The Impact of Digital Technology on Business Activity Report

This report examines the impact of digital technology on business activities, focusing on the case of Unicorn Grocery. It begins with an introduction outlining the importance of digital transformation for business growth and competitive advantage, followed by a project management plan detailing scope, cost, time, quality, communication, risk, and resources. The report utilizes a work breakdown structure and Gantt chart for project organization and includes a small-scale research component employing both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The analysis evaluates the project outcome, provides recommendations, and reflects on the research process, concluding with an assessment of the value of project management and quality research in the context of digital technology's influence on business operations, marketing, HR, and accounting.

THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY ON BUSINESS
ACTIVITY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Project aims and objectives..............................................................................................1
P2 Project management plan covers aspects of cost, scope, time, quality, communication, risk
and resources..........................................................................................................................3
P3 Work breakdown structure and a Gantt Chart..................................................................4
M1 Comprehensive project management plan, milestone schedule and project schedule.....6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P4 Small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research methods...........7
M2 Accuracy and reliability of different research methods...................................................9
D1 Project management process...........................................................................................9
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Interpretation and evaluate the project outcome.............................................................10
P6 Recommendation.............................................................................................................18
P7 Reflection on understanding research.............................................................................19
M4 Value of the project management process and use of quality research.........................19
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................21

INTRODUCTION
Today in order to gain high competitive advantage, every company used to make project
which aids them in enhancing productivity and performance of business also. Therefore, for this
manner, managers of such companies are required to conduct proper research for making a
project. In this regard by management of successful business project will lead to increase growth
and development opportunities of business (Bengtsson and Johansson, 2014). This type of
research comprises with creative and systematic work which will aid in increasing the stock of
knowledge that further used for devising new application. Along with this, digital technology
also plays an important role in enhancing activities and making business successful. It aids
organisation in transforming the way and resources through which operations of business are
carried out. In this manner, a report has been prepared on impact of digital technology on
business of a firm. For this context, Unicorn Grocery of UK has been taken which is located in
Manchester, England. This enterprise sells organic, fresh and processed food or drink products. It
is one of the largest groceries which has given turnover around £7 million. By implementing
digital technology in business this firm has got an award 'Best Food Retailer' in 2017. In this
mention report, various aspects of business has been discussed which includes scope, cost,
quality and resources. Along with this, Gantt chart and breakdown structure also gives stages and
time framework for completion.
TASK 1
P1 Project aims and objectives
Today in fast developing area, it is essential for every type of business to conduct a
proper research for making an appropriate plan. It will help them in expanding business in other
locations and gain higher profitability as well. But for such processes, it is amendable for
companies that project made by them should be reliable as well as more profitable so that they
can gain better competitive advantage (Berends and et. al., 2014). The main objective of firm
behind making a project is to utilise resource like manpower, raw materials, machineries and
capital in a systematic manner. In context with Unicorn Grocery, it deals in small business sector
having near about 70 employees in outlets. This co-operative firm is founded in 1996 and entire
business is controlled and run by employers with a flat management structure along with equal
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rate of pay. It serves a high range of products like household, cosmetics, body care and general
grocery items. In terms of price strategy, it always sells commodities by keeping price in a
systematic way.
As competition is increasing at rapid rate, therefore, this firm requires to implement
digital technology. It will help in increasing performance level of business through which higher
profitability can be generated. Implementation of such techniques aid employers in making good
interaction with consumers and build an effective relationship also. This would help in gaining
retention of consumers for long-term profitability of business (Glaub and et. al., 2014). In
addition to this, making business digitalise always impact on performance in a positive manner.
Topic: How digital technology has transformed business activities:operational, marketing, HR
and accounting.
Background of research
It is necessary for each and every type of organisation to introduce latest technology in
business in order to enhance and improve quality of business more better. This type of
transformation is imperative for kind of business which improves performance of employees,
stakeholders, customers and all people who are associated with them. In addition to this, it also
encourage employers in giving new and highly innovative products at marketplace. In this
manner, Unicorn Grocery needs to adopt digital technology organisational system so that
attention and retention of customers can be gained in an appropriate manner. This firm uses
various tools of social media and internet application to spread awareness of its products at
marketplace and attract more customers towards the same (Whyte, Stasis and Lindkvist, 2016).
Introducing digitalisation in business aid this firm in achieving objectives and targeted aims
within a predetermined period of time.
