Social Media Marketing Research

This research project examines the effectiveness of social media tools in influencing the promotional activities of Oak Cash & Carry Ltd. It analyzes the benefits of social media marketing for the company and explores the role of these tools in enhancing promotional efforts. The project utilizes a qualitative research approach, including questionnaires and literature review, to gather data and draw conclusions.

Research Project

Research Proposal Form
Student Name: ______________________ Student ID:
______________________
Centre Name: _____________________
Tutor: ________________ Date:
___________________
Unit: ____________________
Proposed Title: “To evaluate the usefulness of social media tools in influencing the
promotional activities of the firm”.
Section One: Title, objective, responsibilities
Title or working title of the research project (in the form of a question, objective
or hypothesis)
“To evaluate the usefulness of social media tools in influencing the promotional activities of
the firm”. A case study on Oak Cash & Carry Ltd.
Research objectives (e.g what is the question you want to answer? What do you
want to learn how to do? What do you want to find out?):
Technological advancement is the most important and significant way for the ak Cash & Carry
Ltd in order to maximise their sales and revenues within predetermined time period. Concet of
social media is large which will effect on business operations and sales in a direct manner.
Company can use digital technology they they can easily maximise customer base and retain
long run sustinability at marketplace. Social media is also more essential and significant for the
organisation to promote their products and services to the customers and in the market. Thus,
social media is highly effect on promotional activities of company.
 To identify the concept of social media marketing and its role in small business growth.
 To analyse the major benefits of social media tools in the context of Oak Cash & Carry
Ltd. To analyse the usefulness of social media tools in enhancing the promotional activities of
the firm.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of social media tools and its role in small business growth?
 What are the major benefits of social media tools in developing the operations of Oak
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Cash & Carry Ltd?
 What are the usefulness of social media tools in enhancing the promotional activities of
the firm?
Section Two: Reasons for choosing this research project
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Reasons for choosing the project (e.g links to other subjects you are studying,
personal interest, future plans, knowledge/skills you want to improve, why the
topic is important):
The major purpose of choosing the research is that it is effective in enhacing the knowledge
base of learners in the area of digital tools and technologies. Along with this, it will also support
in respect to apply digital technologies like social media tools in appropriate manner in respect to
expending the business operations of the firm at global level.
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Section Three: Literature sources searched
Use of key literature sources to support your research question, objective or
hypothesis:
There are various kind of literature sources used in this study whom provide appropriate
suggestion regarding the project concept and its working. Thus, following are several key
literature sources which are going to include in this are:
Concept of social media marketing
Social media marketing is a big concept which is used by the company in order to sell their
products and services to the customers easily and speedily. According to the Hojeghan and
Esfangareh, (2011)There are two methods of social media marketing such as traditional and
modern. In case of traditional, company use TV, radio, newspapers etc. On the other hand, under
modern methods of social media includes, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. All these are useful
way for the Oak Cash & Carry Ltd to maximise their sales and revenues.
Major benefits of social media tools
As per the point of view of Hanna, Rohm and Crittenden, (2011) There are different
benefits of social media for Oak Cash & Carry Ltd such as maximisation in customer base,
improvement in productivity and profitability and many other. All these are major advantge for
the organisation and help them to retain long run sustainability at marketplace.
Usefulness of social media tools
According to the Hojeghan and Esfangareh, (2011) Social media tool is more essential and
useful for the organisation because with the help of this, company can easily maximise customer
base and achieve better outcomes also.
Positive benefits of digital technology:
Digital technology makes it easy in order to stay in touch with family, friends and work
remotely, even if business are in another part of the globe. They can communicate by words,
audio, video, and exchange other media. Apps, Websites and software have all been developed
to support users to socialize. With social media, texting, messaging, laptops, mobile phones,
tablets, nobody require feel stray in the digital world. News and local programs update users
regularly.
Internet speeds have maximised exponentially since the early days of dial-up. Of all time
