7BUS2002 Business Research Method Assignment Sample
MSC IB RESEARCH PROPOSAL
1. Proposed title:
Significance of International Business in Digital age in the UK IT sector
2. Introduction
Background
Rising consideration of innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, internet of things, and others can be seen to be widely preferred in the business field. With regards to this concern, the UK IT sector has been notified to rapidly consider technological innovation as an integral part to empower digital infrastructure. As a result of this, the attributes of business globalisation and internationalisation are added with a greater value with profound flexibility and adequate opportunities of future growth with the help of industry 4.0 implications (Ślusarczyk et al. 2020).
The ongoing covid-19 pandemic has eventually accelerated the Transformation of consumer purchasing intention based on which the future of business has been certified under technological advancement. The rising proportion of online shopping habits from consumers’ perspective has eventually forced several industrial players to undertake adequate investment for empowering their tech budgets (Cortellazzo et al. 2019). However, the UK IT sector has been largely supported with adequate and advanced technical support that has been empowering growth opportunities through internationalisation. The proposition of a range of specialist services and technical advancements with robotic process automation, emerging cloud services, virtual reality software development and others are playing a significant role in this context (Higginbotham, 2021).
Rationale
The topmost issue for obtaining industry 4.0 technological implementation highlighted the achievement of increasing productivity and competitiveness that can be supportive for business internationalisation in future. With regards to this issue, the UK IT sector has experienced a distinctive preference of advanced technological implications that has driven industrial growth to a fair extent (Poole, 2021). For evidence, it can be highlighted that the rapid growth of the UK IT sector has taken place due to increasing venture capital investment which increased from £ 1.2 billion during 2010 to £ 11.3 billion during 2020 (Warrington, 2021). This attractive initiative can be noticed behind the growth of business internationalisation in the digital era where respective business organisations usually look forward to expand their services across the wider consumer market with profound digitisation.
On the other hand, significant attention has been also derived by the UK IT industry concerning the achievement of financial feasibility with business internationalisation supported by extended digitisation. This attribute has eventually resulted in a positive manner for the UK IT industry revenue generation. The aforementioned figure has demonstrated gradual stability of IT industry revenue in the UK throughout the years (Miltz, 2021). For example, it can be stated that the overall UK IT industrial revenue was projected to reach USD 75,960 million by the end of this present year with an estimated market value of USD 26,168 million (Statista, 2021). This extensive growth of the industry highlights positive implications of digitisation that has successfully brought adequate consumer attraction for supporting financial feasibility and thereby influencing business internationalisation.
3. Aims and objectives
The present research aims to critically evaluate the significance of international business in the digital era across the UK IT sector.
The objectives of this research are provided below-
- To signify the implications of industry 4.0 technologies for business internationalisation in the IT sector
- To highlight relational challenges and opportunities created by digitisation on the IT sector
- To interpret the impact of technological implications behind IT industrial business internationalisation
Research questions
The research questions include-
- What is the influence of digital technologies for business internationalisation in the IT industry?
- How can digital technologies be signified for obtaining business growth for the IT sector?
- What challenges and opportunities are associated with the implementation of digital technologies in the IT sector?
Problem statement
The present research has emphasized on evaluating the importance of international business in the digital era for the UK IT industry. In this concern, the problem statement of this research includes the consideration of the strategic interventions and leadership attributes of the UK IT industry behind the implications of digital technologies. Rapid transformation of the IT industrial culture can also be included in the problem statement that has played a significant role to conceptualize successive adoption of industry 4.0 technologies and relational advancements that has eventually supported business internationalisation to some extent.
Structure of the dissertation
Figure 2: Dissertation structure
4. Literature review
4.1 Significance of industry 4.0 implications for international business in IT sector
The framework industry 4.0 is a method of transforming the old system of work culture and management system of the IT sector to develop improvement of automation and the interconnected system of the companies in the international market. Hence, this method of technology is based on a number of objectives which are the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT), Internet of things (IoT), and connecting work-oriented devices to a cyber-physical network (Ślusarczyk et al. 2020). It has enabled companies to have a higher potential ratio for innovations and proved to be beneficial for the management team of an IT sector to detect the problem in the work culture. Thus, it tends to be beneficial for the companies to fulfil the customer demands and work on new innovations that fit the demand in the international marketplace (Higginbotham, 2021). User requirements, on the other hand, are evolving at a quicker rate than many businesses can stay consistent with. All consumers demand unique innovations, technological advances, and improved software. Therefore, Industry 4.0 is designed to help companies adapt to market changes faster than their competitors. This method of technology helps companies to guarantee quality outside of the facility by tracking products throughout transportation to their customers (Cortellazzo et al. 2019). Thus, it will enable the company to connect all their work-related devices, the system of the framework, and the employees through a cyber network which will help them keep records of every aspect of the business. It provides the ability to share the data of information which will help the management to work on new demanded innovations and technology.
