Case Study: Quality Management's Role in ASDA's Business Performance

This report analyzes the importance of quality management and its contribution to enhancing business performance, using ASDA as a case study. It investigates the impact of quality on business, explores techniques for enhancing quality, and recommends strategies for improving quality standards. The research employs both primary and secondary data collection methods, including interviews and questionnaires from ASDA employees, along with literature reviews from books, journals, and online resources. The methodology includes an inductive research approach, interpretivism philosophy, and thematic analysis of collected data. The findings are presented in tables and charts, highlighting the relationship between quality management and overall business performance. The report concludes with recommendations for ASDA to improve its quality standards and enhance its business practices, along with suggestions for future research areas. This document is available on Desklib, a platform offering a variety of study tools and solved assignments for students.

UNIT 8
RESEARCH PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................1
Research title................................................................................................................................1
Identification of factors for their contribution towards process of research project selection....2
2. LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................2
3. METHODOLOGY......................................................................................................................3
Appropriate plan & procedure for agreed specifications of researcher.......................................4
Matching resources efficiently towards research question..........................................................6
Proposed research investigation with respect to agreed specifications & procedures.................7
4. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS........................................................................................9
Presenting data in tables and charts.............................................................................................9
5. CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATION.................................................................................15
Recommendations......................................................................................................................15
Areas for more recommendation...............................................................................................15
Appendix........................................................................................................................................18

1. INTRODUCTION
The research proposal is referred as the concise & coherent summary of the proposed
researches being carried out. Within it, the center based questions that are intended to be
addressed, usually get to be answered. So, keeping this in mind the present study has been
carried out on the analyzing of quality management's importance towards the enhancement of
business performances at ASDA. The utilization of secondary sources within the research work
have been beneficial in showcasing research work's efficiency (AbuKhalifeh and Som, 2012). In
addition, primary sources have also been utilized according to which data has been collected
from the employees working at ASDA. Several other factors have also been mentioned that will
assist the researcher in carrying out his research work. Furthermore, the research results and
findings have been analyzed by using quantitative method. There has been use of other research
methodologies for attaining the aim and objectives of the study.
Research title
“ To analyze the importance of quality management and its contribution in enhancing
performance of business : A case study on ASDA”.
Aim :-
The project is intended to analyze the importance of quality management and its
contribution towards the enhancing business performance : A case study on ASDA”. The present
research has taken in consideration ASDA since the cited organization has been experiencing
loss of sales because of its cheap quality.
Objectives :-
 To analyze the importance of quality in business
 To analyze the importance of techniques in enhancing quality To recommend strategies for enhancing quality standards of business
Research questions :-
 What is the importance of quality in business?
 What is the importance of techniques in enhancing quality?
 What strategies could be recommended for enhancing quality standards of business?
