Investigating Cultural Diversity at the Workplace: A Sainsbury's Study

This research proposal investigates the critical role of managing cultural diversity in enhancing employee productivity within the workplace, using Sainsbury's as a case study. The study aims to explore the concept of cultural diversity in a business context, analyze its significance within Sainsbury's, determine its impact on employee productivity, and identify effective measures for managing diversity. The proposal outlines the research objectives, questions, and the rationale for choosing the topic, highlighting personal interest and the importance of addressing cultural diversity in the modern business environment. It includes a review of relevant literature, discussing the positive and negative impacts of diversity, and how companies like Sainsbury's can leverage diversity to improve employee relations, collaboration, and overall productivity. The methodology section details the research philosophy, approach, strategies, and data collection methods, including the use of a deductive approach and quantitative research methods. The proposal also provides a timeline of activities and milestones to guide the research process.

Research Project

Table of Contents
Research Proposal Form..................................................................................................................1
Research Ethics approval form......................................................................................................10

Research Proposal Form
Student Name: ______________________ Student ID:
____________
Centre Name: _____________________
Tutor: ________________ Date:
___________________
Unit: ____________________
Proposed Title: “Managing culture diversity in the work place".
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Section One: Title, objective, responsibilities
Title or working title of the research project (in the form of a question,
objective or hypothesis)
To investigate the importance of managing cultural diversity for promoting employees
productivity at work place. A case study on Sainsbury.
Research objectives (e.g what is the question you want to answer? What do
you want to learn how to do? What do you want to find out?):
The significant objectives of this particular research is associated as below:
 To explore knowledge in regards to the concept of cultural diversity in the context of business.
 To analyse the major significance of managing cultural diversity within Sainsbury.
 To determine the impact of managing cultural diversity over promoting employees productivity
within Sainsbury. To access the measures that can be opt by Sainsbury for managing cultural diversity at work
place.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of cultural diversity in the context of business?
 What are the major significance of managing cultural diversity within Sainsbury?
 What is the impact of managing cultural diversity over promoting employees productivity within
Sainsbury?
 What key measures can be opt by Sainsbury for managing cultural diversity at work place?
Section Two: Reasons for choosing this research project
Reasons for choosing the project (e.g links to other subjects you are
studying, personal interest, future plans, knowledge/skills you want to
improve, why the topic is important):
 The research into thought process is supported on analysing the importance of managing cultural
diversity for promoting workers productivity at work place. The extent of this particular
examination is broad as it is efficacious in enhancing my idea and cognition in regards to the
chosen subject area, which in turns in creating value for me in understanding the way of
conducting an exploration.
 The leading ground behind administration of the investigation is my personal interest as I wants to
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explore my personal and professional skills related to the chosen subject area(McGreevy and et.
al., 2019).
 The another ground for executing the investigation over this particular area is that, cultural
diversity is a most common cognitive content that is insignificantly featured by the businesses and
this also influence the productivity of workers within commercial centre, so by the help of
conducting detailed analysis this issue can be analysed via the support of suitable information.
 This study is effective for me in developing my academic skills and writing skills that would be
beneficial for me in executing any other investigation in effective manner.
Section Three: Literature sources searched
Use of key literature sources to support your research question, objective
or hypothesis:
Literature review refers as a comprehensive brief analysis of a previous investigation on a specific topic,
this this section of investigation plays a vital role in conducting in-depth analysis via developing
theoretical framework, which is supportive in enhancing understanding in regards to a specific area of
study (Boylan, and et. al., 2019). In this part, data is principally assembled by secondary sources like
books, journals, published research articles etc. In the context of this investigation, proper analysis is
being executed over analysing the importance of managing cultural diversity for promoting employees
productivity at work place.
As per the views expressed by Jennifer Lombardo, 2020, cultural diversity is basically defined as
a multiculturalism which in-consist over a group of diverse people through assorted cultures and
societies. In addition to this, Diversity is ubiquitous, therefore, workforce diversity defined as the
business that are becoming more heterogeneous as they are different in gender, culture, religion, race,
sexual orientation, status belief etc. Culture diversity has both positive and negative impact and it is
mainly based on an individual's perspective and prejudices (Riley, and et. al., 2019). Diversity mainly
allows a business to provide effective facilities to their customers at diverse area via the support of the
diversified workforces. Due to high emergence of globalisation and information explosion in today's
scenario, the business environment is significantly becoming volatile with the effective workforce
diversity as a major complexity which affects the productivity, effective collaboration of employees,
increasing in revenue and so on. Therefore, these challenges are needs to be handled through the
enterprises for the intention of improvising the employees relationship and promoting engagement of
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workers within commercial centre.
