Research Project: Robotics System Impact on Tesco Business Operations

This research project investigates the impact of robotics systems on Tesco's business operations, focusing on product development, customer services, and overall efficiency. The study explores the use of indoor mapping and analytics robotic systems, examining the benefits such as improved inventory management and enhanced customer experience, while also addressing the challenges associated with implementation. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, including literature review, questionnaires, and secondary data analysis, to gather insights from both customers and the company. The project aims to identify the impact of robotics on Tesco's business, analyze the challenges, and recommend strategies to mitigate issues and optimize the implementation of robotics systems, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of automation's role in the retail sector.

Research Project Plan
(Proposal)
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Title/Topic: Robotics system to drive the next generation business process: A case study
on Tesco.
Rationale/
Background: In 21st century, next generation robotics system plays an important role in
carrying out the business operations of organizations in an appropriate
manner. In cut throat competitive market, to meet the expectations of
customers, it is essential for enterprises to enhance their customer’s shopping
experience (Meyerson, 2015). The aim behind selecting this topic is to
investigate about the impact of next generation robotics system on retail
sector.
By conducting the research, investigator would be able to better
understand the benefits and challenges attached with the use of robots in
retail industry in a significant manner. In this regard, Tesco has been
considered because it uses new emerging technologies in its business
processes to provide unique experience to its customers through increasing
the flexibility and by bringing change in the way of delivering products and
services to them (Swedberg, 2015). Along with this, current proposal also
deals with the factors that are likely to have contributed towards meeting
organization’s and customers’ needs in an appropriate manner.
Introduction With the emergence of new technologies and increasing demand of quick
delivery of products at stipulated time, firms are forced to adopt new
techniques in their day to day business operations. As per the current
proposal, Tesco has been taken which is using an indoor mapping and
analytics robotic system at its fashion departments in five U.K. stores. In this
regard, global retailer enterprise has taken initiative to use radio frequency
identification at its fashion departments in order to improve the efficiency and
inventory visibility of products (Hamacher , 2015). According to Swedberg
(2015), Tesco deployed robotic machines in a store's clothing department for
the purpose of enhancing their customers shopping experience. Besides that,
next generation robotics technique used by UK based retail giant can also
help the firm to collect data efficiently and more often, with little human
intervention (Swedberg, 2015).
Further, researcher explored that next generation robotics technique will
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be beneficial for the retailer in terms of capturing reliable inventory data
automatic, inventory-tracking purposes and reducing human intervention in
day to day business functions. As per the views of Lutz (2014) technology
exists, customer’s need to know and changes come in retail jobs are the three
main reasons which encourage company to adopt new advanced technology
at workplace (Lutz, 2014). However, Breazeal (2009) studied that
fundamental mismatch in their social and communicative sophistication and
active monitoring of shared visual attention between robot and human are the
major challenges which can create issue for the organization (Breazeal,
2009).
The research will begin with conducting review of literature in which
studies done by other scholars related to similar topic and themes will be
reviewed. After understanding the concept and through identifying the
research gap, questionnaire will be prepared and circulated among
respondents (Sullivan, 2011). Pilot study will be conducted to test the
questions. In this regard, researcher can take help of his lecturer and
colleagues. After that, it will be circulated to large population to understand
their perceptions about robotics system and its main advantages.
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Aim of the
research
The main aim of study is to investigate the impact of robotics system used by
Tesco on the product development and services offered by firm to its
customers.
Objectives of
the research
 To explore the impact of robotics system on the product development
and services offered by Tesco to its customers.
 To examine the benefits of an indoor mapping and analytics robotic
system used by retailer at workplace.
 To investigate the challenges associated with the use of advance
robotics system in day to day business functions of Tesco.
 To recommend the ways through which issues arise in implementation
and use of robotics system can be reduced.
Research
questions
Or
Hypothesise
 What are the main impacts of robotics system on the product
development and services offered by Tesco to its customers?
 How an indoor mapping and analytics robotic system can be
beneficial for Tesco in their business functions?
 What are the challenges associated with the use to advance robotics
system in day to day business functions of Tesco?
 How management and IT department of company can reduce the
issues that arise in implementation of robotics system within
enterprise?
Research
strategy:
Qualitative
Approach
vs
Quantitative
Approach
In the context of deal with numeric kind of nature data, quantitative
analysis technique can be applied. On the other side, qualitative technique is
employed to deal with theoretical information and covers other aspects that
are immeasurable.
In order to carry out the present research, investigator can use both
qualitative and quantitative research strategies. The main reason behind
taking qualitative approach is to better disclose the facts associated with the
implementation and use of indoor mapping and analytics robotic system at
Tesco (Giralt and Hirzinger, 2009).
For mitigating the chances of wrong interpretation of data and for analysing
the actions taken by scholar, quantitative strategy will be employed. It will
help the investigator to understand the perception of customers towards
robotics system and its influence on product development and services
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delivered by Tesco.
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Primary/
Secondary
Research
In order to attain aim and objectives of research in an appropriate manner,
researcher can collect the data from both secondary and primary data sources.
By using this research, investigator would be able to measure the challenges
and benefits associated with the use to advance robotics system in day to day
business functions of retailer. On the other side, primary data can be gathered
from customers who are using services and products of Tesco in their daily
lives (Meyerson, 2015).
