Investigating Ethical Impact of Globalization on Business Functions

This project report investigates the ethical impact of globalization on business functions, specifically focusing on marketing and HR within the context of the ASDA company. The research begins with an introduction outlining the aims, objectives, project management plan, and rationale for the study. A comprehensive literature review explores the concept of globalization, its positive ethical impacts on marketing and HR, and the ethical challenges faced by companies in a globalized environment. The methodology section details the research methods employed, followed by the presentation of results, discussion, and analysis. The report concludes with recommendations and a reflective summary, along with references and appendices including a questionnaire, project logbook, and performance review. The project aims to understand globalization, examine its ethical impacts on marketing and HR, identify ethical challenges, and recommend measures for managing these issues within ASDA, providing valuable insights into the ethical considerations of global business operations.

COMPLETING A
BUSINESS RESEARCH
PROJECT

ABSTRACT
The present report has been executed with the aim of finding the ethical impact of
globalization on the business functions. Globalization refers to as the process of doing business
at the international level beyond the geographical boundaries of the different countries.
Therefore it is very necessary that at time of international trade there is presence of ethics and
norms. Ethics refers to as the principles which guides the behaviour of person as what is right
and what is wrong at time of doing business at international level. When two countries trade with
one another there are many differences relating to the different cultures, languages, difference in
taste and preferences of the consumers and many others. Therefore, it is essential that these
aspect are not hampered and the business takes care of the sentiments of the other people. For
this firstly an aim and some relating objective are made. Then with help of literature review
some knowledge and understanding relating to the concepts is enhanced. After that the research
methodology outlines the methods and approaches used for completing the research. In end the
collected data is analysed and some conclusion are drawn from it.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Research background...................................................................................................................1
Aims and objectives.....................................................................................................................1
Project management plan.............................................................................................................2
Gantt chart....................................................................................................................................2
Rationale......................................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................6
RESULTS........................................................................................................................................8
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS.................................................................................................15
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.............................................................................15
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................15
Recommendations......................................................................................................................15
REFLECTIVE SUMMARY..........................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................19
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................19
Project logbook..........................................................................................................................21
Performance review...................................................................................................................23

Topic - To investigate the ethical impact of globalisation on business function such as
marketings and HR function -A study on retailing sector.
INTRODUCTION
Research background
Globalization refers to as system wherein all the companies trades with the one another
beyond the geographical boundaries of different countries. In this modern era to stay at a
competitive position it is very necessary for the companies to trade at global level. It is very
essential for the company to trade at the global level to be at a profitable business (Budhwar and
Mellahi, 2016). But it is not just not enough to trade at the global level but it is essential to trade
in an ethical way so that the ethics and moral values are not harmed of the another country where
the company trades. The present study is based on company ASDA. It is a British supermarket
which is headquartered in Leeds in West of Yorkshire. This organization was founded in the year
1949 by Peter and Sir Noel Stockdale and Fred Asquith. It deals in mainly supermarkets,
groceries, merchandising, Asda money, Asda mobile and many other types.
Aims and objectives
Aim
“To examine the positive ethical impact of globalisation on marketing and HR function
of organization -A study on ASDA company.”
Objectives
 To understand the concept of globalization.
 To examine the positive ethical impact of globalization on marketing and HR function.
 To identify ethical challenges faced by company when managing marketing and HR
function at global level.
 To recommend measures to manage ethical issues by ASDA at time of managing
marketing and HR function at time of global business.
Research Question
1. What do you understand by globalization?
2. What are the positive ethical impact of globalization on HR and marketing function?
3. What are the different ethical challenges faced by company at time of managing its
business at global level?
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4. What are some measures through which the company can manage its ethical issues
relating to marketing and HR function?
Project management plan
It is a systematic document outlining the whole plan or the steps which will be followed
at time of completing any research. It outlines the fact that how any project will be initiated,
executed, monitored and controlled in order to meet the objectives of the project. It is also
defined as a brief summary of the whole project which discusses about the cost involved,
resources used time taken and related aspects.
Cost- it involves the money which is required to carry on the project and to finish it. The
estimated cost of completing this project is £50.
Resources- it refers as to materials and things which are helpful in carrying on the project
and accomplishing it successfully. The resources required to carry on the project are many. Some
of them are like computers, stationery, internet access, different books and journals.
Scope- the scope of this research is that it can be used for corporate use like other similar
companies can also use this research for their analysis. Another scope is that it can be used by
other academicians if they conduct same research.
Quality- the research must be conducted by maintaining the quality of work. It means
that the all the work done must be done with ethical consideration.
Communication- this ensures that all the results which have been outlined with the
research completion must be communicated in clear and understandable manner.
Risk- there are various types of risk involved while completing the research project like
the data might be obsolete, there might be changes in the environment and many other.
Time- the time taken to conduct this research is around 49 days which is divided in the
Gantt chart below.
Gantt chart
It is defined as the horizontal bar charts which are produced in order to provide a
graphical presentation of the whole time frame of the project that is the time from the project is
initiated till the time the project is finally submitted.
Task Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Auto
Scheduled Initiation 5 days? Tue 03-09-19 Mon 09-09-19
2

