Introduction
Technology is becoming an integral part of organizations in Qatar as they try to achieve efficiency in their production at lower costs. Organizations, irrespective of their size or geographic coverage, have come to appreciate the significance of technology in enhancing their productivity in a highly competitive environment (Gao, Chai, and Liu 2018). As the country continues to experience rapid economic development and improved security, it is expected that new companies will emerge, which means that competition is likely to get stiffer than it currently is (Rogers 2016). Local companies must understand how to use emerging technologies to improve their communication, coordination of activities, production, standardization of their products, and to enhance product quality based on the emerging needs in the market. Rieder (2015) notes that the biggest concern that large and mid-sized organizations face is the issue of the generational gap and the way it affects technology acceptance.
The younger employees find it easy to embrace new technologies in their normal activities (Hassan, Marimuthu, and Johl 2015). They are innovative and consider technology as a tool that can help in enhancing their productivity in the workplace. On the other hand, the older employees are wary of change, especially those motivated by emerging technologies (Qasim 2014). They fear that their skills and experience may be rendered irrelevant by the introduction of these new concepts. Some of them even feel that they may lose their jobs if their firm introduces such technologies (Das and Dayal 2016). The significance of this study is that it will address these concerns and provide a way in which local firms can embrace emerging technologies without facing challenges associated with the generational gap. The researcher is hoping to develop a plan that can be used by local organizations in Qatar to embrace emerging technologies. The outcome of the study will be a simple document that will offer guidance to local firms facing various challenges with these technologies.
Literature Review
The relevance of emerging technologies on current firms is an area of knowledge that has attracted the attention of scholars for the past several decades. According to Al-Sada (2016), companies have come to appreciate the significance of emerging technologies on their ability to achieve success. In this section, the researcher seeks to review findings that other scholars have made in this field. The review will help to identify existing knowledge gaps that can be addressed through the collection of primary data (Karkouti 2016). The chapter identifies emerging technologies relevant to the local organizations in Qatar and the impact that they have. The generational gap that exists in these organizations and its impact on change management is also discussed. The chapter provides a theoretical analysis of the issue and identifies the knowledge gaps that exist in this study.
Emerging Technologies Relevant to Local Organizations
Qatar has witnessed an influx of local and international investors keen on tapping into the growing economy. The trend has led to a consistent increase in competition in the market as firms struggle to edge out their rivals (Kloppenborg 2015). Emerging technologies have proven critical in enabling these firms to achieve their goals in the local market. Hughes (2016) observes that one of the areas where technology has gained massive acceptance is in the field of communication technology. Companies are shifting from the use of traditional ways of communication to the new approaches based on social media platforms (Ahmed and Hamdan 2015). Hakim (2016) explains that the need for companies to get instant feedback from different stakeholders, especially employees and customers, has rendered traditional forms of communication such as letters irrelevant.
Facebook has become one of the most commonly used forms of communication for local companies in Qatar. When Facebook emerged as a social media platform, many business executives dismissed it as a tool only used by few college students to share information (Tawadrous, Antiado and Castillo 2016). However, the platform has become a major communication tool with over 2.45 billion users around the world (Biech 2016). Other social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter have also gained massive global popularity. Local companies have come to appreciate the significance of these platforms as means of communicating with customers. As Bleistein (2017) observes, these companies cannot afford to ignore these emerging technologies in their quest to maintain their competitive edge over their market rivals.
Impact of Emerging Technologies on Local Companies
The introduction of emerging technologies by local companies has had a significant impact on their operations. According to Hana (2015), one of the major impacts that these new technologies have had is improved internal and external communications. In the past, companies relied on internal memos to pass messages to their employees (Kotter 2014). However, that has since been replaced with other more efficient technology-based forms of communication, such as sharing the message on WhatsApp or employees’ Facebook page, as long as it is not a classified message (Fangel 2018). These new means of communication are fast, efficient, and cost-effective.
