Business Activities: The Impact of Digital Technology - Analysis

This report explores the significant impact of digital technology on business activities, focusing on a case study of Apple and a hypothetical enterprise, "John enterprise." It examines how digital tools and techniques facilitate various business operations, from project management to customer interaction. The report includes an analysis of aims, objectives, a project management plan, work breakdown structure, and a Gantt chart. It also covers a literature review on the benefits of digital technology, an assessment of data, and recommendations for businesses. The report emphasizes the importance of digital technology in achieving competitive advantage and enhancing overall business performance. Furthermore, it delves into key aspects like cost, scope, time, quality, communication, resources, and risk management within the context of project execution. The research investigates the effects of digital technology on business activities, the relationship between technology and competitive advantage, and the benefits of adopting modern equipment. Finally, the report provides a reflection on the findings and conclusions based on the analysis.

The impact of digital
technology on
business activity

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1
PART 1.............................................................................................................................1
P1 Aims and objectives................................................................................................1
P2 Project management plan.......................................................................................3
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart............................................................5
PART 2.............................................................................................................................7
P4 Carrying a small-scale research with the use of appropriate methods...................7
PART 3.............................................................................................................................9
P5 Assessment of data................................................................................................9
P6 Recommendations................................................................................................16
P7 Reflection..............................................................................................................16
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................... 16
REFERENCES...............................................................................................................17
LOGBOOK..................................................................................................................... 19

INTRODUCTION
Digital technology plays a very vital role in facilitating overall corporate world by
offering them various useful tools or techniques in order to accomplish business
activities in an appropriate manner. In fact, it aids entire staff members while performing
their job roles and support them to complete it in a defined time period ( Mbogo, 2010).
Apple is the world’s largest organisation in terms of modern technology because this
enterprise is mainly focused on introducing various creative products with advanced
facilities for gaining attention of customers. Therefore, this assignment shows the
influence of digital technology on various business activities. Along with this, it highlights
role of modern equipment in managing or handling a large project by considering
various necessary factors. Moreover, project is going to understand the opinion of
several customers towards introduction of digital technology and its usefulness in
company development. At last, need to suggest corrective path or some necessary
modification by considering relevant information or data and outlined self-
understanding.
PART 1
P1 Aims and objectives
In today's scenario, digital technology becomes one of the indispensable element
due to creation of modern world and it enforce everyone towards usage of innovative
equipment. Along with this, it supports entire corporate world as well as common
individual in various ways such as; an organisation may complete their work in a fastest
way or defined time period whereas a person may able to live their life comfortably by
performing their day to day work in more efficient way. Moreover, most of the
companies are using this strategy for capturing attention of millions of clients in a
minimum duration. Apple is a very large organisation which involves in introducing
innovative products with high standard quality in order to become a market leader at
international marketplace (Westerman, Bonnet and McAfee, 2014). Moreover, tools that
are launched by selected firm plays a very crucial role while accomplishing business
activities. For example; creative phones with advanced applications helps while
transaction process, information transferring and so on. Therefore, it has been analysed
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that digital technology is very much indispensable for development or success of overall
enterprise as well as supports in raising the living standard of numerous customers.
Topic: - Impact of digital technology on business activity
Background of the project: - Digital technology have a greater influence on
success or development of an enterprise because it facilitates overall staff members
while performing various business activities. Additionally, it helps an enterprise in
accomplishing it in a minimum duration by making work easier. Apple is an association
whose main objective is to create a new or creative products or services for uplifting the
overall society by offering them various modern equipment which helps them in
communicating process. First and foremost, motive of this assignment is to highlight
essential role of advanced technology for handling or managing a big project showing
significance of digitization. Besides this, few other rivalries are identified that are trying
to focus on usage of modern tools and coming up with it in order to promote it across
the world (Fitzgerald and et. al., 2014). Thus, emergence of various modes of managing
business activities affects the success of large projects and aids in developing overall
community. Generally, emergence of various digital technology supports an association
while running their business operations and it aids in uplifting overall society. However,
it is understood that maximum usage of high tech equipment is resulted in growth of
European economy and maximise the sales of an enterprise. As a result, it aids in
attaining the set objectives or targets of an enterprise with the use of standardised
technologies because with the use of digitisation, an association can easily accomplish
organisational activities.
Aim: - “To identify the influence of digital technology on business
activities: A case study on Apple”
Objectives: To determine the effects of modern technology on company performance. To identify the significance of digitisation for accomplishing various business
activities. To assess the positive influence of advanced equipment on Apple. To evaluate the various high-tech modes which is used by Apple for gaining
competitive advantage.
