Analysing Globalisation's Influence on M&S HR Functions

This report examines the positive economic, cultural, and ethical impacts of globalisation on the HR functions of Marks and Spencer (M&S). The project begins with an introduction to globalisation and its significance for businesses, followed by an analysis of M&S's global expansion strategy. Task 1 defines the project's aims and objectives, explores the concept of globalisation, and identifies the positive impacts on HR functions. A project management plan, including cost aspects, scope, time, quality, and risk management, is detailed in P2. P3 includes a work breakdown structure and Gantt chart for project execution. Task 2 focuses on research methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative approaches, with a questionnaire used to gather data. Task 3 evaluates the research findings, employing appropriate tools and techniques to analyse the data and offers recommendations based on the analysis. Task 4 reflects on the undertakings to attain objectives. The report concludes with a summary of findings and recommendations.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1: Project aim and objectives....................................................................................................1
P2 Project management plan with cost aspects, scope, time, quality and communication risk..2
P3: Work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart.......................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P4: Small scale research by implementation qualitative and quantitative research....................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5 Evaluation research and data using appropriate tools and techniques ..................................8
P6 Appropriate recommendation as a result of data and research analysis..............................11
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P7 Reflection upon undertakings to attain objectives...............................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................15

Title- “Positive economic, cultural and ethical impacts of globalisation on different business
functions”
INTRODUCTION
Globalisation includes the process by which an organisation operates its business
activities at global level through exchanging goods and services with other countries. Thus, to
manage any business project more successfully it is important for the management to analyse the
external factors and accordingly formulate an aim and objectives so that their employees get
right direction to perform. The present assignment is based on Marks and Spencer (M&S) which
is engaged in providing multiple of products such as clothing, home products and luxury food
products. The project includes the aims and objectives, project management plan, breakdown
structure, Gantt chart, small scale research, methods and techniques to analyse data etc. The
project also explains the recommendation and reflection upon undertakings.
TASK 1
P1: Project aim and objectives
Globalisation refers to the process by which an organisation start to operate its business at
global level. It is an integration of companies, culture, government, people etc. through an
international trade with the help of using information technology. For this, it requires
management to make relevant and competitive changes in their existing policies and plans so as
to reach its business at global level. The impact of globalisation is extensive and pervasive. The
decision of expanding business at global level is made with a clear objective of capture huge
market share as well as high profitability.
Background of Project:
Every business firms tried to enlarge their business operations through expanding its
business at international level. Globalisation connect two countries in terms of sharing its
culture, heritage and caste by international trade. It requires maximum support from
technological advancements, ethnology, transportations etc. Marks and Spencer is UK based
organisation which is operated at international level. It has been operated its business in multiple
number of nations such as France, India etc. At the time of expansion of business to different
nations, the impact of globalisation on management and human resource is necessary. To sustain
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in new market, the company should recruit skilled and knowledgeable employees, trained them
and make their staff more capable to support company in reaching its business in many countries.
Aim:
To identify the positive economic, cultural and ethical impact of globalisation on HR functions
of an organisation: A case study on Marks and Spencer.
Objective:
 To determine the concept of globalisation.
 To examine the positive economic, cultural and ethical influence of globalisation on HR
function of company. To determine the role of globalisation in improving levels of labour migration between
countries.
Research Questions:
 Define the concept of Globalisation?
 How to examine the positive economic, cultural and ethical influence of globalisation on
HR Functions of company?
 How Globalisation play a role in increasing levels of labour migration between nations?
 How globalisation and growth of HR functions interconnect with each other within
Marks and Spencer?
P2 Project management plan with cost aspects, scope, time, quality and communication risk
Project management plan is a preparation of execution of project activities in which all
plans and actions are written in advance with the purpose of giving right direction and guidance
to the employees without facing any future contingencies. It increases the chances of making
business project more successful through determining project activities, resources utilised,
manpower needed etc. in advance. Apart from this, scope, time, quality, risk etc. are included in
such project management plan which is further understood as under:
Scope: Marks and Spencer is UK based retail company which deals in providing wide
range of products such as food, clothing and home products. It is currently operated its business
at global level by having number of stores located at different nations such as France, India etc.
Therefore, the scope of sustain at global market with wide range of quality products are very
high (Basu, 2014).
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Cost: It is another important concept which assist organisation to reach its business at
different nations without facing of lack of financial resources. For this, the management is held
liable to arrange and manage funds from different sources such as banks to utilise them in better
functioning at global level. It include the functions such as planning of funds cost budgeting,
controlling expenses etc. For example, recruiting skilled employees by HR manager required
funds to incur in conducting recruitment and training programs.
Risk: It always present in any project activities which can affect the aims and objectives
of an organisation as well. For this the management is held responsible to forecast the risk in
advance which can be related with shortage of funds, lack of support of employees, inadequate
resources etc. Operating business at global level involves huge risk which should be tackled by
the management of M&S through conducting research about such aspects that causes risk in
advance. It assists management to make effective strategies and plans in order to deal with future
complexities in more effective way (Davies and Hughes, 2014).
Communication: Mutual help gotten by employees can be conceivable only when the
management of M&S can build up a decent communication channel at work environment. The
employee’s feels motivated when they unmistakably comprehend the organization main
objective behind global expansion alongside their jobs and obligations thus it is more essential
for management to bring transparency in communication and give a stage to workers to speak
with best specialist specifically. This will make positive impact on the execution of project
activities of M&S.
Resources: It is essential necessity which motivates management of M&S to acquire
sufficient amount of resources which includes human resource, fund, technologies etc. while
expansion of business at global level. Having adequate measure of resources, for example,
capitals, reserves, talented employees and so forth urges organization to work on execution of
their innovation decisions. Hence, the management of M&S Should initially arranged resources
through taking help from various divisions and oversee them as needs be (Harish and Kumar,
2014).
