D/616/1789 Research Project Unit 2 Level 4

Background of research

Research project will demonstrate the impact of digital technology on Black Penny restaurant. The main objective of this report is to demonstrate impact of digital technology on small medium business. This will be done by evaluating different theories and concepts of digital technology. In addition to this, the impact of digital technology in terms of positive and negative will be discussed for Black Penny restaurant in United Kingdom. The Black Penny is a Coffee House & Kitchen service provider restaurant designed with modern minimalist with a Balinese touch to keep people connected with the local atmosphere without leaving the comfort effectively.

Rationals

This will help to assess changes, improvement and development made by Black Penny with the use of digital technology, techniques and tools. In addition to this, customer satisfaction and preference are the main objectives of business in order to increase profitability and production. The data collection techniques such as primary and secondary data collection are used to collect information regarding impact of digital technology on Black Penny operational activities. In addition to this, the report will cover all elements related to digital technology impact on restaurant in order to provide quality and effective services to customers (Smith, 2015). The technology has changed way businesses provide their services which is improved and developed from past. In respect to this, the report will cover customer response and experience with the use of latest techniques and tools of digital technology.

Research aim

The report will demonstrate role of technological advancement in improving and developing Black Penny functions and operational activities.

Various tools and techniques which will help small medium businesses to manage their growth and development is described in the proposal report. The rational of this report is to analyse and determine impact of digital technology, tools and techniques within Black Penny in terms of positive and negative.

In this report, there are some approaches used to expand the knowledge in specific area. This approach will give an idea on how digital technology is impacting Black Penny and in what ways, it has made business grow and develop effectively. In respect to this, fundamental research and research design; both the approaches are used to evaluate and determine impact of digital technology (Silverman, 2016). The research design will help to focus on qualitative data rather than quantitative. The main objectives discussed in this report are provided as below:

Research objectives:-

• To find out the impact of digital technology on various business departments and operations
• To find out impact of digital technology on customer’s decision making process
• To provide recommendations and conclusion in implementing digital technology in developing marketing strategies

Literature Review

According to Almeida, Leite Corseuil and Poole, 2018, it has been described that digital technology plays the main role in order to improve and develop growth and profitability of small and medium sized businesses such as Black Penny. Advancement now a days in technology has reached a good height of success with the help to different tools and techniques such as biometric system, cashless machineries, computing, face prima and many more. The digital technology helps to improve operational activities from which the business is able to increase its production and profitability. This will also help to provide quality and effective products and services to customers in the market. According to Warner, 2017, it has been stated that customer satisfaction and perception in terms of positive is required for Black Penny in order to maintain production and profits. Customers in the market expect quality and effective services and products from businesses such as Black Penny, they are paying legal prices for that and liable to receive quality products as mentioned by restaurants. In respect to this, digital technology will help to improve the operations of business which will help to achieve competitive advantages effectively. The authors stated that technology is very useful for business as it helps to maintain motivation for employees which has a direct impact on production. Digital technology will help business to achieve customer satisfaction by providing quality services as they expect from the firm. As per the opinions of Cook, 2017, it has been evaluated that technology create innovation at workplace. Quality employees will use digital techniques and tools which will help by making their work easier and effective.

Role of managers: Cook, 2017, argues that managers have an important role in business operational activities. Managers help employees by guiding and providing direction towards effective use of digital tools and techniques. This will help employees to understand their roles and responsibilities with the use of tools which help them to increase their efficiency and effectiveness for products and services. The authors described that managers are main role players in business that management of various resources and departments is main responsibility. They are the decision makers and also they have opportunities to develop and improve operational activities of business in order to provide customer satisfaction.

According to Bullen and Morgan, 2016, technology helps business to improve their communication channel also. For an example, facilitate improved and developed communication with customers in the market. Various types of digital information technology will help Black Penny to improve their understanding and relationship. The business is able to receive customer comments and feedbacks through different electronic communication techniques such as E-mail, Websites, App and Texting. The authors Loebbecke and Picot, 2015, stated that digital technology develop inter-office communication as well effectively and efficiently. For an example, social intranet software will help Black Penny managers and employees by updating internal documents and provide relevant data to other department effectively and instantly. This will also help Black Penny to reach customers through mobile device or any other digital device in a real and quick time format. Black Penny is able to increase employees productivity with the use of digital tools and techniques. Business software, cashless transactions, computer programs will help employees to process more information rather than existing methods.

Digital technology will help to reduce human labour and extra efforts in business operational activities. Business owners will choose technology over employees if it is effective enough to expand operational activities by providing better outputs effectively. According to Charlesworth, 2018, there are approximately 5.7 million small business enterprise across and in UK. The growth of domestic business is slow because of the limited use of technological tools and techniques. It is the most effective strategy towards success. It can be said that digital advancement requires huge amount of capital and time but is a one time investment for any firm that it helps to reduce manual workload and aid accuracy in operational activities and management. As per Fichman, Dos Santos and Zheng, 2014, implementation of digital techniques and tools in Black Penny has a crucial role in order to evaluate and determine potential customers for business effectively. Customer analysis is a tonic for firm in order to determine changes according to their perception and preferences. Techniques and tools will also help to keep record of customer data and information from which managers can easily find target consumers for the business. The authors stated that increasing use of digital technology will provide significant benefits for both customers and business. This will help Black Penny to increase its competitive advantage by enhancing profitability and production. According to Bullen and Morgan, 2016, any small business planning for improvement and development in order to achieve significant growth should use and implement digital technology.

Impact of digital technology

Digital technology and business growth are inter-related to each other because use of techniques and tools will help to increase efficiency in business operational activities which makes functions more easier and faster to create innovation at workplace effectively. Many authors stated that digital technology is effective towards financial management, waste management, quality and service management in business and also help to keep digital records of customers. They stated that advancement in technologies will provide effectiveness in business internal functions and help to assist customers in a new and different way. This will help to attract more customers which lead towards productivity and profitability. Digital technology such as E-commerce has a vital role in business functions. E-commerce techniques and tools will help business to stay connected with their target and potential customers in the market in order to provide better and quality products and services to them effectively and efficiently. Authors believes that use of digital technology and E-commerce system will provide benefits and opportunities towards Black Penny business expansion activities.

Quality is the main perception of business that the restaurant is popular for quality products such as meal, breakfast and other Black Penny dishes. Quality services will help to increase customer satisfaction which is good for business expansion and profitability. According to Cook, 2017, there are many stages from which the business is able to implement digital transformation in order to improve and develop operations. Digital transformation is done by investing time and money. Different strategies and plans are also involved in business to adopt digital changes. The managers of Black Penny should identify key areas in which the digital techniques and tools can be used effectively such as biometric system, cashless machines, environmental tools etc. strategy formulation is the main key of business to achieve better transformation in the technology sector. The authors stated that organisation must consider their requirements and demands towards operational activities in order to maintain productivity. Digital changes are effective enough to increase business operations effectiveness.

As per Warner, 2017, digital technology has also some negative impacts on business which provides both challenges and opportunities. Digital technology reduce human workforce involvement which produce unemployment for people and affect economy level of that particular country effectively. The technology and techniques reduce training and development programs that motivation is influenced efficiently.

Methodology

Research philosophy:

There are methodological approaches used by managers in order to explore research objectives. Qualitative research will be undertaken as there is a link between digital technology and business operations (Humphries, 2017). This will help to analyse impact of digital tools and techniques on business operational activities whether it is useful or not. This will also help to determine benefits with the use of digital technology in Black Penny restaurant.

Data collection method:

In order to determine impact of digital technology on business operational activities and other functions, qualitative approach has been used by Black Penny manager (Smith, 2015). This will help them to research about natural environment of business, descriptive data and help to understand attitudes and experience of customers in the market effectively. Primary and secondary data collection method is also useful to assess customer perception and requirements. Primary data can be collected from employees working in Black Penny in order to determine impact of digital technology on operational activities. Secondary data is collected through past research and data analysis. This will help to evaluate various changes observed by employees after implementing digital techniques and tools. Qualitative approach is important to assess emotions, perception, attitudes etc. in employees as well as customers in the market effectively.

Data collection tools:

Data collection tools will help to determine actual position of business in order to identify impact of digital technology on Black Penny operations effectively. A group of employees working in restaurant will help to determine effectiveness and ineffectiveness of digital technology. This can be done by managing interview or questionnaire process efficiently.

Research approach:

In this case study, inductive approach is used by manager in order to acquire results from observations. Inductive research is very useful for the firm that it helps to search a pattern from observation for the improvement and development of explanation (Silverman, 2016). The approach generate aim and meanings from the data set collection which will help to determine relationship and patterns to build theories effectively.

Research design:

Exploratory research is used in this case study of Black Penny to explore research questions. The design does not intend to offer conclusive or final results for any existing issue or problem. This will help organisation to assess issues which are not defined clearly yet. Exploratory research will also help to determine problem by providing a clear understanding. It will also help to explore research topic such as impact of digital technology with different levels of depth (Bauer, 2014). For an example, Social networking sites with effective marketing options, investigation for improvement ways, assessment of corporate society role towards customer behaviour etc.

Sampling:

Sampling is normally of two types such as probabilistic and non-probabilistic. For the case study of Black Penny systematic sampling is used effectively. In this methods every ninth member of population is selected and also included in business. Random sampling is also used by the managers in order to provide and deliver equal chance and opportunities for workers in the firm. This will be done by managing a group interview of 10 people using products and services of Black Penny by questionnaire method.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical considerations is one of the most important part of research. It can be said that there are various issues faced by researchers while conducting research on Black Penny. Ethical issues are one of them such as insufficient data and information, different kind of people with various minds and perception etc. there is a low involvement of employees during the primary and secondary data collection (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault, 2015). The main issue for researchers is that they need permission of Black Penny managers to see data and information regarding business operations. There are also some restrictions on journals and articles from which the researcher are unable to collect correct information in a specific time effectively. Thus, it can be said that the impact of digital technology on Black Penny is positive and the firm is improving and developing operational activities in order to increase profitability and production effectively.

References

• Almeida, R., Leite Corseuil, C.H. and Poole, J., 2018. The Impact of Digital Technologies on Worker Tasks: Do Labor Policies Matter?.
• Bauer, G.R., 2014. Incorporating intersectionality theory into population health research methodology: Challenges and the potential to advance health equity.Social science & medicine110 pp.10-17.
• Bullen, M. and Morgan, T., 2016. Digital learners not digital natives.La Cuestión Universitaria (7) pp.60-68.
• Charlesworth, A., 2018.Digital marketing: A practical approach. Routledge.
• Cook, N., 2017.Enterprise 2.0: How social software will change the future of work. Routledge.
• Fichman, R.G., Dos Santos, B.L. and Zheng, Z.E., 2014. Digital innovation as a fundamental and powerful concept in the information Systems curriculum.MIS quarterly38(2).