Critical Analysis of Marks & Spencer: Strategic Reasons for Low Sales and Marketing Problems

In this research  we will discuss about marks & spencers and below are the summaries point:- Analysis of strategic reasons for low sales and marketing problems at Marks & Spencer since 2007. Research methodology: Secondary research analysis used to identify issues of sub branding, poor content, and increased competition. Conclusions and recommendations based on thematic analysis, highlighting the need for strategic improvements.

Running head: MARKS AND SPENCERS
A critical analysis of the strategic reasons for the low sales and marketing problems that Mark
& Spencer has encountered since 2007.
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Acknowledgements
To complete this research dissertation, I have taken considerable efforts and applied all my hard
work. However, this would not have been possible without the assistance and help of the
different people as present in my university. For this, through this note, I would like to extend
my thanks to all of them.
I am indebted to (Name of your Organization Guide) for their help and assistance throughout my
project and for the resource availability. Moreover, I would also like to thank my parents for
their help and assistance as well as regular cooperation. I would also like to extend my
acknowledgement to my mentor and colleagues without whom I would have not been able to
complete the project on time.
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Abstract
The business environment is highly competitive and dynamic in nature and this is the reason why
various firms have often faced considerable difficulties in sustaining their positioning in the
market. This report is based on the case study of Marks and Spencer’s and the analysis of the
strategic reasons why the firm has been facing problems since the last few years. The dissertation
aimed to find the strategic reasons for the different marketing and sales problem as encountered
for the firm. The chapter one has laid the background of the dissertation which was then
followed by the Review of Literature will conducted analysis on the different theories related to
Consumer behavior, Strategic management and the advertisement. The third chapter laid down
the research methodology of the paper and with respect to this, it can be mentioned that for the
paper the method of Secondary research analysis was used. Through the research, the reasons for
the problems being faced by the firm were found which have been discussed in the thematic
analysis and the last chapter comprises of the Conclusions and Recommendations based on the
same. The results found that the firm was facing issues due to sub branding, poor content and
increased competition.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................8
1.0: Introduction..............................................................................................................................8
1.1 Background to the study........................................................................................................8
Annual report –Profitability Analysis....................................................................................10
1.2 Rationale of the study..........................................................................................................10
1.3 Problem Statement...............................................................................................................11
1.4 Aim of the study..................................................................................................................11
1.5 Objectives of the research....................................................................................................11
1.6 Research questions...............................................................................................................12
1.7 Literature review..................................................................................................................12
1.8 Research Methodology........................................................................................................13
1.8.1 Research process...........................................................................................................13
1.8.2 Data collection methods...............................................................................................13
1.8.3 Data analysis methods..................................................................................................14
1.8.4 Justification of methodology........................................................................................14
1.9 Limitation of the study.........................................................................................................15
1.10 Structure of the study.........................................................................................................15
1.11 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................16
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Chapter 2: A review of the literature on consumer behavior, strategic management and
advertising marketing................................................................................................................17
2.0 Introduction..............................................................................................................................17
2.1 Consumer behavior..............................................................................................................17
2.1.1 Theory 1: Theory of Reasoned Action.........................................................................18
2.1.2 Theory 2: Engel, Kollet, Blackwell (EKB) Model.......................................................19
2.1.3. Theory 3: Hawkins Stern Impulse Buying..................................................................21
2.2 Strategic Management.........................................................................................................24
2.2.1 Theory 1: Porters Five forces.......................................................................................24
2.2.2 Theory 2: Ansoff Matrix...............................................................................................26
(Source: Kotler and Armstrong 2015)...................................................................................28
2.3 Advertising and marketing..................................................................................................29
2.3.1 Theory1: Marketing mix...............................................................................................30
2.3.2 Theory 2: Shifting loyalties.........................................................................................32
2.3.3 Theory 3: Imitative desire............................................................................................33
2.4 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................34
3.1.1 Primary research..........................................................................................................37
3.1.2. Secondary research..........................................................................................................37
3.1.3 Qualitative Approach........................................................................................................37
3.1.4 Quantitative approach.......................................................................................................38
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3.1.5 Mixed Method..................................................................................................................38
Choice of method.......................................................................................................................38
3.2 Data Collection methods..........................................................................................................39
3.2.1 Questionnaires..................................................................................................................40
3.2.2 Interviews.........................................................................................................................40
3.2.3 Survey...............................................................................................................................40
3.2.4 Sampling Methods............................................................................................................41
3.2.5 Business reviews and Journals..........................................................................................41
3.2.1 Research Onion.................................................................................................................42
3.4 Hypothesis Development....................................................................................................44
3.5 Research design..................................................................................................................44
3.6.1 Limitations of the research methods used........................................................................47
3.7 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................47
Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis.................................................................................................48
4.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................48
4.2 Thematic analysis....................................................................................................................48
Justification and chosen approach.............................................................................................49
Discussion..................................................................................................................................49
Theme 1.....................................................................................................................................49
Theme 2.....................................................................................................................................52
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Theme 3.....................................................................................................................................55
Theme 4:....................................................................................................................................57
4.3 Critical Analysis of the findings and comparison to Literature...............................................59
4.4 Answer to Research Questions................................................................................................64
4.5 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................64
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations..............................................................................66
5.0 Introduction..............................................................................................................................66
5.1 Conclusions on Objectives......................................................................................................66
5.2 Contributions...........................................................................................................................68
5.3 Recommendations....................................................................................................................69
5.4 Future Scope............................................................................................................................71
References......................................................................................................................................72
Appendix........................................................................................................................................76
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List of figures
Figure 1.1: The profitability analysis of Marks and Spencer’s (2018)..........................................10
Figure 2.1.1: The theory of Reasoned Action................................................................................19
Figure 2.1.2: The EKB Model.......................................................................................................21
Figure 2.1.3. Hawkins Stern Impulse Buying................................................................................23
Figure 2.2.1 Porters Five forces.....................................................................................................26
2.2.2 Ansoff Matrix.......................................................................................................................28
Figure 2.3.1 Marketing mix...........................................................................................................31
Figure 2.3.3 Imitative desire..........................................................................................................34
Figure 3.2. Data collection Process...............................................................................................39
Figure 3.2.1: The research Onion..................................................................................................42
Figure 4.2.1: The financial performance of the firm.....................................................................51
Figure 4.2.2: The Marks and Spencer`s overall performance.......................................................52
Figure 4.2.3: The retail industry outlook of the United Kingdom.................................................54
Figure 4.2.4: The UK food retail sector.........................................................................................55
Figure 4.2.5: The market share of Marks and Spencer’s faced considerable competition in the
recent times....................................................................................................................................56
Figure 4.2.6: The competitive positioning of the Marks and Spencer’s........................................58
Figure 4.2.7: The overall popularity of Marks and Spencer’s.......................................................59
Figure 4.3.1: The Advertising and promotional extent of Marks and Spencer’s..........................60
Figure 4.3.2: The financial and operational performance statistics...............................................60
Figure 4.3.3: The UK Advertisement investment data in the retail sector....................................61
Figure 4.3.4: The Marks and Spencer`s way of performance........................................................63
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Chapter 1 Introduction
1.0: Introduction
The dissertation is aimed at critically analyzing the reasons why the Mark & Spencer’s
has faced certain problems since the year 2007. The dissertation critically analyze the various
contributory factors that has caused Marks and Spencer’s to suffer its current problems and what
was the strategic approach of the organization towards solving the problems. This chapter will be
laying down the overall background of the research which will then be followed by the format of
the dissertation, a brief overview of Marks and Spencer’s and an analysis of the reasons why the
firm has been faced by the given set of problems.
1.1 Background to the study
The Marks and Spencer`s organization has been facing serious concerns with respect to
the profitability of the business and also in concern to the overall culture of the organization. The
latest profitability reports have suggested that there has been a fall in the pretax profit of the firm
and that it is highly linked to the aspect of store closures which existed. In addition to this,
Marks and Spencer’s is also under the planning of closing down more stores by the year 2022 as
it plans to undertake a five year transformation program. According to Kotler and Armstrong
(2015), the main cause of the problems being faced by the organization can be stated to culture
of the firm. The Chief executive believes that there exists an urgent need of change in the overall
culture of the firm and that Marks and Spencer’s will now require to become a faster and lower
cost business which will be digitalized in nature. The primary problem with some of the
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segments of Marks and Spencer’s can be stated to be the rise in the competition from various
brands like Primark and Next. In addition to this, it also needs to be understood that, although the
company has been engaging in glamourous offerings and other advertisement initiatives
however, the different customers have become highly cost conscious in nature and in addition to
this, they do not prefer making the purchase of these items.
