Business Impact: Equality, Diversity and Gender Pay Gap at M&S

This report examines the impact of equality and diversity on business performance, focusing on a case study of Mark and Spencer. The report begins with an introduction to the importance of equality and diversity in a globalized business environment, setting the aims and objectives of the study, and outlining the project management plan (PMP). The PMP includes detailed discussions on project scope, time, resources, and cost, along with communication strategies and risk assessment. The report also incorporates Gantt charts and work breakdown structures to visualize project timelines and task organization. The methodology section details the use of qualitative and quantitative research approaches, primary and secondary data collection methods, and sampling techniques. The report presents findings from a questionnaire, analyzing responses to questions about understanding equality, diversity, and the gender pay gap, with frequency distributions and interpretations. The analysis covers the causes and effects of the gender pay gap and explores strategies adopted by Mark and Spencer to address these issues. Finally, the report provides recommendations on how Mark and Spencer can improve its overall performance by addressing gender pay gaps and fostering a more inclusive workplace.

Effect Of Equality
And Diversity On
Business

Title:
“Effect of Equality and Diversity on business”. A case study on Mark and Spencer.
INTRODUCTION
Equality and diversity plays a vital role in growing the business globally. Business is able
to compete with rivalry prevailing in the open market place by introducing inclusive culture at
workplace. By recruiting skilled and capable employees from different geographical region,
diverse culture can be build easily in the global market . For completion of report, Mark and
Spencer is selected. In the year 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer came up with this
organization. This is a successful British international retailer which is placed in Westminster,
London. Organization is specialist in selling good quality grocery items, clothing and home
products. This assignment covers aims and objectives of the study. PMP is formulated so as to
better understand that all the resources are used efficiently. WBS and Gantt Chart is illustrated
briefly so that all the stages are accomplished timely. Various methods are examined so as to
carry out small-scale research for the project.
LO 1
P1)
Overview of Mark and Spencer
Mark and Spencer is a leading British retailer who is well- known among the people for
bringing high quality home appliances, great value good and clothing to millions of customers
across the globe. In 57 countries there are 1,400 stores who are working day and night to meet
the emerging needs of the client on priority level. Some of the financial services such as,
insurance, saving account, mortgages facility, current account, credit cards and many more are
provided by Mark and Spencer.
Aims:
“To understand the impact of gender pay gap on organization overall performance. A
case study on Mark and Spencer”.
Research Objectives:
 To study the understanding of gender pay gap in Mark and Spencer.
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 To understand the influence of gender pay gap on performance of Mark and Spencer .To
identify various ways to cut down employees turn-out ratio emerged because of gender
pay gap in Mark and Spencer.
 To determine the strategies that can be followed by Mark and Spencer to eliminate
negative impact of gender pay gap from workplace.
Research questions:
 Explain the definition of gender pay gap at workplace of Mark and Spencer?
 How gender pay gap influence the overall performance of Mark and Spencer in the
international market?
 What are the ways to reduce employees turn out ratio in Mark and Spencer that occurred
because of gender pay gap at work place.
 Which type of strategies is used by M&S to eliminate negative influence of gender pay
gap on staff members performance.
P2)
Project management:
Project management plan is explained as practice of involving planning, executing,
controlling and closing the task of a group so as to accomplish set standards on time. However,
project initiation, project planning, project execution, project monitoring and project closure are
the key stages of PMP. The numerous advantages of PMP are, it illustrates the plan briefly
establishes project scope, boundaries and deliverables, identify project stakeholders and project
management team and so on.
Initiation of the project and project planning phase:
Scope: The scope of the research work is wider because it is increasing the understanding
regarding the impact of gender pay gap at work place. The objective is to look into the raising
matter of gender pay gap which will help project manager to come up with effective strategies in
order to overcome challenges emerged because of them. The in-depth study on the topic will
help to raise business performance and in future it will help project manger to come up with
creative ideas in order to raise business performance in the intense competitive world.
Time: 60 days are needed by investigator to complete the project on time. Time plays a
significant role in accomplishing the research work appropriately.
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Resources: To accomplish the research work in the specified time duration project
manager requires various resources such as, human capital, laptops, capital, stationary items,
mobile phones and many more. All theses resources helps the project manger to gather in-depth
knowledge regarding the topic. By this meaningful conclusion can be drawn easily .
Cost: It is a monetary value that is invested by organisation in order to come up with
productive results. It is the backbone of every organization. Research activities like, training
expenses, travelling expenses, research and development expenses can be conducted properly
when there is sufficient amount of funds with them. Lack of finance restrict them from collecting
in-depth understanding regarding the topic. Monetary value can be collected from relatives,
friends, banks and other financial institutions in order to overcome deficiency of funds. Below is
the estimated cost which is required by the researcher in their findings.
Particulars Amount (£)
Travelling expenses 50
Research and development expenses 30
Training expenses 20
Total 100
Communication: Researcher is adopting written and oral communication method for the
completion of the research work effectively. By this relevant information and data are exchanged
among the team members and relevant conclusion is drawn from it. These communication
method has helped investigator to attain the set targets in the specified time frame.
Risk: Lack of time, resources and less interest of respondents towards answering the
question where the major risk factor which were faced by investigator while assembling the data.
Resources where limited in nature which restrict researcher to accomplish in-depth knowledge
regarding the topic.
Quality: The accumulated data and information are of high quality and authentic in
nature. This is because they are directly collected from respondents through face to face
interaction. As, the data is of high quality, researcher is able to provide authentic findings to their
readers in context of the research.
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P3)
Gantt Chart: It shows the relation between two different activities which has been
performed during the accomplishment of the project. Through this chart project manger is able to
identify those factors which are influencing different phase of the project. All the activities in
this bar chart explains the complete schedule of the plan.
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Work Break Down Structure: This helps in making the complex work more simpler in
nature. It cut down the complex task into smaller components so that employees can smoothly
accomplish it in the set set deadline. WBS provides the framework to the business which
includes cost estimation which assist in controlling and monitoring various function of the
structure (Northouse, 2017).
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6

