Asia Pacific University: Market Research Report on Student Smoking

This market research report investigates the smoking habits of students at Asia Pacific University (APU). The study delves into the factors influencing smoking behavior, examining the role of cognitive dissonance, psychological variables, and the physiological model of addiction. The research includes an analysis of existing university policies, the presence of smoking zones, and the effectiveness of anti-smoking campaigns. Data was collected from a sample of 50 APU students using probability-sampling techniques, focusing on primary data collection through surveys. The findings reveal that a majority of students are chain smokers, and the research explores the impact of smoking on student concentration and academic performance. The report also discusses the managerial benefits of the research, offering insights for managers to create a healthier environment, and acknowledges the limitations of the study. The conclusion provides recommendations for addressing smoking habits among students. The research aims to contribute to a better understanding of student behavior and the development of effective strategies to address smoking on campus.

Running head: MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
Market research on “Why do some APU students smoke?”
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
Executive summary
Market intelligence relates to the intelligent transactions between buyer and seller. Research
in this direction means seeking the efficient ways and means for providing quality goods and
services to the customers. Research on the smoking habits of the university students has
nothing to do with marketing. However, the findings and analysis of the reasons for smoking
by the students reflect the managerial benefits. Search engine optimization about the harmful
effects of smoking would enhance the knowledge of the managers regarding smoking being a
“psychological variable”. Delving deep into the issue, smoking, in spite of policies, is an
exploitation of the “cognitive learning”. Herein lays the need of strong and flexible policies,
which would regulate the behaviour of the students.

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Table of contents
Introduction and research background...........................................................................3
Problem statement......................................................................................................3
Research objectives....................................................................................................3
Literature review............................................................................................................4
Cognitive Dissonance Theory....................................................................................4
Psychological variable................................................................................................4
Hypothesis..................................................................................................................6
Research design and primary data..................................................................................7
Population and sample size........................................................................................7
Sampling technique....................................................................................................7
Data collection............................................................................................................7
Measurement..............................................................................................................8
Findings and data analysis..............................................................................................8
Benefits and limitation of the proposed research...........................................................9
Managerial benefits of the research...........................................................................9
Research limitations.......................................................................................................9
Conclusion and recommendations...............................................................................10
References....................................................................................................................12

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Introduction and research background
Problem statement
The students of Asia Pacific University (APU) have a different and unique smoking
culture, with which the world is unfamiliar. The smokers take pride of the culture, which they
preserve. The university staffs oppose this smoking practice, as it is affecting the health of the
non-smokers. Some of the students have expressed their opinions in favour of maintaining a
non-smoking campus. The students have mutual understanding between them while smoking
(Deliens et al. 2015). The non-smokers do not venture into the areas, where the students
smoke. This smoking habit is a violation of the university rules and regulations. The
statements of the university students reflect that they are aware of the harmful consequences
of smoking. Smoking has stained the reputation of the university, spoiling the culture of
education and cohesiveness within the students. This research would attempt to excavate the
issues, which play a major role in influencing the APU students to smoke.
Research objectives
Based on the identified problems, the following objectives can be developed:
 To examine the factors, which influence the students of universities in Malaysia to
smoke
 To find out whether the universities in Malaysia possess no-smoking zones
 To evaluate the flexibility of the policies, rules and regulations imposed on the
students of the universities in Malaysia
 To assess the effectiveness of smoking etiquette campaigns within the campus of the
universities in Malaysia.

