Business Report: Impact of Digital Technology on M&S Operations

This report investigates the profound impact of digital technology on various facets of business operations and strategies, with a specific focus on Marks & Spencer (M&S) as a case study. The research explores how digital advancements have revolutionized business models, enhanced efficiency, and influenced marketing approaches. The report delves into the integration of technology across different business functions, analyzing the effects on growth, development, and the evolution of marketing strategies, including the impact of social media. The literature review highlights the transformative effects of digital technology, such as improved communication, cost reduction, and enhanced data management. The study also acknowledges potential risks, like data security concerns and increased dependency on technology. The report further examines the role of cloud computing, automation, and mobile technology in shaping business practices. The research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how businesses leverage digital tools to achieve competitive advantages, improve customer engagement, and adapt to the rapidly changing business landscape. The report includes a research proposal, literature review, methodology, and action plan to address the research questions effectively. The research outcomes are communicated appropriately for the intended audience, and alternative research methodologies and lessons learned are considered in view of the outcomes.

The impact of digital technology
on business activity

TABLE OF CONTENTS
RESEARCH PROPOSAL...............................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................................................1
METHODOLOGY : .......................................................................................................................6
ACTION PLAN : ............................................................................................................................6
RESEARCH PROJECT ................................................................................................................10
P3 Conduct primary and secondary research using appropriate methods for a business
research project that consider costs, access and ethical issues..................................................10
P4 and P5 Apply appropriate analytical tools to analyse research findings and data and
communicate research outcomes ..............................................................................................13
Introduction -.............................................................................................................................13
P6 Communicate research outcomes in an appropriate manner for the intended audience......24
P7 Consider alternative research methodologies and lessons learnt in view of the outcomes. 24
CONCLUSION:.............................................................................................................................24
REFERENCES:.............................................................................................................................26

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Research Topic
Introduction
The impact of digital technology on different business operations and strategies
Technology has revolutionized the way of companies conduct business by enabling.
Digital technology became an essential part nowadays in order to hold business activities. Apart
from that, small business owners considered digital techniques in order to develop competitive
advantage. It will be more enlarging and productive matter of fact. The rise of information
technology has paved a way for various innovations' and digitization of information. Moreover,
it will be more challenging and imperative growth items. Present study will be based on digital
technology impact on a business activity. For that, research will take Mark & Spencer Company
will be taken into action. It is a big multinational retail store company in British market. This
research will be taken new area of growth through importance of online business has been
increased in more rapid manner. Along with that it will be more challenging and effective work
process. Information technology helps business in each department weather its is HR department,
Marketing, finance and operation department. Through advanced technology, a business activity
will get more influenced towards the stability in the market.
Information technology had a major impact on the business environment through various
resources such as data, IT, better communication, mobile technology, internet, business,
computer etc. All these technological gadgets enhance the opportunity or competitive advantage
of M&S. Present study will be based on impact of digital technology on M&S business activity.
For that, researcher will collect various data and information to present the best productive
outcomes. Along with that, it will be also present overall data analysis from the collection of
study. More apart, it will also explain data into deeper manner. Besides, scholar will also use
primary as well as secondary data for collecting resources. It has also been concluded about
various use of technology techniques and software through M&S can adopt and perform in more
rapid manner.

M&S is a big multinational retailer in British market. It will also help to enhance better
target goals. It will be more enlarging and growth-making target. It is the London stock market
listed company. Apart from that, it specialises in selling of clothing, home products and luxury
food products. This company was founded by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds in
1884. Retail Supermarket requires huge amount of advance technology in order to meet the
needs of customers. It spread in wide scope according to that they require more fasting process in
order to keep the interest of consumers with the company product and services.
M&S adopted digital technology and more information technology to implement fast
process in customer billing etc. Besides, they also provide online selling in order to provide
flexibility in the market. M&S is the top retail super market store among the others retailers who
provides the best quality of product and services in more advance manner. Technology has given
a huge impact on nature of products and services. Apart from that, it will be more enlarging and
huge impactful decision making approach to grab business decision-making approach. More
apart. Technological revolution is given big revolution on the business in terms of better speed,
effective quality, performance increment in employees and productive outcome results. Along
with that, by heavy market competition, the convergence of reality available internet services and
mass mobile devices. They provide M&S to get direct connect with their customers in more
advancing form. However, M&S took the greatest advantage of digital technology in the
business function. Apart from that, it will be more competitive and cost effective process to
dealing with the business activity.
Research Question
Q1. What are the technology on different business operations and strategies ?
Q2. What are the effects of digital technology impact on growth and development process ?
Q3. What are the impacts of social media on developing marketing strategies ?
Aim :
“The impact of digital technology on different business operations and strategies”. A case study
on Marks and Spencer.

