With their great effort in helping us, we would like to express our gratitude to; Ms Marianne Bjarstad and Ms Silje Kotte at Bik Bok for providing us with essential information throughout
the project, their financial support and collaboration. Last but not least, we would like to thank Mr Peter Williams for his encouragement, guidance and experience.
______________________________
Caroline Ellis
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Helle Berg Sørensen
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Magnus Andersen Vyrje
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Tina Pham
LIST OF FIGURES ... 8
LIST OF TABLES ... 9
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ... 10
CHAPTER 1-INTRODUCTION ... 13
1.1 Company History ... 13
1.2 Bik Bok’s Products ... 14
1.2.1 Designer Collaborations ... 14
1.2.2 Fast Fashion ... 15
1.3 Business objectives in the UK market ... 15
1.3.1 Project scope ... 15
1.3.1 Research Objectives ... 15
1.4 Market Overview ... 16
1.4.1 The current situation of the UK market ... 16
1.4.2 Current suppliers in the market place ... 16
1.4.3 Leading Companies in the UK market ... 17
1.4.4 Future trends in the UK market ... 17
CHAPTER 2–LITERATURE REVIEW ... 19
2.1 A Theoretical Framework ... 19
2.2 Concepts and theories ... 25
2.2.1 Segmentation ... 25
2.2.2 Positioning and Differentiation ... 26
2.2.4 Retailing ... 29
2.2.5 Marketing Communication ... 31
2.2.6 External Analysis ... 33
2.2.7 Internal Analysis ... 36
2.2.8 SWOT analysis ... 38
CHAPTER 3–METHODOLOGY... 40
3.1 Introduction ... 40
3.2 The Research Process ... 40
3.2.1 Primary Research ... 43
3.3.1 Research That Obtains Quantitative Data ... 43
3.3.2 Research That Obtains Qualitative Data ... 44
3.4 Chosen Research Methods ... 45
3.4.1 Primary Research ... 46
3.4.2 Secondary research ... 48
3.5 Reliability and Validity ... 49
3.6 Research Ethics ... 50
4.1 Introduction ... 52
4.2 Observation ... 52
4.2.1 The Clothing Retailers in Leeds ... 52
4.2.2 Competition Overview in London ... 52
4.3 Semi-structured Interviews ... 53
4.3.1 Interview with Silje Kotte ... 53
4.4 Survey-research ... 54
4.4.1 Target segments of Bik Bok, Oxford Street, London ... 55
4.4 Limitations ... 57
CHAPTER 5–EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ANALYSIS ... 59
5.1 External Analysis ... 59
5.1.1 PESTEL Analysis ... 59
5.1.2 Porter’s Five Forces ... 66
5.2 Internal Analysis ... 70
5.2.1 The Bakka Framework ... 70
5.2.2 The Bakka Model Applied to BikBok ... 70
5.2.2 The Value Chain ... 73
5.2.3 Key and Critical Success Factors ... 75
5.3 SWOT Analysis of Bik Bok, UK ... 77
5.3.1 Strengths ... 77
5.3.2 Weaknesses... 77
5.3.3 Opportunities ... 78
5.3.4 Threats ... 79
CHAPTER 6–THE BRAND ... 82
6.3 Positioning ... 83
6.4 Differentiation ... 83
6.5 The Consumer Decision Making Process ... 84
6.6 Branding ... 86
6.6.1 The Brand ... 86
6.6.2 Brand Identity ... 86
6.6.3 Brand Image ... 87
6.6.4 Brand Pyramid ... 87
6.6.5 Marketing Communication ... 88
CHAPTER 7–THE STORE CONCEPT ... 91
7.1 Retail Management ... 91
7.2 Store Layout ... 91
7.2.1 The External Design... 91
CHAPTER 8-RECOMMENDATIONS ... 94
8.1 Adapt to the Market ... 94
8.1.1 Ethics ... 94
8.1.2 An Increase in Sizes ... 94
8.2 Differentiation ... 94
8.2.1 Customer Service ... 94
8.2.2 Scandinavian Concept ... 95
8.3 Store Layout ... 95
8.3.1 External and Internal Store Environment ... 95
8.4 Marketing Communication... 96
8.4.1 Digital and Social Media ... 96
8.4.2 Celebrity Endorsement ... 97
8.4.3 E-commerce ... 98
8.4.4 M-commerce ... 98
8.5 Action plan for the recommendations ... 98
CHAPTER 9–CONCLUSION ... 100
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 102
APPENDICES ... 112
Appendix 1 – The Different Bik Bok Brands ... 112
Appendix 2 – Market Leaders in the UK Clothing Industry ... 113
Appendix 4 – Research Intelligence ... 115
Appendix 5 – Observation Rapport, Leeds ... 117
Appendix 6 – Observation Rapport, London ... 120
Pictures of Surrounding Clothing Retailers in Oxford Street ... 122
The Exterior and Interior Store Layout of Bik Bok, Oxford Street ... 124
Appendix 7 – Interview with Silje Kotte, Bik Bok ... 130
Appendix 8 – Questionnaire form – Target Segments ... 134
Appendix 9 – Findings – Target Segments ... 136
Appendix 10 – Survey Form – Brand Perception ... 146
Appendix 11 – Findings – Brand Perception ... 147
Appendix 12 - Limitations ... 149
Appendix 13 – Consumer expenditure on clothing ... 150
Appendix 14 – The Service Hand ... 151
Appendix 15 – SWOT Analysis – BIK BOK UK... 152
Appendix 16 – Recommended Action Plan ... 153
Figure 2.1 – Possible influences on the decision making process 16 Figure 2.2 – Consumer as a “Black Box”: A Behaviourist Perspective on Learning 20
Figure 2.3 – The Brand Pyramid 26 Figure 2.4 – Marketing Communication to build Brand Equity 30
Figure 2.5 – The External Analysis Process 30
Figure 2.5 – Porter’s Five Forces 31 Figure 2.6 – The Value Chain 34
Figure 3.1 – The Research Process 37 Figure 5.1 – Population by gender and age 58 Figure 5.2 – Revenue contributions from the different markets 2010 68
Figure 5.3 – Bik Bok’s Organization Chart 69
Table 1.1 – Retailer Categorisation 13
Table 2.1 – Influencing Factors 17
Table 2.2 – Consumer’s Sources 19
Table 2.3 – Key issues of retailers 27
Table 2.4 – The Marketing Communication Mix 29
Table 3.1 – Benefits and Limitations of Secondary Data 39
Table 3.2 – Benefits and Limitations with Primary Data 40
Table 3.3 – Quantitative and Qualitative Data 41
Table 3.4 – Reliability Questions 46
Table 3.5 – Forms of Validity 46
Table 5.1 – The Bakka Framework 67
Table 5.2 – Bik Bok’s KSFs 73
Table 5.3 – Bik Bok’s CFS 73
This report has been conducted in cooperation with Bik Bok, a Norwegian fast-fashion retail chain for young females. The company established their operations in the UK market in 2005, and conducts their business in Oxford Street, London. Due to a lacklustre performance and ineffective operations, an aim has been identified to make the existing London store more profitable and increase Bik Bok’s brand awareness in the UK market.
In order to acquire information to answer the research aims and objectives, the research process was conducted in a step by step manner. By collecting secondary and primary data, important intelligence has been identified. Through a semi-structured interview with Bik Bok’s store manager, a deeper insight has been obtained into the UK retail market, how the store operates, the brand and their marketing activities. Additionally, structured interviews in written formats, observations and surveys have been executed to acquire the latest data regarding their customers.
The most important findings from our primary research have been identified as the following. The demographics of the store’s customers show great diversity regarding age.
Moreover, the main respondents were British people living in the London area and tourists, primarily from Norway. Furthermore, a majority of the customers were first time shoppers at Bik Bok, which implies that Bik Bok has low brand awareness in the UK market.
Through extensive market research, the authors of the report have been able to obtain a deeper insight into Bik Bok’s external and internal environment. The UK is considered an attractive and “low risk” country to conduct business in. After the recession, the country’s economy is experiencing a slow recovery, which has led to an increase in customer
purchasing power. In terms of social aspects, the country has high standards of living and education. Moreover, their infrastructure regarding the telecommunication system is of a high quality and a majority of the inhabitants have access to the Internet. Sustainable development is additionally of high importance in the UK. Furthermore, local legislation is of high importance for Bik Bok, hence business tax rates and the congestion charge policy
The competitive clothing retail environment in the UK is characterised by strong rivalry, however there is still considered to be room for small competitors. Combined with the growth in the womenswear sector, this indicates the attractiveness of the industry.
Moreover, the internal analysis highlights that Bik Bok has great customer service;
nonetheless, their marketing communication is not giving high priority towards the UK market. Hence, an increase in marketing efforts and a high priority on marketing from the headquarters is imperative for Bik Bok to become more profitable in the UK market.
By focusing on branding and promotional material Bik Bok can convince the market of its superior merchandise. The main marketing strategy has been identified as “direct and interactive marketing” to increase customer awareness and brand equity. Moreover, Bik Bok should exploit the opportunities that lie in celebrity endorsement by promoting the guest collection by the renowned Whitney Port. Additionally, an upgrade of the store is considered a necessity to enhance the company’s success.
The proposed strategy includes recommendations for Bik Bok to attain their goals in the UK market. By focusing on obtaining a differentiation strategy, they could benefit from
implementing a Scandinavian concept into their brand. Additionally, they will benefit from visualizing their sustainable business operations by promoting this towards the customers.
Moreover, the long-term recommendations have been identified as adapting to the UK market in relation to the product lines and addressing the issues of the increase in e-
commerce and m-commerce. By carrying out these proposals, Bik Bok has a great potential for developing a flourishing business concept.
1.1 Company History
Bik Bok is a Norwegian clothing retail chain, and is considered as one of the leading
companies in the Norwegian textile industry. The company was founded in 1973 by Kenneth Sandvold and Olav Kongshaug and became a part of one of the largest Norwegian textile conglomerates, the Varner Group in 1991. The corporation has almost 600 stores in Norway and over 1100 in total, and is represented in 9 countries (Datamonitor, 2010a). All the stores are self-operated by the Varner Group, with the exception of some of the stores in the Cubus concept in Germany. The running of the company is centralised in Norway and this applies to all aspects of the business operations such as the general company culture;
corporate social responsibility (CSR), overall organisational structure and production processes in all the subsidiaries. The company’s headquarter is located at Billingstad, in close proximity to Oslo (Varner Gruppen, 2011a).
Bik Bok is present in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia and England and has a portfolio consisting of 160 stores across these countries (Bik Bok, 2011). The company recognises Norway and Sweden as its primary market, as being the countries where it has the largest market shares. The concept’s target market group are young girls, primarily in the age group 15-25 (Bjarstad, 2010).
“Bik Bok aims to be the first choice amongst fashion-conscious girls who follows trends and all the twists and turns of the fashion world” (Bik Bok, 2011).
The concept operates in the low price and the volume market (Varner Gruppen, 2011a). Bik Bok had total revenue of NOK 872 million exclusive VAT in 2010 and has an aim of reaching total revenue of NOK 1.1 billion exclusive VAT in 2011. The production of the manufactured goods is outsourced to around ten production sites mainly based in East Asia and Turkey (Varner Gruppen, 2011b).
Bik Bok chose to expand to the UK in 2005 by opening stores in Covent Garden, London and in Lakeside, Essex. By using Harper Dennis Hobbs as their letting agency, they found suitable locations. Their third shop was opened in Oxford Street, where the company signed a 25 year contract. Shortly after opening the last store, they closed the other two locations due to a tough retail climate. Originally Bik Bok planned to open up to six stores in London.
Nevertheless, they were forced to review their strategy (Chesters, 2005).
The London store is run in the same manner as the Norwegian domestic stores, which implies that the decision making takes place at the headquarters. This includes areas such as appointing the shop manager, deciding on its product range and marketing strategy
(Bjarstad, 2011).
1.2 Bik Bok’s Products
The concept sells only in-house brands, consisting of Bik Bok, Never Denim, Westhill Redbird, Sassymanii and Twentyfive:Seven (Appendix 1). Their product range consists of clothes, underwear, accessories and a small selection of makeup.
1.2.1 Designer Collaborations
In addition, Bik Bok has had collaborations with various Norwegian guest designers such as Jenny Skvalan and Charlotte Thorstvedt, which are role models for the target group. This year they are launching a collection from the international celebrity, “it girl” and clothing designer, Whitney Port, which will be released in October 2011. Additionally, Bik Bok has a designer contest called 5x5 (Five by Five) where they encourage young and promising designers to present a small collection for Autumn/Winter 2011. The five selected
candidates will be given the opportunity to develop and produce their own collection with Bik Bok, and they will participate in the photo shoot, the launch of the collection and other marketing related activities. Moreover, the finalists are competing for a position as a trainee in Bik Bok’s design team (Bik Bok, 2011).
.
1.2.2 Fast Fashion
Fast fashion retailers follow trends that are strongly influenced by, or in some cases
replications of catwalk or celebrity style. The category of retailers are further characterised for changing the stock significantly more often than others in the apparel industry (Hayes and Jones, 2006).
1.3 Business objectives in the UK market
Bik Bok is recognised as a highly successful retailer in the fast fashion market in Norway. As a part of the Varner Group they are a market leader within the Norwegian apparel industry (Datamonitor, 2010a). Despite their success in their primary market, Bik Bok has not been able to exploit their full potential abroad.
1.3.1 Project scope
Through contact with Bik Bok’s General Manager, Ms Marianne Bjarstad, an understanding of Bik Bok’s wishes has been developed and the expectations for the project have been clarified. The company lacks knowledge of the British market and consumers. Therefore, Bik Bok wants to reveal if the concept has potential in the UK. If the analysis of the UK market is deemed to be positive, a strategy has been outlined for how Bik Bok can become more successful as a fast fashion retailer in a highly competitive market. Considering the different aspects of the company’s situation in the UK, the following aim has been defined for the project:
”Make the existing store in London more profitable and increase Bik Bok’s brand awareness in the UK market”
1.3.1 Research Objectives
In order to ensure that the relevant information is acquired regarding the aforementioned aim, research objectives have been developed. It is important that the objectives are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-defined).
The report will strive to determine the following objectives:
1. Outline the current target segments of the Bik Bok store in London 2. Increase the revenues from Bik Bok’s existing segments
3. Find the most effective communication strategies in order to reach the targeted segments
4. Find market strategies to increase their brand awareness in UK market 5. Establish a differentiation strategy for Bik Bok in the UK market
1.4 Market Overview
1.4.1 The current situation of the UK market
The following categories: “casual wear, formal wear, active wear, out-wear and essentials”
make up the womenswear market. In 2009, it accounted for a value of £ 22,110 million.
Looking at the womenswear market as a whole, the clothing retailers represented the largest segment with 77.7%. The UK womenswear market is the third largest market in Europe (Datamonitor, 2010b).
1.4.2 Current suppliers in the market place
The UK womenswear market consists of a broad variety of different competitors. The different retailers can be divided into four different categories based upon how the characteristics can be perceived; entry/value retailers, mass market retailers, premium market retailers and luxury/high- end retailers (Mintel, 2010a).
Table 1.1 Clothing Retail Categories
Category Example (Brands)
Entry/Value retailers Primark
Mass market retailers H&M, Topshop, Zara, River Island, Gap.
Premium market retailers Lacoste, Armani, All Saints, Jaeger, Ted Baker and Karen Millen.
Bik Bok can be categorised as an Individual Boutique in the UK market, due to the presence of only one store. This outlines the significance of competition from both individual stores as well as large fashion retailers in Bik Bok’s surrounding environment.
1.4.3 Leading Companies in the UK market
The womenswear market is recognised as highly competitive due to the growth of the market size and the supply of similar products (Datamonitor, 2010b). Some of the major competitors in the industry are Arcadia Group Ltd, Hennes & Mauritz Ltd, Inditex Group UK Ltd, New Look Retail Group Ltd, Next plc, Primark Stores Ltd and River Island Clothing Company Ltd (Key Note, 2011a). A more detailed overview and mapping of the groups’
powerhouses and chains are specified in Appendix 2.
1.4.4 Future trends in the UK market
According to Datamonitor (2010b), the womenswear market in the UK is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 1.6% in the period 2009 – 2014. The total market value is estimated to account for £22,765 million in 2011 and further a total market value of
£23,991 million in 2014, which is an increase of 5.4% (Ibid).
The womenswear sector is predicted to see the fastest growth rates of all the clothing sectors in the coming years. It is mainly increases in price that will affect the rise in value, and not just new developments. Further, the clothing accessories sector is predicted to grow rapidly in the coming period. The fashion industry has experienced a shift in focus in seeing accessories as an equally important contributor in creating certain looks and styles, in addition to being a popular essential within the fast fashion market (Key Note, 2011a).
2.1 A Theoretical Framework
2.1.1 The Consumer Decision Making Process
The Consumer Decision Making Process consists of five stages that the customer goes through when making purchasing decisions; need recognition, information research, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post purchase decision. The buying process starts long before the actual purchase and continues in long time after. It is therefore important for the marketer to be present in all these stages, and not just the purchase decision to have an impact on the buyer’s choice (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010).
Figure 2.1 Possible influences on the decision making process
(Dibb et.al., 2001; Dibb, Simkin and Bradley, 2006)
There are several different factors that have an impact on why and how consumers engage in buying. By gaining knowledge of these influences, businesses are able to develop more concise marketing programmes. These influencing factors can be summed up as follows:
Table 2.1 Influencing Factors
Influence Categorisation Influences
Personal influences Demographic issues, situational factors and
involvement
Psychological influences Consumers’ different perceptions, motives and
attitudes towards what and how they purchase
Social influences Individual tastes are influenced by social class
and culture
Media influences Advertising, sales promotion, publicity,
sponsorship and direct mail
By mapping out this process in a step by step manner, businesses can obtain valuable insight into what affects the customers at each stage of the decision making process. Hence, they can refine their marketing efforts and target the customers with a more suitable approach (Dibb, Simkin and Bradley, 2006).
Problem Recognition
When consumers see a significant discrepancy between his or her current situation and some desired or ideal state, problem recognition occurs (Hoyer and MacInnis, 2010). In this state of affairs the term “problem” can be perceived as recognition of an opportunity or a goal that the consumer wishes to achieve (Wilkie, 1994). The problem can be simple or complex, small or large, and in either way the problem recognition activates a goal which encourages the consumer to act. The need can be triggered by internal stimuli such as
triggered by external stimuli such as advertisement or a discussion with a friend. At this stage, marketers should research consumer’s behaviour to find out what brought them about and how they were led to the particular product (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010).