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Research questions: How digital technology plays important role in accomplishing business activities? What is the connection between advanced technology with gaining competitive
advantage? What are the benefits of adopting modern equipment on Apple? Is there any influence on company goodwill?
Literature review
Significance of digital technology while accomplishing business activities
It has been analysed that digital technology is helping an organization in various
manner such as; using modern equipments for conducting various business activities,
aids in transferring goods from one place to another and so on. According to Mason,
2011 number of factors are identified which shows that usage of advanced tools are
indispensable for company success. Few of the elements are described as follows:- Maintaining and protecting confidential records of an organization with the use of
advanced technology such as; computer technology, storing in memory card and
so on. Online transaction is useful in doing instant transfers. Easy to access and accomplish business activities in more effective manner.
Apart from this employees can also complete their assigned job role in minimum time
period by learning the techniques of using modern technologies.
Benefits of using modern technologies at workplace
As per Carter, 2011 it is stated that implementing advanced technology while
performing business activities is highly advantageous for company success as it aids an
enterprise in various manner. Along with this, helpful for employees as well as
consumers that is described as follows:- Instant transaction. Safeguard the time period. Supports in making positive relations with consumers by interacting with them
through social sites and so on. Online booking services are provided to clients.
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 Modern techniques of promoting goods or services across the international
marketplace.
P2 Project management plan
“John enterprise” is a newly established enterprise whose main objective is to
design t-shirts according to customers demand with the help of online technology.
Basically, an enterprise is engaged in offering various impressive designs on their
websites which is selected by consumers as per their choice or taste. After that staff
members may design it and delivered products through logistics services. Therefore,
this idea is consider as one of the most attractive because it provides numerous of
options to clients which seems as a unique. Thus, this enterprise is going to involves in
managing big projects in order to gain maximum return on their investment by satisfying
needs of customers with advanced equipment and additional benefits (Peppard and
Ward, 2016). Mainly, it is not easy to handle a project due to change in various internal
or external factors that have a major influence on success of an association. Along with
this, it requires expertise advice and skilled or talented employees in order to
accomplish various business activities in an effective manner. Therefore, it is essential
for enterprise to consider relevant information or data before performing any work or
decision-making process. Generally, five smart objectives of management plan of “John
enterprise” is explained as follows:- Specific:- According to this element an association needs to be clear towards
their particular goals in order to direct employees towards corrective path. Measurable:- In this an association need to encourage employees by explaining
the motive of implementing digital technology at workplace. Attainable:- Make it understandable for achieving set objectives or goals. Realistic:- Need to use relevant or accurate resources for attaining set
outcomes.
 Time:- It is essential to accomplish activities in a defined time period.
Apart from this, various other factors which are indispensable to consider while
managing a business plan or project are highlighted as follows: - Cost: - Capital is a lifeblood for every enterprise either small or large because all
the activities are managed or accomplished with the use of sufficient money. In
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fact, to run a successful business an association requires accurate amount of
fund for conducting various organisational activities in an appropriate manner.
Along with this, it shows the expenses which are going to be incurred in an
enterprise while running a business in order to make plans or strategies. It helps
in forecasting future before allocating funds to different departments of “John
enterprise” (The Impact of Technological Change on Business Activity, 2018). Scope: - According to this term of management plan, an organisation get aware
about their company motive or objectives. In fact, in project management plan,
scope has been differentiated into two different parts: one is for product and
other is for project. Therefore, it consists of precise information related with
beginning of an assignment and highlight the features or quality which is required
for designing product in order to meet the need of distinct shareholders. Hence, it
has been analysed that this factor of managerial team is all about showing the
corrective path towards development of an enterprise (Berman, 2012). Time: - Duration also acts as a necessary concept in success of a particular
project which is launched by “John enterprise”. In fact, first or foremost objective
of an association is to enforce their employees towards completion of assigned
task in a defined time period by satisfying needs or demand of several
consumers. Mainly, time is considered as one of the significant factor because it
shows the activeness of company employees and their attentiveness towards
professional goals. Moreover, it aids an enterprise in establishing organisational
goodwill at marketplace by transferring goods or services on defined time period.
Additionally, with the help of this tool managerial team of an enterprise get
succeeded in gaining trust or loyalty of different customers. Quality: - Now-a-days, most of the consumers are focusing on quality of a
product because they believe in durability of technological equipment. It means
customers want to buy qualitative items rather than worrying about high pricing
because costly products are more standardised than cheap items. Therefore,
managerial team of “John enterprise” is focusing on their raw materials while
manufacturing high-tech equipment in order to gain attention of maximum
number of customers.
