Researching Digital Platforms' Role in Workplace Change: Tesco

This research project investigates the transformation of the workplace through digital platforms, focusing on a case study of Tesco. The study aims to understand the conceptual background of workplace transformation, evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on managing workplace changes at Tesco, and determine the challenges faced during digital transformation. The research employs a positivism approach and deductive reasoning, utilizing survey methods for data collection from Tesco employees. Primary data is gathered through questionnaires, while secondary data is sourced from online articles, journals, and published papers. The project outlines a timeline of activities, from project formulation to report writing, and discusses the research approach and methodologies used, including research philosophies, strategies, and data collection methods. The research also touches upon ethical considerations and includes references to relevant literature.

Research Project
Proposal
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Research Proposal Form
Student
Name
Student ID
Centre Name
Tutor
Unit No
Proposed
Title
“Transformation in workplace by using digital platform.”
Section One: Title, objective, responsibilities
Aim: “To analyse the impact of Covid-19 on managing different workplace transformation. A
study on Tesco.”
Research objectives
 To understand the conceptual background of workplace transformation.
 To evaluate the impact of Covid-19 while working with workplace transformation in
Tesco.
 To determine different challenges faced by Tesco while working with digital
workplace transformation.
Research Questions
 What is the conceptual background of workplace transformation?
 What are the impact of Covid-19 while working with workplace transformation in
Tesco?
 What are the different challenges faced by Tesco while working with digital
workplace transformation?
Section Two: Reasons for choosing this research project
Reasons for choosing the project
The rationale for choosing this study and the topic is to examine the meaning and conceptual
background for workplace transformation. It will be helpful for the researcher in their
personal and professional context. It is needed to be analysed that the researcher gain the
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professional perspective in which, they try to analyse their perspective and gain knowledge
about the changes in digital workplace transformation. It will be helpful for the company to
analyse their major perspective and growth to achieve higher profitability in workplace
transformation(Bailey, 2021). The present study further helps in managing and analysing the
data for gaining more advantage to provide a significant growth in the company by adopting
workplace transformation at digital platform. On the contrary, personal perspective is helpful
for analysing different skills and knowledge to provide a significant growth in the major
analysis. Furthermore, the researcher is able to work and collect the data in different formats
and provide a significant analysis to achieve higher profit. This helps in improving skills like
time management, communication, research aptitude and data analysis. That work significant
and make a strategic change in analysing major perspective to work and deal with employee's
of the company.
Section Three: Literature sources searched
What is the conceptual background of workplace transformation?
As per view of Barnes (2021), workplace transformation is method of improving workforce
skills, abilities and tools to keep up with constant changes in an organisation business
strategy. Workplace transformation is categorised on the basis of four areas which include
improving competitive structure, environment impact, innovation readiness and employee-
self fulfillment(Bell, 2021). It is basically rethinking of flexible workspaces to accommodate
into different workers, technology and kinds of work. It is basically a difference between the
kind of work has been done in the current period of time and work which has been done few
years ago. Workplace transformation is important because it is a kind of demand of current
period of time due to which it makes the workflow process more smoother, smarter and
effective as well. When there are changes into the workflow process then it is easier to
achieve objectives and goals in a more strategic manner. Due to workflow transformation it is
easier to coordinate with senior management as well and also gives opportunity to present
their point of views into positive manner(What is a workplace transformation and why it is
important).
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What are the impact of Covid-19 while working with workplace transformation in
Tesco?
As per view of Gopisetty(2020), digital technology plays a very important role in terms of
transforming the workflow into professional manner. Due to digital technology every
employee can do their work from home into comfortable manner. With support of digital
technology, meetings and other procedures has been conducted through video calls and
conferences due to which they get new experience for it. In terms of TESCO company, for
carrying out their objectives and targets into positive manner in this pandemic situation they
have totally shifted themselves on online mode (Hesketh, 2021). This online shopping has
given comfortable approach for doing shopping even in this difficult situation. For satisfying
customers into positive manner, they have hired some people on temporary basis for online
delivery purposes . These delivery boys plays a very important role in terms of satisfying the
online services expected from company. Due to use of latest apps and technologies employees
also feel themselves updated and can grow themselves in terms of their skills into positive
manner. That's why digital technology is very important for TESCO company in this
pandemic situation and has also transformed the way of working of TESCO
company(Adapting to COVID-19:the TESCO story).
What are the different challenges faced by Tesco while working with digital workplace
transformation?
