Digital Technologies' Impact on Business Operations at Londis Store

This report investigates the impact of digital technologies on the business operations of Londis Store, a small-scale retail enterprise in the UK. The research aims to identify the influence of digital technologies on the store's performance, exploring the concept of technology adoption, its requirements, and its effects on business outcomes. The report includes a literature review examining various authors' perspectives on the use of digital technologies in SMEs, focusing on benefits, challenges, and the importance of adapting to technological changes. A research project plan, including a Gantt chart and network diagram, outlines the timeline and activities involved in the research process. The methodology employs both inductive and deductive research approaches, utilizing descriptive design and data collection through surveys with Londis Store managers and secondary data from academic articles. The findings are analyzed thematically to assess the impact of digital technologies on the store's operations, considering both positive and negative aspects, ultimately providing recommendations for effective technology implementation.

RESEARCH PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1 Research proposal with literature review..........................................................................1
Literature review....................................................................................................................2
P2 Research methods and approaches....................................................................................7
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................8
P3 Conduct research with using techniques...........................................................................8
P4 Analytical tools and findings...........................................................................................10
LO 3...............................................................................................................................................20
P5 Research outcomes in appropriate manner......................................................................20
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................22
P6 Reflection of the research................................................................................................22
P7 Alternative research methodologies................................................................................22
ANNEXURE..................................................................................................................................28

LO 1
P1 Research proposal with literature review
TOPIC
“To identify impact of using digital technologies for implementing business operations of
small scale enterprise: A case study on Londis Store”.
INTRODUCTION
Digital technologies are essential for improving business performance and quality
services of any entity. It impacts on productivity, profitability and marketability of the enterprise
at maximum level. Present report is based on understanding usefulness of adopting digital
technologies for business operations of Londis Store. It is a small-scale retail sector organisation
of UK which provides groceries and home products. In this regard, tools used for conducting
research and planning to meet goals are to be discussed (Roggeveen, Nordfält and Grewal,
2016). Moreover, different authors’ views on the research topic will be understood impact on
expansion of Small and Medium scale Enterprise (SME) generate ideas for using digital
technologies. Besides this, research specification tools as approach, philosophy, design and
others will be introduced in this assignment. However, time frame including Gantt chart and
network diagram are to be identified for project plan and research on adopting digital
technologies for business operations of the entity in this report.
Background:
Londis Store is retail store operating in UK under franchising system and is known for
providing groceries and home products across the country. It is getting developed in the list of
retail sector organisations which adopts innovative technologies for its operations (Ku, 2017). In
addition to this, information technology tools are used for business operations as marketing of
goods and contacting with people as well. Including this, it provides training and development
programs to enhance working efficiencies of its workers. However, research is conducted on
significance of using digital technologies for implementing business operations of the small-
scale enterprise in this assignment.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
The research is based on following aim and objectives can be identified as follows:
Aim of the research:
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“To identify influence of using digital technologies for implementing business operations
of Londis Store”.
Objectives of the project:
Following objectives are set for the research on identifying usefulness of adopting digital
technologies for Londis Store as:
 To understand the concept of adopting digital technologies in business operations.
 To recognise requirements of using digital technologies for Londis Store.
 To identify influence of adopting digital technologies on business performance.
 To recommend suggestions for using digital technologies for Londis Store.
RATIONALE OF THE PROJECT
The reason behind choosing this topic for research is to enhance knowledge regarding
usefulness of adopting digital technologies in business operations of SME. In this regard,
different research methods and specification tools are discussed that impacts on further business
activities. Moreover, essential of digital technologies in decision-making and business operations
are identified in this assignment (Gale and et.al., 2013). However, this research project is
rationale and significant to find out facts on influences of using innovative technologies in
business operations of the small-scale enterprise.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Following research questions are identified for this project as:
 What do you understand by using digital technologies in business operations of any
entity?
 Why adopting digital technologies is essential to improve business performance of
Londis Store?
 What positive impacts are identified on business operations of the company by using
digital technologies for their implementations?
 What recommendations are to be considered during adopting digital technologies for the
small-scale enterprise?
Literature review
It is secondary data collection source for getting information as reading articles of
different authors on the research topic. However, authors' views on the influence of using digital
technologies for implementing business operations of Londis Store are to be recognised as:
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 Concept of using digital technologies for business operations:
According to Grishikashvili, Dibb and Meadows, (2014) using digital technologies are
very common in recent trends in relation to business operations. It impacts on improving quality
of goods and providing them more efficiently. In this regard, different positive influences are
obtained in business operations and appropriate decision making for the further years. However,
digital technologies are needed to adopt for entity's effectiveness and improving performance at
higher level.
