The Swan Hotel UK: Digital Tech Impact on Business Activities

This research project investigates the impact of digital technologies on the business activities of the Swan Hotel UK, an SME in the hospitality sector. The project begins with a research proposal that defines the research question, supported by a literature review exploring the effects of digital technology on business operations and customer satisfaction. The study employs both primary and secondary research methods, including questionnaires distributed to employees to gather data on technology usage, training, and perceived benefits. The findings reveal that while digital technology is generally seen as helpful for improving business activities, challenges exist in terms of implementation and employee training. The analysis highlights the benefits of digital technology in improving productivity, reducing wastage, and enhancing customer satisfaction, while also considering alternative research methodologies. The project concludes with recommendations for improving the effective use of digital technology at The Swan Hotel UK, with the goal of improving efficiency and customer satisfaction. The project also includes a reflection on the effectiveness of the research methods employed and potential alternative approaches, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of digital technology's role in the hotel's operations.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P1. Research proposal that clearly defines a research question supported by a literature review
.....................................................................................................................................................1
P2. Appropriate research methods and approaches to primary and secondary research.............5
P3. Conducting primary and secondary research through use of appropriate research methods 5
P4. Appropriate analytical tools, analyse research findings and data..........................................9
P5. Communication of research outcomes................................................................................18
P6. Reflection on effectiveness of research methods................................................................26
P7 Considering alternative research methodologies..................................................................27
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................28
APPENDIX 1.................................................................................................................................30
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................30

INTRODUCTION
There are different type of changes that has taken place in respect with quality of services
that delivered. Improvement in services are highly important to make sure that customers are
satisfied and make use of the services again and again. In order to deliver high quality services
one of the main focus is made on improvement of technology (Mithas, Tafti and Mitchell, 2013).
There are many changes that has taken place in relation with technology. There are both negative
and positive impact over the same. To carry out the research in effective manner, The SWAN
Hotel UK is taken to consideration. Cited firm focus on understanding the requirement of
customers and to deliver them services accordingly.
P1. Research proposal that clearly defines a research question supported by a literature review
Below given are the aim and objectives that will be covered with the help of this
research:
Aim:
To determine the impact of digital technologies on activities of SME business: A study of
SWAN Hotel UK.
Objectives:
 To investigate over the business activities provided at The Swan Hotel UK
 To analyse the impact of digital technology on business activities of The Swan Hotel UK.
 To make evaluation of the digital technology that is used at The Swan Hotel UK.
 To recommend ways to improve activities of business with the help of digital technology
at The SWAN Hotel UK.
Research Question:
 What are the business activities provided at The Swan Hotel UK?
 What are the impact of digital technology on business activities of The Swan Hotel UK? What are the digital technology that is used at The Swan Hotel UK?
Selection of this research project
There are many reasons that encouraged me to select this particular. Among all the
reasons, one of the main causes is personal interest. There are firms that deliver their customers
with similar set of products and services. In such condition, all the customers have wider choice
of selecting services that are delivered by other companies. In this context, different type of
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strategies are applied so that more and more customers can be attracted. This aspects of research
will enable to develop in depth understanding. Further, I am willing to develop my carrier in
hospitality sector and this research will be boost me up to develop my learning.
Literature review:
There are different type of issues that are faced within the organization and to overcome
them, there are research conducted so that the issues can be solved. These research conducted are
helpful enough to provide in depth understanding.
As per Cavalcante, Kesting and Ulhøi, (2011) main aim of any firm is to gain maximum
profit. This is only possible when they are able to deliver their customers with high quality
services. In this context, it is important that firm understand the requirement of service users and
deliver their services accordingly. In this process, there are business activities that are developed
so as to complete all the business operations in effective manner. More specifically, it includes
chef, receptionist, maintaining cleanliness, etc. (Peppard and Ward, 2016). All these activities are
performed by employees and it requires them to have proper understanding of the roles and
responsibilities that has to be played by them.
According to Valacich and Schneider, (2015) there are both positive and negative impact
over the business when technology is implemented. In this context, it include issue in relation
with cost. For the all the business plan that has to be implemented includes cost and when there
are no proper planning made, then it becomes difficult to make use of it. On the other hand,
Zikmund, Babin and Griffin, (2013) employees are able to deliver high quality services to their
customers. There are better understanding of need and requirement of customers.
