John Lewis Case Study: Diversity and Inclusion Workforce Strategies

This report presents a case study on John Lewis, examining the company's strategies and initiatives for building a diverse and inclusive workforce. The report outlines the aims and objectives, emphasizing the importance of diversity for competitive advantage. A project management plan (PMP) is developed, including time, quality, cost, risk, communication, scope, and resource considerations. Gantt charts and Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) are used to visually represent the project's activities. The research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods, using questionnaires and sampling techniques to gather data. The analysis includes primary and secondary data collection, with findings presented through charts and interpretations. The report critically studies the project management process and research methodologies, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. The study concludes with an examination of research data using suitable tools and techniques, providing insights into employee understanding, effectiveness, and challenges related to diversity and inclusion within John Lewis. The report offers valuable insights into how organizations can foster a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Managing Successful
Business Project

TITLE:
“What types of strategies and initiatives do companies put in place to build a diverse and
inclusive workforce”. A case study on John Lewis.
INTRODUCTION
In competitive world it is important to build diverse and inclusive workforce to gain
competitive advantages against competitors. In order to run the business smoothly management
of the business administration formulate tactics by scanning the external environment (Albino
and Dangelico, 2015). By bringing diverse culture in the working environment best and
productive outcomes can be attained which is a positive mark for company. In current market
scenario every small and big organization are coming up with diverse culture in their premises in
order to retain for long time duration. John Lewis is selected for this assignment which is a
department stores operating in UK. It is suited in London and provide various subsidiaries like,
John lewis properties plc, Waitrose limited and so on. This report covers, aims and objective of
the project. Along with this PMP is prepared so that productive results can be achieved in the set
time frame. To determine the results for the findings suitable tools and techniques are used.
Gantt Chart and WBS is deeply studied in order to simply complex task into smaller component.
P1) Prepare aims and objectives
Aims:
“ To determine the distinguish ways by which organization can build a diverse and
inclusive workforce in an enterprise”. A case study on John Lewis
Objectives:
1. To understand the concept of diversity and inclusive workforce in an organization.
2. To measures the numerous ways by which diversity and inclusive workforce can be
build in John Lewis.
3. To examine the importance of building diversity and inclusive workforce in a company.
4. To study why it is essential to build diversity and inclusive workforce in working
premises.
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P2) By including, scope, size, communication, time, quality, cost and resources prepare project
management plan.
Project management plan refers to as explaining every phase of project from planning,
executing, controlling, monitoring, executing and closing (Bouncken and Reuschl, 2018). It
serves as a tool in order to keep everyone connected with the project on track and guiding them
to focus on the same information. The project management plan (PMP) is explained as beneath:
Time: The total time required for completion of activities in the research is 59 days.
Time is the most precious element which need to be valued accordingly.
Quality: It is important to take care of quality about information which is collected
through different sources. Quality is important because this information will be collected through
primary and secondary information. There are different components which has to be considered
through which reader get authentic and relevant manner.
Cost: in order to determine the cost which will incur in completing of the research, a
budget has been prepared of amount concluded ($)16000 and the amount required for the
researcher is ($)19000.
Total Forecasted Budget
Particulars Amount ($)
Cost of advertising 8000
Technical Cost 6000
Other Expenses 5000
Total Cost 19000
Risk: It consists of certain barriers that arise while conducting a research and it affects
the research quality (Byrd and Scott, 2018). The risk which had arisen while conducting this
research is lack of time period which is resolved by doing overtime.
Communication: There are number of communication channel which will be used by
John Lewis such as conferencing, group meeting, mails etc. The researcher may use social
media apps, messages, video calls etc.
Scope: The scope of this research is to acquire information about HR policies which will
assist in performing operations at international level. There is requirement of complete
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information which is relevant for understanding changes. When this investigation will be
completed in effective manner., then it is easy to make it as base for future study.
Resource: There is requirement of some resources which assist in completing
investigation such as internet connection, newspaper, books, etc. Apart from this there is
requirement of membership card in library as well, so all these components require funds for
completing this investigation in better manner. (Crane and Spence 2019).
P3) Explain Gantt Chart and Work Break Down Structure
Gantt Chart: This is a graphical presentation of activities which are concerned in the
investigation. Gantt Chart supports an administration in order to make effective plan,
coordinating and tracking the task in order to get the task completed as per the schedule. The
Gantt chart for this project is stated below:
Work Break Down Structure: It is a tool which support in showing relationship
between several activities of the project (Dobbin, 2016) . This particular structure assist John
Lewis in making certain modifications within it's policies and procedures so as to uplift
profitability of the organization in intense competitive world.
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M1) Design a project management plan, milestone schedule and project schedule for monitoring
and full-filling aims and objectives.
In project management plan there has been taken two different milestone which are
research methodology and data collection. Research methodology is completed within 15 days
and data collection is accomplished within 12 days.
P4) Conduct small scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research method.
Qualitative approach: Research in their project use this approach in John Lewis as it
focus more on quality (Eweje and Sakaki, 2015). The gathered data and information is of high
quality standards which provide productive results. It is easy to use in the findings as there is no
use of mathematical figures in it.
Quantitative approach: It is more complex in nature as compare to qualitative
approach. As in researcher report there is more use of graph, numerical figures, bar graphs,
diagrams and so on. This make the report more attractive in nature and pull large number of
customers towards the findings. Moreover, it is convenient for reader to grab the information
easily from diagrams and mathematical figures.
John Lewis is using both the approaches in their findings in order to attain quality
outcomes. Qualitative and quantitative approach is used in the report so that set bench mark can
be meet in the set time frame.
Sampling method: It is widely used in statistical analysis in order to predetermine the
number of observations taken from large population. There are two types of sampling probability
and non-p probability sampling. In probability sampling candidate is chosen by random
selection. While in non- probability sampling all the nominee are not given equal chance of
being selected. For the given questionnaire sample size of 60 respondents are taken (Galea and
Chappell, 2015).
Questionnaire:
Quantitative questions:
Q1) Do you have understanding regarding diversity and inclusive workforce in John
Lewis?
a) Yes
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b) No
Q2) Will it be effective for John Lewis to build diversity and inclusive workforce in their
working premises?
a) Agreed
b) Dis-agreed
Q3) Do you think diversity and inclusive workforce influence overall performance of John
Lewis employees?
a) It affect
b) Does not affect
Q4) What positive results will John Lewis receive by building diversity and inclusive
workforce in their working premise?
a) Gain competitive advantages
b) More innovation
c) Raises market value
Q5) Mention some of the challenges emerged while executing diversity and inclusive
workforce in John Lewis working premises?
a) Acceptance from staffs
b)Generation gap
c) language and communication
Q6) How issues occurred by building diversity and inclusive workforce in John Lewis can
be overcome?
a) Celebrate employee differences
b) Form an inclusion council
c) Educate leaders
Q7) How conflict emerged from culture diversity can be resolved?
a) Find root of the problem
b) Listen both parties
c) Find common solution
Qualitative questions:
Q8) What are the drawbacks faced by John Lewis of not building diversity and inclusive
workforce?
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Q9) How to mange diversity and inclusive workforce in working premises of John Lewis?
Q10) How diversity and equality affect the smooth functioning of in global market?
Q11) Provide appropriate suggestion to John Lewis regarding building diverse and
inclusive workforce in an enterprise?
M2) Examine the accuracy and reliability of various method used.
Primary data collection method: In this researcher gather information from survey,
sample size etc. the accumulated information is fresh and is not used by any investigator in their
findings. It provide quality and authentic results to the readers in order to bind them with their
findings for longer time duration.
Secondary data collection method: Investigator assemble data from articles, journals,
newspaper and so on. The collected data from this method is not fresh in nature and is used by
many investigator in their findings. There are less chances to get reliable and feasible outcomes
for the study.
John Lewis adopts primary data collection method so as to assemble authentic data from
external source. By doing so emerging needs and wants of the customers are meet as well as
loyal customers are build for the study over the years.
D1) Critically study project management process and appropriate research methodologies
applied.
Project initiation: Here, all the resources gathered and mode of communication is
selected before project initiation so that chances of error can be reduced.
Planning: On a piece of paper all the activities from day one till completion is
mentioned. By scanning external environment effective planning of activities is done for better
results on the topic.
Implementation: The farmed activities are executed in this step and accordingly time
duration is designed so that they can be accomplished accordingly.
Monitoring and conclusion: In this all the activities are monitored properly on daily
basis so that best outcomes can be attained.
Advantages of Primary research method
1. Data gathered is fresh and is not used by any other researcher in their findings.
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2. Outcomes obtained is more authentic and reliable in nature.
3. Competitive advantages is gained
Disadvantages of Primary research method
1. Consume lot of time
2. Sufficient amount of finance is required to conduct primary research.
3. Difficult to arrange gathered information in proper sequence for correct results.
Advantages of secondary research method
1. Saves time and money to a large extent
2. Data can be gathered easily with minimum resources
Dis-advantages of secondary research method
1. Chances of wrong data interpretation of data is more as many investigator has used them
earlier.
2. Customers needs may not satisfied as per their acceptations
P5) Examine research and data by using suitable tools and techniques.
There are numerous tools and techniques of research that will be applied by investigator
so as to gather data regrading the study. Here, primary and secondary methods of data collection
will be applied by investigator in order to attain best results. For assembling primary data
questionnaire will be utilized in order to collect reliable and authentic information for the topic.
Whereas, to assemble secondary data, articles, books, journals, magazines and so on. All these
are regarded as the most essential part of data collection.
Theme1: Understanding regarding diversity and inclusive workforce in John Lewis.
Q1) Do you have understanding regarding diversity and inclusive
workforce in John Lewis?
Frequency
a) Yes 35
b) No 25
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35
25
a) Yes
b) No
Interpretation: From the above it can be concluded that from the sample size of 60
respondents 35 communicator replied that yes they have understanding regarding the concept of
diversity and inclusive workforce in John Lewis. While, the rest 25 answerer said that they are
not well aware about the phenomena of diversity and inclusive workforce.
Theme 2: To build diversity and inclusive workforce in their working premises will be
effective.
Q2) Will it be effective for John Lewis to build diversity and
inclusive workforce in their working premises?
Frequency
a) Agreed 27
b) Dis-agreed 33
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27
33
a) Agreed
b) Dis-agreed
Interpretation: The above mentioned diagram provide conclusion that from the sample
size of 60 responsive only 27 people agreed that it be effective for John Lewis to build diversity
and inclusive workforce in their working premises. And the left over 33 person dis-agreed that
by building diversity and inclusive workforce best outcomes can be achieved (Hunt and Prince,
2015).
Theme 3: Diversity and inclusive workforce influence overall performance of John Lewis
employees
Q3) Do you think diversity and inclusive workforce influence
overall performance of John Lewis employees?
Frequency
a) It affect 40
b) Does not affect 20
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