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  • Jun 11, 2016

John Lewis Employee Management

Assessment Task 1

Introduction

When the expansion of a business is focused, this increases the concept of diversity at a workplace (Richard, 2000). At the same time, several other marketing or management issues are also identified with the passage of time. Therefore, it is essential to focus on these issues for the success of a business. Additionally, a typical misguided judgment and management affect the HRM of an organisation (Greenwood & Cieri, 2007). Thus, this paper aims to produce a market research plan for the John Lewis, which is known as the Architectural leader of the industry but is facing several business challenges, such as employee management and/or strategic problems. The fundamental aspect of conducting this research is to assist the organisation for decision-making problems. Particularly, evidence has been presented by analysing the organisation-related data to support the arguments shaded during the investigation.

Marketing Research Needs

Background and Management Decision Problems

John Lewis Architects is known as the Australian Architect Designers company. It is one of the most popular supermarkets, which was formed by John Lewis in 1998 (John Lewis Architects, 2016). The sole ownership of this company is associated with the goal of improving the business and fostering contentment among the employees and customers. Therefore, different schemes have been introduced in this organisation. John Lewis Architect is an architectural practice that offers high-quality designs for residential solutions.

Now, it has become an employee-owned organisation, which poses the question of employees’ management and the associated decision-making process. In other words, the company is needed to make rational decisions to manage employees belonging to different backgrounds. It is a common perception that an organisation can resolve certain issues of the diversity if the management of the company takes appropriate decisions to motivate workforce recruited from distinct parts of the countries.

Market Research Problem

By considering the background of the respected organisation and its current situation, it can be said that the problem statement of this research is to show at what extent diversity at a workplace is new for this company. At the same time, this study has been conducted in order to deal with the biggest problem of employee management that has been found over the last few years in John Lewis Architects (Sid, 2012). This is because of the populace differences in terms of choice and thinking affects the comprehensive working environments. On the other side, diversity at a workplace is vital to bring innovation, but the management is required through influential decisions. 

Objectives

Given the above problem statement and history of the concerned organisation, market research objectives of the study are as follows:

  • To analyse the kinds of decisions being made by the organisation to manage workforce
  • To what extent employees and other stakeholders are satisfied with these decisions
  • To what extent company’ growth has been increased through the management of decisions
  • To identify if the management decision-making process of the concerned organisation seems effective for future

Management Decisions Criteria

In some recent years, the progress of the John Lewis Architects organisation has been found in resolving the issue of managing employees. For instance, this organisation is protecting the rights of the men and women by providing them equity as well as equality. Conversely, these management decisions criterions still have the biggest gap within the organisations between and among cross-cultural individuals. This is creating the inequalities at the workplace. Therefore, the research has been conducted to provide the knowledge and recommendations to the improved process of workforce management and rational decision-making.

Assessment Task 2                

Rationale

The present research objective is based on analysing the issues of employee management in John Lewis Architects. The company is famous for its equity and equality aspects among its employees and both genders, which are one of the leading factors necessary for employee management. However, the company still encounters employee management issues. Therefore, this research is being conducted to analyse the varying concerns behind employee management since the company already deals with diversity in an effective way.  

Research Design and Approach

The research design and approach used for the conduction of this research is explanatory and quantitative. The explanatory research design is a common method of analysing the relationship between two variables. Quantitative research approach contributes in statistically identifying the relationship between two variables through numerical analysis (Creswell, 2013). This research design has been selected since it allowed investigating the issues and quantifying the results increasing reliability and validity of the results. This method is useful because it provides a chance to obtain results directly from the participants. Quantitative methods are considered better than qualitative research approach because of the use of software for analysis. 

Data Collection

The present research adopted the explanatory research design and quantitative approach for the conduction of the study. The research design, therefore, would use the primary data collection method (Sapsford & Jupp, 2006). This method entails the collection of data directly from the interesting subjects of the study. Primary data collection method assists in gathering first-hand experiences of the participants, which allows minimisation of the biases issue and other criticisms common for qualitative methods.

For the conduction of the research, a survey questionnaire of 10 questions was designed for collecting data from the employees of John Lewis Architect. The questionnaire was based on a Likert type scale, which collected the responses through 5-point scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The researcher collected data from 40 employees of the organisation. The completion of the research would be dependent on the collection of the data and questionnaires. 

Timing Plan

Table 1: Work Plan Activity

RESEARCH MATERIAL

ROLE

DATE

 

Identification of the Issue

 Planner

 25th May

 
 

Research design and questionnaire

Researcher

27th May

 

Data collection

Interviewer

 30th May – 1st June

 

Data analysis

 Researcher

 2nd June

 
 

Results

 Researcher

 2nd June

 
 

Write up

 Research Writer

 3rd June

 
 

Budget Estimate

Table 2: Budget Estimate for conducting the research

Tasks

Budget

Printing

AUD $ 250

Conveyance (for visiting employees)

AUD $ 1000

Total

AUD $ 1250

Assessment Task 3                

If external market research were to be engaged to undertake this investigation, there would be a need to develop the selection criteria that could be used to assess external organisations based on the experiences and nature of the study. The fundamental selection criteria for the external consultants used to conduct the market investigation would be as follows:

  • Ability to deal with a high number of responses participated
  • Type of consultancy: More than five years of experience
  • Highly qualified and skilled professionals working in the consultant organisation
  • Familiarity of professionals with the nature of project, which is a market analysis of John Lewis
  • Ability to develop practical recommendations
  • Ability to work effectively with management and staff
  • Ability to manage an assignment on time and within budget

By considering the selection criteria mentioned above, it can be said that the best organisation would be EY Sweeney to carry out this research. This has grown to become one of the largest owned market research consultancies (EY Sweeney, 2016). It has 70 full-time employees and more than 200 interviewers who are skilled and highly qualified and may deal with a large sample size. At the same time, it has more than 40 years of experience in this field. By analysing this industry, it has been found that this company could meet the selection criteria for the market analysis of John Lewis.

Assessment Task 4                

The results were obtained concentrating on the work plan activity set for the completion of the research. Fortunately, it was evident that the target was completed on the allotted dates. The employees of the firm were observed to be cooperative and the filled questionnaire was obtained rather quickly than estimated. This helped in following the work plan activity designed for the research.

The data collected and the analysis of the results are based on the past researches and the questionnaire. The data obtained through this market research are valid since the questionnaire is filled by the employees of the organisation John Lewis Architect whereas the past researches and related content are acquired from relevant resources. These resources are authentic and are listed in reliable academic sources increasing the validity and reliability of the data obtained. 

The findings obtained through the research are relevant and related to the objectives mentioned since these analysed key decisions being made by the organisation to manage a workforce. It also highlighted that the employees and other stakeholders are mostly satisfied with these decisions, however, some diversity issues are evident. The findings also clearly project that the company’s growth is associated with employee management and the management of decisions. The decisions being made are effective for future if the implementation integrates the suggestions of the employees.

The results also highlight that the stakeholders in this context the employees of John Lewis Architect are moderately satisfied by the decisions and the methods of employee management. However, a change in the way decisions are made is necessary. It is evident that for the complete satisfaction of the stakeholders or employees of the company, the need of their involvement in the decision is necessary. 

Conclusion and Recommendation 300

Appendix

The research has utilised the questionnaire method and involves the size of the selected population as n=40. The following close-ended questions have been included in this context:

Based on your expertise and knowledge about a certain matter, do you think you are being involved the decision-making process by the organisation?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Does the organisation depict their expectations with respect to a project or decision?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree

Do you think the organisation analyses the opinion of every person in terms of a project or decision?

  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
When the organisation has to review their choices, do they analyse all the positive and negative options of the involved team before concluding a decision?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Do you think that the organisation provides an opportunity to every employee to express his or her judgement for a discussed matter or project?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Are individual conclusions summarize by the organisation, and further indicate the most suitable decision, with alternatives as well?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Does the organisation monitor that whether their developed decisions are being processed?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Does the organisation modify their decisions whenever necessary?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Is the workforce properly managed through the developed strategies by the organisation?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Are you satisfied by the decisions that are made by the organisation?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Do the decision-making processes that are employed by the organisation, satisfy you?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Do you think that the growth of the company has been increasing based on the management of the decisions?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree
Do you think that management decision-making process of the company would be suitable for future growth?
  • Strongly Agree
  • Agree
  • Neutral
  • Disagree
  • Strongly Disagree

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