Project Business Case Report: LTR's Response to COVID-19 Challenges

This report presents a business case study focusing on LTR, a housing association, and its response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores the company's adoption of new technologies and software to facilitate remote work and maintain communication among employees. The report details the reasons for the project, potential business options, expected advantages and disadvantages, timescale, and associated costs. It utilizes the weighted score model to evaluate business options and includes a section on the Gibbs Reflective model to assess communication, numeracy, ICT, problem-solving, and teamwork. The analysis covers the impact of the pandemic on business operations, the importance of technology adoption, and strategies for overcoming communication barriers and maintaining productivity. The report provides insights into the decision-making process, financial considerations, and the overall impact of the project on the company's performance and growth.

Project Business
Case Report

Executive Summary
This report is based on foundations of business management which includes various
departments and functions within workplace and who contribute individual efforts towards
common goals. Major purpose of this report is how to overcome from challenges and barriers
that are arise at the time of Covid pandemic. As per case study report cover reason behind project
which includes various aspects related to business operating process and Covid aspects. More
business options that can be begin in existing plan. Advantages and disadvantages of adopting
new technology and tools. Timescale of project and cost of maintenances or operations. By using
Gibbs Reflective model company can measure communication, numeracy, ICT, problems
solving and working with others.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
PART 1............................................................................................................................................3
Reasons of doing this project.................................................................................................3
Business options.....................................................................................................................4
Expected advantages..............................................................................................................5
Expected disadvantages..........................................................................................................6
Timescale................................................................................................................................6
Cost.........................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
PART 2............................................................................................................................................7
GIBBS Reflective model........................................................................................................7
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Foundations of management use a functional structure using overarching managerial
functions like planning, organizing, leading and controlling special topics or areas of
management. As per case study LTR which is a housing associated operating in the Luton.
Company have different departments and functions to operate this business. Due to Covid
Pandemic country's government introduce complete lock down. So company allow to employees
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from different department to do work from home. To operate business from home is very
challenging for organisation and employees also (Allsopp, 2018). They adopt some application
for interacting with each staff and share performance and work. The main purpose of this case
study is how they manage challenges on online platforms for conducting meetings and increasing
business. Below report includes Reasons behind this project, more options in business, benefits
and disadvantages, timescale and cost. In part second report covers communication, numeracy,
ICT, problem solving and working with others.
MAIN BODY
PART 1
Reasons of doing this project
LTR (Luton Town Residence) is housing association which is operating in Luton with
mission to offer suitable housing for local people in community with a specific focus on offer
assistance to vulnerable individuals. Company operate from central office which is located in
Luton Town Centre, they also manage various distinct blocks, split in general purpose of housing
or supported housing. They have separate department for General purpose housing with operate
through separate well-defined functional teams in workplace, they all are responsible for
managing and tracking problems in their specialised area that are finance team, customer service
team and facilities maintenance team (Azhari and Usman, 2021). Due to Covid Pandemic
government announce complete lock-down, so company assign work to entire staff for their
home. For conducting meetings and interact with staff company use Zoom application some
employees are satisfy and some are not happy with this application because they are not familiar
with new online platforms and its functions. Company face communication barrier to avoid this
they approach other software companies to prepare application for their office. So through this
company can manage meeting and interacting process with each employees. Preparation of new
application is costly process but company invest in this for future growth and avoid any financial
issues. In organisation each departments wants to separate their work and department. Company
also work on it to manage work and combine together. So it save extra cost and provide more
profitability to business.
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Business options
Weighted score model define as a project management technique adopt for weighing
definite decisions like prioritizing project features development, buying new software and project
actions. There are some steps in this model which can use company to introduce effective
business option.
 At first stage company can list out the options and it is easiest procedure. LTR require to
do make list of each options that they like to incorporate in project without point to
priority, difficulty and other factor (Bowden, 2020). There are some options are included
such as project steps, potential candidates for hiring, software options which are
appropriate for project and features. As per company requirements they need to add more
features in their project to combine all departments and each staff will be happy with this.
Company also require some best software and potential people to manage technical
department.
 At second stage company need to brainstorm criteria, which includes; risk, cost, time,
quality, efforts and return on investment. This criteria industry use in weighted scoring
model is specific to project. LTR company face challenges and difficulties during Covid
and they work on two factor one is to combine each department as per requirements and
second one is make effective software for better interacting process with staff who are
doing work from home. For separating departments company prepare one office with
different cabins and departments so each employees can work in one office but in
different work area. It is cost effective because if they make different office for each one
it is very time consuming and cost as well (Cole, 2018). For better communication they
approach some companies such as Microsoft and other to make a effectual application for
office use but is very costly. Company ready to invest in new application because they
think about business growth in terms of productivity and performance, if both are
enhance with higher rate then it will also enhance revenue.
 At third stage, company need to assign weight values and criteria, two criteria will never
provide same importance. Which proves helpfulness of weighted scoring concept. It is
important to assign particular weight values to every criterion in form of percentage.
Company can give a score to each criteria such as 20% to return on investment, 15% to
efforts, 20% to cost, 15% to Sustainability, 10% risk, 10% to time and 10% to quality.
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 At fourth stage, company need to create weighted scoring chart, by using some software
(Czarnecka, 2019). This is final stage, as per chart company can find out business options
are effective or not and estimate future success and performance of business.
 In additional, company can adopt some more features such as email concept through this
staff and organisation can share data and information related to business, company need
to provide cell phones for calling and etc.
Expected advantages
 By using effective software company can enhance communication with staff and each
staff are familiar with technology.
 Improve organisation's brand values and image because by adopting appropriate
technology and software for their business purpose. A good performance of business
attract people.
 Adopting suitable applications and software are helps in enhance performance and
company can generate more revenue.
 Transferring data and information become more easy by adopting suitable software or
platform.
 As a director or owner of company they can take decisions related to business projects it
provide more independences.
 By adopting new applications and software for operating business they will get financial
rewards at higher level.
 Learning opportunity, covid situation create more learning opportunities for employees in
technical terms. Staff can gain more knowledge about technology and its uses.
 Company can transfer data and information in easy manner.
Expected disadvantages
 Making applications and approaching other technical company for making software is
very costing.
 For communication company adopt new technology and applications but some staff are
not familiar with latest technology and their features.
 Stress involve in managing business work or projects from home because of
communication gap and poor internet connection.
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 Time commitment, using software and applications for effective communication can be
more time consuming because of connectivity issues and some staff face issues in
application use.
 Security concern of data and important information of business.
 Poor internet connections in different locations so some employees can connect and some
are not.
Timescale
Timescale basically means and arrangement of events utilize as measure of relative and
absolute duration of period of history or cosmic time. Timescale for development of software is
vary on different size of software and their features (Davies, Haugh and Chambers, 2019). LTR
company require a software and application which is useful for interacting and conducting
meeting through online channels or application for operating business projects. TLR approach
some technical companies for application and software development, it take 3–5 approx months
for development. It is also depend upon technical company and LTR requirements. Company
will receive benefits in 1-2 months after development of software and application.
Cost
It is monetary value that is spent by organisation in order to perform business tasks in
project. It does not consider mark up for more revenue. Cost vary on software or application's
features and standard. LTR require effectual software from technical company and cost will be
$40,000 - $50,000. cost of maintenance and operations will be 45% of TCO (Total cost of
ownership). It is costly but and effectual software provide better performance and generate more
revenue (Gunn, 2021). To increase profit and enhance brand values company is ready to invest
in best technical software.
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that, company operate their business in different categories with the help
of some separate departments and functions. Due to Covid situation company face challenges
and barriers in communicating with employees who work from their home. Company adopt
application for interacting each staff and conducting meetings via online, but some employees
are not familiar with technology and it's functions. So it is a barrier for organisation as well as
staff. This affect their business performance and growth. To improve interaction process they
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adopt approach some technology company to prepare a application for their business so they can
conduct meetings and work together through application. Company face some issues but they
overcome from issues by investing in effective technologies, this will provide more growth to
business.
PART 2
GIBBS Reflective model
It was introduced in 1988 by Graham Gibbs, to provide a structure to learning from
experiences. It also offer a structure for analysing experience and given its nature lends itself
specifically well to repeated experience. Allowing to learn and plan from things that give
outcomes in both terms in negative as well as positive. There are five steps which are explain
below as;
Communication: It refers to act of developing a definition among groups and entities
through using sufficient understood signs, semiotic conventions and symbols. There are some
types of communication such as verbal and non verbal communication, visual, written and etc.
company's facilities maintenance team is requested for their system or Office Amp which have
enough Integration in new communication or collaboration channels to reduce or avoid any
duplicate information, company requests on two systems. Individual coaches is requested that
new communication or collaboration channels have some integration with the Office365. For
more effective collaboration channels and communication there are some possible solutions that
are Microsoft Teams, flow dock and discord. Through these company make effective interaction
procedure between each staff.
Numeracy: It is skills, behaviour, knowledge and dispositions that people require in
order to utilize mathematics in huge range of situation. It consider recognising and understanding
mathematics role at workplace. Also having dispositions or capacities to utilize mathematical
skills purposefully and mathematical. Numeracy provide accurate change, understanding data,
using spreadsheet and weighing and measuring.
ICT (Information and communication technologies): It is wide term for information
technology, which defines to each communication technologies, considering wireless network,
internet, cell phones, software, computers, middle ware, social networking, video conferencing
and some other media services and applications. By using these LTR company can make
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effectual communication channels and software so they get favourable outcomes in term of
profitability and productivity. An effective communication can helps in enhance performance of
business.
Problem solving: It is refers to issues which are arise at workplace or in business which
are resolved by company. There are some process are involve in this first is to define problems
with underlying reasons and avoid trying to resolve the issues without data. Second is Generate
alternative options or solutions, in this specific long and short terms alternative is important,
brain storming provide more effective ideas to solve any problems . In LTR company they face
some issues and challenges that are staff need different department for their field work such as
for finance, marketing, customer services and etc. but for company it is very costly to separate
departments. They work on it by using some strategies and try to improve communication. Other
one is due to COVID situation they couldn't operate their business offline so they give work
from home to employees. Company conduct meeting or interact them by using Zoom application
but some employees are not familiar with technologies and its feature. So they face issues in
operating application and in interacting process. For this problem company introduce new
application for office use and try to improve communication. Evaluate and choose alternatives
without bias and which helps in achieve targeted goals. Implement on solution, for this company
ned to collect feedbacks from staff for work from home concept and also establish measures and
tracking which are ongoing. Long terms outcomes are based on final solution.
Working with others: It is ability to effectually interact, collaborate, cooperate and
handle conflicts with other employees or staff members in terms to complete business project
and accomplish shared goals. This ability is must required in organisation to achieve common
goals and enhance profitability and performance of projects and business. In LTR company
different department wants separate areas and departments but company can't afford this because
of high cost. So they try to take maximum participation and increase communication among
employees. In Covid situation staff conduct their meeting and share information related to
business through Zoom application but some are not happy with this so they introduce new
application as per requirement and effective channel have major role in working together on one
project.
Conclusion: I able to do other than do few another things. Immediately after incidental I
would have to spoken to instructor or explained my troubles, where dedicate mistakes and I
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asked to teacher, what I imagine to much more belligerent. The relations also changed me to
realise importance of keep partnership with adviser, I have concentrate on cooperation, assurance
or its building procedure in order to raise to my growth as well as my relations with training
manager. In order, I require to focus on my issues solving skills to build creative relations with
many others associate or new people that might help me.
In additional, company require to focus on communication process and also approach
good companies for developing software and application with important features such as
transferring messages, information, video conferencing, presenting presentation and many more
which are important to operate business.
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