Business Research Project: Management Operations in Retail - UK

This research project investigates the management operations within the retail sector, specifically focusing on Marks & Spencer in the UK. It begins by introducing the background and rationale for the study, outlining the aim and objectives related to understanding the issues faced by Marks & Spencer in managing its business functions. The literature review explores the importance of management operations in UK retail organizations, covering functions of management and problems encountered in the retail industry. It also examines steps taken to improve management performance. The research methodology chapter details the philosophical position, research approach, data collection, and analysis methods. The findings and analysis chapter presents and analyzes primary data collected. Finally, the conclusion and recommendation chapter discusses the findings and provides recommendations for improving management operations at Marks & Spencer. Desklib provides access to this project and a wealth of other study resources for students.

RESEARCH PROJECT
1

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................4
1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................4
1.1 Background of the research study....................................................................................4
1.2 Rationale of the research study........................................................................................5
1.3 Aim...................................................................................................................................5
1.4 Objectives.........................................................................................................................5
1.5 Research questions...........................................................................................................5
1.6 Structure of the research study.........................................................................................6
1.7 Summary..........................................................................................................................7
Chapter 2- Literature review......................................................................................................8
2.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................8
2.1 Importance of the management operations in retail organizations of UK.......................8
2.2 Functions of management................................................................................................9
2.3 The issues and problems in the management department retail industry.....................10
2.4 Steps taken by the organization to improve the management performance...................12
2.5 Summary........................................................................................................................14
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...........................................................................................16
3.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................16
3.1 Philosophical Position....................................................................................................16
3.2 Research Approach........................................................................................................16
3.3 Data Collection...............................................................................................................17
3.4 Data Analysis.................................................................................................................17
3.5 Sampling Technique.......................................................................................................17
3.6 Time Horizon of the research.........................................................................................18
3.7 Ethics..............................................................................................................................19
2

3.8 Resources and Limitation...............................................................................................19
3.9 Summary........................................................................................................................19
Chapter 4: Finding and Analysis..............................................................................................20
4.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................20
4.1 Primary data collection and analysis..............................................................................20
4.2 Summary........................................................................................................................28
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation..........................................................................30
5.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................30
5.1 Discussion......................................................................................................................30
5.2 Recommendation............................................................................................................32
5.3 Summary........................................................................................................................33
Reference List..........................................................................................................................35
3

Chapter 1: Introduction
1.0 Introduction
In this chapter, the topic of the research study will be introduced. In addition, the chapter will
discuss the background of the research study. The project will also shed light on the
underlying principle of the research topic. Furthermore, the aims and objectives of the
research study will be identified. Based on the objectives the researcher will further provide a
number of research questions upon which the overall research will be conducted. The chapter
will provide the entire structure of the research project. In this context, the case study of Mark
& Spencer has been taken under consideration.
1.1 Background of the research study
Management is the most significant part of any organization. Proper management at every
level of the organization is necessary in order to successfully achieve the organizational
objectives and goals of the company (Slack, 2015). Management helps in the planning,
organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling the systems of an organization. Furthermore,
management helps in optimizing the utilization of the resources of the company. It also
reduces the cost or expense of the organization. In addition, proper management helps in
maintaining a coordinated and smooth functioning within the company. Management is the
administration of a company, whether it is a not for profit organization, business, or
government body. It comprises of the activities of generating the strategy and planning of a
company and synchronizing the efforts of its workforce to achieve its goals and objectives by
means of the application of the obtainable resources, for instance, technological, financial,
human, and natural resources (Hakseverand Render, 2018).
Marks & Spencer is a multinational retail company based at London. The organization is
specialised at selling home products, clothing range and luxury food items. The company was
the first British retailer to make a pre-profit of more than £1 billion (Marksandspencer, 2018).
Marks & Spencer implements the process of retail management within its organization. It is
the procedure of promoting better sales and customer contentment by understanding the
needs and demands of the consumers of the services and products that are produced by the
company. The company follows a typical retail management strategy for their business,
wherein the company conducts a complete research of the process of giving out of the
finished products manufactured by the company to the customers so as to identify the
satisfaction level of the consumers.
4

