Assessing the Impact of Digital Technology on Business Activities

This report examines the impact of digital technology on business operations, using Continental Consulting Limited as a case study. It details the project's aims, objectives, and research questions, along with a comprehensive project management plan, including a work breakdown structure and Gantt chart. The report outlines the research methodologies employed, such as sampling, data collection (primary and secondary), and data analysis techniques like thematic analysis. It also covers the research design (explanatory), approach (qualitative and quantitative), and strategy, along with ethical considerations. The findings are presented, and recommendations are provided to the management of Continental Consulting Limited to improve their use of digital technology. The report concludes with a reflection and references.

MANAGING SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS PROJECTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P.1. Devising project Aims and Objectives................................................................................1
P.2. Project Management plan....................................................................................................3
P.3. Gantt Chart to provide time frames.....................................................................................5
P.4. Small Scale research............................................................................................................6
P.5. Analysis the research data..................................................................................................13
P.6. Communicating appropriate recommendations. ...............................................................15
P.7. Reflection...........................................................................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................20

INTRODUCTION
Digital technology is a system, tool, device as well as resources that store, generate and
process data. Digitalisation is essence of all businesses, in present era of globalisation,
digitalization is the highest peak. No company can avoid implementation of digital technology
within organisation as because its impact will either shut down the business or have a great loss
to organisation. Thus, it is very important to implement as well as to use digital technology
within organisation (Bell and Harrison, 2018). In this present report, impact of digital technology
on small business will be discussed. Continental Consulting Limited organisation of UK will be
chosen for assessment, it is a Research and Business consultancy firm. Mario Bindas is the CEO
of company. This report will cover and analyse the impact of digital technology by conducting
survey. Aim, objectives and research questions of research will also be prepared in this project to
make it successful.
P.1. Devising project Aims and Objectives
Topic of the Research: Impact of digital technology on transforming business operations and
activities; a study on Continental Consulting Limited.
Background of Study
Technologies are one of the most important part of life. Digitalisation is the essence in
today's economic world. This is the world of moderation as people become very addicted
towards the use of digital technologies like internet, mobile phones, computers, laptops and
many other tools and machines used while production. Human beings as well as small companies
are largely affected by digital technology (Digital business, 2016). Small business is facing huge
trouble in implementing digital technology as it raises the cost of production as well as it requires
huge amount of fund which is not easy for them to invest. There are many advantages of digital
technology as with the help of technologies company can restore huge amount of information
without occupying any space. In this present context, the impact of digital technology on
Continental Consultancy Limited Company will be demonstrated (Wang and et.al., 2017). This is
a research and business consultancy firm. Mario Bindas is the CEO of company. More than 20
experts are there in that company giving their services. The fundamental or primary business of
Continental Consultancy Limited is Business Process Re-engineering and potential customers
including small and medium manufacturing organisations which are located in London. This
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organization was set up 8 years ago. Company is facing the huge impact of digital technology as
company needs instant upgrade in their system. Ignorance of the use of digital technology leads
to wiping out of company’s name from the market. The project report will include cost, time
risk, communication and quality. Researcher will prepare Gantt Chart and work breakdown
structure that demonstrates the series of time frames and activities of the project study. Aims,
objectives, research questions, and Research methodologies will also be considered in studying
the impact of digital technology on company. Afterwards, reflection will also be discussed by
researcher along with recommendations to the company.
Aim:
“To analyse the impact of digital technology on transforming business operations and activities;
a study on Continental Consulting Limited.”
Objectives: To identify the concept of digital technologies. To demonstrate the importance of digital technologies to Continental Consulting Limited
Company. To Analyse impact of digital technology on the functions and operation of Continental
Consulting Limited Company. To furnish recommendation to the management of Continental Consulting Limited
Company to bring improvement in use of digital technology.
Research Question:
1. What is the concept of digital technology?
2. What are the importance of digital technology to Continental Consulting Limited
Company?
3. What is the impact of digital technology on functions and operations of Continental
Consulting Company?
4. What are the recommendations to management of Continental Consulting Limited
Company to bring improvement in use of digital technology?
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P.2. Project Management plan
WBS Task Name Durati
on Start Finish Predecessor
s Resource Names level of risk
1 Find out the main
title of project 5 days 2/20/18 2/24/18 Low
2
Preparing
statement of
problem
4 days 2/27/18 03/02/18 1 Moderate
3
Setting deadlines
for resources
allocation
15
days 03/03/18 3/17/18 2 Moderate
4 Literature review 7 days 03/03/18 03/09/18 1,2
Books, Journals,
Internet and
articles
High
5
Selecting methods
and techniques for
investigation
4 days 3/20/18 3/23/18 3 Moderate
6 Calculation of Cost 7 days 03/10/18 3/16/18 4 High
7 Data Interpretation
and analysis
11
days 3/24/18 04/03/18 5 Questionnaires High
8
Measuring
outcomes and
findings
6 days 3/24/18 3/29/18 4,5 Low
9
Presenting
conclusion and
recommendations
7 days 3/17/18 3/23/18 6 Moderate
10 Documenting
outcomes 2 days 04/04/18 04/05/18 7 High
11 Report Submission 2 days 04/05/18 04/06/18 6,7
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From the above project management plan, here are the activities which researcher will
perform in research such as time, risk, budget as well as resources that has been shown as
follows-
Scope- The management of Continental Consulting Limited Company will be able to
analyse importance of digital technology after examination if conducted. Moreover, company
will able to implement latest technology within organisation that will help them to come up in
the market as well as to grow and develop their businesses (Rowden, 2017).
Time- Researcher will conduct the entire research within 55 days. All the activities will
take their time and it will finish in 55 days. Evaluating result and finding or presenting
recommendations with conclusion takes a long time.
Communication- Communication is the essence of research as without communication
researcher will not able to conduct study effectively. In order to collect the data and present it in
effective way, researcher will communicate with management of Continental Consulting Limited
Company and employees.
Budget- Budget is the key element that is very essential for researcher to consider while
researching. Total budget of project is ascertained to be £2000. The above project management
plan has shown entire allocation of project (Dickson, 2017).
P.3. Gantt Chart to provide time frames
4

