How Technology can Improve or Affect Business – Management Assignment Help

Assignment Task

 

HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN IMPROVE OR AFFECT BUSINESS
Introduction
Advancement of technology over the years has transformed the way business is conducted globally. Companies are increasingly relying on the latest technologies to compete favorably in the market. Numerous researches revolving around the impact of technology in business processes have been conducted and many scholars recommend the crucial need for institutions to come up with effective strategies to influence desirable outcomes. It is also important to note that employee perception before the implementation of any new technology should be regarded. Managers are obligated to encourage a culture of effective communication to ensure the sundry in the organization support the idea of technological change. Lack of support may, in turn, cause unnecessary conflicts and this may deter positive progression. Today, many global companies strive to remain dominant by using the most recent technological tools to carry out business operations in international markets. Also, start-up companies get a chance to compete favorably in the market when they use these advancements to their advantage. It is worth noting that without the use of technology, many institutions would find it difficult to operate efficiently after the recent coronavirus outbreak. Therefore, company leaders have the mandate to work collaboratively with the company stakeholders to formulate the most workable technological strategies to create more value for the key products. Though technological advances have had a major impact across different industries, it is critical for companies to understand the various challenges that come as a result of using these tools. While many scholars have focused more on the benefits of implementing technological changes, some assert that improper management may negatively affect business processes.

Literature Review
Gomes and Mário (2017, p. 118) maintain that technology has numerous benefits to an organization depending on how it has been implemented. Technological tools vary in terms of effectiveness depending on their qualities and managers are required to be equipped with the appropriate assessment tools to note their usefulness in the organization. With proper management tools in place, technology has the potential of taking a business to the next level. The study conducted in this case was qualitative in nature. The research team utilized efficacious data collecting techniques to gain extensive information from the recipients, who were employees at a particular organization that relies on technology for production. The tools used included interviews, observations and focused groups. A notable assertion was that technology enhanced flexibility in the workplace. Today, technological tools are increasingly being used to assist employees reach their deadlines in time and with less pressure. It is worth noting that certain work environments are dynamic and employees in such surrounding are required to be adaptable and flexible. Sufficient and proper tools are helpful in easing the burden of employees while working and this promotes smooth operations within the organization.
Another critical observation made in the study was that technology was essential in boosting employee performance and productivity (Gomes and Mário, 2017, p. 118). Every company in any given industry strives to gain a competitive edge to stay dominant in the market by offering customers high quality services and products consistently. As a result of enhanced flexibility, high production is achieved automatically. Most recipients recognized computer systems as pivotal resources organizations should have. For instance, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees nowadays work from home. As a result, they have ample time to organize their work schedules and perform admirably. High productivity rate is important for a business growth because it tends to attract more profits for the organization. The article concluded with the research team emphasizing on the imperativeness of organizational leaders to expose their employees to top-notch training programs. These programs would be essential in sharpening their skill-sets

According to Weldon and Rachel (2018, p. 837), robotic processes, blockchains, and machine learning are crucial aspects that impact the human factor in organizations. One major impact of technology in organizations is that it attempts to reduce manual labor. Here, companies develop the propensity of reducing the number of personnel and replace them with machineries that support automation processes. The case study maintained that further advancement of technology in organizations would affect millions of families in future if proper management strategies are implemented.
Concerning Smeureanu and Bassel (2020, p. 15), most job profiles will change and new opportunities open eventually. Some of the most popular jobs that will be greatly impacted by digital computerization in the future will include dishwashers, telemarketers, and court clerks to mention but a few. With reference to ethics, recent technologies like artificial intelligence may not make rational and ethical decisions and this may cause poor decision making in certain situations. Therefore, some researchers emphasize the crucial need for companies to have a unit of employees in charge of controlling these machineries. Conversely, Smeureanu and Bassel (2020, p. 15) second with the arguments of most scholars who support the reliance of AI systems, implying that they play a critical role in speeding up processes that are stressful and complex such as account calculations.