According to the view declared through Katie Reynolds, 2917, Cultural diversity in regards to
work environment is the point at which a business is available to procuring individuals from the varying
foundations; paying little heed to race, religion and culture. At the point when business select and hold a
differing pool of individual, it has noteworthy advantages for the business and the workers also.
Sainsbury is a large super market chain which is operating in retail segment and the major focus of the
firm is to managing cultural diversity for the purpose of enhancing the operations of the firm via the
effective engagement of employee. Therefore, company has attained assorted importance of managing
cultural diversity at work place like increasing interrelations among employees, collaborative working,
increasing in production positive working environment and so on. In the present current and serious
business condition the key thought process of every little just as enormous business undertakings is to
overseeing jumper workforce at work spot to improve the efficiency and tasks at work spot (Rogers,
2017). Sainsbury is a huge worldwide firm, which is working at worldwide level, so nature of business is
available to procure individuals from differing regions to satisfy the wants of clients at commercial
centre. Managing cultural diversity has positive impact over promoting employees productivity, thus
Employees from all type of assorted backgrounds get more knowledge and skills from their colleagues’
and also enhance their experience in different fields. Thus, they are able to bring fresh ideas to the project
by thinking out of their comfort zone. Therefore, this in turns in creating value for the firm in developing
multicultural environment which will be supportive for the firm in improvising their operations at work
place. In the context of business, management of cultural diversity is essential as it has direct impact over
the productivity of employees. However, employees in a workplace are feeling motivating via the
effective management of diversity as it is efficacious in improvising the coordination and collaboration
among the employees of different culture and background as it has positive influence on the developing
operations of a business (Daramola, 2019). As a large and well reputed company, Sainsbury is mainly
focuses over implementing various measures like suitable training, address unconscious bias, maintaining
equality, practising effective communication etc. thus these are recognised to be the most effective
measures that can be opt by Sainsbury to improvising the engagement of employees at work place.
References
Books and Journals
Al-Qudah, H.S.S., 2016. Effective and Efficient Training Programs in Jeddah Government Hospitals: A
Case Study of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Arts and Humanities. 5(10). pp.50-65.
Aluko, O. and Knight, H., 2017. From corner store to superstore: a historical analysis of Sainsbury’s co-
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evolution. Journal of Management History.
Boylan, S., and et. al., 2019. A healthy, sustainable and safe food system: examining the perceptions and
role of the Australian policy actor using a Delphi survey. Public health nutrition. 22(16).
pp.2921-2930.
Bradshaw, J. and Sainsbury, R., 2018. Experiencing Poverty. Routledge.
Daramola, A.A., 2019. Employee Compensation a Panacea for Increasing Workers Productivity: A Case
Study of Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority. International Journal of Business
and Management Future. 3(2). pp.26-37.
Fernie, J. and Sparks, L. eds., 2018. Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new
challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan page publishers.
Jenkins, S., 2017. Gender, place and the labour market. Routledge.
McGreevy, M., and et. al., 2019. Can health and health equity be advanced by urban planning strategies
designed to advance global competitiveness? Lessons from two Australian case studies. Social
Science & Medicine. 242. p.112594.
Moser, C.A. and Kalton, G., 2017. Survey methods in social investigation. Routledge.
Riley, E., and et. al., 2019. Including health impacts in environmental impact assessments for three
Australian coal-mining projects: a documentary analysis. Health promotion international.
Rogers, V., 2017. The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Organizational Citizenship Behaviors
and Workplace Productivity: A Case Study (Doctoral dissertation, Northcentral University).
Sani Nura, T.U.K.U.R., 2016. Impact Of Employees Motivation On Organizational Productivity.(A Case
Study Of Power Holding Company Of Nigeria, Katsina State).
Online
Lombardo, J., 2020. Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: Definition, Trends & Examples. [Online].
Available through: <https://study.com/academy/lesson/cultural-diversity-in-the-workplace-
definition-trends-examples.html>.
Reynolds, K., 2017. Benefits and challenges of cultural diversity in the workplace. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.hult.edu/blog/benefits-challenges-cultural-diversity-workplace/>.
Section Four: Activities and timescales
Activities to be carried out during the research project (e.g
research, development and analysis of ideas, writing, data
collection, numerical analysis, tutor meetings, production of
final outcome, evaluation, writing the report):
There are various activities are going to involve in this project which need to identify
appropriately so that better results lead to get drawn. Different activities which will
going to include for the project are:
How long
this will
take:
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Milestone one: _________________
Target date (set by tutor): ____________________
Milestone two: _______________________
Target date (set by tutor): ______________________
Gantt Chart
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Section Five: Research approach and methodologies
What type of research approach and methodologies are you likely to use
and why?
