Marks & Spencer: Contemporary Management Issues in the 21st Century

This report examines contemporary management issues in the 21st century, particularly focusing on the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), talent acquisition policies, learning and development strategies, and change management processes in the context of the post-COVID-19 era. It discusses the roles of leaders in implementing new ideas and provides recommendations for new initiatives in the 'new normal' for organizations like Marks and Spencer (M&S). The report highlights the benefits and drawbacks of remote working, the application of technology acceptance models, and the importance of adapting to digital platforms and social media for business expansion. Ultimately, the report concludes that ICT has significantly impacted organizations, necessitating new approaches to learning, development, and change management, with leaders playing a crucial role in driving these initiatives.

CONTEMPORARY
MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN
THE 21ST CENTURY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
1. The roles and impacts of information and communication technology in an organization.....3
2. Policies of talent acquisition, learning and development of management and change
management process in the context of Covid-19.........................................................................4
3. Roles of a leader, in implementing new ideas.........................................................................5
4. Recommendations of new initiatives in new normal for an organization...............................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
The post Covid19 era has created a huge impact on organizations. The information and
communication technology also has a huge effect on the management. Organizations has opted
many policies for its development. Leaders of a company also plays an effect role in
implementing new initiatives. Marks and Spencer is a leading British retailer that brings quality
food, clothing and homeware. Its headquarter is in London, UK. It was founded by Michael
Marks and Thomas Spencer. The report will discuss about the huge impacts of information and
communication technology and roles of leaders in implementing new ideas in an organization.
MAIN BODY
1. The roles and impacts of information and communication technology in an organization.
Information and communication technology is the infrastructure and an element that
enables modern computing(Zhao, and et. al 2022.). It is generally accepted by all devices like
networking components, applications and system M&S allows to combine an organization and
individual.
ICT has a huge impact towards the societal and economic factors.
ICT supports the economic, societal and interpersonal interactions. It has brought a
drastic change on how people work, communicate, learn and live after the effects
Covid19(Skaug, 2022). ICT helps in the economic development and growth of the business. In
references to M&S, ICT has helped the management to grow and develop. It also helps M&S in
providing newer and quicker ways for interacting with people making new networks and gaining
the access to information, and learn. ICT assures the economic growth of M&S by broadening
the reach of technologies, for example speed internet and mobile broadband. ICT impacts
positively on the growth and development of M&S.
Liberty of working remotely.
ICT provides the ability to access remotely the company's network. It gives the liberty to
employees, and ability to get work done, even if the employees are not available physically in the
organization(Cené, and Towns, 2022 ). It is a benefit to the employees of M&S, that they can
get done their work even they are not at their work place. Many a time it will create a negative
impact too, because sometimes too much of liberty to the employees may lead to heavy losses

for the M&S, like the carefree attitude of the employees while working from home. This will
impact adversely on the management of M&S.
This can further be supported with the following theories:
The technology acceptance model
This model defines the acceptance of a user to accept and use the technology. This model
focuses on the attraction towards the use of technology from user. Its intention is to attain the
focus of user to use the new emerging technologies. Use of this model in M&S will help the
organization to grow as with the help of new and advanced technology in the management. It
will create a positive impact towards the development of M&S.
Theory of technology-organization-environment
This theory focuses on the features of technology, the organizational readiness of the
management and the environment conditions which are driven from the technology adoption. It
helps M&S in analysing the information and communication technology, it helps in the growth
and development of the business. Using this framework within the workplace will help in
attaining the organizational goals effectively and efficiently.
2. Policies of talent acquisition, learning and development of management and change
management process in the context of Covid-19
Talent acquisition.
Talent acquisition is a strategy used in recruitment, that focuses on finding, hiring,
growing, attracting and gaining top talents for the organization(Zhang and Yencha, 2022). It is
well-structured and complex combination of actions that HR department have, to get the most
suitable employees for the organization. The policy that falls under the talent acquisition are:
Hiring policy.
Hiring refers to the process that potential employees first exposure to the organization. It
enables the efficiency and quality of the process. This can also open up the legal liabilities if the
procedure is not done fairly(Johannes, and et.al 2022). With due impact of covid the hiring has
been modified wherein the use of technology has raised.
Co -operate social media, acceptable use of policy.
The social media is real time in nature, it is easily adaptable and flexible for use. By the
times of covid19 social media has played a very effective role in acquiring talents from the

