Westfield's Response to Digital Disruption: A Case Study

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments. This report analyzes Westfield's response to digital disruption.

ICT Professional Practice & Ethics
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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Word Centre Analysis......................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
The establishment of new and innovative technology at such a rapid rate has caused
organisations to make major changes in their work structure. Digital disruption has been the
main factor that employees have started to lose their jobs and also that organisations have
incurred a lot of losses. Though it seems that digital disruption is a negative factor for the
business environment it does have some benefits. The customers can receive products with the
latest technology rather than having to depend on old fashioned ones. In addition, it is seen that
digital disruption can be felt by almost every organisation rather than just a single sector.
Westfield is one of the largest shopping organisations which is present in Australia and has gone
through the phase of digital disruption.
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Task 1
Westfield has been hit hard because of digital disruption. Digital disruption has caused the
company to make changes in its structure and its operational services. One of its main
competitors has become Amazon. Amazon is the largest e-commerce retail store which has
highly benefited from innovative technologies (Digiday, 2017). Westfield in order to counter this
issue has come up with its own way being that it wants to spend a huge amount of money into its
own digital sector. By doing this it will make sure that it can compete with e-commerce retail
companies and make sure that the customers are satisfied. Digital disruption has changed the
marketing strategy that is used by Westfield. In the previous tim, the company would put up
banners or posters to show what sale or discount it has. But now Westfield has set up large
digital screes around malls that have sensors in them for noticing how many people will view the
poster. By doing this Westfield will measure the feelings or emotions of the consumers by how
much time they are taking to view the advertisement or message and it will also show how many
people are interested in the products.
Digital disrupt has also changed the way in which Westfield is dealing with various retailers. It is
seen that in the future there is an option that mostly all of the shopping malls may close down.
Westfield has almost a large amount of stores in malls that are spread across Australia and it will
come into a loss if this happens. So Westfield has linked itself with Amazon so its products could
be sold on it and also that it has implemented Amazon books into its stores.
Another factor that is changed by digital disruption is that organisations need to get rid of
employees who do not understand the new technology. Westfield is a large shopping center has
introduced a number of new technologies that require a new set of skills for it to be operated.
New technology advancement being that the shoppers can now sit at their homes and select the
items that they wish to buy. Another innovative technological advancement is that the people do
not have to pay in cash but can have the card of the organisation or other e-wallets to pay for the
items they have selected. The organisatoin would need new employees who would now how to
work and handle such innovations and would have to let go of the employees who work with
traditional methods (Which-50). This is done because implementing every new innovation of
digital technology would make the product more complex and hard to handle.
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Westfield has made sure to implement digitalisation in most of its operations so that it does not
get left behind in the changing world of new and innovative technological developments. It has
increased its online sale and made sure that it provides to the remote places in Australia.
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Conclusion
It can be seen the digital disruption has made new and innovative technology to be established
but it has a negative impact on organisations. One of the biggest factors that digital disruption
has on the economy is that it causes insecurity of jobs amongst the employees. New skills would
be needed that would be present in the current employees and no organisation would want to
spend extra on training programs. Telstra’s whole business structure and the operation were
changed due to the fact of digital disruption.
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Word Centre Analysis
Customers Products and services
 The customers of Westfield range from
a range of people being for shopping of
goods or cloths.
 Customers with the liking of different
designs can pick out the products that
they like.
 Products range from dress and shoes
for women.
 Suits and suits are also present for men.
 Children appreal is also available.
 Customers can physically shop or shop
on the internet website of Westfield.
 Bags, books luggage etc (Westfield,
2019).
Work Practices
 Gives the customer experience of all the products it has.
 Makes sure to follow the health and safety standards that are given by the Australian
government. All employees should follow these aspects.
Participants Information Participants
 The participants of the
Westfield are those
who want to get the
best of consumer
goods either on online
services or that are
available at stores.
 Customers like to
make sure that the
product that they are
looking for is found in
the shopping centres or
on the website of
Westfield.
The information that is
provided by the organisation is
present on its website. The
information is about the
various products that are being
offered by it.
This information is also
available in physical shopping
centres.
Information provided by the
organisation can be about any
specific product ranging from
cosmetics to technologies and
also cloths.
 The participants of the
Westfield are those
who want to get the
best of consumer
goods either on online
services or that are
available at stores.
 Customers like to
make sure that the
product that they are
looking for is found in
the shopping centres or
on the website of
Westfield.
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Infrastructure  Has operating offices in over twenty countries across the globe.
 Westfield has a vast number of employees being around two thousand
as of 2017.
Environment  Westfield is considered to be the number one shopping centres
provider in Australia.
 It has made sure to provide the best home network for its customers
and has one of the best customer services that can satisfy the customers
through online shopping.
Strategies  Capture the market share with rigorous methods though promotional
events so that it can maintain the top position in the ma arket.
 Maximise the operation outputs of the shopping centers.
 Make sure that the shopping centres provide the best and highest
quality there is in Australia (Business Insider, 2017).
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References
 Business Insider, 2017. The Westfield sale brings protection against online retail threats.
[Online] Business Insider. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/the-
westfield-sale-brings-protection-against-online-retail-threats-2017-12 [Accessed on: 13
April 2019]
 CIO, 2017. Westfield woos customers with digital makeover of mall experience. [Online]
CIO. Available at: https://www.cio.com/article/3229905/westfield-woos-customers-with-
digital-makeover-of-mall-experience.html [Accessed on: 13 April 2019]
 Deloitte, 2019. Digital disruption - Harnessing the ‘bang’. [Online] Deloitte. Available at:
https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/building-lucky-country/articles/digital-disruption-
case-studies.html [Accessed on: 13 April 2019]
 Digiday, 2017. How Westfield is combating the Amazon threat with digital upgrades at
its malls. [Online] Digiday. Available at: https://digiday.com/marketing/westfield-
combatting-amazon-threat-digital-upgrades-malls/ [Accessed on: 13 April 2019]
 Westfield, 2019. Products. [Online] Westfield. Available at:
https://www.westfield.com/products [Accessed on: 13 April 2019]
 Which-50, 2015. Digital Disruption Is Accelerating In Australia, Says Deloitte. [Online]
Which-50. Available at: https://which-50.com/digital-disruption-is-accelerating-in-
australia-says-deloitte/ [Accessed on: 13 April 2019]
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