Dr. Lowes Besudo An Investigation of the Relationship between Use of Smartphones and Impact on Productivity of Young Professionals in Mauritius By VauistTaBve CHANGER Research Proposal submitted in partial fulflnent of the requirements for the degree of | Master of Business Admit inthe | Department of Business Studies Management College of Southern Aisa 201TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 2. Research Context: Background, Research Problem. ‘im of the Study 5 Research Objectives © Research Questions 7 Significance of the Study. 8 Literature Review 81 TheSmartghone - 182 TheSmartghone os an Extension othe Offee nn. 83 ThelmpactotSmanhone Usige on Producti... 84. TheRepercusions of Uninterupted Connection tothe Office on Employes. 25 otentialimprovements to Smartphone Usage. 86 Conclusion. 9 Research Design and Methodology, 9.1 Research Methodology 92 Samping state. - 93 ata Collection ntrumants 94 pata Analy : - 95 Plot study 2 . 40 Ethical ConsWerations 41 Chapter Organisation 12 Proposed Time-Table. 13. Bibliography ‘Appendices. ‘Append: Draft of Covering Letter. 7 ‘Append 8: Draft Questionnaire -TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: ProductoLIST OF ACRONYMS (CRM: Customer Relationship Management ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning GPS: Global Positioning System VPN: Virtual Private Network ‘SME: Small and Medium Enterprises4. INTRODUCTION ‘The smartphone is special mobile phone with computer capabilties and internet connectivty (Charlesworth, 2009: 32), The smartphone is one of the ‘most popular inventions of this century. In fact, aocording to Dow Theory (2011: 1), global smartphone soles have gone up to more than 100 milion Units, 85% higher than year-earler numbers. ‘The smartphone is increasingly becoming an important tool for work 2s well. In the United States, according to the 2010 Mobile Device, Management and Security Survey, 21 percent of companies have mote than haf of their ‘employees using smartphones (Riedy, Beros and Wen, 2011: 3). Companies in Mauris are also following the trend; they are also investing in ‘smartphones for their employeos, with the aim of allowing the latter to stay ‘connected to office. This has given rise to the phenomenon of mobile office. The concept of mobile office refers to having the abilty fo work from anywhere, that is, check emails and access business applications, even hile being away from the office; for instance on client sites, while traveling cor at home, Howover, though empoyers understandably seo the smartphone as a produciviy tool, question remains as to whether this uniniemupled ~~ connecvty actly enhances employee produc or leads to burnout ‘and @ fal n actual productive output This study wil investigate the relationship between usage of smartphone and productivity of young professionals in Maurtus. The background to the problem wil be discussed; the alms and objectives will be laid out, folowed by iterature review and the chosen research methodology. Thereafter, therewill be recommendations about how smartphone usage could be improved in order to increase the level of productiviy in a company and make investment In smartphones a profitable strategy for companies. 2 RESEARCH CONTEXT: BACKGROUND ‘The concept of mobile office has become possible due to advances in technology. One significant factor having enabled this is the fact that today’s company is fully digitsed whereby all data is stored and manipulated digitally. Thus, the first mobile worker was originally equipped with a laptop Contining some of the data and enterprise applications that he nestled to ‘work from home. Intemet connections which allowed access to corporate networks were another big advancement for mobile workers. Today, wireless Intomet connections and the smartphone allow an employee to have access to his office items, even while standing in a supermarket. For instance, he ‘can get a noliication on his smartphone the moment he receives an emai, ‘and he can road that emai, without having to turn en his laptop or even sit down, ‘According to 0{2010: 29), Mass-based market research firm IDC predicts that by 2013, mobile workers, be they work-athome types, parttime office donizens or on-the-go specialists wil number almost 1.2 billon, oF 36% of the global workforce, up from 919 milion in 2008. In Mauritius, key employees slroady receive laptops to work at home and a ‘mobile phone to stay in contact with the office. Gradually, Mauritian femployees are being given a smartphone instead of the regular mobile phone.Management of many companies are providing smartphones to cettaln of their employees, so that they can stay in contact with ther employees even after office hours, increase worker productivity and improve custamer service by keeping employees accessible and able o respond to customer problems and concoms (Lutlenegge, 2010: 259), In companies where there is litle regulations, regarding the use of outside tools, professionals are even using their own personal smartphones to check their office emails and gain access to certain office information when they are notin office, Moreover, with the rise of the Business Process Outsourcing sector In Mauritius, there has been a shit from conventional 40 hours week to 24/7 service. Companies in the Call Centre work on a shift system, whereby employees in tum mobilise in the office fo be avatable to customers on a 24 hours basis ther companies Ike those in the Information Technology Outsourcing ‘sector or the financial sector generally do not work on a shift system. However, because they work with customers and colleagues (often known as intemal customers) in various countries located in different time zones, i Is very essential thet certain key employees should be roaclly avallable ‘whenever the customers or colleagues need them to answer urgent queries, ‘solve critical issues immediately or complete some tasks under short notice. ‘The success of such companies in Mauritius primarily depends on the latter’ abilly to provide prompt response to their external and intemal customer, The smariphone therefore becomes an essential tool to achieve that because employees can stl atend to any urgent emails or asks even when athey are away from office, doing some personal work, or after regular office hours, or during weekends, However, smartphone usage for work may result in various problems. Firstly, studies carried out in other countries have shown that employees spend Considerable time using social network while they shoul be working and as ‘such do loss workin a lapse of time compared to when they did not have any smariphone. Also, employees could delay some work that they could hhave done during office hours because they know that they would have ‘access to the necessary data and email lator on. This habit could lead to a decrease in productivity. Such uninterrupted connection to work could be the cause of stress, bumout, health problems and family problems, al of which ‘could contribute to an overall decrease in the employee productivity. This study wil therefore dwell on the relationship between smartphone usage and employee productivity. uo 3. RESEARCH PROBLEM ‘This research explores the relationship between smartphone usage and ‘omployee productivity. Companias are providing smariphones to their Key ‘employees in order to increase the laters’ productvty. However, employee productivity may in fact be negatively impacted by the use of smartphones for many various reasons. Thus, the purpose of this research is to investigate the actual contibution of smartphone usage on the productive ‘output of young professionals in Mauritius. The results of the study will provide Mauritian employers with an indication of the effectiveness of the mobile office solution in driving employee producti 12 employee pr ty a4 AIM OF THE STUDY ‘The aim of ths research isto investigate the relationship between the use of ‘smartphones and impact on productivity of young professionals in Maurits. 5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES + To vesgol ho inpect of snapone spa’ on yng professionals’ productivity. ae + Toompethenporansofonpbyee ware stn 6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS a From the above research objectives, the following research questions have been derived!