Digital Disruption and Transformation Challenges at Marks and Spencer

This report investigates the digital transformation challenges and strategic responses of Marks and Spencer. It begins with an introduction highlighting the importance of technology in the current business environment and the need for companies to adapt to digital disruption. Task 1 outlines the aims, objectives, and research questions, focusing on the challenges faced by businesses during digital transformation. It also presents a project management plan, including scope, quality checks, risk management, cost control, communication strategies, and timelines, along with a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart for project execution. Task 2 details the research methodologies employed, differentiating between primary and secondary data collection methods. Task 3 analyzes the gathered data, providing recommendations based on the research findings. Task 4 offers a reflection on the research process. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and insights into how Marks and Spencer can navigate digital challenges and leverage digital opportunities to foster innovation and profitability. References are included to support the research.

MANAGING SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Aim and objectives...............................................................................................................1
P2. Project management plan......................................................................................................2
P3.Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart...........................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P4. Research methodology..........................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P5. Analysing the gathered data..................................................................................................9
P6. Recommendation................................................................................................................17
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................17
P7. Reflection on research.........................................................................................................17
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
In the present business environment, it is essential that company adopt the best of
technology so that they can compete with all their competitors. It is to be understood that there
are many challenges that come in front of company. All these are solved by the firm by making
use of modern mediums of technology. But there many kind of complications that are attached
with the use of these technologies also which has resulted into in decline of performance
(Ackermann, 2012). Use of advanced technologies have provided many kinds of opportunities
for the business and helps existing products to be innovative and profitable. From administration
to production technology have made things easier. In Marks and Spencer, there are many
operations that are going on inside the firm, it becomes essential that this company makes there
competent business strategy so as to deal with the challenges of digital disruption and
transformation in the industry. This research highlights the impact of digital technologies on
business as well as challenges that come in front of company while operating their business.
TASK 1
P1. Aim and objectives
Research Title: To investigate ways in which business have coped with the major challenges of
digital disruption and transformation.
There are many kind of challenges that have came up in front of the company while they
deal with their day to day operations. These challenges are also in the form of the technology
they use. While there are many digital transformation that are going on in the retail industry there
has been many kinds of disruptions that occurs on daily basis(Alshamaila, Papagiannidis and Li,
2013). Use of digital mobile technology have given business with abundance of opportunity and
choices as well as made the existing product more valuable and profitable .
 To find the challenges that comes in front of company while implementing digital
technology.
 To find the ways in which Marks and Spencer cope up with these challenges.
 To find out opportunities and choices present with company by using mobile technology.
 To find the digital strategy for competing with all the challenges as well as fostering
innovations which generates maximum profitability.
Research questions
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 In case of digital disruption and transformation what kind of challenges a firm has to
face.
 What is the digital strategy that is adopted by the firm to face all these challenges.
 In what ways digital technology has helped firms in making innovations and ensuring
profitability from the existing product.
 What kind of advancements will help company in their various operations and are they
capable to adopt those.
Background of the project:
In the modern age of technology, performing operations have taken digital mediums and
have almost replaced the traditional methodologies in many of the activities. From
administration to research, from production to marketing in every field use of digital mediums
have fostered innovation which has resulted in adding value to the products. With these changes
there were many complications that has also arisen especially related to coping up with digital
disruption as well as the pace of transformation (Blackburn, Hart and Wainwright, 2013). These
transformations have changed the ethical values, social interaction and thinking process of the
firm. It has become essential for the firms to make digital strategy that will help in facing these
challenges and ensuring higher profitability from the operations.
P2. Project management plan
In order to make a project successful it is essential that a company makes a plan related to
its management. For this project related to Marks and Spencer a comprehensive project
management plan needs to be constructed. A plan diminishes a chance of project being failure as
well as ensures that it gets completed on time. It also reduces the overall efforts made by the
researchers since it structures the whole efforts made in this regard. Planning also reduces the
impact of limiting factors on project completion. Since Marks and Spencer cannot afford to spent
larger amount of time and money for project hence making a plan becomes compulsory. Without
project being completed on time it cannot produce the desired result. The plan will touch various
requirements and activities that is required for completion of project: Scope: This project has long term scope and is highly valuable. It highlights on the digital
strategy adopted by the firm to perform their various operations like managing data,
marketing and consumer interaction (Brynjolfsson and McAfee, 2012). Since there are
many challenges that comes in front of the company in the form of digital transformation
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and disruptions. This project will provide detail regarding the use of digital technology
for fostering up the pace of innovation which is essential for having larger range of
consumer products. Quality check: The major focus that is put is on the quality of research that has to be
conducted. In order to obtain effective results for the company authenticity of primary
data needs to be ensured. It is obvious that if researchers are unable to record appropriate
information then it becomes impossible for them to produce desired report. Monitoring of
project needs to be conducted throughout the project completion so as to make sure that
mistakes can be removed at the time of generation only. Risk management: Several kinds of threats arise while completing any project and are
related with various activities that is done in this process. One of the major threat in this
regard is with the collection of data i.e. if the data collected is improper the the result that
is obtained through it may not be fit for use (Cavalcante, Kesting and Ulhøi, 2011). Use
of secondary data especially that is collected through internet may not be fit for
operations. Any sort of negligence may result in reduction of efficiency for the whole
project which will not help Marks and Spencer in their adaptation of digital technologies
and coping up with the challenges associated with digital transformation and disruptions.
Another bigger problem associated with it is that it may take large amount of time and
managing that is very important for ensuring maximum benefit. Cost Control: It is necessary that a project is completed within the resource limit and
hence being cost effective. Companies like Marks and Spencer have many kinds of
digital transformations to deal with and company cannot spend a whole lot of money on
the analytic projects associated with them. Activities must be completed within the cost
limits. For this it is essential that cost control must be made. There must be cost
evaluation at every stage so as to ensure that due to any of the reason budget does not
exceeds the predefined value. Constructing a plan can be simpler but implementation can
be difficult. The budget that is pre-allocated fr this project is 1000 pounds with 10 percent
flexibility margin. Communication: In many cases it has been seen that project fails due to lack of proper
communication in between the team mates. At the time of planning better communication
assist in taking views of managers of different units on the wide range of issues
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(Hargreaves, 2011). Timely conversation among the team mates helps in bringing
smoothness to the work process.
 Time: It is one of the primary aspect in any communication, where several time limitation
for the project needs to be decided. It ensures that maximum profit will be achieved
through completion of project. Gantt chart can be highly beneficial in this regard. At
earlier forecasting the time allotted for completing this project will take six months.
P3. Work breakdown structure and Gantt chart
It is necessary that any project gets completed on time. For this it is necessary that they
are sub divided in many smaller parts. This breaking down helps in focusing on each aspect of
the project. It assists firm in producing optimum results. It can also be understood in a way that
most effective results can only be obtained when managers divide project into sub parts. Since it
reduces the number of errors. In this regard it is essential that whole project must be solved one
step at a time. An action plan gives the details associated with different activities in order to
complete assigned project. Some of the steps in this regard is as follows:
Finding problem: A firm makes alterations according to the requirement as well as the
environment enforced by external factors. These changes are always performed when the current
system in incapable of producing the desired results. In the action plan the major issue is the
ways in which company is coping up with the challenges that is produced by digital
transformation and disruptions on the ethical values and culture of the organisation (13 Biggest
Challenges When Moving Your Business to the Cloud, 2017). Digitalisation has transformed the
ways of doing business and hence many of the operations have been affected in terms of bringing
innovation to them. Primary research will help company in gathering of more authenticated data
and secondary data will assists in finding more related information.
Location of literature review: One of the primary source of information in the modern
times is the online books and journals that is linked with this research topic. It assist in finding
data at lower cost which was previously gathered by some other researcher. Some other contents
can be gathered through the online websites, blogs and contents that is written by various
authors.
Meeting: There must also be the planning related to the timely meetings among various
members of the team to discuss about the various issues in the project completion as well as
reducing any chances of miscommunication or confusion (Hotho and Champion, 2011). At the
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time when primary information will be collected a schedule needs to be made so that participants
may not have to face any kind of difficulty.