LO 2
P4)
Qualitative approach: Researcher adopt this method in their findings because it focuses
more on quality rather than quantity. By this investigator is able to provide readers with high
quality findings for the topic. In this approach there is no use of diagram and pie chart it only
focuses on quality of the work.
Quantitative approach: In this approach there is more issue of mathematical figures and
pie diagrams in the research work. By this reader can easily capture the data and information
from the findings. It consumes less time in understanding the information because through
images and statistical figure information can be captured easily.
Primary data collection method: The information gathered from this method is
authentic and fresh because the information is directly collected from the respondents. It is more
time consuming as compare to secondary data collection method. Questionnaire, surveys etc. are
examples of primary data collection method.
Secondary data collection method: Books, articles, newspapers are the various origin
by that information can be assembled easily for the findings. It is cost effective in nature as well
as time saving. This is because information is easily gathered from the secondary sources.
Mark and Spencer adopts both primary data collection method in order to assemble
authentic data and information about the research topic. This is because it provide in-depth
understanding regarding the topic (O’SULLIVAN1a and KEARNEY, 2018).
Sampling: There are two types of sampling, probability and non-probability sampling.
Probability sampling is the procedure where a sample is selected from large population based on
the theory of probability. While, non-probability sampling where odd members are chosen for a
sample and can not be calculated. Here, probability sampling is used.
Research ethics: It is a code of conduct to the reporting, collection, publications and
analysis of information regarding research work.
Research reliability and Validity: It is used to examine the quality of research. By this
investigator is able to provide good quality research work top the readers in proper manner. This
help in binding readers for the findings over the years. A sample size of 50 answerer are chosen
(Pleasant, 2017).
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Questionnaire:
Qualitative questions
Q1) Do you have understanding about equality and diversity in the working premises?
a) yes
b) No
Q2) Do you have understanding regarding gender pay gap?
a) Yes
b) No
Q3) What are the causes of gender pay gap among staff members in Mark and Spencer?
a) Education
b) Work experience
c) Size of the firm
Q4) Is it important to introduce equality and diversity at the work place of Mark and
Spencer?
a) It is important
b) It is not important
c) Depending upon businesses
Q5) How gender pay gap in Mark and Spencer affect the business performance?
a) Reduces productivity
b) Raises employee turn out ratio
c) Uplift conflict
Q6) Mention various strategies adopted by Mark and Spencer to eliminate negative
influence of gender pay gap?
a) Include women in recruitment promotion activities
b) Adopt skill based assessment task in hiring
c) Show salary ranges
Quantitative questions
Q7) What type of benefits are gained by Mark and Spencer by building equality and
diversity at work place?
a) Objectives accomplished
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b) Profit maximization
Q8) How Mark and Spencer can get rid of Gender pay Gap?
a) Make salary public
b) Restrict employees from discussing salary
Q9) What challenges are faced by Mark and Spencer by introducing diverse culture in
the working premises?
a) Language barriers
b) Raises social tension
Q10) Provide appropriate recommendation to Mark and Spencer regarding how gender
pay gap impact their overall performance?
LO 3
P5)
The tools and techniques adopted are illustrated as under:
Theme 1: Aware about equality and diversity in the working premises.
Q1) Explain the definition of gender pay gap at workplace of Mark
and Spencer?
Frequency
a) Yes 35
b) No 15
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a) I am aware b) I am not aware
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35 35
15 Frequency
Interpretation: The image summerized that from the sampling size of 50 answerer 35
people are stating that yes they have understanding for equality and diversity at workplace.
While remaining, 15 people are mentioning that they do not have understanding for it.
Theme 2: Understanding regarding gender pay gap
Q2) Are you aware about gender pay gap? Frequency
a) Yes 22
b) No 28
10