These new technologies have also helped these companies to communicate effectively with their customers. Jabri (2017) observes that in the past, it would take a long time for a company to conduct a market survey because it involved having a physical engagement with the targeted audience. However, the social media platform has made it easy to collect data from customers without the need to send enumerators to the field (Wang and Ahmed 2016). A local firm can use its official Facebook page or website to ask customers about their views relating to the product they offer, and changes that they believe are necessary (Huhtala et al., 2015). Using these online platforms not only cuts the cost but also saves a lot of time. The information obtained can then be used to improve the approach that these firms use to deliver their products to the market.
Generational Gap and Change Resistance
The generational gap has been seen as a major factor that often affects the implementation of emerging technologies in local firms within the country. According to Subramanian (2017), employees (including those in top managerial positions) are often classified as traditionalists, baby boomers, generation X, generation Y, Generation X (millennial), and generation Z. Traditionalists are those born before 1946, especially in between the First and Second World Wars (Nwankpa and Roumani 2014). The majority of them are retired, but the few who are still in the corporate world hold senior managerial positions (Andreoletti and Howard 2018). They are slow to change, and it may take a while to convince them to embrace new concepts. The next generation is the baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 (Choi, Jeong, and Lee 2014). A significant number of baby boomers have also retired, but those in the corporate world are senior managers.
Like the traditionalists, baby boomers are slow to change and often prefer using traditional methods, which are tried and tested to undertake their activities. The next is generation X, born between 1965 and 1976 (Gavidia 2017). The majority are in the middle to top managerial positions in their respective firms. Quinones and Tian (2016) explain that this generation has been playing a critical role in bridging the gap between the older generation and the new generation. They understand the hardworking nature of the baby boomers and their desire to embrace specific approaches to undertaking their tasks (Erlingsson and Brysiewicz, 2017). At the same time, they understand the restless nature of the younger generation and their enthusiasm towards new technologies. The millennial, also known as generation X, are individuals born between 1977 and 1997 (Clark 2017). Most of them are in mid-management positions and are often flexible to change. Generation Y, born after 1997, is just getting into the workplace (Andrea, Gabriella, and TÃmea 2016). Most of them hold junior managerial positions and are addicted to the use of emerging technologies, especially in the communication sector.
Theoretical Approaches
Scholars have developed different theories that organizations (both for-profit and non-profit making institutions) can use to introduce new technologies in their operations. In this study, the researcher is interested in Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Kurt Lewin’s change management model (Nwankpa and Roumani 2014). The TAM model focuses on how easily firms consider embracing new technologies based on their perception in terms of making the work easy and improving their performance (Al-Thani et al., 2018). It may be used by organizations to select technologies perceived to be useful. Lewin’s change model focuses on how firms can introduce change in a way that would lead to minimal resistance from the stakeholders. These two theoretical models will be discussed in detail in the research paper.
Knowledge Gaps
The review of the literature provided a detailed understanding of the implication of technology on Qatari organizations and ways in which these firms can embrace the emerging technologies. However, it was evident that that most of these sources focused on how technologies are applied by western organizations, especially in North America and parts of Europe. As such, it is important to collect data based on the local context to understand how the emerging technologies affect firms in Qatar and ways in which they can embrace new technological concepts without facing numerous challenges.
Research Aim and Questions
The primary aim of this study is to investigate the impact of using technology on organizations in Qatar. The research will specifically focus on the effect of using modern communication technologies on the success of local firms and ways they can address challenges associated with such undertakings. The following is the primary research question for the study:
What is the impact of using technology on Qatari organizations?
The researcher also developed supportive questions to help in this investigation. They include the following:
- How can organizations in Qatar use emerging technologies to improve internal and external ommunication?
- How can local firms eliminate resistance to change as a way of promoting the integration of technology in their normal operations?
- What is the role of different stakeholders in promoting change within an organization?
Research Design, Sampling, and Access
When planning to conduct research, one of the factors that have to be taken into consideration is the research design that would be used to collect and analyze primary data from respondents. The chosen design should be capable of meeting the set goals and objectives. In this study, the qualitative research design was considered most appropriate in explaining the impact of using technology in Qatari organizations. As Devi (2017) observes, qualitative research makes it possible to provide a detailed explanation of an issue under investigation. It allows the researcher to use open-ended questions during the process of collecting data, making it possible to get an elaborate answer to each question from the participants.
