Managing a Successful Business Project: Digital Technology Analysis

This report examines the impact of digital technology, particularly social media and mobile technologies, on small businesses, using Continental Consulting Limited as a case study. It outlines project objectives, including business expansion and efficient resource utilization. The report includes a project management plan covering scope, cost, quality, time, and communication aspects. It features a detailed breakdown of costs, a discussion on maintaining project quality, and a timeline for project completion. The study incorporates a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart to set time frames for project activities. Furthermore, it explores the advantages of mobile technology and social media for connecting with customers and enhancing business operations. The research questions address the benefits of digital tools, the need for mobile technology in departmental communication, and the requirements for customer engagement through social media and mobile platforms. The conclusion offers recommendations for leveraging digital technology to drive growth and innovation within the business.

Managing a Successful Business
Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Objectives and aims of project..............................................................................................1
P2. Project management plan covers aspects of time, cost, quality and communication...........3
P3. Work breakdown structure and Gantt Chart to set time frames and offer different stages of
project..........................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P4. Small scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.......7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P5. Examine of research information with right techniques and tools.......................................9
P6. Recommendation for draw conclusions..............................................................................15
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................16
P7 Reflection on understanding research..................................................................................16
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
In today's hi-tech world, without usage of latest technology a business cannot operate its
functions easily. It has become compulsory to organisations whether dealing in large or small
sectors, to introduce new technologies within workplace. In context with digitalisation, it is
defined as implication of latest or upgrade business with digital technology so that each and
every function can be digitalised. It has been observed that technology use in business carries
negative and positive nature both (Bengtsson and Johansson, 2014). It will provide ample
number of opportunities as well as threats too. Thus, it is necessary for management to
understand impact of digital technology on business in proper sense so that benefits can be
gained in true sense.
To ascertain impact of digital technology, an assignment is going to made on small
enterprises of UK. Continental Consulting Limited will be taken in this report which deals in
consultancy market. Major aims and objectives of business will enclose in first part about usage
of mobile technology and social media. Further a project management plan, Gantt chart and work
break down structure as well as some recommendation on transforming digitalisation in business
will also disclose in other parts of this assignment.
TASK 1
P1. Objectives and aims of project
As technology is developing rapidly in today's modern era so, it is necessary for every
kind of organisations to make modifications in existing system and run business with latest
techniques. It will provide various benefits to business like conducting operations in fast manner,
making connection with outside world and more (Berends and et. al., 2014). All these things aid
in expanding business in different locations of the world and make aware customers about its
products or services. In this regard, with the usage of social media and mobile technologies, it
has become possible for small and large organisations to make connection with national and
international clients easily. But before adopting technologies, it is necessary for management of a
company to conduct a proper research and prepare a project. This would help in accomplishing
targeted goals and objectives in set period of time so that higher competitive advantage can be
1

gained. To make a project, the main aim of an enterprise is to expand business in different
locations and utilise available resource like capital, human, raw materials and more in proper
manner. As per present scenario, Continental Consulting Limited deals its business in
consultancy sector. It is headed by Mario Bindas who works as CEO and has a team of 22
experts in research department. They used to provide potential customers in Business Process
Re-engineering companies of London. It has highly experienced employees who are skilled in
working with latest technologies.
This company has introduced latest machineries, computer and IT facilities in business
but with rise in competition, profitability of this firm still decreases (Bruhn, Schoenmueller, and
Schäfer, 2012). So, its employers are required to make more efforts to upgrade business process
and implement digital technologies in system. In order to make effective connection with
national and international clients, it is recommended to this firm to use social media and mobile
technologies. Through this process, employees can make good interaction with customers as well
as develop strong relationship with them.
Topic: How digital technology provide support small business companies in achieving growth
and innovation.
Background of research
With the use of social media and mobile technology, small and large organisations can
create awareness among customers about their products easily (Pookulangara and Koesler,
2011). They can make interactions with consumers, determine their needs and fulfil the same in
profitable manner. In general, a firm has different departments whose functions are interlinked
with each other. So, by the use of mobile technology, employees of such divisions can make
communication in an easy way so that set objectives of business can be achieved in
predetermined period of time.
Aim: “To analyse the impact of social media and mobile technology in business organisation for
connecting with customers. A case study based on Continental Consulting Limited.”
Objectives:
 To determine the advantages of using mobile technology and social media within an
enterprise.
2

