You are working for a local department store in the Operations Department. You notice that their business practices and use of technology are not up to date. You have worked other places that have relied more on digital technology that have been extremely successful, in part because of their operating efficiency.

Your company is considering making upgrades to several of your operating processes. Because of your history of working in more technologically progressive environments, you are asked by your supervisor to create a visual presentation with a timeline of digital growth in the organization and compare it to the digital growth in society in general.

In discussing this project with your boss, it is clear that digital growth can refer not only to Internet and computers, but it can also refer to other aspects of business operations such as cash registers, phone services, advertisements, various tools for communication, etc.

Your supervisor asks that this timeline be created to help you, your supervisor, and other stakeholders determine the advantages and disadvantages of a proposed upgrade in technology in the workplace with the overall goal of understanding what systems can be put into place or maintained that can help the store run as efficiently as possible. You are told that the timeline can be in any visual format that you choose.

For this timeline, you are to reflect and address the following sets of questions:

What is digital growth? Where is the company now in terms of digital growth?

What are some examples of technological advances that could be used in a department store operation?

What are some possible advantages and disadvantages of using advanced technology?

What is Big Data? How might Big Data be used in this business?

What are some possible advantages and disadvantages of the store using Big Data?

Do you believe that updating technology and business practices will be advantageous? Why or Why not?