A Case Study: Globalisation's Impact on John Lewis Business Functions

This report analyzes the positive impacts of globalisation on John Lewis, a UK-based department store chain. The introduction highlights the growth of globalisation due to advancements in communication and technology, emphasizing the integration of businesses, governments, and people through economic resources and international trade. The assignment focuses on the economic, cultural, and ethical impacts of globalisation on John Lewis's operations, marketing, HR, and accounting functions. The report discusses increased competition, trade opportunities, and cultural adaptations. It also outlines John Lewis's operational strategies, research plans, and objectives, including the company's aims to expand in the European market. The methodology includes cost analysis, scope definition, and timelines, along with communication and risk management strategies. The report provides a comprehensive overview of how John Lewis can leverage globalisation to enhance its business performance, including an analysis of various factors like political, ethical, and cultural considerations for launching products in different markets.

Skeleton for Unit 6 MSBP – Created by RI

INTRODUCTION
Globalisation has grown because of advancement in communication and technology. Due
to growth of ideas, culture and international trade, global interaction increases. It is procedure of
integration and interaction between companies, government and people. It consists of economic
resources of capital, data, technology, goods and services. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
defined globalisation into four aspects such as capital and investment movements, dissemination
of knowledge, trade and transactions, migration and movement of people (Ariely, 2012). It is
very important for organisation to move with current trends and work accordingly. The given
project is based on John Lewis which was founded in 1864 at United Kingdom which has a chain
of department stores and dealing in clothes, furniture, jewellery etc. John Lewis Partnership has
been created by Spedan Lewis. In this assignment, there is discussion about positive impact of
globalisation, business functions, plan, aims and objectives. The methodology and data
collection used by company along with recommendation and conclusion.
Positive impact of Globalization to the businesses in the UK
The growth in globalisation has impacted business in positive way. It has helped in
increasing competition where foreign investment flowing in countries and economies of scale
rises due to large scale production. Apart from this, it has impacted concern in three positive
ways which are discussed below:
Economic Impact
Globalisation has increased interdependence and integration of global economy. There
are different economic factors that creates positive impact on company which are as following:
Increased Competition- Due to globalisation, there is increase in competition at company
related with cost, target markets, product and service. As it is beneficial for organisation because
it need to provide high quality products at relevant price that can be afford by people. Nowadays
customers are ready to pay for good quality that affect economic condition of organisation
positively.
Increased Trade- Globalisation creates opportunities for companies to operate business
in different countries (Coker, 2014). For example, John Lewis can also operate business
internationally which assist in increasing sales, trade and profit by providing high quality
products to consumers.
Cultural Impact

Culture is regarded as knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, religions, characteristics that is
shared by number of people or society. It is also referred as work and life of families, persons
and societies (Cooke, 2012). Globalisation helps in creating positive impact on all companies.
For example, people of Pakistan prefer long and body covered dresses to wear if company
provides according to their need then it can easily survive and earn high profits. This helps in
creating positive impact on business and economy of country.
Ethical Impact
In order to run business ethically and properly, it need to follow rules and regulation of
that country. Due to globalisation many company expand business in different countries by
following their legal requirements. For example, Lewis can operates concern internationally in
legal manner by following rules and regulation of that particular countries then no one can create
illegal barriers against it. This helps in attracting large number of customers which creates
positive impact on business and increases sales and profits.
Background of the Research
About Company
John Lewis is owned by John Lewis Partnership developed by Spedan Lewis in 1864. It
is high end department stores that is operating across United Kingdom. The first store opened in
1864 at Oxford Street, London. It has 51 stores at Scotland, England and Wales including 12
flexible format and home stores in York, Exeter and Chelmsford. It offers clothes, home and
garden products, accessories, cleaning and storage products, cooking and dinning. This company
operates in 25 European countries for fulfilling need and demand of customers. In order to get
success, it is deciding to operate business globally which enhance large profits and survival. The
positive impact to different business functions are as follows:
Operations
The operation department is connected with all other departments of company in order to
have proper knowledge regarding all function which are important (Dunning, 2014).
Globalisation creates positive impact on John Lewis because it operates business in different
countries in order to identify customer needs and work accordingly. This department helps in
knowing exact requirement of resources, reduction in wastages and overall functioning of
business.
Marketing