Auto
Scheduled Selecting the topic 1 day Tue 03-09-19 Tue 03-09-19
Auto
Scheduled
Preparing aim and
objectives 3 days Wed 04-09-19 Fri 06-09-19 2
Auto
Scheduled Literature Review 1 day? Mon 09-09-19 Mon 09-09-19 3
Auto
Scheduled Planning 22 days Tue 10-09-19 Wed 09-10-19
Auto
Scheduled
Using Research
methods 3 days Tue 10-09-19 Thu 12-09-19 3,4
Auto
Scheduled Collecting data 12 days Fri 13-09-19 Mon 30-09-19 6
Auto
Scheduled
Using primary and
secondary sources 7 days Tue 01-10-19 Wed 09-10-19 7
Auto
Scheduled Implementation 15 days Thu 10-10-19 Wed 30-10-19
Auto
Scheduled Analysing the data 9 days Thu 10-10-19 Tue 22-10-19 7,8
Auto
Scheduled
Interpreting the
analysed results 6 days Wed 23-10-19 Wed 30-10-19 10
Auto
Scheduled Monitoring 6 days Thu 31-10-19 Thu 07-11-19
Auto
Scheduled
Concluding and
recommending the
stated results
2 days Thu 31-10-19 Fri 01-11-19 10,11
Auto
Scheduled Reflection 4 days Mon 04-11-19 Thu 07-11-19 3,4,11,13
Auto
Scheduled Final closure 1 day? Fri 08-11-19 Fri 08-11-19
Auto
Scheduled End of project 1 day? Fri 08-11-19 Fri 08-11-19 14
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Rationale
the major reason underlying the selection of globalization as the topic is that in this
modern and competitive era it is very necessary to be in a competitive position for being
profitable. As there is trade being done in between different countries so there can arise some
ethical and moral issues which might hurt the dignity of the country. Therefore, it is necessary to
understand the ethical impact of the globalization which will be made on the country with whom
trade is carried on. Another reason for carrying on this the research is the academic interest of the
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researcher. Also there is a personal interest of the researcher that the researcher wants to know
about the impact of the ethics on the globalization.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theme 1: Concept of globalization
According to Collings, Wood and Szamosi (2018) the process of globalisation bring the
positive aspect to company in respect of expanding their business into different countries. The
factors which enhances the concept of globalisation is relating to innovative technology. As due
to faster technology, it helps business to reach at larger scale and also offshore business activities
to different countries to gain more profits.
Sparrow, Brewster and Chung (2016) argued that by choosing the innovative technology
resulting in bringing more competitors in market. As most of the companies want to expand their
business into different countries and for that they are preferring the offshore business. To face
competitors, companies spending huge of their saving in upgrading their system which result in
facing huge expenses .
Nankervis and et.al., (2016) suggested that due to the concept of globalisation it result in
considering the culture and employment opportunities in emerging country. As people are
getting more chances to improve their living standards and also the employees working in
premises are knowing the culture of other countries in respect of expanding their business.
Syed and Kramar (2017) criticized that people gets attracted if they didn't find any
discrimination of employees in respect of caste, culture and sex. In respect of expanding
business, the discrimination arises as company prefer the most potential employees in their
premises. This results in reflecting the discrimination of the employees in work premises.
Theme 2: Positive ethical impact of globalization on marketing and HR function
As per Budhwar and Mellahi (2016), the positive ethical impact of globalisation in
respect of marketing is in respective of communication. As in the procedure of marketing,
communication is must which is to be committed between marketing department and customers
regarding such products and services. As authentic language is used at the time of
communicating with other persons.
On the contradictory to Newman and et.al., (2016) communication is one of the biggest
factors which is to be undertaken by every company. As due to not appointing the skilled person
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to handle the issue which is raised by customer regarding the availability of such products. It
results in distracting the interest of customer and also reflect lack of communication gap.
Crane and et.al., (2019) interviewed that the positive impact in respect of HR function
relating to ethical norms are in respect of culture. As employees working in premises or dealing
with other person had to maintain ethical norms at the time of appointing them to work in
premises or interacting with them. In the global world it reflect the positive impact of the
company and also raise their productivity through engaging in different areas. For e.g. In ASDA
ethical norms in context of globalisation reflect the wider ways in understanding the importance
of employee’s culture and their languages used in communicating with other team members.
Mehralian and et.al., (2016) argued that culture sometimes reflect the company working
criteria and also if there is any social networking process. As HR fails in performing their
activities by maintaining the values and norms in respect of treating every employees equally.
The capability is judged by their caste and culture which reflect the company position in market.
In global market, there are various culture background people thus, it reflect the working criteria
of the company to enter into global market.
Theme 3: Ethical challenges faced by company when managing marketing and HR function
at global level
Rotich (2015) stated that the challenges faced by company in managing the marketing
and HR department are in respective of confidential information. As company integrity depends
upon the the security of the data and thus the employees and offshore company had to maintain