P3: Work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart
Work breakdown structure: It is somewhat graph which demonstrates the connections
among the project activities executed in finishing of undertakings. The graphical idea of work
breakdown structure can encourage management of M&S to foresee results dependent on
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different situations which guides management to reconsider about their current arrangements and
choose whether to roll out a few improvements or not in order to accomplish beneficial results.
Gantt chart: It is a viable horizontal bar chart created as production control technique in
the year 1917 by Henry L. Gantt who is an American architect and social researcher. It help
project management of M&S to utilize Gantt chart as a huge representation of a calendar that
assistance in making suitable planning, coordinating and following particular tasks in an
undertaking. It is otherwise called visual project presentation where all project activities that
ought to be executed are shown and separated on a chart. It motivates workers to perform
allotted tasks inside given time frame to help organization in accomplishing its desired objectives
and goals (Heger and Rohrbeck, 2012).
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Previously mentioned tools are more valuable to adopt by M&S in order to accomplish its
aims and objectives inside given time span and achieve intensity among their opponents in more
powerful way.
TASK 2
P4: Small scale research by implementation qualitative and quantitative research
Research is essential need of every organisation in order to determine the effectiveness of
decisions made by the management for the betterment of an organisation. As M&S focuses on
further expansion of business at global level in order to capture huge market share and revenue
due to which it is important for management to conduct global market research in order to
analyse the interest and behaviour of their buyers as well as employees as the expansion of
business is very much depend on them. For this purpose, the management has hired a researcher
who conducts research for the company. The appointed researcher has two options to conduct
research such as qualitative and quantitative. It is explained as under:
Qualitative research: It is effective research method which assist researcher to collect data
in the form of symbol, name, number code or literature and so on. It is most preferred research
method by an organisation as it helps them in receiving accurate and reliable information about
the views and perceptions of their respondents. There are different frameworks which can be
utilized under this strategy in order to collect relevant information. For example, interviews,
questionnaire, poll etc. This will make easy for researcher to analyse the behaviour of customers
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as well as employees regarding expansion of business at global level (Primary source and
secondary source, 2018)
Quantitative research: It is traditionally another important technique which also can be
adopted by the researcher with the purpose of collecting information into statistical data and
figures. It is mostly adopted by the researcher when they are having less time and money. M&S
may adopt such tool if want to get relevant information provided b y various authors and writers
about the success of further expansion at global market. Under this method, the information can
be collected through online sources, web, journals etc.
Both such types of research methods assist M&S to determine the result of expansion of
business at global level. Through analysing the outcomes received by the research, the
management is successfully able to forecast the impact of the positive economic, cultural and
ethical influence of globalisation on HR Functions function of a company on the sales figure of
company. In the present research, 40 respondents are selected whose views and opinions are
considered.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Contact No.-
Address:
Q1) Are you have any knowledge about the concept of globalisation?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) Is government affects the decision of M&S to expand its business at global level?
a) Yes
b) No
Q3) Which resources required most to operate business at global level?
a) Technical resource
b) Financial resources
c) Human resource
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Q4) Mention the expected outcomes obtained by M&S after globalised its business?
a) Target new marketplace
b) Enhanced economies of scale
c) Free trade
d) Less culture diversity
Q5) Does interest and behaviour of human resource influences the decisions of M&S
regarding globalising business?
a) Yes
b) No
Q6) What consequences faced by M&S to reach its business at various countries?
a) Labour migration among countries
b) High rivalry competition
c) Enhance trade in world
Q7) What steps to be taken by M&S in order to operate business at global level?
a) Conduct training to staff
b) Recruiting skilled employees
c) Acquisition of latest technology
Q8) What hinders the M&S to globalise their business?
a) Environmental degradation
b) Reduce employment growth rate
c) Unfair working environment
Q9) How ethical as well as economic impact on globalise activities of M&S?
a) Technology
b) Culture
c) Politics
Q10) Recommend suitable suggestions to M&S for globalisation.
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TASK 3
P5 Evaluation research and data using appropriate tools and techniques
In the present research, the researcher of M&S has conducted qualitative research in which
primary source of data has been collected with an objective of collecting accurate and reliable
information about the topic of research. It consumes more time and money but instead it provides
genuine data which increases the effectiveness of decisions taken by the management which in
results achieving huge benefits in near future. Apart from this, there are different tools of
research as well which also can be adopted by the researcher such as research design, data
analysis, data collection, philosophy etc. Under the research, Questionnaire has been formed
which contains the list if relevant questions related with the topic of research which is further
asked from the 40 respondents that is taken as sample of population (Kowalkowski, Kindström
and Brehmer, 2011)
Theme 1: Concept of globalisation
Q1) Does you have any knowledge about the
concept of globalisation?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 15
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a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
25
15
Frequency
Interpretation: From the 40 respondents, there are 25 respondents who has specific
knowledge about the concept of globalisation whereas remaining 15 respondents doesn't know
clearly about such concept.
Theme 2: Impact of government on globalising activities of M&S
Q2) Is government affects the decision of
M&S to expand its business at global level?
Frequency
a) Yes 30
b) No 10
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a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
30
10 Frequency
Interpretation:: From the 40 respondents, more respondents who thinks that influence of
government huge impact on the globalisation of business. Among 40 respondents, 30
respondents agree with the same statement whereas remaining 10 respondents opposed the
statement as they have clearly said that government took no interferences in their decision of
globalised business.
Theme 3: Requirement of resources in globalisation
Q3) Which resources required most to
operate business at global level?
Frequency
a) Technical resource 10
b) Financial resources 20
c) Human resource 10
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