The Impact of Digital Technology on Small Business Growth: Case Study

This report investigates the impact of digital technology on small business growth and innovation, focusing on a case study of Continental Consulting Limited. It explores the role of digital tools and social media in enhancing business processes, reaching customers, and improving market competitiveness. The report delves into project management aspects, including scope, cost, time, communication, risk, quality, and resources. It also examines tools like Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Gantt charts for effective project planning and execution. The research aims to ascertain the impact of social media channels in building strong relationships with target and potential customers, addressing research objectives related to the importance of digital technology, the role of social media, and its influence on public relations. The methodology includes both qualitative and quantitative research methods, with a focus on understanding how digital technology can reduce operational costs, increase efficiency, and strengthen a firm's market position.

Managing successful
business project

TITLE - ...........................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1. ...............................................................................................................................................3
P2. ...............................................................................................................................................5
P3. ...............................................................................................................................................7
TASK 2..........................................................................................................................................10
P4. .............................................................................................................................................10
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................12
P5. .............................................................................................................................................12
P6. .............................................................................................................................................20
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................21
P7 ..............................................................................................................................................21
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................22
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................23

TITLE -
“The impact of digital technology supporting small business growth and
innovation”. A Case study on “ Continental Consulting Limited”.
INTRODUCTION
In this digitalised world, every corporate association is tend towards applying new and
innovative tools and techniques which gives their business a higher growth and market
sustainability. Digital technology has altered the market area so that companies are forced to
tailor their growth strategies thus to reach large group of customers. It also helps management by
improving quality of their products and execute flexibility in production system. Every small and
large entities want to be competitive and gain high profit margins in a certain period; for the
same they can use social media channels which is one of the great innovation of digitalisation
(Bengtsson and Johansson, 2014). The present research is based on Continental Consulting
Limited that is a research and business consultancy of UK; the firm mainly deals in business
process re-engineering. Apart from this, the report is going to describe about aim and objectives
of project management plan. In order to accomplishing project activities on time, work
breakdown structure will be used. Furthermore, qualitative and quantitative research
methodologies will also defined later.
TASK 1
P1.
In this modern era, digitalisation has changed the entire processes of doing business;
there has innovated different mobile technologies and social media sites that supports SMEs to
reach large number of customers. Due to dynamic customers needs, scarcity of resources and
competitive pressures, companies want to apply new and innovative methods of production
which gives them flexibility and efficiency in completion of working activities. Through
digitalisation, small businesses are enable to reduce operational costs, raise efficiency and
minimise production defects; this will not only improve quality standards but also strengthen
firm's market position as competent with suppliers at marketplace. However, all these aspects are
key factor to expand business at various locations and capture customers eye towards the firm
and its offerings (Berends and et. al., 2014).
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In this manner, usage of social media networks can be really beneficial for SMEs; it is a
key element of getting high market growth and success by improving brand awareness among
customers. Adoption of this technology is cost effective and raise visibility of business through
which company will easily connect broad range of audiences. In addition to this, Social networks
influence purchase decisions as much as advertising in newspapers and magazines.
Due to increasing market visibility firms will be able to get better future opportunities for
conversion as blog posts, image, video may lead to increase traffic on company website. Social
media channels allows Continental Consulting Limited to put positive impact upon human being
as they can easily attract to purchase its products and services. In a business entity, various
departments worked together thus digital technology supports them to connect or communicate
with each; it leads execution of an imperative business strategy at workplace.
Background of the research
The present assignment is based upon Continental Consulting Limited which deals in
business and consultancy research and owned by Mario Bindas. The managers works with a
team of 22 people who are expertise in research; they provide suggestion on re-engineering of
business processes in UK. In order to operate its functions in effective manner, the firm uses
latest and upgraded technologies. Along with this, the report describes that social media channels
are using by companies at fast pace for creating awareness among customers. Social media sites,
i.e. Facebook, YouTube, twitter etc. helps Continental Consulting Limited to get know
customers needs and then produce accordingly. It helps businesses to achieve its goals and
objectives in a certain time period.
Research Aim - “To ascertain the impact of social media channels in building strong
relationship with target and potential customers”. A case study on Continental Consulting
Limited.
Research objectives – Some of the main research objectives are stated as under -
 To study the importance of digital technology for a small business entity.