Aim: To evaluate the importance of transformation of digital technologies in business
activities for enhancing profitability and productivity. A Case study on Unicorn Grocery
Objectives:
 To evaluate the impact of concept of digitalisation on profitability of the firm.
 To determine importance of digital technologies for retaining customers for longer period
of time.
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 To measure the effectiveness of digital tools used by organization to increase
productivity.
Research questions:
 How to evaluate the impact of concept of digitalisation on profitability of the firm?
 How to determine importance of digital technologies for retaining customers for longer
period of time?
 What are the major digital tools used by organization to increase productivity?
P2 Project management plan covers aspects of cost, scope, time, quality, communication, risk
and resources
Execution of digital technology is helpful in achieve aims and goals in an effective or better
manner. IT is necessary for manager of Unicorn grocery to execute better program which can be
concerned to manage various projects, it is helpful in implement various tasks as well as
functions of project management in systematic way (Kerzner, and Kerzner, 2017). It will help to
company in finish various activities of project. In addition to this, manager of Unicorn Grocery
company uses better raw materials, produce quality products etc. Some necessary components of
project management plan given below as above:
Scope of projects risk: Under this consist all necessary requirements along with the details for
better implementation of project activities. In this involves al boundaries and limits to be
included at the time of implementing any activities and tasks. In addition to this, these
boundaries may be time to meet with activity along with the allocated budget to specific activity.
Its major focus on quality of work as well as goods in an effective manner.
Cost: The consumers of this time period are very cost conscious. They want products on
reasonable costs. It is a responsibility of company to make some changes in its pricing strategies
on continuous basis. In addition to this, large projects require more funds in order to finish
specific projects (The Project Management Plan (PMP). 2015). There is a requirement to
manage to develop better capital management by different resources.
Quality: In this modern era, consumers want quality product which can satisfy demand or
requirement of people in an effective manner. It is important factor and helpful in attract large
number of consumers towards firm.
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Time: In order to finish project, it is necessary to decide specific period of time. Regards this, it
is essential for employer to concern with the various project function which aid to finish project.
It is helpful in minimising cost of manufacturing and some of the other expenses (Ghobakhloo
and et. al., 2012).
Communication: For achieving aims of firm, it is important for management of firm to prepare
better policies. If communication among all staff members and managers will be clear then in
this case they will able to focus on achieving set aims and goals of company in significant
manner. It is helpful in bring effectiveness in operations of company.
P3 Work breakdown structure and a Gantt Chart
In order to achieve success of business in a precise manner, it is necessary for
management of a firm to formulate a proper plan. It will include entire activities, strategies and
policies used to make modifications in system. But for this process, managers of a company like
Unicorn Grocery needs to conduct proper research through which they can analyse major
benefits and drawbacks of creating innovation in products. Further project makers are also
required to use effective techniques and tools for collecting relevant and accurate information on
a particular topic. Generally small business enterprises use following two techniques for
executing a plan:
Work Breakdown Structure- It is the most beneficial technique used in project
management by a firm. This technique is used to breakdown a project into smaller and
manageable components in terms of size, responsibility and duration of task. It would help
members who engage in group activities to complete a project on time as well as accomplish
objectives in a successful manner. In addition to this, WBS also provides a framework for
estimating the cost required in completing a particular project. This would help employers to
control cost and expenses as well. It can display in various form like vertical as a tree structure
and horizontal in outline form as well.
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(Sources: Work Breakdown Structure, 2018)
Gantt chart- This technique is given by Henry L. Gantt which used as a production
control. It is a horizontal bar chart that provides a graphical illustration of a project which further
helps in planning, coordinating and tracking a particular task of a project (What is a Gantt
Chart?, 2018). This method is used to allocate time to different segmented activities of a task so
that objectives of main task can be completed on time. As this chart is constructed on Cartesian
Plane in which horizontal axis represents total time taken for completing a project and vertical
one reflects the major tasks used in making a project. Thus, it provides an illustration of status of
a project in a clear and concise manner. Therefore, for conducting proper research, managers of a
firm are required to use following following steps:
 Problem identification
 Literature review
 Identify main issues
 State and define concept of study
 Choice of respondents which are going to implement project research
 Development plan
 Data collection
 Analysis and review
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Illustration 1: Work Breakdown Structure

M1 Comprehensive project management plan, milestone schedule and project schedule
Project management plan is generally made in formal structure through which managers
can execute a plan in proper manner. It also helps in keeping an eye on performance as well as
monitoring and implementing the project in a systematic manner. In addition to this, usage of
techniques like Work Breakdown Structure and Gantt Chart helps in fragmenting a task into
smaller components in given framework of time. While in terms of milestone schedule, it
consists some building blocks of strategy which is used to set a plan tactics into concrete terms
with real budget and responsibilities of management (Ghobakhloo and et. al., 2012). On the other
hand, project schedule refers to a particular mechanism through which all activities can be
completed within predetermined period of time. These processes aid Unicorn Grocery to
accomplish objectives and set goals of new project in a successful manner.
