HI6008 Business Research Project - Topic Approval, Holmes Institute

This document presents a topic approval for a business research project, focusing on consumer satisfaction within the context of sustainable initiatives in the retail industry. The research explores whether sustainability approaches are crucial for consumer satisfaction in discounted retail businesses and examines the influence of market types and consumer culture. The document includes a motivation for research, a literature review that highlights the importance of sustainability in business strategies and its impact on consumer satisfaction, and a defined research problem. It also outlines research questions, references, and an appendix detailing team member roles, goals, timelines, and expectations for meeting attendance, contributions, and conflict resolution. The team charter ensures a structured approach to the research project, promoting effective collaboration and accountability among team members.

Running head: APPROVAL FOR TOPIC
APPROVAL FOR TOPIC
Name of student
Name of university
Author’s note:

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APPROVAL FOR TOPIC
Table of Contents
Motivation for research:.....................................................................................................2
Literature review:...............................................................................................................2
Research problem:............................................................................................................4
Research questions:..........................................................................................................4
References:.......................................................................................................................5
Appendix:...........................................................................................................................6

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Motivation for research:
Today nature of business might have changed in terms of how business strategies are
designed and implemented one of the things that have not changed in business is the
importance of consumer satisfaction for driving Innovation and profit in business as well.
Is analysed closely it is easy to identify that consumers today are more brand conscious
and there are different aspects that make a consumer convenient to choose a specific
brand. One of such aspects is the initiative of the brand for ensuring sustainable
development (Tang, Lai and Cheng 2016). Therefore brands from different sectors and
industries are ensuring that they are investing for driving sustainable initiatives through
their business process. However one of the main issues that brand are concerned with
is how to try this sustainable development and integrate it into the business process.
There is a number of concerns that are associated with it, for example, is right to invest
in sustainable development will it initial profit in the business or is it really necessary for
ensuring consumer satisfaction and enhance it as well. Not much research is conducted
in this context and type of this research will depend on the specific market and brand
type for which this research is done. so there is no way to generalize and therefore
specific research according to the brand requirement is necessary so that proper
strategies are suggested to the brands for making effective decision in terms of
integrating sustainable initiative the business process. Therefore, this topic has been
considered by the research team for providing a comprehensive idea to the organization
regarding enhancing consumer satisfaction through sustainable initiatives.
Literature review:
The thing that make great companies different from its competitors is that their business
strategies are not only limited to profit and investment, but their responsibility towards
the environment, society and most importantly its people as well. This is where
sustainability plays an important role, it shows that companies are not only thinking
about their own investment and profits, but they are socially responsible as well. They
are trying to enhance quality of life not only through their products and services, but also
extending their services beyond their business context as well (Simões and Sebastiani
2017). This makes a great impact on the consumers and this is what enhance
consumer satisfaction as well. In today’s competitive market, creating an impact on the
consumers is essential, otherwise no matter how big brand it is, it will affect the
business process as well. in modern business context, it is not only enough to ensure

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quality in the product or service provided to the consumers by the company, they need
to do something innovative, which consumers would want.
Today around the world, there has been a significant effort to ensure sustainable
development which ensures that the natural resources are managed in such a way that
it reduces impact on the environment (Lehner 2015). Companies might consider
different strategies for promoting sustainable development according to their business
type and requirements. For Adli Supermarket, there are different ways for supporting
and promoting sustainable development (Patton 2019). They might invest in campaign
which promotes application of materials that are less harmful on environment instead of
materials like plastic, which contributes to environmental pollution. Supermarket
companies often partner with manufacturers that design and manufacture products
which minimizes impact on environment and also reduces wastages of natural
resources (Cr-aldinord.com. 2019). They might also sell this products through their
supermarkets and this will make consumers realize that the company is promoting
sustainable initiatives.
Advancement of technology has increased knowledge of people regarding environment
pollution and people are participating in such initiatives which not only reduces
environment pollution, but enhance its quality as well. The main reason for this is that
people are now realizing that if natural resources are properly managed and reduce its
wastages, then it will affect quality of life significantly. Therefore, when big companies
provide support and promotes such initiatives, consumers automatically connect with
those companies (Simões and Sebastiani 2017). In case of big companies, quality of
product or consumer service has very little role to play for consumer satisfaction
because these are the aspects which consumers know that big companies will take care
of. Therefore, initiatives in innovative approaches for example sustainable development
makes a significant impact on consumers and enhance consumer satisfaction as well.
Consumers these days while making decision for which brand to choose for their
requirement, there are various aspects that they consider. Reputation of brand and its
impact definitely plays an important role in this context, but they also look for some
qualities in the brand that connects with their personal attribution as well. When people
are supporting sustainable initiatives and they identify that there are some big brands in
the market which are also supporting this, it becomes easier for the consumers to
connect with the brand from personal context rather than some business context. This is

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what ensures consumer satisfaction because they feel that the company is supporting
something that they personally want to implement and this makes relationship of the
consumers with the company personal extending from consumers perspective.
Therefore, sustainability approach in business is important for enhancing consumer
satisfaction as well.
Research problem:
Although research on sustainability approach in retail industry is made, but it do not
really describe whether these sustainability approach varies according to market types
and whether it has any impact for ensuing success in sustainability initiative in business,
especially retail supermarkets where discount is provided for products that consumer
purchase. Not much research has been conducted in identifying whether discounts
ensures better consumer satisfaction than some initiatives which proves the brand a
socially responsible one. Therefore, this research is trying to identify whether
sustainability approach is really important in discounted retail business for consumer
satisfaction and if so whether market types and consumer culture influence this as well.
There are lack of quality research and therefore, an extensive research will be
conducted in this context.
Research questions:
 Whether sustainability approach is really important in discounted retail business
for consumer satisfaction
 Whether market types and consumer culture influence consumer satisfaction
through sustainability approach

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References:
Cr-aldinord.com. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.cr-aldinord.com/2017/wp-
content/uploads/sites/4/2018/07/ALDI_North_Group-
Sustainability_Report_2017_EN.pdf [Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Lehner, M., 2015. Translating sustainability: the role of the retail store. International
Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 43(4/5), pp.386-402.
Patton, L. (2019). Aldi Sets Sustainability Goals With Consumers Calling for Less
Waste. [online] Bloomberg.com. Available at:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-02/aldi-sets-sustainability-goals-as-
consumers-call-for-less-waste [Accessed 15 Dec. 2019].
Simões, C. and Sebastiani, R., 2017. The nature of the relationship between corporate
identity and corporate sustainability: Evidence from the retail industry. Business Ethics
Quarterly, 27(3), pp.423-453.
Tang, A.K., Lai, K.H. and Cheng, T.C.E., 2016. A multi-research-method approach to
studying environmental sustainability in retail operations. International Journal of
Production Economics, 171, pp.394-404.

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Appendix:
Team Member Names Email Mobile
Member 1 Contact 1 Pref 1
Member 2 Contact 2 Pref 2
Member 3 Contact 3 Pref 3
1. Explain the team’s agreed goals and timeline for completion (Due dates,
meetings, milestones, deliverables from individuals)
Team goals Timeline for completion
Identify relevant literatures for the
research
20/12/2019- 21/12/2019
Analyze literatures and identify research
gap
23/12/2019-25/12/2019
Design research questions 23/12/2019-25/12/2019
Obtain primary data for research 27/12/2019- 29/12/2019
Obtain secondary data for research 30/12/2019-2/01/2020
Analyze primary and secondary data 03/01/2020- 04/01/2020
Prepare research report 05/01/2020- 06/01/2020
Submit research report for approval 07/01/2020- 08/01/2020
Publish research findings after approval 10/01/2020- 11/01/2020
2. Who is responsible for each activity?
Team goals Responsible person for activities
Identify relevant literatures for the
research
Member 1
Analyze literatures and identify research
gap
Member 1
Design research questions Member 1
Obtain primary data for research Member 2
Obtain secondary data for research Member 2
Analyze primary and secondary data Member 2
Prepare research report Member 3

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Submit research report for approval Member 3
Publish research findings after approval Member 3
3. What particular team-roles will each member contribute to the team?
Team Member Names Roles in team
Member 1 Obtaining required materials for research
Member 2 Conducting research including data
collection
Member 3 Preparing research report and publishing
4. What are your team’s expectations regarding meeting attendance (being on
time, leaving early, missing meetings, etc.)?
Team members are motivated for executing this research and therefore it is
expected that each and every team member will attend the meeting in time and
there will not be issues for example leaving meeting early, not attending meetings as
these issues will affect the success of this research project as well.
5. What process will team members follow if they have an emergency and cannot
attend a team meeting or complete their individual work promised to the team
(deliverable)?
They will email other team members in advance and also communicate this
information through phones and for this they will consider email and phone numbers
provided in the team charter.
6. What are your team’s expectations regarding the quality of team members’
preparation for team meetings?
Team members are motivated for executing this research and therefore it is
expected that each and every team member will do extensive research before they
attend the meeting and provide information regarding this research that will help to
ensure that the research is effective and efficient as well.
7. What are your team’s expectations regarding team members’ ideas,
interactions with the team, cooperation, attitudes, and team-member
contributions in general?

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It is expected that all of the team members will interact with each other. Along with
this, they will support and motivate each other while ensuing effective cooperation
and coordination within the team for ensuing success in this research project as well.
8. How will your team ensure that members contribute as expected to the team
and that the team performs as expected?
Performance of each team member will be evaluated by other team members and
review will be provided if there is any issues or improvement required. Each team
member will consider this review for their individual performance and resolve issues
for improving their performance. This will ensure that team members are contributing
as expected to the team and it will also ensure that the team performs as expected
as well.
9. How will your team reward members who do well and how will you collectively
manage members whose performance is below expectations?
Team members will acknowledge and appreciate any team member in team
meetings if they perform well. However, if any team member does not perform well
according to the team performance standard, then constructive criticism will be done
and encourage that team member to improve performance as well.
10. Add any other team agreements and commitments here
No team member will disclose any research data outside and any information
regarding this research will only be discussed with team members. It is expected
that each and every team member will follow this agreement throughout the
research and ensure confidentiality and authenticity in the research as well.