Marks & Spencer: Digital Technologies, Innovation and Development

This report provides an analysis of Marks & Spencer's adoption of digital technologies and their impact on organizational development. It begins with a brief overview of the company and identifies key innovations such as online buying and selling, cloud computing, social media marketing, and drone delivery. The report then assesses how these technologies affect organizational development, discussing their pros and cons, including improved communication, reduced operating costs, enhanced customer base, and potential disadvantages like data security risks and increased workload. The impact of these technologies on data and knowledge management is also examined, highlighting how cloud computing facilitates data storage and accessibility. The report concludes by summarizing the benefits and challenges of digital transformation for Marks & Spencer, emphasizing the importance of balancing innovation with security and employee well-being. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and resources for students.

Digital Technologies
Title Digital
Portfolio

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Main body .......................................................................................................................................3
Provide a brief description of the client organisation and identify and evaluate major
innovations and digital technologies that your client is using....................................................3
Assess how these innovations and digital technologies affect organisational development.
Examine the pros and cons of these technologies.......................................................................5
Innovations and digital technologies impact on data and knowledge management...................8
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Digital technologies is defined as the electronic tools, resources, devices as well as
system that are used in organisation for the purpose of generating, process and storing
organisational data. Social media channels, mobile phones and multimedia platforms are most
important tools that provides competitive advantages to organisation and maintains its
differentiated positioning in market than other competitor. As technologies are defined as the
science and knowledge that are put in practices for solving critical problems and taking effective
decisions that enable organisation to attain defined goals and objectives in best possible manner
(Benckendorff, Tussyadiah,and Scarles, 2018). In current competitive business environment,
digital technologies plays important role growth and development of organisation through
expanding business operations on online platforms. Organisations maintains various websites
and conduct online buying and selling to their customers that facilitates organisation to reach
huge customers and enhance organisational profitability. Through digital technologies business
can directly connects with customers and provide them products and services according to their
interest and preferences. In this report chosen organisation is Marks & Spencer. The report
covers brief introduction of organisation and some major innovations and digital technologies
that are used by organisation. There are affects of digital technologies on the development of
organisation is discuses and advantages and disadvantages of digital technologies on
organisation mentioned. Furthermore, impacts of digital technology on business data, knowledge
management as well as organisational decision making are explained in this project report.
Main body
Task1
Provide a brief description of the client organisation and identify and evaluate major innovations
and digital technologies that your client is using
Description of organisation: In this report the chosen organisation is Marks & Spencer which is
British multinational organisation that provides range of products and services to customers. It is
established in 1884 by Michael Marks Thomas Spencer. Headquarter of respective organisation
is situated in London, England, UK. Organisation is specialised in selling clothing, food products
and home products under its own label. Respective organisation is listed in London Stock
exchange. Marks & Spencer has 959 stores currently that provides products and services to

customers through television advertising as well as it provides online food delivery through joint
venturing with Ocado. 78,000 employees are working with organisation and contribute in
attaining defined goals and objectives efficiently. Organisation provides its products and services
world widely through opening physical or online stores. Marks & Spencer invests in various new
software to improve innovation in organisational products and for reducing waste. Respective
organisation use various digital technologies and bring various innovations in organisation that
differentiated organisation from other competitors in market.
Digital technologies:
Digital technology are used for communication in the organisation for communicating
required information at right place and time through various digital media platforms. In current
competitive business environment, organisations use various digital technologies to gain various
competitive advantages. Marks & Spencer adopts various digital technologies to boost
organisational performance and gaining defined goals and objectives with efficiency
(Berke,2019). Respective organisation also brings various innovations in business working
procedure and activities for conducting all business functions properly and sustain in competitive
environment. Some innovations and digital technologies that are used by Marks & Spencer are
mentioned below:
Online buying and selling: It is the most effective digital technology that is used by the
Marks & Spencer to conduct the activity or action for buying and selling products through using
internet. Online shopping or E-commerce facilitates or allow customers to buy products and
services directly from sellers over internet through using different web browse and mobile
applications. Marks & Spencer has developed various websites through which organisation
conduct online business and these websites enables customers to find interested products and
place order. There are all informations are provided about product like prices are display and
these websites are opened in mobile phones, laptop and computer devices. It enhances web
traffic and enhance customer base for organisation (Cane,and Parra, 2020). Organisation
provides home delivery option to customers that enhances organisational sales and profitability
ratio.
Cloud computing: Cloud computing is defined as the system through which organisation
can record, store, process as well as retrieve data by using internet. As Marks & Spencer
conducts its activities at international level, there are huge data of customers and employees are