On the contrary to this, Parise, Guinan and Kafka, (2016) argues that adopting digital
technologies for small scale enterprise is difficult and costly. This is because of expensive
machinery equipment and facing high level of competitive market. Therefore, it is needed to use
digital technologies for improving business operations and performance of the entity efficiently.
 Usefulness of adopting digital technologies to implement business operations of
SME:
In opinion of Graupner, Melcher and Maedche, (2015) it is required to use digital
technologies for improving business operations and quality services of the small-scale entity. In
accordance to this, business operations remain easy and convenient. Similarly, contacting with
people is easy in terms of telecommunication services, using social networking sites and so on.
However, it is time consuming and convenient to maintain records of business operations
efficiently. Thus, adopting digital technologies are needed for implementing business operations
and efficiencies at higher level.
Grishikashvili, Dibb and Meadows, (2014) claim that due to changes in technologies,
adopting digitalisation in business operations remain risky and challenging. Likewise, high costs
for purchasing machinery equipment is difficult to afford for small scale enterprise. Including
this, shortage of efficient workers to use digital technologies affect quality of products and
services of the enterprise adversely.
 Influence of using digital technologies on business operations:
As per the point of view of Parise, Guinan and Kafka, (2016) improvement in business
operations and its effectiveness is recognised which impacted on further implementations
positively. Including this, it is effective for improving quality of products and appropriate
decision making regarding business operations of the company. In addition to this, business
activities can be more effective in terms of productivity and profitability at higher level. Along
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with this, its market position can sustain for longer time period to face competition effectively.
Therefore, adopting digital technologies remain good for business operations and managing them
systematically.
On the contrary to this, Grishikashvili, Dibb and Meadows, (2014) argue that it is
challenging attracting people towards new creations in products and services of the entity.
Therefore, people's interest gets changed time to time which affect demand for goods and
encouraging them towards products. Similarly, changes in technologies and environmental
factors affect business operations as well its profit level negatively. Thus, it is needed to consider
all these factors during adopting digital technologies to implement business operations of the
small-scale entity.
TIME FRAME FOR PROJECT/PROJECT PLAN
Research plan includes factors as activities involved in process, cost incurred, time
consumed for each activity and so on. In this regard, research project plan for identifying impact
of using digital technologies for business operations of Londis Store is identified as:
Table 1: Research project plan
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Identifying the research
topic 10 days Tue 1/2/18 Mon 1/15/18
Goal setting and
preparing research plan 21 days Tue 1/16/18 Tue 2/13/18 1
Work segmentation
among team members 10 days Wed 2/14/18 Tue 2/27/18 1,2
Literature review 13 days Wed 2/28/18 Fri 3/16/18 2,3
Data collection
(Conducting survey with
5 managers of Londis
Store)
20 days Mon 3/19/18 Fri 4/13/18 3,4
Data interpretation 17 days Mon 4/16/18 Tue 5/8/18 4,5
Preparing plan 13 days Wed 5/9/18 Fri 5/25/18 5,6
Implementing plan for
improving business'
performance
11 days Mon 5/28/18 Mon 6/11/18 6,7
Cost calculation 14 days Tue 6/12/18 Fri 6/29/18 7,8
Taking feedback from
team members 8 days Mon 7/2/18 Wed 7/11/18 8,9
Reporting 2 days Mon 7/2/18 Tue 7/3/18 9
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Gantt Chart: This project plan tool is to demonstrate its activities and schedules to
accomplish any particular task in specific time. However, Gantt chart for the research process is
to identified as follows:
Network diagram: It is structural framework to show connection of all project's activities with
each other. However, network diagram for research on identifying impact of using digital
technologies for business operations of Londis Store is to be identified as:
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P2 Research methods and approaches
In order to find the data and information, there are different tools and techniques has been
implemented that help to attain more desired results at workplace. In this way, effectiveness also
enhances with primary and secondary tools and techniques. Hence, aims and objectives will be
complete in significant manner. In this way, both data has been implemented to attain more
significant outcomes and objectives as well (Mackey and Gass, 2015). Relevant research needs
to conduct that help to attain fresh and relevant outcomes easily. In this way, effectiveness also
increasing in systematic manner at workplace.
Apart from this, data analysis also considers as the important function that help to
conduct proper research with investigation. Therefore, data interpretation and framing different
activities helps to focus on the proper research findings at workplace. There primary data
collected with questionnaire so that as per respondents’ views data analysis consider. In addition
to this, secondary information also carries to focus on the different authors views from books,
journals, magazines, etc. (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault, 2015).
SPECIFICATION TOOLS
For data collection in context to identify impact of using digital technologies on business
operations of Londis Store. In order to this, researcher is to use following approaches to conduct
research as: Research approach: Different approaches are used for data collection as; inductive,
deductive and abductive. However, for research on adopting digital technologies for
business operations of Londis Store inductive approach is to be used (Data collection
process, 2016). It includes theories and other research tools for fact findings. Therefore,
variety of ideas are generated to use digital technologies' influence on business
performance (Flick, 2015). Research design: For research process, investigator is to use descriptive design frame to
present all process including positive and negative aspects. In this regard, entire planning
tools and are expressed for research and collecting data efficiently (Tracy and Redden,
2015). Data collection: Research is conducted at primary and secondary levels to analyse actual
business performance. Under primary data collection method, conducting survey, face to
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face interview etc. However, researcher selects 5 managers of Londis Store randomly to
collect their views on impact of using digital technologies for business operations.
Similarly, for data collection at secondary level involves using ready and prepared data.
In order to this, researcher is to get information through reading articles of different
authors on the research topic (Ledford and Gast, 2018).
 Data analysis: After collecting data, it is to analysed thematically. In this process, all
managers' views are identified in thematic presentation form. Therefore, business
performance by using digital technologies for operations of Londis Store can be analysed
effectively (King and Mackey, 2016).
LO 2
P3 Conduct research with using techniques
With respect to conduct research, it is most essential to consider research study. It will
assist to make right solution to obtain effective results. Research consider proper findings and
results with innovative functioning. Research methodology consider different types of the tools
and techniques implemented at workplace. In this regard, following activities included:
 Research approach: Research approach also play important role in the business to
consider research program in effective manner. In this way, proper investigation
considers at workplace that help to make effective and innovative results. There are
majorly two types of approaches exist that assist to conduct effective research program.
For instance, inductive and deductive. Present report based on deductive approach that
help to consider subjective results in systematic manner.
 Research technique: Research technique is useful aspect that helps to conduct entire
research investigation at workplace. In this regard, right solution at right time has been
implemented to attain more effective functioning at workplace. These methodologies
assist to collect, analysis and interpret the data. There are mainly qualitative and
quantitative techniques implemented that assists to conduct research. In this way, present
report considers qualitative research technique which include theories and model to
identify relative and effective outcomes in the business. Beside this, quantitative research
technique used to determine statistical tools with scholar. In this way, researcher need to
concentrate on Z test, F test, chi square test, etc. In the present research, researcher
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consider qualitative data implementation to attain desired results and outcomes in
significant manner.
 Data collection: Data collection is also important tool in which information at research
study. With the help of data collection, it is essential to analysis and collect and analysis
different kinds of information. It is systematic procedures that help to implement
functions and operations. Therefore, researcher need to implement systematic work
performances through they will conduct effective results in the business. In this regard,
two types of data require such as primary and secondary. Primary data collected through
questionnaire which prepare to focus on the systematic review of participants views.
Furthermore, secondary information also used such as books, journals, online articles,
etc.
 Sampling: In respect to collect relevant data simple random sampling method has been
used. It will assist to find useful information with data analysis. There are 20 respondents
selected that are employees of the Londis Store. On the basis of their views and
outcomes, it can be stated that investigation will be develop successfully in the business.
In respect to implement digital technology, business performances will be expanded in
the new areas of the country.
In order to analysis effective outcomes, it is essential to consider advantages that aids in attain
more creative work performance in research. In this way, different activities of the organisation
help to focus on the activities and tasks as well. Relevant results will be developed to find proper
research activities. Following tools could be implemented at workplace:
 Cost: In the research, there are aims and objectives helps to consider systematic results at
workplace. As results, targets will be attaining in desired manner as per activities and
focus on the desired results. Relevant aims and objectives assist to consider cost £800.
This cost help to set activities and tasks in systematic manner. Primary and secondary
information will be collected in desired manner.
 Risk: In this way, present research help to consider limited risk and time to attain desired
results. Therefore, researcher has duty to focus on the views that are given by respondents
in systematic manner.
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 Scope: Along with this, digital technology also helps to maintain effectiveness and more
profits at workplace. With this consideration, revenue and profits will be attain in
systematic manner.
 Resources: In the present research, there are different resources carry that helps to attain
desired results with aims and objectives. In this way, primary and secondary information
must be attained that assists to increase profits and revenue. In the Londis Store, different
resources assist to conduct study in systematic manner.
 Quality: Quality parameter help to focus on the important tasks which help to maintain
significant advantages in systematic manner. In this regard, primary data assist to conduct
fresh and relevant information in the business environment.
P4 Analytical tools and findings
1. How much time have you work with LONDIS STORE?
Interpretation: From the above graph, it can be interpreted that there are, maximum number of
people work from 1 years. Therefore, they perceive wide knowledge to undertake digital
technology in research study. In this way, effectiveness generated to gather essential information
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15
3
1
From 1 year
From 3 years
From 6 years