1.2 Rationale of the research study
The contribution of management is turning out to become more vital due to the complex
hierarchical and widespread structure of the multinational organizations.Managementis
alsoessential in order to integrate the resources of the company in an effective manner
(Schönsleben, 2016).
Management is a significant factor in every organization. With the increasing competition in
the market, it is important for an organization to appropriately manage its operations in for
maintaining its position in the industry. Proper management of operations within an
organization facilitates in achieving the organizational objectives and goals.
In the present scenario, Marks & Spencer is experiencing certain issues due to the
inappropriate management of operations and functions within the organization.The
keypurpose behind theimplementation ofthe research paper is to recognize the issues that the
management department of the company, Marks & Spencer has experienced while executing
itsfunctions and operations.
1.3 Aim
The aim of the research is to understand the key issues that the company, Marks & Spencer is
experiencing while managing the functions of the business within the workplace.
1.4 Objectives
 To consider the management operations of the company of Marks & Spencer
 To recognize the efficiency of the operations that are conducted by the management
department of the organization
 To comprehend the problems that the management department of Marks & Spencer
has experienced
 To evaluate the assessable steps carried out so as to develop the overall performance
of the company
1.5 Research questions
 What operations did the management department of the company, Marks and Spencer
conducted?
5

 How efficiently did the management department of the company conducted its
functions and operation, so as to achieve its organizational objectives and goals?
 What are the problems that the management department of the company experienced?
 What are the assessable steps carried out so as to develop the overall performance of
the company?
1.6 Structure of the research study
The research study is divided into five chapters, namely, introduction, literature review,
methodology, findings and analysis and conclusion & recommendation.In the introductory
chapter, the background of the project has been discussedalong with the aim and objectives of
the research study.In chapter 2, the previous literature related to the subject of the research
study has been considered. The section will put lights on the importance of the management
operationsin the retail organizations of the United Kingdom.In addition, the functions of
management of the retail industryhave also been elaborated.The study has also illustrated the
different steps that an organization takes in order to improve its operational performances.
The problems and issues in the management operations have been talked about in this
section. In chapter 3, the methods, techniques and approachesused in order to conduct the
research has been described in details. In chapter 4, the findings obtained from the research
has been analysed in order to find the outcomes of the study.The final chapter has provided a
number of recommendations for further research.
Figure 1: Structure of Research Study
(Source: Created by Learner)
6

1.7 Summary
In this chapter, the background of the research topic has been elaborated. In addition,the
research aim and objectives have been determined in this section. A number of research
questions have been identified as a base for conducting the research.
7

Chapter 2- Literature review
2.0 Introduction
Operation management is the area of management that assists in controlling and designing
the production process and the business operations. This chapter will evaluate the
significance of management operation using the example of UK retail industry. The details
regarding the issues and problems that are arising in managing the operations in the current
competitive market have been discussed. The various measures that are being adopted by the
retailers of UK in order to improve their operation management have been mentioned in this
chapter. This review will allow the learner to gain knowledge about the retail sector of UK
and the business environment and its impact on the operation of the retail organization.
2.1 Importance of the management operations in retail organizations of UK
According to report of Ramanujan.edu.in(2018), the operational department of service
industry is a vital part of the organization as they are responsible to carry out a number of
processes that help in the growth and development of the organization. The operational
department of the retail industry is important as they help in collecting valuable feedback
from their consumers, allowing them to develop products in the most modified manner so
that the revenue of the company can be enhanced. According to Harvard Business
Review(2018), operational departments help in maintaining a balance between the
requirement of the consumers and the production of the industry. The process is important as
it allows the retailers to provide customer satisfaction; the organization should take initiative
to make their consumers feel valued that will help them in gaining the loyalties of their
consumers. Increasing customer base helps the company to gain competitive advantages from
their competitors. Thus, operation management is essential as it is completely focused on
enhancing consumer experience as per the demands of the customers, thus helping in
achieving the overall business objectives of the firm.
According to (Justice.gc.ca, 2018), the management department of the retail industry of UK
are significant as they help in managing the financial statements of the company. The
management department ensures that all the functions of the organization are completed
within the allocated budget so that the company is able to generate the expected
revenue.According to (Spear, 2017)management department helps in maintaining the
resources of the firm and ensures that all the resources are utilized in the most efficient
manner so that more profit can be generated for the organization. The department assists in
8

