Information Technology and its Role in M&S Success and Challenges

This report examines the role of Information Technology (IT) in the context of Mark & Spencer (M&S), a major retail company. It begins with an introduction to IT and its importance in modern business, emphasizing its role in data management, globalization, and strategic decision-making. The report delves into ethical and social issues associated with IT, such as privacy concerns and social disparities related to access and cost. It differentiates between various network types (LAN, MAN, WAN), crucial for M&S's operations. Furthermore, the report analyzes the role of IT in organizational success and failure, discussing the benefits like improved efficiency, global reach, and data-driven insights, while also acknowledging drawbacks such as security risks and high implementation costs. The report provides an analysis and discussion, along with recommendations and a conclusion summarizing the key findings regarding IT's impact on M&S's business operations and strategies. The report also includes references for further reading.

Introduction
to
Information Technology

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................3
Covered in PPT...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 2.................................................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW.....................................................................................................................3
Understand ethical and social issues associated with Technology..............................................3
Differentiate between types of networks.....................................................................................4
The role of Information Technology (IT) in the success or failure of an organisation...............6
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION.........................................................................................................7
The organisation to use Information Technology, the extent of its use of IT and its current status.
.....................................................................................................................................................7
RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Information Technologies is a latest techniques used in computer. It is used for storing,
retrieving and manipulating the data. The factors like globalisation are easily possible due to it, as
this help entrepreneurs to study the strategies used by other organisations. That later can help them
in making their future strategies. Mark & Spencer is a big name of Europe retail sector, which was
established in 1884. In this report, a discussion will take place on, how IT play a useful role in
success of M&S. This report will also brief about the different networks that they can use for their
organisation (Eason, 2014). Along with this, report will explain the ethical and social issues they
can face due to practice of Information Technologies.
TASK 1
Covered in PPT
TASK 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
Understand ethical and social issues associated with Technology.
In the era of modern business, Information Technology plays a vital for businesses. In
current situation, it is very difficult for assuming a business without using Information
Technologies. Involvement of IT in a business make it very easier for entrepreneur and management
to make collaboration between all elements of business. Mark & Spencer is a multi national retail
business, which was started from Europe in 1884. technology has played an important role I
development of M&S, it helped them in factors like, globalisation, management and many other
factors ( Kellermann, 2013). But some time companies also have to face their drawbacks like, issues
related to ethics and social concerns. Some of these ethical and social issues are :-
1. Ethical issues – These are the issues that are related to philosophy of a human and
businesses. Some ethical issues are :- Privacy : When it is about ethical issues, privacy is one the biggest issues of
Information Technologies that usually companies have to face. There are several
rules and regulations designed by government for keeping the information secrete,
which are shared by customers on online applications or in premisses of

organisation. M&S is a huge organisation of the world, which deals in retailing of
clothing and beauty products. There are millions of customers with they use to deal
in their daily life and get their personal data. The data shared by customers are kept
top be confidential by them, but some time it become very tough for organisations
and the privacy of get lost. But some time organisation use to share and leak these
type of informations for a their personal benefits like economical.
2. Social issues – Social issues are those which create problems to society and humans, like
health issues and many other. Some social issues occur due to IT are :- Lack of information : This issue can be considered as one of the biggest challenges
faced by M&S. It is being analysed that, if M&S has offered any discount on their
products via their online sources like, applications and websites, it is only visible to
those who are using that application or website. But it has been founded that, only a
small section of nation is using internet and share information from online sources.
Therefore, the customers which have get the knowledge about offers by online
sources can come and claim it but, the customers visiting the premisses directly
would not be able to gain the advantage of that offers (Social Issues, 2019). This can
cause a big social issue for customers.
 Increase in cost : Introduction of Information Techniques in organisation can cost
higher for customers. As implementation of IT system in organisation need a huge
cost, which organisation always think to recover from customers. M&S has
introduced IT system in their working, for which to recover the amount, they have
increase the cost of their products. This also leads to social issue, which can affect
the image of M&S.
Differentiate between types of networks.
Mark & Spencer is a huge of UK, which use to provide their products and services in retail
sector in all over the world. They need to make a stronger and effective network between their
management and employees. This will help them in making their working easier and faster. In
Information Technology there are different types of network available according to the need of
customer ( Mithas, 2012). The most commonly networks are LAN, WAN, MAN, discussed as
below:-
Basic LAN MAN WAN
Depends on The categorisation this The categorisation this The categorisation this

is depends on it's size
of area.
is depends on it's size
of area.
is depends on it's size
of area.
Stand to Local area network Metropolitan area
network
Wide area network.
Meaning This is a type of
network used in
connecting small area
like organisation.
This is use to make
connection between
small town or city.
This network is use to
establish connection in
wide area like,
continents.
Example The simplest example
of LAN is Ethernet.
Service providers to
Ethernets and LAN.
Internet is the biggest
network in world.
Ownership of network Private organisations
has power to own this
type of networks
( Prajogo, 2012).
These are networks
which are owned by
public or private
organisations.
Mainly, WAN is owned
by only public sector,
but some time huge
private organisations
also design their own
WAN like, NASA.
Design LAN has very simple
structure of design.
MAN has little more
complex structure as
compared to LAN.
WAN is the most
complicated type of
network.
Maintenance Maintenance of LAN is
very simple.
It is comparatively
difficult to maintain
MAN.
The maintenance of
WAN is very much
difficult, as it is very
huge network.
Propagation delay Propagation delay in
LAN is very ow.
Propagation delay in
MAN is very much
moderate.
The propagation delay
in WAN is very high,
then other.
Speed Transmission speed of
LAN is very high.
Transmission speed of
MAN is moderate.
Where as, the speed of
transmitting data in
WAN is very low.
Congestion Data traffic is very low
in LAN.
The data congestion is
more than MAN.
The traffic of data in
WAN is very higher.
Used for LAN is generally used WAN is used for MAN is used for

in small organisation
network, like hospital,
school, company.
providing services in
small areas like towns,
small cities and for
LAN.
proving connectivity in
wide areas like country,
and continents.
Bandwidth The bandwidth of LAN
is very low.
The bandwidth of
MAN is either be
higher nor be lower, it
is moderate.
The bandwidth of WAN
is very high, as
compared to others.
Expensive Less expensive to build
as equipment is owned
by the firm which is
cheaper than renting
lines and equipment.
More expensive than
LAN ( Rainer, 2013).
More expensive to
build as sophisticated
communication
systems are used
involving rental of
communication lines.
The role of Information Technology (IT) in the success or failure of an organisation.
In modern era of business, Information Technologies plays very vital role in success of a
business. In retail sector, it use to play a vital role, as it make the coordination between elements
and operations easier. This lead to smoother working in organisation. It also Mark & Spencer to
expand their business at global level, this also help them in keeping themselves current with new
trends and demands of market. This will also help them in knowing the different strategies followed
by their competitors, which they also can adopt by making some changes to it. Along with brighter
side, technology have some darker sides, which may lead an organisation to failure ( Ricci, 2015).
M&S is a big organisation in retail sector of UK, they can use technology to enhance their business.
Some of the roles which IT have in success of an organisation:-
1. Official Websites : It is one of the biggest factor that each and every organisation want to
achieve. It help organisation like M&S in studding and getting knowledge of strategies and
methods used by their competitors. This lead them in make changing in their strategies
according to the strategies of their competitors. This will help them in increasing their profit.
2. Online applications : Technologies also help organisations to make collaboration in
between their functions and their elements. This help organisations to make and remind
integration of system. For example, any customer make booking for any product of M&S,

this will automatically get reflected to the system of M&S so that they can delivery the
product according to demand.
3. Social Media : Social media plays a vital role in success of every business. It is a technique
used by every person in the world, therefore, it has become a most powerful stage for selling
and promoting the products ( Sutton, 2012). M&S can use this platform for providing details
of their products and services which can be seen by any one.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Technology use to play a very crucial role in growth of an organisation, but it also use to
affect the working and life style of employees. It is very much possible for organisations that they
can face problems and issues. These all directly can affect their goodwill as well as their financial
conditions. For introducing and maintaining a IT system, organisation have to pay a huge amount.
Benefits :
Information Technologies has become an important factor, that can help any organisation in
it's success. Due to this, factors like globalisation are very easily possible for organisations. It help
M&S by making their different elements of system integrated, this make a smoother working of
system and management. It also provides platforms like social media, which help them in
promoting and selling their products at different corner of world. It help organisations like M&S to
know the trends and demands of customers, so that they can make their products and services
according to them. They also can study the strategies that are used by their competitors, which they
also can implement in their organisation by making some changes in that. This all will help them in
increasing their profitability and also lead them to gain some competitive advantages.
Drawbacks :
Some times, use of technology goes wrong. There is no restriction on the information
available over open sources like, online websites ( Venkatesh, 2012). These informations are
available for every one, which can be used by some unwanted entity like terrorists for their personal
benefits. A huge amount of cost is needed for organisations for installing a proper IT system in their
functionality. IT can also cause to huge loss of company, as factors like hacking can easily break the
security and can steal their data and confidential information. This may cause them to loss on
goodwill as well as can cause them in financial manner.
The organisation to use Information Technology, the extent of its use of IT and its current status.
Mark & Spencer is a multi national organisation of retail sector. It was established in 1884 in

Europe, and now serving their products and services in around all over the world. They use
Information Technologies in their system, which help them in making a smoother management
between their elements. It also help them in increasing their production efficiently, use of IT in
operations help their customers in better experience. IT has changed the way of their production, the
way of their management, and also change the way of the coordination between different
operations. Currently they are using their official App which is named as “Mark & Spencer”, and
their official web site for promoting and selling their products using internet.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is very much possible that, M&S can face issues related to ethical or social concerns. This
all affect their image as well as their financial condition in market. Introducing technologies in
system also cut down the personal and face to face interaction of employees, which reduces the
humanity. For sharing data, they can use LAN (Local area network) in their system. This will help
them in sharing information and data at high rate of transmission ( Waser, 2012). They also can use
technologies for knowing and understanding the strategies used by their competitors and also they
can study the new trends which can affect their profitability.
CONCLUSION
Form the above report, it has been concluded that, information technologies plays a vital
role in modern business. It use to play an important role in retail sector, this allow organisation of
retail industry to make their working smoother, and faster. It also help them in growing their
business at global level. M&S can use LAN for making communication between elements in one
premises and can use WAN and MAN for making coordination between premisses from different
locations. This will lead them to share and retrieve informations and data faster and easily. For
taking proper use of technologies, they have to introduce more safety measure to their system. This
will help them in keeping their system safe from unauthenticated persons, so that data remain safe
and they do not face any problem to it.