Objectives:
 To identify use of technology has an impact on integration of different business
operations
 To analyse the effect of digital technology in growth and development of
business.
 To identify impact of social media on developing marketing strategies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Impact of digital technology on business
According to Armstrong Kotler and Brennan, (2015), digital technology has
revolutionised the way we conduct business. Over the last decade, it has dramatically changed
traditional business model and transformed business activities. Digital impact has been providing
the better opportunity and growth for the new development. It also provides technological work
in more efficient manner. This enables the product to become more popular with the help of
digital techniques. Besides, according to Barrett, Davidson and Vargo, (2015) there are several
opportunities and growth through the better environmental growth. The main role of information
technology is rapid speed and involves high accuracy level. Through business can perform better
task. Digital technology has improving the enterprise performance and change the way of
performing the task according to Baumers, Dickens and Hague, (2016). According to better form
it has been given more challenging and growth-making target. According to Donnelly Simmons
and Fearne, (2015) recent digital technology helps to integrate the big data, the cloud, the
interpret the data into more effective manner. It has transformed the way of working and
enlarging the process of making good task performance better opportunity and growth. On the
contrary, digital technology has also increasing the dependency level on internet or on
technological system through role of manual system has been reduced. Along with that, it has
given a negative effect on the business activities according to Laudon and Laudon, (2016).
Information technology also giving threats of risk and high power of negative impact. More
apart, there are many challenges and growth task making process of doing better opportunity and
growth. Along with that, it will be more challenging growth oriented task in order to enhance

better opportunity task. Another most prominent advantage which company has taking while
using of digital technology. Such as reducing business costs, small business owners can use
technology to reduce business costs. M&S taking better or advancing technological growth in
making the better opportunity and growth. Digital technology has performed log task into shorter
manner and helps M&S to create secure environment for maintaining sensitive business or
consumer information. It will be more enlarging and best productive source of income through
company get better advancement growth. More apart, according to Oliveira, Thomas and
Espadanal, (2014) digital advance technology helps M&S to enhance the business
communication process through employees or customers can easily connected with each other
through various medium such as mobile system, internet, social media etc. better communication
can make better flow of information through new services has been made according to growth
channel. Business technology owners can automate back office functions, such as record
keeping, accounting and payroll in order to maintained the better opportunity and growth. More
apart, it will be more efficient in order to meet the needs of company objectives. Apart from that,
digital technology also includes some risk factor in order to safe the data, due to high piracy
someone can take the company data for wrongful manner. This might be give negative impact on
the business activities according to Piotrowicz and Cuthbertson, (2014). Apart from that, M&S
can store and keep the huge data in cloud computing. Cloud computing is the most common and
adopting source of information, in which company can maintained their huge data in one folder.
The concept of cloud computing is immensely popular and productive. Cloud computing is the
technology or software which helps to utilise the information technology to capitalise on its
ability to provide improved agility and time resource management. Besides, according to Van
Ark, (2016), they suggested cloud computing involves high dependency level in the functions
through company also get facing the high risk with huge data restoring. Along with that, it will
be more challenging and demanding nature of growth. Some organisations are not support cloud
computing process because of involvement of high risk. More apart, it will be more challenging
and highly changed environment. Another advantage of digital technology is its involved
automation of business processes according to Schor, (2016), according to them digital