Hizam-Hanafiah and Mansoor (2021, p. 37) maintain that information communication technology (ICT) systems tend to improve communication within organizations. It is necessary to note that communication is a crucial aspect in any corporation as it promotes a sense of harmoniousness. Among individuals For instance, proper communication approaches with clients may influence them to become loyal to the organization. Also, effective communication and information sharing within the organization may be impactful in inspiring the establishment of long-term relationships between managers and subordinates. Trust is improved when proper communication systems are implemented. Communication technologies such as the use of smartphones and computers are therefore critical in an organization. Managers are encouraged to work hand in hand with employees to develop a workable culture that respects business operations. This is because without effective policies in place, employees may use the organization’s technology tools to satisfy their personal needs. For instance, some may use the organization’s communication tools to talk to their loved ones or family members for long periods and this might deter them from achieving their daily objectives.
The objective of the research conducted by Hizam-Hanafiah and Mansoor (2021, p. 40) was to recognize the role of technology in enhancing customer satisfaction. The research respondents pointed out that the company’s website and social media pages were highly relied on by potential and loyal customers for extensive information. These channels helped to bring customers closer to the organization as they managed to learn extensively about the new products that were ready to storm the market. Also, the researchers discovered that efficacious communication between customers and organizations was essential in improving a company’s public image and reputation. With good public image, companies are in a better position to increase their sales volume as more customers become attracted to what the company offers.
Per Utomo et al. (2019, p. 41), technology impacts the organizational culture. It is important to note that traditional means of communication are currently being replaced by newer and more effective approaches and this has a direct impact on culture. For example, a global corporation may need its employees to partner with their colleagues working in a foreign country or state. Contemporary technological tools have been essential in fostering healthy relationships while at the same time reducing tensions and distrust significantly. Cliques and tension are recognized as major problems that affect organizational culture and relationships. This is because tensions tend to attract conflicts which in turn promote distrust among workers. On the other hand, Utomo et al. (2019, p. 41) asserts that efficacious technological tools attracts a culture of diversity aong individuals. Here, employees gain the confidence to participate in work related matters regardless of their diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Leaders and managers are bestowed with the sole responsibility of ensuring employees are involved in the development of a workable organizational culture.
The extensive study conducted by Jain and Ashank (2017, p. 50) affirm that technological enhancement has been instrumental in promoting online marketing. Nowadays, most companies apply strategic marketing technique to reach out to customers spread across the globe. Marketing is essential as it helps even local businesses reach international markets. The online marketing trend has been adopted by many companies because they get to interact with users from all around the world. For instance, the growth of social media over the years has allowed businesses to communicate and market their products and services to other countries at lower costs. Online platforms have helped thousands of organizations to grow and thrive in foreign nations. A common sector that has grown impressively over the past few decades as a result of online marketing is the fashion and apparel industry. Some of the most popular platforms being used by companies today include but are not limited to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Following a case by Hizam-Hanafiah and Mansoor (2021, p. 34), technology affects business operations as it inspires creativity and innovation. Nonetheless, the research team maintained that many organizations tend to lack sufficient knowledge about the latest technological tools that could be relied on to attract high efficacy rates. The most affected sector that suffers from this problem is industry 4.0. It is important for organizational leaders to be aware of the most recent technologies used by other competitors in the market to stay relevant and competitive. The descriptive study conducted by the surveyors involved 238 technology corporations based in Malaysia. One conclusion from the study was that open innovation was likely to improve in future as technological advances continue to grow (Hizam-Hanafiah and Mansoor, 2021, p. 34). Organizations are advised to increase their knowledge concerning the implementation of industry 4.0 technologies because they play a pivotal role in enhancing creativity. Being aware of such technologies could in turn influence positive growth of organizations.
Concerning Setiawan (2018, p. 654), cybercrime is a prevalent problem facing organizations and is steadily increasing as a result of technological advancements. Cyber criminals develop the propensity of targeting vulnerable institutions. Therefore, failure for these organizations to come up with means to mitigate cybercrime activities may affect their operations. It should be of note that customers mostly work with companies they can trust. Hence, when trust is ruined, it becomes difficult for potential customers to work with companies that are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Setiawan (2018, p. 655) denotes that high rate of cyber-attacks may change customer expectations and perceptions about shopping online due to previous negative experiences with the same problem. Companies are advised to adopt effective strategies that could help protect information of customers from ruthless cyber criminals.

Theoretical Framework
There are numerous models that organizations tend to use to improve strategic management. More so, multiple theories and concepts have been examined and identified concerning the use of modern technology in organizations. Some of the most common theories revolving around organizational technologies include the new product development theory, technological interdependent theory, and the meta-learning concept (Utomo et al., 2019, p 42). Each of the aforementioned theories plays a significant part in boosting business operations and attracting admirable results for businesses.

