Strategies for Building a Diverse Workforce: ASDA Case Study

This report presents an analysis of ASDA's strategies for managing a diverse and inclusive workforce. The project begins with an overview of equality and diversity concepts, exploring the importance of these principles in the modern business environment. It then examines the extent to which gender discrimination impacts ASDA's performance, supported by research questions and a project management plan. The methodology section details the research philosophy (interpretivism), research type (qualitative and quantitative), research approach (inductive), and data collection methods (primary and secondary), along with sampling techniques and ethical considerations. Data analysis involves the interpretation of survey findings related to employee awareness of equality and diversity, and the company's ability to manage a diverse culture. The report provides recommendations based on the data analysis, including suggestions for ASDA to reduce gender discrimination and build a more inclusive workplace, culminating in a reflection on the project's findings and implications. The report uses a work breakdown structure (WBS) and Gantt chart for project management, and includes a questionnaire and references.

MANAGING A
SUCCESSFUL BUINESS
PROJECT

Contents
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
P1Aim and objectives..................................................................................................................1
P2 Project Management Plan.......................................................................................................2
P3 WBS and Gantt Chart.............................................................................................................3
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................4
P4 Research methodologies.........................................................................................................5
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................8
P5 Data analysis and findings......................................................................................................8
P6 Recommendation as results of data analysis and findings...................................................17
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................19
P7 Reflection.............................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1
QUESTIONNAIRE.........................................................................................................................2

LO 1
P1Aim and objectives
Background-
Diversity can be described as culture; generational differences that are available in
business unit. Workforce diversity aids in getting more ideas and skills that may help business in
gaining competitive advantage. Equality is the important part of firm; HR of every firm ensures
that every person is getting equal opportunity in the organisation. Judgement, performance
appraisal must be done purely on the bases of performance of employee rather than their physical
appearances, gender, race etc. Gender discrimination is the major concern in modern
organisation. Companies are giving lack of development or career opportunities to female
candidates. As management believes that female workers cannot pay much attention on their
work and they have lack of efficiency. That is the reason that most of the firm promote their
male employees. Government of UK has made necessary changes in the employment law to
promote equality at workplace. Now every company has to ensure that every person get equal
rights and opportunity in the firm.
Aim-
“To evaluate strategies that are used by companies to build diverse and inclusive
workforce: A study on ASDA”
Objectives-
 To understand the conceptual framework of equality and diversity
 To describe the extent to which gender discrimination affect the company’s performance
 To analyses initiatives that must be taken by ASDA to reduce gender discrimination at
workplace and to build an inclusive workforce
Research Questions-
 What is the meaning and importance of equality and diversity?
 Explain to what extent gender discrimination affect the company’s performance?
 What measures and initiatives should be taken by ASDA to reduce gender discrimination
at workplace and to build an inclusive workforce?
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P2 Project Management Plan
A project management plan helps in ascertaining and evaluating the different aspects
related to the project management and manage all the activities accordingly. Some of the major
points that will affect the research that the researcher will undertake involve:
Cost: The cost factor determines that what are the different costs that will be incurred in
conducting of the researcher and then the amount that will be necessary in implementing the
recommendation that have been identified in the company (Singh and Kishor, 2018). In the
current research there would be a total cost requirement of £ 100.
Scope: The scope of this research exceeds to the analysis of the different tools or mechanisms
that are used by the companies in order to incorporate equality and diversity in the company.
This will help in increasing the strategies that is adopted by the company while recruiting and
selecting their employees.
Time: The time required in order to conduct the research will be an approximate time
frame of 7 weeks. The researcher will conduct the research in an effective manner and the
practices undertaken will be effective where the data collected will be in an efficient manner.
Quality: The quality aspect of the research can be used to ascertain the collection of the
data and then conducting the research in a relevant manner. The quality aspect of the research
will also help in ascertaining that in the researcher, the data collected by the researcher is
realistic and helps in collection of relevant and resulting data.
Communication: The communication aspect is a major part in the research which ensures
that the research is completed in a relevant manner and the results are communicated effectively
(Pantiyasa and Michelle, 2017). The researcher will communicate the findings of the research by
identifying the different stakeholders interested in the company and the research and then
communicating the results effectively such as the customers, the owners, the managers etc.
Communication will be done in a written report or research thesis format.
Risk: The risk aspect of the research will illustrate that what are the different risk factors
that the researcher might encounter while undertaking the research. The information will be
collected from the accurate sources to minimize the risk of doing faulty interpretation. Time
related risk must also be minimized by the researcher.
Resources: There are variety of resources that the researcher will require for the
researcher that is being undertaken such as requirement of technological data, human resources
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etc. in the current research, the researcher will use a variety tools and techniques that will help in
collecting the data form primary and secondary sources in a relevant manner.
P3 WBS and Gantt Chart
WBS is the work breakdown structure that will help in classifying all the activities that need to
be performance while undertaking the research in an systematic manner (Owens and Patel,
2019). Different activities are classified under different headings and then each activity is
allotted a specific timeline.
Gantt Chart is the representation of the time taken for each activity and then identifying the total
time that will be taken. It also helps in deciding what is the critical patch that should be adopted
in order t complete the research.
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LO 2
4