technology does not require more resources to perform the task rather they required much time
for accomplishing the overall target market plans.
On the contract according to Schor, (2016) it has been suggested that, automation
process may reduce the role of employees due to which company might be facing low employee
motivation and less frequency level of performance. Apart from that it will be more challenging
and impactful process which company facing during their new technology development. Adding
one more pros of digital technology is that working remotely M&S can easily access their
company function through his mobile phones or through better impactful decision making
approach. It will be more enlarging process of making good task oriented goals. Working
remotely is the technology which provides ability to work in remote areas. It equips employees
with the ability to get the work done even if they are not physically present at the workplace.
Ability to perform the better task oriented goals which present better opportunity and growth in
terms to present the better task oriented goals. Digital technology has been given more advancing
and better opportunity growth for making good task oriented work and better performance level.
Work remotely will enhance the performance level of task oriented it also involves heavy
process of making good task oriented goals. Apart from that, remote control having more
benefits and scope in order to enhance the better opportunity.
According to the Armstrong Kotler and Brennan, (2015) digital technology mobile
technology has given huge impact on the business activities through company can easily connect
with their buyers. With the help of mobile technology, M&S can easily convey their message or
any new information or any other inundation in the company. Along with that, mobile
technology has been given great impact on the business activity. Mobile technology is most
flexible and convenient technology to pass the information. Mobile technology takes business
communication to a whole new level. M&S can easily convey their information with the help of
messaging or connect with the major objectives and growth. Along with that, it will be the more
flexible and enhancing process of doing the task in more productive manner. According to
Barrett, Davidson and Vargo, (2015), company always require to making the attractive message
and concept to make the good appearance in front of the customers. Besides, another digital
growth or techniques which gives better growth to the business environment that is protecting

information. Digital technology has been introduced techniques or software through company
can keep the data safe and secure. Every organisation having a mammoth database comprising
various information related to business transactions. Such kinds of information are valuable to
protect the data from hackers. Information technology also provides various variolous technique
and method to protect the data and provides right data and only share information to limited
assess. More apart, it will be given great impact on the business activity which gives better
environmental growth. On the contrary, sometimes due to competitors and rivalry firms data has
hacked by hackers, due to which they facing low profit margin and growth. According to
Baumers, Dickens and Hague, (2016), digital technology has been given better objective growth.
Moreover, another major goals and objectives of the company is that to make customer satisfied,
to impress their buyers M&S has to be technological friendly. Customer satisfaction is the most
required and essential for the organisation. Information technology provides the best productive
and productive growth factor to make better envelopment. Technology provides better tools to
providing tools and techniques for better communication process through they can easily convert
their message to the company. Along with that, in at present working scenario online platform
providing best and productive growth to customers. Along with that, another advantage of the
digital technology is management of resources technology has providing wide resources and
sources through company can easily make better environmental growth. Business has a variety of
resources through HR Department has easily made better strategy and growth. Digital
technology has been the most essential and profit making techniques. Through company can
easily. Which makes better target market goals. Digital technology has been the most required
these days which accomplish the business objectives and target market growth. It is the overall
target goals which provides best target goals in order to enhance the best productive market.
In today' s era digital technology is been highly used in business operations. It has
transformed the way of doing business that has helped in growth and expansion. According to
(Mian, Lamine and Fayolle, 2016) there has been a high rise in demand of technology in
business. It has changed traditional model to modern way of conducting business activities.
Digital technology has provided a vast number of opportunities for business to grow in different
markets. It has helped in earning high amount of profits and improving quality of services. As