Meta-learning
Simply put, meta-learning is a process that explains how computer systems came to be. As mentioned earlier, a major characteristic of organizational technology is automation. Here, technological tools such as AI use algorithms installed in them to perform depending on the instructions given to them (Smeureanu and Bassel, 2020, p. 16). The use of algorithms and statistical models allow these machines to learn and develop a sort of memory where these instructions are stored to be used at a given time. Meta-learning has helped many organizations to leave automated machines to work effectively on their own while members of the workforce focus on achieving core organizational goals. Following extensive research, meta-learning influences technological tools to function effectively without necessarily depending on human intervention. It is important for computers to learn and understand data from past events and use proper algorithms to reduce chances of errors occurring. Most businesses develop the propensity of using technologies that can perform optimally without the intervention of humans.

New Product Development Theory
Organizations solely depend on new products to perform admirably in the market. Most importantly, many companies rely on the use of efficient technological tools to come up with new lines of products. Concerning Smeureanu and Bassel (2020, p. 17), technology use plays a critical part in the product development process. There are several product development stages that companies tend to use to come up with a new product idea. With reference to the design thinking framework, technologies empathize with users and provide them with useful problem solving solutions for developing the most admirable product designs. Good ideas for product designs are consequential for companies as they gain competitive advantage in the market. Apart from this, technological tools play a fundamental role in enabling market research. Here, research teams work with workable tools to examine market trends as well as interact with customers to note the trending buying behaviors. This information is then used to develop workable marketing strategies for companies.
Companies may also rely on technologies to communicate and gain understanding about the major needs and concerns of customers in the market and use this information to develop quality and admirable end products. It is important to note that computer systems store information concerning every project done by a company. This data may be useful in helping organizations note the various initiatives that could be used to improve on future projects. In addition to this, information sharing during product development is made possible through technologies where employees can share critical knowledge concerning the various means of improving business administration.

Technological Interdependence
This model is the degree in which organizational parts are required to share or exchange relevant information among various departments. Different units within the organizations are obligated to use technology to unearth any relevant information that may be useful for business operations. Following recent research, there are various types of technological interdependence aspects that many organizations use (Hizam-Hanafiah and Mansoor, 2021, p. 34). First, pooled interdependence is about different departments conglomerating their resources and share information. Through this effort, successful projects may help the organization grow gradually. Concerning sequential interdependence, one department is required to finish a particular project before handing out to another unit to take over. This means employees should have healthy relationships for departmental performance to improve. A notable disadvantage of sequential interdependence is that when one project fails, other departments could also be affected. In reciprocal interdependence, a unit’s output becomes another department’s input. For instance, when most aircrafts land, the flight crew and the pilot hand over responsibilities to the maintenance crew that in turn conducts a thorough service and return the plane back to the pilots. Through interdepartmental information sharing, organizational units work together and a sense of belongingness is fostered within the organization.
Conceptual Framework

Top Leadership Emphasis on Adoption of New Technology
One characteristic of a good leader is his ability to influence followers. This means that organizational leaders should work with managers to inspire other subordinates concerning the relevance of adopting new technologies. Following research, the top management team plays a pivotal part in shaping the appropriate strategies for others to implement (Jain and Ashank, 2017, p. 52).It is necessary to note that not every worker may support the enactment of a new technology. It may take time for them to adapt to these changes. Therefore, managers are obligated to be more involved in every step of the change process for positive outcomes to be arrived at. In addition, it will be crucial for managers to be knowledgeable about the new technologies as this will motivate employees to be more supportive.
Moreover, the learning ability of the organization is also a crucial contributor of whether or not the adoption of new technology will be supported. Some of the challenges that many managers face prior to implementing change include resistance from other employees, lack of knowledge about the new changes, and interdepartmental conflict. Putting in place efficacious strategies to mitigate these social problems would promote a sense of harmony among employees.
The involvement of stakeholders is imperative. Increasing the confidence of stakeholders will be consequential in allowing organizations to adopt the best quality of technology there is. The multiple concepts of leadership should be utilized in this case to enhance the interest of potential investors. Effective communication skills would go a long way in influencing more supporters for the implementation of high quality technologies. Failure to convince stakeholders may cause other employees to have negative perceptions about the idea of change.

