M&S Case Study: Equality and Diversity Challenges in the Workplace

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of equality and diversity in the workplace, using Marks & Spencer as a case study. The report begins with an introduction that outlines the importance of equality and diversity for organizational success. It then defines the aims and objectives of the project, including a review of the company's overview, aims, research objectives, and research questions. The report includes a detailed project management plan, including cost analysis, scope, timeframes, quality control, resource allocation, and risk assessment. A Gantt chart and work breakdown structure are formulated to visualize project activities and timelines. Primary and secondary research methods are employed to gather data, including qualitative and quantitative approaches. The report uses a questionnaire to collect primary data from 40 respondents, and the data is explained using suitable tools and techniques. Finally, the report provides meaningful recommendations based on the data interpretation, offering insights into how to address the challenges and promote equality and diversity within Marks & Spencer. The report concludes with reflections on the project's objectives and self-learning.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
TOPIC:.............................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1) Prepare aims and objective of the project .......................................................................1
P2) Project management plan.................................................................................................2
P3) Formulate Gantt Chart and Work Break Down Structure...............................................4
..........................................................................................................................................................6
..........................................................................................................................................................6
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................6
P4) With the help of primary and secondary method conduct small scale research for
achieving project aims and objectives....................................................................................6
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................9
P5) Explain assembled data by using suitable tools and techniques......................................9
P6) Provide meaningful recommendation for the above data interpretation........................18
LO 4 ..............................................................................................................................................18
P7) Reflection on the project to accomplish stated objectives and self learning ................18
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................20

TOPIC:
“What issues and challenges may arise out of equality and diversity in the workplace and
what measures could be taken to resolve them”. A case study on Marks and Spencer.
INTRODUCTION
In an organization building equity and diversity is very essential in order to sustain in cut
throat competitive world (Ackermann and Winston, 2019). Top level management of the
company is framing strategies in order to successfully implement diverse culture in their working
premises without opposition from existing staff members. In the global market those enterprise is
able to compete with rivalry who have employees from various geographical areas in their
premises. Equality and diversity is the success ladder of the firm as well as assist in meeting set
goals and objectives in open market place. For this project Mark and Spencer is selected in order
to complete the task in the set deadline. McLeod and Partners provide numerous types of
research report to their client company that is M&S. Mark and Spencer is a leading retailer
company serving it's goods and services across the globe. It's headquarter is in Westminster,
London. Steve Rowe is the CEO of this multinational company. This assignment covers aims
and objectives of the project. Project management plan is prepared by covering scope, quality,
communication, cost, risk and so on. Best tools and techniques are used in order to explain the
gathered data (Aiyer and Das, 2018).
LO 1
P1) Prepare aims and objective of the project
Overview of the company:
Steve Rowe is the CEO of Mark and Spencer which is a leading retailer company
serving it's goods and services across the globe. It's headquarter is in Westminster, London.
Steve Rowe is the CEO of this multinational company. Both workers and staff members are
working day and night to meet the set goals and objectives in the set deadline. M&S is well
known among the public because they are providing high standard home products, food products
and clothing. Continuous research and development activities are conducted to come up with
innovative idea in the neck to neck competitive world (Bell and Harrison, 2018).
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AIMS:
“To determine the issues and challenges emerged due to implementation of equality and
diversity in workplace and to investigate numerous ways to solve them”. A case study on Marks
and Spencer.
Research Objectives:
 To study the root cause of issues and challenges emerged due to implementation of
equality and diversity in Marks and Spencer.
 To understand the ways through which problems associated with building equality and
diversity in workplace can be resolved.
 To evaluate the limitations of implementing diversity in working premises.
 To determine the benefits of building equality and diversity in Marks and Spencer.
Research questions:
 What is the root cause of issues and challenges emerged due to implementation of
equality and diversity in Marks and Spencer?
 State the distinguish ways through which problems associated with building equality and
diversity in workplace can be resolved?