Information Search
To be able to move towards an achievement of the goal, consumers need adequate information to resolve it (Solomon, 1999). Information search is the process by which the consumer scans the environment for suitable data to make a sound decision. There are two primary modes of consumer information search, internal versus external search. When confronted with a purchase decision, we may search our internal memory to gather information about different product alternatives. Often, we need to supplement this knowledge with external search obtained from advertisement or friends (Ibid). The amount of research the consumer obtains is a result of the strength of the drive, the amount of information he/she starts out with, the ease of obtaining more information, how much they value the information and the satisfaction they get from researching (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010).
Furthermore, a search can be characterised as “deliberate” versus “accidental” search.
“Accidental” search refers to gaining information when not actually making a consumer decision, such as browsing through a shopping center (Wilkie, 1994). However, our own internal memory is often not adequate to make a satisfactory decision and we decide to look for information elsewhere. By deliberate search we browse for information to make a particular purchase decision (Ibid). To obtain information there are four major sources that consumers turn to (Kotler et al., 2009).
Table 2.2 Consumers’ Sources of Information Personal sources Family, friends, acquaintances etc.
Commercial sources Advertising, web sites, sales personnel, packaging, displays etc.
Public sources Newspaper, radio, television etc.
Experiential sources Handling, examining, uses the product etc.
The relative amount and influence of these sources vary with the product category and the customer’s characteristics. Although the customer retrieves the most information from commercial sources, personal sources seem to be the most credible source of endorsement as they legitimize or evaluate the product for the buyer. Therefore, the marketing team needs to carefully identify the buyer’s sources of information and the importance of these (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). By doing this, businesses are in a better position to design marketing programs that cater for their needs (Dibb, Simkin and Bradley, 1996).
Commercial Sources
As the consumers acquire more information, their awareness and knowledge of the
available brands and their features increase (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). By being exposed to new stimuli and receive ongoing feedback our knowledge of the world is revised
constantly. The consumers therefore modify their behaviour when finding themselves in a similar situation at a later time. Hence, learning is an ongoing process which can be divided into two schools, behavioural and cognitive learning theory (Solomon, 1999).
Behavioural Learning Theory
This theory assumes that learning takes place as the result of responses to external events instead of being an internal thought process. By depicting the mind as a “black box” it is thought that association of a stimuli or events perceived form the outside world goes into the box and the responses that come out of the box are reactions to these stimuli (Solomon et al., 2010). Similarly, consumers will respond to marketing stimuli such as brand names and jingles based on learned connections, which they will respond to in similar conditions in
Figure 2.2 Consumer as a “Black Box”: A Behaviourist Perspective on Learning
(Solomon, 1999, p. 72)
Cognitive Learning Theory
On the contrary, cognitive learning is a result of a mental process (Solomon et al., 2010).
The theory stresses the importance of internal memory, creativity and insight during the learning process, and views people as active problem solvers that use information to master the environment (Solomon, 1999).
Evaluation of Alternatives
At this stage, the consumer uses the information to arrive at a set of final brand choices (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). How consumers go about evaluating brands depends on the buying situation and the individual consumer. A customer who is engaged in an extended problem solving may consider many stores and different brands, whereas someone making a habitual decision may not consider any other brands than what he/she usually buys (Solomon, 1999).
Comparisons are made of the salient attributes such as cost, reputation or performance expectation based upon the potential customers criteria. Based on attributes within the context of these brand beliefs and attitudes the customer will rank the alternatives and
form some sort of preferences. By this, the customer will try to satisfy both functional needs related to the performance of the product, as well as psychological needs associated with self-image. For example, a designer dress serves the same function as another dress but might be chosen because it states something about the wearer in terms of status (Gilbert, 1999).
The alternatives that the customer actively considers during the evaluation process are his or her evoked set (consideration set). When considering the different brands, the criteria are usually based on the expressed product attributes (Schiffman, Hansen and Kanuk, 2008).
This comprises the products which are already in the memory in addition to those
prominent in the shop (Solomon, 1999). The brands the customer is aware of, but does not consider buying is his or her inept set, while the brands the customer is indifferent towards because they do not seem to have any perceived advantage is his or her inert set
(Schiffman, Hansen and Kanuk, 2008).
Sometimes a purchase is made by intuition while others may be a result of rational thinking.
Consequently, it is important for marketers to be knowledgeable of how consumers evaluate alternatives so that they can take the necessary steps to influence the buyer’s decision (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010).
Purchase Decision
Although the customer’s purchase decision will be to buy the most preferred brand, the attitudes of others and unexpected situational factors may come between the purchase intention and the decision (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010).
Post Purchase Evaluation
The determination whether the customer is satisfied or dissatisfied with a purchase lies in the relationship between the customer’s expectations and the product’s perceived
performance. However, almost all major purchases result in cognitive dissonance
(discomfort) caused by post purchase conflict (Kotler and Armstrong, 2010). This is most likely to happen if there is more than one attractive alternative and the decision is
important (Hoyer and MacInnis, 2010). Marketers can help customer’s reduce post purchase dissonance and regret, by diminishing the negative feelings related to the product. By
helping the customer’s obtain supporting information about the product and convincing them that it will satisfy their needs, they can develop a positive attitude towards the product/brand. How Bik Bok’s customers bring about a purchase is elaborated in section 6.4.
2.2 Concepts and theories 2.2.1 Segmentation
Market segmentation is the division of a mass market into identifiable and distinct groups of customers who have common characteristics in terms of, needs, buyer behaviour and display similar responses to marketing actions (Fill, 2006; Kotler and Armstrong, 2010).
Consumer market segments can be divided into two variables; consumer characteristics and consumer responses. Consumer characteristics consist of geographic, demographic and psychographic segments, and are used to distinguish if the segments have different needs or product responses. Moreover, consumer responses are segmentation of the behaviour of the consumer and can be seen as a good starting point when constructing market segments (Kotler, 2000).
To be able to identify the target audience, it is useful to segment the target group by attitudes. Consequently, it will be easier to find people who share the same attitude towards category usage and brands within the category (Percy and Elliot, 2005).
When the targeted market has been segmented, it is important for the firm to evaluate the market segments by looking at the segments overall attractiveness and the company’s objectives and resources. This is to be confident that the firm ends up with the most beneficial segments and that the two factors correlate (Kotler, 2000).
2.2.2 Positioning and Differentiation
Positioning is not what you do to a product but what you do to the mind of the prospect.
Further, it is to be able to capture a special place in the target market’s mind with the act of designing the company’s offering and image (Ries and Trout, 1986; Kotler, 2000).
A brand’s market position can be categorised in relation to the product category (centrally positioned) or the category need (differentially positioned). A centrally positioned brand has to deliver all the main benefits in that category and will be categorised as the best
positioned brand. This is normally a category for brands with a strong market position, but in some cases a “me too” brand can equally deliver it (Percy and Elliot, 2005).
Differentiation refers to the creation of tangible or intangible differences on one or more key dimensions between a product and its main competitors (Lilien and Rangaswamy, 2004). Hence, if a brand is differentially positioned it will place the brand relative to its competitors, in terms of the user or of the product itself (Percy and Elliot, 2005).
To sum up, positioning is what you try to do to the minds of customers to help them
perceive the product differences clearly, while differentiation is what you do the product to distinguish it from competing products. Firstly, positioning states the product’s membership in a category (i.e. the fast fashion market) and then demonstrates its point of difference (i.e.
better quality and customer service) (Lilien and Rangaswamy, 2004). How Bik Bok should position themselves and seek differentiation will be elaborated further in section 6.2 and 6.3.
Rosser Reeves recommends that a company should develop a “Unique selling position” for each brand and stick to it (Reeves, 1960, cited in Kotler, 2000, p. 299). If a company has claimed too many attributes, the brand may risk disbelief and lose a clear position. Thus, the company needs to avoid the four positioning errors; under positioning, over positioning, confused positioning, doubtful positioning.
2.2.3 The Brand
2.2.3.1 What is a Brand?
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as “a name, term, sign symbol, or a design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers to differentiate them from those of competitors” (Kotler and Keller, 2006, p.276).
Moreover, Murphy (1990, p. 2) recognises a brand as “a product or service of a particular supplier which is differentiated by its name and presentation.” He further differentiates the brand from the product by underlining how a product is something that can easily be replaced by a nearly identical product and which may be fulfilling the same needs. For the company, the brand is an asset that has become a set of both tangible and intangible values and attributes, which meaningfully and appropriately differentiate otherwise very similar products (Ibid).
However, it can be argued that a brand is formed by a combination of activities which comprises all aspects of the marketing mix, in order to enable the customer to identify the attributes which makes the product different from the other suppliers (de Chernatony and McDonald, 2003).
2.2.4.2 Brand Identity
Hatch and Schultz (2000, cited in de Chernatony, 2006) defines brand identity as the company’s vision, core values and ideas, reflected through the brand. Kapferer (2004) further illustrates it by defining brand identity as the company’s ways of communication towards the consumer, defining the path to how they want to be perceived when the consumer recalls the brand’s logo, design and name.
2.2.4.3 Brand Image
Brand image is the result of how the audience decodes the message regarding the brand’s identity (Aaker, 2002). Furthermore, it is the associations evoked in a consumer’s mind based on previous experience or other reasons from memory and the consumers’ individual attitude and feelings towards a brand’s characteristics (de Chernatony and McDonald, 2003).
Consumers do not respond to the reality itself, but to what they perceive as the reality. This clearly outlines a set of associations experienced by individuals, over a certain period, as the result of direct and indirect involvements with a specific brand (de Chernatony, 2006).
In addition, brand images are perceived as benefits, which are made through market communication. They can be categorised as attributes, subjective considerations or emotions (Percy and Elliot, 2007).
2.2.4.4 Brand Equity
When developing a brand identity, a part of this process includes a value creation, which can be seen as brand equity (Kohli, Harich, and Leuthesser, 2005). Brand equity is created when the brand name provides added value to a product, and this value is seen in ether financial terms, or in how a consumer perceives the brand (Percy and Elliot, 2007).
2.2.4.5 The Brand Pyramid
De Chernatony’s (2006, p.225) brand pyramid is a useful tool in order to demonstrate the components of a brand and draw attention to the brand’s core. The brand pyramid makes it possible to communicate the brands internal traits and furthermore enables employees to fully understand and become aware of the attributes that are important to the consumers.
Figure 2.3 The Brand Pyramid
(De Chernatony, 2006) The model consists of five levels:
1. Attributes – describes the three key functional and quantifiable attributes of the branded product
2. Benefits – the positive results experienced from using the attributes
3. Emotional rewards – the customer’s emotional rewards from consumption over a period of time, and the costumer’s understanding of the brand
4. Values – the value created, due to the appreciated emotional reward 5. Personality Traits - the core context and features of the brand (Ibid)
2.2.4 Retailing
Retailing can be defined as a set of business activities that adds value to the products and services sold to consumers (Levy and Weitz, 2009). In addition to products in stores, retailing also involves the sale of services and non-store retailing such as sales over the Internet. A retailer is the final business in a supply chain that links the manufacturer to the consumer. In addition to enhancing the value for customers, retailers facilitate the
distribution of the products and services for the manufacturers that produce them (Ibid).
These value creating functions include providing an assortment of products and services,
breaking bulk, holding inventory, creating new demand for merchandise and providing services (Madaan, 2009).
2.2.4.1 Retail Store Layout and Design
Sonia Manchanda, the founder and director of Idiom Design and Consulting Ltd has stated that; “Retail today has a strong element of theater. No longer are stores just selling goods, there is always a theme, a story that the retailers wish to draw the consumers into“
(Madaan, 2009, p. 192). Hence, external and interior store design; layout and visual merchandising are crucial to create inspiration and buyer incentive amongst prospective buyers.
Store layout can be defined as the location of the different sections that facilitate shoppers in the retail store. It should make optimum use of space, arrange the facilities according to the desired image and it has to be supported by the merchandise. This is vital for
establishing efficient retail operations and to be able to compete in a demanding marketplace.
In general there are two dimensions, external and internal design. The external design consists of elements such as access, frontage, entrance and visibility (Ibid). Internal design deals with issues such as permanent structures including aisles and fixtures, lighting and music (Mintel, 2007b). In addition, it is important for the retailer to understand consumer behaviour and set up a shopping friendly layout.