P4 Research methodologies
Research methodologies is set of effective methods used by researcher in order to
complete their research. It is considered as procedure used to gather information for purpose of
making decisions. It makes research able to organize and keep efforts into one cohesive idea
generation task. In research project, methodologies permit individuals to critically examine study
reliability and validity as well.
Research philosophy-
Research philosophy deals with development and nature as well as other things of
knowledge. Positivism, pragmatism and interpretivism are the categories of research philosophy.
In this study, researcher uses interpretivism philosophy for conducting study to evaluate
strategies and initiatives taken by ASDA to build diverse and inclusive workforce. By choosing
this approach researcher is able to understand elements of entire study efficiently, interpretivism
research philosophy is beneficial in context of this report as it helps to study chosen topic in
more depth. Interpretivism is associated with Philosophical degree of idealism, used to individual
together diverse methods (Cuthbertson, Robb and Blair, 2019)
Research type-
Research is systematic investigation to explain, describe and control observed
phenomenon. It is categories two perceptions that is qualitative and quantitative research. QR
means correct investigation of phenomena by gathering data which is quantitative in nature.
While qualitative research is scientific approach of observation use by investigator to gather non
numerical information about chosen topic. Researcher uses qualitative & quantitative method in
this research to draw suitable conclusion with the help well and relevant findings (Woods and
et.al., 2016). They select both approaches because it contributes to offer in detail examination for
gaining aim of study, qualitative & quantitative research procedure help research to boost
respondents to provide their responses in effective way. Qualitative data cater detailed and rich
information to build up about why research act in certain way. It provides more independence to
investigator of this research because it only centring on subtleties on assemblage data and less on
their metrics.
Research approach-
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It defined process & plan that consists of precious steps of large assumptions to complete
technique of data collection, data analysis as well as interpretation. Research approach is totally
depended features of problems related to research. It is divided into of three categories,
inductive, deductive and abductive. In this study, researcher uses inductive research method
because it helps to discover determined and phenomena themes. This method support
investigator to develop new conventions and concept from data collected. Methods is defined as
various procedure which taken by investigator in accomplishing research aim and objectives.
Inductive research method helps researcher in generating certain meaning from raw data and to
draw final conclusion from that essential information to solve investigation issue.
Data collection-
Data collection is considered as systematic methods used to measure and gather
information from different sources available to obtain accurate as well as complete data related
to chosen topic. It is the term of gathering data about selected subject by using reliable sources
that provide response in effective way, to measure results and to test assumptions. It is
distinguished into two kinds that is primary & secondary approaches. Investigator of this
research uses both data collection methods. Primary data process in study is use for gathering
data from varied participants. In respect of secondary data, data is composed through journals,
books and other sources. Primary data collection approach help researcher to obtain exact
information, as it considered as good basis of up to date or latest information as it helps to collect
info directly from organization in building diverse and inclusive workforce. Secondary data
gathering method is beneficial for researcher just like primary as it helps to reduce risk of
expenditure. Secondary method of data collection is the one which had already being used or
published.
Sampling-
It refers to principles or values that researcher in this research uses to select people from
large number of populations in order to collect in depth info related to chosen topic or subject of
work. Investigator have to select some size of sample, among broad applicant in market.
Sampling method is divided into two categories, probability and non-probability, researcher goes