per view of (Vigdor, Ladd and Martinez, 2014) there has been significant change in business
activities related to developing strategies. Also, it has been observed that due to integration of
activities communication between departments has been improved. It has created a smooth flow
of operations and enhanced productivity of business. As elucidated by (Newell and Marabelli,
2015) business is able to diversify its product portfolio by identifying customer needs. This has
increased their range in different markets. Along with this, digital technology has created a great
impact on core operations of business. It has enabled management to focus on other areas. As
said by (Loebbecke and Picot, 2015). using technology in administration has enabled in easy
sharing of information. The use of cloud computing has helped in storing of sensitive data
effectively. By having backup of data business is able to solve customer problems easily. Also, it
has helped in effectively maintaining customer relationship management. By this customer
satisfaction has increased resulting in retaining of customers.
(Kenney and Zysman, 2015) said that the use of social media in promoting of products
has provided ease to business. It has made it easy for them to attract a large number of people by
using single platform. Also, they are able to evaluate performance of marketing strategies by
tracking website data. Furthermore, marketing strategies are now been developed according to
change in technology. It has reduced cost and raise profits as marketing is done on social media
platforms. By building relationship with people in different markets business has expanded on
global scale. It has allowed companies to grow and develop. It is said by (Baumers, Dickens
and Hague, 2016) that advancement in mobile technology has connected people with business.
Moreover, due to this e commerce has emerged very rapidly. People can now purchase product
anytime, anywhere just be clicking. Internet has given many advantages to business. According
to (Aurigi, 2016) digital technology has provided flexibility in its structure. Every department is
connected with each other through a centralised system. This has also supported in integrating
various activities. Technology is used in storing and distributing products. There has been major
modifications in conducting operations. It has
As elucidated by (Archer, 2015) in various divisions' technology is used according to
their needs. Artificial intelligence is been very successfully used in production. It has driven
innovation of products. Besides this, the quality of products has improved resulting in growth.

The use of machines has turned into automation process. Minor changes in products is been
identified. This has enabled business to maintain their product standards. Due to this companies
have focused on producing high quality products. As per view of () demand in market is met by
manufacturing goods in large number. Also, diversified portfolio has created opportunities to
attract more people. Apart from this, data analytics technique has emerged allowing business to
collect and gather data relating to needs of people. Data is been kept confidential so that it can
not be hacked. Patents and copyrights are kept safe and secure from having authorised access.
Challenges of digital technology to business
As per (Mian, Lamine and Fayolle, 2016) in order to survive for long term in the
market business has to develop strategies. It does not help management in managing work but
also reduced time and cost. But there are many challenges associated with technology.
According to ( Vigdor, Ladd and Martinez, 2014) major challenge business is facing is
continuous advancement in technology. It has forced them to make changes in their operations.
This has lead to reduction in efficiency of business. Along with this, high funds is required for
implementing technologies and also maintaining them. It has increased expenses. Moreover,
another challenge is to reduce technical errors and malicious activities that can damage the entire
system. For this strong safety measures are implemented. It has also added to cost of using
digital technology.
METHODOLOGY :
 Quantitative research helps in uses numbers to test hypotheses and make predictions by
using measured amounts. This approach helps to define the statistical data process to
make clear goals. Besides, qualitative research tool helps collect facts and theory based
data by using survey, questionnaire tools or technique. Present study will be taken
qualitative research tool.
 Experiment and survey helps to define the selected variables for analysing study more
deeply manner. Such as present study will be taking questionnaire survey method to keep
the working conditions more effectively.
 Qualitative method technique with questionnaire method.

 Random sampling is a data collection technique in which every individual has given
equal opportunity to be selected into a sample. Besides, non random sampling method in
which every individual unit of the population has greater than zero probability selected
into a sample.
 Present study based on simple random sampling method.
ACTION PLAN :
Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1
6
Formulation of research proposal
Preparing aim and objectives
Writing background research study
Assortment of suitable research
methodologies
Data collection by using primary and
secondary sources
Examination of the collected data
Interpretation of collected
information to generate expected
results
Conclusion and recommendations

Submission of draft report
Modifications as per the feedback
comments
Final Submission
RESEARCH PROJECT
P3 Conduct primary and secondary research using appropriate methods for a business research
project that consider costs, access and ethical issues
It is the main element that is used in conducting research. It is used by researcher to
analyse how research will be conducted by using different concepts. By taking help of various
concept researcher can examine its route as per the goals and objectives. With this researcher
finds suitable outcomes that helps in conducting research (Aurigi, 2016) It contains many
concepts of research strategy starting from approach to data analysis. Without determining
research methodology it is not possible for researcher to conduct research. It is because
methodology helps in easy analyses of information and data that will help in finding out the best
solution of research. It will make it easy for researcher to attain his or her goals of specific
research problem.
The research is being conducted by using several elements of research methodology
(Archer, 2015) It is a framework for a research project that describes what methods, philosophy,
etc. are used while conducting research. Here, researcher states about the methodology that is
been used by him or her in achieving their goals and objectives of study. For this research the
methodology used by researcher is described below :-
Research Philosophy: