Neha Dissertation Proposal

8/12/2019 Neha Dissertation Proposal

1/19

Dissertation Proposal

Page 1


2/19


Dissertation

Proposal on:

Branding

Influence of Brand

Image on consumer

loyalty

A Case of MARKS AND SPENCER

Presented By,

Neha Upadhyay

June 2014

Page 2


3/19


Table o Contents

Table of Contents........................................................................................................................3

Research Question:..................................................................................................................... 9

Research Objectives:................................................................................................................. 10

Research Methodolo!:............................................................................................................. 10

"ata Collection and "ata #nal!sis:............................................................................................1$

%thical and &ractical Consideration: ..........................................................................................1'

(antt chart:................................................................................................................................ 1'

Conclusion:................................................................................................................................1)

References:...............................................................................................................................1)

Title:

Influence of Brand Image on consumers buying decision making and consumer loyalty: A Case

of A!"# A$% #&'$C'! #I&() *++%

Ba!"gro#nd:

Page 3


4/19


,-e c-anging business en.ironment -as made com/anies to s-ift focus from being a /roduct

dri.en to a more consumer dri.en focus +ne of t-e key factors for success of any business today

is its knoledge of consumers buying be-a.ior "otler3 15 In t-is -ig-ly com/etiti.e and

.olatile market com/anies try different strategies in #u//ly C-ain anagement3 6uman resource

management3 &ricing3 Branding and ot-ers to get t-at com/etiti.e edge o.er ot-ers "oont7 and

8ei-ric-3 20095 +ut of t-ese branding -as been one of t-e latest management tec-niue ado/ted

by businesses

&re.ious studies conducted by !eic-eld and #aser3 10 and !eic-eld and %etrick3 200; s-o

t-at a business /rofit could be increased u/ to Branding refers to any name3 term3 sign3 symbol or design or a

combination of t-ese3 intended to identify t-e goods and ser.ices of one seller or grou/ of seller

and to differentiates t-em from t-ose of com/etitios? 8-eeler 2005 furt-er e@tends "otlers

definition and states >A Brand is a /ersons gut feeling about a /roduct3 ser.ice or a com/any?

(ou 20095 belie.es t-at a brand is any com/anys in.isible guarantee t-at t-e /roduct or

ser.ices ill meet consumers need and e@/ectation

,-e abo.e definitions gi.e a t-eoretical e@/lanation of branding In common sense according to

t-e researc-er branding is as sim/le as naming and t-e im/ortance of branding to t-e com/any

Page $


5/19


can be meta/-orically e@/lained by understanding -o im/ortant it is for a fat-er to gi.e name

to -is c-ild ,-e name ould re/resent t-e c-ild for -is lifetime It ould create t-at first

im/ression in /eo/les mind for -im It ould gi.e an o.erall s-a/e to -is /ersonality It can be

better e@/lained it- t-e -el/ of folloing diagram:

8it- t-e groing com/le@ity of business brand today is not only an identity and a name but also

its a central idea by -ic- com/anies try to attract its target customers In ot-er ords

com/anies create brands to connect emotionally3 become irre/laceable and create a long term

Page '

Co*+an

!

%ntre+reneu

rs

,nvestors


6/19


relations-i/ it- t-e customers In modern marketing brand -as become t-e only factor t-at

differentiates com/anys /roducts offered for buying (e.it3 19;5 6ealey3 20095 states t-at

branding can actually strengt-en com/anys re/utation3 ensures uality and encourage loyalty

,ill no t-e abo.e .ies on branding ere only in conte@t it- consumers and its /erce/tion

toards com/anies /roducts and ser.ices but3 Bac- 200


7/19


,aking t-is argument furt-er "otler 15 states t-at branding -el/s in formation of a dee/er

emotional bond beteen organi7ation and end users of com/anies /roducts +nce t-e end users

are able to connect it- t-ese si@ dimensions it influences t-eir decision making /rocess

Brandings Influence on Customers Buying Be-a.iour:

8-en e alk out on a -ig- street e see different s-o/s some it- familiar name and logo

-ile ot-ers e.en t-oug- t-ey -a.e been t-ere for uite some time3 t-ey are .ery ne to us and

e fail to recogni7e t-em 8-y a middle class orking em/loyee ould easily alk in a &rimark

#tore but -esitate to alk in an Armani #-oroom It is because of t-e image t-at brand -ascreated in consumers mind ,-e de.elo/ment of suc- brand image is result .arious factors like

/roduct design3 /rices3 /ackaging3 customer ser.ice and t-e o.erall brand e@/erience t-at a

consumer recei.es -en -e alks in to t-e store But t-e results generated by com/anies by

ado/ting Branding as a marketing strategy -as been -ig-ly debatable +ne set of management

e@/erts belie.e t-at branding does not influences consumer be-a.ior &roducts and ser.ices

offered by t-e com/any are more im/ortant t-at its name and t-us does not /ro.ides any

com/etiti.e edge ay3 200 and Dreenlad E "-an 200F5 8-ereas ot-ers belie.e t-at

branding -el/s to connect emotionally it- t-eir target consumer -ic- influences t-eir buying

be-a.ior

Assael 195 differentiates consumer buying be-a.ior into four different /atterns -ic- could

be e@/lained it- t-e -el/ of folloing diagram

'igh (n%ol%e)ent $o& (n%ol%e)ent

Page )