 To determine the role of social media sites for Continental Consulting Limited. To identify the impact of social media networks on managing strong public relations.
Research questions
 What is the significance of digital tools and technologies for SMEs.
 What is role of social media sites for Continental Consulting Limited?
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 How social media networks affect company's relationship with customers?
P2.
Acquisition of digital technology helps to maintain strong or healthy public relations and
help company to boost up quality standard of its offerings. The project of digitalisation is
undertaken by management of Continental Consulting Limited thus to ensure future market
growth and viability. While doing this project, it is required for management to considered
numerous factors and focus on obtaining maximum utilisation of available resources. A project
management plan is developed by a project manager in order to ensure that all activities and
tasks are done in systematic manner; it also describes what is needed to management for making
project successful (Pinto, 2015). Following is defined several factors which are involved in
project management plan -
 Scope – Digital technology is a most important application of information technology
which has a wide scope in business services. These kind of technologies assist to create
organisation in attracting customers, promotion of goods and services in market area and
so on. The scope of digital technology is vast because through this employees of a firm
can easily grab customers from market and increase sales of the Continental
manufacturing limited. The firm can use this technology for attractive promotional
activities as well as providing information related to new goods.
 Cost – This is a most important aspects of project management plan that helps in
determining required cost for the adoption of Digital technology in Continental
Consulting Limited. Therefore, firm needs to manage further cost of their services which
aid to collect maximum funds for future practices (Bruhn, Schoenmueller and Schäfer,
2012). On the basis of these strategies, Continental Consulting Limited can adopt
required technologies in their firm on the basis of future requirement and need . The
considerable cost for Digital technology has been estimated as £20K which aid to manage
resources for new technology in firm. Cost budget for this approach is determined below
as -
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 Time – Digital technology is a time saving approach that assist to reduce complexity
from lengthy work load. In the terms of adoption and implementation of undertaken
digital technology, it can consume maximum time due to inappropriate knowledge and
resources availability. Hence, it is required that firm make proper plans for such
information technologies in order to clarify its each concept in a limited time period. The
project manager will complete the project with approximately 8 months. With the
assistance of information technology several advantages can be gained one of them is
achieving strategies and objectives on time. Moreover duration will be 14th July 2018 to
22nd Nov. 2018.
 Communication – Continental consulting limited is an IT sector firm which provides
them re-engineering services to the clients ,their the firm needs to identify users for their
services that provides need and requirement to service. It provides important role that
need to identify demand for customer services .Communication help to solve resolve in
firm's internal issues that can not required customer management approach. A project
manager need to establish a good communication that need to implement project in an
effective way , so the team can share their views and perceptions regarding digital
technology. They can communicate through email to resolve problems and issues while
developing the technology.
 Risk – Digital technology is an application of information technology which can require
high security for network outsourcing which is not an easy concept because inappropriate
data can occur that can create complexity in data storage and security servicing. So
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therefore firm need to check legal licensing practice that can assist to find more
information and data from a major risk. The major concept of approach is to provide
authorised access to those firms who have registered for legal liability (Bruhn,
Schoenmueller and Schäfer, 2012).
 Quality – In a business organisation, digitalization play a most important role in order to
providing quality products and services to customer's on the basis of their requirement .
The concept of Digital technology assist to providing appropriate services to small and
medium enterprises by providing digital security and rightful utilisation of their data and
informations. Through this, employees of these organisations can access their important
information at several locations at a particular time. The most important thing of Digital
technology is its maintenance and security. The project managers needs to ensure that
service provider maintain quality of the service and security algorithm to protect the
information. These activities assist to ensure quality servicing to attain maximum benefits
and higher competitive advantages.
 Resources - Continental consulting limited provide various resources which is used to
assess digital technology in an effective manner in business procedure . Funds, developer
technology assessors ,proper infrastructure are a major source to utilize various resources
of firm. On the above criteria firm need to implement digital technology in Continental
consulting limited. In present context, some of resources that are being used by the
researcher are both primary and secondary that have helped in collecting relevant data for
the topic. Here, some of primary methods are: questionnaire, survey, interview and so on.
