Project Report: Assessing Digital Transformation at Harrods

This project report delves into the impact of digital technology implementation at Harrods, a luxury departmental store. It defines the project, addresses the problem statement regarding social media content selection and budget constraints, and outlines the project strategy using primary data collection. The objectives include analyzing the impact, benefits, challenges, and opportunities of digital transformation, with recommendations for addressing identified issues. A project management plan is detailed, covering cost, scope, time, quality, communication, risk, and resources, along with a work breakdown structure (WBS) and Gantt chart to illustrate timeframes and stages. The research methodology involves both qualitative (interviews with managers) and quantitative (surveys among employees) data collection to assess the impact of digital technologies like AI, IoT, social media, and cloud technology on Harrods' business operations and stakeholder perspectives. The report concludes with a risk assessment addressing knowledge gaps, technical issues, and security breaches.

Managing a Successful Business Project

Table of Contents
Task 1...........................................................................................................................4
LO1 Establish project aims, objectives and timeframes based on the chosen theme.4
P1-Devise project aims and objectives for a chosen scenario addressing the chosen
tile as specified above..................................................................................................4
Project Definition...........................................................................................................4
Problem Statement.......................................................................................................4
Project Strategy............................................................................................................5
Project Objective...........................................................................................................5
P2 – Produce a project management plan that covers aspects of cost, scope, time,
quality, communication, risk and resources for the chosen project.............................5
Cost and Activities of the Project..................................................................................5
Deliverables..................................................................................................................6
Project Scope Statement..............................................................................................6
Included Scope.........................................................................................................6
Excluded Scope........................................................................................................6
Success Criteria............................................................................................................7
Project Assumptions.....................................................................................................7
Risk Assessment..........................................................................................................7
P3 Produce a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart to provide timeframes
and stages for completion with reference to the chosen project..................................8
Implementation Plan.....................................................................................................8
Schedule (Gantt chart).................................................................................................9
Gantt chart..................................................................................................................10
Figure 1: Gantt Chart..................................................................................................11
Project Processes.......................................................................................................11

Task 2.........................................................................................................................13
LO2 Conduct small- scale research, information gathering and data collection,
generating knowledge to support the project as specified above:.............................13
P4-Carry out small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research
methods appropriate for meeting project aims and objectives for the chosen
scenario......................................................................................................................13
Reference List.............................................................................................................25
Appendix 1- Risk Assessment................................................................................26

Task 1
LO1 Establish project aims, objectives and timeframes based on the chosen
theme
P1-Devise project aims and objectives for a chosen scenario addressing the
chosen tile as specified above.
Project Definition
The Project will examine the opportunities and impact of Digital technology in
Harrods. The company is a luxury departmental store that is located in
Knightsbridge, London. Charles Henry Harrod founded the company on 1834
(Lucas, 2015). The company has successfully introduced luxury and quality products
with more than three hundred departments showing more than twelve thousand
employees working in the organisation. It offers a wide range of service and
products. the products includes clothing, jewellery, sports gear, electronics, food and
drink, stationeries, furniture and many more. The main area reflecting the project is
to understand the impact of digital technologies implemented in the business
process. Therefore to explore the opportunities or challenges faced by the company
in implementation of technological advancements that are cloud technology, social
media, storage and distribution and artificial intelligence.
Problem Statement
The major areas that have shown the problematic areas in the project are to identify
specific social media contents while implementing the effective communication
through digital technology (Uzunoğlu and Kip, 2014). Recognizing the fact that every
individual has its own perception to the changing trends, hence it becomes difficult to
select the content as per the different preferences to the products. The second
aspect reflects the budget in implementing the digital technologies within the
organisation as the Artificial intelligence and machineries show high investments and
maintenance charges to ensure the smooth working in the production process. Cloud
technology and internet connectivity has helped the organisation to store files and

share the information effectively in the place but has also increased the risk to be
hacked by unknown intruders. Such risk requires frequent updates and up-gradation
of security bridges hence the company has to purchase the software more of an
often to secure the confidential data. Such measures lead to compromise the budget
of the company.
Project Strategy
The strategy is to analyse the impact of implementing digital technology at Harrods
by using the method of primary data collection technique. The business researcher
will develop a business project in order to investigate the business environment and
market (Botha et al., 2014). The project would provide a competitive advantage and
provide a better idea about the impact of the strategy on the organisation and its key
stakeholders.
Project Objective
The objective of this project have been listed below-
 To analyse the impact of implementation of digital technology at Harrods
 To analyse the extent to which the digital technology has benefitted Harrods
 To evaluate the challenges and opportunities experienced by the organisation
due to digital transformation
 To provide relevant recommendation for dealing with the identified challenges
P2 – Produce a project management plan that covers aspects of cost, scope,
time, quality, communication, risk and resources for the chosen project
Cost and Activities of the Project
Activities Time Cost/hour (£) Total Cost (£)
Collecting the
Data
30 20 600
Assessing the
data
25 20 500
Setting the 25 10 250

budget of the
entire project
Referring to
different digital
solutions
35 10 350
Creating the final
report
10 15 150
TOTAL 1850
Table 1: Cost and Time objective of the Project
(Source: created by the learner)
Deliverables
The deliverables refers to the intangible or tangible services to be produced by
Harrods in terms to improve the implementation process of digital technology so that
to result the project effectively delivering the intended product and services efficiently
to the potential customers. Harrods management system will adopt innovative
changes in protecting the data and implementing the artificial intelligence effectively
in the place, the company will improvise the business process and operations to
communicate efficiently with the customers and improve its digital solutions in the
industry.
Project Scope Statement
Included Scope
 To understand the impact of different digital technology on the operations and
business activities of Harrods
 To identify the challenges faced by the organisation
 To take the opinion of stakeholders to develop strategies to deal with the
identified challenges
 To utilise the opportunities in order to improve the current operations of the
business organisation

