Analyzing Digital Technology's Impact on Thomas Cook & Sons Limited

This report analyzes the impact of digital technology on Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd, a prominent travel and tourism company. It explores the implementation of digital technology across various departments including finance, marketing, and human resources. The report examines the aim and objectives, research methodologies, data collection, and analysis techniques employed. Findings highlight the implementation of digital technology, its usefulness in operations, challenges faced during implementation (limited budget, organizational structure, and lack of expertise), and its impact on product differentiation and customer base expansion. The report also addresses the safety of digital technology, data leakage concerns, and concludes with recommendations for transforming business activities using digital solutions. The analysis is based on primary data collected through a questionnaire from employees, providing insights into the company's digital transformation journey.

Managing Successful
Business Project
(HNBS 306)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Overview......................................................................................................................................1
Background of company..............................................................................................................1
AIM and OBJECTIVE....................................................................................................................1
Aim..............................................................................................................................................1
Objective......................................................................................................................................1
CONDUCT RESEARCH................................................................................................................4
Research philosophy:...................................................................................................................4
Research approach.......................................................................................................................4
Data collection.............................................................................................................................5
Sampling......................................................................................................................................5
Data Analysis...............................................................................................................................5
PRESENTING.................................................................................................................................5
Research Questionnaire...............................................................................................................5
Presentation..................................................................................................................................7
FINDING and CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
PREFORMANCE REVIEW.........................................................................................................16
REFERNCES.................................................................................................................................18

TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Implementation of digital technology within Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd........................8
Figure 2: Usefulness of digital technology for all operating functions of Thomas Cook & Sons
Ltd....................................................................................................................................................9
Figure 3: Challenges faced by company while implementing digital technology...........................9
Figure 4: Digital technology impacting department of Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd.......................10
Figure 5: Digitalisation helping Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd in product differentiation by
competitors within market.............................................................................................................11
Figure 6 . Importance of digitalisation in increasing customer base.............................................12
Figure 7: Safety of digital technology from view point of company............................................13

INTRODUCTION
Overview
Digital technology is regarded as a program which is implementing and formulating
major changes which will be leading to simplify means of operating and working within market
and industry (Baller, Dutta and Lanvin, 2016). Impact of digital technology is very effective in
recent times upon all operating departments of company like that of marketing, financial, human
resources and operations. It becomes important for any company for their sustainability, growth
and development into market; if an organisation wants to remain for longer duration within
market then they should use and implement digital technology that helps the company to modify
their existing products or launch new products in markets making them profitable and
innovative. This is enabling them to increase or diversify their markets and product portfolios
having its impact on all activities of organisation like introduction of cloud technology used in
sharing and storing data (Mithas, Tafti and Mitchell, 2013).
Within this current business plan which is showcasing the impact of digital technology on
department of Thomas Cook & Sons limited which is the most reputed and innovative travel and
Tourism Company of UK.
Background of company
Thomas Cook with partnership of his son created a travel agency in the year 1872 and
named it as Thomas Cook & Sons limited, was having a shop selling different articles of travel,
and then ran a hotel over their office. Now the company is regarded to as best company in field
of travel and tourism and having limited liability status as well (Bharadwaj, and Venkatraman,
2013). Management is using digital technology with having its implementation in almost every
department including finance, operations, marketing and human resources.
AIM and OBJECTIVE
Aim:
“To analyse ways by which digital technology is transforming business activities of an
organisation: A study on Thomas Cook & Sons limited”
Objective:
 To identify ways of digital transformation of business activities of Thomas Cook & Sons
limited
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 To analyse barriers for implementation of digital technology within various activities of
Thomas Cook & Sons limited
 To recommend methods of transforming business activities with use of digital technology
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
Task Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Auto
Scheduled Research Project 3 days Wed 6/6/18 Fri 6/8/18
Auto
Scheduled
Preparation phase of
ERP plan 9 days Mon 6/11/18 Thu 6/21/18
Auto
Scheduled
Choosing a theme or
subject 5 days Mon 6/11/18 Fri 6/15/18 1
Auto
Scheduled
Defining project scope
and objectives 2 days Mon 6/18/18 Tue 6/19/18 3
Auto
Scheduled
Select subject or
problematic in carrying
out installation
2 days Wed 6/20/18 Thu 6/21/18 4
Auto
Scheduled
Application step of
development 8 days Fri 6/22/18 Tue 7/3/18 5
Auto
Scheduled
Technical infrastructure
preparation 1 day Fri 6/22/18 Fri 6/22/18 5
Auto
Scheduled
Identifying development
environment 3 days Mon 6/25/18 Wed 6/27/18 7
Auto
Scheduled
Quality assurance
environment 2 days Fri 6/22/18 Mon 6/25/18
Auto
Scheduled Training environment 2 days Mon 6/25/18 Tue 6/26/18 7
Auto
Scheduled Business blueprint 3 days Wed 6/27/18 Fri 6/29/18 10
Auto
Scheduled
AS-IS business process
analysis 1 day Tue 6/26/18 Tue 6/26/18 9
Auto
Scheduled
Identifying end to end
current business process 1 day Thu 6/28/18 Thu 6/28/18 8
Auto
Scheduled
Identify process
integration point 3 days Fri 6/29/18 Tue 7/3/18 13
Auto
Scheduled
Concluding point of
ERP project 5 days Wed 6/27/18 Tue 7/3/18 12
Auto
Scheduled
Portrayal the valid
assumption 2 days Mon 7/2/18 Tue 7/3/18 11
Auto
Scheduled
Providing effective
endorsements 2 days Wed 6/27/18 Thu 6/28/18 12
Auto
Scheduled
Certification of 2 days Wed 6/27/18 Thu 6/28/18 10
2

