Project Management Report: Analyzing John Lewis CSR Initiatives

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of a project management plan for John Lewis, focusing on the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on its marketing department, profitability, and financial sustainability. The report establishes aims and objectives, develops a project management plan including task durations and dependencies, and utilizes work breakdown structures, Gantt charts, and network diagrams. A small-scale qualitative research study is conducted using questionnaires distributed to a local community to gather data on the public's perception of John Lewis's CSR activities. The analysis reveals insights into the importance of CSR for marketing and profitability, with recommendations for enhancing CSR initiatives. The study explores the relationship between CSR, marketing effectiveness, and financial performance, providing valuable insights for businesses seeking to improve their CSR strategies. The report concludes with reflective statements, summarizing the key learnings and outcomes of the project management process.

MANAGING
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS

INTRODUCTION
In the corporate world, it is very necessary to manage and organise overall business entity
in appropriate way which helps to become more profitable in the industry. For manage the
business entrepreneur makes and frame various plan and programmes and implement at the
workplace. Further, for making plan project management tools and techniques are the most
helpful for the company. In the present case there are two partnership firms like as John Lewis
and Waitrose which are going to make plan using project management for determine affect of
corporate social responsibilities on the company. The current report shows overall plan of project
management with the help of work breakdown structure as well as Gantt chart. Further, it
describes about the research on the basis of qualitative techniques and determine valid
conclusion. Beside this, it analyses about various tools and techniques which are used by the
scholar in order to do research. At the end of report, reflective statement is to be provided that
what we learn and gain from the overall report of project management.
TASK 1
P1 Establish aims, objectives of the project for John Lewis
When the company is going to do research on any particular topic and criteria for
assessing problems and solution, at the initial stage aims or problems are to be identified. By
using different aims and objectives the management of John Lewis is able to conduct overall
research in proper and appropriate way. Aims as well as objectives to conduct about impact of
CSR activities in the John Lewis are framed as below:
Topic of research:
The impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Marketing Department within John
Lewis to Promote Profitability and the Financial sustainability
Background of the current study:
Now a days, there are more number of companies operating in same industry by which
level of competition increases on consistently basis which lead to effect financial position
indirectly. In order to enhance performance there are different kinds of strategies and tactics are
used by the firms and on of them is corporate social responsibilities. When the business entity
conduct more number of CSR activities then consumers will be increase by which profit and
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financial position affects in positive way. Along with this, higher the CSR activities helps to
marketing and promoting its several products and services among local community (Polonsky
and Waller, 2014). In the present case the John Lewis firm wants to determine that if it conducts
more CSR activities then it will influence to the marketing department of not. Along with this it
will be profitable and sustain or increase financial position in the industry or not. For conducting
such research different aims and objectives are required which are shown as below:
Aim:
To analyse impact or affect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR activities) on the
Marketing Department within John Lewis to Promote Profitability and the Financial
sustainability.
Objectives:
 To identify various kinds of CSR activities used and implemented by John Lewis.
 To analyse relation between corporate social responsibilities and marketing department.
 To identify impact of the CSR activities on John Lewis's profitability and sustainability in
terms of finance.
 To analyse importance of CSR activities in respective marketing function in John Lewis.
 To give recommendations for using CSR activities which helps to marketing function up
to greater extent.
Research questions:
 What are the various kinds of CSR activities used and implemented by John Lewis ?
 Which kind of relation is there between corporate social responsibilities and marketing
department ?
 What is impact of the CSR activities on John Lewis's profitability and sustainability in
terms of finance ?
 Up to which level CSR activities in respective marketing function are important in John
Lewis ?
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P2 and M1 Producing a plan for project management
Planning phase a very important plan in the business organisation while making a
particular project. After make effective plan it is very necessary to implement and manage in
appropriate way in the business. For making effectual plan project management is the very
helpful tool which shows each and every activity in clear way which lead to achieve aims and
objectives of John Lewis in better way (Kim, Li and Li, 2014.). Along with this there are various
aspects are to be covered with the help of project management that are like as expenses, quality,
resources, scope, duration, start and end date, communication process etc. Furthermore, plan
using project management along with mentioned various aspects is stated as below:
Task
Mode Name of Activity Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Manually
Scheduled
Finding topic and
problem for research 1 day Fri 3/24/17 Fri 3/24/17
Manually
Scheduled
Formulating problem
statement 1 day Mon 3/27/17 Mon 3/27/17 1
Manually
Scheduled
Preparation of time frame
and allocation of
resources
1 day Mon 3/27/17 Mon 3/27/17 1
Manually
Scheduled Using literature review 1 day Tue 3/28/17 Tue 3/28/17 2
Manually
Scheduled
Chose research
methodologies to analyse
problem statement
1 day Tue 3/28/17 Tue 3/28/17 3
Manually
Scheduled Calculating expenditures 1 day Wed 3/29/17 Wed 3/29/17 4,5
Manually
Scheduled
Data analysis and
interpreting it 1 day Thu 3/30/17 Thu 3/30/17 6
Manually
Scheduled Findings and evaluation 1 day Thu 3/30/17 Thu 3/30/17 6
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Manually
Scheduled
Analysis results and
provide conclusions 1 day Fri 3/31/17 Fri 3/31/17 7
Manually
Scheduled
Give appropriate
suggestions and
recommendations
1 day Mon 4/3/17 Mon 4/3/17 7,8,9
Manually
Scheduled
Arrange analysis in
structured form and
documentation of it
1 day Tue 4/4/17 Tue 4/4/17 10
Manually
Scheduled
Submit report to directors
of John Lewis 1 day Wed 4/5/17 Wed 4/5/17 11
P3 Producing work breakdown structure as well as Gantt chart
The structure of project management which shows each and every activity of project plan
in clear and appropriate manner is called as work breakdown structure. With the help of such
tool project manager of John Lewis is able to know that which one task needs to complete
initially and afterwards which has to be use for further process. Apart from this, another
important tool of project management is Gantt chart which shows every phase of project in
horizontal way (Jizi and et.al., 2014). Due to this the manager able to take clear instruction to
complete all the activities appropriately and achieve objectives of John Lewis company. When
the firm uses such tools then able to know that which two or more activities can be start
simultaneously to reduce total time duration of project completion. Using above mentioned
activities work breakdown structure and Gantt chart are stated as below:
Work Breakdown Structure
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Illustration 1: Work Breakdown Structure
Gantt Chart
Illustration 2: Gantt Chart
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Network Diagram
Illustration 3: Network diagram
TASK 2
P4 Small scale research with the help of qualitative approaches
Research helps to the management of John Lewis in order to determine reasons and
causes of problem occurrence. After that it can determine that which are strategies has to use for
overcome and eliminate such kind of problems and constraints. For conducting a research there
are various kinds of tools and techniques are to be used by the researcher which are such as
qualitative and quantitative. As per the qualitative research approach primary data collection
sources are used (Qualitative Research, 2017). On the other side, in the quantitative method
various secondary sources are used by the firm for collecting data. In the present scenario to
analyse impact of the CSR activities on business such as John Lewis qualitative approach is to be
implemented. In this, primary data collection method is used like as questionnaire which are
framed and distributed in 30 local community of the country where John Lewis operated. The
questionnaire for research on John Lewis's CSR activities are framed as below:
Questionnaire
Demographic information
Name _________________
Age ___________________
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Gender ________________
Q 1. Do you think that, CSR activities are key aspect for the business such as John Lewis ?
 Yes
 No
Q 2. Do you agree that, CSR activities help to the John Lewis in order to marketing its services
and products among local community ?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
Q 3. In the business which department is responsible for making and arranging CSR activities in
the firm ?
 Director of firm
 Human resource manager
 Corporate governance
 Senior manager of company
Q 4. Do you think that, with the help of CSR activities John Lewis can increase sales and profit
at the end of fiscal year ?
 Yes
 No
Q 5. From the following tactics, which is employed and used by the John Lewis for conducting
and doing CSR activities ?
 Charity fund
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 Help to education sectors
 Develop the surrounding area
Q 6. Do you agree that, marketing function of John Lewis directly affects from CSR activities ?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
Q 7. Do you agree that, by implementing CSR activities John Lewis able to become more
profitable and sustain financials ?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
Q 8. Please give your valuable recommendations and suggestions that apart from above
mentioned CSR activities used by John Lewis, which are other tactics will be profitable for it ?
 Development of rural areas
 Line function
 Foundation trust
Theme 1: CSR activities are key aspect for the business such as John Lewis.
Q 1. Do you think that, CSR activities are key aspect for the business such as John
Lewis ?
Respon
dents
Yes 21
8