with random sampling method covers under probability sampling. Researcher chose 10 people of
ASDA on basis of simple random sampling approach because it supports to understand different
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point of view obtain by researcher from participants who are seeking to take participation in
research procedure. The opinions is received in context to objectives and aim of entire
investigation, this method also support to form representative people from large population.
Before conducing survey, the quick filed visit to chosen study areas give idea in context of
focusing aim, It also help to identify way for approaching ultimate study samples,
Ethical consideration-
It includes accumulation of principles and values that address questions of what is good
or not in human concern. It is one of the most essential part of research, that has to addressed by
researcher, Ethical consideration is set of values. In order to make effective report, researcher has
to take care of all the aspects in effective manner. To keep data secure, researcher do not share
collected data with anyone. They have to maintain the highest degree of objectivity in analyses
and discussions throughout investigation. Researcher give importance to anonymity and privacy
of respondents. Without permission, they do not obtain information related to research topic
from any source. It is very important for researcher while conducting this research to take into
consideration of all legal requirements of accomplishing investigation. They have to consider all
regulations and requirements of whole research completion, without making any mistakes.
LO 3
P5 Data analysis and findings
Theme 1- How many people in ASDA workplace are aware about concept of equality and
diversity?
70% 3
100% 7
Total 10
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Interpretation – Equality and diversity is one of the most emerging concepts, which
drives attention of companies towards taking decision without any differentiation (Daya and
April, 2017). Everyone is well known about this concept and conduct practices accordingly,
which is quite beneficial for better growth and high success of businesses. In context of above
statement, out of 10 3 respondents are in favour of first option. They think that out of 100, 70%
of workers are aware about above concept, which is quite beneficial for them in term of
understanding human rights. Rest of the participants, are in favour of second options, they thinks
that all the employees at workplace of TESCO are aware about equality and diversity concept.
Theme 2. company manage diverse culture within the organisation?
Q:2. Is company able to manage diverse culture within the
organisation?
Frequency
Strongly agree 4
Agree 2
Neutral 2
Disagree 1
Strongly disagree 1
Total 10
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Interpretation - An investigation was carried out in strategies and initiatives in building
diversified work force in Asda. . The primary data was gathered and 10 managers were selected
through random sampling. So, by interpreting data, it is identified that 2 strongly agreed, 2 agree
that company manage diversified culture. 1 disagreed and 1 remain neutral. Thus, it can be
evaluated several policies are followed by company. In addition to it, workshops and seminars
are organized to promote diversity. Furthermore, equal opportunities for promotion and growth
are provided. Alongside, management treats employees fairly and equally.
Theme 3: main purpose of company’s equality and diversity policy is
To raise skills and resources 3
To motivate workers 5
To minimise gender discrimination 1
All of them 1
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Interpretation: Above data reflects that 5 out of 10 respondents have viewed that promoting
equality is essential to motivate the workforce. The main purpose of this policy is to encourage
workers so that they feel valued and perform their duties well. 3 out of 10 answers have replied
that it helps in getting more skilled staff members and resources, by this way enterprise can
manage its operations in significant manner. On other hand 1 out of 10 participants have said that
it is beneficial in order to minimise the gender discrimination at workplace which create healthy
workplace culture. Hence it can be interpreted that equality policies are made to motivate
workers and to get the talented staff in business.
Theme 4: What things make impact on employee workforce?
Organizational policies 6
Human resource management practices 4
10