Customer Orientation
Many successful businesses have managed to prosper because having a good reputation. Technology has enabled companies to have a direct connection with their potential customers. Long-term relationships are established when customers are engaged in business processes. Employees are mandated to communicate consistently with customers to understand their main needs. Customer orientation also involves customers gaining more knowledge about the service and products been marketed. Per Hameed et al. (2018, p. 107), the more customers are involved in e-business processes, the higher the chances of employee performance to increase.
Communication technologies are used by employees to communicate effectively with customers. These tools are important because they allow companies to respond quickly to customer needs and work towards increasing their satisfaction. In contemporary communities, online order taking is a buying trend that many customers use. For this matter, constant interactions are pivotal.

Employee Performance
As aforementioned, managers are bestowed with the sole responsibility of ensuring employees are involved in the adoption of new technology. Information sharing has been linked to improved employee engagement. Performance assessments are important as they allow managers to evaluate how employees are gradually adapting to the new organizational changes. Numerous research maintain that technology use enhances employee performance. Nonetheless, employees can only be able to perform exponentially when they are well exposed to the necessary educational training programs. These programs will help to boost the confidence of workers and make them flexible in the workplace. Top-notch employee performance also improves sales performance. Companies need to have competitive advantage on their products or services to remain relevant in the market. By increasing their sales, immense profits are gained and the company manages to gain more market value (Mgunda, 2019, p. 153). The job interest of employees may also be affected in the implementation of new technologies. It should be noted that top performing employees often have high job interest compared to the poor performers.
Though technology has numerous benefits to organizations, it is vital for managers to note the various uncertainties that come along with its adoption. Challenges such as high cost of maintenance, poor internet connection and breakdowns may affect business administration and cause employees to perform dismally (Mgunda, 2019, p. 152). The idea of creating awareness about these uncertainties may assist employees to understand the various hurdles they may likely face while using the new technologies.

Objective of Research
The aim of the research will be to investigate previous works of literature that revolve around the role of technology in increasing employee satisfaction. As mentioned earlier, there are numerous case studies revolving around the use of advanced technologies in businesses. Employees play a vital role in helping a company succeed. The way potential clients are treated says a lot about the business management processes. The research will be qualitative and the key participants will be sales specialists working in a middle scale company that provides delivery services to clients around Queens, New York. The researchers will seek extensive information regarding the impact of technology in the business operation. Following a thorough analysis of the findings, workable implications and recommendations will be provided. The research will be an essential addition to the already existing body of knowledge. The research will focus entirely on evaluating several hypotheses to increase the validity and credibility of the final results.
Hypotheses
Hypothesis 1: The use of technology impacts employee performance
Hypothesis 2: 1n implementation of a new technology, the more the top management is involved in influencing employees, the higher the chances of adopting these technologies.
Hypothesis 3: The use of technology has a direct impact on customer satisfaction rate.
Hypothesis 4: The more customers are involved in business operations, the higher their chances of being loyal to the company.

Study Design
The case study survey will be qualitative. This design is used to retrieve extensive information from the study participants. The variables studied in the research will be used to determine the impact of adopting new technologies in organizations. Qualitative study will be considered because it has been confirmed to help researchers retrieve the rawest data from participants (Basia and Pollalis, 2018, p. 102). The idea of conducting a mixed research study would also be essential though it would be costly at the same time. The aim of the study will be to use the available resources to come up with the most profound results regarding the topic.

Research Instrument
The research group will utilize multiple instruments to conduct the study appropriately. To begin with, the use of interviews will be the most common. Here, the surveyors will develop simple questions revolving around the core topic and not down individual responses. These responses will then be evaluated and analyzed critically and those that remain constant will be used to make the most reasonable assumptions or implications. Many qualitative researches often rely on interviews because of its cost-effectiveness (Basias and Pollalis, 2018, p. 98). The research team will also use focus groups to retrieve valid information. Focused groups share similar characteristics thus the researchers will be in a position to collect the most accurate data. Observation will also be a superb research instrument. Here, individual behavior of every participant will be analyzed critically. Most importantly, this method will mostly be used in one-on-one interviews where the research group will have ample time to read the most essential non-verbal cues and channel their questions in that direction.
The mentioned study instruments will be significant in establishing a strong bond between the surveyors and respondents. It is imperative for both parties to have a clear understanding about each other and work collaboratively towards attaining the desirable goals. Through healthy relations, the surveyors will have the opportunity of analyze diverse opinions of the participants and this may in turn inspire them to make profound conclusions. Lastly, more information will be retrieved from past literature materials. This data will be helpful in linking information collected from the survey. The use of secondary data will play a key role in enabling the surveyors arrive at the most desirable outcomes.

Sampling Design and Size
The surveyors will utilize randomized sampling technique to recruit participants. This sampling technique will be significant in allowing the researchers to save on time and resources. The sample group will mainly consist of employees in the sales department of a delivery service company. A total of 80 employees will be enough for accurate results to be achieved. This number will also be ideal for researchers because only a limited amount of time will be used to conduct the case study. The targeted department will consist of the unit’s superior and junior employees. This will be essential in promoting diverse responses from the group. Diversity in responses is crucial as it creates more room for the topic to be explored extensively.

Data Processing Procedures
The first stage of data processing will be collection of data. The quality of the collected information will be essential for the researchers to make the final assumptions and answer the stated hypotheses. The process of data collection will abide by the set ethical standards for the final results to be accurate and well defined (Basias and Pollalis, 2018, p. 95). Most crucially, this process will provide additional information to researchers. For instance, they will note the various areas that need improving.
The second stage of data processing will be preparation. Here, data will be manipulated for further processing and analysis. This procedure is necessary because researchers cannot process raw data as they need to be evaluated for accuracy and credibility. Therefore, further evaluation will be important for final discussions to be made. Noteworthy, raw data needs to be screened properly for problems to be identified. Failure to do so will cause highly misleading outcomes which in turn may affect the final quality of the study.
The input stage is when data from the study is coded into computer systems to be processed via an application. Evaluation of data is time consuming hence technological tools will help break complex data efficiently. Since the process is costly, the researchers will outsource resources in this particular stage.
The processing stage will be next. Here, researchers will rely on flexible tools like meta-learning and AI algorithms to come up with the best interpretation and conclusions about the data. The sponsors of the study will recommend the best application to process the large volume of data. The interpretation process will require researchers to transmit and display the final information. The output may be presented in different formats such as video, audio, graphical reports or document viewers. It will be relevant to interpret the final output for profound decisions to be made. After all data has been interpreted, it will be stored for future use.

Limitations
It is necessary to imply that every survey has its own limitation. One notable limitation that the study will have will be lack of sufficient technological resources to process data effectively. The use of proper materials such as enough computer systems would be consequential in saving time. Another challenge that will also affect timing will be the insufficient number of surveyors. The research will have few researchers who will foresee the entire operation. Time-consummation will therefore be a major hindrance for the study. The lack of control group for the study may also affect the credibility of the survey. A control group would have assisted the surveyors to note conflicting implications about the research question. The lack of a control group will hinder the study team from drawing definitive results and conclusions.

Timeline
The initial planning process of the research will include a timeline of retrieving relevant information from other literature sources. The development time-frame will be enough for the study team to plan the right number of respondents to be recruited. It will take one week for this process to be completed. The sampling and interview stage will also take some time before the final discussion is made. The final item in the timeframe will be making the final follow-ups and implementations. In this stage, the surveyors will complete their final findings and use it to make connection with the existing body of case studies.

Gantt Chart
Tasks Jan 15th Jan 22th Jan 29th Feb 6th Feb 13th
Planning 40783619201800 Development 58707117307900 Sampling and interviews 82594253182600 Follow-up 13053417959500 Conclusion
The implementation of technology in business is pivotal in the modern world. Today, many companies seek to reach out to foreign customers to gain global competitive advantage over other key players in the industry. Numerous researches have been conducted with research teams exploring the various impact of technology on business operations. While most studies support the need for companies to adopt recent technologies due to their multiple benefits, there are some who claim that technologies may cause a devastating impact on customer and employee satisfaction. The literature review section highlights some of these essential effects and also unearths the most popular factors that organizations need to consider prior to implementing technological changes within the workplace. The main aim of the proposed research will be to understand the different perspectives of employees regarding how the implementation of technologies affects their overall performance and satisfaction of customers.