The method of choice is purely qualitative. Inductive reasoning will be used to develop knowledge in this study. The study will involve the use of longitudinal research, where data will be collected from specific individuals. Given the limited time available for the study, the researcher intends to have a small manageable sample of participants who will take part in the investigation. A judgmental sampling method will be used to identify individuals who will be part of the study. Bell, Bryman, and Harley (2018) note that this sampling method requires a researcher to select participants based on specific inclusion criteria. They have to meet the set criteria to be considered part of the study. A sample of 20 participants will be part of the primary data collection in the study. The main characteristic of these participants is that they should be in mid-management positions.
Data Collection Methods
When the required sample of participants has been identified, the next phase is to conduct the actual collection of data from them. The main instrument that will help in the data collection process is a questionnaire. The instrument will have semi-structured questions to help in the collection of data from the sampled participants (Worthington and Bodie 2017). The researcher intends to use phone interviews because of the tight schedule of some of the participants and the limited time within which the primary data had to be collected. The questionnaire will help in standardizing data from the participants.
Data Analysis Methods
After collecting primary data from sampled respondents, the next step is to conduct an analysis to interpret the information in a way that addresses the research question. In this qualitative research, the analysis will be conducted by identifying themes that address the research topic. The identified themes will be supported by direct quotes from the sampled respondents. These themes will reflect the impact of using technology on organizations in Qatar and the ways in which these organizations can embrace the emerging technologies without facing significant resistance from their employees.
Research Ethics
The researcher will be keen on observing ethical concerns in this study. According to Pruzan (2016), one of the main ethical requirements is to protect the identity of respondents. In a diversified environment, it is common to have cases where people have a different opinion over an issue. The problem is that some people are intolerant of diverse opinions. They can subject their colleagues to intimidations and unnecessary attacks because of the difference in opinion (Sekaran and Bougie 2016). As such, it is always advisable to ensure that the identity of the participants remains protected. The researcher will assign each respondent codes instead of using their actual names as a way of concealing their identity. The researcher also intends to seek permission from institutions whose employees will be a participant in the project.
The goal is to avoid cases where these organizations may subject their workers to punitive measures because of their involvement in this study. The researcher will explain the goal of the project to these employers and individual employees who will accept to provide the information needed. Kornish and Hutchison-Krupat (2016) state that it is an ethical requirement to follow the rules and regulations set by the school. In this project, the researcher will avoid all forms of academic malpractices. The report will be devoid of plagiarism. Information obtained from secondary sources will be referenced accordingly using the Harvard referencing method. It is also a requirement that the project should be completed and handed in within a specific time. The researcher will observe these rules and regulations.
Limitations of the Research
When conducting this research, it is necessary to appreciate the fact that there will be limitations that may affect the overall outcome of the study. Kumar (2014) advises that a researcher should identify anticipated limitations and then develop a plan that will be used to overcome them. The main limitation that the researcher expects in this study is the withdrawal of participants at the last minute and without prior notice. Some of these participants may have a wide range of factors that can make them withdraw from the study. Given the fact that participation is voluntary, these individuals will have the right to withdraw from participating in the study at any time. Whenever that happens, the researcher will have to find their replacements (Pauleen and Wang 2017).
The chosen design (qualitative methods) means that the investigation will not involve the use of statistics to explain the impact. Sometimes statistics may help to explain the magnitude of an impact, but this will be beyond the scope of this study. However, these limitations will not affect the validity, reliability, and generalisability of the study. The researcher will ensure that data is obtained from individuals with the right knowledge and experience on the issue being investigated to enhance the validity and reliability of data.
TimeLine
At this planning stage of the project, it is important to develop a timeline of activities that will be undertaken in this project. As shown in the Gantt chart below, the first activity is the development of the proposal that is expected to take about ten days. It may take about two weeks for the proposal to be approved. Literature review, on the other hand is a continuous process that starts with the proposal development until the time of writing the final document. When the plan is approved, the next phase is the collection of data from the sampled participants. The next activity is the analysis of the collected data. The final stage of this project is writing and proofing the document. The project is expected to be completed within three months.
Table 1: Gantt chart of timeline of activities in the project.
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