5
Illustration 1: WBS

Illustration 1: Gantt Chart
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Illustration 2: Time Line
P.4. Small Scale research
Research methodologies- It is the main part of research as to analyse investigation data,
researcher will use appropriate procedures of research. In order to develop organized structure of
investigation, research methodologies will be very helpful for both researcher and end users to
compass the study of research (Subkhankulova and Kelsh, 2017). Research Methodologies is one
of the best technique to make study of research effective and efficient.
Sampling and Population- Sampling is the procedures that are utilized in statistical
analysis in which small number of observations are taken from large population. This is one of
the most crucial part as because it is not possible to collect the data form large population so
Sampling size- Researcher has taken sample from 25 managers of Continental
Consulting Limited Company. In this present research study, researcher has used simple random
sampling method
Sampling Method- In this research study, simple random sampling method is used. A
simple random sample is a subset of a statistical population in which each member of the subset
has an equal probability of being chosen. A simple random sample is meant to be an unbiased
representation of a group.
Research Philosophy- Research philosophy is the belief of study that assists researcher
in analysing and interpreting as well as utilizing collected data. There are four types of research
philosophy such as pragmatism, positivism, realism and interpretivisim. Research philosophy is
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the first part that help researcher to reach objectives and goals of investigation. In this present
research, researcher has used positivism research philosophy. Positivism research philosophy is
the factual knowledge gained by researcher by observation. It also limits the role of research to
collection of data and interpretation (Matamala, 2018).
Data Collection- Data Collection is one of the most important part in executing research
as well as to research aims and objectives of study. It is a procedure to collect as well as measure
information on variables of interest. There are two types of collection of data such as primary
and secondary source. Researcher collects data from both the sources. Collection of data from
primary sources means information collected by the researcher’s observations for example-
surveys, interviews, questionnaires etc. Secondary information is collected by other sources like
books and journals, internet, articles etc. The reliability is more in data collected through primary
sources as it is unused data. In this present research study, researcher has used both the sources,
primary and secondary data (Dowling, Lloyd and Suchet-Pearson, 2017).
Data Analysis- Data Analysis is also one of the most important part of research
study as in this step researcher gives a meaning to raw information. These tools, techniques and
themes are used to analyse the data as well as to interpret it. In this present research study,
researcher has used thematic analysis.
Research Design- Research design is an organized approach that is used by the
researcher to conduct study of examination. In general terms, design helps researcher to answer
the questions of research. There are four types of research design such as exploratory,
descriptive, explanatory and evaluation research design. There are two perspectives which help
to view the design of research is qualitative and quantitative research design. In this present
research study, researcher has used explanatory design of investigation. Explanatory research
design helps researcher to explain main subject matter as well as assist in understanding the
actual cause and effect of examination.
Research Approach- Research Approaches are process and plans for study of
investigation that pairs step from wide assumptions to elaborate the techniques for collection of
data, analysis and interpretation. Research approach helps researcher to make and give the
research study a sense. Approach is classified in two types such as Data Collection and
Analysis. In order to collect data, qualitative and quantitative are the two approaches that are
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used by researcher in research study (Subkhankulova and Kelsh, 2017). In this present study,
researcher has used both qualitative and quantitative approach for collection of data and for
analysis of information, deductive approach has been used in this research. By systematic use of
research approaches, researcher was capable to achieve the aims and objectives of the study.
Research Strategy- Research Strategy is a step by step plan of action that gives direction
to researcher to make the study successful. Experiment, case survey, ethnography survey, action
research, grounded theory and phenomenology are the types of investigation strategies that are
used by researcher in conducting study. Questionnaire, observations, focus groups, interviews
and documents are the methods of researcher to collect data. In this research study, researcher
has used both quantitative and qualitative methods of examination to reach the aim and
objectives of project (Creswell and Creswell, 2017).
Ethical Consideration- Ethical Consideration is very important for carrying the research
study. Ethics means standard and laws that make difference between what is right and wrong.
Researcher has to follow all the standards as well as guidelines while conducting research. In this
present research study, researcher has followed all the laws and standards to make the
investigation effective (Verma. and et.al., 2017).
P.5. Analysis of the research data
Theme 1: Organisation make use of digital technology.
Particular
Respondents
Yes 11
No 10
Not sure 4
Total 25
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Interpretation- From the above questionnaire conducted for managers of Continental Consulting
Company states that many organisations are using digital technology because this is the only
reason why company is going in heavy loss. 11 managers agreed that company is using
digitalisation. 10 managers said that company is not using digital technology and about 4
customers are not sure about their answers.
Theme 2. Technology is being used by Continental Consulting Limited Company.
Particular Respondents
NFC technologies 8
Digital conference facilities 7
Smart Room Keys 5
Cloud Services 5
Total 25
10
Yes
No
Not sure