In present investigation, investigator have used questionnaire to draw information which
is both authentic and relevant in nature to the set objective. On the other hand,
investigator have also used secondary resources as well for conducting the investigation
at crucial times. Here in, investigator have used magazines, journals and so on which
have helped in raising gaining appropriate knowledge.
P3.
In the process of project management plan, it is essential for manager acquire certain
tools and techniques which helps in obtaining project aims and objectives in a given time frame.
These tools are Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart. Both of them are required to set
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appropriate time duration for each and every activity involved in project management and must
be completed in desirable way.
Work breakdown structure – In a project management plan, work break down structure
is one of the most imperative technique that helps managers to accomplish all tasks and activities
in a provided time framework. Every project is characterised into various time limited activities
with a fixed cost and time schedule. It is responsibility of project managers to effectively plan
this schedule and assign roles or responsibilities to employees as per the skills and capabilities
(Cegielski and et. al., 2012). Along with this, WBS supports to make constant planning and
render necessary direction to completion of this project. Its prime motive is to diminish complex
activities. Project manager of Continental Consulting Limited is to assign specific costs and then
distribute project budget into various segments thus to make sure that project will not exceed
from budget.
Gantt chart – A Gantt chart is developed in order to list all things which are required to
be accomplished a project in an effective manner. It helps managers to ensure the time schedule
is enough to do all activities, right people are aligned with right tasks and determine problems
work around. In other words, it can be said that a Gantt chart is essential to effectively
monitoring and coordinating all activities as per their time duration thus set objectives of project
can attain.
Therefore, to achieve an effective research, project coordinators of Continental
Consultancy Limited needs to follow these actions, such as -
 Identification of problem
 Literature review
 Determine several issues
 State and discuss the concept of study
 A sample of participants who's opinions support to gain better information.
 Development plan
 Collection of data
 Review and evaluation
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TASK 2
P4.
In order to get brief description upon a specific topic or area of concern. It is essential for
researchers to acquire different data collection methodologies. This helps investigator to arrive
relevant data and information thus to make necessary modifications in upcoming projects of the
company. Below is defined various research methodologies, such as -
Qualitative research – The method of research is often utilised to make study of social
and behavioural aspects. Qualitative research says that human interactions usually complex in
nature so it is essential to get qualitative and value added information from customers. In other
words, its an ability of getting deepen broad detailed data towards social phenomena (Chang,
Walters and Wills, 2013).
Quantitative research – On the other side, quantitative research is all about providing
data in numeric forms. In order to obtain that kind of information, researcher can apply statistical
tests in order to make statements. Data and information which is gathered from quantitative
research is valid and reliable to a large number of population.
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For completion of this project, there has been utilised qualitative research method which
aids project manager of Continental consulting Limited to obtain effective data and information.
In addition to this, there is acquired questionnaire method that is source of primary data. For
conducting respective research 50 respondents are taken as sample size and they are local
population of United Kingdom.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name
Age
Email
Q1. Are you aware about the concept of digitalisation?
A. Yes
B. No
Q2. What will be the main benefit obtain by Continental Consulting Limited while applying
digit tools and techniques in its working processes?
A. It improves quality standards
B. Increase production flexibility and efficiency
C. Strengthen Market Position of the company
Q3. Which one is best digital technique for marketing and promotional of products and
services?
A. Search engine optimisation
B. Social media channels
C. Pay per click advertising
Q4. Since how many years, Continental Consulting Limited is using social media networks?
A. Less than six years
B. Less than a year
C. More than a year ago
Q5. Which is the most appropriate social media site that help SMEs to reach wide range of
target audiences?
A. Facebook
B. Twitter
C. Instagram
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D. YouTube
Q6. What is the major challenge faced by business at the time of implementing digital
technologies?
A. Hindrance towards change
B. Lack of strategy for a digital customer drive
C. Change is expensive
Q7. What is the significance of Social media sites for Small businesses?
A. Increase brand awareness
B. Better customer satisfaction
C. Improve brand loyalty
Q8. Give ratings to products and services of continental consultancy Limited?
A. Excellent
B. Good
C. Average
Q9) Provide recommendations by which Continental Consultancy Group can maximize its
profit margins and sales revenues?
TASK 3
P5.
Theme 1: Most of the people are aware with digitalisation.
Q1. Are you aware about the concept of
digitalisation?
A. Yes 40
B. No 10
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