8/19


Signii!an!e dieren!e

bet&een brands

Com/le@ Buying Be-a.ior ariety #eeking Buying

be-a.ior

*e& Dieren!e bet&een

brands

%issonanceGreducing Buying

Be-a.ior

6abitual Buying Be-a.ior

#ource: Assael3 19F5

Consumers -o are -ig-ly in.ol.ed in /urc-asing and tend to gat-er information on .arious

brands a.ailable in t-e market so as to facilitate t-eir final decision alays s-o a com/le@

buying be-a.ior in t-e beginning but later on de.elo/ a /ositi.e attitude toards t-e /roducts

t-ey buy

Consumers #-oing %issonanceGreducing buying be-a.ior ould -a.e -ig- in.ol.ement in/urc-asing but unlike consumers s-oing com/le@ buying be-a.ior t-ey differentiate less

beteen .arious brands instead belie.e in de.elo/ing t-eir on o/inion based in t-eir

e@/erience

&eo/le -o -a.e lo in.ol.ement in /urc-asing but are keen in different brands a.ailable in t-e

market ould tend to s-o a more .ariety seeking buying be-a.ior 8-ereas /eo/le it- least

in.ol.ement and interest in different brands and t-eir s/ecialty ould dis/lay a .ery -abitualbuying be-a.ior Assael3 19F5

Branding and Customer (oyalty:

Brand loyalty is de.elo/ed because of a strong brand image of t-e com/any $eguyen E

(eBlank3 195 and t-is brand image could be e.aluated by Hudging o.erall attitude ofconsumers toards t-e organi7ation Brand loyalty could be Hudged on to /arameters:

Be-a.ioral

Page


9/19


Attitudinal

,-ere are more t-an dee/ly -eld commitment to rebuy or

re/atroni7e /referred /roductser.ices consistently in t-e future3 t-ereby causing re/etiti.e same

brand or same brand set /urc-asing3 des/ite situational influence and marketing efforts -a.ing

t-e /otential to cause sitc-ing be-a.ior?

,-e Attitudinal a//roac- consists of customers inclination3 buying intent and commitment

#ome aut-ors like #ing-aniaa 2005 belie.e t-at a mi@ed a//roac- is most suitable to describe

brand loyalty of customers

Resear!h +#estion:

Based on t-e /reliminary literature re.ie folloing researc- uestion and researc- obHecti.es

-as been set

1 ,-e researc- aims to e@amine if a brand image influences consumers buying decision and

t-eir loyalty toards a /articular brand

2 ,o identify .arious brand management tec-niues ado/ted by A!"# A$% #&'$C'!

#I&() *++% to differentiate itself from t-e com/etitors

; ,o e.aluate .arious factors taken in to consideration for de.elo/ing a desired brand

image

Page 9


10/19


4 %oes brand influences consumer decision making


11/19


#ource: #aunders et al 200;5

According to #aunders et al 200;5 entire !esearc- et-odology could be di.ided in to fi.e

different layers:

!esearc- &-iloso/-y

!esearc- A//roac-

!esearc- #trategy

,ime 6ori7on

Page 11


12/19


%ata Collection

,-is !esearc- et-odology of t-is dissertation is constructed on t-e basis of saunders et al

200;5 researc- onion and is e@/lained as follos:

Resear!h Philosophy:

,-ere are t-ree main ty/e of researc- /-iloso/-y: &ositi.ism3 Inter/reti.ism and !ealism 'ac-

of t-is /-iloso/-y -as its on ay of de.elo/ing t-e knoledge It is .ery im/ortant to select an

a//ro/riate /-iloso/-y as it sets u/ t-e direction of t-e researc- #aunders et al 200;5

*or t-e current researc- ork t-e researc-er ould ado/t /ositi.ism /-iloso/-y As /er/ositi.ist /-iloso/-y any /-enomenon could be e@/lained it- scientific reasoning and results

generated could be used for future generali7ation #ince t-e researc- is carried to understand

influence of brand image on consumer loyalty and buying decision making /rocess It is belie.ed

t-at t-e branding as a /-enomenon could be e@/anding it- scientific reasoning and could be

used for future generali7ation oos 200


13/19


t-e researc- more de/endable cressell 145 #areneimi 2005 also used same a//roac- in -is

researc- %estination Branding

Resear!h Strategy:

!esearc- #trategies could be e@/lained as tools t-at a researc-er em/loy to find solution to a

researc- /roblem ,-e .arious strategies t-at could be ado/ted are '@/eriment3 #ur.ey3

Drounded ,-eory3 't-nogra/-y3 Action !esearc- and Case #tudy #aunders et al3 200;5 In t-is

dissertation case study and uestionnaire are t-e to strategies used3 in line it- t-e ado/tion of

bot- inducti.e and deducti.e a//roac- ,-e ado/ted researc- strategy seems a//ro/riate as

#ing-aania 2005 and (ou 20095 also used t-ese strategies -en t-ey studied branding and its

im/lication on .arious organi7ational acti.ities

Ti)e 'ori2on:

According to #aunders et al 200;5 t-ere are to ty/es of time -ori7on for a researc- ork:(ongitudinal and Cross #ectional (ongitudinal time -ori7on e@/lains and e@amines a /articular

/-enomenon and its im/act o.er a /eriod of time and crossGsectional time -ori7on is focuses on a

/articular moment

In t-is researc- ork longitudinal time -ori7on is ado/ted as effect of brand image is seen o.er a

/eriod of time and it /lays a .ery crucial role in creation of brand loyalty

Page 13


14/19


Data Colle!tion and Data Analysis:

#am/ling:

#am/ling is a tec-niue t-at is used by researc-er to collect t-e most a//ro/riate data from t-e

-uge /o/ulation under consideration #am/ling is generally done in to ays &robability and

$on &robability ,-e /o/ulation consists of all t-e customers of A!"# A$% #&'$C'!

#I&() *++% A sam/le si7e of 100 customers ould be selected from t-e .icinity of

different stores located at 8estfield #tratford53 8estfield #-e/ards Bus-5 +@ford #treet and

friends and relati.es -o s-o/ from A!"# A$% #&'$C'! #I&() *++% ,-is ould be

done on t-e basis of /ur/osi.e sam/ling ,-e /artici/ants selected ould be belo ;< years of

age as target customers of A!"# A$% #&'$C'! #I&() *++% is young generation ,-e

sur.ey ould be conducted it- t-e -el/ of self administered uestionnaire

(ikert #cale:,-e researc-er aims to use fi.e /oint (ikert scale collect data ,-e #cale ould

contain folloing fi.e /oints it- eac- res/onse -a.ing a numerical .alue:

1#trongly %isagree3 2%isagree3 ;$eutral3 4Agree3


15/19


Ethi!al and Pra!ti!al Consideration:

All t-e /artici/ants must /artici/ate .oluntarily

Care must be taken t-at /artici/ants liking and confidentiality is res/ected

All t-e /artici/ants s-ould be made a.ailable it- t-e co/y of results /roduced from t-e

researc- ork

,-e contact information of all t-e /artici/ants s-ould be /rotected and ke/t confidential

,-e researc- s-ould be not influenced by any /ersonal bias

,-e researc- s-ould be conducted in suc- a manner t-at t-e researc-er is able to

com/lete it in time it- t-e limited a.ailable funds

Kse of ## s-ould be done diligently

3antt !hart:

Ti)e4

A!ti%ity

8eek1

21G2

$o.

8eek 2

2F$o.G

4 %ec

8eek;


16/19


aims and

obHecti.es

#elect

!esearc-

et-ods

&re/aringLuestionnaire

%ata

Collection

#tudying

Case of

A!"#A$%

#&'$C'!

#I&()

*++%

&re/aring 1st

%raft

!e.ise %raft

&rint and

Bind

#ubmission

Page 1-


17/19


Con!l#sion:

,-e literature re.ie on t-e current to/ic under consideration s-o t-at t-ere are contradictory

.ies on t-e influence of brand image on consumer buying decision making -ic- leads to

consumer loyalty toards a /articular brand +ne set of researc-er belie.e t-at branding is Hust

an in.estment and Hust /roduces return on in.estment Hust like ot-er assets of t-e firm 8-ile t-eot-er set of researc-ers belie.e t-at unlike ot-er assets branding and creating a [email protected] brand

image in consumers mind touc-es t-e emotional cord of t-e consumers and consumers start

relating to t-e com/any and its /roducts emotionally -ic- ultimately leads to t-eir loyalty

toards t-at brand ,-is !esearc- ould -el/ to deduce relations-i/ beteen brand image and

consumer loyalty in an e@/licit manner

Reeren!es:

Assael3 6 195 Customer Be-a.iour and arketing Action3 9 t-edn Boston: "ent &ublis-ing

(td

Page 1)


18/19


Ader3 J 20095Advising on Research Methods $et-erland: Centraal Boek-uis

Bac-3 # 200


19/19


ay3 ! 2005 !Why Branding isn$t a source of Competitive Advantage.$ A.ailable at:

-tt/:business/unditcom-yGbrandingGisntGaGsourceGofGcom/etiti.eGad.antage

MAccessed: 1t-$o.ember 2011N

oos3 " 200he mediating role of corporate image on customers$retention decisions: An investigation in financial services3? International Journal of Bank

arketing3 1253 // /ero defections: 0uality comes to services3? 6ar.ard Business

!e.ie3 9

Neha Dissertation Proposal

Documents

Transcript of Neha Dissertation Proposal