Evaluating Digital Technology's Influence on Small Business Success

This report examines the impact of digital technology on small businesses, using Continental Consulting Limited as a case study. It outlines aims and objectives, develops a project management plan covering cost, scope, quality, communication, time, risk, and resources. The report includes a Work Breakdown Structure and Gantt chart for project timeline management. Research is conducted using qualitative and quantitative methods, followed by data analysis. The findings are presented with recommendations and conclusions, reflecting on the project's objectives. The research assesses how digital technology can support business growth and innovation for small-scale businesses, providing a comprehensive analysis and actionable insights for improved performance.

Managing Successful Business
Projects

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P1 Devising aims and objectives for the topic for completing project.......................................1
P2 Producing project management plan covering cost, scope, quality, communication, time,
risk and resources........................................................................................................................2
P3 Preparation of Work Breakdown Structure and Gantt chart providing time frame...............5
P4 Carrying out small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative methods...........6
P5 Analysing research and data using relevant tools..................................................................9
P6 Communicating recommendations and drawing valid conclusions.....................................19
P7 Reflecting on own performance for meeting stated objectives............................................20
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................20
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................22

INTRODUCTION
Digital technology has benefited small-scale businesses over past years. Present report
deals with Continental Consulting Limited which is engaged in business process re-engineering
and clients include small manufacturing firms in London. It has felt that its business has
decreased and rivals have beaten it. Report includes importance of digital technology which
supports growth of small organisation. Aim and objectives are made along with project
management plan. Furthermore, research has been conducted and data analysis made. Moreover,
WBS and Gantt chart is made. Recommendations and conclusion is made and reflection on own
performance has been done. Thus, research outcome is generated.
P1 Devising aims and objectives for the topic for completing project
Background
Digital technology is helpful in gaining efficiency in operational activities (Hernandez,
Prieto Martín and Ramalingam, 2016). Operations management is useful in business so as to
convert input into output in a better way. The efficiency in organisation can be achieved by
which overall profitability can be increased. In relation to this, digital technology has imparted
value to business in carrying out operational tasks. Present research is based on Continental
Consultancy Limited which is finding difficulties as it has lost business to rivals. Hence, overall
operations can be enhanced with the help of digital technology. Furthermore, digital
advancement has been fruitful for businesses in achieving results in a better way.
Aim
“To assess the impact of digital technology supporting small-scale business growth and
innovation - A study on Continental Consulting Limited”
Objectives
 To evaluate impact of digital technology on financial performance of Continental
Consulting Limited
 To identify the ways digital technology is contributing towards innovation and growth of
organisation
 To recommend ways for enhancing overall performance of Continental Consulting
Limited
Research Questions
1

Q1. What are the factors that contributes success to Continental Consulting Limited by
implementing digital technology?
Q2. Do implementation of digital technology contributes to ample of growth for small-scale
business?
P2 Producing project management plan covering cost, scope, quality, communication, time, risk
and resources
Cost-
Cost is a crucial element in the business so that it may be able to complete stated project
in a better way. It is essentially required because if actual cost exceeds budgeted expense, then
entire project is affected quite adversely (Brody and Pureswaran, 2015). Thus, project needs to
be attained in accordance to budgeted expenses. In relation to this, budgeted cost sheet is
prepared below-
Budgeted cost sheet for Continental
Consulting Limited
Particulars Amount
Server expenses 1500
Networking costs 1200
Internet expenditures 900
Sales costs 1200
Research & Development costs 1600
Software expenses 900
Hardware expenditures 900
Support costs 800
Total costs 9000
2

