Impact of Social Media Networks on Marketing Operations at Tesco PLC

This business research project investigates the influence of social media networks on the marketing operations of Tesco PLC, a major retail organization. The study aims to ascertain the impact of social media on Tesco's marketing, analyzing its role, benefits, and drawbacks. Employing a qualitative research approach with an inductive methodology and interpretivism philosophy, the research collected secondary data from literature and primary data through surveys of 20 Tesco employees. The data analysis, using thematic analysis, reveals that marketing is crucial for achieving organizational objectives, with social media significantly impacting marketing operations by increasing customer base, improving efficiency, and reducing costs. Key benefits identified include improved customer satisfaction. However, drawbacks such as time consumption, the risk of negative comments, and security threats were also highlighted. The research concludes with recommendations for leveraging social media to enhance Tesco's marketing strategies, emphasizing the importance of a positive approach to achieve marketing goals.

BUSINESS RESEARCH
PROJECT

Table of Contents
Topic............................................................................................................................................1
Aim and Objectives......................................................................................................................1
Background..................................................................................................................................1
Research Methodology................................................................................................................1
Data Analysis...............................................................................................................................4
Recommendation.......................................................................................................................11
Reflection...................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................14

Topic
To investigate ways how social media networks influence marketing operations of an
organization in the context of retail sector: a study on Tesco
Aim and Objectives
Aim:
To ascertain the impact of social media in influencing marketing operation of Tesco PLC.
Objectives:
 To analysis the requirement of marketing operation for an organization.
 To assess the role of the social media in marketing operation of an organization.
 To find out benefits and drawbacks which are brought by the social media to marketing
operation of an organization.
 To recommended different ways through which impact of social media for Tesco can be
mould in a positive ways.
Background
As marketing used to play a very crucial role in achieving the organizational objective as it helps
the business in improving the efficiency of the work. In the era of social media it is very
important to use the social media in the marketing function as it brings the variety of the benefit
to the organization such as efficiency of marketing operation and also increases the customer
base of the organization (O'Leary, 2017). Social media has also bring man y disbenefit to the
organization also. Study is based on Tesco PLC, is a British multinational groceries and general
merchandise retailer with headquarters in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, United
Kingdom
Research Methodology
Research Type: Research is defined as a study which was conducted to find out the
solution of the specific problem with the use of different scientific method. Qualitative and
Quantitative research are the two research type which can be undertaken by the scholar to
accomplish the aim of the study (Sharp, Peters and Howard, 2017). Qualitative research is the
research which provides information regarding human behaviour. Quantitative research is the
research in which data is presented in the numerical ways. Scholar has undertaken Qualitative
research in this research as it will be difficult for the research to explain the research information
in a numeric way.
1

Research Approach: Research approach is a plan that consist of a broad assumption
regarding the data collection, analysis and assumption. Two common type of research approach
which are used by the researcher in completing the research is inductive and deductive approach.
Deductive approach aim at testing the already made theory at the other end inductive look at
making new theory on basis of the data collected (Quinlan and et.al., 2019). Researcher has used
inductive approach in analysing impact of social media in influencing marketing operation of
Tesco PLC as this approach plays a crucial role in the Qualitative research type.
Research Philosophy: Research philosophy is the belief about the way in which data can
be gather. For conducting and accomplishing the aim of the research scholar can use two type of
the philosophy namely interpretivism and positivism (Lovelock and Patterson, 2015).
Interpretivism philosophy looks at integrating human interest into study. Positivism at the same
time looks at natural phenomena and their properties and relation. Scholar has used
interpretivsim philosophy to accomplish the Aim and objective for the Tesco Plc. as it has helped
the scholar in analysing Human nature in the study as well. This philosophy also better suits the
type of the research type selected by the scholar.
Data Collection: Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring the
information regarding the topic of the study. In the field of the research primary and secondary
data collection tool are the two type of the tool which are used by the scholar to collect the data
for the research (Kotler and et.al., 2018). Primary data are the original in nature and collected for
the first time from the occurrence itself. Secondary data is the data which is collected from
someone other than occurrence. from the Scholar has collected the Secondary data with the help
of the different books and journal related to the topic of the research. Primary data has been
collected by the way of survey which was conducted on the basis of the questionnaire which
contains both open ended and close ended question.
Sampling: Sampling is a process of selecting the number of respondent from large
number of population. Sampling has been divided into two sub type namely probabilistic and
non probabilistic. Probabilistic technique is the technique in which sample are gather by giving
equal chance to all respondent to get selected. On the other end non probabilistic process selects
the random people from the large population. Scholar has undertaken simple random sampling to
collect the data for conducting the research in probabilistic method. Sample size of the research
2

is 20 employee of the Tesco Plc. This method has helped the researcher in giving the equal
opportunity to the respondent to get selected.
Data Analysis: Researcher has taken help of thematic data analysis to analysis the data
which was collected by the way of primary data collection tool. Scholar has made different
theme and also presented the data in the form of the different graph which has helped the scholar
in developing the better understanding of the data.
Ethical consideration: For conducting the research researcher has taken the consent of
all the respondent beforehand itself. All the data which was collected was not shared with
anyone. High level of confidentiality was maintained throughout the research.
3