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MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
Literature review
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
This theory assesses the situation of an individual within conflicting attitudes,
behaviours and beliefs. The feeling of discomfort brings noticeable changes in the behaviour
of the individuals. The effect of this alteration is varied on the culprit and the sufferer.
However, the effort is to reduce the discomfort of the individuals and help him in restoring
the lost balance (Harrell et al. 2015). Herein lays the appropriateness of the discussion on
behavioural theory, through which the act of smoking can be assessed. Smoking is one of the
behaviours of the people. When the people smoke in spite of knowing its harmful
consequences, then they are deliberately exploiting the learnt skills.
One of the conditions of this theory is that the inner drives of the individuals compel
them to live in harmony. This consists of the thoughts regarding preservation of the attitudes,
believes and behaviours. Attitudes might change because of the individual sentiments of the
person. The theory focuses on the fact that consistency in beliefs and attitudes helps in
fighting with the scenarios, where the cognitions are inconsistent (Brose et al. 2015). The
humans are presented with a choice regarding the environment in which they want to live. In
case of the APU students, they would express their opinions in favour of smoking. Voicing
out the opinions against the university norms would reflect the attempt altering the traditional
integrity of the university.
Psychological variable
Smoking can be considered as a psychological variable. It is an activity, which has
mixed reasons. Some of the people smoke for gaining energy to do challenging and enduring
tasks. As a matter of specification, it is considered as a stress buster. However, in case of the
students, smoking is an activity, which is performed for maintaining status, symbol. Some of

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the students are against smoking, which is an intervention into the freedom of the smokers
(Littlefield et al. 2015). The students, who oppose the smokers, perceive it to be a disturbance
in their educational establishment. Herein lays the appropriateness of ragging, which
mentally affects the psyche of the students. Most of the students suffer from psychological
issues, which seriously affect their concentration in studies. Religious views contradict
smoking. Peer pressure and influences are perceived as an obstacle for the students towards
the freedom of smoking.
Physiological model of addiction
Brain mechanisms are important in terms of understanding the circumstances, which
compel the individuals towards addiction. Example can be cited of nicotine, which arises
with the release of dopamine. The effects of nicotine are short-lived, which generates the
feeling of craving and irritation just after the individuals quit smoking (Sutfin et al. 2015).
Countering this, the universities in Malaysia are disinterested towards leaving smoking,
which blurs the negative aspects of smoking.
From the theories, the following framework can be prepared:

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Figure: Conceptual framework
(Source: Created by the author)
This framework has been developed from the propositions of the literature review.
These propositions in turn help in preparation of the following hypothesis:
Hypothesis
H0 Cognitive dissonance theory has positive impact on the smoking habits of APU
students
H1 Smoking is a psychological variable, which adversely affects the education of the
students
H2 Physiological model of addiction has a positive impact on the smoking of the APU
students

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Research design and primary data
Population and sample size
The whole population, who bears direct and indirect relationship with the report are
the samples of the research. However, in order to complete the research within the stipulated
time, a certain sample needs to be selected (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). In this
research, 50 students of Asia Pacific University would be selected for collecting data on their
smoking habits.
Sampling technique
For the efficient execution of the research, the researcher abides by certain sampling
techniques- simple, random and probability. Simple and random techniques relate the
selection of the samples without any calculations. On the other hand, probability-sampling
technique is the collection method, which involves calculations regarding the proficiency of
the samples towards the subject matter (Lewis 2015). Along with this, there are two other
sampling techniques- structured and snowball. In the structured sampling technique, the
researcher creates a subgroup before reaching the final sampling size. The selection of the
final subject is done randomly, as the process is very time consuming. In the snowball
technique, the existing subjects are asked to select the future subjects. In this research, the
researcher would select probability-sampling technique. Experiments would be conducted on
the APU students to find out their health conditions.
Data collection
The data for a research is collected mainly through primary and secondary methods.
Within these methods, there are subdivisions- quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative data
is collected through surveys and interviews (Mackey and Gass 2015). On the other hand,
qualitative data is collected through journal articles, newspapers and books, which have been