Table 2.3 The Key Issues of Retailers
Category Description
Maximizing Customer Value
By building relationships and word of mouth
Merchandising Such as understanding trends and making use of visual merchandising Traffic Building By making use of promotion to attract a number of customers
Store Design and Layout
To make the retail experience complete, the retail environment needs to have an ambient store design and layout with correct merchandising. Layout is also important in the virtual retail environment where navigation and usability can
Store Location and Site
To build up sufficient customer traffic, physical location and high visibility is important. This is usually a trade-off between estate costs and benefits of the location
Keeping Pace with Technology
It is important for retailers to make optimum use of technology by improving productivity and provide more value for customers. Technology can be implemented in forecasting, inventory management, Customer Relationship Management, store layout etc.
People Management
As retailing is a service- oriented industry, they are highly dependent on human skills. Hiring people with the right set of skills, training, motivating and retaining them remain challenges within the retail industry
(Madaan, 2009)
2.2.5 Marketing Communication
Marketing communication can be defined as a firm’s means of attempting to inform, persuade and remind consumers (directly or indirectly) of their products and brands (Kotler and Keller, 2006). These communication channels can establish a dialogue and build
relationships with the consumer and can be defined as the “voice” of the brand. Companies use marketing communication to link their brand to people, places, events, brands,
experiences, feelings and things, which can contribute to brand equity.
The marketing mix is used to pursue the firms marketing objectives and is divided in to product, price, place and promotion. Further, promotion is divided into the marketing communication mix, which consists of eight modes of communication (Silverman, 2001;
Kirby and Marsden, 2006).
Table 2.4 The Marketing Communication Mix
Advertising Is a paid form of non-personal communication, presentation or promotion of the company or their products by an identified sponsor
Sales Promotion Different short-term incentives to encourage purchase of a product or service
Events and Experiences
Activities and programmes that are designed by sponsoring companies to create daily or special brand related interactions
Public Relations Is an unpaid form of non-personal communications with a variety of programmes designed to promote a company’s image or their products
Direct Marketing To be able to communicate directly with specific customers and prospects through mail, telephone, fax, e-mail or the Internet
Personal Selling Making face to face communication with one or more potential customers for the purpose of making presentations, answering questions and procuring orders Direct and
Interactive Marketing
The use of online activities to engage customers and create direct or indirect awareness. This is an extension of direct marketing and can be used through online ads and e-commerce websites
Word of Mouth Is an oral, person to person communication where people talk favourably about a product to the right people in a right way. It is categorised as interpersonal communication between communicators and receivers to exchange information about a commercial topic
All of these factors help to create brand equity by creating brand awareness and linking right associations to the brand image in the consumer’s minds (Silverman, 2001; Kirby and Marsden, 2006; Kotler and Keller, 2006).
Figure 2.4 Integrating Marketing Communication to Build Brand Equity
(Kotler and Keller, 2006, p. 537)
2.2.6 External Analysis
An external analysis includes both general environmental factors and industry factors.
Firstly, an analysis of the macro-economic environment is carried out through a PEST analysis. Further, an analysis of the industry’s competitive environment should be made.
Together, these two analyses determine the firm’s opportunities and threats. It is important to distinguish the factors relevant to the company’s environment and find aspects in the operating country that affect the firm’s strategy (Analoui and Karami, 2003). It is vital that firms are able to respond offensively or defensively to the different factors and are able to take advantage of the external opportunities or minimize potential threats (David, 2009).
2.2.6.1 PESTEL Analysis
The PESTEL analysis is an acronym for “Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Environmental and Legal” factors and it describes the macro-environmental circumstances a company needs to take into consideration. It is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations (Williams and Curtis, 2006).
2.2.6.2 Porters Five Forces
The model analyses how an organisation needs to create its strategy in order to exploit opportunities in its environment and create buffers and protection against competitors and other threats.
The model consists of five different forces, which together explore the degree of competition (Lynch, 2006). The collective strength of the five forces also defines the eventual profit potential of an industry and can be summed up as follows; the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of potential new entrants, the threat of substitutes and the extent of competitive rivalry (Porter, 1998).
Figure 2.5 Porter’s Five Forces
(Lynch, 2006, p.103)
PESTEL Framework
(Macro Environment)
Analysis of the Industry
(Micro Environment)
Oportunities and Threats
Competative Rivalry
Suppliers
Substitutes Buyers
Potential Entrants
The buyers “compete” with the industry and have power over an organisation by forcing down prices, demanding higher quality or services and by playing competitors against each other (Botten and McManus, 1999). Furthermore, they become influential when the products from the competitors are undifferentiated and if the buyers have the financial strength to purchase large quantities of the output supply (Lynch, 2006).
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Porter (1998) implies that the suppliers are more powerful if it is one of few in the industry and if there are no substitutes for the supplies they propose. In addition suppliers become powerful if their involvement influences the value added process of an organisation, i.e.
textiles of such a rarity and importance that are essential for the quality and perceived value of the final product (Lynch, 2006).
The Threat of Potential New Entrants
Regarding the threat of new entrants in the industry, Porter (1998), states that there are seven main sources of barriers that influence entrance to a market: economies of scale, product differentiation, capital requirements, switching costs, access to distribution channels, cost disadvantages independent of scale and government policies. When
substitutes succeed in penetrating the market, it is followed by an increase in rivalry (Ibid).
The Threat of Substitutes
The typical threat from substitutes usually occur when they do not completely replace existing products, but introduce a new type of technology or reduce the expenses in the production process. Furthermore, the threat arise when the already existing competitors experience reduced margins, due to the fact that the substitutes have the possibility of keeping the prices at a minimum level (Ibid).
The Extent of Competitive Rivalry
Rivalry may lead to the use of tactics such as price competition, advertising battles, product innovations and improved customer service, which increases costs for competitors (Kotler and Scheff, 1997). The competitive environment will be perceived as intense, if the different
specific market. Moreover, the industry experiences tougher competition when the products, services and brands are hard to differentiate (Lynch, 2006).
2.2.7 Internal Analysis
The internal analysis evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation. It further looks at the current situation of the company. The Value Chain and Bakka framework will give a complementary outline of the organisation’s internal situation.
2.2.7.1 The Value Chain
The value chain links the value of independent activities of an organisation with its core functional parts. The series of activities that are executed, contributes to the added value of the organisation. Further, the framework attempts to make a calculation of the contribution from what each part makes to the overall added value of the business (Ibid).