maintaining effective communication between all the employees and members so that all the
goals and objectives are clearly understood and the overall objective of the company can be
achieved within the defined period and the organization can increase its business and set
ahead towards their future objectives.
2.2 Functions of management
As management is one of the most significant aspects of retail industry, they are responsible
to carry out major functions in order to maintain the smooth operations of the organization.
According to Roger Dawson, (2018), management is responsible to look after the planning
process of the organization. The planning process is essential as it provides guidance to the
employees and the organization in order to work in a way so that the company is able to
achieve all the future objectives. Planning also allows the industry to cope up with the
changing business environment.
According to Scott and Davis (2015), the management is responsible to organize the
hierarchical and activity structure of the company. The management commands and orders
their staffs that are to be followed in order to increase the performance level of the
organization. Thus, they are authoritative in natureThe management brings all the resources
together in order to achieve the goals of the organization. The management is responsible for
recognizing the important activities and assigning the tasks to employees as per their
capabilities. The management is required to prioritize all the resources and make effective use
the resources so that they are able to enhance the outcome of the resources.
According to Friebelet al., (2017) members of management team are well aware about the
importance of teamwork and they ensure that all the departments of the organization are
working together with the same objectives. Teamwork helps in making the work more
efficient by resolving the issues in an effective way. Teamwork will help the organization in
understanding the various requirement of the organization in a better way and the teams can
come up with creative ideas to increase the business. Thus, team management is one of the
important functions of operation management that should be carried out in an effective
manner so that all the employees are able to coordinate and work with each other.
The management of the retail sector are responsible to fulfilling the needs of their firm, thus,
they maintain the workforce or conduct recruitment programsof the organization. They
recruit new candidates as per the vacancy in the firm. They advertise their requirements with
the help of suitable platforms and then interview the candidates to understand their skills and
9

experience. Recruiting new talents help them in bringing new ideas into their organization,
which will assist them in increasing their business. They provide the required training to their
staffs so that the productivity of the organization can be increased and their staffs are able to
serve their customers in a skilful manner by fulfilling their needs and delivering excellent
customer service. the training process polishes the employees and they gain knowledge
regarding their responsibilities and the expectation of the firm from them.
According to Varley(2014), the management of the retail industry are required to control the
different challenges that arise due to the changing work environment. There are a number of
challenges that are faced by the retailers due to the increasing competition in the retail
market. The operation management adopts and creates certain strategies with the help of
other team members to ensure that the organization is able to keep up its business with the
changing environment and the developments that are taking place. Strategies and policies
help in running of business thus; creating strategies are the most critical responsibility that is
carried out by the members of the organization. Management helps in developing business
strategies and assists the leaders of the organization to adopt appropriate styles in order to
handle the various work situations and support their employee so that the business of the firm
could be enhanced.
According to Heizer, (2016), the management of the retail sectors are required to monitor the
overall functioning of the organization to ensure that all the employees are putting their
efforts in order to achieve the goals of the organization. They provide their employees with
feedbacks about the ways they can improve their skills and performance that will help them
in meeting their targets and achieving their goals. The management also monitors the current
business market to understand the business environment that helps them in modifying their
policies so that they can enhance their market share. The management of the retail sectors
keep updating their policies in order to satisfy their consumers and enhance their consumer
strength.
2.3 The issues and problems in the management department retail industry
The competitions in the retail industry is increasing at a rapid rate and the operations of the
organization faces a number of challenges and issues that are required to be resolved so that
business can run in a proper manner. Effective communication is of utmost importance for
the growth and development of any organization. The management of a retail organization
can be successful if the operation manager is able to communicate in the most efficient and
10

