HND in Business
Managing a Successful Business Project
Research Proposal
Topic: Use of AI Technology and Factors Influencing the Adoption of AI tools: A Study of Lapinoz Pizza
Student Name:Cajitan DSouza
Student ID: NIL
Date: This Week
Table of Contents
Task 1a ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
- Evaluation of Project Life Cycle………………………………………………………………………………… 3
- Factor to Consider in the Project Management…………………………………………………………….. 4
- Evaluation of Data Collection Method ……………………………………………………………………….. 4
Task 1b ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5 - Explanation of the Research Topic …………………………………………………………………………….. 5
- Research Aim and Objectives ……………………………………………………………………………………. 5
- Scope and Limitations………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
- Data Collection Method ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
- Access to Organisation or Respondents ………………………………………………………………………. 6
- Resources and Cost Considerations ……………………………………………………………………………. 7
- Project Plan …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
- Risk Register …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
- Ethical Issues Approval Form ……………………………………………………………………………………. 8
References ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
Annex 1: Ethical issues approval form …………………………………………………………………………….. 10
Task 1a - Evaluation of Project Life Cycle
The project life cycle has five stages namely, ‘initiation’, ‘planning’, ‘execution’, ‘monitoring & control’ and ‘closure’.
Figure 1: Five Stage of Project Lifecycle
(Source: Mabelo, 2023)
Initiation: In this step, such aspects as the research problem, and feasibility (whether it is possible to investigate AI adoption in the work of Lapinoz Pizza or not) will be identified.
Planning: Planning stage outlines the scope, objectives, resources, timeline and ethical considerations of the project.
Execution:Execution consists in conducting interviews with the owners and the staff, gathering information regarding the current use and the adoption promoters of AI (Mabelo, 2023).
Monitoring & Control: To monitor the work-in-process of each level, a research log and contingency plan will be employed. The issues of interview delaying or an unknown response will be covered by backup dates and probing questions. In implementation, field notes and recordings will be used to be consistent. The progress of the project will be tracked with the help of a review on a weekly basis.
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Closure: This definite stage reflects on the learning process, summarises findings and gives recommendations on the application of AI (Ouabira and Fakhravar, 2021). - Factor to Consider in the Project Management Factors Details Purpose Understanding the impact of AI on Lapinoz Pizza’s operational efficiency and service delivery. Benefit Improves order processing, customer satisfaction, inventory accuracy, and cost control. Requirements Access to owners and staff for interviews; basic knowledge of current processes. Resources Interview guides, recording device, time, access permission from management. Time Schedule Interviews and data collection are expected to be completed in 5–7 days. Risk Interview refusal, unclear responses, tech failure during recording. Duration Estimated project duration: 10–12 weeks.
These are certain project constraints related to time, money, and quality. A condensed timescale requires proper planning; low costs require excellent resource utilisation. Explicit communication and the follow-ups will ensure the maintenance of quality. A balance between the above-mentioned variables can ensure the research is within schedule, financial budget and can deliver valid outcomes. - Evaluation of Data Collection Method
Surveys are inexpensive to conduct, can be applied very fast, and would be important in covering large samples, but there is a chance of biasness. The semi-structured interview provides genuine information and knowledge of a specific aspect but it is demanding on time and resources. The semi-structured interviews will be more suitable since Lapinoz is small in size and rich, contextual knowledge is required. This method of data collection allows discovering the view of the owner, the specifics of operations, and is optimal to draw the richness needed to analyze a small enterprise.
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The questions for the interview will be based on the purposes of the study and will be open-ended to get more detailed answers. Before the formal interviews start, they will be tested on a peer group to find any unclear or biassed questions. This pilot interview process will make things more reliable.
Task 1b - Explanation of the Research Topic
Lapinoz Pizza is a small restaurant in Harrow that serves pizza. Like many growing businesses, it is starting to look into artificial intelligence (AI) to make its operations run more smoothly and improve customer service (Mishra and Sharma, 2023; Lapinozpizza, 2025).
This study looks at how small businesses like Lapinoz can use AI technologies to cut costs, improve efficiency, and improve tasks like marketing, product management, and online shopping. The study looks at a real business case to try to understand how AI can be used in small businesses with limited resources.