No 9
30
Yes No
0
5
10
15
20
25
21
9
Analysis:
From the above analysis it can be interpreted that among total 30 respondents total 21
thinks in positive way and there are only 9 respondents are negative. It can be said according to
the analysis that corporate social responsibilities are the most important as well as profitable
aspects and element of the business entity like as John Lewis. It can be said that as the company
uses more number of CSR activities then it highly able to gain and generate sales and profit.
Hence, it can be analysed that the management of John Lewis needs to use more number of CSR
activities at the workplace.
Theme 2: Most the respondents strongly agree that, CSR activities help to the John Lewis in
order to marketing its services and products among local community.
Q 2. Do you agree that, CSR activities help to the John Lewis in order to marketing its
services and products among local community ?
Respon
dents
Strongly agree 16
Agree 7
9

Neutral 4
Disagree 2
Strongly disagree 1
30
16
7
4
2
1
Analysis:
It can be analysed from the above graph that, among total 30 respondents there are 16
people strongly agree that CSR activities are helpful for the firm John Lewis. It can be said that
when it will use more number of such activities and take responsibilities then products and
services are easily marketed and promoted in the among local community. Further, there are 7
number of respondents are agree the CSR activities are helpful to aware more number of people
in the country.
Theme 3: In the business corporate governance is responsible making and arranging CSR
activities in the firm.
10
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree