Project Report: Analyzing Talent Management Strategies for Burberry

This project report examines talent management strategies, focusing on a case study of Burberry. The report begins with an introduction to talent management and its importance, followed by a project management plan outlining costs, scope, time, quality, communication, risk, and resources. A work breakdown structure and Gantt chart are included. The research methodology employs a positivism philosophy and a deductive approach, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, primarily through questionnaires. Data analysis includes frequency distribution tables. The report evaluates research findings, offers recommendations, and concludes with a reflection on the project's undertakings and the attainment of objectives, supported by references and an appendix. The core focus is on identifying and implementing strategies to attract and retain talented employees within Burberry, ultimately aiming to enhance the company's competitive advantage.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1: Background of the research project and chosen company...............................................1
P2: Produce a project management plan containing description of different aspects............2
P3 Work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart....................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P4 Small scale research by implementation qualitative and quantitative research................7
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
P5 Evaluation research and data using appropriate tools and techniques............................11
P6 Appropriate recommendation as a result of data and research analysis..........................16
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................16
P7 Reflection upon undertakings to attain objectives..........................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................20

INTRODUCTION
Managing talented workforce within an organisation always brings maximum possible result
in terms of overall productivity and profitability (Brady and Davies, 2014). As the growth and
success of organisations are very much depends on the level of contribution given by workforce
thus it is important for management to recruit skilled and knowledgeable candidates for its
organisation and retain experienced ones in order to make strong position in competitive market.
There are various organisations such as Google, Amazon, Barclays etc. which are already taken
best initiatives to promote its best talent within workforce that includes giving them rewards and
compensation, training and development programs etc. The present assignment is based on the
McLeod and Partners, a research firm who conducts research for its client “Burberry’ about the
strategies taken by best companies to attract and retain talented people. The report explains aims
and objectives of research along with the project management plan, small scale research, data
collecting and analysis, recommendation and reflection.
TASK 1
P1: Background of the research project and chosen company
Background of the company:
Burberry is a British organisation which is engaged in designing and distributing wide
range of products such as leather goods, fragrances, cosmetics and many more. Its headquartered
is located in London, England. After COVID-19 it becomes difficult for an organisation to get
maximum output from its employees due to absenteeism thus the management decides to find
out best initiatives that may retain and manage their best talented employees. For this, the
company takes support from research company to conduct research for them and draw a valid
conclusion at the end of research so that corrective strategies can be taken to retain and manage
experienced and skilled employees for longer period of time. Thus, during research work best
initiatives adopted by different organisations such as Google, Amazon, Barclays etc. are properly
analysed (Doherty, Ashurst and Peppard, 2012).
Project aim:
“To identify the talent management strategies used by key market players to attract and
retain talented workforce”- A case study on Burberry
Objectives of the project:
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 To create understanding about the concept of talent management for organisations.
 To identify the talent strategies that will be useful to adopt by Burberry
 To evaluate the methods for attracting and retaining talent within Burberry
 To identify the importance of talent management in attracting and retaining talent
workforce for Burberry to achieve long term objective
P2: Produce a project management plan containing description of different aspects
Project management plan:
This plan provides a framework as to how a research project is to be presented. It
provides the budget, timeline, goals, deliverables and the scope of project. It is useful for keeping
the project on track. In successfully completing a dull project, the project management plan helps
the project manager to systematically complete the project. Different components are included in
this plan which are explained below-
 Cost: It is the most important component in the project management plan as it helps in
successfully completing the project. The cost of current project is shown below in the
table-
Total forecasted budget
Particular 2019-20($)
Implementing technology cost 18000
Promotional expense 6000
Advertisement expense 5500
Catalogues 1800
Training charges 7500
Total cost 38800 Scope: The present study have the broad scope because it uses quantitative research so
that information is presented in numerical form. It has a biggest scope because it helps
the project manager in increasing its knowledge about different strategies for talent
management (Dunning, 2015).
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 Time: It also one of the important component as it helps in investigating that the project
shall be completed in the given time period. Gantt chart shall be used for this component
as it will help in identifying the starting and ending time for the research completion. Quality: This component ensures that the research is to be completed in quality manner.
The researcher is entrusted with a duty to complete the research in quality standards for
which quantitative research will help in getting the quality data for the topic. Communication: This component helps in communicating the information to the
respondents so that data can be collected effectively. Communication channels include
emails, written or oral presentations, etc. this component is important as it will help the
researcher in attaining the goals successfully. Risk: The identification of risk is important to successful complete the project. In the
present study, lack of time and resources are major risk which may have the negative
impact on the performance of researcher (Elegbe, 2016). Resources: The resources help in completing the project. In the present study, sources
like books, articles, journals etc. shall help the investigator in collection of secondary
information in an effective manner.