With help of globalisation John Lewis can easily do marketing activities like promotion,
awareness. This helps in knowing about upcoming products in market which encourages
consumer for purchasing. Also company can do market research in order to identify need and
want of customer to provide them products accordingly that leads in increasing sales and profits
of organisation.
HR
John Lewis operate business internationally where it can open new stores and hire local
employees so that they can easily communicate with customers of that country. This strategy
helps in understanding about products and services of customers which enhances sales and profit.
This business function requires skilled and knowledgeable staff for running enterprise
successfully and effectively (Gopalakrishnan and et. al., 2012). Also it can use online portal to
hire skilled and capable staff for concern.
Accounting
Globalisation helps in providing various techniques for managing accounting department
of organisation. John Lewis can use online data maintenance by using software which helps in
saving time and cost of business. This enhance smooth flow of data, information, maintenance of
records, books (Hamilton and Webster, 2018). The confidentiality data can be extract any time
from anywhere in case of emergency.
Aim of the Project
“To identify positive economic, ethical and cultural impacts of globalisation on
operational and other functions of a company”- A case study on John Lewis.
Objectives
 To identify role of globalisation in business expansion of a company.
 To determine impact of globalisation on company's functions.
 To evaluate strategies by which John Lewis can move its business in emergent
marketplace of European regions.
Research Plan
Project Title “To identify positive economic, ethical and cultural
impacts of globalisation on operational and other
functions of a company”- A case study on John Lewis.
Project Plan

Company Name: John Lewis
Cost This is very important factor for operating any
business and doing research plan. Before launching
any new venture or business it is significant to conduct
proper research in order to know about market
scenario. When John Lewis operate its business at
global level requires various types of cost such as
employees cost, production and others. It need to
conduct research at international level for identifying
need and want of customers and fulfilling it. In all
such process, project department of organisation
requires to make budget which can be approximately
30 lacks pounds. Similarly, cost required from
researcher point of view can be 30000 pounds for
conducting research plan effectively.
Scope It is concerned with market that when any company
want to operate business in new market and
manufacture new product (Held, 2013). For example,
as per objectives set, John Lewis is operating its new
business in European market as people of those
countries prefer competitive pricing for products.
They are ready to pay high prices for quality goods.
The individual of those countries gives priority to
foreign companies when they expand business in their
countries. In order to evaluate this aspects, John Lewis
need to analyse various factors like political, ethical
and cultural for launching products. The researcher
need to analyse scope level by enhancing and
improving skills or knowledge by using various tools
and techniques for carrying out research plan in

appropriate manner. The scope of this research is very
wide. It can be used for academic purpose for students
who are willing to do research.
Time It is measurable period during that action took place
and period where any action start and work occurred.
If any company has sufficient time period for
designing and manufacturing product then it can attain
competitive advantage from others (Lasserre, 2017).
The time required for research plan for launching
product that create economic, cultural and ethical
impacts of globalisation on various business functions
by John Lewis is approximately 6 months. Similarly,
from researcher point of view it requires 51 days for
research plan and collecting data.
Quality Quality is related with raw materials which is required
by any company for its products manufacturing and
operate business globally. This creates both positive as
well as negative impact on business function of
organisation because if it uses high and good quality,
it can increase their sales and profit of enterprise
whereas in case of using low quality, profits and value
declines. In order to identify proper and essential
information, researcher should use appropriate
methods and techniques like primary, secondary,
qualitative for collecting accurate data for maximizing
quality of research.
Communication Communication is the process of sharing and
transferring data and information from one person to
another using common system and mode (Lawton,
McGuire and Rajwani, 2013). It is very essential
factors for organisation which assist company to