market(Schurer,2022). For example, social media promotes M&S very effectively, that helps in
the growth of the organization. It is the platform that ensures effective results in acquisition of
talent from market. In the times of covid19 companies were recruiting in online mode, by taking
telephonic interviews and online group discussions, by this process the covid19 was not become
a barrier in acquiring talents from market.
Change in learning and development process of the management.
During pandemic, the learning and development of employees, in that circumstances was
one of the biggest hindrance to overcome(Zhang, and et. al 2022.). There were the requirements
to bring in cost reduction measures to handle the pandemic better. During this the organizations
had to pivot to remote working practices online wherein the candidates have to work from home.
Lack of learning and development in employees, the organization had to sacrifice with its
employee’s performance. The changed learning and development Organizations are as follows:
Online training:
After the times of pandemic organizations are opting online training methods. In order to
execute the learning and development of its employees(Kimand et. al., 2022). Companies
provide online training to its employees for the development of its employees. M&S is also
opting the method of online training in its organization. Online training is effective of attaining
goals and objectives of the organizations. Providing online training will enhance the skills and
learning of the employees of M&S. It will help in development of the M&S.
Virtual meetings:
online meetings are the new normal in the organization, after the effects of pandemic.
Virtual meetings effect positive as well as negative on an organization(Wang, Delle Monache,
and Work, 2022). It helps in improving the learning of an individual and helps in gaining
knowledge in online mode. But it can effect negative too for an organization, as it will create a
gap of communication between the employees and management. M&S also provides online
meetings and seminars in order to develop the learning skills of its employees. Virtual meetings
are cost saving; it only considers with high network quality. It will help in the development of
the employees of M&S.
Changes in Change management process:
change management is the process of guiding the management change into fruitful. The
earliest phases of conception and preparation, through implementation and finally to its

resolution(de Andrade-Matos, and et. al 2022). This process includes five steps, prepare
organization for change, craft a vision and plan for change, implement the changes, embed
changes within the company and the review progress and analysis results. Following this steps
and method in M&S will assure great outputs in organization, and it results in the effective
change in management. This leads to attain the goals of M&S very effectively. Applying the five
steps in M&S will help in making decisions for the firm. This will also help M&S in the
betterment of the organizational management.
3. Roles of a leader, in implementing new ideas.
A leader is a person who creates an inspiring vision for the future. Motivates others and
inspires an individual, to achieves its goals and objectives(Coppersmith2022.). A leader has
many roles and responsibilities towards an organization, after the effects of pandemic there are
several new initiatives, that has to be implemented by a leader in an organization. They are as
follows:
Increase in remote working.
After the effects of pandemic, organizations have increase the method of remote working.
As the organization are shifting towards the remote work, a leader should support and implement
this method of working their organizations(Jusup, and et. al 2022). In regard to employee’s
safety and the continuous growth of the organization. The leaders of M&S should also
implement the remote working initiative in the organization. In result, it will give the continuity
of working in the M&S, and work will not effect of the organization. This will help in continue
development of M&S.
Contingent work expansion.
The economic uncertainty of the pandemic has caused many workers to lose their jobs.
Many organizations responded during covid19 economic impact by decreasing their budgets. A
leader must understand the situation of its employees, and then make the fair decision for them.
It the responsibility of a leader to look after its employees. M&S leader's must understand the
economic situation of their employees. The leader in M&S should support its employees by
making more flexibility in workforce management after the pandemic. It will help in greater
expansion for M&S.
Increase in organizational complexity

After the global crisis, many companies are nationalizing to avoid the failure. Companies
are focusing on expanding their geographic diversification and investment in secondary market
to manage the risks in times of disruption(Viana, and et.al 2022.). In this kind of situation, a
leader must support its employees in making decisions for them. M&S leaders supports the
employees in this global financial crisis. This will help in building strong leader image of M&S
in its employees.
4. Recommendations of new initiatives in new normal for an organization
Make business digital
After the effects of pandemic, the organizations are moving towards the digitalization of
their business. Digital platform is now the new normal for the expansion of the
organization(Zhao, an et.al 2022). Thus, shifting towards the online business is highly
recommended to M&S that will include providing online products by M&S which will result in
heavy profits for their business, because in the times pandemic people are preferring the online
shopping more than the window shopping. This will also help M&S in expanding their business
globally.
More use of social media
Using more social media for business will create a huge promotion and expansion of the
organization. Social media helps in advertising of the product globally. This turns into high
revenue generation for the organization. With the help of social media M&S will also expand
their business. It will result in big profits in their business. Social media helps in achieving the
goals and objectives of M&S very effectively and thus it is highly recommended.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that information and communication
technology has created a huge impact on organizations after the times covid19. There are a good
deal of new learning and development and change in management process after pandemic. The
leaders of an organization play an important role in implementing the new initiatives. Above
reports also conclude some recommendations for post pandemic new normal.

REFERENCES
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