As per view of Lomas(2020), the company has to face major issues which are rtelated to
growth perspective at organisational level. They have to face technical issues while working
with digital technology. Sometimes due excess load, company's site get hanged and can't be
accessed into positive manner. The technical team has also faced issues in terms of handing
queries from their customers with respect to website(Kerins and Tallentire, 2021). When
company totally transformed on digital basis, there are some employees who are not very
techno-savoy due to which they need to learn these new technologies and procedures as well.
In terms of attracting customers on large scale on online basis they have to do research and
adopt some measures and policies which can retain them for longer period of time. Due to
digital transformation company has to maintain backup of each and every aspect so that in
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case of emergency that backup act as key point in terms of supporting the company's
performance. These are the challenges faced by TESCO company at the time of digital
transformation(TESCO:a digital transformation).
Section Four: Activities and timescales
Activities to be carried out during the research project
Task name Start date Finish date
Project formulation 01-10-21 07-10-21
Literature review 08-10-21 14-10-21
methodologies 15-10-21 21-10-21
Data collection and
analysis
22-10-21 18-11-21
Discussion of results 19-11-21 02-12-21
Report writing 02-12-21 30-12-21
Presentation of the
research
30-12-21 06-01-22
Milestone one: _________________
Target date (set by tutor): _________________
Milestone two: _________________
Target date (set by tutor): __________________
Gantt Chart
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Section Five: Research approach and methodologies
Research methodologies are helpful for researcher to identify different stages to create the
research in an most effective and appropriate manner. This model is provided by Saunders's
(2012). It have different stages which are useful to complete the research and achieve high
level objectives in more significant and appropriate ways. Its stages are explained below:
Research Philosophies: This is refers to the set of principles which are concerned for
conducting research in an appropriate time(Llamazares de Prado, 2021). There are mainly
two type of philosophical stage are used that is related to interpretivism and positivism
approach. Here, the researcher opted positivism approach that is helpful for complete collect
more scientific data and analyse the research result in more effective and appropriate ways.
Research Approach: Deductive and inductive approaches are two main approaches.
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Investigator has used deductive approach into effective manner for completing this research.
The reason for choosing such type of study is to provide better explanation and and testing of
numeric data provides effective information.
Research Strategies: The major research strategies are supportive in terms of taking action,
case study and conducting experiment, survey and other different types of methods. Present
study is completed through survey method and this has been opted by researcher. It also make
useful approaches for growth purpose as well(Lowe, Pararajasingam and Goodwin, 2021)
This is helpful in terms of gaining different methods and also gain more valid and reliable
information for conducting investigation in an efficient manner.
Time Horizon: For conducting a research time is one of the significant source which is
helpful for managing data and also provide completed project within a set period of time. The
main approaches which has been used are cross-sectional and longitudinal. Researcher has
opted cross-sectional approach which support in terms of completion of project within a set
period of time for purpose of completion of study.
Data collection: In order to make more effective and reliable approach, data has been
collected through primary and secondary sources(Nilsson and Blume, 2021).For getting
reliable and valid data from respondents, researcher opted for questionnaire in terms of
collecting primary data. On the other hand, for secondary source of data, online articles,
journals, published sources and papers are used to collect the primary sources.
Sampling: It is generally helpful in terms of conducting primary research, with support of
two main models which are probability and non-probability method. Sampling has been taken
from forty respondents and these are the employees of TESCO. They have adequate
knowledge about procedure and policies of the company.
Comments and agreement from tutor
Comments (optional):
I confirm that the project is not work which has been or will be
submitted for another qualification and is appropriate.
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Agreed: ________________ (name)_______________ Date ______________
Comments and agreement form project proposal checker( IV sampling)
Comments (Optional):
I confirm that the project is appropriate.
Agreed /Disagree: (Name of the IV)
Date
References
Books & Journals
Bailey, S., 2021. Parliamentary report on workforce burnout and resilience.
Bell, K., 2021. Working-Class Environmentalism in the UK: Organising for Sustainability
Beyond the Workplace. In The Palgrave Handbook of Environmental Labour Studies
(pp. 441-463). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Hesketh, I., 2021. Workplace Interventions: Individual, Team, Organizational. The SAGE
Handbook of Organizational Wellbeing, p.341.
Kerins, J. and Tallentire, V.R., 2021. ‘Promises turn to dust… Trust into mistrust’: Medical
students' experiences of mistreatment. Medical Education, 55(4), pp.423-425.
Llamazares de Prado, J.E., 2021. Inclusive politics on the international scene, arts and education
as key elements in the international workplace. Arts Education Policy Review, pp.1-11.
Lowe, A., Pararajasingam, A. and Goodwin, R.G., 2021. A paradigm shift in trainee confidence
in teledermatology and virtual working during the COVID‐19 pandemic: results of a
follow‐up UK‐wide survey. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 46(3), pp.544-547.
Nilsson, J.M. and Blume, K.S., 2021. The Swedish textile conservators’ transformation: From
the museum curator’s assistant to a profession in its own right. Journal of Professions
and Organization, 8(2), pp.168-183.
What is the conceptual background of workplace transformation,2021[Online]Available
through:<https://www.red-thread.com/blog/workplace-transformation/>
Adapting to COVID-19:the TESCO story,2020[Online]Available
through:<https://www.icaew.com/insights/interviews-and-profiles/2020/july-2020/
adapting-to-covid19-the-tesco-story/>
TESCO:a digital transformation,2020[Online]Available
through:<https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/submission/tesco-a-digital-
transformation/>
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ANNEXURE “B”:
Research Ethics approval form
All students conducting research activity that involves human participants or the
use of data collected form human participants are required to gain ethical approval
before commencing their research. Please answer all relevant questions and note
that your form may be returned if incomplete.
For further support and guidance please see your respective Unit Tutor:
Before completing this form, we advise that you discuss your proposed research
fully with your unit tutor. Please complete this form in good time before your
research project is due to commence.
Section 1: Basic details:
Project title: “To analyse the impact of Covid-19 on managing different workplace
transformation. A study on Tesco.”
Student name:
Student ID number:
Programme:
College Name:
Intended research start date:
Intended research end date:
Section 2 Project summary
Please select all research methods that you plan to use as a part of your project:
 Interviews Yes No
 Questionnaires Yes No
 Observations Yes No
 Use of personal records Yes No
 Data Analysis Yes No
 Action Research Yes No
 Focus Groups Yes No
 Others (Please specify) :
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Section 3: Participants
Please answer the following questions, giving full details where necessary.
Will your research involve human participants?
Who are the participants? Tick all that apply:
Ages 12-16: Young people aged: 17-18 Adults:
How will participants be recruited (identified an approached)?
In this study, probability sampling will be used for the selection of
recruiting 40 employees of the Unilever.
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
E-mail and telephone presentation will be chosen for this study.
How will you obtain consent from participants? Will this be written? How will it be
made clear to participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any
time?
For this, all the data taken from the individuals will be provided effectively
and it is written form.
Studies involving questionnaires: will participants be given the option of omitting
questions that do not wish to answer?
Yes No
If no please explain why below and ensure that you cover any ethical issues arising
from this
Studies involving observation: Confirm whether participants will be asked for
their informed consent to be observed.
Yes No
Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation (i.e give them a brief
explanation of the study)?
Yes No
Will participants be given information about the findings of your study?(This could be
a brief summary of your findings in general)
Yes No
Section 4: Data Storage and Security
Confirm that all personal data will be stored and processed in compliance with the
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Data Protection Act (1998)
Yes No
Who will have access to the data and personal information?
Only the company and researcher have the access to the data.
During the research:
Where will the data be stored?
In the mobile and USB storages
Will mobile devices such as USB storage and laptops be used
Yes No
If Yes, please provide further details:
After the research:
Where will the data be stored?
How long will the data and records be kept for and in what format?
Will data be kept for use by other researchers? Yes No
Section 5: Ethical Issues
Are there any particular features of your proposed work, which may raise ethical
concerns? If so, please outline how you will deal with these:
It is important that you demonstrate your awareness of potential risks that may arise
because of your research. Please consider/address all issues that may apply. Ethical
concerns may include, but are not limited to the following:
 Informed consent.
 Potentially vulnerable participants.
 Sensitive topics
 Risk to participants and /or researchers
 Confidentiality/anonymity
 Disclosures/ limits to confidentiality
 Data storage and security, both during and after the research (including
transfer, sharing, encryption, protection).
 Reporting
 Dissemination and use of your findings.
Section 6: Declaration
I have read, understood and will abide by the institution’s Research and Ethics
Policy: Yes No
I have discussed the ethical issues relating to my research with my Unit Tutor:
Yes No
I confirm that to the best of my knowledge:
The above information is correct, and this is a full description of the ethical issues
that may arise in the course of my research
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Name: Date:
Please submit your completed form to your supervisor and also attach to the
Research Proposal when submitting to Turnitin.
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