Excluded Scope
 Devising effective plan after analysing the impact of digital transformation at
Harrods
 Informing and training the employees about how they can deal with the
ongoing issues related to digital technology implementation
Success Criteria
Digital technology can provide any business organisation a competitive advantage
over its competitors and enhance its operational procedure. This project would be
considered successful if the business organisation and its management is able to
identify the opportunities and deal with the various challenges (Fitzgerald et al.,
2014).
Project Assumptions
 Harrods has successfully implemented the various digital technologies in its
business operation to communicate, share and produce the products and
services.
 The organisation has ensured the employee capability and ability to
understand and work with the technological advancements implemented.
 The company has identified and utilized the various resources present
internally and externally to proceed with the strategies determined.
Risk Assessment
The assessment refers to the systematic approaches or process to evaluate the
potential risks that involves the undertaken projected activity in the place. The risk
that can arise in implementing the new digital technology in the business operation
refers to the knowledge gap, technical issues and security bridges. The knowledge
gap reflects the lack of understanding of new technological advancements by the
concerned employees working in Harrods. Such lack of information can lead an
ineffective utilization of the digital advancements hence spoiling the benefits that can
be obtained in the workplace.
The technical failures or technical issues increase the problematic area in
implementation of new artificial intelligence in the workplace. Ineffective utilization

and implementation can lead a back foot to the productivity hence to ignore such
factor, employee training is necessary inform the technical knowledge and train the
employees to utilize the technologies effectively in the place.
P3 Produce a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart to provide
timeframes and stages for completion with reference to the chosen project.
Implementation Plan
The plan of Harrods is to inform the management about plan to achieve its future
objectives effectively. Various steps would be taken in order to deal with the
challenges and understand the overall impact on the business.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Task Activity Name
Analysing the impact of adopting new digital technology in Harrods
1.0 Project Initiation
1.1 Preparatory research
1.2 Selection of suitable sample population
1.3 Questionnaire preparation for quantitative data collection
1.4 Interview questions for qualitative data collection
2.0 Implementation stage
2.1 Conducting the Quantitative research
2.2 Conducting the Qualitative research
2.3 Data gathering
2.4 Organising the data collected from the research
2.5 Analysing the data and achieving the suitable conclusions
3.0 Concluding Stage
3.1 Final report preparation
3.2 Presentation of final project report to the concerned stakeholders
3.3 Concluding the project
4.0 Final Submission

Schedule (Gantt chart)
Task Activity Name
Start date
Durati
on
(days) End Date
Analyse the impact of adopting new digital technology in Harrods
1.0 Project Initiation
6/1/2018 12 6/13/2018
1.1 Preparatory research 6/1/2018 3 6/4/2018
1.2 Selection of suitable sample population 6/4/2018 2 6/6/2018
1.3 Questionnaire preparation for
quantitative data collection 6/6/2018 4 6/10/2018
1.4 Interview questions for qualitative data
collection 6/10/2018 3 6/13/2018
2.0 Implementation stage 6/13/2018 15 6/28/2018
2.1 Conducting the Quantitative research 6/13/2018 3 6/16/2018
2.2 Conducting the Qualitative research 6/16/2018 3 6/19/2018
2.3 Data gathering 6/19/2018 3 6/22/2018
2.4 Organising the data collected from the
research 6/22/2018 3 6/25/2018
2.5 Analysing the data and achieving the
suitable conclusions 6/25/2018 3 6/28/2018
3.0 Concluding Stage 6/28/2018 15 7/13/2018
3.1 Final report preparation 6/28/2018 5 7/3/2018
3.2 Presentation of final project report to 7/3/2018 5 7/8/2018

the concerned stakeholders
3.3 Concluding the project 7/8/2018 5 7/13/2018
4.0 Final Submission 7/13/2018 3 7/16/2018
Gantt chart

Project Initiation
Preparatory research
Selection of suitable sample population
Questionnaire preparation for quantitative data collection
Interview questions for qualitative data collection
Implementation stage
Conducting the Quantitative research
Conducting the Qualitative research
Data gathering
Organising the data collected from the research
Analysing the data and achieving the suitable conclusions
Concluding Stage
Final report preparation
Presentation of final project report to the concerned
stakeholders
Concluding the project
Final Submission
6/1/2018 6/21/2018 7/11/2018
Figure 1: Gantt Chart
(Source: Created by the learner)
Project Processes
The project plan is directed and controlled to achieve the project conceptions and
initiations of the digital technology in developing the business operations. Therefore
planning accordingly the project plan, while executing the strategies and enhancing

the business performances to achieve the business objectives (Krajewski et al.,
2015).
Communication Plan
The plan reflects the policies that Harrods has adapted in approaching the
stakeholders with necessary information to the related stakeholders. Therefore the
plan defines to provide right information delivery and select appropriate
communication channels. The plan introduces new business process to bring
required changes in the company system (Jones et al., 2016).