Moreover, there is a connection between the different activities that exists in the organisation. The way an activity performs affects the cost or effectiveness of other
activities. In addition, the linkage requires the activities to be coordinated (Porter, 1998). In the framework, the added value is defined as the margin, which is considered as the
difference between the total value and the costs of performing the activities. The activities are categorised as the company’s primary and support activities. Additionally, competitive advantage regarding differentiation or cost is a function of the different activities (Lynch, 2006; Porter, 1998).
Figure 2.6 The Value Chain
(Lynch, 2006, p. 75)
2.2.7.2 Bakka Framework
The Bakka Framework has been utilised to obtain a better grasp of which factors that influence a company’s decision making process in the different phases of
internationalisation. The Framework divides the internationalisation process into five different phases from trial export, extensive export, intensive export, multinational marketing to global marketing. The model describes the factors that may influence the company’s decisions in the different phases (Solberg, 2009).
In the Trial Export phase the knowledge about the most elementary market conditions such as the business culture, distribution structure, potential customers, and competitors is very limited. This first exporting attempt is therefore often a costly and time consuming process.
The Trial Export phase is followed by Extensive Export where deals have been signed in up to eight to ten countries. Nonetheless, the goals are unclear and the business doesn’t have
company is able to take more rational decisions, is starting to make money and is becoming more influenced by the export. Hence, they will concentrate their resources towards their primary markets. In Multinational Marketing, the export is regarded as an active tool to reach the company’s goals and has become an integral part of the company. The Global Marketing phase portrays how the different phases in Bakka’s Internalisation process are expected to turn out regarding the different variables such as export motives, choice of market and marketing mix (Ibid).
2.2.8 SWOT analysis
A SWOT analysis is a useful way of outlining the current situation of the organisation. Thus, the analysis consists of critical strengths and weaknesses that involve the resources of the organisation and the opportunities and threats that reflect on the organisations surrounding environment. It is essential that the SWOT analysis distinguish between the current
situation of the company and where it wishes to be. Hence, the four different categories of the framework outlines where the organisation should focus its attention (Kotler et al., 2005; Lynch, 2006).
3.1 Introduction
“Research is an intensive and purposeful search for knowledge and understanding of social and physical phenomena”, (Kumar, 2008, p. 3). Research is a scientific activity that involves defining and redefining problems, collecting, organizing and evaluating data. The results will finally lead to conclusions that will be considered with the aims and objectives (Ibid). The methodology refers to the choices that are emphasised in the case to study, methods of data collecting, and the forms of data analysis when preparing and executing a research study. Moreover, it is preferable that the methodology contains a preference for certain methods, theory of scientific knowledge, range of solutions and sequential procedural steps (Silverman, 2006).
Chapter 3 will outline a review of what types of research methodology that have been utilised throughout the project. Most of the research methods that we see today consist of a range of techniques to assemble data. Furthermore, there are three more distinctive forms of data collection. The three categories are outlined in Appendix 3.
3.2 The Research Process
To meet the information requirements in a cost effective and timely manner, the research process should be carried out in a systematic way (Herbst and Codwell, 2004). The process can be outlined as follows:
Figure 3.1 The Research Process
(Gripsrud, Olsson and Silkoset, 2007; Boone et al., 2010)
Firstly, a well defined problem needs to be established to permit the researcher to focus on securing the exact information needed for the solution. To increase the speed and accuracy of the research process it is vital that the question is clearly defined (Boone et al., 2010).
Based upon this, a few objectives are stated. Together, this establishes the foundation for the research (Gripsrud, Olsson and Silkoset, 2007).
When the problem definition has been clarified, one needs to distinguish how one can resolve the marketing problem by creating a research design. This is a plan for conducting marketing research which ensures that the study will measure what it intended to measure.
Each objective may need different type of data and thus a different research design and analysis. An important element of the research design is consideration of the selection of respondents. At this stage, marketers often use sampling techniques to determine which consumers to include in the study (Boone et al., 2010).
The next stage consists of the collection of data. In marketing research there are two primary modes of data: primary data and secondary data. However, most statistical
enquiries use a combination of these research methods (Curwin and Slater, 2008). The norm is to apply secondary data to gain familiarity and to establish a context (Patzer, 1995).
Thereafter, this is supplemented by primary research for the information needed (Curwin and Slater, 2008). The final stage in the process consists of interpreting and presenting the research information (Boone et al., 2010).
3.2.2 Secondary Research
Secondary research is previously published or compiled sources that have been collected for some other purpose (Boone et al., 2010). It often provides a useful overall description of social trends and general statistics (Curwin and Slater, 2008).
Secondary data can be categorised as either internal or external. Internal generated data is information from within the company such as reports, sales numbers and expenditure on various activities. External data is information from external sources such as Office for National Statistics (ONS), government departments and census material (Gripsrud, Olsson and Silkoset, 2007).
Secondary research can be useful in a marketing research project when defining the
problem, designing the research, analyzing the data and discussing the result (Patzer, 1995).
Important advantages of secondary data are that it is usually low cost for researchers to obtain, as well as one spends less time to locate and utilize the information (Boone et al., 2010). Furthermore, it provides comparative and contextual data, makes long-term studies and new findings possible (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007).
Depending on the acquired research material, the information might not be sufficient for all aspects of the enquiry. There are also limitations when obtaining secondary research. As it has been collected for a specific purpose, it may be presented in a way that is influenced by the initial intention. Additionally, one has little control over the quality of the material and it can be expensive or challenging to obtain. Kumar (2005) further argues that validity,
reliability and personal bias can be issues that need to be taken into consideration.
The project has utilised secondary research in order to obtain information about the UK retail market. However, primary research was carried out to acquire more specific information about Bik Bok.
Table 3.1 Benefits and Limitations of Secondary Data
(Boone et al., 2010; Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007)
3.2.1 Primary Research
The distinguishing feature of primary data is that it refers to information that is collected for the first time specifically for the current research project. Hence, assembling of primary data is often a time consuming and costly process. Nonetheless, the results can provide richer and more detailed information, particularly current attitudes and opinions which secondary research cannot obtain (Boone et al., 2010). Demographic/socioeconomic data, behaviour and motivation are also obtained through this type of research (Wrenn, Stevens and Louden, 2006). Sources of primary data include observation, questionnaires, interviews, experiments and group discussions (Curwin and Slater, 2008). Due to the nature of the assignment, primary research was carried out to acquire specific information about the brand.