4.2 Challenges and opportunities of digitalisation on the IT sector
In the world, there are several technological capabilities that can be operated by a single touch; however, the pathway to digitalisation is not an easy task as well. As mentioned by Brandl and Hornuf (2020), there are several challenges, which are being identified after digitalisation has emerged in the IT sector. The most common challenges, which are being faced by the business, are lack of skills among the workforce. A successful transformation digitalisation required a skilled team and workforce. The lack of expertise in cyber security, enterprise and technical architecture and data analytics are the major sites that are mostly required (Parida et al. 2019). Furthermore, lack of change in the organisational management is one of the most essential ones amongst which needs to be taken care off. Adding to this, there has been a transformation of customer requirements with the evolution of digitalisation in the world. As demonstrated by Amankwah-Amoah et al. (2021), budget constraints, lack of strategy, inefficient management are also some of the challenges, which have emerged due to digitalisation in the IT sector.
Figure 3: Positive side of digitalisation
Apart from that, there are several opportunities as well if the appropriate measures are taken in the industry. Such as, digitalisation has improved the level of productivity along with making the most effective utilisation of the resources. As suggested by Cortellazzo et al. (2019), digitalisation has made the opportunity to present the organisation in front of the world with the help of social media along with measuring the growth of the through e commerce facilities. Furthermore, the most effective advantages of digitalisation are that it effortlessly improves communication as well as adding the chance of customising the products of customers by connecting with them through social media sites (Crittenden et al. 2019).
4.3 Disruptive innovation theory
The theoretical understanding highlights the development of existing products and services from the perspective of a small business that might be able to challenge an established business (incumbents) in the market (Christensen et al. 2018). However, disruptive innovation could be conceptualized through attracting the mainstream customers of incumbent with adequate product development, considering the ignored market segment of the incumbent and obtaining traction by mitigating consumer demands, gradually moving up the market from the bottom and others.
With reference to the UK IT industry, extended emphasis upon the implications of advanced industry 4.0 technologies can be noticed to create wider opportunities of business growth in future with successive internationalisation. It can be signified with the estimated revenue growth of the UK IT sector throughout the next five years. The industry is estimated to experience an annual growth rate of 7.49 % between 2021 to 2026 with a market value of USD 109021 million by 2026 (Statista, 2021). This financial growth recognises the positive implications of industry 4.0 technological implementations where disruptive innovation has supported this growth.
5. Discussion of research design
While undertaking research, it is very essential to look after the research approaches, which are being considered, as it is the one, which forms the entire base of the research. As suggested by Alharahsheh and Pius (2020), the study of the research allows the researcher to gain a significant amount of knowledge and understanding, which is related to the topic. Furthermore, research methodology and data analysis are the most important chapters of the research, which are specifically interrelated with each other. As demonstrated by Pham (2018), the consideration of primary research will be reflected through surveys and questionnaires in the analysis whereas secondary reach is based on thematic analysis. For the current topic, “Significance of international business in the digital age in the UK IT sector” is being reflected through consideration of secondary research.
A research methodology has several elements such as research philosophy, research design and research approach. Through research philosophy, a perspective is acquired by the research about how the research will be carried forwards. In this respect, the assumptions of the researchers are the one, which hold the researcher to form into a perfect one along with the choices of design, purpose, and methods as well (Al-Ababneh, 2020). In the context of research philosophy, Interpretivism research philosophy is being taken into consideration, as it will be an accurate option for this research because it is connected with the observation of the social world. Furthermore, research design is the most important factor for the entire research as it helps the researcher to structure the entire study based on the specific decisions. As mentioned by Žukauskas et al. (2018), poor knowledge of structure will lead to improper outcomes along with lots of misinterpretations as well. Research design allows the research to acknowledge the minor as well as the major task related to the study. In this context, Descriptive research design is selected by the researcher to have the effective results, which will meet all the variables as well as the objective of the research. As stated by Pradipta et al. (2018), descriptive design allows the researcher to analyse and examine the non-quantified topic more effectively along with maintaining confidentiality, errors, and objectivity as well.