Bennett and Maton, (2010) stated that requirement of customer’s changes frequently and
it is important that proper analysis is made so that better and improved quality of services can be
delivered. When digital technology is implemented, then at hotels employees are able to
determine the total time that is consumed for preparing the food and the amount of wastage that
is caused (Buckingham, 2013). Further, employees are able to cover all the requirement of
customers as per their need and requirement.
Activities and timescales:
Activ 1th 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
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ity Week Week Week Wee
k
Week Week Week Wee
k
Wee
k
Week
Find
resea
rch
Topi
c
Lite
ratur
e
Revi
ew
Draf
ting
of
meth
odol
ogy
Finis
h
Prop
osal
Desi
gn
quest
ion
and
pilot
resea
rch
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Carr
y out
&
Reco
rd
Rese
arch
Data
Anal
ysis
and
Maki
ng
Grap
hs
Disc
ussio
n
and
Conc
lusio
n
Final
Repo
rt
Editi
ng &
Com
pleti
on
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P2. Appropriate research methods and approaches to primary and secondary research
So as to make sure that proper research to be carried out, it requires to make use of
techniques, methods and approaches. With this respect, research methodology is divided into
many types and these help to conduct the research in systematic manner.
Research Design: This is determined to be blue print for carrying out the research. These
are divided into exploratory, descriptive and experimental. In the present study, the research will
make use of descriptive (Mackey and Gass, 2015). This will help to focus on the theories in
context with the research topic.
Research philosophy: Appropriate sources can be analysed with the help of research
philosophy. They are of two type which are interpretivism and positivism. Both are highly
effective to gather proper information. The researcher will make use of both positivism and
interpretivism. Both these philosophies will enable to determine the aim and objectives in
effective manner.
Research approach: There different way through which information can be presented.
One is initially focusing on general aspects and them to specific topic. Further, it includes
specific to general (Silverman, 2016). These are of two types which are inductive and deductive.
The researcher will make use of inductive research approach.
Data collection: It enables to gather information with respect to the research topic. These
are of two types which are primary and secondary. Investigator will make use of both primary
and secondary. Primary will be applied with the help of questionnaire and secondary will be
gathered through books, journals, online website, etc.
Data analysis: When information is gathered, then it is important to make it in
presentable form. For this respect, there are two different type of data analysis method which are
quantitative and qualitative method (Neuman and Robson, 2014). Researcher will make use of
qualitative method in which thematic will be applied as it enables to focus on present the
information in the form of tables, charts, etc.
P3. Conducting primary and secondary research through use of appropriate research methods
In order to carry out the research there are different type of research methodologies that
are applied and they are as follows:
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Research approach: This is a type of plan that is developed by the researcher so that the
study can be carried out in effective manner. These are of two types which are deductive and
inductive. Inductive focus on conducting the research from specific observation to generalized
information (Vujaklija, Hren and Marušić, 2010). On the other hand, deductive research
approach carries out the research from generalised to specific. In other words, it is also known as
top down approach. For the present research, inductive approach is used so that that research can
be conducted from specific observation to generalize. In other words, specific observations are
determined for digital technology that are applied within the hotel and its implication for the
activities of business at The Swan Hotel UK. In addition to this, it also helps to determine the
regularities and patterns.
Research design: This is helpful enough to provide information about the strategy that
applied by the investigator for coherent and logical integration of various type of components of
the research (Snyder, 2012Roberts, 2013). These are three types which are explanatory,
descriptive and exploratory. Among these, the researcher has made use of descriptive research
design. This is effective enough to focus on the depicting participants in appropriate manner.
Further, there are different type of study that are carried each of the phenomenon of the study
and these research design is helpful to identify them. There are three different type of methods
that are included in research descriptive study which are observation, survey and case study
(Kirkova, Aktas and Davis, 2011). However, it can be stated that with the help of this design
better description for the digital technologies are provided with their importance.
Data collection: This can be determined to be the method that is helpful enough to gather
appropriate information in relation with the research topic. These are of two types primary and
secondary (Gale, Heath and Redwood, 2013). Primary is a type of method that are gathered for
the first time. Different type of methods that are used which are observation, focus group,
interview, questionnaire, etc. On the other hand, secondary are the information that are already
gathered by some other researcher. There are many researches that are carried out by other
researchers and these are helpful enough to provide in depth understand. There are many
different type of sources that are included in this aspect which are books, journals, online
sources, etc. In order to carry out the research in effective manner, the investigator has made use
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of both primary and secondary methods. More specifically, primary is applied with the help of
questionnaire (Tong, Flemming and Craig, 2012). Closed ended questions are developed that
covers data about the present research topic. On the other hand, secondary will be gathered by
making use of sources like online website, books, journals, etc.
