Research Project: Marks & Spencer Business Performance Analysis

This research project focuses on identifying ways to improve the business performance of Marks and Spencer (M&S), a UK-based retail company. The project includes a detailed table of contents outlining the research process, starting with the formulation of the research project outline and specification, including factors influencing the research, critical review of literature, and the development of a project plan. The research employs an inductive approach and interpretivism philosophy for data collection, utilizing a descriptive research design. Data is collected through primary methods, such as surveys with M&S managers, and secondary methods, involving a review of existing literature. The project includes a project plan with timelines and cost estimations. The findings are presented with data analysis, including thematic interpretation of collected survey data. The research evaluates data using scientific experimental, management oriented system, and qualitative models. The project concludes with recommendations for further improvements to enhance M&S's business operations.

RESEARCH PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TOPIC..............................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Formulation and research project outline specification....................................................1
1.2 Factors that contributed in research project specification................................................2
1.3 Critical review..................................................................................................................3
1.4 Research project specification..........................................................................................4
1.5 Project plan and procedures..............................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Match resources with hypothesis and questions...............................................................7
2.2 Proposed research investigation with procedure and specification..................................8
2.3 Record and collect data....................................................................................................9
LO 3...............................................................................................................................................10
3.1 Appropriate research evaluations techniques.................................................................10
3.2 Interpret and analysis results .........................................................................................11
3.3 Recommendations for further improvements.................................................................14
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................15
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................15
4.1 Presentations of outcomes..............................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INDEX OF TABLES
Table 1: Project plan for conducting research.................................................................................5
Table 2: Research project plan.........................................................................................................6

TOPIC
“To identify ways for improving business performance of the entity: A case study on
Marks and Spencer”.
TASK 1
1.1 Formulation and research project outline specification
Introduction:
Improvement in business performance is crucial to manage organisation's entire
operations and improving quality of resources. It is helpful for enhancing profitability and
sustaining its market position for longer time period. Present report is based on identifying
different ways to improve business performance of Marks and Spencer (M&S). It is retail sector
organisation of UK which provides groceries, home products and food items globally. In this
report, research project specification and factors affecting research process are to be discussed.
Including this, project plan for conducting research and meeting goals will be introduced in this
assignment. In addition to this, different authors' views on the selected research topic are to be
identified for enhancing knowledge regarding significance of analysing business position for its
improvement. However, impact of various factors on research plan and procedures are to be
described in this report for improving business performance of M&S.
Background:
Marks and Spencer is wide spread and well-known entity of UK that belong to retail
sector for producing groceries and home products internationally. Its headquartered in London
and there are several numbers of stores across the country. In accordance to collected data of
2017, its revenue is around £10622 million and operating income is about £690.6 million.
Likewise, there is approximate 84,900 employees work for its services internationally which
demonstrate effective goodwill in global market (Andrews and Hampel, 2015). However, it
adopts innovative techniques for improvement in business performance and its quality services.
With respect to this, current business performance and market position of the entity will be
identified in this report for generating ideas regarding its improvement. It is retail sector
organisation of UK which provides groceries, home products and food items globally. In this
report, research project specification and factors affecting research process are to be discussed.
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1.2 Factors that contributed in research project specification
Several factors influence on research process and meeting its goals (Gale and et.al.,
2013). Some essential factors required to be considered are as follows:
Aim of the research:
“To identify ways for improving business performance of Marks and Spencer (M&S)”.
Objectives of the study:
Following targets are set for conducting research on evaluating ways for improving M&S
are as:
 To understand usefulness of analysing the actual business performance of entity.
 To identify factors impacted on improving the business performance of M&S.
 To analyse impact on business operations after working on its improvement.
 To recommend suggestions for improving business performance of M&S.
Rationale of the research:
The reason behind choosing this research topic is to enhance knowledge regarding ways
to improve business performance of M&S. Including this, different ideas are to be generated for
appropriate research in addition with the ways to enhance its effectiveness. Along with this,
project planning and research specification tools are discussed in this assignment as to gain ideas
to improve quality of business operations of the company (Huang and et.al., 2013). However,
this report is useful to enhance knowledge in terms of identifying ways for improving business
performance of the organisation.
Research questions:
Research is based on finding out solutions of below mentioned questions:
 Why is it essential to analyse current business performance of M&S?
 What factors are affected on improving business operations of the entity?
 What impacts are identified as to work on improving business performance of M&S?
 Which recommendations are required to be considered during determining ways for
improving business operations of the company?
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1.3 Critical review
It is an effective source to enhance knowledge through reading articles of different
authors on the selected research topic. However, authors' views on ways for improving business
performance of the entity are as follows:
Essential to analyse current business performance of company:
According to Landt and Melville, (2013) it is essential to analyse actual business
performance of any entity in terms of its sales revenue, profitability and competitiveness. In
accordance to this, variety of ideas are generated for further implementations and managing
entire business operations. However, it is good for increasing effectiveness and efficiency of the
company at higher level.
On the contrary to this, O'Leary, (2013) argues that decision making on the basis of
actual business performance remains ineffective due to changes in market prices, people's views
on its goods and services etc. Including this, it is challenging identifying current performance in
terms of entity's entire operations.
Factors which influence on business operations:
Ricciardi and et.al., (2015) express their views that several factors are impacted on
business operations and entity's performance. For instance; people's attitude and interest towards
its services market position, management of products and so on. It is considered that if one of the
factor affects negatively then management of entire operations impacted negatively. Therefore, it
is needed to consider all the factors for managing and improving business operations of the
company.
Speight and et.al., (2016) claim on the statement that due to lack of coordination of
workers and customers' dissatisfaction towards goods and services of the entity, it affects
negatively on its business operations. Thus, decision makers and managers of the entity should
work on managing all business operations appropriately for the entity.
Performance of business after creating innovations for the organisation:
In opinion of Andrews and Hampel, (2015) as new technologies adopted for business
operations, quality of goods and services get influenced. However, production and distribution
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system get managed effectively. Similarly, different positive changes are identified in business
performance also impacts on further operations.
On contradiction, Gale and et.al., (2013) argued that changes in environmental factors
affect business performance and quality of its operations adversely. For example: fluctuations in
economic rates, people's attitude towards its products and services etc. Therefore, business plan
and its performance emerge of negative image regarding working on its effectiveness.
1.4 Research project specification
It is one of the effective process of conducting research as data collection and finding out
the current business performance of M&S. For this purpose, approaches and specification tools
used for research are as follows:
Research approach:
Different approaches are applied for data collection process such as: inductive, deductive and
abductive. For this research on analysing ways to improve business performance of M&S,
researcher will use inductive approach (Yeh and et.al., 2014). Under the given approach, theories
and data collection tools are involved. Therefore, data collection process can proceed effectively.
Research philosophy:
Researcher will use interpretivism philosophy for identifying ways to improve business
performance of the selected company (Stanek, Babkin and Zubov, 2016). In accordance to this,
face to face interviews and observations on respondents' views are included for data collection
process.
Research design:
For gathering information regarding ways to enhance business performance of M&S, descriptive
research design is to used (Huang and et.al., 2013). In this, structural framework of all processes
including outcomes are mentioned. However, critical evaluations and research of all processes
are included in this design.
Data collection:
Data is collected at primary and secondary level on which different ideas are generated for the
further implementations (Data collection process, 2016). In this regard, primary data collection
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involves activities as conducting survey, interviews and door to door operations. As researcher is
to conduct survey with 5 managers of M&S for research and analysing their views on the chosen
topic. However, random sampling is used for selecting respondents who will participate in the
survey. Likewise, under secondary data collection method, used and prepared materials are used
for research like: reading books and articles, analysing business performance etc. For conducting
secondary level research, investigator will read articles of different authors on the research topic.
Data analysis:
It is a research process for identifying collected research outcomes on which appropriate
decisions can be made regarding further implementations (O'Leary, 2013). For this, thematic
interpretation of collected data is to be done. Therefore, strategies can be prepared for business'
improvement appropriately for M&S.
1.5 Project plan and procedures
Research and project plan involves different factors to be considered including cost
incurred in operations, time frame, workers involved in project and so on (Ricciardi and et.al.,
2015). However, for conducting research on identifying different ways for improving business
performance of M&S, below mentioned plan is to be implemented as:
Table 1: Project plan for conducting research
S. No. Plan Time frame Cost incurred
A Identifying the research topic 5-6 days 100
B Research process plan 3-4 days 200
C Work segmentation among research
team members
5-6 days 300
D Literature review 10-12 days 400
E Data collection (Conducting survey) 3-4 days 500
F Data analysis 6-8 days 200
G Planning for improvement 3-4 days 100
5