Apart from that, research approaches are the broad assumption of the research, which plan as per the steps of assumption for the data collection, examination as well as interpretation. In this context, an Inductive research approach is considered by the scholar for having a flexible approach to the research topic (Woiceshyn and Daellenbach, 2018). It is very essential to build a theory based on the research. Moreover, inductive approaches allow the research worker to support a new theory, which enhances the authenticity of the research work. Adding to this, a secondary method of data collection will be done, as the research will be based on secondary analysis. As demonstrated by Spry and Pich (2021), several secondary sources like journals, articles, books, newspapers and many more will be taken into consideration for further examination of the topic along with thematic analysis.
6. Summary
The overall proposal has signified different attributes of digitalization in the UK IT industry that has been supportive for business internationalisation. With the consideration of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and big data and others, the industry has been able to obtain adequate consumer attraction and thereby supporting their financial growth with significant business internationalisation. This attribute has eventually recorded to play a supportive role in enlarging the industrial financial growth over the years.
7. References
Al-Ababneh, M., 2020. Linking ontology, epistemology and research methodology. Science & Philosophy, 8(1), pp.75-91.
Alharahsheh, H.H. and Pius, A., 2020. A review of key paradigms: Positivism VS interpretivism. Global Academic Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(3), pp.39-43.
Amankwah-Amoah, J., Khan, Z., Wood, G. and Knight, G., 2021. COVID-19 and digitalization: The great acceleration. Journal of Business Research, 136, pp.602-611.
Brandl, B. and Hornuf, L., 2020. Where did FinTechs come from, and where do they go? The transformation of the financial industry in Germany after digitalization. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 3, p.8.
Christensen, C.M., McDonald, R., Altman, E.J. and Palmer, J.E., 2018. Disruptive innovation: An intellectual history and directions for future research. Journal of Management Studies, 55(7), pp.1043-1078.
Cortellazzo, L., Bruni, E. and Zampieri, R., 2019. The role of leadership in a digitalized world: A review. Frontiers in psychology, 10, p.1938.
Crittenden, A.B., Crittenden, V.L. and Crittenden, W.F., 2019. The digitalization triumvirate: How incumbents survive. Business Horizons, 62(2), pp.259-266.
Higginbotham, D., 2021. Overview of the UK’s IT industry. [Online]. Available at: <https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/information-technology/overview-of-the-uks-it-industry> [Accessed 15 December 2021]
Miltz, K., 2021. Information Technology (IT) revenue in the United Kingdom (UK) from 3rd quarter 2012 to 1st quarter 2020 [Online]. Available at: <https://www.statista.com/statistics/274807/information-technology-it-revenue-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/> [Accessed 15 December 2021]
Parida, V., Sjödin, D. and Reim, W., 2019. Reviewing literature on digitalization, business model innovation, and sustainable industry: Past achievements and future promises. Sustainability, 11(2), p.391.
Pham, L.T.M., 2018. Qualitative approach to research a review of advantages and disadvantages of three paradigms: Positivism, interpretivism and critical inquiry. University of Adelaide.
Poole, R., 2021. UK’s IT sector bounces back [Online]. Available at: <https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/opinions/uks-it-sector-bounces-back/> [Accessed 15 December 2021]
Pradipta, R.F., Ummah, U.S. and Dewantoro, D.A., 2018, September. Social Environment of Special Needs in Inclusive Primary School: A Descriptive Research with Phenomenology Approach. In 1st International Conference on Early Childhood and Primary Education (ECPE 2018) (pp. 181-184). Atlantis Press.
Ślusarczyk, B., Tvaronavičienė, M., Haque, A.U. and Judit, O.L.Á.H., 2020. Predictors of Industry 4.0 technologies affecting logistic enterprises’ performance: International perspective from economic lens. Technological and economic development of economy, 26(6), pp.1263-1283.
Spry, L. and Pich, C., 2021. Enhancing data collection methods with qualitative projective techniques in the exploration of a university’s brand identity and brand image. International Journal of Market Research, 63(2), pp.177-200.
Statista, 2021. IT Services [Online]. Available at: <https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/it-services/united-kingdom> [Accessed 15 December 2021]
Warrington, J., 2021. UK tech industry grows tenfold in last decade as London leads Europe [Online]. Available at: <https://www.cityam.com/uk-tech-industry-grows-tenfold-in-last-decade-as-london-leads-europe/> [Accessed 15 December 2021]
Woiceshyn, J. and Daellenbach, U., 2018. Evaluating inductive vs deductive research in management studies: Implications for authors, editors, and reviewers. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal.
Žukauskas, P., Vveinhardt, J. and Andriukaitienė, R., 2018. Philosophy and paradigm of scientific research. Management Culture and Corporate Social Responsibility, 121.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Know more about UniqueSubmission’s other writing services:
