Assessing Technology Impact on Small Business Growth: Project Report

This report, prepared for Continental Consulting Limited, investigates the impact of digital technology on small business growth and innovation. The project begins with an introduction highlighting the firm's objective to upgrade its technology to remain competitive. Task 1 establishes the project's aims and objectives, develops a comprehensive project management plan, and creates a Gantt chart and work breakdown structure to define the project timeline. Task 2 involves small-scale research using questionnaires to gather data on employee perceptions of technology. Task 3 analyzes the research data, providing recommendations for technology implementation. Finally, Task 4 includes a reflection on the project's process and outcomes. The report covers scope, cost, time, quality, communication, risk, and resources. It also provides a detailed analysis of the research findings and offers strategic recommendations for Continental Consulting Limited to leverage technology for improved sales, goodwill, and overall business growth.

Managing A Successful
Business Project

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Aims and objectives...............................................................................................................1
P2 Project management plan.......................................................................................................2
P3 Gantt chart and work breakdown structure............................................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P4 Small scale research...............................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5 Analysis of research and data................................................................................................8
P6 Recommendation.................................................................................................................14
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................14
P7 Reflection.............................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................17
Log book........................................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Digital denotes as an electronic technology that helps in generating, storing and
processing data at workplace. However, main objective behind installing latest tools is to cope up
with current changes and trends. As a result, numerous of small and medium businesses are
trying to upgrade their equipment’s and machineries (Kowalkowski, Kindström and Brehmer,
2011) . Thus, “Continental Consulting limited” which is a small firm headed by Mario
Bindas as CEO engaged in business Process Re-engineering are aiming to upgrade their
previous technologies. Therefore, whole assignment is going to highlight the foremost agenda of
firm that is “assessing the influence of technology on small business growth and
innovation”. In the beginning of the project, prominent objective of the research will be
explained in order to design an impressive project management plan by considering necessary
elements. Furthermore, work breakdown structure and Gantt chart will be produced for providing
accurate time frame for project. Along with this data accumulation is also outlined in the report
for understanding the opinions of others towards usage of digital technology.
TASK 1
P1 Aims and objectives
Continental consulting limited is a small firm which was started eight years ago and
involved in a Business Process Re-engineering. At that time, their main objective is to offer best
services to small and medium manufacturing firms situated in London and around Greater
London. However, in coming time period there is lots of changes incurred in IT industries which
make the company feel that they are lagging behind. For example; equipment’s, tools and
machineries of selected firm are eight years old and it became obsolete. As a result, one of the
major agenda which comes out in an official meeting is that “upgrading of previous equipment’s
in order to overcome the key weakness” of an organization. Thus, most prominent objective of
the research is to “analyse the impact of digital technology in supporting growth of small
business” (Jeston, 2014).
As a section head of research department in continental consulting limited, it is essential
to design a specific aim of the research in order to move towards corrective direction. Basically,
digital technology is a cluster of various modern and advanced equipment’s which are used by an
organization for handling their business operations. Thus, selected firm is also trying to update
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their old versions of technologies step by step. Therefore, first or foremost aim of Continental
consulting limited is –
Research Aim-
“To determine the influence of mobile technology upon organizational sales and its
goodwill at marketplace: A case study on Continental Consulting Limited”
Research Objectives- To analyse the concept of mobile technology. To determine the impact of mobile equipment’s upon company sales and its goodwill. To ascertain the contribution of mobile technology in the growth of Continental
Consulting limited. To identify the relationship between mobile technology and company sales.
Research questions-
 Explain the concept of mobile technology?
 How the mobile equipment’s influence company sales and its goodwill? What is the contribution of mobile technology in the growth of Continental Consulting
limited?
 What is the relationship between mobile technology and company sales?