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published not older than 10 years. In this research, the data would be collected from journals,
books, newspapers, which are not older than 10 years. Along with this, primary data would
also be used for collecting data on the smoking habits of the students of Asia Pacific
University.
Measurement
This research would measure the reasons why some of the APU students smoke. This
would be done through both the primary and secondary method (Silverman, 2016). In the
primary method, the survey questionnaires would be prepared for measuring the extent to
which the students can go for violating the university norms. (refer to appendix for the
survey questionnaires)
Findings and data analysis
The responses of the samples indicate that 35 out of 50 students are chain smokers. 10
out of 50 students rarely smoke and 5 students frequently smoke. The majority of the students
are chain smokers, who expose negligent approach towards the discomfort of the other
students. This negligent attitude attaches an interrogative parameter to the behaviour of the
students. However, the immediate outcome is that the concentration is affected, which
influences their performance. The students, who smoke rarely, are conscious about the
discomfort of the other students. They utilize the smoking zones. This reflects their
concentration on studies, which indicates the enhancement of their academic performance.
One of the other questions caters to the presence of smoking zone, which can be
considered as adherence to the university norms. Most of the students responded that they
have smoking zones, which they utilize. However, they have a stipulated time, when they
visit these zones. This is under the supervision of the university staffs, which helps in
averting the illegal instances. Herein lays the appropriateness of the policies like ethical code

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of conduct. Inspections are done by the Directors for ensuring the extent to which the
students comply with the standards and protocols of the code.
Benefits and limitation of the proposed research
Managerial benefits of the research
This research acts as a secondary source of information for the managers in terms of
gaining an insight into the smoking habits of the candidates. The results would help the
managers in making the workplace smoking free. However, in terms of the response provided
by the students, the managers would be compelled to establish a smoking zone for the
employees (Sutfin et al. 2015). However, conscious and rational approach is needed in terms
of preserving the individual sentiments of the students. Mention can be made of Data
Protection Act (1998), which would assist the managers in maintaining the privacy of the
personal information of the students.
Theories like cognitive dissonance and physiological models of addiction would make
the managers aware of the staff behaviour. The proposition of the theories would enliven the
process of counselling for the students in terms of controlling their smoking habits. As the
students belong to different socio-cultural background, the managers can engage them into
group discussions (Kenne et al. 2016.). This activity might generate adjusting skills and
abilities within the students, enhancing the aspect of mutual understanding. This mutual
understanding, in turn, would be effective in restoring the lost educative environment.
Research limitations
Every researcher attempts to produce an effective research. However, due to time and
financial constraints, the researcher fails to meet all the criterions of the research. Due to the
time constraints, the researcher is compelled to conduct only primary data and not secondary

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data. Due to financial constraints, the researcher fails to select more samples for an enriched
data collection. Availability of adequate time would have assisted the researcher to conduct
both qualitative and quantitative data (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015). Apart from this,
the researcher would have collected data from the journals, articles and newspapers. This
would have enhanced the knowledge of the researcher about the reasons why the university
students smoke. This knowledge would have in turn assisted the researcher to clarify the
knowledge of the readers about the harmful effects of the issue.
Conclusion and recommendations
Smoking and the students does not go side by side. This is because smoking adversely
affects the concentration of the students, which is harmful for their career establishment.
However, some of the universities like Asia Pacific possess separate smoking zones for the
students. This indicates preservation of the student’s freedom and rights along with the
university norms. Researching the reasons why the students of the university smoke can be
considered as attempt to drive them towards their educational establishment. Mention can be
made of programs like SMiS, which proves effective in defining a better smoking ambience
for the students. Here, the discomfort of the other students cannot be ignored. This discomfort
spoils the educative environment. Moreover, the smoke aggravates the health issues of the
students, who do not smoke. This perspective nullifies the need for the programs, even if they
are flexible in catering to the demands of the students.
The need of the hour is to develop policies for controlling the behaviour of the
students. Taking assistance from the experts would result in the achievement of positive
outcomes. Meetings and conferences with the students and staffs would help the university
staffs to discover effective means of negotiation. Uploading the survey and feedback forms in
the website and social networking sites would help the university staffs to engage with large