According to Theguardian.com (2018), the competition Primark and H and M have
improved their quality and at the same time have been providing goods which are particularly
cheap in nature. In addition to this, the Marks and Spencer’s has been in consistent criticism
which tends to add to the confusion of the customers. Coming back to the food business, the
organization`s margins have been squeezed as the cost of stocking has been increasing
considerably and this may affect the overall profitability of the firm. According to
Marksandspencer.com (2019), the different analysts are under the belief that the traditional
retailers are facing the issue of the rising costs and the online competition has destroyed the
overall sales of the firm as well. Hence, in the particular scenario the business would be required
to shift their operations to an online base and in lieu of this they would be required to ensure that
they are successful able to bring their operations back on track. In addition to this, the Brexit
upheaval has also brought about a considerable sense of upheaval amongst the different retailers
and has added up to the overall cost pressures of the firm. In addition to this, it has led to a
conscious spending from the side of the different shoppers (Independent.ie 2018). The Brexit
state can be stated to be a real stress for the retail sector and the economy is in a considerably
weak condition to fulfill the overall objectives of the organization.
The primary target market base of the organization can be stated to be the upper middle
class and the premium customers who can afford the luxurious offers made by the organization.
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These customers believe in the premium goods and imported items which is generously offered
by the firm. According to Marksandspencer.com (2019), it needs to be understood that Marks
and Spencer`s would be required to change the targeted market so as to ensure that it is able to
improve its sales and revenue successfully.
Annual report –Profitability Analysis
Year 2018
Sales 10699
Operating Profits 670
Net profits 455
1
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000
Profitability analysis
Net profits Operating Profits Sales
Figure 1.1: The profitability analysis of Marks and Spencer’s (2018)
1.2 Rationale of the study
The primary strategic approach which is followed by Marks and Spencer’s can be stated
to be product differentiation. The organization engages in the differentiation of the products and
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services in a manner such that, they are able to pay a premium price for the products. In the food
segment, the organization follows a generic strategy and focuses on the higher segment of the
market. Moreover, when associated with the clothing, the organization follows an overall
differentiation strategy with respect to this, the organization aims to supply goods to a selected
group of members (Marksandspencer.com 2019). The organization engages in adequate
strategic development by making application of the strategic models of BCG Matrix and
Ansoff`s Matrix. However, it can be stated that, the company needs to become more consumer
centric in nature and understand the overall consumer behavior which will help the organization
in bringing about the adequate changes which are required to take place in order to meet the
needs of the consumers
1.3 Problem Statement
The particular problem which will be analyzed in this particular research dissertation can
be stated to be the problem related to the issues which have been leading to various problems at
Marks and Spencer’s since the year 2007. This means that, the organization has been facing a
large number of problems since the year 2007 due to some of the different reasons as stated
previously and hence, in lieu of this this research aims to recognize the strategic decisions which
led to these problems and provide a critical analysis of the same.
1.4 Aim of the study
The aim of this dissertation is to understand and critically analyze the different problems
which are being faced by the organization since the year 2007 and to figure out the strategic
decisions which lead to the given problems.
1.5 Objectives of the research
The objectives of the given research can be stated to be as follows:
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1. To critically evaluate the different problems being faced by Marks and Spencer’s since the
year 2007.
2. To evaluate the overall strategic approach of Marks and Spencer’s towards the operations
3. To understand the strategic approaches of Marks and Spencer’s towards organizational
management.
4. To contribute to the current field of research with respect to the organizational management
and other strategic problems which are being faced by the firm.
1.6 Research questions
The research question is as follows:
1. What are the different problems being faced by Mark & Spencer’s since the year 2007?
2. What is the overall strategic approach of Marks and Spencer’s?
3. What are the strategic approaches of Marks and Spencer’s towards organizational
management?
4. What is the current filed of research with respect to the organizational management and other
strategic problems which are being faced by the firm?
1.7 Literature review
The main literature review is based on the consumer behavior, strategic management and
advertising marketing. The main references including Porter 5 Forces (1985), Ansoff (2019),
Barney (2009), David (2013), Bamossy and Solomon (2016), Belk (1975) and Kotler,
Burton, Deans, Brown and Armstrong (2015).
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1.8 Research Methodology
The research methodology which will be followed for the given dissertation can be stated
to be the Secondary research method. In the particular ideology, various newspaper articles,
journals, business reviews and research papers will be examined in order to understand the
overall strategic approach of the organization towards the overall operations and the different
problems which are being faced by the organization and the comments of the industry experts
and the analysts will be understood in order to understand the overall reasons for which the
problem is being faced and what solutions can be provided to the organization.
1.8.1 Research process
The research process which will be followed for the particular dissertation can be stated
to be mostly qualitative in nature. This means by analyzing the different journals and related
business reviews, the researcher will be analyzing the dissertation in a comprehensive manner. In
addition to this , the quantitative method of analysis shall also be used whereby the researcher
will make use of the annual reports of the organization and make use of various ratio tools and
other analytical models in order to derive at a conclusion about the organization`s overall
performance. As stated earlier, the method of secondary analysis shall be adopted for the purpose
of the study which will serve as a useful method of information in order to ensure success in the
achievement of the different objectives.
1.8.2 Data collection methods
As the quantitative and qualitative research approaches will be used for the dissertation,
the researcher would be requiring a combination of the data which will be arrived at by the
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Annual Reports of the firm. This means that, the Annual reports of the Marks and Spencer’s will
be used as the primary source of the data and information which will be required to carry out the
procedure of the research. Moreover apart from the data collection source of the different annual
reports which will be made use of, the different journals and related business reviews will also be
used to find out the reasons why the company has been performing poorly and how can the firm
overcome its overall issue with respect to the overall goals and objectives of the organization.
1.8.3 Data analysis methods
The data analysis method and procedure which will be made use of for the purpose of the
study can be stated the qualitative data analysis. In this type of an analysis, the use of various
theories, business reviews, journals and other related secondary information will be made use of
in order to analyze the data which will be arrived at and to figure out the reasons why the
company is not being able to perform well and to also analyze the reasons why the advertising
and the sales problem is being faced by the company. Once this is understood, only then certain
methods could be recommended in order to ensure that the organization is able to overcome this
problem of the advertising and low sales which the firm can overcome and ensure success in the
long run.
1.8.4 Justification of methodology
The reason why the chosen methodology has been used can be stated to be that it will
help in analyzing the strategic reasons why the organization has been facing these problems with
respect to the advertisement and sales management. The Marks and Spencer’s is a global
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organization and in lieu of this, the secondary research method can be stated to be the most
appropriate research method which can be applied to the given project. In lieu of this, it can also
be mentioned that as the dissertation is following a thematic format, analysis of the strategic
reasons which are being faced by Marks and Spencer’s will become comparatively easier.
1.9 Limitation of the study
The main limitations of the study can be stated to be the limitations related to the access
to the data. As the annual reports of the firm, provide limited data about the overall operations of
the firm, it can be understood that, a more thorough information pertaining to the firm would
have been required. Additionally, it can also be understood that, as the research only follows a
secondary approach, there lacks and primary research information for the firm.
1.10 Structure of the study
Chapter 1: This chapter is based on the Introduction and background research. The chapter will
present a brief overview of the particular topic and throw light on the background of the firm as
well.
Chapter2: The particular chapter is based on the Review of Literature. In this chapter, the
literature available on consumer behavior, advertising and the strategic management will be
analyzed.
Chapter 3: This chapter presents a research methodology into the domain of the study. This
chapter will be discussing the different research approaches, philosophy and method which
would then go a long way in assisting to identify the reasons for the problems being faced by the
firm.
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Chapter 4: Analysis and Findings chapter will be discussing the findings of the study.
Additionally, the critical findings of the study will also be done.
Chapter 5: This chapter will provide a conclusion and recommendations to the firm
1.11 Conclusion
The introduction of the dissertation lays down the overall background of the research and
aims to present a foreword for the given dissertation. The format of the dissertation has been
provided in the introduction and the research objectives and aims of the dissertation have also
been presented.
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Chapter 2: A review of the literature on consumer behavior, strategic management and
advertising marketing.
2.0 Introduction
It can be largely understood that the given review of literature aims to find out the
reasons why Marks and Spencer’s has not been successful in performing well and also seeks to
find out the reason why the company was led to a break down in the year 2007. However, the
primary focus of the research will be based on the review of literature on consumer behavior,
advertising and strategic management.
2.1 Consumer behavior
Consumer behavior can be rightfully defined as the study of the manner in which the
different individuals, customers or the groups tend to select, buy or make use of the goods as
well as the services which are provided to them, in order to ensure that they are able to meet their
needs as well as the wants. The consumers are generally considered to be as rational beings and
with respect to this, it can be mentioned their behavior towards a particular good may change
based on the influence of a certain factors (Independent.ie 2018). In the given sections, the
concept of Consumer behavior will be highlighted which shall be then followed by the features
of the concept. This will be followed by the discussion of the different theories of Consumer
behavior. Lastly, the problem which was faced by Marks and Spencer’s will be discussed with
respect to the overall theory of consumer behavior. The consumer behavior theories form the
basis of the study which is largely undertaken by the different organizations in order to
understand why the consumers make the purchase or why do they act in the manner in which
they do (Belk 1975). With respect to this, it can be largely understood that the different
Consumer behavior theories tend to deal with these issues of the pattern of consumer purchase,
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role of emotions in the decision making of the consumers and the post purchase attitude of the
customers at large. The different consumer behavior theories and models which are available can
be stated to be as follows:
2.1.1 Theory 1: Theory of Reasoned Action
The theory of reasoned action was created by Martin Fischbein and Icek Ajzen in the
year 1960, and is largely based on the analysis of the pre-existing attitudes of the consumers in
the procedure of decision making. The theory is largely based on the fact that the different
consumers tend to act on their own intention which seeks to create an outcome or receive the
outcome. Hence, with respect to this, it can be largely understood that the customers choose to
act in a certain manner which gives them a return which is in their best interest. Bradford et al.
(2017) states that the theory is based on the fact that there exists a decision making process and a
consumer only tends to take a specific action when there exists a certain result from it. The
ability to take the decision or not to take one lies in the hands of the consumer himself (Bradford
et al. 2017). From the theory of reasoned action, it can be assumed that the marketers will be
required to associate positive results with a product which will then enable them to sell their
product in a better manner to the different consumers.
In addition to this, the result which will be derived from a particular product needs to be
quite specific in nature as this will allow the different consumers to make the right choice. In
addition to this, the particular theory has highlighted the importance of moving the customers
through a sales pipeline (Bamossy and Solomon 2016). This means that, the markers must
possess adequate knowledge about the initial intention of the actions and the completion of the
same which shall then allow them with sufficient time to make a purchase or question the reason
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why the purchase has been made. With respect to this, the Marks and Spencer’s organization
would be required to ensure that it is successfully able to predict the different demands of the
different consumers based on their interest and provide offerings which will be able to ensure
higher sales on their side.
Figure 2.1.1: The theory of Reasoned Action
(Source: Belk 1975).
2.1.2 Theory 2: Engel, Kollet, Blackwell (EKB) Model
The Engel, Kollet and Blackwell Model is primarily based on the Theory of Reasoned
action but instead expands the theory and lays down the five step procedure which is important
to be used when a purchase decision is being made. In the particular process, the first step can be
taken to be as the step of Input (Deaton and Muellbauer 1980). In the Input phase, the customers
will be required to absorb the marketing materials as being viewed by them on several mediums
like newspapers, online and television. Once the consumer will be successfully able to collect the
data, then he or she will be required to process the information available based on the
experiences of the customer from the organization and the past expectations (Engel, Kollat and
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Blackwell 1973). In addition to this, it also needs to be considered that, the third step involves
the step of the influence of the external influences as well as the process variables which can
have an influence on the overall decision making of the customer with regard to the product or
the service being used. Hence, the EKB model recommends that, the different marketers
comprise of two periods where their input can be taken to be considerably popular.
According to Bamossy and Solomon (2016), this can be stated to be the period of
importance whereby for the marketers, the input of the customer becomes relatively crucial and
hence, it becomes the duty of the different marketers to ensure that they are successfully able to
provide the maximum information to the different customers so that they are influenced to make
the decision. Moreover, using these simple tactics, the organization will also be able to ensure
that, they are being able to meet the external influences of the customers and instill desire within
them in order to sell the products. For this reason, as the Marks and Spencer’s is a relatively
large organization, it will be required to ensure that it is successfully able to predict the needs of
the different customers and stock their stores with those items which will be able to attract the
customers and make faster sales on the side of the firm.
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Figure 2.1.2: The EKB Model
(Source: Engel, Kollat and Blackwell 1973).
2.1.3. Theory 3: Hawkins Stern Impulse Buying
Various authors who have formed the theory of consumer behavior tend to state that, the
theories of consumer behavior are based on rational action, however, the authors like Hawkins
Stern believed in the idea of impulse behavior. According to Belk (1975), Stern mentioned that
the sudden buying impulses of the different individuals tend to fit with the idea of the rational
purchasing decisions made by the consumer and tend to paint a complete picture of the average
consumer. When an impulse purchase is made, it needs to be understood that these purchases are
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largely driven by the external stimuli and tend to have no impact on the traditional decision
making as made by the firm.
According to Stern there exists four basic categories of the impulse buying. These can be
mentioned to be the purely impulse purchases such as the last moment goods purchased at the
checkout like a candy. The next kind of an impulse purchase can be stated to be the purchase of
the reminded impulse buys. This can be stated to be the purchase of the hot dog buns which exist
next to a meat cooler. The third kind of an impulse purchase can be stated to the impulse related
to the suggested impulse purchases which refers to the purchase of the items which are related to
the main purchase. According to Cohen and Areni (1991), this can be stated to be the purchase of
a warranty for an electronic device. Lastly, the fourth type of impulse behavior is the planned
impulse decisions which means that although they know the product, they do not know about the
specifics. Thus, the impulse buying theory of consumer behavior tends to represent a large
number of opportunities to the different marketers and assists them to ensure that they present
their products in a manner such that the customers will be lured to purchase the product and to
ensure that, they have the best sales possible. At Marks and Spencer`s the organization has taken
consideration certain strategies like ` Withdrawal of free carrier bags` and one day wardrobe
clearance sale.
This consumer behavior action which has been undertaken by the organization can be
explained with the help of the Freudian Motivation Theory and according to this, theory the
different customers can make the choice of any product based on his unconscious desires or
motivation. Sirgy (1982) commented that, the emotional response of the consumer is required to
be understood by the marketer and this is the reason, why the marketer will be required to ensure
that, the different consumer behaviors are taken care of adequately and that the consumer is able
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to become a part of the organization`s growth and sustainable development (Solomon et al.
2014).
Figure 2.1.3. Hawkins Stern Impulse Buying
(Source: Koufaris 2002).
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2.2 Strategic Management
The Strategic Management can be described as the formation and planning of the
strategies for the long term welfare of the business organization. The strategic management has
a crucial role to play in the long term overall success of the business organization and assists in
carrying out the overall strategy of the firm. Strategy can be described as a clear and well defined
goals which a firm forms for itself, in order to ensure that, it is able to attain a competitive
advantage in the firm. Cohen and Areni (1991) states that a comprehensive strategic plan will
enable to improve the overall performance of the firm from the firm`s bottom line to the top
management of the organization. As the business environment has become quite dynamic in
nature, it has become considerably crucial for all the firm`s involved in the field of the business
to ensure that they are successfully able to form a strategy which is highly competitive and will
enable the firm to perform the best (Peter, Olson and Grunert 1999). The different operations of
the firm are not only impacted by the internal as well as external forces, the analysis of which is
very crucial for the overall performance of the firm and its future.
2.2.1 Theory 1: Porters Five forces
The Porters Five forces theory is a tool for analyzing the competition which exists in the
business environment. The particular theory which is the Porters Five forces theory was formed
by the Michael E Porter of the Harvard University in the tear 1979. These forces tend to analyze
the overall scenario which exists in the particular industry and states whether the industry is
beneficial or not. The tool is often used to analyze the overall attractiveness of the industry in
terms of the overall profitability of the business. If an industry is an unattractive one then the
presence of these five forces will have a negative impact on the overall profitability of the
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business. These forces can be referred to as the micro environment in contrast to the macro
environment which tends to access and analyze the overall business environment. A change in
any one of the force will affect the overall industry on the whole. The Michael Porters five forces
comprises of three forces from the horizontal competition (Lovelock and Patterson 2015). These
are the threat of the substitute products or the service, the threat of the new entrants and the
threat of the established rivals. In addition to this, it also comprises of the vertical competition
which deals with the overall bargaining power of the suppliers and the bargaining power of the
customers as well. According to Kotler and Armstrong (2015), this theory was prepared against
the SWOT Analysis, which was quite popular at that time which lacked the rigor.
The Porters five forces framework is based on the conduct performance paradigm which
exists in the industrial organizational economics. The use of the tool goes a long way in assisting
the different firms to understand the manner in which they can perform against the different
forces as present in the industrial environment. For Marks and Spencer’s to engage in any new
plans and projects, it can be considered to be relatively important for the firm, to engage in the
scanning of the internal environment of the industry which will go a long way in assisting the
firm to form plans and various strategies which will assist the firm in performing well and
ensuring that the future plans of the firm are successful.
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Figure 2.2.1 Porters Five forces
(Source: Kotler and Armstrong 2015).
2.2.2 Theory 2: Ansoff Matrix
The Ansoff Matrix is another strategic management matrix which is largely centered on
the product market strategy. The particular theory states that all organizations must ensure that a
joint statement of the product line strategy and the missions and visions of the firm must be taken
into consideration in order to ensure that the firm is able to fulfill the goals of the organization
and be able to attain all the trust and loyalty of the customers. The Ansoff Matrix can be largely
defined as a strategic management tool which provides a framework to the different executives,
senior managers, marketers and other decision makers to develop a plan for the future of the
organization (Kotler and Armstrong 2015). The theory is named after the Russian American
scholar named Igor Ansoff. The different components of the Ansoff Matrix theory can be at,
stated to be the different growth strategies which an organization can adopt in order to ensure
that they are successfully able to attain success with respect to their growth plan.
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Market penetration
According to Kotler and Armstrong (2015), the first strategy under the Ansoff matrix
strategy can be stated to be the market penetration strategy. In the market penetration strategy,
the organization intends to grow its offering base by using the existing offers in the existing
markets. In this manner, the firm intends to increase the overall share in the current market.
Additionally, the organization aims to ensure that the firm is able to sell a higher number of
products to a similar base customers. Here the company aims to ensure that it is able to increase
the promotional technique and adopt an aggressive strategy in order to engage in larger sales.
The prices of the offerings need to be decreased, the promotion needs to be worked on and the
modest product refinements need to be done.
Market development strategy
The market development strategy, is aimed at ensuring that the firm is able to expand into
new and better markets by expanding geographically to new countries or markets by making use
of the existing offerings. The organization will be able to achieve this strategy by undertaking the
different customer segments, by entering the different new markets or by ensuring that the firm is
able to ensure different industrial buyers. This helps to increase the overall sales and revenue of
the firm.
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2.2.2 Ansoff Matrix
(Source: Kotler and Armstrong 2015).
Product development strategy
The product development strategy can be stated to be another strategy which can be
largely adopted by the organization in order to ensure that the firm is successfully able to create
new products and offerings and along with this achieve growth. This can be stated to be a new
strategy where the firm tends to extend the offerings to the newer markets and these offerings are
comparatively new in nature (Armstrong et al. 2015). The methods which the firm can adopt in
this aspect are the acquisition of rights in order to make it of the own brand, investment in
research, acquisition of new rights and joint development with ownership of the new products.
These theories which are adopted by the different strategists around the globe in order to
achieve considerable success with respect to the overall operations of the organization. The
Marks and Spencer’s often follows all the three strategies as per the different circumstances in
order to ensure that it is able to combat against the different competitors as present and also able
to ensure success in the long run.
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2.3 Advertising and marketing
The concept of Advertising and Marketing can be stated to be very unique and very
useful to the business. The objective of both the concepts can be stated to be the same in nature.
The primary objective of both the concepts can be stated to be alerting the different consumers
and ensuring that they are successfully able to increase the overall revenue of the organization
(Armstrong et al. 2015). The concept of advertising and marketing has various things in
common, however, out of these, both the concepts have a major role to play in ensuring that the
firm is able to attain long term success. The procedure of Marketing involves ensuring that the
organization is able to create, design and research upon the best way to align the idea of the
particular product or a service with the set audience (Ansoff et al. 2019). In a similar manner,
marketing also involves ensuring that the firm is able to engage in the research and analysis
which will go a long way in ensuring that, the audience of the particular product is studied and
that, the new products and ideas can be designed in a manner such that, the products of the firm
become quite popular. In addition to this, the different marketing campaigns also go a long way
in ensuring that, the company will be able to build the loyalty of the customers towards the
organization. In a similar manner, advertising can be rightfully defined as a procedure of
carrying out the process of making a service known to a specific audience. It can also be
described as a procedure using which an idea can be presented to the general audience. An
advertising is carried out in a timely manner and in a strategic way.
According to Armstrong et al. (2015), the procedure of advertising involves the
alignment of the organizational goals with that of the goals of the different customers and
creating a desire amongst the customers which will make them assist the particular product and
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thereby assist in increasing the sales of the product. It is required to be noted that the procedure
of marketing is not the same as the procedure of Advertising. On one hand, the marketing makes
use of the controlled and wider reaching procedure and on the other hand, advertising makes use
of the data in order to ensure that the firm will successfully be able to gain a larger audience.
2.3.1 Theory1: Marketing mix
The theory of marketing mix can be rightfully defined as a set of actions, tactics and
other related procedures which are adopted by the firm in order to ensure that the company is
able to promote the goods in the market. The marketing mix theory is also known as the 4p
theory which comprises of the marketing mix of Product, Price, Place and the promotion. These
days, for the purpose of the services, there are several other aspects which are also included like
the Packaging, positioning, people and others, however, the most critical ones which are used by
the businesses are the primary 4Ps (Kotler and Armstrong 2015). The Marketing mix of the
organization comprises of the Price. The price deals with the value which is put for the product
and is generally dependent on the cost of the production and the advertising which the firm
incurs in. This helps in ensuring that, the customers perceive the pricing of the product in an
appropriate manner and are able to ensure that the sales of the firm increase considerably. The
pricing strategy comprises of various kinds of pricing strategies which are tied with the overall
objectives of the firm. Very often the pricing strategy of the firm is used to differentiate as well
as enhance the image of the firm in the eyes of the customer. The next aspect of the Marketing
mix is the Product.
According to Kotler and Armstrong (2015), the product can be stated to be the item
which is being sold. It needs to be ensured that the product of the organization delivers a
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minimum level of performance, otherwise the other elements of the marketing mix will not be
able to do any good to the firm. The third aspect of the marketing mix is the place and refers to
the point of sale for the customer. It needs to be understood that in order to ensure the long term
success of the firm, the organization is successfully able to catch the eyes of the different
customers and is also able to ensure that, the firm is able to meet the needs of the customers in
the right manner (Tuten and Solomon 2017). The last aspect of the marketing mix is the
promotion. The promotion has a critical role to play in the marketing mix as it assists the
consumers in becoming aware of the product. These methods comprise of press reports, word of
mouth and commissions along with contests and prizes.
Figure 2.3.1 Marketing mix
(Source: Tuten and Solomon 2017).
Hence, as agreed by Fill and Turnbull (2016), it can be understood that the Marketing
mix is a comprehensive marketing theory which is often used by the different firms in order to
provide an offering to the firm which will make them successful in the long run. Hence, any
business operating will be required to ensure that the firm is successfully able to employ this tool
for the overall benefit of the organization. In order to understand the overall demands of the
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consumers and offer them with products and offerings, the Marks and Spencer’s will also be
required to carry out the Marketing mix regularly which will go a long way in assisting the firm
to come up with new products and offerings which will enable the firm to ensure that it is able to
attract the correct target audience for itself (Tuten and Solomon 2017).
2.3.2 Theory 2: Shifting loyalties
According to Fahy and Jobber (2015), the theory of shifting loyalties can be understood
to be a crucial theory which goes a long way in assisting the business to understand the changing
loyalties of the different consumers. The changing consumer loyalties can be understood to be a
crucial part of the different organizations and with respect to this, the different advertisements
are required to match the changing loyalties of the firm. Although the different advertisements
are required to create intense brand loyalties, they also convince the different consumers to shift
their loyalties and to disown their current loyalties for a particular brand to a relatively newer
brand in the market. The advertisement format has changed considerably from the past few years
and hence, the advertisements need to approach the customers in a manner such that they will be
able to engage in a long term relationship with the organization (Hawkins and Mothersbaugh
2010). For instance, the loyalties of the customers have been changing considerably with respect
to the toothpaste brand Colgate and Close-up. However, the advertisement of the Close-up
reflects the changing loyalty of customers as they are more attractive in nature. Marks and
Spencer’s will be required to make use of this theory in order to measure the changing loyalties
and the changing needs of the different customers so as to keep their goads as per their demands
so as to ensure the sustained loyalty of the firm (McDonald and Wilson 2016). Once they are
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able to make use of this theory, Marks and Spencer will be able to ensure sustained success for
their firm.
2.3.3 Theory 3: Imitative desire
The third theory which can be discussed in light of marketing and advertisement can be
stated to be the Imitative desire theory. The advertisements have the power to impact the mind of
the prospective consumer and with respect to this, it becomes considerably important for the
different companies to ensure that they are able to instill the desires of the products in the minds
of the consumer (De Mooij 2018). Once they are able to do this, only then will they be successful
in increasing the sales of the firm and in ensuring that they are able to engage with the audience
in a better manner. For instance, if an advertisement for a bookstore is given and the
advertisement suggests that the books assist in escaping from the reality then the consumers may
perceptive the books from that perspective. In a similar way, various soaps and powders show
that their usage can improve the lives of the consumer and for this reason, the association with
the product increases (Kotler et al. 2015). The company can make the use of Imitative desire
theory which will go a long way in ensuring that, the organization is able to offer goods to the
consumers which are desirable in nature.
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Figure 2.3.3 Imitative desire
(Source: Stephen 2016).
2.4 Conclusion
Therefore from the given review of literature it can be understood that for the consumer,
the advertising and marketing has a crucial role to play in the overall development of the
consumer relationship. The consumer behavior theory becomes an integral part of the
organization and when any organization would like to attain success in the long run, the
organization would be required to ensure that it is successfully able to adopt the different
theories of consumer behavior in order to make the sales higher and the company comparatively
popular. According to Zhang and Benyoucef (2016), the marketing and strategic management
theories also go a long way in assisting a firm to understand the overall mindset of the different
consumers and to apply these theories the theory of consumer behavior, the theories of strategic
management and the theories of marketing. In addition to this, the different theories have been
applied to Marks and Spencer’s and the manner in which the organization is successfully able to
indulge in various practices which help in predicting the overall behavior of the consumers.