transfer data and information with different
departments. As John Lewis is operating its business
at global level so it can different methods of
communication such as social media, internet, email
and chat box. In order to provide information related
with products and service to consumers it can use
Television, radio, newspaper. The researcher can use
various channels of communication such as online
survey, questionnaire for collecting data for research
work.
Risk Risk is regarded as future uncertainty and possibility
of losing something. There are various risks which has
to be faced by John Lewis in terms of change in need
and demand of customers, communication channels,
financial. Lewis need to provide products as per need
and demand of customers in order to survive in
market. The risk which can be face by researcher can
be related with lack of funds, limited time period. This
can be minimised by doing proper and appropriate
research required for launching product in different
market or regions.
Resources It is regarded as productive and economic factors
which are required for accomplishing activity and
source of support, supply that can be readily available
when needed (Lovelock and Patterson, 2015). In order
to run business at global level, John Lewis requires
various resources such as funds, staff, land,
machinery, customers, stakeholders to operate
business properly. This helps in creating positive
affect on organisation's ethic, culture and economical
functions. From researcher point of view, it requires

resources like funds, methods such as questionnaire,
survey and others for collection of data and
information.
Type of Research
Primary and Secondary
Quality and Quantity
Research is systematic and creative work that helps in
increasing knowledge of humans and society with use
of new devise applications. It is used to develop
knowledge on particular topic or research project. It is
regarded as organised and careful study for solving
problems and finding best solutions in appropriate
manner. The different types of research which can be
carried by John Lewis for plan are as following:
Primary and Secondary
Primary Research is designed in order to meet specific
and unique needs. It is new research that involves
researcher to ask questions and gather information
from respondents (Stromquist and Monkman, 2014). It
takes more time and incurred high cost but provide
conclusive results. The example of primary research
tools can be surveys, focus group, interviews,
questionnaires.
Secondary Research is type of research in which
information and knowledge are already complied,
organised, gathered and published by others. It
consists of studies and report collected by government
agencies, businesses, trade associations, magazine,
newspaper, journals, books. Here, time involved and
cost both are low as compared to primary.
Quality and Quantity
Qualitative Research is totally based on theoretical
data and information that is used by company for
collecting opinions, reasons, motivations. This

research can be done through observations, group
discussions and interviews. This collection method
uses semi structured and unstructured techniques.
Here, sample size is small and respondent is selected
in order to fulfil given quota.
Quantitative Research is used for quantifying
problems through generating numerical data which
can be transformed into statistics value (Thomson and
Thomson, 2012). It helps in quantify opinions,
attitudes, behaviours and getting results from large
sample population. It is more structured than
qualitative which includes methods in form of online
survey, mobile survey, paper surveys and others. This
research has less depth but having more information in
breadth.
Work Breakdown Structure for the Project
It is project deliverables which organises team work into various smaller sections. It helps
in breaking projects into smaller components to make it easy. It is regarded as hierarchical
decomposition of total scope of task that has been carried out by team for accomplishment of
goal and objectives (Urry, 2012). The elements of WBS are data, product, service or combination
thereof. It helps in providing necessary framework for estimating cost and control along with
guidance. It has ability for assigning work to individual for carrying out and defining relationship
among cost, work and organisational. This structure has advantage for organising, identifying
and defining project work, risk that helps in tracking performance and problems.

Gantt chart
Gantt chart is horizontal chart developed by Henry. L Gantt in 1917 by American
engineer and social scientist. It is used in project management which is represent through
graphical illustration of schedule that assist in planning, tracking and coordinating specific task
in project (Webster, 2014). It is depicted through horizontal and vertical axis that represent time
span and task. This chart has features like start and end dates for particular task, milestones,
dependencies among person and task. The work is divided as per given period of time and day.