P2 Project management plan
Upgrading of digital technology is a really complex procedure due to the technical
features and signs which are not easy to understand by unskilled employees. Thus, it is essential
for managers of Continental consulting limited to design an appropriate plan for entire research
in order to manage things in a suitable way. Mainly, it consist of all the necessary elements
which will be consider by company while updating their digital tools such as; time, cost, risk,
resources, communication, quality and scope ( Hillson, 2017). Hence, detailed description of
these components are discussed as follows-
 Scope – As per the section head and CEO of an organization, company wants to update
their past technologies in order to implement current changes at workplace. However, IT
industry is having a wide scope across the globe due to the emergence of modern
equipment’s such as mobile applications are used for connecting people at international
platform. In fact, IT industries are coming with more and more options for Business
process such as; computer technology is a maximum usage tool that is utilized by
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corporate world for storing authentic data. Therefore, an organization is having numerous
of opportunity to upgrade their tools by analysing the current changed market in order to
attain their prior set agenda ( Fisher, 2011).
 Cost – Capital is considered as backbone of business operations because almost entire
organizational activities are depending upon funds. For example; hiring of skilled or
experienced employee requires high amount of salary, buying of latest technology
consume maximum range of cost and so on. Thus, it has been understood that company
needs to forecast their budget before implementing their plan at workplace as it helps in
minimizing the additional cost. However, current project of Continental Consulting
Limited is going to consumer approx. 1000GBP in which some of the necessary expenses
that might covered is explained below-
Expenses Amount (GBP)
Cost of Employer (dual role) 100GBP
Cost of software/ machinery 200GBP
Installation charge 150GBP
Testing procedure 250GBP
Additional expense 300GBP
Total 1000GBP
 Time- According to given scenario company is lagging behind as compared with current
market as they are having eight-year-old tools because of which managers needs to set
specific time frame for completing their updating project. In fact, time is really crucial
factor for organization as it is essential to meet the current demands of customers rapidly
in order to establish their image at marketplace. Therefore, after assessing budget of the
project it has been understood that around 6 months will consume for completing the
research (Doherty , Ashurst and Peppard, 2012).
 Quality – Installation of digital technology is a long as well as complex procedure which
requires high range of funds, skilled employees, proper planning and so on. As all these
factors aids in managing entire activities but on the same time quality measurement is
also most indispensable element in this process. Basically, main objective of quality team
is to control the probabilities of errors that might incur while continuing the process of
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installation. Moreover, prior checking of quality helps Continental Consulting limited in
minimizing their unusual losses which occurred during the process.
 Communication – An effective interaction is indispensable for the smooth functioning
of whole procedure as minor misunderstanding can change the positive result into
negative. It means, communication is also considered as one of major aspect in project
management plan of selected firm because proper coordination and team work between
staff members is a sign of great achievement. Thus, a manager needs to make sure that
communication procedure is totally clear and concise (Cheung, Chan and Kajewski,
2012).
 Risk – Future is uncertain which means fluctuation in any factor occurs anytime and it
can affect the agenda of company. For example; changes in the price of software because
of high demand disturb the prior set budget. It means, a manager needs to have creative
minds as well as contingency plan for controlling the possibilities of risk.
 Resources – It’s all about materials which is required by Continental Consulting limited
to accomplish their set objectives such as; human resource, plant or machinery, funds,
land and building henceforth. In fact, all these are necessary also to complete the project
such as; capital is used for buying all the other resources like skilled labour will be hired
by offering high range of salary (Morris and Geraldi, 2011).
Hence, all the above factors are indispensable for completing the project of technology
Updation in perfect manner as these will helps in directing entire team towards corrective path.
Along with this, support in difficult situations by presenting contingency plan.
P3 Gantt chart and work breakdown structure
Installations of latest or advanced technology consist of long procedure due to the high
range of complexity. Along with this, it requires specific time period and skilled employees at
Continental Consulting Limited for managing risky circumstances. Thus, Work breakdown
structure is most appropriate tool that is used by an organization for managing business activities
in more suitable manner ( Adzic, 2011). Main objective of this element is to split the task into
various employees or department for minimizing the work pressure from one group. It means, a
manager needs to split the duties between several team members in order to distribute the
responsibilities. However, this structure is to complete the whole project in a minimum time
frame but in a corrective manner.