Table 3.2 Benefits and Limitations of Primary Data
(Boone et al., 2010; Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007)
3.3.1 Research That Obtains Quantitative Data
In business research, one needs to recognise the importance of the range of material available and to what extent this information is numerical or non-numerical by nature.
Depending on the use of the findings and the aim of the research study, it is essential that the measurement and analysis of the variables are obtained to fit the purpose (Kumar, 2005). It can be useful to distinguish between quantitative and qualitative approaches (Curwin and Slater, 2008). In many studies, both methods need to be applied to provide
Table 3.3 Quantitative and Qualitative Data
(Cresswell, 2003; Bryman and Bell, 2007; Authors, 2011) A quantitative procedure starts with hypothesis and theories where the researcher’s role is to observe and measure with an objective approach (Glesne and Peshkin, 1992).
Quantitative research involves analysis of numerical data and seeks precise measurement and analysis of target concepts (Bryman and Bell, 2007). Essentially, emphasis will be given to the collection of data (i.e. questionnaires) or data analysis procedure such as graphs or statistics that generates or uses measurements and amounts (more and less, larger and smaller, often and seldom, similar and different) (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2009;
Thomas, 2003). In quantitative research, careful sampling strategies and experimental designs are exerted so that it is possible to identify a specific sample to further generalise the population (Creswell, 2003). The method is deductive and seeks consensus (Curwin and Slater, 2008).
3.3.2 Research That Obtains Qualitative Data
The qualitative research method stands in a strong contrast to a quantitative approach. The processes are perceived similar; however qualitative techniques rely heavily on image and text data, have unique steps in data inquiry, and highlight diverse strategies of analysis.
Qualitative research has an emerging character rather than being firmly prefigured. When operating with a quantitative method it is possible to change and rephrase questions as a part of the development of the inquiry. Hence, the gathering process is also possible to
change, which further gives the opportunity of discovering new aspects of the data collection (Creswell, 2003).
Qualitative research holds the attribute of being interpretative which includes developing an illustration of individuals or settings and data analysis of categories. It further leads to an interpretation or a personal and theoretical understanding, that sums up and points out new questions to be asked about further research. This illustrates that the research method holds the preferences of having a more open minded approach and therefore being less structured (Bryman and Bell, 2007).
Qualitative data can be obtained through communication with people, observation and document analysis such as written material and pictures. The aforementioned can further be collected as qualitative data by using a flexible approach and open interaction.
Qualitative research is executed by asking questions such as “What?”, “Why?” and “How?”
(Gripsrud, Olsson and Silkoset, 2007).
3.4 Chosen Research Methods
When deciding upon the appropriate research methods, it was necessary to consider the information that needed to be obtained in order to answer the different research
objectives. To obtain a general insight into the UK retail market we executed observations.
Additionally, to acquire information about the, customer demographics, perceptions, attitudes, buyer behaviour, motivation and what they associate with the brand we conducted structured interviews in a written format and questionnaires. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview was carried out to get a deeper understanding of the UK retail market, Bik Bok as a brand, how the store operates, their future plans, their customer base and their marketing activities.
3.4.1 Primary Research 3.4.1.1 Observation
Observation is an important method within qualitative research. It is used to capture
activities in different settings where the information is seen, heard or felt by the researcher.
Participant observation is the active form of observation. This is where the researcher takes part in the activity to get closer to the object and to acquire a broader experience and understanding. Field notes are a vital part within this research method as they are the foundation for subsequent analyses (Stake, 2010; Marshall and Rossman, 2011).
3.4.1.2 Interviews
An interview is defined as a purposeful discussion between two or more people to be able to acquire information about a specific topic (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007; Kumar, 2005). Interviews are beneficial when gathering valid and reliable data relevant to the research question and objectives. The key difference between the various forms of
interviews lies in the degree to which the interview is structured and how formal it is. These types consist of structured interviews, semi-structured interviews and unstructured or in- depth interviews (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). For this project, structured interviews in the questionnaires and a semi-structured interview was utilised.
Structured Interviews
The structured interviews use questionnaires based on a set of predetermined and
standardised questions and is also known as interviewer administered questionnaires. Each question is recorded on a standardized schedule, usually with pre-coded answers. To avoid indicating any bias when conducting oral questionnaires with social interaction between the researcher and the correspondent, one should read out the question exactly as written and in the same tone of voice (Ibid). Structured interviews are also referred to as quantitative research interviews as they are used to collect quantifiable data (King, 2004). This approach has been adapted in the surveys to collect uniform and comparable information.
Semi-Structured Interviews
On the contrary, semi-structured interviews are known as qualitative research interviews where the researcher will have a list of themes and questions to be covered. This means that one will omit and adapt some questions given the specific organisational context that is encountered in relation to the research topic. Depending on the flow of the conversation the order of the questions may also vary. In addition, the researcher may add
supplementary questions to explore the research questions and objectives given the nature of events within particular organisation (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2007). This approach has been made us of in the interview with Bik Bok’s store manager in London, Silje Kotte. By utilising this method it was possible to have a conversation with the interviewee and go into detail on the areas of interest. Recording was found beneficial to allow a free flow in the conversation, avoid interruptions and to obtain precise information with intonation (Collis and Hussey, 2003).
Surveys
Surveys are a method of data collection that adapts questionnaires or interview techniques to collect data from people regarding demographics, opinions, attitudes, their way of thinking and behaviour (Ghauri and Grønhaug, 2005). It is a positivistic methodology where a sample of the population is studied to make inferences about the population as a whole.
There are two major categories of surveys, descriptive and analytical surveys. Descriptive surveys are often conducted in business research as attitude surveys since they are concerned with identifying and counting the frequency of a specific population, either at one point in time or at various times for comparison. Analytical surveys have the intention of determining whether there is any correlation between the various variables (Collis and Hussey, 2003).
The surveys, as important research instruments have carefully been designed in order to meet the aforementioned objectives. By conducting self-completion questionnaires, the questions were easy to follow to avoid misunderstandings (Bryman and Bell, 2007). Survey 1 (Appendix 8) is a descriptive survey and is designed to acquire general characteristics of the targeted segment in terms of demographics as well as attitudes, motivations, beliefs,