gathers that are stored by the cloud computing. This digital technology facilitates respective
organisation to store data properly as well as help to use data for future research. This technology
is important for organisation from various reasons such as it enhances organisational
performance, security, efficiency, effectiveness, in crease productivity and reduce cost. Data that
is saved on clouds can be accessed from any place that enhances its effectiveness.
Social media marketing: Social media is defined as the computer based technologies that
enables organisation to share various ideas, information and thoughts for creating virtual
networks as well as communities. Marks & Spencer uses various social media platforms such as
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter for promoting and advertising organisational
products and services to customers. Respective organisation create effective content that
included information about products, images and videos for persuading and influencing
customers to purchase products of organisation. There are various social media campaigns are
conducted by the organisation to enhances brand awareness in market (Cvetković, and
Stanojević, 2018). Through social media platform organisation get customers needs, demands
and preferences and provide them products accordingly for satisfying there needs. Through
social media platform, organisation can get feedbacks of customers that provides suggestions for
further innovation to organisation.
Using drone for product delivery: Marks & Spencer bring innovation in organisation
delivery system by using drones for delivery food products, clothing and other products of
organisation. It takes less time to deliver products to customers that enhances its effectiveness.
Respective organisation boost its sales and profitability ratio by providing quick products for the
airway. Organisation use large capacity drones that are enable to carry large amount of products
at a time (Deusdad, and Riccò,2018). This innovative idea of product delivery facilitates
organisation to differentiated it from other organisations in market. It helps business to deliver its
products quickly with same quality.
Task 2
Assess how these innovations and digital technologies affect organisational development.
Examine the pros and cons of these technologies
In current competitive business environment, every organisation use various digital
technologies and innovation aspects that affect on organisational growth and development. As
digital technologies provides various sustainable competitive advantages to organisation is

economic market place as well as facilitates to ensure optimum utilisation of resources and help
to achieve defined goals and objectives in best possible manner. Some impacts are mentioned
below:
Securing sensitive information: Marks & Spencer uses Cloud computing digital
technology for the purpose of securing sensitive or confidential data that is related to business
operations and customers. These technologies facilitates organisation to perform organisational
functions in best possible manner and use these information for gaining competitive advantages.
Improve communication process: Implementation of digital technologies and
innovations facilitates Marks & Spencer to improve its communication process. Respective
organisation uses emails, websites, mobile application and text messages that help to maintain
effective communication with customers (Hammer, 2019). It plays important role in growth and
development of organisation through inspiring customers to purchase products and services as
well as organisation also get customer's feedbacks through electronic methods.
Impacts on operating cost: Through using various digital technologies respective
organisation can reduce its operational cost that directly enhance organisational profitability.
Marks & Spencer adopts various latest technologies and software that enables organisation to
maintain business operations properly and tracking all record efficiently.
Collaborating and outsourcing: Digital technologies facilitates organisation to outsource
various business functions to other organisation at national as well as international level. It helps
marks & Spencer to reduce overall cost of organisation and pay more attention on more
important functions that ensures business success and development. Whereas business also
outsource some functions if it is enable to perform these functions properly. These technologies
helps organisation to attain all defined goals and objectives efficiently.
Enhance customer base: Digital technologies such as social media marketing and e-
commerce facilitates organisation to enhance its reachability towards new economic markets
instead of selling organisational products and services in local market (Henderson, Selwyn, and
Aston, 2017). These technologies provides various growth and development opportunities in
international market. Through specific websites Marks & Spencer sell its products in diversify
markets and attain higher profitability objectives.
Advantages of digital technology and innovations:

Digital Technologies as well as innovations provides various benefits to organisation that
help it to gain various sustainable competitive advantages and help to attain the objective of
growth and development. As Marks & Spencer uses various digital technologies and bring
innovation in according to requirement that facilitates organisation to achieve defined goals and
objectives efficiently. Some advantages of digital technology are mentioned below:
Social connectivity: As Marks & Spencer use social media channels for promoting
organisational products and services and online shopping to sell products through websites by
using internet. These digital technologies enhances organisational social connectivity with
customers. Respective organisation continuously update its information through social media
post and provide information to customers about new innovative products of organisation.
Enhance data collection: Digital technologies facilitates organisation to keep data and
information of customers and employees in systematic manner that can be analysed and used in
future operations and policies formulations (Li, 2020). Marks & Spencer use cloud computing
technologies for storing and managing data that helps organisation to gather correct and it can be
accessed by the organisational employees at any place and anytime.
Enhances Social connectivity: overall experience of customers: Digital
technologies and innovations enhances customer experiences. As Marks & Spencer provides
endless choices of products to customers at digital platforms at low prices and fast hole delivery.
Through social media channel, organisation makes regular connectivity with customers and
resolve their problems related to products that lead them towards positive experience towards
organisation as well as retain them with organisation for longer period of time.
Increase organisational productivity and profitability: Marks & Spencer uses various
digital technologies as well as regularly brings innovation in products, delivery systems and
other procedure that enhances organisational productivity (Miller, 2020). Online shopping, social
media marketing help to attract customers and influence them to purchase organisational
products that lead organisation towards attaining the objective of higher profitability.
Disadvantages of digital technology:
There are various factors of digital technology as well as innovation that impacts
organisational performance and functionality negatively. Some disadvantages are mentioned
below:

Data security: Security of data is the greatest threat or disadvantages for organisation in
using digital technology. As Marks & Spencer deals with large number of employees and
customers so, there are huge data or informational is stored. These data is available on internet
that enhances the threat of data theft which impacts on overall organisational performance and
functionality because these data can be used against respective organisation by competitors. If
organisational confidential informational regarding products and customers are stolen than it
impacts whole organisational functionality negatively.
Enhance workload: Implementation of digital technology, enhance workload on
employees because employees have to manage as well as take actions on number of emails on
regular bases. As Marks & Spencer adopts various digital technologies that are required proper
knowledge and understanding (Nambisan, 2017). It enhance working pressure on employees to
handle technologies in proper manner to attain defined goals and objectives of organisation. If
employees workload is increased they become dissatisfied and stressed that reduced their overall
performance and effectiveness.
Business dependent of online system: Marks & Spencer implements various digital
technologies and innovations in working procedure and products that requires higher cost and
organisation become dependent of online system that enhances drawback for organisation. In the
situation of internet problem, organisation is not able to perform functions efficiently.
Organisational mostly data is stored in computers and other devices if they are damaged than
daily work of organisation will stop. It impacts overall performance and functionality of
respective organisation.
Digital technologies plays important role in the success and development of organisation.
Marks & Spencer analyses factors of business environment and then take decision to adopt
appropriate technology that facilitates organisation to maintain effective positioning in market
then other competitors (Third, Livingstone, and Lansdown, 2019). There are various advantages
and disadvantages of digital technologies, respective organisation examines all these factors than
take decision of adopting appropriate technology to attain success in global market place.
Innovations and digital technologies impact on data and knowledge management decision-
making
In Marks & Spencer, innovation and digital technology plays important role in impacting
entire knowledge and data management during decision making process. The digital

transformation consists cultural, operational and organisational change in the company. Through
this company introduce smart integration of its products and services involving digital
technologies and process with competencies level by the help of functions and strategic manner.
The innovation and digital technology provide leverage technology to develop advance level of
valuable services to their stakeholder (customer). This will acquire innovation as well as
capabilities for the rapid changes so that company can utilise appropriate knowledge and data
management. The innovation and technological concept is not only about disruption kind of
technology but also concern about people, value, optimisation and use of technological
information in decision making (Vaid, 2018). This is beneficial for both customers and company
itself because with help of innovation and technology Marks & Spencer grab useful information
about their customer and modify its products and services as per the preference of customer. The
customers also experience better services of company as its products are capable enough to
accomplish demand of potential customer. The present and future shifts have been seen while
leading the technology innovative technology strategy used by Marks & Spencer by induced by
changes at same time that will emerge current digital technologies regarding customer behaviour,
economic reality, disruption and so on.
The innovation and digital technology improves the quality of customer data and
knowledge management that is utilise by the Marks & Spencer in providing more personalised
services to fulfilling choice of customer. In practice end to end consumer experience gets
improvised and optimised during flexible and innovation aspect. It is considering as key goals
regarding digital transformation in order to develop revenue source by applying suitable business
model. The innovation brings new creative concept in the data and knowledge management that
help Marks & Spencer in improving its services (Vite, and Rossi, 2020). This will build more
strong position of Marks & Spencer in front of competitors. In the online platform company
explore the essence of innovative knowledge management to transform the journey of customer
by suitable information in present business model and process in their operation. The technology
evolutions have been seen in Marks & Spencer which impact data and knowledge management.
The innovative technology used by the Marks & Spencer is machine learning, artificial learning,
cloud computing, and advance analytics. The information technology and innovative
communicating plays significant role in knowledge management which consider IT to facilitates
knowledge management (data storage, document management, access information, sharing ideas

and dissemination). The new technologies impact whole business practices of Marks & Spencer
and their method to interact with the potential customer. The marks and Spencer utilise 3D CAD
technology that will reduce the cost and operation cost in order to develop products and services.
This software is developed and designed to generate details of customer data and knowledge
management. This will enhance company profitability ratio and revenue level.
Digital technologies provides range of informations and data to respective organisation
that helps in decision-making process as well as improves efficiency, quality and speed of
decisions that helps organisation to attain various development opportunities. Effectively
implemented technologies help in collaborating employees properly that enables organisation to
execute business decisions effectively. As respective organisation uses various digital
technologies such as internet business. Social media marketing and other as well as cloud storing
that help to gather information from different sources, use them in strategies or product
development and getting the point of view and preferences of customers to satisfying their needs
and demands effectively (Volkov, Cherkashina, and Shapovalov, 2019). For running business in
well-defined manner, it is important to take appropriate decisions. As a consultant of
organisation, it is responsibility to ensure regular operations and growth of business through
using technology. Technology provides various relative information to organisation that help in
decision-making and enhance efficiency. There are various components of technologies that
facilitates organisation to take effective management decisions.
Management department of Marks & Spencer take decisions on the bases of latest
technologies that facilitates organisation to track employees efficiency and productivity of
employees so, they can contribute in success of organisation. Organisation's management
department take decisions related to organisational structure, operations, policies and
performance that enhances overall effectiveness of organisation.
The statement states that innovations and digital technologies plays important role
organisation management decision-making process that facilitates organisation to accomplish all
defined goals and objectives in efficient manner.
CONCLUSION
As per above report, it can be concluded that digital technologies and innovations are
defined as the essential tool and techniques that facilitates organisation to attain growth and
success in international business. There are various technologies are used by the organisation to

gain competitive advantages. Marks & Spencer use social media marketing, online shopping,
cloud computing as well as various latest technologies to perform business operations in well
defined manner. Respective organisation brings innovation through using drone for delivering
products to customers that retain existing one and attract new customers towards organisation.
Digital technologies affect organisational development through reducing cost, enhancing
customer base, organisational profitability and performance. It provides advantages and
disadvantages to organisation as organisational data is stored on internet that enhance threat of
data stolen as well as enhance workload on employees. Digital technologies impacts on decision-
making procedure of management department. Through considering various technologies
according to situation, organisation can take effective decisions that enables organisation to
attain defined goals and objectives in best possible manner.

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