Strategies for Workplace Equality and Diversity: Vodafone Case Study

This report presents a case study on Vodafone, focusing on strategies for creating an equal and diversified workplace. It begins with an introduction to equality and diversity, setting the context for the research. The report outlines the aims and objectives, including understanding the concept of a diversified working environment and identifying strategies Vodafone can use. A project management plan is developed, detailing cost, time, quality, risk, communication, scope, and resources. The plan includes a Gantt chart and a WBS structure. The research involved a small-scale investigation with a questionnaire. The report also includes data analysis, recommendations for Vodafone, and a reflection on the findings, concluding with an overview of the key takeaways and implications for the company's approach to workplace diversity.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

Table of Contents
Topic: “ To identify various strategies which a business entity can utilise in to create a equal and
diversified workplace.” A case study on Vodafone ........................................................................1
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................1
P1. Determination of aims and objectives .............................................................................1
P2. Plan for managing research appropriately........................................................................3
P3. Techniques of project management .................................................................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................8
P4. Conducting a small scale research ..................................................................................8
LO3................................................................................................................................................11
P5. Data Analysation ...........................................................................................................11
P6. Recommendations..........................................................................................................21
LO4................................................................................................................................................22
P7. Reflection ......................................................................................................................22
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................23
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................25
APPENDIX I.................................................................................................................................27

Topic: “ To identify various strategies which a business entity can utilise in to
create a equal and diversified workplace.” A case study on Vodafone
INTRODUCTION
Equality and diversity are determined as a term which aims at providing equal
opportunities to all workers and giving each employee equal chance for achieving their potential
and free them from discrimination and prejudice. This aims at giving equal opportunities to
workers and treat them fairly and equally (Allaoui, Bourgault and Pellerin, 2019). Equality and
diversity is not only applied to employer but it also applies to employees also and both of them
are held responsible for their actions and it is important for them to treat each other equally
irrespective of their caste, creed, nationality, and so on.
This report is based upon UK based telecommunication organisation, named Vodafone
that provides telecommunication and internet services at multinational level. This report revolves
around the strategies which can be brought by Vodafone so that it can bring equal and diversified
working environment which will help this enterprise to develop job satisfaction among workers.
On this topic, a research has been conducted which covers aims and objectives which are
addressed in this assessment. For the same a project management plan is also developed in this
report in which cost, time, resources, etc. required for achieving its objectives are identified.
Further, a Gantt chart and WBS structure is prepared for conducting this research appropriately.
In addition to this, a tiny investigation took place in which a questionnaire is prepared and the
answers of respondents are recorded. Moreover, certain recommendations are given for the
purpose to bring equality and diversity in an organisation. At the end of the report, a reflection is
made.
LO1
P1. Determination of aims and objectives
Equality and diversity are two strong pillars of an organisation which helps it to create a
healthy working environment (Bagherzadeh, Markovic and Bogers, 2019). It helps in creating
job satisfaction among workers by which they can achieve their overall business objectives with
their improved performance. It is very significant for a business entity to treat each of its workers
fairly irrespective of their caste, creed, nationality, religion and so on. Lack of equality at
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workplace can demotivate workers and can create unhealthy working environment. This will also
result in low retention of workforce and can reduce the loyalty of workers towards the
organisation. There are certain aims and objectives of conducting this research which are
determined as follows (Ivaldi, Pais and Scaratti, 2018).
Overview
Vodafone is a British based multinational telecommunication organisation and its
headquarter is in London. It operates its services in places like Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe and
many other countries. This global organisation has been ranked at 4th largest telecom entity
which has around 313 million customers all over the world (Bell and Harrison, 2018). The
reason behind success of this enterprise are its workers who work hard to achieve its overall
business objectives. The working environment of this enterprise is happening and it always try to
bring diversified and equality based working environment. This enterprise is now thinking about
certain strategies which will create a diversified and equality working environment. For this
purpose, a research is conducted to identify such strategies.
Aim
The motive for initiating this investigation is,“ To identify various strategies a business
entity can utilise in to create a equal and diversified workplace.”
Objectives
There are certain objectives behind conducting this research which Vodafone aims to achieve.
These objectives are elaborated as follows-
 To understand the concept and framework behind equal and diversified working
environment.
 To identify specific strategies which Vodafone can use in order to create a diversified
workplace.
 To determine strategies which can be adopted by Vodafone for creating a workplace in
which equal opportunities are provided to workforce.
 To know the benefits of equality and diversity at workplace.
 To identify the impact of equality and diversity upon the overall performance of
employees of Vodafone.
 To determine the affect of absence of diversity and equality at the place of work.
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Questions
 What is the concept and framework behind equal and varied working situation?
 What are the specific schemes which Vodafone can use in order to create a diversified
workplace?
 What are the benefits of equality and diversity at workplace?
 What is the impact of equality and diversity upon the overall performance of employees
of Vodafone?
 What is the affect of absence of diversity and equality at workplace?
P2. Plan for managing research appropriately
In order to manage research in an appropriate manner so that the overall objectives of
research are achieved, a project management plan can be developed. This will help in conducting
this research in more effective and appropriate manner. It will also help identifying the cost time,
resources and budget which id going to be required by researcher to conduct research in that
manner in order to meet the overall motives (Janjić and Rađenović, 2019). A project
management plan is a representation giving direction to a project so that it is capable to meet its
overall objectives and aims. It helps in monitoring and controlling each phase of a project so that
it would be successful in its way. For managing this research in an prescribed manner, a project
management is prepared as follows-
Cost- This is the amount which is required for conducting a research in an appropriate manner.
The amount which is needed in order to conduct this enquiry is £650 which is distributed in
promotional expenditures, cost required for technology, other expenditure, and so on. This will
help the research in manage the cost in an appropriate manner.
Total Forecasted Budget
Particulars Amount
Cost of application of diversity and equality £100
Training and development cost £250
Cost of research £300
Total Cost £650
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Time- This is period which a researcher requires for conducting a research effectively and
appropriately. This is determined as one of the important factor which must be considered by
researcher as it will help in doing it within time limits. The time which is required for conducting
it is 12 weeks and it is the obligation of project manager to conduct this research and achieve its
objectives within given time.
Quality- Now, comes this other factor, although the research done have to be completed within
time but at the same time it is important for researcher to have quality results. The research must
be of high quality and should fulfil all of its objectives (Jansen, Cusumano and Popp, 2019).
This research is of good quality as for conducting this research, primary data is utilised which is
more relevant. Numerous quality control techniques which are utilized to maintain the quality of
research like quality control chart, flow chart etc. The researcher can use quality control chart as
it helps in graphically depicting the level of sample products or processes meet the requirements
of the actual products and processes needed. This technique will help in building good quality of
overall project.
Risk- These are the barriers which which can act as a stoppage for conducting research
effectively and can result in reducing the quality of enquiry. In this research, the risk which are
associated is lack of time but it was resolved by indulging in overtime. During carrying out this
project a researcher can face various risks like technical, external, project-related etc. These risks
can be mitigated by the researcher by identifying them on time so that appropriate steps can be
taken to reduce the negative effect of these risks. Technical risk can be dealt by taking help of
technician on time, external risks can be dealt with by formulation of appropriate strategies while
the project related risks can be dealt by proper use of research methods and techniques like Gantt
Chart, WBS etc.
Communication- This is one of the most important factor which have to be considered by
researcher to exchange ideas and opinions of all the members of the team. Without appropriate
communication, research can fail in achieving its overall objectives and goals. In this research,
tow way communication is used in which all the team members are given platform to exchange
their ideas and opinions which helped in making this research even more effective.
Communication matrix can be used by the researcher so that the complete process of sending and
receiving information can be well structured which will help in smooth flow of information
among the members of the project so that the desired results can be achieved in time. The
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information can be sent by the researcher to the project manager during the various stages of
project so that research updates can be given to the manager by the use of communication
channels like mobile phones, video calling through laptops, through fax etc.
Scope- This research has wide scope as it will help in enhancing overall skills and knowledge of
researcher and team members. It will help in enhancing analytical, research, communication,
team management, coordination, data analysation, and various other skills of all the people
indulge in this research. Due to its time limit, it will help in making them capable to work under
pressure and deliver quality results. This will result in opening up various opportunities for
future for both project manager and team members.
Resource- The resources which are used in conducting a specific research is a key element
which will decide the success or failure of research. It is very important for a researcher to select
appropriate resources and use them in an effective manner so that the research goals are met in
an effective manner (Johnson, 2019). The resources that are used in this research are technical,
human, financial, physical and so on. All these resources are used effectively and there is proper
utilisation of these resources. For carrying out the research in the manner desired at least of 5
laptops are necessary (1 for the researcher and 4 for other team members), 2 mobile phones, 1
office nearby the company premises, 1 printer and fax machine, internet connection and a team
of 4 members which will be arranged by the researcher from outside the company. The office
and other instruments required will have to be provided by the company.
P3. Techniques of project management
For effectively formulating and developing a project, there are various techniques and
tools which are available. It is significant for project manager to use these tools in an appropriate
manner so that the research objectives are met. Selection of these techniques is another important
task of a research as it will help in meeting the objectives of research. For conducting this
research, there are two tools which are used, Gantt Chart and WBS structure, and these are
described in detail below:
Gantt Chart- It is a project management tool which helps in illustrating the schedule of a project
and it is invented and developed by Henry Gantt. This chart determined the relationship of
dependency which is between current status of schedule and the activities. It is determined as a
kind of bar chart which helps to conduct a project more appropriately (Kasemsap, 2018). It helps
in listing out the tasks which are about to performed, the task are mentioned on vertical axis and
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the time frame on its horizontal axis. Its horizontal bar's width in graph demonstrates each
activity's duration and the finish and start data of summary and terminal elements of a specific
project. This chart is generally created at initial stage by utilising early starting time approach, in
which, all the tasks are scheduled for starting immediately when the prerequisition are finished.
This method helps in maximising the time of float which is available for a given task.
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WBS Structure- Work breakdown structure is determined as structure which is of hierarchical
tree structure that helps in outlining the project and in breaking it into smaller portions that are
manageable. It helps in defining the scope into certain manageable chunks which have to be
understood by project team as each level of this structure gives the well defined tasks. The
project management team helps in creating the work of a project by using this structure and in
identifying major deliverables functions and than subdividing such deliverables unto sub
deliverables and smaller sections (Polonsky and Waller, 2018). These sub sections further
decomposed unless an individual person can assigned. The WBS structure has several benefits
and perks and it helps in organising and defining the work of a project. A project budget is
allocated towards the top levels of this structure and by this department budgets can be
calculated which is based upon each work of WBS structure. By allocation of cost and time, it
has been estimated that there are some specific subsections of this structure which helps in
allocating the schedule of a project and budget which can developed quickly. As the project
executes, there are some specific sections which can tracked in identifying the cost performance
of a project and in identifying certain problem and issue areas.
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LO2
P4. Conducting a small scale research
When a research is conducted, it becomes significant for an enterprise to indulge itself in
investigation appropriately and effectively applying several techniques in order to have the
research effective and valid. Also, by utilising these methods for conducting this research, an
appropriate and relevant information can be interpreted. Basically, these methods helps in
interpretation of relevant information and data which can be utilised by an enterprise. There are
two modes of conducting this research effectively and appropriately which are described below:
Qualitative Research Mode: This mode of conducting research helps the researcher in
carrying on the research effectively and appropriately. It is also defined as an way under
which specific tools, models and data are utilised (Shaw, 2019). By utilising this method, a
data analysation can be conducted in more effective, adequate and deeper manner. In this
method, the numerical facts, figures and data is not used.
Quantitative Research Method: This way of investigation is determined as a procedure which
is used for demonstrating information by using specific statistical data, facts and figures. In this
data collection mode, researcher do not pay any attention towards theoretical data. The initial
aim of this method is to identify certain statistical data and figures which will make the research
more accurate.
For conduct this research, qualitative method to collect data is used as it is more relevant
and helps in achieving goals of a research.
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Primary Data- Primary data is defined a method in which data is collected from first hand
resources in which certain particular data and information is collected from the very first
resources. For instance, utilising surveys, interviews and questions.
Secondary Data- In this mode of data collection, the information is generated from secondary
resources and not from primary resources ( Tidd and Bessant, 2018). This mode of collection of
data is less relevant and it consumes less time as compared to primary data.
For formulating this enquiry, the data collection that is used is primary data collection
technique as it is more relevant and informative.
Data collection- It is a process or method for gathering and measuring necessary and relevant
information which is utilised for conducting research. In this, sampling is applied and used for
gathering knowledge.
Sampling- Its a process which is utilised for collecting statistical information pertain
predetermined observation takes place from the large population. This mode depends upon the
analysation that is going to be performed and it view systematic or random sampling.
For this research, random sampling is utilised from respondents for making inferences
regarding large population.
Questionnaire- It is a series of questions which is used for gathering information and collecting
it from respondents ( Tonchia, Tonchia and Mahagaonkar, 2018). In this procedure,
respondents are required to answer the questions and on this basis there are certain decisions and
assumptions can be drawn. For conducting it, there are 30 respondents which are selected among
the stakeholders of Vodafone.
Questionnaire
Q1) Do you have understanding about the concept of equality and diversity at workplace?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) According to you, there is a need for bringing equality and diversity at working
environment?
a) Yes
b) No
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Q3) Do you agree that equality and diversity will benefit the organisation?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q4) What are the strategies which can be adopted by Vodafone to build up an inclusive
workforce?
a) Employee engagement programmes
b) Team development activities
c) Training and development
d) All of the above
Q5) What is the most suitable strategy which can be adopted by Vodafone in order to
bring equality at workplace?
a) Flexible Working Hours
b) Reduction is gender pay gap
c) Indulge workers in decision making process
Q6) What is the best strategy which Vodafone can adopt to bring diversified workplace?
a) Educate managers
b) Make workers aware about organisational culture
c) Programmes based on diversity
Q7) What are the benefits of equality and diversity for employees of Vodafone?
a) Job satisfaction
b) Improved performance
c) Both
Q8) What are the advantages of diversity and equality for Vodafone as a whole?
a) Increased productivity
b) Employee retention
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