H Implementing plans 7-8 days 1000-1200
I Performance evaluation 3-4 days 400
J Cost calculation 2-3 days 100
K Taking feedback from team
members involved in research
process
4-5 days 200
L Reporting 5-7 days 300
Table 2: Research project plan
Activities Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Week
11
Selecting
the
research
topic
Planning
for
conductin
g research
Segmenti
ng work
among
research
team
6

members
Literature
review
Conductin
g survey
Analysing
collected
data
Planning
for
improvem
ent
Implemen
ting plans
Performa
nce
review
Feedback
and
reporting
7

TASK 2
LO 2
2.1 Match resources with hypothesis and questions
In order to accomplish desired results primary and secondary information will be
collected in systematic manner. There are several ways in which business development
considered in M & S. With this regard, enterprise need to make sure that they are able to collect
relevant and fresh information towards the goals and objectives. Therefore, it assists to promote
effective functioning in the business. Results are comes from the thematic analysis which made
on aims and objectives of the research (Stanek, Babkin and Zubov, 2016). In respect to collect
fresh and relevant information, questionnaire has been design that assists to promote effective
results in the business. Furthermore, there are secondary information has been collected through
undertake secondary sources such as newspapers, magazines, articles, etc. Primary data has been
evaluated to promote the results in systematic manner.
2.2 Proposed research investigation with procedure and specification
In order to make research design, following elements are considered that make effective
functions to collect the data at workplace. In this way, enterprise will able to meet with goals and
objectives in systematic manner. There are total 10 sample size has been selected in which
employees of M & S will take part.
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
1. In M & S, performance improvement strategy require or not?
 Yes
 No
 Can't say
2. How the business appropriately deal with development and improvement in the organisation?
 Highly satisfied
 Satisfied
 Dissatisfied
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 Neutral
 Strongly disagree
3. At which level, the chosen organisation need to make concentration on the development and
improvement in systematic aspect?
 Company level
 Divisional level
 Department level
4. Does enterprise considered development in systematic way at workplace?
 Yes
 No
 Can't say
5. What is important element to improve services and operations of M & S?
 Social media
 Modern marketing
 Digital technology
2.3 Record and collect data
Theme 1 Respondents stated that in M & S performance improvement is highly needed
In M & S, performance improvement
strategy require or not?
No of respondents
Yes 7
No 2
Don't know 1
Theme 2 There are people strongly agree with the statement of improvement in
organisation
How the business appropriately deal with
development and improvement in the
No of respondents
9