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Chapter 3: The Research Methodology and Design
3.0 Introduction
The particular chapter in this dissertation is aimed at providing a brief overview of the
research outline and framework and will assist in understanding the different approaches which
will be adopted with respect to the study (Ledford and Gast 2018). In order to make sure that the
study is carried out in a systematic manner, it becomes considerably crucial to ensure that the
study is authentic as well as conclusive in manner and for this reason, the researcher would be
required to follow a methodological framework. Each approach in this section will be undertaken
based on explanation and the justification of the method being adopted.
3.1 Research approach/ Method
The research approach can be stated to be a set of procedures which are generally
adopted by the researcher in order to gain a definition of the method which will be adopted for
the purpose of the analysis and to find out the different ways in which the data collection, data
analysis and the interpretation of the data will be carried out (Sahay 2016). The research problem
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is addressed with the help of a research approach. The different research approaches which can
be adopted for the purpose of the study can be stated to be as follows:
1. Deductive research approach
2. Inductive research approach
3. Abductive research approach
Deductive Research Approach
The deductive research approach can be stated to be a research approach whereby the
primary aim is to either accept a hypothesis or to reject one. In the deductive approach, the
impact of one factor on the other factor is understood.
Inductive Research Approach
The inductive research approach is another research approach whereby the formula of
hypothesis is generally not followed. In this research approach, the research questions and
objectives are achieved with the help of various tests, theories and related patterns.
Abductive Research Approach
The third type of the research approach which is adopted for the purpose of the study is
known as the abductive approach whereby there exists incomplete observations and related facts.
The particular research approach comes in useful in understanding the impact of a factor on the
other factor (Silverman 2016).
Justification of the research approach adopted
The research approach which will be adopted for the purpose of the study can be sated to
be the Inductive research approach. The Inductive research approach does not make use of any
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specific hypothesis and instead the data is researched and analyzed rom the point of view of the
overall objectives and research questions (Sahay 2016). Hence, by making use of this research
approach, it will become easier to understand the different reasons why Marks and Spencer’s has
been facing problems of low sales.
3.1.1 Primary research
The primary research can be described as a type of research whereby the data for the
research is carried out on a first hand basis and the study seeks to present a concept which is
entirely new in nature. Hence, to ensure success, the primary research method can be stated to be
a good method so that the authenticity of the data can be maintained. According to Ledford and
Gast (2018), the primary research can be rightfully defined as a methodology which is generally
used by the different researchers to collect data directly from the source instead of collecting the
data from a secondary source. Through this procedure, the research can be stated to own the data.
3.1.2. Secondary research
The secondary research can be described as a type of research whereby the researcher
seeks to attain the information from the secondary sources and sees to provide an information
which is already existent. In addition to this, the sources selected are based on journals and other
articles adopted previously. According to Bryman and Bell (2007), the secondary research can be
rightfully defined as the summary, synthesis and the collation of the existing research. This kind
of data is often contrasted with the primary research as the researcher does not own the data in
this case.
3.1.3 Qualitative Approach
The Qualitative Approach can be largely understood to be an approach whereby the stress
is laid about the factual information and theoretical reasons more than lying the stress on the
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actual data. The Qualitative Approach can be largely understood to be an approach whereby the
stress is laid about the factual information and theoretical reasons more than lying the stress on
the actual data. Hence, with respect to this, it can be largely understood that to figure out the
strategic reasons for the different problems being faced by Marks and Spencer’s, the qualitative
approach will be made use of as this will go a long way in assisting the research to gain a
perspective of the theoretical frameworks and other experts before making a conclusion.
Secondary data shall be collected and made use of to arrive at a conclusion (Bryman and Bell
2007).
3.1.4 Quantitative approach
The quantitative research approach can be stated to be a type of research approach
whereby the numeric data is usually made use of and various numeric and statistical analysis.
Ledford and Gast (2018), states that, in the field of natural and social sciences and other research
domains, the quantitative research can be rightfully defined as the systematic investigation of the
observational phenomenon by making the use of statistics, mathematical as well as computer
techniques. The use of quantitative approach helps in determining the relationship between the
two variables and defining a quantitative relation out of them.
3.1.5 Mixed Method
The mixed research approach is the research approach whereby two or more
combinations of the given methods are made use of. Bryman and Bell (2007), states that in the
mixed research approach, the researcher tends to make use of both the qualitative as well as
quantitative data within the scope of the same study and additionally, aims to ensure that the
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complex topics of the business paradigms can be approached using both the quantitative as well
as the qualitative approach.
Choice of method
Hence, with respect to this, it can be largely understood that to figure out the strategic
reasons for the different problems being faced by Marks and Spencer’s, the qualitative approach
will be made use of as this will go a long way in assisting the research to gain a perspective of
the theoretical frameworks and other experts before making a conclusion. Secondary data shall
be collected and made use of to arrive at a conclusion (Bryman and Bell 2007).
3.2 Data Collection methods
The data collection method can be stated to be a critical part of the research paper. The
data collection method defines the manner in which the data for the paper shall be collected and
what sources will be looked out for. There exists two basic kinds of data collection method
which can be adopted by the different researchers can be stated to be as follows:
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DATA COLLECTION METHOD
PRIMARY DATA
COLLECTION
SECONDARY DATA
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Figure 3.2. Data collection Process
(Source: Created by Author)
The data forms a critical aspect of the paper and with respect to this, it needs to be
understood that to ensure overall success, the author would be required to ensure that they are
able to consider the different sources (Novikov and Novikov 2013). The primary data source can
be understood to be that source of data which can be used to collect the information from
mediums like interviews as well as the questionnaires. On the other hand, the secondary data can
be stated to be the data which is collected from sources like the journals, articles, reviews and
books which are already based on researched work as these sources have been published earlier.
3.2.1 Questionnaires
The questionnaires can be stated to be the most widely used method of collecting data
where the questionnaires are distrusted through a population and their responses are gained. A
questionnaire can be stated to be a document which is often made use of by the researcher in
order to determine the response of the respondent (Saunders et al., 2007). The questionnaire
contains some questions relating to the topic of the study and then based on the responses
received from the questionnaire, the researcher will be able to reach at a conclusion regarding the
study.
3.2.2 Interviews
The interviews also form a critical method of data collection whereby interviews of
eminent personalities can be collected and an analysis can be done based on the same (Bryman
and Bell 2007). They can be done with open ended questions or close ended questions
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3.2.3 Survey
The survey is used to collect data from a large sample size. The survey holds various
questions which can be collected from the different customers and selected target audience. A
survey can be described as a method whereby the responses of the different respondents are
gained with the help of a mass questionnaire distribution technique (Saunders et al. 2007). This
means that, a survey is collected from a minimum defined group of people, and the format of the
survey is based on the topic of study. The responses of the study are often analyzed
quantitatively and used to arrive at a conclusion.
3.2.4 Sampling Methods
The sampling methods which are adopted for a research can be stated to be methods
which are generally used in order to ensure that, the sample size of population which are selected
are taken a survey from. The easiest sampling method is the convenient sampling method.
3.2.5 Business reviews and Journals
For the purpose of this dissertation, the data collection which has to be made use of will
be the secondary data. The secondary data shall be collected with the help of journals,
newspaper articles, business reviews and other sources. The annual reports of the organization
will also be assess and examined. Based on the responses which will be received, the analysis
will be done in a systematized manner.
3.2 Research philosophies
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3.2.1 Research Onion
Figure 3.2.1: The research Onion
(Source: Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2007).
The research onion can be stated to be a format of research methodology which can be
largely used by any researcher in order to conduct the procedure of the research. The research
onion was developed by Saunders et al. 2007. It tends to describe and illustrate the stages which
are required to be covered when a research is carried out. The research onion lays down each of
the details of the research procedure. The overall study is underlined using the research
methodology approach and assists in ensuring that a variety of topics are covered. The research
methodology on the Marks and Spencer’s makes use of the research onion and has included all
critical aspects to carry out the research study.
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The research philosophy can be stated to be a process which assists in understanding the
process with the assistance of which the data required for the study is collected and analyzed
adequately in order to process the overall information and gain an analysis of the findings
received. In general form, there is the doxology and the epistemology philosophy for the study.
Moreover, it makes use of three different approaches which are commonly known as the
positivism approach, the interpretivist approach and the realism approach. Ritchie et al. (2013),
states that the positivism study can be stated to be a line of study which is conducted with the
help of observation and description of a general phenomenon keeping in line with the overall
objectives of the study which exist. This research approach ensures that a researcher is
successfully able to view the information from the objective perspective and the phenomenon is
left isolated (Sahay 2016). The current reality is manipulated by making use of an independent
variable so as to establish a relation with the social elements of the world. This approach is
adopted, when there exists a hypothesis which has to be proven or to be rejected.
Roberts (2013) has mentioned that the realism philosophy is a type of philosophy where
the enquiry is usually carried out in a well justified and in a scientific manner. The study which
is based on the realism philosophy is based on the general sense of truth and hence, the analysis
is proven by the researcher in a direct manner and the experience of the research is based on the
human mind. The critical realism approach does not present the analysis in a direct manner. The
third type of research philosophy which exists is the interpretivist philosophy whereby the
differences between the human and society is applied to understand the philosophies in the
correct manner. The particular philosophy is made use of when the study is in-depth and helps in
assessing the overall aims of the research.