such ethical norms to engages or expand business in different countries.
Bratton and Gold (2017) examined that changes are to be interpreted in respect of
bringing new laws or new technology in company. Thus, this is the ethical norms which are
bound on all employees to behave ethically in the society. In respect of bringing more
confidential information it distract the loyalty of employees and also trust issue arises in work
premises.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
It is the strategy or plan which is used by researcher in identifying various facts and
figure which helps in getting the accurate results. It includes the following methods such as:
Research Types: It is the method which is chosen by researcher in respect of determining
the results in more logical manners. It includes two types of methods such as Quantitative
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methods and Qualitative methods. Thus, by reviewing the importance of this method, researcher
had applied the Qualitative methods to gather information by raising questionnaires (Kumar,
2019). By preferring this methods, it results in bringing more information regarding to the
company working and also helps researcher in examining the facts and employees working in the
ASDA company. The main reason of choosing Qualitative method is that authentic information
is to be gathered and also the employees of the company share their working strategy to enter
into global world.
Research Approach: It includes proper planning and procedure which is used by the
researcher in respect of collecting the authentic information. It covers under two types of
methods such as inductive and deductive approach. By viewing the types of research which is
chosen as Qualitative, for this inductive approach had been applied by researcher to gather
information from internal sources (Mackey and Gass, 2015). In this research report, to gather
information from internal sources, questionnaire technique is used to interpret and gather
information from internal sources.
Research Philosophies: It this, various ideas, thoughts, expression which is used to
determined more facts and information relevant to the research topic. In this method, it includes
positivism and interpretivism method. Researcher had applied interpretivism method through
which they can interpret the data to get more effective results. In this report, the topic which is
related to ethical norms maintained in context of globalization had various positive factors which
resulting in interpreting the data to make the research work authentic.
Data collection: It is the method in which data is collected, gathered and interpreted from
different sources. It includes two methods such as primary methods and secondary methods.
Thus, researcher had used both the method to collect information either from original or
secondary sources (Bresler and Stake, 2017). In this report, researcher applied both the methods
to gather information from various source such as reviewing company background or interacting
with employees regarding the ethical norms. This helps them to examines various factors which
bring changes in ASDA working.
Sampling: This method is considered in case of interacting with large number of
population. It includes two types such as probabilistic and non probabilistic method. Thus, to
conduct the report in accurate way and to determines results from large number of people,
researcher uses the non probabilistic methods (Quinlan and et.al., 2019). In this method, random
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sampling method had applied by the researcher to gather information from the number of
employees present in premises. In this case, 20 employees are selected from the ASDA company
working under marketing and HR department.
Data Analysis: It is the process of identifying, evaluating and analysing the information
which is collected from various sources. It can be present in two forms such as Thematic and non
thematic methods. Researcher had applied thematic methods to conduct the research so that they
can present various facts and figure of the company in theme format (Flick, 2015). In this report,
ASDA company had various aspects in respect of ethical format thus, theme is the best way to
reflect the data, which helps companies to take effective judgment.
Limitation: Researcher find limitation in respect of examining the data from large
number of sample size of the ASDA. As company engages with large number of employees thus,
it is difficult to gather their reviews regarding the raised questions.
Ethical Consideration: Ethics are to be maintained by the researcher in respect of
carrying the consent form which is to be signed by the employees in regarding disclosing the
information (Fletcher, 2017). They had to maintain ethical norms in respect of raising such
question which didn't affects the status of ASDA and also the employees working in premises.
RESULTS
Theme 1: Complete understanding of concept of globalization
Particulars Respondents % of respondents
Yes 15 75.00%
No 5 25.00%
Total 20 100.00%
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Interpretation: with the help of the analysis of the question it was interpreted that maximum
employees have the complete understanding and knowledge relating to the globalization. It is
because of the reason that in this competitive world it is very crucial to expand the business all
over the globe. Rest of the participants felt that they do not have complete knowledge of concept
of globalization.
Theme 2: Greater profitability is the positive ethical impact of globalising the business
functions
Particulars Respondents % of respondents
Greater profitability 12 60.00%
Employment opportunities 5 25.00%
Accountability issues 3 15.00%
Total 20 100.00%
9
Yes No
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80 75
25
% of respondents