 Mention few limitations associated with equality and diversity by executing them in
Marks and Spencer working premises?
 Which type of benefits is received by Marks and Spencer by introducing equality and
diversity in working environment.
P2) Project management plan
Project management plan – This is a written project or plan which is prepared by
researcher in order to complete the assigned project. Project is decided by management who
wants to improve their performance in order to remove the issues which are related to equality
and diversity. In other words, project management plans is all about keeping a project on track
and dealing properly with hiccups within organisation (Bryson, 2017). In Mark and Spencer
number of employees are working who understand the problems of organisation and make
efforts to accomplish the business objectives. The research of organisation has decided to prepare
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a project plan in order to know the effectiveness of employees towards equality and diversity
challenges. It involves different factors that are as discussed:
Cost – It refers as cost which is bear by organisation in order to conduct a research for a
specified topics. When ever any researcher research the information then there is need to funds to
conduct this. In other words, cost is the value of project in the form of money that should be
provided by management in order to improve their work performance. For instance, Mark and
Spencer is conducting the research to know the effect of equality and diversity that crates cost
such as:
Task to perform Cost/ expenditure
Research methodology 15000
Development strategy 5000
Travelling expenses 10000
Researcher cost 15000
Miscellaneous expenses 10000
TOTAL 55000
Scope – This refers as overall performance of organisation which is performing by
management and employees (Hillson and Murray-Webster, 2017). The scope of such project is
wide as it can help to attract the employees and suggest them right way to complete the targets.
Research helps to growing the industry by implementing the plans appropriately. Such as the
scope of research in context to Mark and Spencer is wide that consider various information and
helps to accomplish business goals.
Time – This states duration and time period for completing the project effectively. Hence
in context to project of Mark and Spencer, researcher takes 4 months to know the effect of
equality and diversity on workforce.
Quality – This contains quality of project plan which is prepared by management to
improve the work performance. Hence, in relation to this project research, investigator involves
accurate and relevant data that helps to make positive response from employees and improve
work performance.
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Resources – It contains resources which are sued to complete the research within
sufficient time (Johnson, 2019). For instance, researcher are require skilled workers, capital,
labours, marketers and land to complete the research as per management.
Communication – In context to this report or project, researcher need to communicate
with all for collecting information and complete targets. This factor helps to reduce the conflicts
which arises within organisation and improve the performance.
Risk – Researchers in context to this project, undergoes through various difficulties in
order to prepare project management plan. It helps to analysis which factor can be challenge for
complete the project. Thus, they provides roles and responsibilities according to employee's
potential for the purpose of implementing plan successfully (Kassel, 2017).
P3) Formulate Gantt Chart and Work Break Down Structure
Gantt Chart: It refers as project management tool that is used to define the activities
against time period. Such chart is given by Henry Gantt who provides a time frame for a project.
This is useful for business organisation to define the business activities and shows through a
chart that helps to complete effectively. The list of business activities are displayed on the left
side of Gantt chat with suitable time to complete the project. In this chart different information
are covers such as start date, duration and end date of activity which helps to define the work
competition period (Martinsuo and Hoverfält, 2018).
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Work breakdown Structure – This is an appropriate structure which is used by
management to breakdown a particular project in to smaller activities. Mainly this structure is
used to allocate the work between different activities that helps to accomplish the business goals.
By using this company can manage their huge projects by classifying in to manageable sections.
This is influencing structure that helps management to decide the goals and divide activities in
order to accomplish the objectives (Nicholas and Steyn, 2017). The each section of project
determined in to separate projects and efforts are done by employees to complete them. The
work is classified in to hierarchy form where people can coordinate with each in order to share
problems and get suggestions to complete their targets.
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LO 2
P4) With the help of primary and secondary method conduct small scale research for achieving
project aims and objectives.