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 Communication: - It is essential to make healthy interaction at workplace for
transferring relevant information or data in order to create a friendly environment
(Haight, Quan-Haase and Corbett, 2014). Mainly, an organization introduced
number of digital technology which is used by entire corporate world while
designing shirts for distinct customers. For example, highly standard phones act
as suitable mode for communication process from one place to another. Thus, it
acts as an indispensable factor in maintaining surrounding of an association by
removing conflicting situations with the help of effective interaction. Resources: - Assets are seen as one of the useful or mandatory aspect for
every organisation either small or large because an organisation may run with
the help of necessary resources. For example: labours, plant or machinery, land
or building, capital and so on. Digital technologies are not designed appropriately
without the use of raw materials due to its uniqueness.
 Risk: - An organisation is expanded across international boundaries due to
which it may get affected by fluctuations in factors. Apart from this, occurrence of
disaster is uncertain which may occur anytime without any indication. Therefore,
it may be seen as the biggest risk for an organisation as it influences their
success or development. Hence, an association need to train their employees
about how to control a business risk in a defined time period in order to prevent
enterprise from dangers (EIGHT WAYS TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING
BUSINESS, 2018).
Consequently, it has been assessed that all the above factors play a very
eminent role while managing a large project as well as during planning process.
P3 Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart
Work breakdown structure is as an outline or map of the project working on. It
starts with top level and the top level further distributes work. In a company, project
team creates the project work breakdown structure (Brynjolfsson and McAfee, 2012).
There are some tools which are used in order to create same such as mind mapping
software, work breakdown structures and Gantt charts. It helps in completing project
more efficiently and effectively. Complicated task is completed easily with the
assistance of this tool. It also aids on risk identification and minimisation of same. It
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avoids overlapping of resources and work which helps in time saving and better
progress monitoring. Apart from all these, it also contributes in creating higher
productivity.
Gantt Chart
It is the most popular and useful way of showing activities and Gantt charts are
mostly used in project management. It displays activity against time. In Gantt chart, left
side of chart list of activities are given along top with suitable time scale.
Uses of Gantt charts
 Designing activities
 Timing of activities when begins and end.
 How long each activity is scheduled to last
 Start and end date of whole project.
 See overlapping of activities and how much time they take.
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PART 2
P4 Carrying a small-scale research with the use of appropriate methods
Primary Method of Data Collection: Primary method of collecting data is raw
data which is own by the researcher. This data is authentic and fresh as these data are
not from any books or journals. This kind of method is time consuming and it requires lot
of efforts. The major advantage of this method is that we can start it from zero. This
method of data includes questionnaire, interview, case studies, observations etc.
Secondary Method of Data Collection: This method includes data which is
from secondary source like books, magazine, internet etc.; source is totally collected by
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someone other than the researcher (Shirazi, Ngwenyama and Morawczynski, 2010).
This kind of data saves time, money and sources. The biggest disadvantage of this
source is that data can be used by any other researcher which may increase the chance
of making the same report. The data may be inaccurate and outdated.
Qualitative Method of Research: Qualitative research is a quality research
which is more subjective in nature. In this, depth knowledge is required to get a proper
result. Case study can be included in this method as it requires a detail study about any
topic (Bustinza and et.al., 2013).
Quantitative Method of Research: Quantitative research method includes
number and figures. It is based on statistics. Comparison can be made between new
records and past records for future analysis.
Data Sampling: Sampling as the name suggest refers to collection of data from
a subset of population. Low cost is the main advantage of data sampling. It is relatively
less time consuming as compared to measuring the entire population. Data sampling
includes a sample size which may vary from subject to subject. This includes probability
sampling is random sampling the participant has a great chance of getting picked and
Non-probability sampling are non-random sampling not every person from population
has a chance of participation in the study (Mason, Carter and Tagg, 2011).
Therefore, 30 members are selected for further research in order to understand
their opinions towards impact of digital technology with the use of questionnaire which is
described below: -
Questionnaire
Name:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Age:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gender:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q.1. Is there any influence on company sales? Yes No
Q.2. Did usage of digital technology is significant? Yes No
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Q.3. What are the obstacles faced by Apple while introducing modern equipment
at workplace? Capital Employees Quality Resources Other
Q.4. Are you happy with the goods offered by Apple? Yes No
Q.5. Ratings which you offered to the product or services of Apple? Good Very good Excellent 5 star
Q.6. Is digital technology beneficial for growth and development of an
enterprise? Yes No
Q.7. Suggestion?
PART 3
P5 Assessment of data
Data analysis is indispensable for understanding the requirement of change at
workplace with the help of consumer opinions.
Theme: 1 Influence on company sales. Frequency Yes 28 No 2
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