Impact of Digital Technology on Business Activities in SME Sector

This research proposal investigates the impact of digital technology on business activities, with a specific focus on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), using Apple Guest House in the UK as a case study. The research aims to analyze the stages of technological change, identify issues and barriers to technology integration, understand the relationship between technological developments and company operations, and determine stakeholder engagement. The study employs a qualitative research strategy with an inductive approach, utilizing literature review and case study analysis. The methodology includes a detailed examination of research philosophy, design, data collection methods, and ethical considerations. The research seeks to address questions related to technological changes, integration challenges, stakeholder engagement, and methods to enhance work effectiveness. The report covers literature review, methodology, expected outcomes, and reflection on research methods, offering recommendations and appendices for a comprehensive understanding of digital technology's influence on business practices.

RESEARCH
PROPOSAL

Table of Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................1
TITLE..............................................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Overview:.....................................................................................................................................1
Aim and Objectives..........................................................................................................................1
Questions......................................................................................................................................2
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................2
METHODOLOGY .........................................................................................................................4
Research Strategy.........................................................................................................................4
Research Approach......................................................................................................................5
Research philosophy....................................................................................................................5
Research Design...........................................................................................................................6
Data collection ............................................................................................................................6
Sampling......................................................................................................................................6
Data analysis................................................................................................................................6
Ethical consideration....................................................................................................................7
Expected Outcomes.........................................................................................................................7
PART 2............................................................................................................................................9
LO 3 ................................................................................................................................................9
P3 Description on appropriate methods for conducting research................................................9
P4 Define appropriate analytical tool to conducting the research. ...........................................11
P5 Communication of the research outcomes. ..........................................................................15
P6 Reflection on effectiveness of research methods. ................................................................25
Reflection...................................................................................................................................25
P7 consideration of alternative research methodologies. ..........................................................26
Recommendation:......................................................................................................................26
Appendix........................................................................................................................................27
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................29

Executive Summary
This research is based on impact of digital technology on business activities which is a
primary focus in today's world. Technology is grabbing attention of many customers in the form
of social media sites, mobile devices and through various other websites. Through internet public
is industries like Apple is gaining dynamic and new transformation and adding competitive
nature in the market. Various e-commerce strategies are acquired by companies to grab attention
of customers.
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PART 1
TITLE
Impact of digital technology on business activity in SME
INTRODUCTION
Overview:
In this present project researcher would be focusing on what effect digital technology is
having on business activities especially that of SME like that of Apple guest house in UK.
Digital technology is very much essential for carrying out all activities of company which is
making them achieve their desired targets and satisfying the customers by giving them the best
form of services. Digitalization is that part which is helping into modification of working and
profits of company as well which having deliberate use of innovation into operations of firm. So
researcher would be studying impact, issues and barriers and the how digital technology would
be implemented within firm. Digital technology provides new platform to businesses, present
authentic information regarding customers and access untapped sources of data. Customers have
now become marketers, creators and advertisers. They share views, blog on specified products
and chat with their friends. They help in reviewing websites of renowned organisations and
discuss about their quality. Technology can be termed as online platform for purchasing and
receiving services. It helps in maintaining integrated communication with customers and proper
decisions are taken in merchandising and product and service pricing and targeting personal
segment of individuals. Thus, this research provides complete detail of influence of digital
technology on business practices. Many departments are affected.
Aim and Objectives
Aim: To analysis impact of digital technology on business activity in SME – A case study on
Apple Guest House.
Objectives
 To evaluate different stages in regard to technological changes of Apple Guest House.
 To identify issues and barriers that impacts the integration of technology within business.
 To understand the technological developments and their relationship with company
operations.

 To determine stakeholder’s engagement with implementation of digital technology in
business.
Questions
 Which kind of stages are essential for technological changes of Apple Guest House?
 What kind of issues and barriers impacts the integration of technology within business?
 How technological developments are being promoted and how they are related with
company operations?
 How stakeholders engage with implementation of digital technology in business?
 Which methods can advance technological application within organisation to enhance
work effectiveness?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Business firms are effectively focused towards long term development in regard to
technological values. By having an application of such measures, the issues in terms of
sustainability can be resolved. It assists in meeting objectives and lead to impressive level of
success. It allows to have better productivity and cost control. It means the overall process need
to be advanced at great context so that better technological applications can be taken into account
(Canzer, 2016). Specialized help and client administrations are principle two capacities that helps
to create successful outcomes at working environment. Next to this, independent venture
undertaking has chances to utilize web promotion and reach towards the market and clients with
deliberately set flags.
Digital change is the powerful viewpoint that helps to achieve targets and destinations. At
work environment, there are diverse components incorporated that helps to energize individuals
for achieve objectives and targets. As per the view of Bruce and Ho (2009), it incorporates a few
components that helps to determine procedure of the advanced change, for example, nothing
new, present and dynamic, formalized, key, joined and creative and versatile viewpoint. What's
more, the same old thing includes exercises that works by the venture with natural heritage point
of view to the clients, forms, plans of action, and so on. Along these lines, it stays for the
arrangement in computerized pertinence. It is the most ideal approach to achieve objectives and
targets that are decides through particular point.
According to Bruno (2012), there are a few difficulties exists which make effect on the
business condition. With this respect, there are a few components actualized which helps to make
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viable outcomes in organizations. In the first-place challenge along these lines decides is
proficient advancement. This test faces by the endeavour due to absence of satisfactory
characteristics that are required in representatives of the business. In this way, it comprises
utilization of the particular innovation to coordinate new capacities in the business. Canzer
(2016) said that it demonstrates that outcomes will be created with new speculation which will
likewise create process for advancing and all the more captivating the clients. It is the most ideal
route for find out target showcase for advancement of the association.
Furthermore, at working environment of Apple Guest House, protection from change is
another test happens that make effect on its capacities and tasks. With this viewpoint, specialist
recognized that make powerful capacities for expected set of responsibilities. There are a few
zones in which business will find out successful outcomes at work environment. According to
Jackson (2015), new models likewise creates at work environment that decides compelling
rivalry with conventional perspectives in business. Along these lines, establishment helps to
make viability in the endeavour. Necessities of the consideration is required at work environment
with the goal that results will be finished in methodical way. Computerized innovation makes
successful capacities and activities that has a few focal points to determine target showcase. It is
vital to characterized capacity for successful specialized devices. It is the most ideal approach to
influence coordinate with various capacities and tasks to access to and incorporate data towards
the business. Morteza, (2011) has contended that digital innovation assumes fundamental part in
the achievement of the association that influence colossal gathering of data and information for
achieve general to assignment. In the computerized proficiency, capacity likewise performed to
oversee, coordinate and assess the capacities for society. Execution of the fruitful approach
handle a few dangers in the specialty unit for advancements change.
Digital innovation additionally expanding for a few people that make victories in the
business venture. With this respect, global difficulties additionally connote with methodologies
to take care of issues. Ng (2005) has stated that education and advanced correspondence
additionally helps to ensure that objectives likewise set for find out viability in the specialty unit.
For providing food successful data and destinations, advanced innovation additionally helps to
increase better comprehension of the necessities and issues. Conveying reasonable
administrations likewise helps to increase better commitment of people with a few web sources
in alluring way. Thusly, it likewise conveys worldwide arrangement objectives that help to
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defeat the issues and issues. There are a few components exists, for example, absence of
enthusiasm for request to accessible of the innovation.
According to Bruce and Ho (2009), partners are taking vital interest to achieve the
destinations and objectives. With this respect, advancement of the business will be keep up in
methodical way to draw in a few people in it. There are a few stages will be taken that make
important access for proposes destinations and objectives. Web-based social networking is the
fundamental component that make commitment of the association to convey new openings and
objectives. In such manner, normal intrigue will be recognized for coordination and mediation in
the business condition. Also, Bruno (2012), stated that at picked business condition there are a
few terms and conditions will be suggested that make powerful outcomes in the association.
With the assistance of infer recommendation solid base of client will be made that create
adequacy. Corporation and stakeholders has effective relationship to identify forms and
outcomes with online publications. Therefore, consumer segmentations also ascertain to conduct
present research
METHODOLOGY
Research Strategy
It is a standout amongst the most vital section in the examination approach, when the
analyst is choosing the exploration technique, at that point it is critical for him or her to choose
the fitting one with the goal that information can be gathered and broke down appropriately.
Based on examine procedure, every one of the kinds of research system is reliant. It causes the
analyst to gather the pertinent information of the examination keeping in mind the end goal to
lead examination appropriately (Bak, 2011). There are two noteworthy kinds of research
technique that are subjective and quantitative. Choice of research philosophy is subject to the
point and destinations of the exploration. Of the examination. In this strategy profound
investigation is made by the specialist with the distinctive idea and hypothesis. Other than that,
when it is being examined about the quantitative scientist system, at that point specialist utilize
diverse viable instruments and methods, for example, relapse, relationship, t-test, a nova test and
standard deviation and so forth (Saunders, Lyon and Möllering, 2012). These techniques
encourage the analyst to discover the connection between the diverse autonomous and ward
variable. In this examination, scientist have chosen subjective research system, which causes the
examiner to locate the suitable consequence of the investigation. Among these two, the research
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will make use of qualitative method as it enables to focus of theories, models, etc. to develop in
depth understanding of the research topic.
Research Approach
This is another essential part of research procedure by which agent can dissect the data
about the subject. This technique helps the examiner to gather the best possible data about the
theme with the goal that fitting result can be distinguished. There are two fundamental kinds of
research approach that are inductive and deductive. When it is examined about the inductive
approach, at that point it making of new hypothesis rising up out of the information. This
technique is connected with the subjective research system utilize investigate inquiries keeping
in mind the end goal to build the extent of the examination (Creswell, 2013). Then again,
deductive research approach, it generally begins with development of speculation which is
identified with the investigation. It is exceptionally organized kind of research approach, this is
on the grounds that here specialist need to achieve some point and goal. It beginning stage is
premises and its procedure incorporates hypothesis, speculation, perception and affirmation. In
this examination, specialist key point is to break down the effect of computerized innovation
over the business task of little scale endeavour (Merriam, 2009). Among these two approaches
the researcher has made use of inductive approach as it enables to present the information from
specific to general aspect.
Research philosophy
It is likewise another major noteworthy section in the examination technique, it comprises
of various esteem, presumption, convictions identified with the specific point. It manages the
source, nature and advancement of the learning. It has incredible effect over the agent esteems,
convictions and suppositions. There are two sorts of research rationality that are interpretivism
and positivism. When it is worried about the interpretivism reasoning, a few elements reflect one
single certainty (Ridley, 2012). Other than that, when it is being examined about the positivism
look into logic, researcher depends upon the specific certainty and figure with respect to specific
perspective. Consequently, one might say that both of the exploration rationality is not quite the
same as each other. The key goal of the agent is to assess the effect of computerized innovation
over the diverse task and exercises of independent venture endeavour. With a specific end goal to
achieve this point, examine have chosen interpretivism explore theory keeping in mind the end
goal to gather the applicable result of the investigation (Jackson, 2008). Among these the
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researcher has made use of both positivism and interpretivism as it enables to carry out the
research by covering the aim and objectives.
Research Design
There are two sorts of research outline that are engaging and exploratory. When it is
examined about the exploratory research outline, distinctive thoughts and contemplations are
found. This sort of research configuration is extremely adaptable, as it included non-probabilistic
testing. Exploratory research configuration serves to the researcher to get the high calibre of
result by profound examination of the gathered data.
Data collection
There are two methods for information gathering that are essential and auxiliary. When it
is worried about the essential information accumulation, at that point the data is assembled from
those sources from which information have never been gathered. The wellsprings of essential
information accumulation are talk with, perception, study and so forth then again when it
examined about the auxiliary information accumulation, at that point it is get-together of data
from those sources at which information is now being gathered (Chui, 2007). The sources that
are incorporated into the auxiliary information gathering are diary, sites, books, magazines and
so on in this investigation, information is gathered from both of the sources. Alongside this, poll
is being intended to meet targets. The researcher will make use of both primary and secondary
research. Primary with the help of questionnaire and secondary will be gathered by making use
of books, journals, online sources, etc.
Sampling
The real target behind the testing is to choose the quantities of respondent from the entire
individuals so as required data can gathered from different individuals. Inspecting are chosen in
such route as to be illustrative of the populace. In this examination, basic arbitrary inspecting
will be chosen, where 10 chiefs have been chosen to direct examination.
Data analysis
It is a standout amongst the most vital part of the exploration strategy, which causes the
researcher to investigate the gathered information with a specific end goal to locate the fitting
result. It is a strategy which helps with investigating the data of the subject and decide the
powerful arrangement of the exploration issue. In this examination, subjective will be chosen,
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enables to present the information in the form of tables, graph, chart, etc. subsequently, topical
investigation is being finished. Thematic analysis is used to present the gathered information. It
Ethical consideration
The real viewpoint in moral thought is information gathering. Survey ought to be
surrounded so as to not hurt the inclination and feelings of respondent. Other than that analyst
need to look for consent from the best level administration of Apple Guest house keeping in
mind the end goal to record the reaction of the supervisor. Moral code of behaviours like privacy
of respondents will likewise be considered.
Expected Outcomes
As per the findings, it can be started that companies need to understand the strategies that
they should apply so that they are able to attract customers in effective manner. The rate of sales
and profitability can be raised when management is able to make use of digital technology in
appropriate manner. All the steps goals can be attained by the business when use of digital
technology are done.
Gantt Chart
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