Evaluating the Impact of Digital Technology on Small Businesses

The assignment requires students to critically examine how digital technology impacts small business growth and innovation through the lens of a case study on Coffee Pound. Students are tasked with evaluating the project's success based on set objectives, assessing both effective practices and encountered challenges, particularly focusing on time management strategies. The assessment will involve identifying strengths and weaknesses in personal performance as a management consultant and outlining how these insights contribute to continuous professional development. This comprehensive evaluation will not only deepen understanding of digital technology's role in business but also enhance project management skills.

Managing Successful Business
Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Aim and objectives of the research..................................................................................1
P2. Project management plan.................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Preparation of Gantt chart and work break down structure.............................................5
P4. Qualitative and quantitative research methods appropriate for meeting project aim and
objectives................................................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5. Research and data using appropriate tools and techniques for the chosen project..........8
Primary method of data analysis......................................................................................................8
P6. Conclusion and recommendations.................................................................................21
TASK4...........................................................................................................................................21
P7 Reflection on the values of undertaking research...........................................................21
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................23

TITLE: The impact of digital technology supporting small business growth and innovation.
TASK 1
P1. Aim and objectives of the research
Background of the research
Digital technology plays an important role in providing growth and development to small
business enterprises in UK. It has provided major support in increasing the opportunities of
employment and transformation of business. As per small geospatial economic model, small can
unlock an additional $49.2 billion of private sector output over the next ten years by making
better use of digital technologies. Small business and the economy has generally realized
significant benefits through embracing mobile and internet technologies by transformation of
their operations. Emergence of digital technologies in operations has also increased the potential
and knowledge of employees towards searching of new and innovative ideas of product
development and analysing the emerging trends of market. Approx. 465 of small business use the
internet in order to monitor the market or competitors and 54% of small business reports a
positive impact from the social media via good customers feedback, increased sales and better
networking as well as advertisement opportunities (Weill and Woerner, 2015). Further, it has
also enabled the organization to create competitive advantage over its rivals by developing
innovative products and service for meeting the customers requirements. Internet and mobile
technologies enabled the small businesses to significantly improve their supply chains,
particularly by lowering the cost to identify new suppliers and making better use of employee
time.
Present research is based on analysis of, Coffee Pound which is small business enterprise
operating its business manufacturing sector and provide high quality fast food products and
services. Research has been accomplished with an aim of analysing the impact of digital
technology on the growth and innovation in Coffee pound. Various important areas of business
have been analysed where company has applied new digital technology for ascertaining growth
and increasing the profitability of enterprise. Along with this, employee’s perspective is also
taken in to consideration in order to analyse their knowledge about implementation of digital
technologies at workplace. Further, company is also very friendly with respect to deal with each
customer. Main purpose of the present report is to attain desired results with expansion of
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enterprise in different areas. Improvement in services and performance helps to consider advance
technology to meet with desired results. High quality of services helps to provide an effective
brand image with respect to operate different functions (Huang, Henfridsson and Newell, 2017).
Aim and Objectives
Aim: To identify the impact of digital technology on small business to increase growth and
innovation – A case study on Coffee Pound
Objectives
 To understand the concept of digital technology in small business.
 To identify reasons for implementation of digital technology in Coffee Pound
 To interrelate digital technology and importance to implement in Coffee Pound
 To recommend ways to implement digital technology in chosen business environment
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P2. Project management plan
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Research Project
Planning
Finding name of the topic 3 days 15/03/18 18/03/18
Statements of the research
issue 1 day 19/03/18 19/03/18 1
Allocation of resources and
time frame 2 days 20/0318 21/03/18 2
Implementation
Review of literature 5 days 22/03/18 27/03/18 3
Selection of correct research
methodologies 1 day 28/03/18 29/03/18 4
Data analysis and
interpretation 2 days 30/03/18 31/03/18 5
Evaluation of results and
outcomes 2 days 01/04/18 02/04/18 5
Project closer
Giving conclusion and
recommendation 1 day 03/04/18 03/04/18 6
Results of documentation 1 day 04/04/18 19/03/18 7
For proper accomplishment of research, effective project management plan has been
created which involves different activities which are needed to be performed by researcher in
specific time schedule. Activities in the plan will be performed by scholar on the basis of their
priorities in order to achieve relevant outcomes. Therefore, aims and objectives of the business
attain in successful way. Following are certain elements that are needed to take place to operate
systematic results:
 Cost: In order to accomplish the desired results, researcher needs to implement £620.
With this consideration, tasks will be completed to set activities within set timeframe.

Effective functioning is also developed to set the goals and objectives in business
(Salemink, Strijker and Bosworth, 2017).
 Risk: Present research also consists of high risk due to lack of time and cost. Issues that
are occurs at workplace generally related with time and cost. With effective management
and follow up of plan all the risk involved in the project will resolved by researcher.

Network diagram
TASK 2
P3. Preparation of Gantt chart and work break down structure
Gantt chart
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P4. Qualitative and quantitative research methods appropriate for meeting project aim and
objectives
Research work is one of the most important part and some techniques that needs to be
used to increase the level of execution in the market. There are different types of research
techniques which are utilized by scholar to accomplish the research on analysis of impact of
digital technology on small business growth and innovation. Some important and useful research
methodologies are determined below which are taken in to consideration to conduct research on
Coffee Pound such as:
 Research design: -In research design is one of the most important parts and focus on the
research question. In this context different types of process are included in research with
the help of research design. In the present report, different this is the most important part
in research work (Crane and Matten 2016). There are some advantages and disadvantage
of the Coffee Pound organisation is most important to find out the truth and help in
research work. Work is to be done in the system and proper improvement in the working
environment. Further, this can be undetermined to the dispirited written language that,
make sure that all the staircase is considered consistent with the assistance of which
problem solving can be a passageway efficaciously and with efficiency.
 Research philosophies: - In this context is to be focus of research is to be done on a
particulate topic. There are some research strategies that are to be used in a working
environment with making some changes in work. In research philosophies, the
investigator plays a most important role in Coffee Pound working environment. To be
used in research work different types of hypothesis and method to solve any problem in
Coffee Pound working environment. There are to be used two different kinds of method
to solve any problem. Further, there are antithetical type of research philosophies, they
are positivism, realism and interpretive. In this immediate research, research worker will
make use of interpretivism (Crane and Matten 2016). This method is more important to
find out value. This research work is also considered the value and belief in organisation.
This is also helpful to carry out quantitative data. This way the research aims and
impersonal will be achieved with the help of this research method. Some data is most all-
important part to find out the growth rate in market investigating.
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 Research approach: - In research approaches to be understood the research in a
systematic manner and find out any problem in Coffee Pound working environment.
Some approaches are the most important part to increase market share and make some
changes in internal and external working environment. At the time of qualitative research
is passed, this question solving is also helpful and enables to present the research
effective manner. On the other hand, deductive conceptualization generally focuses on
subject matter that is collected for the first time. However, a posteriori approach will be
able to find out new hypothesis related to and will as well supply deep apprehension
(Nicholas and Steyn 2017). This is one of the most important parts that help to analyse
the inductive approach is finding out new theories in a working environment and make
some changes as per the need of Coffee Pound working surroundings. With the help of
the new theory is find out the solution and make some correction.
 Data collection: In this context, data collection is one of the most important parts and to
collect data with the help of find some new facts. To collect the data with the help of two
different methods and focus to improve the growth rate. There are two methods is to be
used primary data and secondary data. Both the methods are most important and improve
the level of research work. In this report, questionnaire is to be used and primary data is
to be followed in Coffee Pound working environment (Crane and Matten, 2016). Primary
know-how can be ascertained as the message which is collected for the first clip. In order
to behaviour this method acting, there are antithetical tools used which are form,
observation, examination, etc. Among all these, research worker has made use of
questionnaire. In research work, this is one of the most important part is questionnaire
(Polonsky and Waller 2014). This helps to find out the review of different people and
make some changes Coffee Pound in the market. On the other hand, secondary data also
help to find out magazine, newspaper, etc. both the data are most important to increase
the growth rate in the securities' industry. To fill the questionnaire is most important and
report is using method.
 Data analysis: - Data analysis important part of research that involves transformation
and interpretation of data in to information so that it can be correctly understood by the
readers. In this context, one of the effective tools that is being used by researcher is
thematic analysis. On the other hand, some table or graph is to be used to interpretation of
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data in report. It helps to make the information collective to be presenting in effective
manner. One of the most important part is effective manager is most important to find out
any problem and solve all query in less time (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017). In order to
appropriate outcome and make some improvement in Coffee Pound work place. In the
current research, investigator has selected employees to be respondents and for the
sample size, 20 workers have been considered as they know better about the operations
that are conducted within the firm. All the operations' department is to be focus on some
improvement in organisation. There are complete analyses of data is most important to
find out the any problem in work place. With the help of complete investigation, to be
find data for the future improvement in Coffee Pound organisation. Research work the
main part of this report is analyses of data and make some changes as per the need of
market condition.
 Research limitation: - In this, some research limitation will be there and find that to
conduct the research is an effective way (Kendrick, 2015). To improve the internal and
external working environment, research work is the most important and make some
correction as per the need of market sector. Time is the most important factor when the
research work is to be done (Pinto, 2015). In this context of use, it includes example,
there non-adequate time to brand sure that this investigating can be performed. Further,
the set of beginning that are being resolute is also not adequate. More generally, there
only 20 of the individual who are well thought out in order to behaviour the search. To be
solve the problem of the internal and external part of the Coffee Pound organisation.
There is all about the research work is to be used and find out the new data with the help
of questionnaire to improve growth rate in the market. In investigating work, this is one of the
most essential part is a questionnaire (Serra and Kunc, 2015). Some collection is mostly all-all-
important parts to breakthrough out the maturation rate in marketplace analyse.
TASK 3
P5. Research and data using appropriate tools and techniques for the chosen project
Primary method of data analysis
Name:
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Gender:
Age:
Designation:
Company:
1) Does the organisation use new and updated digital technology?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Not sure
2) Do you think that digital technology plays an important role in improving marketing?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Not sure
3) Up to what extent, digital technology has its influence on the business operations of Coffee
Pound?
(a) High
(b) Limited
(c) Low
4) Dis disputed brand image of company improved after using digital technology?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Not sure
5) Did the profitability of company increase after implementation of digital technology?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Not sure
6) Does training provide to employees by supervisors is effective for handling digital
technology?
(a) Yes
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(b) No
(c) Not sure
7) Do you think that digital has provided support in new product and service design?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Not sure
8) Which problem is highly faced by organisation after implementation of digital technology?
(a) Employee Turnover
(b) Increase in cost
(c) Training requirements
9) Do you think that digital technology has raised the promotion of products and services?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Not sure
10. Are you agree that company has achieved growth and development in service industry after
implementation of digital-technology?
(a) Agree
(b) Not agree
(c) Not sure
Theme 1: Coffee Pound has implemented new and updated digital technology.
1) Does the organization implemented new and updated
digital technology? No. of respondents
(a) Yes 12
(b) No 5
(c) Not sure 3
Total 20
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