HND Business Unit 11: Research Proposal on M&S Cultural Diversity

This document presents a research proposal focused on evaluating cultural diversity and equal opportunities within Marks and Spencer (M&S). The proposal aims to analyze the impact of cultural diversity on employee performance, examining the correlation between cultural ethics and employee standards. It explores the advantages and disadvantages of a highly skilled workforce, and proposes strategies for building equal opportunities platforms within M&S to improve employee performance. The research employs an inductive approach with a non-purposive sampling method, collecting data through questionnaires administered to 40 employees. The data analysis will involve detailed research analysis using charts, figures, and statistics, while adhering to ethical considerations through consent forms and ensuring no interference in management. The proposal includes a literature review, research methodology, and anticipated outcomes, providing a comprehensive framework for the study.

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Marketing

RESERACH PROPOSAL
Aim:
 • To evaluate cultural diversity and the long term effects of equal opportunities given to
employees in workforce. A case study of Marks and Spencer.
 Objectives:
 • To analyse the impacts of cultural diversity and equal work opportunities at M&S
 • To interpret diversity and cultural ethics correlation with each other and how it impact
employees performance standards.

Research questions
 • What is the long term impact of cultural diversity and ethnicity among
employees on their performance level?
 • What are the pros and cons of building highly skilled and talented workforce at
M&S management teams?
 • How platforms of equal opportunities can be built for employees in M&s and the
strategies to improve their performance standards?

Literature Review:
 As per the views of Merkley, Michael. and Pacelli, 2019,managing cultural
diversity in workforce is of utmost importance for building competitive workforce
with strong advance technical skills and enhanced diversity factors for high
performance delivery. The author explains building cultural diversity brings high
ethical values among employees to perform according to set goals for reaching high
performance standards.
 New skilled employees have competitive knowledge of market share which enables
management to reach new horizons of goodwill among customers and high
profitability margins along with long term, stability factors.
 Equal opportunities given to employees motivates them to enhance their knowledge
of technical skills of working in various departments, it also uplifts their morale
values ethically.

CONT…
 However as opined by Gundara and Jacobs eds., 2019 the author differentiates with the
views that building diverse skilled workforce in company can result in increased capital
costs on recruitment and selection of employees.
 Training also adds to extra cost expenditure of company resources which may also affect
the revenue profit margins. Giving equal opportunities to employees may also lead to
informal involvement in top management decisions by employees which can go against
company policies and rules.

Research methodology
 Research approach: The researcher will conduct inductive research approach to evaluate
cultural diversity and equal opportunities patterns given to employees in company. As the
employees working patterns determine their potential and the quality of production
training given by leaders, the researcher will plot down the parameters which will be able
to conduct analysis effectively.

Sampling:
 The researcher will use non-purposive sampling method through which it will be easier
and quicker for evaluating the answers of questioners asked among employees. There will
be samples of 40 employees who will be asked questions related to their experience of
working in M&S.

Data analysis:
 The researcher will conduct detailed research analysis on the collected data through
surveys and questioners answers to employees which will help researcher to get detailed
view on various parameters. Charts, figures and statistics will be used to analyse the data
interpreted by researcher.
 Ethical considerations: The researcher will get respondents sign consent forms regarding
their approval for answering the questions asked through surveys, and confirming that
there is no bias by any employee. The researcher will make sure there is no case of
interference in management while conducting surveys through questioner.

Giant Chart

REFERENCES
 Merkley, K. J., Michaely, R. and Pacelli, J., 2019. Cultural diversity on Wall Street:
Evidence from sell-side analysts’ forecasts.Swiss Finance Institute Research Paper.(19-07).
 Gundara, J. and Jacobs, S. eds., 2019.Intercultural Europe: Diversity and social policy.
Routledge.