Location of gathered data: This will done at several places of London. Apart from
experts, team mates also play an essential role.
Data analysing process: By using many kinds of statistical tools, analysis of the data
collected through Questionnaire is done so as to enhance the effectiveness of results.
Review project: In context to make necessary changes which is essential for getting
better outcomes managers needs to analyse all the information. Project managers has to ensure
that review is done at continuous intervals.
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TASK 2
P4. Research methodology
It is crucial for completing the research appropriately that researcher adopts the best
suitable approach that can be used at the time when research will be carried on. Selection of
approach always depends on the resources and time they have. There are basically two kinds of
data: Primary data: This is the type of data that is gathered for the first time and hence is fresh
for use. It is more authenticated data and is highly useful in terms of doing a research
which needs to be conducted. It is more reliable for making authenticated results.
Observing activities, questionnaires or personal interviews are some of the form of ways
in which this kind of data can be collected. Researcher do not utilise it for collecting
larger part of the data since it is a costlier method and takes considerable amount of time
to gather.
 Secondary data: This is kind of data that is already available at many sources and
researchers just need to utilise it for conducting their own research (Laforet, 2013). This
is highly beneficial in the case where larger amount of data is to be collected in shorter
period of time. Online books, journals and other sites can be the major source of this data.
There is also the use of others researches similar to this topic for gathering this type of
data.
Research methods Quantitative: In this research method data that is gathered is in the form of numerical
figures. Questions that are close ended are generally used and generally starts with how
much and how many. It provides help in gathering of data that is necessary for making
plans more significant. Participants does not face issues while answering as the questions
are precise and short and hence their time gets saved.
 Qualitative: This is the type of research method that is linked with finding opinions
related to respondents. Questions have open ended nature and there is no relation to
numeric figure. It is crucial part of research methodology (Lambert and Davidson, 2013).
Personal interview and subjective questionnaire are some of the methods that is used
while accumulation of data.
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 Research design: Thus it is required by the firm to make a design in which the research is
going to happen. Although research design leads to overall strategy made and to choose
the different components and to use such in logical way, which will help in ensuring and
to effectively discover the problems are occurring in between.
 Research approach: Approach includes two method those are
Inductive: These are similar to primary data collection in which data and informastion is
collected directly from market.
Deductive: In this approach the secondary data is inclided as such the information which is
being already used by some other people and data can be colected from past records and books.
 Strategy: It is made after having the research of market as such this has to be made very
effective so that whole organisation can work towards one thing and such strategies in
industry bring coordination as well.
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Q1. Do you feel adopting advanced technologies in business helps in making the work process
smooth?
A. Yes
B. No
Q2. Does implementation of advanced technologies bring disruption in the business?
A. Yes
B. No
Q3. Is Marks and Spencer capable of facing the challenges related to such kind of disruption?
A. yes
B. No
Q4. Does adopting technology helps in fostering the pace of innovation?
A. Yes
B. No
Q5. What kind of digital strategy this company is using?
A. Innovating technology
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B. Adoption of new technology
C. Not making any significant changes
Q6. Does adoption of advanced technology provides new opportunities and choices of the firm?
A. Yes
B. No
Q7. What kind of impact does the technology makes on cultural values of firm?
A. Positive
B. Negative
C. Neutral
TASK 3
P5. Analysing the gathered data
This questionnaire is filled by many people. Among them the sample has been made of
20 people. All these people have larger amount of knowledge regarding advancements in
technology as well as have idea about the business of Marks and Spencer.
Theme 1: Is technology helps in bringing the work smooth
Q1. Do you feel adopting advanced
technologies in the business helps in making
the work process smooth?
Frequency
A. Yes 16
B. No 4
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Interpretation
9
A. Yes B. No
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
16
4
Column B

Almost 80 percent of the total respondents believes that adopting advanced technology helps in
making the work process smoother while the rest of the people that is around 20 percent believes
that it is not capable to do and hence company must not adopt these technology.
Theme 2: Do technology bring disruption in business.
Q2. Do implementation of advanced
technologies brings disruption in the business.
Frequency
A. Yes 12
B. No 8
10
A. Yes B. No
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
12
8
Column B