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For completion of the section of literature review, utilization of various secondary
sources has been done. Moreover, to ensure the feasibility of the research work, relevant &
appropriate tools and techniques have been considered. Furthermore, for effective completion of
the research work, diversified range of resources need to be arranged by the researcher.
Henceforth, along with financial resources, physical resources will be required as well. There are
various activities that have to be undertaken in a research project. Hence, these require adequate
financial planning.
Identification of factors for their contribution towards process of research project selection
While selecting the research topic, various topics have been gone through by researcher.
Hence, after effective analyzation of feasibility with respect to topic, this one has been selected
(Asif and et.al., 2011). Due to ample of facts and figures available, researcher laid his emphasis
upon this subject. Besides this, researcher has also focused upon ensuring more success in
business. However, several other research topics were available but due to authenticated &
relevant data with respect to current study, this topic was finalized. Different authors have done
diversified research that have emerged out to be beneficial for availability of authenticated and
relevant data. In addition to all these, interest shown by researcher towards this area was another
key factor in selection of topic. Quality in business gets affected due to involvement of many
other factors (Chang, 2016). This area of study accounts to be very much interesting since it
involves understanding and effective utilization of techniques & tools for enhancement of quality
of business.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Different secondary resources have been employed to conduct the research that assisted
further in completion of this section. Books & journals have been reviewed for formulation of
literature review. This part enables in making adequate information available with respect to
research topic. Several other research works conducted by researcher have been beneficial for
others for understanding the importance of quality management in business.
According to (Dumas, Mendling and Reijers, (2013), the main aim of any organization is
to enhance their profits and sales thereby gaining more brand recognition in market. For this the
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organization needs to maintain their customer base to ensure maintained sales & profits in their
business practices. But to do so, companies often apply the techniques of cheap pricing thereby
neglecting the quality of products in business as stated by Goetsch and Davis, (2014). This way
the quality of business is gradually degraded thereby negatively impacting the business practices
of organizations.
Organizations in order to enhance their customer base, need to mainly focus upon their
quality of business practices to ensured highly qualified & tested products as per stated by
Harmon, (2010). the customers nowadays are more attracted towards products in terms of
quality. If they find the product not matching the standards of company they have a negative
image build up in their minds with respect to company.
According to Holsapple, (2013), quality management other than enhancing sales &
profits, assist the organizations in attaining sustainable development as well through their
effective & quality approved business practices. Furthermore, formulation of quality policies will
assist in maintaining and assuring quality-controlling and quality-improvement methodologies as
stated by Mehta, Verma and Seth, (2014). To do so, all the stakeholder associated with a
particular business should try to work along with each other in coordination to ensure , control
and improve quality of business.
3. METHODOLOGY
For effective and efficient conduction of the research work, utilization of several
techniques and tools has been done that prove to be useful for meeting the research aim. Methods
being utilized in the research have been discussed as below :
 Within the procedure of data collection, primary & secondary sources shall be used for
collected topic suited information. With effective and proper help from both of them,
relevant, authenticated and qualified data will be gathered.
 With reference to research approach, Inductive category will be utilized by researcher
since it involves observations and theories at the ending of research procedure. Also,
inclusion of diversified research patterns for effective explanation makes this research
approach method more suitable.
3

 As per the use of interpretivism philosophy in present study, associated elements will be
deeply studied by researcher. The reason for this particular selection is that it involves
integrating interest of humans in study (Moutinho, ed., 2011). Due to focus upon
meaning, multiple methods will be employed for reflection of responses collected from
participants.
Appropriate plan & procedure for agreed specifications of researcher
Activity/
Week
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Research
proposal
writing
Various
literature
reading
Making final
aims and
objectives
Literature
review
drafting
Collection of
secondary
data
Secondary
data
analyzation
4

Research
approach
development
Methodology
of research
draft
Questionnaire
development
Interview
arrangement
Interview
conduction
Data
accumulation
Findings as
per drafts
Data
analyzation
Completion
of remaining
chapters
Submission
to tutor and
awaiting for
feedback
Draft revising
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Printing &
binding
Submitting
As per the activities mentioned in Gantt chart, researcher will carry them further.
Monitoring of each and every area will be done for identification of any necessary modifications.
For completing the research project, 10 weeks would be required so that the researcher is able to
consider each and every aspect associated with research.
Matching resources efficiently towards research question
For effective conduction of research primary and secondary methods will be utilized.
With particular reference to primary sources, data will be collected through interviews,
questionnaires, etc. However, on the other hand, secondary sources will involve collection of
data from articles, online web-portals, journals, etc. In addition financial support will be required
for conduction of research inn an effective manner.
The main course of study will be identified through set of research questions. For
effective outcomes with respect to research appropriate questions shall be chosen. Quality
management ensures an organization to maintain its growth within market (Yang, Hong and
Modi, 2011). This way, it could be stated that a close relationship exists between quality
management and overall enhance of business with respect to a company. Also, price plays an
influential role but it should be compromised with quality. The research objectives with respect
to current study are mentioned below :
 To analyze the importance of quality in business
 To analyze the importance of techniques in enhancing quality
 To recommend strategies for enhancing quality standards of business
The research questions with respect to same are mentioned below :
 What is the importance of quality in business?
 What is the importance of techniques in enhancing quality?
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 What strategies could be recommended for enhancing quality standards of business?
From the above mentioned objectives, researcher will be identifying the importance of
quality management and its role in enhancing the overall business performances of organization.
So, the organization needs to analyze its areas in which improvement is required. This way, the
organization would be able to enhance their business practices with effective quality
management.
Proposed research investigation with respect to agreed specifications & procedures
In order for effective conduction of research, both primary and secondary sources shall be
utilized by researcher. This way, information collected from other researchers would be able to
get collected referred as secondary sources. With context to this, websites, articles, journals, etc.
shall be included (Young, Kumar and Murphy, 2010). For collection of primary information,
questionnaire will be developed by researcher and the 20 employees at ASDA would be
considered as the respondents. With aid of this questionnaire, the researcher will get an idea
about the factors affecting quality of business at ASDA. The degradation in terms of quality will
be observed and information about the techniques utilized for enhancing overall organizational
performance will be known. Both open and close ended questions will be included within the
questionnaire. The selected set of respondents with respect to ASDA will be enough to know the
services perception carried out at ASDA. Furthermore, after collecting the necessary data,
improvement could be further done for enhancing the overall performance of business practices
carried out at ASDA. However, in order to come up with appropriate outcome, thematic
procedure will be utilized in which necessary statistics and graphs will be made use of, for
evaluation of information.
Methodology
Within the research-work, Research methodology hold a place of very utter importance.
Different categories of methods along with approaches have proved beneficial in conducting the
research in an effective as-well-as manner. So, following mentioned methods will be considered
for covering area of research methodology :
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 Research philosophy : The research is made presentable to viewers via this method.
Investigation is carried out on the basis of objectives. Present research focuses upon
importance of quality management in business. So, positivism research has been
considered by researcher. Factors affecting the quality management have been evaluated
and organization would imply the necessary changes accordingly. Research approach : Deductive and inductive are the two categories utilized under this
method. The direction of research would be from specific to general in case of inductive
one. On the other hand, direction will be from general to specific in case of deductive.
On the basis of research objectives, deductive category will be further utilized by
investigator for better understanding of concepts (Zikmund and et.al., 2013).
Identification of different factors affecting quality management have been identified by
investigator. Research design : The research is developed in a more effective manner through this.
Descriptive approach will be utilized by researcher thereby identifying diversified factors
affecting the quality management in business practices. The concept of quality
management could be understood in a more clear way by aid of this method. Data collection : Broadly two categories are available for collection of data namely
primary and secondary sources. Primary sources will make use of questionnaires,
interviews, observations, etc. Secondary will involve articles, newspapers, journal,
websites, etc. With particular reference to current research, both the sources have been
utilized for analyzing the importance of quality management in business practices. Sampling : For the purpose of meeting research aim & objectives, information will be
collected from 20 employees at ASDA. This method will decrease the rate of errors. The
management can evaluate their businesses through this method.
 Data analysis : Namely qualitative and quantitative methods are utilized for analyzing
data for collection of numerical and theoretical information (Jahangirian and et.al., 2010).
The researcher has applied both thematic and statistical to evaluate the data collected
from the questionnaire on the basis of each & every mentioned question.
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4. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
In accordance with data collected from 20 respondents that are employees at ASDA,
below is given their responses. This part of research will be identifying the factors and
importance of quality management to enhance the business.
Presenting data in tables and charts
Theme 1 : Possible reason for gradual decrease in sales & profits at ASDA
Criteria Responses
Cheap pricing 3
Ineffective quality management 16
Lack of coordination 1
9
Cheap pricing
Ineffective quality management
Lack of coordination
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
3
16
1
Responses

Theme 2 : Necessity of quality management towards enhancement of company's
performance
Criteria Responses
Yes 18
No 2
Theme 3 : Role of quality management towards achievement of company's goals and
objectives
Criteria Responses
Yes 15
No 5
10
Yes No
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20 18
2
Responses