P3 Work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart
Work break down structure:
This structure refers to braking the work into small activity or task to make the work
more manageable and approachable. It is a common tool or technique for the project manager
which states to divide the activities in single task so that project objectives and aims are
accomplished. present study's WBS will be shown below:
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Illustration 1: Work break down structure
(Source: Work break down structure, 2020)
Gantt chart:
This tool of management helps the project manager to complete each activity within the
time period allotted. It is kind of bar chart that show the schedule of the project. This tool is an
important for strategies of talent management which helps in retaining and at5tracting the
talented workforce. Gantt chart for the current study is shown below:
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TASK 2
P4 Small scale research by implementation qualitative and quantitative research
Research philosophy: This type of methodology means process of gathering, analysing and
using quantitative and qualitative information. According to existing context, positivism
philosophy will be applied to facilitate investigator to analyse and gather quantitative types of
data by without absorbing more time. Elucidate, visim philosophy is another type of philosophy
which is not compulsory for manage present study because it needs qualitative data that
consequences in higher amount of capital and maximum times. Thus, for achieving research aim
and objectives study of positivism philosophy will be followed (Spender, 2014).
Research approach: It can be defined as a process or procedure of surveying data about
topic. Inductive and deductive approaches are two forms of research approach. Deductive
approach is use for perform present investigation, which is more essential and valuable for
investigator. As this leads to ease for researcher in examining of quantitative information
systematically and effectively (Wellin, 2016). By using deductive approach, it assists researcher
in analysing data in quantitative form and in limited time duration. On another side, inductive
type of approach is not useful for accomplish present study as this approach takes huge time as
well as it also requires quantitative type of information.
Qualitative method of research: This type of research is useful for investigation. But this
method of conducting research is not valuable. As qualitative method requires maximum
resources and it also not offers information in form of quantitative manner. This gives focus on
quality of data (Skuza, McDonnell and Scullion, 2018).
Quantitative method of research: This is effective method of conducting current
investigation. This technique is very useful because it provides numerical data and also offers
valid outcomes that results in achieving aim of research. This method focusses on quantity of
data.
Primary source of data collection: this source is useful for collecting data. By gathering
data from primary source like questionnaire which is best and suitable technique for investigator
to collect and use valid outcomes. Many more methods are also used for collection of data from
primary source like observations, surveys, focus groups and interview (Primary source and
secondary source, 2018).
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Secondary source of data: according to this source, researcher gathered data from books,
journals, articles. Publication and so on. This type of method is very useful for getting
information about topic. These sources are used for review literature that leads in attaining
objectives of research. Some more techniques are also used for collection of data by secondary
source like financial records, performance review of staff, student client data and so on
(Polonsky and Waller, 2018).
Sampling: This is important process of selecting sample from total population. Probability
and non-probability are two techniques of selection from sample. Probability sampling is applied
to present study as it gives essential data about topic. This technique is helpful; for investigator
to selects respondents from larger base. From Burberry 40 employees are selected randomly by
probability sampling. Non probability technique of sampling is not used by researcher in current
study because it is not helpful for sampling on larger base in limited time.
Q1) Do you have knowledge regarding the concept of talent management in
business?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) What impact Burberry may faces due to giving more important to talent
management over business performance?
a) Improve employee retention
b) Increase sales and profitability
c) Enhanced customer base
Q3) Can Burberry attract and retain experienced and skilled employees due
to adoption of talent management concept at workplace?
a) Yes
b) No
Q4) What are the initiatives that management can adopt to retain talent
employees within Burberry?
a) Detailed job descriptions
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b) Collaborate-coach-evolve
c) Opportunities for continual improvement
d) Reward and prominent appraisals
Q5) What benefits of talent management Burberry may receive ?
a) Retaining skilled talent
b) Cost-effective and productive performance
c) Building up human capital cognition of organisation
Q6) What are the importance of talent management for employees working
within Burberry?
a) Achievement of job satisfaction
b) Improvement in personal skills
c) Building up confidence and motivation
Q7) What are the steps Burberry should follow to undertake talent
management program?
a) Keeping individual identification
b) Organising sessions for Training and development
c) Job rotation approach
Q8) What Burberry should do to retain loyal and talented employees?
a) Offering them prominent benefits
b) Provide ongoing activity and clear route to encouragement
c) Using right way of recruitment
Q9) Is talent management helpful for Burberry in achieving competitive
advantage in marketplace?
a) Yes
b) No
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