Qualitative approach: It is the best and scientific way of gathering non-mathematical
data. Qualitative approach is more useful in nature as it concentrate more on depth and quality of
the research work instead of numbers. Researcher is able to provide authentic and correct
information to the readers as they are focusing more on quality work. Moreover, it is easy to
understand as there is no use of numerical figure in them (Pidun, 2019.).
Quantitative approach: Here, pools, surveys and questionnaire are used effectively in
order to gather data. Quantitative approach is complex in nature as compare to qualitative
approach because it involves more of statistical data by using computational techniques. In this
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case also, correct and relevant data is provide to the readers with the help of diagrams, pie chart,
mathematical numbers in their findings. As outcomes of the research activity is demonstrated in
statistical manner it is easy to understand provided data.
Mark and Spencer is using both qualitative and quantitative approach for their findings
because they are working on quality and statistical figures in their work. By this investigator is
able to bind loyal and trustworthy clients for longer time duration as they provide high standard
quality work (Polonsky and Waller, 2018).
Primary data collection method: The information gathered from this method is fresh in
nature. Here, in primary data collection method involves field observation, surveys, interviews
and so on. This particular method is used by researcher in order to address certain issues that
need in-depth understanding. It provide wider knowledge about the project topic to the readers
which is a positive mark for the researcher in open market place. For this huge cost is incurred.
Secondary data collection method: Newspaper, Journals, articles, diaries, transcripts
etc. are the sources of secondary data collection method. For researcher it is the best and easy
way to assemble relevant and reliable information for the project. This particular method requires
less time and cost as compare to primary data collection method. On the other hand the
information and data accumulated from this distinguish sources are already used by many
investigator in their research project so it is not fresh and new.
Primary data collection method is used by Mark and Spencer as they provide fresh
information to the candidate regarding the project. It helps the reader to gain correct information
for the topic. 40 respondents are taken as the sample size (Polonsky and Waller, 2018).
Questionnaire:
Quatitive approach:
Q1) Do you have understanding regarding equality and diversity in working premises?
a) I have understanding
b) I don't have understanding
Q2) According to you is it mandatory to build equality and diversity in Marks and Spencer
working premises?
a) It is mandatory
b) It is not mandatory
Q3) For Marks and Spencer is it easy and smooth to build equality and diversity at their
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workplace?
a) Easy
b) Not easy
Q4) State some issues and challenges faced by Marks and Spencer by introducing equality and
diversity in working premises?
a) Sexual orientation
b) Bullying
c) Generation gap
Q5 ) What are the reason that M&S employees are opposing equality and diversity in their
workplace?
a) Conflict
b) Language issue
c) Change in working style
Q6) Mention some of the creative ways through which issues and challenges emerged due to
equality and diversity can be resolved in the workplace?
a) Celebrate diversity at workplace
b) Ascertain root cause of problems
c) Conduct training sessions for diversity
Q7) How diversity affect working criteria of employees Marks and Spencer?
a) Positive manner
b) Negative manner
Qualitative approach:
Q8) Which are the numerous ways by which M&S can easily handle diverse workforce?
Q9) How equality and diversity aid M&S to gain competitive advantages against rivalry?
Q10) How by building equality and diversity in working area helps M&S to accomplish set
standards in the near future?
Q11) Suggest valuable recommendations regarding how issues and challenges raised from
equality and diversity in the workplace can be resolved?
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LO 3
P5) Explain assembled data by using suitable tools and techniques
The accumulated data gathered are illustrated below:
Theme1: Understanding regarding equality and diversity in working premises
Q1) Do you have understanding regarding equality and diversity in
working premises?
Frequency
a) I have understanding 25
b) I don't have understanding 15
25
15
a) I have understanding
b) I don't have understanding
Interpretation: From the above it can be summarized that from the sample size of 40
respondents 25 people said that they have understanding regarding equality and diversity in
working premises. Whereas, remaining 15 communicator agreed that they do not have
understanding regarding equality and diversity.
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