Scope-
The scope of project defines whether company includes activities required for attaining
research in a better way. Digital technology is a wide concept which provides ample of benefits
to organisation when it is deployed in normal operations. Project scope refers to result
accomplished particularly, when the same is ready to be delivered to stakeholders in the best
possible manner. Scope defines activities which are needed for completing project within
stipulated time. Moreover, present study has wide scope. Hence, it is an important element in
project management plan.
Quality-
It is another vital element in project management plan which highlights that company is
required to finish off project quite efficiently (Morgan-Thomas, 2016). Quality is considered to
be as important part of plan which is made for ensuring that activities included in project will be
done in an effective manner and better quality of work will be accomplished. If quality is not
appropriate, then project delivered would not be of utmost quality and satisfaction level of client
cannot be attained. The project quality will be taken into consideration and project could be
achieved.
Communication-
Stakeholders Information Frequency of
meeting
Method of
communication
Format of
communication
Project Steering
Committee
Top level
information,
requests for
funding, plans
and deviations
Once in a month Meeting formally Power point
presentations
Project Manager Resources, issues
relating to
technology,
analysing
Once in a week Communicating
in formal meeting
Agenda in formal
meeting
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progress of
project at
operational level
Business
Manager
Sign-off, changes
to be made in
baselines,
business needs,
assessing
progress
Weekly Emails Power point
presentations
Project Team Risks involved,
schedule of
project, issues
and problems,
and providing
solutions
Once in a week Formal meeting
only
Formal meeting
Time-
Time is a main element in project management plan by which firm is able to complete
project in a timely manner. It is the biggest constraint found in research project. It is essentially
required that project should be completed within stipulated time so that deliverables may be
provided to customer. Deliverable project requires actual time needed for accomplishing it. This
is considered until project does not get delivered. Direct relationship is found between cost
allocated to particular resource and amount of requirement within time. Hence, for completing
project on time, researcher has prepared Gantt chart and Work Breakdown Structure and 21 day s
will be taken to complete project.
Risk-
There are various risks which can hinder completion of project on time. Risk
management is to be taken into consideration so as to carry out necessary steps taken by Project
Manager for overcoming risks and obstacles (Stankovska, Josimovski and Edwards, 2016). Thus,
project could be attained by Continental Consulting Limited.
4

Resources-
For accomplishing project, resources are required in good quantum so that project can be
completed in accordance to resources availability. Human, technical, operational resources are
some of them which are required for attaining project. Hence, scholar will be able to accomplish
stated project with resources in hand.
P3 Preparation of Work Breakdown Structure and Gantt chart providing time frame
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors WBS
Research topic formulation 2 days Fri 05-10-18 Mon 08-10-
18 1
Producing aims and objectives 2 days Tue 09-10-18 Wed 10-10-
18 1 2
Making research about the
topic 3 days Thu 11-10-18 Mon 15-10-
18 1,2 3
Enlisting suitable research
methodology 2 days Tue 16-10-18 Wed 17-10-
18 3 4
Collecting data by using
resources 4 days Thu 18-10-18 Tue 23-10-
18 4 5
Examining gathered data 2 days Wed 24-10-18 Thu 25-10-
18 4,5 6
Interpreting and analysing data
for generating outcomes 3 days Fri 26-10-18 Tue 30-10-
18 6 7
Making conclusion and
recommendations 2 days Wed 31-10-18 Thu 01-11-
18 7 8
Final submission of research 1 day Fri 02-11-18 Fri 02-11-18 8 9
5