assignment
Auto
Scheduled
Submission the ready
project 2 days Wed 6/27/18 Thu 6/28/18 12
3

CONDUCT RESEARCH
Research philosophy:
It is the idea and belief of how to conduct research and what all methods should be
applied with considering ethics and morals of project (Brynjolfsson and McAfee, 2012).
Research philosophy will be making difference between what is the correct and what is not
within this report as it is stating the ways of implementing digital technology and what are the
barriers to it. Interpretivism type of philosophy will be used within this as it is helping in linking
with social factor of topic and inculcating human’s views and ideas within.
Research approach
This is included to as set theoretical background of topic set in order to collect correct,
valid and reliable data then analysing or interpreting it all to make conclusion. As the current
research is based on introducing ways of which digital technology could be transforming
business activities of Thomas Cook & Sons limited (Mbogo, 2010). Therefore, it is important to
use qualitative form of research approach that will be having or using human as factor of
analysing results.
4

Data collection
The method of gathering, summarising and reporting of valid data or information related
to that particular topic will be called as data collection (Fitzgerald, Kruschwitz and Welch,
2014). This is regarded as the most important section or part of research that must be correct and
valid in all aspects of ethical consideration. Basically, there are two sources or methods of
collecting correct and relevant data such as primary and secondary and into this analysing
primary data would be used.
Sampling
It is taking out or extracting small number of sample from population so that valid
conclusion could be drawn (Matt, Hess and Benlian 2015). So for this current analysis of way to
digitally transform operation of company which is Thomas Cook & Sons limited for it 50
employees of company from various departments are taken.
Data Analysis
This is regarded as an important step of the entire research, which is including analysis of
data to be collected in above data collection part (Hanelt and Kolbe, 2015). It becomes important
to interpret data so that valid, relevant and useful information could be derived with the use of
various techniques like that of qualitative data analysis.
PRESENTING
Research Questionnaire
Demographic information
Name: ____________
Age: __________
Position: __________
Q1. As per your opinion is digital technology been implemented within Thomas Cook & Sons
Ltd?
 No
 Yes
5

 Neutral
Q2. The digital technology useful for all operating functions of Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
Q3. In your opinion, what are the challenges that are faced by company while implementing
digital technology?
 Limited budget
 Organisational structure
 Lack of expertise
 Immense cost
Q4. For which department digital technology is impacting the most?
 Finance
 HR
 Marketing
 Operations
Q5. Does digitalisation help in product differentiation by competitors of Thomas Cook & Sons
Ltd in the market?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
6

 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
Q6. Is digitalisation important for increasing customer base?
 No, as there are others who are providing the same products
 Increasing customer base and competition as well
 No idea
 Yes, by bring the whole world at same global platform
Q7. Is use of digital technology safe from company’s point of view?
 Data leakage is the biggest problem of Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd
 Safe to some extent
 No idea
 It is safe as the company is following all the safety and security measures.
Presentation
1. Implementation of digital technology within Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd
Particular Respondents
No 20
Yes 20
Neutral 10
Total 50
7

Figure 1: Implementation of digital technology within Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd
2. Usefulness of digital technology for all operating functions of Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd
Particular Respondents
Strongly agree 14
Agree 7
Neutral 9
Disagree 10
Strongly disagree 10
Total 50
8

Figure 2: Usefulness of digital technology for all operating functions of Thomas Cook & Sons Ltd
3. Challenges faced by company while implementing digital technology
Particular Respondents
Limited Budget 10
Organsiational structure 15
Lack of expertise 15
Immense cost 10
Total 50
Figure 3: Challenges faced by company while implementing digital technology
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