Research Proposal on Corporate Governance and Strategies at Tesco PLC

This research proposal critically examines the corporate governance and strategies of Tesco PLC, aiming to identify areas for improvement. It reviews existing literature, analyzes Tesco's governance structure, and evaluates its strategies in the context of a changing business environment. The s...Read More

Research Proposal on Tesco PLC Corporate Governance and Strategies

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Research Objectives and Questions.................................................................................................1
Research Aim...............................................................................................................................1
Research Objectives.....................................................................................................................1
Research Questions......................................................................................................................1
Literature Review............................................................................................................................2
Methodology....................................................................................................................................3
Research Design..........................................................................................................................3
Sampling Strategy........................................................................................................................3
Data Collection Methods.............................................................................................................3
Data Analysis Methods................................................................................................................3
Ethical Considerations.................................................................................................................4
Gantt chart.......................................................................................................................................4
References........................................................................................................................................5

Introduction
Tesco PLC has had governance and strategic challenges despite its success. The
company's £263 million profit overstatement caused a scandal in 2014. The scandal raised
questions about the company's accounting, financial reporting, and corporate governance. The
controversy caused investor distrust, a stock price drop, and regulatory inquiries. Along with the
accounting scandal, Tesco's corporate governance issues have included CEO compensation,
board effectiveness and independence, and risk management (Student, 2021). The company's
strategy has also struggled, especially with Amazon's growing competitors and customers'
changing tastes.
Research Objectives and Questions
Research Aim
The aim of this research proposal is to critically examine the corporate governance and
strategies of Tesco PLC and identify opportunities for improvement.
Research Objectives
 To conduct a comprehensive review of the existing literature on corporate governance
and strategies in the context of Tesco PLC.
 To analyze the effectiveness of Tesco's corporate governance structure and identify areas
for improvement.
 To evaluate the success of Tesco's current strategies and identify potential opportunities
for future growth and profitability.
1

Research Questions
 How does the corporate governance structure of Tesco PLC compare to best practices in
the industry, and what areas could be improved?
 How have Tesco's strategies evolved over time, and how successful have they been in
achieving the company's goals?
 What opportunities and challenges does Tesco face in the current business environment,
and how can it position itself for long-term success?
Literature Review
Cadbury (1992) defines corporate governance as the framework that guides a company's
management, board of directors, shareholders, and other stakeholders. In view of increased
regulatory supervision and public demands for openness and accountability, firms must establish
effective corporate governance processes to ensure their long-term success (Clarke, 2004). After
the 2014 accounting scandal, corporate governance is a major concern for Tesco PLC. Investor
trust and regulatory probes plummeted when the incident exposed Tesco's corporate governance
flaws, particularly in accounting and financial reporting. Tesco appointed Dave Lewis as CEO
and created a new Audit Committee after the controversy (Tesco PLC, 2023).
Tesco PLC prioritizes client satisfaction, innovation, and cost-effectiveness. Tesco.com
and its mobile app have been heavily invested in by the company. It also entered new markets
and added clothes and household goods to its offers. Tesco PLC's Club card loyalty program and
focus on personalized and efficient shopping demonstrate its commitment to customer
satisfaction. Tesco Labs and its partnership with IFTTT show that Tesco PLC is committed to
innovation. These initiatives automate supermarket purchasing for clients.
2

Methodology
Research Design
The study's mixed-methods design will use qualitative and quantitative data collecting
and analysis. This strategy will help you understand Tesco PLC's complex corporate governance
and practices.
Sampling Strategy
This study will use purposive and random sampling methods. The study will purposively
sample Tesco's board, executives, and shareholders. Tesco will also randomly sample customers
and employees.
Data Collection Methods
Data collection will use primary and secondary sources. Data will be collected through
semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and focus groups with customers and workers.
Secondary data will be collected by reviewing corporate governance and strategy literature
related to Tesco PLC. The company reports, academic journals and news stories will be used
(Guetterman et al., 2019).
Data Analysis Methods
Interview and focus group data will be analyzed using thematic analysis in this study.
Quantitative survey data will be analyzed statistically. The thematic analysis involves identifying
and interpreting data themes and patterns to meet research goals (Bourdeau et al., 2019).
Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to analyze data and test hypotheses.
3

Ethical Considerations
The study will get informed consent before data collection and maintain participant
anonymity and confidentiality. The research will follow BERA's ethical requirements (BERA,
2018).
Gantt chart
Task Start Date End Date Duration
Research proposal development 05/2023 05/2023 1weeks
Literature review 05/2023 05/2023 2 weeks
Finalize research questions and objectives 05/2023 06/2023 1 week
Design research methodology 06/2023 06/2023 2 weeks
Identify and select research participants 06/2023 06/2023 1 week
Conduct data collection 06/2023 08/2023 2 weeks
Data analysis and interpretation 08/2023 09/2023 3 weeks
Write research report and draft final
document
09/2023 09/2023 3 weeks
Revise and finalize the research report 09/2023 10/2023 2 weeks
4

References
Bourdeau, M., qiang Zhai, X., Nefzaoui, E., Guo, X. and Chatellier, P., 2019. Modeling and
forecasting building energy consumption: A review of data-driven
techniques. Sustainable Cities and Society, 48, p.101533.
British Educational Research Association. (2018). available: https://www.bera.ac.uk/researchers-
resources/publications/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2018
Cadbury, A., 1992. Report of the committee on the financial aspects of corporate
governance (Vol. 1). Gee.
Clarke, T., 2004. Theories of corporate governance. The Philosophical Foundations of
Corporate Governance, Oxon, 12(4), pp.244-266.
Guetterman, T.C., Babchuk, W.A., Howell Smith, M.C. and Stevens, J., 2019. Contemporary
approaches to mixed methods–grounded theory research: A field-based analysis. Journal
of Mixed Methods Research, 13(2), pp.179-195.
Student, A., 2021. To examine the added value of implementing Corporate Social Responsibility
practices on the UK supermarket industry, a case study of Tesco PLC 2015-
2020 (Doctoral dissertation, University of Chichester).
Tescoplc.com. (2023). Home. [online] Available at: https://www.tescoplc.com/ [Accessed 25
Apr. 2023].
Word Count -600 Words
5