Sampling: It is not possible to collect information form large population. In this context,
it is important to select appropriate sample size so that appropriate information can be gathered
(Mackey and Gass, 2015). These are of two types which are probabilistic and non probabilistic
sampling methods. Both are highly effective. Probabilistic is also known as random sampling
provides all the elements to get selected from large population. On the other hand, non
probabilistic sampling focus on preference of investigator. Among these two, the researcher has
made use of non probabilistic sampling in which employees of The Swan Hotel UK are selected.
More specifically, there are about 18 of the employees selected (Silverman, 2016). These are
selected as respondents as they are helpful enough to provide appropriate data for carrying out
the research.
Data Analysis: This consist of clearing, transforming and coding of data. All the
information that are gathered requires to be proper analysed or presented in understandable form.
These are of two types which are quantitative and qualitative methods (Neuman and Robson,
2014). Qualitative enables to provide better interpretation of the condition and the people who
are involved in providing appropriate information. Further, it is also helpful to provide in depth
understanding for the particular aspect. Further, quantitative method is focused on making use of
statistical tools for evaluating or analysing the data. For the research, the investigator has made
use of thematic (Cammarota and Fine, 2010). This is helpful to present the information in the
form of table, charts, etc.
Ethical consideration: There are different type of aspects that has to be considered when
research is carried out. In this context, all the respondents who are involved in providing
information for the topic should be conveyed about the main cause for carrying out the research
(Geerts, 2011). This is helpful enough to make understand and helpful in providing adequate
answers. Further, there are secondary information used and so proper citations should be used
and the data can not be used as it is. This increases that rate issue of plagiarism. In order to avoid
it citations should be done and information should be written in own words.
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Cost consideration: There are different type of activities that has to be covered and for
each of them there are certain set of cost that are incurred. It is important that there are proper
analysis made of the cost so that all the activities that are set are covered in effective manner
(Vujaklija, Hren and Marušić, 2010). This becomes limitation when there are not proper
consideration made. Further, it also requires to complete the tasks within speculated time period.
All needs to be done properly so that the research are conducted effectively and efficiently.
Access issues: There are access issues that are faced by the researcher at the time when
primary and secondary information are gathered. More specifically, there are issues faced in
gaining access form the participants (Kirkova, Aktas and Davis, 2011). This is solved by taking
permission for the firm. On the other hand for secondary information there are requirement of
developing accounts so that journals can be accessed and so accounts were made to overcome
this issue.
1. Do you think that the type of technology that is used currently at The Swan Hotel UK is
effective enough for satisfying customers?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
2. Do you think that use of advance technology impact on business performance?
 Yes
 No
3. New or updated technology are implemented at The Swan Hotel UK?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
4. Does digital technology is helpful for improving business activities at The Swan Hotel UK?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
5. Do you face difficulties in making use of update or new digital technology?
 Yes
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 No
 Not Sure
6. Does firm provides you with proper training for using digital technology?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
7. Does digital technology helpful in raising sales and profitability of the organization?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
8. What are the main benefits that you think that firm gets with the help of digital technology?
 High productivity
 Low wastage
 Improved satisfaction level of customer
9. Does digital technology enables to provide customers with improved quality of services?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
10. What is the best digital technologies that can be used by SWAN hotel?
 Communication in social media
 Search engine marketing
 Email marketing
 Others
P4. Appropriate analytical tools, analyse research findings and data
All the information gathered from the side of employees is to be proper analysed so that
appropriate outcome can be determined. Following are the evaluation make with the help of
thematic for each of the questions asked:
Theme 1: Type of technology that is used currently at The Swan Hotel UK is effective
enough for satisfying customers
Do you think that the type of technology that is used currently at Frequency
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The Swan Hotel UK is effective enough for satisfying customers?
Yes 4
No 12
Not Sure 2
Description: From the research conducted, it can be stated that there are certain set of
technology that is applied by the business and these are done so that they will be able to increase
the performance level and strong customer’s base can be developed. Further, there are about 4 of
the employees who think that the current digital technology is effective. However, there are 12 of
the workers who think that the digital technology used is not effective enough. Lastly, there are 2
of the employees who are not sure for the same. This way, it can be started that management
need to work towards implementing effective steps so that they will be able to apply effective
strategies thorough which strong customers base can be developed with the help of digital
technology.
Theme 2: New or updated technology are implemented at The Swan Hotel UK
New or updated technology are implemented at The Swan Hotel
UK?
Frequency
Yes 11
10