 To ascertain need of mobile technology to make a connection among various
departments. To analyse the requirement of social media and mobile technology in making connection
with customers.
Research questions:
 What are the advantages of mobile technology and social media in business activities?
 What is the need of mobile technology to make a connection among various
departments?
 What are the main requirements of social media and mobile technology in making
connection with large number of customers?
P2. Project management plan covers aspects of time, cost, quality and communication
Implementation of digital technologies in making connection with customers and
maintaining relationship with them is always beneficial for small-scale companies. In context
with mobile technologies, it is considered as indispensable in workplace (The Project
Management Plan (PMP). 2015). It has versatile features which offers different kind of benefits
to business like improved networking capabilities, increased ability in making communication
with customers and more. With rapid development in technologies, employers of Continental
Consulting Limited gets advantage in introducing flexible working practices within business.
They can conduct different activities of project management in systematic manner with the usage
of digitalisation.
A project management plan aids an enterprise in attaining its set goals in predetermined
period of time. It is considered as a blueprint that disclose what needs to be done by management
of a company to accomplish targeted goal. Project managers in this context used to develop a
proper plan by looking into different aspects which include how it will impact on business. It
includes components like scope of project, time, quality, risk and more (Eckerson, 2010). Some
major components among them are described as below:
Scope of projects: It has analysed that, introducing technology within business carries a
rapid changing nature in both positive and negative manner (Larson and Chang, 2016). It affects
working system and operational activities more. Therefore, it is necessary for management of
3

Continental Consulting Limited to evaluate impact requirement of social media and mobile
technology in business. By using platform of social media like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook,
Twitter and more, this firm can enhance its customers base. Managers of this company can make
good connection with clients and determine their needs as well. It would help in creating
modification in products or services by which sales performance can increase.
Cost: Without sufficient finance, activities which is going to be done in project plan
cannot conduct in require manner (Ghobakhloo and et. al., 2012). As per concern with small
companies, to transform digitalisation in business and implement new technologies, employers
are required to raise funds in sufficient manner. While preparing a management plan, it is
necessary for project maker to set budget also. In this context, budget of this pan set by managers
of Continental Consulting Limited is around 20k Pound, which can be distributed in following
manner:-
Particular Amount
Initial Investment 100000
Expenses:
Operational Activities
R&D Activities
Cost to IT Experts
Licensing Fee
Maintenance
22000
28000
16000
6000
8000
Closing Value 20000
Quality: It also refers as a main component of a project without which an investigator
cannot obtain desired result in set period of time. If an investigator fails to attain quality of
project then whole it will affects profitability of business of Continental Consulting Group also.
It is also considered as the most essential part of a project where managers need to check
progress of each stage. By ensuring that software and technologies used for making connections
with customers through social media, must be of highest quality. Along with this, changing
4

infrastructure by replacing old techniques with new one in systematic manner, helps in reducing
the occurrence of risk which may affect whole process. Thus, it would help in maintaining the
quality of project as well as in optimising the resources more efficiently.
Time: For increasing efficiencies of project, it is essential that every single task should
be done in set period of time. If any kind of failure will occur in a activity then it will affect time
duration of other tasks also and consumes much finance also (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). In
this regard, management of Continental requires to assign each task within in a team so that it
can be completed on time in required manner. Therefore, as per present scenario, for replacing
old infrastructure with new one, managers of this company need at least 4 to 5 months.
Communication: In order to accomplish activities in predetermined time, it is necessary
for management to communicate in an effective way with team members. If such process held in
clear manner then it may generate all possible outcomes in given period. Therefore, in this
regard, managers of Continental will give open environment to team-mates where everyone gain
opportunity to share their ideas and problems with each other.
Communication Plan:
Stakeholders Information Communication
channel
Timing Sender Feedback
Mechanisms
Customer Company is
launching
mobile
applications
E-mail, phone
calls, social media
Regularly Social
media
posts
Social media and
email
Employee Main goals,
time period
and activities
to be
completed
Business meetings Daily Project
Managers
Daily meetings
Owners Project based
activities
E-mail and face-
to-face
Weekly Company's
managers
Either e-mail or face-
to-face
5