project report
6

Illustration 1: Network diagram
Illustration 2: Gantt chart
P4 Carrying out small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative methods
Research Type-
The research type is an important element in carrying out research so that project could
be accomplished in a timely manner. There are various types of research such as qualitative and
quantitative which is utilised as per purpose of project (Ledford and Gast, 2018). Qualitative
method means that non-numerical elements that cannot be expressed in numbers. It is based on
theoretical framework. On the other hand, quantitative method as the name suggests, numerical
or mathematical figures are taken into account. In present study, both qualitative and quantitative
types will be used for completing project because scope of study is wide and outcomes can be
accomplished by deploying two methods.
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Research Approach-
The research approach is used for testing the validity in that manner by which researcher
can attain project as per the purpose with ease. In relation to this, there are two research
approaches such as deductive and inductive approach which can be used by scholar in effective
manner. Deductive approach of research starts with formulation of hypothesis (Gabriel. 2013).
After this, tests or observations are made so as to accept or reject hypothesis so formulated. In
simple words, reasoning is done from particular or existing theory to general one in a better way.
On the other side, in inductive research approach observations and relevant theories are made
towards the end of process of research which is the ultimate result of observations. No theories
are applied at initial or beginning of research (Humphries, 2017). In present study, deductive
research is best suited for analysing impact of digital technology on small-scale business.
Research Philosophy-
The research philosophy is used for collecting data in a better way by which project can
be completed with ease. There are two types of philosophies such as interpretivism and
positivism which are used by researcher for completing project. It provides assumptions which
are included in research so that perfect direction can be attained. Positivism is purely based on
factual or numerical knowledge and as such, business is able to make proper analysis. While,
interpretivism uses all relevant data and gathers useful insights by interpreting facts. In present
scenario, interpretivism research philosophy has been used for assessing impact of digital
technology supporting small business innovation and growth in Continental Consultancy
Limited. It is chosen so as to garner factual knowledge which will be used to attain research
project.
Research Design-
The design of research is important part so as to give proper and concrete direction to
researcher in order to entirely complete project. In simple words, it is referred to as schema of
project used for assessing whether research is moving in proper way or not. Particularly, there
are various types of research design that can be used by scholar such as exploratory and
descriptive design for attaining project in the best way possible (Fletcher, 2017). It can be
analysed that exploratory is particular general in nature for producing useful insights about
project in hand. It does not provide answers to research questions but are used for exploring
subject. On the other side, descriptive research is used for describing specific elements in a
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manner which is useful for assessing outcome of project. Based on current study on Continental
Consultancy Limited, exploratory research design will be used as it will help to explore impact
of digital technology on small business supporting growth and success.
Data collection-
There are various sources of collecting data such as primary and secondary sources. For
present study, online questionnaire is used and circulated to 30 employees for getting their
viewpoints. It helps researcher to carry out data in a better way. Secondary sources are gathered
from books, journals, internet articles and related mechanisms for gathering data and scholar has
used for present purpose of research. Thus, primary data is used with the help of questionnaires.
Moreover, secondary sources are also used for achieving outcome by collecting data from
authentic resources (Alvesson and Sköldberg, 2017).
Sampling-
Data needs to be collected for attaining outcome in effective manner. Since, whole
population cannot be incorporated by researcher as it is a time-consuming aspect. In order to
overcome this, sampling is used. The sampling is useful way for carrying out the data by taking
into account only part of population which is representative of whole population. It saves time
for effectively attaining viewpoints of sample so as to interpret results in a better way. In present
scenario, since all employees of Continental Consultancy Limited cannot be taken into
consideration and thus, sampling is used of 30 employees. Simple random sampling method is
used in study for attaining research objective and assessing impact of digital technology on small
business supporting business growth.
Data Analysis
Analysing data is another important part of accomplishing definite outcome. There are
various methods for analysing collected data (Pagani and Pardo, 2017). In present research study,
thematic analysis is presented or applied for generating results in the best way possible. Various
themes are being prepared from questionnaire circulated to respondents and on the basis of same,
conclusion could be attained about viewpoints of workers of Continental Consultancy Limited.
In addition to this, graphs are made for representing data in an appropriate manner. Hence, it is
justified that through thematic analysis, proper data analysis has been done.
Ethical considerations-
9

Ethics are to be followed in order to accomplish project in a better way. The ethical
considerations highlight that all information collected from various resources are being gathered
by keeping in mind, ethical considerations. The information gathered from employees have been
done by getting prior consent from them and as such, it is collected in a better way. Moreover,
confidentiality of information is kept so that no third party may get access to it. Dignity of
participants have been prioritised and permission was taken for using information for conducting
research. Deception in relation to aim and objectives of research if any had been avoided. The
communication was done in transparent way with employees of Continental Consultancy
Limited. Hence, ethical considerations were being taken in attaining outcome of project.
Research Limitations-
There are various research limitations which hinders the outcome or result up to a high
extent (Vendrell-Herrero and Wilson, 2017). First of all, lack of availability of resources have
obstacle in accompany information needed for research. Resources were scarce by which results
were hindered up to a certain extent. Moreover, due to shortage of time, thematic analysis has
been conducted. Else, if time constraint was not there, then SPSS tool package could have been
applied. Thus, these were some of the limitations being found out in research.
P5 Analysing research and data using relevant tools
Questionnaire
Name-
Age-
Occupation-
Q1. Do you agree that digital technology plays crucial role in uplifting scale of business?
 Strongly Agree
 Agree
 Strongly Disagree
 Disagree
Q2. Among following elements, which increases due to implementation of digital technology?
 Revenue
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