The study will look at important factors that affect the use of AI, such as the costs of technology, how ready employees are, how much demand there is from customers, and how easy it is to find digital resources. These insights will make clear the pros and cons of using AI in small food businesses and offer practical advice on how to use it better and get better results. - Research Aim and Objectives
Aim: This study aims to examine the determinants that influence the usage and deployment of artificial intelligence technology by Lapinoz Pizza.
Objectives
• To ascertain the AI technologies that Lapinoz Pizza currently employs
• To examine the advantages and disadvantages associated with the adoption of artificial intelligence in small food enterprises
• To analyse the effect of internal (e.g., employee skills, digital readiness) and external factors (e.g., customer preferences, cost of implementation) on the utilisation of artificial intelligence
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• To propose certain methods for the seamless integration of AI technology - Scope and Limitations
This study conducts an analysis of the marketing, operations, and customer service strategies employed by a specific small enterprise, Lapinoz Pizza, with the aim of understanding the role of artificial intelligence within these domains. The objective was to restrict the topic matter in order to provide comprehensive insights. The sample size is limited, typically comprising only two owners and one or two staff members. Consequently, the findings may exhibit a deficiency in the depth that they could potentially possess. The findings of the study may lack generalisability to a wide range of firms, as the analysis was conducted over a limited time frame and focused specifically on small-scale food delivery services. To minimise these limitations, the results of this research will be compared with other scholarly studies and all the limitations will be properly elaborated in the final report. - Data Collection Method
The present study aims to conduct semi-structured interviews with the proprietors and selected employees of Lapinoz Pizza in order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of public attitudes towards AI technology. This strategy is particularly advantageous for small enterprises due to its inherent flexibility, ability to deliver comprehensive responses, and optimal effectiveness contingent upon key personnel possessing a thorough understanding of the system’s operations (Saharan et al., 2024). It is expected to conduct 5 semi-structured interviews with the owners and major employees, which will be chosen based on their job responsibilities, and technological usage. - Access to Organisation or Respondents
Lapinoz pizza owners, Dhaval Patel and Vijay Chaudhary, have accepted to participate in the interviews and also interview with other staff will be agreed with the Management. The fact that they grant them the right to gather information about them gives the researcher a chance to ask them directly and understand how the business can be run and how AI tools can be implemented. The interview process will be scheduled during the break or non-peak hours in the business to avoid disruptions. - Resources and Cost Considerations
The cost of the investigation is expected to be minimal due to the limited availability of resources. The researcher intends to document the discussions utilising either a mobile phone or a digital camera, both of which are already in their possession. The projected expenditure for the printing of authorisation forms or other essential documents is £10. The estimated cost associated with attending an interview at Lapinoz Pizza is approximately £30. The data will be manually transcribed and analysed, as no proprietary software will be utilised. For the purpose of local travel, £10-15 will be allocated, and £5 will be for printing purpose. The project is deemed suitable for a small-scale student research initiative, given the constraints of time and budget, as it is cost-effective and will amount to £60. - Project Plan
Number
Task
Start
Finish
Duration 1 Month
Introduction
This Week
2 weeks
Literature Review
This Week
2 weeks 3
Detail of Research Methodology
This Week
2 weeks 4
Contact Lapinoz Pizza & Confirm Access
This Week
2 weeks 5
Conduct Interviews (Data Collection)
This Week
2 weeks 6
Findings Analysis
This Week
Final Review and Submission Preparation
this month
1 week
The process of each task will be monitored via a weekly logbook of milestones. The delays or setbacks will be recorded and the schedule will incorporate contingency time that can be used in adjustments. - Risk Register
Risk
Probability
Impact
Size
Mitigation
Residual Risk
8
No access to computer or recording device 2 3 6 Ensure access by preparing backup devices (e.g., mobile phone) 1
Low response rate from owners/staff
2
3
6
Schedule interviews in advance and send reminders
2 Biased responses due to small interview pool 1 3 3 Use open-ended questions and cross-check with secondary sources 1
Misunderstanding of AI-related questions
1
2
2
Simplify questions and explain terms during interviews
1 Data loss or recording failure 1 3 3 Back up data immediately after each interview 1
Above-mentioned risks will be properly monitored on a weekly basis. New risks will be added as well as developed clear mitigation strategies. - Ethical Issues Approval Form
Ethical considerations form a core aspect of the research process in guaranteeing the rights of participants and the integrity of a study. All the data should be collected after the ethical approval has been achieved by filling the Ethical Issues Approval Form and submitting the form. This is to involve getting informed consent of all the participants to ensure their right of withdrawal, anonymity, confidentiality, and the responsibility of handling data as required by GDPR and institutional policies. Any such risks that would affect the participants should be noted and addressed (Drolet et al., 2023).