Sources of
Data
Books, journals, online published articles and company’s report can be
considered for the purpose of collecting secondary data which is already
available. Customers will be the main source of primary data collection
(Hseng and et.al., 2011). Reliability and validity will be maintained in the
entire research process by collecting data from authentic sources.
Population
and
Sampling
Population can be defined in terms of total of all individuals who have certain
characteristics. Sample can be described as a subset of population. Purposive
or judgemental sampling technique will be employed for the purpose of
collecting data from respondents. By considering this sampling technique,
researcher would be able to concentrate on specific characteristics of
population to give answers of research questions effectively (Chien and Hong
2009).
50 sample sizes can be taken on the basis of customer’s availability
and interest to get valid and reliable information related to current research
topic. Selecting sample size and sampling technique are convenient for the
researcher to collect data from respondents and present them in a proper
manner. Sample size has chosen for the study will be enough to explore the
perceptions of customers towards services and products offered by Tesco by
using robotics system in their day to day business functions.
Data
collection
methods
In order to carry out the investigation in a systematic manner, researcher can
consider questionnaire, interviews and secondary data collection methods. As
per the present case scenario, questionnaire method will be used because it is
the best method in terms of knowing the views of customers towards
technology advancement and new robotics system used at workplace
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(Merriam, 2009). Structured questionnaire will be prepared in which open,
close and scale types of questionnaires will be added. By asking questions
from customers, investigator would be able to easily evaluate the relationship
between robotics system and product development and service delivery
mechanism of Tesco.
Besides that, for better understanding the concept of robotic system,
its benefits and challenges associated with this system and secondary data
collection technique will be beneficial for the researcher (Sinčák and et.al.,
2014). For the purpose of analyzing quantitative data, statistical test can be
applied with the help of SPSS software. Thematic data analysis tool can be
employed in order to analyse the theoretical nature data.
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Time plan
and
resources
required
Resources required: In the context of conducting study in a systematic
manner, different resources including MS office, Statistical package for social
science (SPSS), books and journals will be required (Breazeal, 2009). Despite
of that, online published articles and questionnaire methods will be also
required to investigate the impact of robotics system on the product
development and services offered by Tesco to them.
Time plan has associated in appendix section.
References Books and Journals
Chien, C and Hong,P., 2009. Next-Generation Applied Intelligence. Springer
Science & Business Media.
Giralt,G. and Hirzinger, 2009. Robotics Research: The Seventh International
Symposium. Springer Science & Business Media.
Hseng, T. and et.al., 2011. Next Wave in Robotics. Springer.
Merriam, B.S., 2009. Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and
Implementation. 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons.
Sinčák, P. and et.al., 2014. Emergent Trends in Robotics and Intelligent
Systems: Where is the Role of Intelligent Technologies in the Next
Generation of Robots. Springer.
Sullivan, P., 2011. Qualitative Data Analysis Using a Dialogical Approach.
SAGE.
Online
Breazeal C., 2009. Role of expressive behaviour for robots that learn from
people. [Online]. Available through: <
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781892/>. [Accessed
on 2nd October 2015].
Hagerty, J., 2015. Meet the New Generation of Robots for Manufacturing.
[Online]. Available through: < http://www.wsj.com/articles/meet-the-
new-generation-of-robots-for-manufacturing-1433300884>.
[Accessed on 2nd October 2015].
Hamacher , A., 2015. Emerging Tech 2015: Next generation robotics.
[Online]. Available through: < http://robohub.org/emerging-tech-
2015-next-generation-robotics-wef/>. [Accessed on 2nd October
2015].
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Lutz, A., 2014. Three Reasons Why Retail Workers Could Soon Be Replaced
By Robots. [Online]. Available through: <
http://www.businessinsider.in/Three-Reasons-Why-Retail-Workers-
Could-Soon-Be-Replaced-By-Robots/articleshow/31964208.cms>.
[Accessed on 2nd October 2015].
Messina, E. and Shneier, M., 2009. Next-Generation Robotics and
Automation. [Pdf]. Available Through :<
http://nist.gov/el/isd/ps/upload/Next-Generation-Robotics-and-
Automation.pdf>. [Accessed on: 2nd October 2015].
Meyerson, B., 2015. Emerging Tech 2015: Next generation robotics.
[Online]. Available Through :<
https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/03/emerging-tech-2015-next-
generation-robotics/>. [Accessed on: 2nd October 2015].
Swedberg, C., 2015. Tesco Deploys Tag-Reading Robot at Five Stores to
Track F&F Clothing. [Online]. Available through: <
http://www.rfidjournal.com/articles/view?13114>. [Accessed on 2nd
October 2015].
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APPENDIX: TIME PLAN
Table 1: Time plan
ACTIVITY/WEEK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
 Idea for research topics in
business in business studies
 To select appropriate topic
for study
 Rationale and background
will be defined
 Review of literature will be
conducted with the help of
taking secondary data
 Aim and objectives of the
research will be prepared
 Primary data will be
collected from customers
 Adequate research
strategies will be applied
 Research methodology will
be framed
 Questionnaire will be
framed and circulated
among customers via main
and direct communication at
workplace
 Data is collected with the
help of survey and
questionnaire methods
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