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TASK 2
P4 Small-scale research by applying qualitative and quantitative research methods
In any research plan the most necessary elements are objectives and aims which are
needed to be set in proper way. In addition to this, for conducting an appropriate research,
project maker needs to use proper methodologies. It would help in collecting appropriate
research so that better result can be obtained. In this regards managers of Unicorn Grocery use
two different methods of research that are quantitative in which data is measured in terms of
quantity. While second method is qualitative one in which data is collected in terms of quality.
Both are these methods useful in conducting a research in systematic manner. In addition to this,
the two basic methods used by every investigator for collecting relevant method are primary and
secondary methodologies.
Primary- This research method is used to meet specific needs of a project which is
conducted by project makers themselves. They used surveys, interviews and questionnaire
format for collecting a relevant information on a particular topic in a proper way. This techniques
provides reliable information as compared to other methods who used to conduct data with the
help of others. In addition to this, investigators use statistical models by taking a sample group
from targeted audience. Further, it includes two methods that are exploratory and specific
research. Exploratory method does not target a particular aim, it uses to identify issues occur
within a business. While specific research is used to find solution of a particular problem.
Secondary data- This research is an another technique for collecting a data in which
investigators used literature reviews and existing information from textbooks, encyclopedias and
more (Pinto, 2015). As compared to primary method, this source is used to collect data in more
precise and fast manner but it fails to give reliable information. Generally published data is
available in public records, technical and trade journals, publication of Government and more.
While unpublished data can be found in biographies, letters or other.
In this present report, a researcher has used both primary and secondary source to collect
the data. In this manner, a questionnaire is prepared for gathering information from a particular
group in which 50 respondents are taken in a systematic manner. It will help in getting proper
reviews and feedback of people on making business digitalised is helpful or not. In this manner,
a questionnaire format has been prepared for obtaining different opinion of selected respondents:
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QUESTIONNAIRE
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Contact Number:
Q1) Is transforming digital technology in business helpful in expansion?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q2) If making business digitalised provides support to Unicorn Grocery to give tough
competition to rivals?
a) Accepted
b) Not Accepted
Q3) As per current scenario, is fast developing technology helpful in serving better
services to consumers on time?
a) Fully Agree
b) Not completely Agree
c) Highly Disagree
Q4) In what manner digital technology provides benefits to business?
a) Attract more consumers.
b) Increase sales and productivity
c) Expand business
Q5) If Unicorn Grocery sell its products or services through online procedure then, it will
helpful in making improvement in customer base?
a) Yes
b) No
Q6) Tools used by company for increasing productivity
a)Skype
b) E-mails
c) Other online tools
Q7) Is digital technology useful in creating modifications in business operations for
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Unicorn Grocery?
a) Yes
b) No
Q8) Which method suits more for retailing companies to marketing their products in
wider manner as per present situation?
a) Modern marketing
b) Traditional marketing
Q9) Is Unicorn Grocery use effective methodology to store data of employees in a
prescribed and secure manner?
a) Yes
b) No
Q10) Recommend the major ways of transforming digital technologies in business
operations of Unicorn Grocery.
M2 Accuracy and reliability of different research methods
Managers of Unicorn Grocery use both quantitative and qualitative methods of
conducting research in a proper manner. These methodologies used to provide accurate
information on a particular topic. In addition to this, for obtaining better outcomes, it is necessary
for managers to check reliability and accuracy of both methods. In this manner, reliability
concerns on measuring consistency of data while qualitative research used to check validity and
appropriateness of tools and techniques used in achievement of desired result.
D1 Project management process
Behind a project management, primary challenge faced by investigators is to achieve
targeted goals and objectives within a set period of time (Peters, Blohm and Leimeister, 2015).
It includes some key areas like phase management, planning, controlling, communicating,
procurement and integration. In this process, project management aids a firm in completing the
objectives in a desired manner. It includes various steps among which some are given below for
the process of project management:
 Planning
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