Contractors Project based
activities and
objectives
Phone calls and
weekly meetings
Regularly Upper
level of
manageme
nt
Phone calls
Investors Project plan,
objectives,
goals and
requirement
of funds
Meetings Monthly Owners
and senior
managers
Meetings and phone
calls
P3. Work breakdown structure and Gantt Chart to set time frames and offer different stages of
project
In project management, two activities are always stay together to accomplish a target
within set period of time, that are Gantt chart and Work-break-down structure. Both of these
techniques used to set time duration of each activity so that entire project can be completed in
desired manner.
Work Breakdown structure- Under a project management plan, WBS technique is
considered as most useful technique. It aids project managers in breaking down activities into
smaller as well as manageable segments so that entire tasks will be completed in short period of
interval. This tool also provides a framework which helps in evaluating cost required to run all
activities of plan and complete project on time. Thus, it will aid managers of small firms like
Continental Consulting Group to control expenses and utilise budget in proper manner.
6

(Source:Work-Breakdown Structure,2018)
Gantt chart- A Gantt chart is considered as a production control tool and given by Henry
L. Gantt. It represents activities of a project management plan which was broken down by WBS
structure into graphical form. This representation aids managers of Continental in planning,
monitoring and coordinating a task into adequate way (What is a Gantt Chart?, 2018.). This kind
of tool is generally used to assign time to different segments so that set objectives of plan can be
accomplished. After allocating time duration, it becomes easy for management to select members
in a team who will carry out such activities which would help in generating higher outcomes.
Thus, in this manner to conduct a proper research, it is required by project makers of Continental
to follow given format:
 Problem identification
 Literature review
 Identify main issues
 State and define concept of study
 A sample of respondents whose perception help in conducting project research
 Development plan
 Data collection
 Analysis and review
7

TASK 2
P4. Small scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
In a research management plan, the most essential parts are aims and objectives which
are required to be set in systematic manner (Hutter and et. al., 2013). In order to conduct an
appropriate research, investigator of a firm requires to use different kinds of statistical
methodologies. It includes qualitative and quantitative methods which which aids a researcher in
gathering proper information. In qualitative research, information is gathered as per basis of
quality which emphasis on evaluating perceptions and opinion of people on certain topic. Data
8

can be collected under this methodology by conducting an interview procedures through direct
and open communication with respondents of a sample. While quantitative research is usually
based on mathematical or statistical value. On this kind of data, further analysis is going to be
done by research makers so that set goals of project can be achieved. Questionnaire, online
survey, polls and more are some ways of quantitative research methodologies.
Methods to collect information:
Primary: This method is carried by project managers themselves, in which they used to
perform various activities in order to evaluate the opinion of people. It includes surveys,
observation, interviews and more to gather information on a relevant topic of research. It will
help in analysing perception and different views of people so that better modifications can be
done in business (Goodrich and De Mooij, 2014).
Secondary: This kind of method provides information which is published on various
sources like on internet, literature part, magazines, newspapers, books and more. Thus, it will
provide a large data through which related information can be analysed easily. But it will
produce unreliable data as compared to primary research method.
Under this procedure, project makers of Continental Consulting Group select a group of
50 respondents. They use questionnaire method of primary research in order to know the
perception of such respondents.
Data sampling: It is a study of small selected statistical items, instead of big units. There
are different types of sampling that includes Simple, Stratified and Systematic random sampling.
In present research, simple random sampling method is used in order to choose respondents from
total population on random basis.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Contact Number:
Q1) Are mobile tools useful for business in order to achieve connectivity and enhance
growth and development of firms?
9