M&S International Expansion: Evaluating Organizational Structures

This report provides an overview of Marks & Spencer's organizational structure and assesses its suitability for international expansion, considering the impact of digital technology. It highlights the importance of selecting the right organizational structure, such as a flat structure, to enhance employee productivity and decision-making. The report also examines crucial organizational functions like consumer service and how they contribute to delivering high-quality e-commerce services. Furthermore, it explores the role of digital technologies, including social media, virtual reality, and AI, in M&S's expansion strategy. The conclusion emphasizes the significance of an appropriate organizational structure for efficient operations and achieving growth objectives in the international market.

Organizational Structures and
International Expansion

Table of Contents
 INTRODUCTION
 Organizational Overview
 Suitability of organizational structure for international expansion
 Suitability of organizational functions for international expansion
 Impact of digital technology on international expansion
 CONCLUSION
 REFRENCES

INTRODUCTION
Organisational structure is defined as the system that provide guidance who
specific activities and tasks are performed in order to attain determined goals and
objectives of an organisation. Every organisation has different business structure
like hierarchical, divisional, functional and flat structure. Organisations adopt
suitable business structure according to business size and activities.

Organizational Overview
Marks & Spencer is the popular British
multinational retaining organisation,
established in the year of 1884 by
Michael Marks and Tomas Spencer.
Headquarter of respective organisation
situates in London, England, UK.

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M&S has launched 46 flagship websites in new
markets as well as expanding its online
reach over 100 countries that attract
millions of customers towards brand.
Organisation adopts transformational
programme to make effective presence in
international market.

Suitability of organizational structure for
international expansion
• Organizational structure is defined as a
method by which workflows through an
organization. It enables groups to work in
their respective organizational function to
manage various business operations off the
company.
• Selection of suitable organizational
structure supports success of the company
in various business endeavours.

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• The primary reason for this is that the
usage of the flat organizational structure
makes employees feel valued as they
play an important role in decision
making of the company.
• This increases their performance and
productivity. Marks and Spenser is able
to benefit from such high productivity
will contribute to the success of online
expansion of M&S in more than 100
international markets.

Suitability of organizational functions for
international expansion
Organizational functions refer to the core process or set
of activities carried out within department of the
company.
It is important for business firms to organize and
manage functions because they are interrelated and
interdependent and help the company attain various
business objectives.
Human resource, information technology, marketing,
consumer service and finance are some of the
business functions ate Marks and Spencer.

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Consumer Service Function:
• This functional area of a business firms is
concerns with providing consumers
exceptional experience during their interaction
with the company by ensuring that every need
of the consumer is fulfilled and they are
satisfied from the services and products of the
company.
• This is an essential online function when it
comes to delivering high quality e-commerce
services to the consumers.

Impact of digital technology on expansion
strategy
• Digital technology is defined as electronic tools, systems,
devices and resources that generate, store or process data.
• Some of the common examples of digital technology are
social media, smart products, virtual reality and Artificial
Intelligence.
• Digital technology is becoming more sophisticated with
technological progress and every type of business is
adopting digital technology in some way to improve
performance and exploit market opportunities.

CONCLUSION
As per above report, it can be concluded that appropriate organisation structure is
important for business to perform operations in efficient manner to attain
determined goals and objectives on time. Expansion at international level
provides various opportunities to business to attain the objective of growth and
development.

REFRENCES
• Acharya, A. and Mishra, B., 2017. Exploring the relationship between organizational
structure and knowledge retention: a study of the Indian infrastructure consulting
sector. Journal of Knowledge Management.
• Berakon and et. al., 2021. An expansion of the technology acceptance model applied to
the halal tourism sector. Journal of Islamic Marketing.
• Biermann, F. and Bauer, S., 2017. A World Environment Organization: solution or
threat for effective international environmental governance?. Routledge.
• Chaurasia and et. al., 2020. Open innovation for sustainability through creating shared
value-role of knowledge management system, openness and organizational
structure. Journal of Knowledge Management.
• Feldstein, S., 2019. The global expansion of AI surveillance (Vol. 17). Washington,
DC: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
• Hossain, M. I., Azam, M. S. and Quaddus, M., 2021. Small firm entry to e-marketplace
for market expansion and internationalization: A theoretical perspective. Journal of
International Entrepreneurship, pp.1-31.