required for dedicated towards data professional. It was becoming consider as
significant aspect for establishing a coordination between users noticing an interest or concern of
stakeholders. Now, intelligence solution has been aligned with self-service, anyone is able to
access data directly and perform analyses without needs to go directly data team member.
Suggested SAS tool typically represent as graphical interface so that it become easier for
performing tasks and gain more knowledge. In this way, it has been summarized the suggested
intelligence tool appropriate from consumers, team members and other stakeholders. In order to
identify the actual performance of retailer and its business processes.
Discuss and reflect on the implication of suggested intelligent tool
On the basis of investigation, the implication of suggested SAS intelligence tool which
means that provide the immediate access and transform raw data into relevant, visually engaging
formats. It allows for data customization and organisation to be clearly displayed information of
consumers, employees. Because this kind of tool will support as visualization of data and
analytics or metrics that can facilitate making data driven decision.
Security issues- SAS intelligence tool will support for business in context of security or
privacy. This is because of at every base level, data should be encrypted in order to avoid any
kind of consequences in the business process (Yin and Fernandez, 2020). Nowadays, it is one of
the major concern in regards of security issue which means that needs to be eliminate or remove
in proper manner. So as, it has been implemented SAS intelligence tool in order to encrypt the
sensitive data about consumer, product, payment, order etc.
Social impacts of business- It become obvious thing that SAS is become consider as
statistical analysis system and consider as suite of enterprise. It encompass a wide range of
intelligence in order to predict in advance level and manage data in proper manner. Social impact
on the business when exploring innovation and lead to implement a creative thing in business
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process. Whenever, it is suing SAS as increasing the revenue of increase in recent years, this is
because the entire analytics or data science space is growing rapidly.
Ethical Considerations- in context of business, ethical considerations are becoming
consider as important principle that help to maintain respective dignity of individual people in
the workplace. But when using SAS tool, management authority will provide the permission of
respective team member who will use this intelligence tool and analyse the current predictive
information in proper manner. So as, it would concern about the accessibility of individual
people in organisation.
Environmental impacts of business- SAS intelligence tool provide the most comprehensive
management in which easy to use analytics and business tool. It would be creating self-service,
ad-hoc reporting environment that will be creating a distribution quality reports.
Employment or unemployment consequences- these are becoming consider as different areas
where implementing the concept of SAS business intelligence tool, which may increase the
employment opportunities of people (Sreesurya, Rathi and Jain, 2020). Those people having a
sufficient knowledge and skill of intelligence tool.
New innovative ideas for business- business intelligence tool Like SAS, it would be
creating an innovative idea for business. It may support for representing the overall report of
sales in predictive manner. Therefore, it become easier for team members to identify the specific
demand of product or service in marketplace. Many retailers are focused on the using
intelligence tool, where gaining more importance in marketplace.
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