Data Analysis
Theme 1: Marketing play a crucial role in achieving the organizational objectives
Particular Responses Percentage of responses
Yes 15 75.00%
No 5 25.00%
Total 20 100.00%
Interpretation: After analysing the above data it can be interpreted that out of the pool of the 20
employee 15 are in the favour that marketing plays a very crucial role in achieving the
organizational objective. Only 5 employee are in against which some out that marketing is very
crucial for the organization in achieving the objective as LR also suggest that marketing used to
help the organization from the development of the product to the end stage of selling of the
product to the consumer it is one of the crucial part of the organizational success in recent time.
Theme 2: Benefit of marketing operation in an organization
Particular Responses Percentage of
responses
4
Yes No
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
Percentage of responses

Helps in improving customer relation 2 10.00%
Provides information regarding product
development
1 5.00%
Helps in developing awareness about the
organization product
3 15.00%
All of above 14 70.00%
Total 20 100.00%
Interpretation: After going through the data it can be seen that marketing operation used to
have a variety of the benefits in the organization. As out of the pool of 20 respondents 14 are in
with the thought that marketing used help in improving customer relation, product development
and promotion of the product both together this is the same which is suggested by the author
also. So it can be in interpreted that marketing used to play a multiple role in the organization.
Theme 3: Role of social media in marketing operation of the Tesco
Particular Responses Percentage of responses
5
customer relation
product development
awareness about product
All of above
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
Percentage of responses

Increases the customer base of
organization
6 30.00%
Improves the efficiency of marketing
operations
7 35.00%
Both of Above 7 35.00%
Total 20 100.00%
Interpretation: Data collected with the help of the survey suggest that respondent are confused
about the role of the social media in the organization. As the result of the survey does not favour
any one option as 6 employee feel that main role of social media is to increase the customer base
of the organization, 7 feels that it increases the efficiency of marketing operation in the
organization and 7 employee are in the favour that social media helps in doing both. As the LR
also suggest that social media used to bring the many thing in the organization it can be analysed
that Social media used to play more than one role in the organization.
Theme 4: Social media impact the marketing operation
Particular Responses Percentage of responses
Yes 12 60.00%
No 8 40.00%
6
Increases customer base
efficiency of marketing
Both of Above
0.27
0.28
0.29
0.3
0.31
0.32
0.33
0.34
0.35
0.36
Percentage of responses

Total 20 100.00%
Interpretation: After going through the data collected it can be interpreted that social media
used to impact the marketing operation of the organization as out of the total pool of 20
respondent 12 are in favour that social media used to have a impact on the marketing function of
the organization and 8 are in favour that it does not have impact on the marketing function of the
organization. As Literature review suggest that there are many different approach of the social
media which is brought in the organization so which eventually means that it impacts the
marketing of the organization. Some of the approach are Easier and faster communication,
Partnerships and business networking, Increased organic visibility and Impressing potential
customers.
Theme 5: Benefit of social media to the marketing operations
Particular Responses Percentage of
responses
Increases brand awareness 1 5.00%
Better Customer Satisfaction 12 60.00%
Improved Brand Loyalty 2 10.00%
7
60.00%
40.00%

All of above 5 25.00%
Total 20 100.00%
Interpretation: The above data suggest that biggest benefit which is brought by the social media
to the marketing operation of the Tesco is that it has helped the organization in improving the
customer satisfaction. As LR also suggest that with the help of the social media company is able
to communicate with the customer in more frequent way as compare to the past this is supported
by the data collected as out of the pool of the 20 respondent 1 in favour of brand awareness, 2 is
in the favour of Brand loyalty and 12 are in favour of better customer satisfaction and rest in the
favour of all of the above.
Theme 6: Drawbacks of social media to the marketing operations
Particular Responses Percentage of
responses
Time Consuming 1 5.00%
Risk of negative comments 2 10.00%
Hackers’ Threat 3 15.00%
8
Increases brand awareness
Better Customer Satisfaction
Improved Brand Loyalty
All of above
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
Percentage of responses

All of above 14 70.00%
Total 20 100.00%
Interpretation: After going through the data collected it can be summarized that Social media
also has many drawback as out of the pool of 20 respondent 14 are in favour that social media
used to consume time, increase the risk of negative comment and also increase the heacker's
threat. LR also suggest that there are many drawbacks which are brought by the social media
namely Leakage of confidential information, Lack of employees that have ability to handle social
media platform and Negative or misleading statement. 1 employee is in favour of time
consuming, 2 is in negative comment and 3 in hacker's threat out of the total pool of 20
respondents.
Theme 7: Social media network reduce the cost of the marketing operation
Particular Responses Percentage of responses
Yes 14 70.00%
No 6 30.00%
9
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
70.00%
Time Consuming
Risk of negative comments
Hackers’ Threat
All of above

Total 20 100.00%
Interpretation: After going through the above data it can be interpreted that Social media
network used to play a very crucial role in reducing the cost of the marketing operation in the
organization as 14 respondent are in the favour of that as in their thought it reduces the cost of
marketing operation the company. 6 are not in the favour of the same as they feel that it does not
reduce the cost of the company. As the LR also suggest that social media used to prove cost
effective for the organization it has supported the finding of the survey in the positive way.
Theme 8: Impact of social media can be mould in a positive ways so that it helps the marketing
operation in achieving the goal
Interpretation: After going through the suggestion which was suggested by the employee of the
organization it was interpreted that almost all the employee was having one common suggestion
that organization should only trust the trusted and big social media platform network for the
purpose of the marketing. As small social media network can increase the chance of the Hacker
10
Yes No
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
Percentage of responses