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References
Drolet, M.J., Rose-Derouin, E., Leblanc, J.C., Ruest, M. and Williams-Jones, B., 2023. Ethical issues in research: Perceptions of researchers, research ethics board members and research ethics experts. Journal of Academic Ethics, 21(2), pp.269-292. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10805-022-09455-3.pdf
Lapinozpizza, (2025). Lapino’z Pizza. Our Story. [Online] Available at: https://lapinozpizza.in/our-story [Accessed on: 24th July, 2025]
Mabelo, P.B., (2023). Risk management and project life cycle. PM World Journal, 12(6), pp.1-12. https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/pmwj130-Jun2023-Mabelo-Risk-Management-and-Project-Lifecycle-2.pdf
Mishra., A and Sharma., M, (2023). ‘Artificial Intelligence and its impact on different business functions,’ [Online], Available At: https://managementdynamics.researchcommons.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1328&context=journal [Accessed On: 21st July, 2025]
Ouabira, M.M. and Fakhravar, H., (2021). Effective project management and the role of quality assurance throughout the project life cycle. European Journal of Engineering and Technology Research, 6(5). https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1061&context=emse_fac_pubs
Saharan, V.A., Kulhari, H., Jadhav, H., Pooja, D., Banerjee, S. and Singh, A., (2024). Introduction to research methodology. In Principles of Research Methodology and Ethics in Pharmaceutical Sciences (pp. 1-46). CRC Press. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003088226-1/introduction-research-methodology-vikas-anand-saharan-hitesh-kulhari-hemant-jadhav-deep-pooja-surojit-banerjee-anupama-singh
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Annex 1:Ethical issues approval form
It is very important that your research is carried out in an ethically acceptable manner. Please indicate how you will be addressing relevant ethical issues concerning your research. If you tick No for any of the questions, please provide an explanation of how you intend to address this issue at the bottom of the table.
Yes
No
N/A
The research participants
The research will not involve children under 18 or adults with known health, mental or social problems
The research will not cause physical or psychological harm to any participant or other person
The research will not involve any payment, gift or inducement being given to anyone
The research will not involve any actual or potential conflict of interest
The research will not involve withholding relevant information or misleading participants
The research will not give rise to any potential risk of harm or distress to myself
The research process
I have already obtained permission from a responsible individual in the chosen organisation in order to carry out my primary research there and/or to use other data and facilities in connection with my research1
I will seek and obtain written informed consent from all participants before conducting interviews or focus groups
I will provide adequate information for participants in a questionnaire survey so that they can make an informed decision whether or not to participate
I will ensure participant data, including recordings, is treated confidentially and stored securely during the research project and is destroyed once my final module result has been confirmed
I will preserve the anonymity of, and information about, informants unless they give their express permission in advance
1 If you do not already have access agreed, you need to confirm that you will provide the organisation being researched with a written proposal for the project outlining the problem to be investigated, the intended method of investigation and the access/help sought from the organisation.
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I will not name any individuals in my assignment(s) where this may potentially cause them harm or problems
I will respect the right of participants to withdraw their co-operation without notice or reason at any stage
Use and publication
The findings from my research will be used solely for the purposes of the assignment(s) on this module and will not be used for any other purpose without the written approval of DGHE and the organisation which is the subject of the research
I will not publish my final research or use data collected during the research project without first gaining the written consent of DGHE and the organisation where the primary research was conducted
Honesty and integrity
I will act at all times honestly and in such a way as not to reflect discredit on the college, its staff or students; and not to cause distress, embarrassment or unpleasantness to any party whether before, during or following contact with them
I will not make up my results: all my data will be collected by me and be presented honestly
I will cite sources correctly and not plagiarise other authors’ work
Confirmation by the student
In signing this research ethics application form, I am also confirming that
Primary research must not begin until ethical approval has been granted.
• The form is accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.
• When I carry out the research, I will fully honour the commitments made in this approval form (unless any change has first been given specific approval by my teacher/supervisor).
• I understand that the project, including research records and data, may be subject to inspection if required in future.
Full Name of Applicant: Cajitan DSouza
Student ID number:01019180
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