Analyzing IT's Impact on Supply Chain Management: Marks & Spencer

This research proposal investigates the impact of information technology on supply chain management, focusing on a case study of Marks & Spencer. It highlights the importance of IT in modern supply chain operations, addressing issues faced by companies lacking IT integration, such as difficulties in data collection and tracking. The research aims to understand the concept of IT and supply chain management, determine IT's role in product inventory and delivery within Marks & Spencer, and investigate challenges faced before IT implementation. The proposal includes research questions related to these objectives and outlines a time framework using a Gantt chart. The research also touches upon the academic relevance of the subject and emphasizes how IT helps in faster delivery, supply transparency, and improved customer service. It further discusses how information technology links every individual associated with the company into a real-time information interactive notion.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
(The impact of information technology on supply chain
management of Marks & Spencer)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Overview of the topic
Supply chain management refers to the management which focuses on flowing of goods
& services and involves all procedures that convert raw materials into final products. It includes
the active streamlining of supply-side activities of a business for maximising customer value and
gaining great competitive advantage in the marketplace (Dehgani and Navimipour, 2019). In
simpler words, supply chain management includes the flow of services & goods, between
locations & businesses and involves the storage & movement of raw materials as well as finished
goods (Raman and et. al., 2018).
Information technology is the usage of networking, storage, computers and other physical
devices, procedures and infrastructure of creating, processing, storing, securing and exchanging
all types of electronic data. In simpler words, information technology helps in building
communications networks for an organisation, safeguarding information and data, forming and
administering databases, assisting personnel troubleshoot issues with their mobile devices or
computers and performing a range of other significant operations for ensuring security and
efficiency of business information (Chatchawanchanchanakij, Arpornpisal and Jermsittiparsert,
2019).
The existing report showcases the significance of information technology in supply chain
management for improving different functions (Basheer and et. al., 2019). It also involves the
various challenges faced by company in the absence of information technologies within supply
chain management. For showcasing the impact of information technology on supply chain
management, the chosen organisation is Marks & Spencer. This is the organisation which is
specialised in selling home products, clothing and food products. Therefore, the present
investigation focuses on showing the positive relationship between information technology and
supply chain management.
Academic endeavour
In my university I have studied about information technology which gives a broad array
of software and hardware for capturing the essence of supply chain management (Bhatt,
Sashikala and Chakraborty, 2019). It gives a faster delivery system for its existing and new
customers as well as for connecting supply transparency. Companies standardise the information
technology and infrastructure with supply chain management (Nandi and et. al., 2020). It

includes a component of communicational technology so that business success could be
improved by improving customer services. Supply chain management and information
technology are the significant components for a business. The objective of supply chain &
information technology is to assemble certain information about the different products. This also
tracks product right from its manufacturing procedure to its purchase & delivery point (Huo,
Haq and Gu, 2021).
It gives complete visibility of the commodity at each stage by considering all the
involved parties. This assists in accessing the information of the certain product in the inventory
for any of company's suppliers or consumers. This directly aids company to have information in
real time and tracking timely delivery of the product and establishing great relationship between
the suppliers and consumers (Fatorachian and Kazemi, 2021). Information technology in supply
chain management links every individual associated with the company into a real time
information interactive notion. It also represents the financial systems and logistics in a
representative way (Jimenez-Jimenez, Martínez-Costa and Rodriguez, 2019). This also facilitates
in collaborating with the supply chain partners and the main objective of the information
technology within supply chain is to connect all the delivery points with the help of information
trail (Blossey, Eisenhardt and Hahn, 2019). This also assists in maintaining accuracy in the
procedure of providing status of products to retailers so that customers can also get through its
products. Therefore, the procedure of standardisation includes four important features that
include: parallel communication between the customers and system, stand-alone networks,
communication created with the help of internet and collaboration by the role of significant
functions and processing system of data collection (Bhatt, Sashikala and Chakraborty, 2019).
Therefore, information technology and supply chain are two very important concepts of an
organisation.
Rationale of the research
The main reason of conducting the research is to showcase the importance of information
technology in the modern time for making supply chain operations smooth and convenient
(Shahzad and et. al., 2020). This topic has great interest to me because it covers the data about
advance information technologies. There are two significant objectives which are met through
this investigation which are: personal and professional objective. It fulfils my personal objectives
as I will get chance of increasing my knowledge about different concepts. On the other hand, in

respect of professional perspective I will learn about the actual impact of information
technologies on supply chain management within an organisation.
Problem statement of the research
The problem identified that has led to conduct the current investigation is that company
faces issue due to absence of information technology within supply chain. Company faces issues
in collecting specific data about the commodity and tracking them right from its purchase &
delivery point. Hence, this has created problem of getting right information at right time about
the product for suppliers as well as customers.
Research aim, objectives and questions
Research Aim:
To identify the impact of information technology on supply chain management within an
organisation: A study on Marks & Spencer
Research Objectives:
 To understand the concept of information technology and supply chain management
within an organisation
 To determine the role of information technology in supply chain management in terms of
product inventory and delivery within Marks & Spencer
 To investigate the challenges faced by Marks & Spencer before including information
technology in supply chain management
Research Questions:
 Explain the concept of information technology and supply chain management within an
organisation?
 What are the roles of information technology in supply chain management in terms of
product inventory and delivery within Marks & Spencer?
 What are the challenges faced by Marks & Spencer before including information
technology in supply chain management?
Time framework
Gantt chart will be considered by researcher because it assists in dividing activities with
proper time schedule. This will assist in completing every activity and task so that aim and
objectives can be easily attained.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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performance in the presence of information technology capabilities and supply chain
technology adoption: A case of textile firms in Pakistan. Uncertain Supply Chain
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Bhatt, V., Sashikala, P. and Chakraborty, S., 2019. The impact of information technology and
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