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Apart from this, Gantt chart is designed for directing the employees about specific time
for each and every activity in order to control the wastage of duration. In fact, stages helps an
organization while conducting business activities such as; employee will set the mind while
accomplishing their business activities and tried to finish in a given time frame (Nicholas and
Steyn, 2017).
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Critical path for completing the project of Continental Consulting Limited was drawn
above in order to understand the actual direction for attaining the set objectives.
TASK 2
P4 Small scale research
Continental Consulting Limited is a firm which is not having skilled employees because
of insufficient funds. Thus, it is essential to accumulate necessary data and information about the
benefits and drawbacks of digital technology such as; impact of mobile applications on business
sales. However, various methods are identified which might be used by company for gathering
relevant facts or figures about the usage of technology at workplace as well as their demand in
corporate world ( Duffield and Whitty, 2015). Some of the data collection methods are discussed
as follows-
 Primary- Data which is collected by an organization by itself for a first time such as;
questionnaire is one of most suitable example from which fresh information is acquired.
In fact, this information is more realistic because it’s a first hand data (Primary source
and secondary source, 2018).
 Secondary – Another name of this method is second hand because this information are
already used by some other person. For example; factors determined through books are
consider under this tool because that information is read by number of people.
 Qualitative – It means information is acquired by Continental Consulting Limited
through quality rather than any factor such as; appearance, value of that data at specific
place or situation ( Drucker, 2012).
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 Quantitative- Numerical or statistical data is acquired by this tool which is used by
company while making financial decision.
It has been understood that all the above methods are suitable according to the situations
but for selected firm questionnaire is most appropriate one because company wants to know the
need of upgrading technology at workplace. For example; wanted to know about the influence of
mobile technology in maximising company sales as well as its goodwill. Therefore, around 20
staff members are selected for understanding the perception of employees towards technology
upgrade (Pekuri and et. al., 2014).
Questionnaire
Q1. What is your first preference in terms of technology to perform business activities? Latest technology Traditional technologies
Q2. Do you really want to use latest tools for performing assigned job? Yes No
Q3. Is there any change in your performance with the use of latest technology? Yes No
Q4. Is there any change in customer demand with the installations of modern technologies? Yes No
Q5. Is there any fluctuation in company sales performance? Yes No
Q6. What is the benefit of using latest technology at workplace? Personal or professional development Sales improvement Enhancement of goodwill All the above
Q7. Any suggestion you want to give about installation of modern technology at workplace?
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TASK 3
P5 Analysis of research and data
Theme 1:- Your first preference in terms of
technology to perform business activities.
Frequency
Latest technology 15
Traditional technologies 5
15
5
Frequency
Latest technology
Traditional technologies
Interpretation- From the above diagrammatic representation, it has been analysed that
demand of modern technologies are increasing day by day due to its efficiency and usefulness at
workplace. Thus, around 15 members of Continental consulting limited prefer latest technology
for organization and agree with the installation of new software. On the other hand, almost 5
employees are not agreeing with this statement and they are selecting traditional tools for
enjoying their comfort level.
Theme 2:- Are you really wanted to use latest
tools for performing assigned job.
Frequency
Yes 14
No 6
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14
6
Frequency
Yes
No
Interpretation- From the above graphical representation, it has been understood that
around 6 members are not agree with this statement. On the other hand, almost 14 employees are
really wanted to use modern tools for managing their business operations. It means, company
needs to focus on the requirement of maximum employees.
Theme 3:- Any change in your performance
with the use of latest technology.
Frequency
Yes 16
No 4
16
4
Frequency
Yes
No
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