Justification of the research Philosophy
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As agreed by Silverman (2016), the research philosophy which can be made use of in this
dissertation can be stated to be the interpretivist philosophies. The particular philosophy is being
made use of as it assists in conducting an in-depth analysis of the related topic in order to gain
the overall objectives and understand the strategic reasons why the organization, Marks and
Spencer’s is facing the particular problem and how can the problem be overcome. As the study
will be carried out in a descriptive manner, this research philosophy shall come in useful and
help in understanding the strategic reasons and help in attaining the overall objectives of the
study as well.
3.4 Hypothesis Development
In order to ensure that the overall research can either be accepted or rejected, the different
authors often tend to form a research hypothesis which aims to either prove a statement or reject
a statement in order to ensure that the study is conclusive in nature (Bryman and Bell 2007).
However, for the purpose of the dissertation, no hypothesis is developed as graphs and pie chart
have been used in the findings and analysis.
3.5 Research design
The research design can be stated to be an assistance to the researcher whereby it assists
in ensuring that the design of the research is conducted in a manner such that, the entire
investigation process can be carried out in a justified manner. The research design also goes a
long way in ensuring that, the researcher is able to carry out the two main primary functions of
the identification as well as the development of the processes which will be largely adopted for
the purpose of the research.
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Figure 3.4: Research Design
(Source: Created by Author)
The main three types of Research design which can be adopted for the purpose of the
study can be stated to be the Explanatory research design, descriptive research design and the
exploratory research design. In the first type of research design which is the explanatory research
design, the study is generally conducted through a multidimensional perspective and in this type
of a study and the issue is examined in exquisite detail in order to achieve the overall research
questions and objectives (Panneerselvam 2014). A different approach with respect to this, is the
exploratory research design. In this type of a research design, the research is carried out both in a
quantitative as well as qualitative manner. With respect to this, the examination of the data
achieved from the sample population. The last research design approach which can be followed
by the different researchers can be stated to be the descriptive research design and the primary
data analysis and the interpretation of the quantitative studies becomes easier as it is subject to a
sample population and the research carried out can be termed as authentic in nature.
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Justification of the research design to be adopted
In the particular dissertation, the different strategic reasons with respect to the poor
performance of Marks and Spencer’s shall be understood and hence, the research design which
can be adopted for the purpose of the study is the descriptive research design (Bryman and Bell
2007). This explanatory design will go a long way in assisting the researcher to gain an
understanding of the reasons why the organization is facing a problem and it will become easier
to provide them with recommendations based on the same.
3.6 Reliability of the research method used
The reliability aspect of the research can be stated to be a crucial aspect with respect to
which the subjectivity of the dissertation lies and the aspect to which the researcher tends to
adopt a subjective approach towards the study and the level of reliability of the work which is
generally compromised. The dissertation needs to be reliable in nature as this will go a long way
in ensuring that the authenticity of the data to be collected can be verified (McCusker and
Gunaydin 2015). On the other hand, the validity of the data can be defined as the extent at which
the requirements of the scientific research can be met with and the procedure which is followed
to generate the overall research findings. All research dissertations to be carried out need to be
valid in nature and in the same manner, must comply by both external as well as internal validity.
Lewis (2015) states that very often, it becomes difficult for the researcher to maintain the
ethical aspect of conducting the research. With respect to this, the outcome of the paper turns out
to be very different from what is actually expected. Hence, for this reason, it becomes crucial for
the researcher to ensure that in addition to being authentic, the paper being presented by him is
ethical as well. The ethical considerations become more serious in case the primary data is
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conducted as it requires the consent of the different participants and interviewees to provide
accurate information and to ensure that the data being collected is not fake in nature. However, in
case of the secondary data analysis which will be conducted, the researcher will be required to
ensure that, they do not get involved in unethical and illegal activities like plagiarism. If the
author of the paper engages in plagiarism then, they will not be able to ensure that, the research
is authentic in nature. The reason why the ethical considerations are important can be largely
considered are because, they form a basic requirement for any authentic research paper (Mackey
and Gass 2015). The research paper if comprising of any confidential data and any secretive
information about the company would be required to ensure that it takes into consideration the
aspects like ethicality of the data and will help in meeting the overall industry guidelines as well.
3.6.1 Limitations of the research methods used
From the given analysis done on the research methodology used, it can be largely
understood that the given dissertation will be following a secondary data analysis method and
along with this the qualitative analysis will be used. From this it can be understood that, the main
limitations will be that the research might turn out to be repetitive in nature as no primary data is
being made use of. Additionally, another shortcoming is that, sample response will not be taken
and hence, authenticity of the data cannot be maintained.
3.7 Conclusion
Therefore, from the given chapter, it can be concluded that, the study will be a qualitative
one whereby the use of the secondary data will be made. With respect to this, all the aspects of
the research including the research design, research approach and research philosophy has been
defined and supported with a justification.
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Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis
4.1 Introduction
The chapter on analysis forms one of the most important roles in deciding the overall
structure and conclusion of the dissertation. The section on the Analysis will help in
understanding the different low sales as well as marketing problems being faced by the firm
since the year 2007. For this reason, by using the qualitative approach, the given section will
analyze the reasons for the problems and use the medium of thematic analysis in order to process
with the same.
4.2 Thematic analysis
The thematic analysis can be rightfully defined as a popular qualitative data analysis
method which makes use of a cluster of methods and then focuses on identifying a patterned
meaning from a given data set. The Thematic analysis`s purpose is to identify the patterns across
an available data set and provide an answer to the research questions which are being addressed
to in the dissertation (Mackey and Gass 2015). The patterns for the Research analysis is usually
identified through a valid procedure of data familiarization, data coding as well as thematic
development and revision. Through the formation of the themes, a researcher is easily able to
focus on the different existent themes and be successfully able to divide the research into
different categories so that the research objectives along with the research questions can be met
with easily. One of the major reasons, why the different authors are willing to make use of the
thematic analysis is that, it is theoretically flexible and helps to get different perspectives and
facets with respect to the research question. The questions understood through this medium can
be largely related to the questions beginning from why, what and others which helps to get a
strategic outlook.
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Justification and chosen approach
For the above discussed advantages of the thematic analysis, it can be stated that in order
to understand the strategic reasons for the low sales and marketing problems being faced by the
firm, it is better to make use of the thematic analysis which will help in categorizing the study
into different themes and then analyzing each of them with the help of the theory as well
relational examples to the firm, the Marks and Spencer’s. Hence, for this reason, the four
different themes which have been selected are as follows:
Theme 1: Market penetration and development of the company needs to be increased
Theme 2: The development and diversification of products needs to be enhanced
Theme 3: Consumers need to be made aware of the availability of the products through
advertisement
Theme 4: Product quality needs to be increased to reduce competition
The study will discuss and analyze each theme individually in relation to the problems
being faced by the Marks and Spencer’s Organization.
Discussion
Theme 1
Market penetration and development of the company needs to be increased
The company was found back in the year 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer’s
and currently operates 766 stores in the United Kingdom and 418 international stores (Bbc.co.uk
2019). The company employees over 82000 people and the turnover of the firm can be stated to
be a split between the General merchandise sector which is 46% and the Food which comprises
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of 54% of the sales. Running with the mission to inspire the customers and provide them with
good quality products, the Marks and Spencer’s has a vision to provide high standard goods. The
value Quality, Value as well as innovation and trust which goes a long way in assisting the firm
to ensure success with respect to the long run (Theguardian.com 2018). The company is able to
differentiate itself through its brand name and higher quality goods. The brand has been
recognized at large for its affordability and best quality.
However, in the recent years, the brand has been facing certain issues with respect to the
positioning of its name as a quality leader and thereby its sales have been affected. In case the
firm aims to improve its sales, it will be required to revalue its position and restore its offering
(Ft.com 2019). With respect to this, the positioning of the firm has become quite unclear to the
customers. As the firm was once a representation of the affordable quality of the offerings , the
firm has become an everything to everybody which has got uncertainty and inconsistency in the
offerings of the brand and led to a decline in sales and market share (Bamossy and Solomon
2016). Moreover, the increased pricing and better quality products strategy of the firm following
the recession, did not work out well for the firm in the long run. Where the competitors like Aldi,
Asos and the Tesco followed a low pricing strategy, by following a high pricing strategy,
brought good results in the short run but poor performance in the long run.
(Marksandspencer.com 2019)
Moreover, the firm has also been faced by problems related to the political factors
governing the United Kingdom. The European commission had earlier come up with the free
trade agreements which affected the costs of the firm. Although this was preferable for the firm
earlier as it decreased their sourcing costs, currently, due to the Brexit memorandum and the
upfront recession of the period 2008-2009, the company has witnessed a considerable drop in the
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sales of the firm. Moreover, the cost structure of the firm has become comparatively higher
which has resulted in the market share losses when the firm is entering new markets
(Independent.ie 2018). In the year 2015, the firm suffered from stalled growth in the
International business segment as there existed global uncertainties, substandard infrastructure
and the decreased profitability in the new markets. There have been various Geopolitical unrests
following Brexit which have further impacted the firms operations (Bamossy and Solomon
2016).
Figure 4.2.1: The financial performance of the firm
(Source: Marksandspencer.com 2019)
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Figure 4.2.2: The Marks and Spencer`s overall performance
(Source: Marksandspencer.com 2019)
It can be noted that the overall performance of the Marks and Spencer’s has been dropping
consistently
Theme 2
The development and diversification of products needs to be enhanced
As stated previously in the earlier theme, it could be largely understood, that earlier, the
Marks and Spencer’s had positioned itself as an affordable retailer which provided good quality
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products to the different customers, however, it needs to be understood that over the years, the
firm has lost out on this positioning of itself and has rather created a regular image of itself in the
long run (Bamossy and Solomon 2016). The reason why the image has changed can be largely
contributed to the Inconsistent advertising of the firm. The firm in its advertisement domains, can
be described as rather inconsistent since the last few years. This is because, they are not investing
in any creative advertising and instead have become quite monotonous in their overall approach.
In addition to this, according to Theguardian.com (2018) the company has begun to offer
multiple indistinguishable sub brands. This makes it very difficult for the customers to recognize
the different brands as present and these brands are brands like Limited, Marks and Spencer`s
Women, Autograph classic and others. In addition to this, the offerings which are made by the
firm are rather monotonous and the presence of the sub brands adds to the lack of creativity in
the design of the offerings and rather than differentiating itself from the competitor companies.
In this manner, the firm has not been able to create a sound image of itself.
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Figure 4.2.3: The retail industry outlook of the United Kingdom
(Source: Statista.com 2019)
For this reason, the position of the firm has become rather unclear to the different
customers. The organization initially stood as a representation of the quality but now the firm has
become a common brand and it is because of this that, the firms sales have dropped considerably.
Hence, as a result of this, the different customers rather prefer at the competitor brand stores
where they are offered better quality products at a rather affordable price.
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Figure 4.2.4: The UK food retail sector
(Source: Ft.com 2019)
It can be observed from the figure that the Marks and Spencer’s has been losing out on its
market share over the past few years and that the competition has increased considerably.
Theme 3
Consumers need to be made aware of the availability of the products through advertisement
The advertisement forms an essential part of the organization and with respect to this, it
can be largely understood that the firms which engage in long term advertising are able to attract
a larger target audience for itself. In addition to this, they are also able to advertise about the
offerings which they have for the customers (Bbc.co.uk 2019). The consumer decision making
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process is greatly linked to the different factors which tend to influence the different customers
in undertaking the decisions and affect them on a higher level (Bamossy and Solomon 2016). In
this manner, it is crucial for the organization to ensure that they are able to present their offerings
in the right manner using advertising and attract the customers towards them. The Marks and
Spencer’s was previously known for its lavish advertising campaigns which were unique and
reflected the theme of the store which is affordable pricing ad good quality products.
Figure 4.2.5: The market share of Marks and Spencer’s faced considerable competition in the
recent times
(Source: Bbc.co.uk 2019)
However, the current advertising of the firm can be stated to be rather monotonous and
just informs the customer about the offering instead of pulling them to purchase the products of
the firm (Ft.com 2019). In addition to this, the different competitors of the brand like the Aldi,
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Tesco and others have invested largely in the domain, which has the power to attract customers
to the stores. For this reason, the firm is facing marketing problems as it is not being able to
engage in creativity which will help in ensuring that the firm is able to attain success with the
consumer awareness and increase their sales as well.
Theme 4:
Product quality needs to be increased to reduce competition
The product quality which is offered by a retailer has an impact on the overall sales of the
firm. This is because, the quality of the products being offered act as a point of differentiation for
the different organizational customers and help them to make the choice regarding their
purchase. In addition to this, the quality of the product also acts as an aspect which can be used
to succumb the competition existing in the business environment (Theguardian.com 2018). The
competitors of the firm often engage in the selling of the similar offerings and with respect to
this, it often becomes difficult for the firm to ensure that it is being able to engage in the sales of
the firm. Hence, in line with this, it is important to mention that, if the firm wants to ensure
success, the quality of the products need to be improved upon. Earlier, Marks and Spencer`s used
to offer good quality products to the customers at an affordable price.
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Figure 4.2.6: The competitive positioning of the Marks and Spencer’s
(Source: Bamossy and Solomon 2016).
However, after the recession which took place in the year 2008-2009, the firm was unable
to keep up with the lower priced products and in line with this, the firm engaged in the
introduction of the high quality products at high prices (Statista.com 2019). In line of this, the
different members who are the customers, engaged in the shopping with other competitor firms
like the Aldi, Tesco, Asos and others (Marksandspencer.com 2019). This is because, the
competitors offered good quality products at comparatively lowered prices and this is the reason
why the customers instead choose to shop with them. Hence, for this reason, it is important for
the Marks and Spencer’s to adopt a rather standardized product quality and price them according
to the market prices so that the firm is able to engage in higher sales.
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Figure 4.2.7: The overall popularity of Marks and Spencer’s
(Source: Marksandspencer.com 2019).
4.3 Critical Analysis of the findings and comparison to Literature
Therefore, it can be largely mentioned that, Marks and Spencer’s has been facing a large
number of problems in alignment with the low sales and marketing problems since the year
2007. Consumer behavior and decision making can be described as an essential component of
the sales and marketing efforts of the firm. As discussed in the Review of literature, it becomes
very important for the organization to recognize the crucial customer needs and then take the
different decisions as per those needs (Bbc.co.uk 2019). In the third theme, it was discussed that
it becomes important for the firm to recognize the needs of the consumers and ensure that, the
offerings of the firm are able to align with the different needs of the customers.
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Figure 4.3.1: The Advertising and promotional extent of Marks and Spencer’s
(Source: Independent.ie 2018).
Figure 4.3.2: The financial and operational performance statistics
(Source: Marksandspencer.com 2019).
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The customer awareness forms a crucial part of the entire marketing procedure and with
respect to this, it becomes crucial for Marks and Spencer’s to engage in advertising as well as
marketing which is able to meet the needs of the customers and go a long way in assisting the
firm to differentiate the different products of the firm. Secondly, as discussed by
Theguardian.com (2018), it is crucial for an organization to determine its strategic positioning in
the market. This is because, the positioning which an organization chooses for the purpose of it
offering and the price range also determines its overall perspective.
Figure 4.3.3: The UK Advertisement investment data in the retail sector
(Source: Statista.com 2019)
As identified in the review of the Literature, the Strategic management forms a crucial
aspect of the firms and for this reason, deciding upon the product and service strategy becomes
an important part of the firm. Marks and Spencer`s needs to ensure that it is successful in
creating offers for the different customers in a manner such that, it is able to create a brand image
in the minds of the different consumers and that, it is successfully able to ensure that, the sales
of the firm increase (Ft.com 2019). The review of Literature related to the Strategic management
revealed that the firms are required to engage in external analysis to determine the kind of market
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it is required to serve. In addition to this, as believed by Independent.ie (2018), through this
initiative it will also be able to understand the product range and the pricing it has to offer to the
consumers in order to ensure a better positioning for itself in the market.
As stated by Independent.ie (2018), and identified in the third theme, the firm will be
required to work on its offering and improve the overall quality of the products being offered.
Earlier, by offering the in house label of the firm, the organization was able to ensure that, it is
successfully able to attract the different customers with its unique offerings, however, currently it
is unable to continue with the same is not being able to improve the overall quality of its
offerings. Instead the firm, simply engages in the offering of sub brands which has confused the
image of the brand in the minds of the different customers and the firm is not being able to relate
to the customers. Armstrong et al. (2015) believes that forming loyal relations with the
customers, as identified in the Review of Literature, is important for any firm and hence, as the
Marks and Spencer’s has been offering a regular offering to the customers, it is not being able to
ensure that, it forms loyal relations with the customers and provide them with offerings which
will help it in increasing its overall sales. In addition to assisting the firm in providing product
quality and help in connecting with the different customers, the quality also helps to differentiate
the offerings of the firm and helps them to compete with the different competitors as present
(Marksandspencer.com 2019). If the offerings are of high quality, then the firm will be able to
ensure that , it is able to appeal to the customers in a different manner and in a similar way be
able to attain success in the long run. Lastly, the firm is required to work on its market
penetration aspect. The firm needs to strategize accordingly and use the Ansoff strategy of
market penetration which will help the firm to attain its overall goals as well as objectives and
bring greater sales as well as revenue to the firm (Armstrong et al. 2015). Hence, the firm as
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discussed in the first theme would be required to ensure that they are being able to present
unique offerings which will help the firm in attaining long term success.
Figure 4.3.4: The Marks and Spencer`s way of performance
(Source: Marksandspencer.com 2019)
Therefore, in line of the research objectives it can be stated that, the firm is being faced
by a large number of problems which are limiting its operations and bringing about inefficiency
for Marks and Spencer`s. According to Armstrong et al. (2015), these problems can be stated to
be the lack of creativity, lack of differentiated offering, lack of advertising and similar products
being given to the consumers. Additionally, it can also be stated that the overall approach of
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Marks and Spencer`s can be stated to be very poor with respect to the operations of the firm. The
organization is carrying out its operations in a monotonous manner and in line of this, it can be
stated that, the firm is not being able to gain success (Theguardian.com 2018). Moreover,
through this discussion the strategic approach of the firm was also discussed which contributed
to the understanding that the firm is not being able to perform as per the defined goals and
objectives.
4.4 Answer to Research Questions
Therefore to briefly answer the research question and outline the different problems being
faced by the firm, the following can be mentioned:
 Marks and Spencer’s is unable to follow a differentiated approach with respect to the
offerings of the firm and hence, it is losing out on the market.
 Additionally, the firm has priced some of its products very high, which is then hampering
the overall operations of the firm and through this the firm is losing out on its
competitors.
 Additionally, its lack of creative advertising is leading to the loss of adequate sales for the
firm.
4.5 Conclusion
Therefore, the given chapter assisted in the analysis of the different reasons why the
Marks and Spencer’s has been facing the problems of marketing and lower sales. The business
environment has become highly competitive and with respect to this, it has become considerably
difficult for the firm to ensure that, they are able to sustain the customers and offer them with the
products which will meet their overall demands. In line of this, the organization has been
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following a higher priced strategy which has not worked well for the firm. In addition to this, the
firm has not improved upon the quality of the products as well which has brought about
considerable effects on the performance of the firm in the long run. Hence, through this chapter,
the different issues being faced by the firm were analyzed and a critical examination of the same
was made.
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Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations
5.0 Introduction
The dissertation followed a structured format whereby the first chapter was the
Introduction chapter which introduced the topic and laid down the different research questions
which the study is required to follow. This was then followed by the Review of Literature. This
chapter was divided into three different categories and with respect to this, the research was
carried out on topics related to the Consumer Behavior, Strategic management and Advertising.
Through this chapter, various theories related to these three subjects could be understood and
later on applied in the studies. The third chapter is based on the Research Methodology chapter
which defined the different processes which had been used for the research, followed by the
fourth chapter on the Findings and Analysis which laid down the thematic analysis centered on
the problem of the firm. It could be understood that, Marks and Spencer`s has been facing these
problems in relation to the issues being faced by the firm like poor advertisement, low sales,
undifferentiated brand identity and related problems because of various external impacts and the
business environment. The thematic analysis as done in the fourth chapter presented various
problems being faced by the firm and also critically analyzed the problems as present. The
conclusion and recommendations chapter will be providing a summary of the different problems
as faced by the company and also assist in ensuring the chapter provides certain
recommendations to improve the current scenario of the firm.
5.1 Conclusions on Objectives
1. To critically evaluate the different problems being faced by Marks and Spencer’s since the
year 2007.
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In order to ensure that the dissertation was able to define the overall problems being faced
by the firm, the first objective which was set down was to critically analyze the different
problems of the firm. Hence, these problems have been largely discussed in the Themes 4.3.1
and 4.3.2 which outlined the reasons why the firm is not being able to perform well and attain
its overall objective. In addition to this, the different problems related to the Strategic
management were discussed in the chapter 2.2 which assisted to understand how a firm needs to
position itself in the market and what steps should be taken by it to ensure that it is able to
perform well in the long run.
2. To evaluate the overall strategic approach of Marks and Spencer’s towards the operations
In order to evaluate the overall strategic approach of the Marks and Spencer’s towards the
different operations of the firm, different initiatives like the revision of the different theories of
Consumer Behavior, Strategic management and the Advertising were undertaken. In addition to
this, in the section, 4.3.3 and 4.3.4 the Themes related to the overall advertisement of the firm
and the consumer behavior aspect was undertaken to analyze the approach of Marks and
Spencer’s towards the operations of the firm and the overall results of it in the form of consumer
attraction.
3. To understand the strategic approaches of Marks and Spencer’s towards organizational
management.
In order to understand the strategic approaches of the firm, a theoretical analysis of the
consumer behavior was undertaken in the section 2.1 of the Literature review which assisted in
determining the overall impacts of the firm on the decision making of the different consumers. In
addition to this, in the Chapter 4 section, 4.3.1 and 4.3.2, an overall analysis of the strategic
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approach was undertaken by the firm had been done which helped in the identification of the
different external impacts which have limited the overall operations of the firm and also an
analysis of the different strategies which could be adopted by the firm was undertaken. In this
way, the overall strategic approach of the organization was undertaken.
4. To contribute to the current field of research with respect to the organizational management
and other strategic problems which are being faced by the firm.
Hence, this being the last objective, can be rather stated as the overall objective of the
study. It could be understood that the firm was facing considerable problems with respect to the
overall approach of the firm and that the sales of the firm were considerably low along with it
facing the marketing problems. However, the reason why the firm was facing these problems
was not identified effectively and the reasons for the same have been analyzed in this chapter. It
could be largely understood that, in the Themes 1 to 4 the different reasons why the firm has
been facing the problems related to the low advertisement, common sub brands being
introduced, lack of differentiation of the products and lack of market interpretation from the
side of the organization. With respect to this, it could be largely understood that, the firm has
been facing serious issues which it is required to overcome in order to ensure an increased
market share and better positioning in the market.
5.2 Contributions
Therefore, from the given study, it can be largely understood that, any firm as operating
in the dynamic business environment would be required to take into considerations regarding the
changing environmental needs as well as the policies. The dissertation was based on the study of
the Marks an Spencer`s and the different problems which are being faced by the organization.
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The firm has been experiencing the problems related to the low sales and marketing. With
respect to this, the firm would be required to deal with the problems and undertake certain
initiatives so as to ensure that it is being able to perform well in the long run.
5.3 Recommendations
After analyzing the different problems which were being faced by the firm at large, it is
important to understand that the firm needs to ensure that, it takes considerable measures which
will go a long way in seeing to it that, Marks and Spencer`s is able to overcome the different
problems it faces and maintain a strategic position of itself in the market. The different
recommendations which can be provided to Marks and Spencer`s can be stated to be as follows:
1. Creative advertisement
The organization is required to ensure that it gets involved in the medium of creative
advertising as through the medium of creative advertising, the firm will be successfully able to
reach out to the target audience in a better manner. If it wants to redefine its positioning in the
market, then the firm will be required to see to it that, it is able to reach out to the designated
target audience easily. In this manner, the firm will be successful in carrying out its operations
and increasing its sales (Bamossy and Solomon 2016). Moreover, the firm will also be able to
overcome the different marketing problems which the firm has been facing.
2. Reduction in the sub brands and the increase in product differentiation
The firm, as stated in the previous chapters has been introducing the brands which are
quite similar to its recent lines and hence, there exists considerable monotony with respect to the
consumer offering and hence, it is advised that Marks and spencer’s reduces the sub brands and
increase the level of differentiation by offering the brand line more often (Armstrong et al.
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2015). The home line of the company can be considered to be quite unique and belongs to a
higher quality products. Hence, with respect to this, it can be largely understood that as the firm
is not able to offer differentiated offerings to the different members of the audience, it is losing
out a considerable share of the market to the different competitors.
3. Redefining and acknowledging the target audience
In addition to this, the Marks and Spencer’s would also be required to redefine and
acknowledge the target audience whom the firm tends to cater to. In this manner, it will be able
to sell out its offerings faster than the other brands and ensure that, the overall sales of the
company increases considerably (Independent.ie 2018). Hence, if Marks and Spencer’s is
successfully able to redefine as well as acknowledge the target audience, then it will been able to
engage in the sales faster than earlier.
4. Identifying what made them successful prior the sales
The organization Marks and Spencer’s would be required to conduct an analysis in order
to identify the different factors which made them successful prior to the dip in the sales. There
must be certain good aspects which the firm might be undertaking and conducting an analysis of
the past activities will go a long way in assisting the firm to understand, the different activities,
which the firm is required to undertake in order to ensure success in the long run and solve the
issues being faced by them.
5. Loyalty scheme to attract the consumers
Lastly, it may also be quite beneficial for the firm if it is able to engage in a loyalty
scheme to attract the different consumers. In this manner, the firm, would be able to utilize the
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consumer behavior analysis effectively and also be able to ensure that it is able to increase its
sales and overcome its issues in the long run.
5.4 Future Scope
Hence, although the dissertation was successfully able to identify the different reasons
why the firm has been facing marketing problems along with the lower sales problems. The
paper outlined the strategic reasons why the firm has been facing issues and identified that these
reasons comprise of the reasons like the poor advertising, various sub brands and the unidentified
brand positioning. However, future studies in the similar line can be mad whereby the intensity
of each of the problems may be identified and detailed solutions to overcome the same may also
be identified. With respect to this, further studies might aim to recognize these different issues in
more detail and provide recommendations with respect to the same.
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Appendix
The financial performance
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78