effortless manner. The manager is required to communicate with the external as well as
internal stakeholders so that they can understand the requirements of the organization in a
clear manner. The management department should have good communication skills so that
the stakeholder can be persuaded to comply with the activities of the organization and the
business of the organization can be expanded. According to Eze(2015), the operation
managers are required to interact with the employees and the members of other departments
so that they are able to inform them about the changes and developments that are required for
the betterment of the organization. The management department faces a lot of pressure while
screening and interviewing candidates for their organization; they are required to judge the
capabilities of the candidates and choose a suitable candidate for their firm.
According to Tansel and Gazîoğlu(2014), the management department is required to interact
with the employees and maintain good employee relations. They face difficulties in
maintaining employee relations as employees of diverse backgrounds collaborate within a
firm and may not be able to get along, so it becomes difficult for the management to
cooperate and make the employees interact so that they can work as a team. One of the most
common issues that are faced by the management of retail organizations is to enhance the
client service. The requirements and needs of the clients keep changing as per the current
trends; it is very difficult for the management to satisfy their customers by altering their
services and products so that customers are attracted to their firm. Due to increasing
competition, many firms are introducing new products that provide the customers with a
number of options. So it becomes challenging the retail management to cope up with the
needs of the customers in order to retain the consumers.
Employee turnover is one of the biggest challenges that are being faced by the management
of retail organizations. As per the publications of Jahshan(2018), it can be observed that 26%
of the employees working in the retail sector stated that due to stressful work environment
they changed their job profile. Salary constraints are another potential reason due to which
employees in UK were switching their jobs as they were receiving higher pay scale from
other sectors. 18% of the employees stated that they did not have any scope of promotion and
due to job security; they preferred to change their job. Thus, a heavy employee turnover is
experienced in the retail industry of UK. It is one of the most challenging scenarios for the
management, as lack of employees will hamper the productivity of the firm.
11

According to Harper (2015),Technology is another challenging factor that influences the
decision-making and operation of an organization. Technology is updating and advancing at a
very high rate, the management of the retail organization faces issue of keeping pace with the
latest technology. It is very important for the management of the organization to possess
complete knowledge and understanding of the latest technology and the benefits of the
technological advancements so that they are able to incorporate latest technologies within
their operation. Implementing technology will boost the business and help in improving the
efficiency of the organization. If the managements fail to incorporate the latest advancement,
they might lose customers to their competitors with latest advancements. For example,
customers in UK prefer to shop from retailers who provide them with digital payments option
and online shopping opportunities. The trend of online shopping is increasing among the
consumers of UK, as per the publication of statista.com (2018), it is noted that 80% of
internet users in UK shopped from online medium in the year 2015, making UK the third
largest e-commerce market in world. Thus, it is very important for the management of the
retail industry to ensure that they have a proper e-commerce website that will help them in
attracting customers.
Economic conditions of a county play a vital role for the growth and development of retail
sector of a country. The management is constantly under pressure due to changes in the
economy; if the economical condition of a country is stable; the citizens will have proper
employment and will be able to spend more for their requirements. If the country is going
through an economic depression the citizen will be unemployed and will do budget shopping,
this puts severe pressure on the management as they are responsible to achieve the overall
goals and objectives of the organization and have the responsibility of increasing the sale o
the organization. If the retail organization is working in many different countries than the
pressure on the management is even more as they have to consider all the different economies
in which their business is running. The management is also required to consider the political
as well as the legal aspects of the different nation in which their business is currently
operating.
2.4 Steps taken by the organization to improve the management performance
According to (Pantano,2014), performance of the management can be enhanced by following
certain routines and practices that will help the managers and the employees to improve their
performance that will enhance the efficiency of the business firm. The management of the
retail organization try to interact with their employees so that they are able to improve their
12