Analyzing Digitalization's Impact on Business: A Project Report

This report analyzes the impact of digitalization on Continental Consulting Limited, a business consultancy specializing in business process re-engineering. The project focuses on introducing social media technology to enhance business operations, growth, and innovation. It includes an evaluation of project aims and objectives, a detailed project management plan (PMP) with considerations for scope, cost, quality, and risk. Furthermore, the report presents a work breakdown structure (WBS) and a Gantt chart for project management, alongside the application of qualitative and quantitative research techniques to gather and analyze data. The study explores the concept of social media within the context of Continental Consulting Limited's business model, customer relations, and its efficacy in enhancing growth and innovation. Recommendations are provided based on research findings, drawing valid conclusions about the value of digitalization in achieving project aims, offering insights into how social media can be leveraged to improve business operations and enhance customer relationships.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Evaluation of project aims and objectives.............................................................................1
P2 Project management plan for Continental Consulting Limited ............................................3
P3 Work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart........................................................................5
..........................................................................................................................................................8
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
P4 Carrying of small scale research through application of qualitative and quantitative
techniques....................................................................................................................................9
P5 Analysis research and data using appropriate tools and techniques....................................11
TASK 6..........................................................................................................................................20
P6 Communication of recommendations to draw valid conclusions .......................................20
TASK 4 .........................................................................................................................................21
P.7 Value of research to meet the aim ......................................................................................21
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................22
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Digitalization is a procedure of modernizing business process and operations according to
frequently changing technological trends and solutions. Digitalization in today's time have
brought numerous changes in a the way a business is conducted through amalgamating
technology and business operations. Thus, majority of enterprises irrespective of their size and
nature of business are adopting digital technology as a prime source to enhance its presence in
society. It has also significantly benefited enterprises to be more aware to the changing business
values, modifying products and getting connected with their customers on a personal level
(Bertels, Koen, Elsum, 2015). The report is based on case study of Continental Consulting
Limited which is a research and business consultancy service provider that mainly deals in
business process re engineering. In span of 8 years company is now thinking to upgrade its
technology to be competitive in the market and to diversify its operations. The project will thus
discuss aims and objective of the firm in context to introducing digital technology. A detailed
searches will be conducted with recommendation about effect of introducing digitalisation in
company's operations.
TASK 1
P1 Evaluation of project aims and objectives
Digitalization is all about about turning any information from analogue form into user
friendly readable digital format. It is a perfect integration of old skills and modern techniques
and trends which results in competitive advantage for business. With digital technology it has
become easy for firms to adjust work schedule and to organize and manage work. In addition it
enables company to come up with new and innovative ideas, to reach their target customers and
to create distinctive products in accordance to customers needs and aspirations (Boyl, 2017). In
present time, fast changing technological developments in form of mobile , tablet, social media
etc. have created a profound transforming effect on behaviour of both the customers and
businesses to a great extend. Social media for instance has emerged as a attractive tool that is
gaining popularity among companies who are using it a platform to spread awareness about their
brands to a much broader audience. It has enabled enterprises to develop open dialogue with
their target audience. Recognizing these immense benefits associated with social media
technology Continental Consulting Limited is to adopting this technique in its business. With
this form of digitalisation company is expected to improve business to consumer reactions,
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promote its brands and revamp their business strategies, products and services in favour of its
clients.
Project Overview: The project is based on impact of digitalization in supporting small
business growth and innovation. Continental Consulting Limited is a medium scale organization
indulged in business process re-engineering since 8 years. After realizing that with span of time
IT technology used by company has become obsolete management decided to adopt social media
technology with objective to expand its business operations, for enhancing its growth and
innovation. Introduction of social media will help firm to develop amicable relations with its
clients as social media presence will authenticate business presence and will provide consumers
to compare reviews thereby building trust on company (Brady and Davies, 2014). As for
business it provide platform to collect customers feedbacks, opinions, recommendation that
could be analysed, incorporate by firm to bring necessary modification in products/services as
per market demand.
Topic: To study and analyse the effect of digital technology in supporting growth and
innovation of small scale business.
Aim: “ To identify ways through which social media influences growth and innovation in
Continental Consulting Limited.”
Objectives:
 To identify concept of social media in context to Continental Consulting Limited
business model.
 To determine ways in which social media technology helps in building customer
relations.
 To determine efficacy of social media in enhancing growth and innovation aspects of
Continental Consulting Limited.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of social media in context to Continental Consulting Limited
business model?
 What are the different ways in which social media technology helps in developing
customer relations?
 How social media helps in enhancing growth and innovation aspects of Continental
Consulting Limited?
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P2 Project management plan for Continental Consulting Limited
Project management plan (PMP) is a formal document that assist managers to outline all
constituents of a project ranging from stakeholder to scope of project and from risk management
to contingency plans. PMP is a blue print of a project that explains what a project is, its probable
impact on firm, costs and rewards that are to be earned after its completion and other details
related to its execution, management and closure (Cleden, 2017). In context to Continental
Consulting Limited as firm is planning to introduce social media technology in its business
operations it is requisite for firm to prepare a proper Project management plan. It is essential as it
will assist managers in assigning roles and tasks to employees throughout life-cycle of project
and will also help in communicating important milestones to team and other stakeholders.
Mentioned below are some prominent components of PMP that is required to be considered
before implementation of social media technology:
Scope: In UK , social media websites has become integral part of people. It is evident
from the 2017 statistics, that reveals that there are around 39 million social media users that are
estimated to reach count of 42 million. In terms of penetration rate is s over 58%. Also in this
the percentage of adults comprise of total 67% (Social media usage in the United Kingdom (UK)
- Statistics & Facts, 2016). Thus for Continental Consulting Limited social media provides a
wider scope to be more agile transparent, quick and candid in terms of reaching its potential
target audience in cost and time effective manner. By using various popular social media tools
like Facebook, Twitter, Tag Board etc. firm could post its job ads related to job vacancies,
product/services etc. in most attractive way to much wider audience.
Cost: This aspect involves estimating total investment that adoption of social media
technology by conducting in depth study of various facets associated wit project. In recent time
internet is been emerged as most cost effective affair for companies for communications.
However social media technology to be utilized as generating and viral business's marketing
campaigns is subject to considerable investment estimated to be approx $1000 per month to
$20,000 per month depending upon business size. In context to Continental Consulting Limited
the motive of implementing social media technology is to expand business and enhance growth
through higher sales. Thus it is essential for firm to hire professionals having intense expertise
and experience to use such media platform (Crane and Matten, 2016). Also, there will further
expenses related to installation of necessary technique equipment and in providing training to
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employees so that they can handle efficiently work with new technology. Therefore for
managers of Continental Consulting Limited it is of utmost importance to prepare detailed
budget having thorough details about total investment , list of activities involved in project,
individual fund requirement of each unit etc. A sample cash flow statement for Continental
Consulting Limited is mentioned below:
Total forecasted budget
Particular 2017-18(£)
Implementing technology cost 10000
Promotional expense 7000
Advertisement expense 5000
Catalogues 1500
Training charges 9500
Total cost 24000
Quality: In context to Continental Consulting social media could be significant factor to
develop customer and business relationship. However mere adoption of social media technology
is not enough to avail its benefits like building strong relations with clients, to increase sales etc.
For this it is requisite to add qualitative aspect that firm could attain by making its staff proficient
to use social media tools in communicating with their clients, advertising company's new
products/services to them, responding to their queries, taking feedbacks and sharing content.
Also it is essential for firm to consults professional having specialized knowledge about various
aspects of social media technology that firm could utilize to attain maximum profits (Du, Leten,
Vanhaverbeke, 2014).
Time: This constraint involves the approx time that installation of social media
technology in business model of Continental Consulting limited will take. For estimating total
time period firm could make use of Critical Path approach. This method will assist managers to
determine approx time utilized by each project related task and thereby set priorities for activities
that are subject to critical attention. In case to Continental Consulting Limited the project will
take estimated time of around 9 weeks.
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Risk: Any kind of new adoption or alteration introduced by company in its business
model is subject to some or the other type of risk. Thus, the new project of implementation of
social media technology is also subject to certain risks that are critical for Continental Consulting
Limited to identify and analysed before hand. This will help managers to prepare necessary
strategies in reference to probable issues that might arise during introduction phase. For instance
problem related to employee being resistance for adopting new technology, availability of
required funds for project etc.
P3 Work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart
Work Breakdown Structure : Work breakdown structure (WBS)could be explained as
hierarchical disintegration of work that is to be undertaken by the project team (Forsgren and
Johanson, 2014). It visually depicts outline of specific project defining various activities
involved and dividing its several phases, work packages and deliverables that assists managers
of Continental Consulting Limited to handle project teams and to delegate them work. Further
WBS will help top management to prepare budget, schedules, to identify project cost
performance, ascertaining issues, problems and risks areas associated with adoption of social
media technology and so on. In here company bifurcated project for implementing social medial
technology by establishing practical aims and objectives.
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Illustration 1: Breakdown Structure for Project Management, 2018
(Source: Breakdown Structure for Project Management, 2018)
Gantt Chart: Gantt Chart is a pictorial representation of tasks that are scheduled over
time on particular day. It is depicted through horizontal lines indicating project duration,
sequences of several tasks, start and ending dates etc. in context to Continental Consulting
Limited Gantt Chart helps managers plan, monitor and manage progress of project, performance
level, milestones and project status that is to be communicated to various stakeholders. The
managers in here make use of Critical Path method that reveals out time to be taken by each task
to be completed. It indicates earliest date by which project will be fulfilled. . It case of any delay
it assist managers to either automatically reschedule remaining tasks by monitoring their initial
duration or to reduce down time of other tasks so as to complete project within deadline.
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TASK 2
P4 Carrying of small scale research through application of qualitative and quantitative techniques
Quantitative Research: This research is a integrated way of gathering and analysing data
that is been obtained through various sources. It includes utilizing computational, statistical and
mathematical tools to obtain the desired outcome in numeric form such as in percentage, digits
etc. Continental Consulting Limited could evaluate effectiveness of various methods to conduct
qualitative research such as sampling, online polls, questionnaire, surveys etc. to determine
impact of social media technology on its business growth and innovation.
Qualitative Research: This research is a scientific techniques to observe people for
collecting non numeric data. This research requires expertise to analyse a particular event,
phenomenon or problem by exploring totality of given situation. This type of research is
produces descriptive data that researcher has to interpret by making using rigorous and
systematic methods of coding, transcribing and analysis of themes and trends. Although
undertaking this qualitative research is a time consuming and expensive however methods
adopted for data collection comes out to be most authentic and reliable one (Hillson,
2017).Various sources that could be determined company to obtain relevant information could be
through observation, focus group, interviews etc. This research could aid Continental Consulting
Limited to ascertain probable ways through which social media technology could impact growth
and innovation aspects of its business model.
Data Collection: For conducting research for analysing impact of social media
technology in its operations Continental Consulting Limited has adopted questionnaire method to
gather the relevant information and primary data. The sample size that has been considered by
researcher is of 50 respondents who are been selected through random sampling method and
includes both employees and customers.
Questionnaire
Name:
Gender:
Occupation:
Contact no.:
Email id:
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Q1) Are you aware about concept of social media technology and its various tools?
 Yes
 No
Q2) Do you think social media technology is a useful tool for a company to improve and
enhance its performance?
 Strongly Agree
 Agree
 Disagree
Q3) How do you wish to communicate a business relating to feedback or queries?
 Social Media
 Website/Live Chat
 Email
 1-800 Numbers
Q4) In your opinion does social media technology increases sales level by enhancing firm's
visibility and market position?
 Strongly Agree
 Agree
 Disagree
 Strongly Disagree
Q5) According to you what could be most effective social media tool that should be adopted by
Continental Consulting Limited for the purpose of growth and diversification?
 Facebook
 Instagram
 Twitter
Q6) Do you think the quality of customer service is higher when company embrace social
media in its business?
 Strongly Agree
 Agree
 Disagree
 Strongly Disagree
Q7) Do you think that social media influences buying behaviour of consumers ?
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 Strongly Agree
 Agree
 Disagree
 Strongly Disagree
Q8) What according to you will be the probable outcome to be received by Continental
Consulting Limited after introducing social media technology in its business?
 Optimal utilization of resources
 Improving overall performance
 Product/service customization
 Reaching larger target audience
Q9) According to you what could be the most prominent problem that Continental Consulting
Limited might encounter while adopting social media techniques?
 Resistance from employees
 Huge capital investment
 Time Constraint
Q10) Any recommendation or suggestions for Continental Consulting Limited in context to
implementation of social media technology in its business.
P5 Analysis research and data using appropriate tools and techniques
Research Design: It is a method or process that is utilized by researcher to collect and
study variables specified in a given research problem and to find out answers or solutions. There
are mainly three types of research design i.e. descriptive, experimental and exploratory. In
context to research undertaken by Continental Consulting Limited, descriptive research design
forms to be most suitable one (Jeston, 2014). It is because it involves in depth and detailed
examination of subject of study and will help in deriving accurate and authentic conclusion.
Research Philosophy: Interpretivism philosophy is been applied in context to research
for Continental Consulting Limited. This research philosophy take into consideration qualitative
research areas that enables researcher to find out most accurate and reliable outcome.
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