Research Philosophy:
Research philosophy is refers as the out-most layer of research as it is effective in providing
suitable specifications to assist the work in right manner. This section is mainly encompasses over
Interpretivisim and positivism research philosophy. In this present investigation work positivism
philosophy will be most suitable as it is effective in providing in-depth knowledge that are based on
natural phenomena and their properties and relations, thus this is most effective aspect of conducting
quantitative analysis (Sani Nura, 2016). Therefore, this philosophy is appropriate in gathering suitable
and positive data in respect to analysing the importance of managing cultural diversity for promoting
employees productivity at work place.
Research Approaches:
This is the another important layer of research methodology, thus it is mainly of two types, i.e.
deductive and inductive research approach. In the context of this present investigation, deductive research
approach will be the suitable source as it starts with a theory, create hypotheses from the theory and than
gathering or analysing information to test those hypothesis (Jenkins, 2017). In addition to this, deductive
is the most suitable approach for conducting quantitative research as the present research is based on
analysing the importance of managing cultural diversity for promoting employees productivity at work
place, where development of hypothesis will be supportive in drawing and valid results.
Research Strategies:
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This is the most significant territory of research system as it is viable in helping the researcher in
settling on fitting decision of philosophy, thusly, the strategy of investigation is mainly in-consist over
qualitative and quantitative aspects (Moser and Kalton, 2017). With regards to this present investigation
quantitative research will be the most reasonable technique as it is compelling in leading point by point
investigation over the picked examination region.
Time Horizon:
A time horizon is known as a planning horizon which refers as a fixed point of time in the future
at that point specific processes will be analysed or assumed to the end. This section of onion diagram is
in-consist over cross sectional approach and longitudinal approach. Therefore, in this present
investigation work cross sectional approach is significant as it is mainly focuses over current situation as
provide a specific duration of time to complete the work in appropriate manner.
Data Collection Tools:
This is perceive to be the most basic zone of an examination as the investigation work is
fundamentally founded on the information which is collected by the analyst. Subsequently, this area is for
the most part in-compasses over primary and secondary source of information assortment. On account of
this present exploration dependent on analysing the importance of managing cultural diversity for
promoting employees productivity at work place. Both primary and secondary sources will be
appropriate in helping the research work in right way (Bradshaw and Sainsbury, 2018). primary
examination will be execute with the help of questionnaire in this way it is the most appropriate
wellspring of social affair which is effective in accumulation of information from the wider population.
On the opposite side, secondary sources like books, journal, distributed research articles, non distributed
articles and so forth will be compelling in making literature review which will be steady in building up
the hypothetical comprehension in respects a particular territory of investigation.
Data Sampling:
This defines as the statistical analysis tools which is applied to choose, control and decide an
representative subset of data perspectives to break down patters and patterns in the bigger data set (Fernie
and Sparks, 2018.). Data Sampling is for the most part of two kinds like probabilistic and non-
probabilistic data sampling tools. Right now work, information will be assembled using random sampling
tool from the probabilistic methodology, along these lines, this will be the most suitable tool for
gathering information from the wider population as in this respondents are randomly select for
accumulation of valid and reliable information.
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What your areas of research will cover:
The present investigation area will cover the significance of managing cultural diversity and how it
promotes the effective productivity and performance.
Comments and agreement from tutor
Comments (optional):
I confirm that the project is not work which has been or will be submitted
for another qualification and is appropriate.
Agreed: ________________ (name)_______________ Date ______________
Comments and agreement form project proposal checker( IV sampling)
Comments (Optional):
I confirm that the project is appropriate.
Agreed /Disagree: (Name of the IV)
Date
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Research Ethics approval form
All students conducting research activity that involves human participants
or the use of data collected form human participants are required to gain
ethical approval before commencing their research. Please answer all
relevant questions and note that your form may be returned if incomplete.
For further support and guidance please see your respective Unit Tutor:
Before completing this form, we advise that you discuss your proposed
research fully with your unit tutor. Please complete this form in good time
before your research project is due to commence.
Section 1: Basic details:
Project title:
To investigate the importance of managing cultural diversity for promoting employees productivity at
work place. A case study on Sainsbury.
Student name:
Student ID number:
Programme:
College Name:
Intended research start date: 13/01/2020
Intended research end date: 05/04/2020
Section 2 Project summary
Please select all research methods that you plan to use as a part of your project:
 Interviews Yes No
 Questionnaires Yes No
 Observations Yes No
 Use of personal records Yes No
 Data Analysis Yes No
 Action Research Yes No
 Focus Groups Yes No
 Others (Please specify) :
Section 3: Participants
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