faster broadband change the transfer of maximum amounts of data across the web almost
outright, making it accomplish able to stream audio and video in real time, direct large data files,
and access data from about anyplace in the globe. Traditional media specifically takes much
longer.
Negative effect of social media
One of the biggest barriers to social media, as according in a survey by the Researcher Review, is
a businesses’ inability to experiment quickly, with approximately 53% of senior executives
surveyed retaining that this was a main barrier to the growth of their projects. This output hardly
seems amazing considering the figure that digital innovation is present advancing at an
unexampled speed. As an output, businesses now have to be capable to react and select to this
ever-changing landscape.
Hanna, R., Rohm, A. and Crittenden, V. L., 2011. We’re all connected: The power of the social
media ecosystem. Business horizons. 54(3). pp.265-273.
Hojeghan, S. B. and Esfangareh, A. N., 2011. Digital economy and tourism impacts, influences
and challenges. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 19. pp.308-316.
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Hudson, S. and Thal, K., 2013. The impact of social media on the consumer decision process:
Implications for tourism marketing. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. 30(1-2).
pp.156-160.
Section Four: Activities and timescales
Activities to be carried out during the research project (e.g research,
development and analysis of ideas, writing, data collection, numerical
analysis, tutor meetings, production of final outcome, evaluation, writing
the report):
There are various activities are going to involve in this project which need to identify
appropriately so that better results lead to get drawn. Various activities which will
going to include for the project are:
 Determine the topic
 Creation of aim and objectives with questions
 Literature review
 Research methodology
 Questionnaires preparation
 Data Collection
 Data analysis
 Conclusion and recommendation
How long
this will
take:
This project
will going to
take around
2.3 months so
that better
understanding
about project
get done in an
absolute
manner
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Milestone one: _________________
Target date (set by tutor): ____________________
Milestone two: _______________________
Target date (set by tutor): ______________________
Section Five: Research approach and methodologies
What type of research approach and methodologies are you likely to use and why?
A whole activities of the research is based on the nature of the investigation and the present
research is based on qualitative research as in this data is being gathered that are based on
qualitative means. In this particular research work inductive approach has to be selected by the
investigator as it is more appropriate to carry out the qualitative research in right direction.
Data collection is also considered to be the most essential method which plays vast role in
providing significant direction to the researcher to completion of the work in right manner. In an
investigation work data has been gathered through primary as well as secondary source of data
collection. These two are recognised as the best method for accumulation of reliable information.
In the present investigation work both primary and secondary sources are applied by the
researcher, this primary tool is effective for execution of research survey. moreover in this
questionnaire is being prepared and answered by the targeted people who are being selected for
the purpose of collection of fact full information. Along with this secondary method is applied
for conducting the part of literature through the appropriate support of authors opinion and point
of view.
What your areas of research will cover:
The current research is depend on the usefulness of social media tools in developing the
promotion activity of the firm at global level. The present area of study helps in covering all the
essential aspects of social media tools and its effectiveness for business growth. The study will
also cover the areas in which the specified aims and objectives of the research are attained in
proper way. The present work provides a brief analysis of the use of digital technologies
especially social media and its effectiveness of the developing operations of the firm at global
level.
Smpling and Sample size: . The analyst has a tendency to choose test of 40
respondents who are routinely taking the advantages of the offered items and
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administrations of the firm. In this chosen sampling method is sample random
method.
How to nalysis data: With the help of primary and secondery reserch, researcher
can easily identify appropriate amount of information from the respondents.
Present findings: As per the findings, approx large number of population are agree
as digital technology support an organisation to achive better results and
outcomes within predetermined time duration.
Ethical consideration: This is the important piece of research project as it is the
main duty of the investigator to solve the problem which are faced by the
investigator as the period of conducting an investigation work.
Comments and agreement from tutor
Comments (optional):
I confirm that the project is not work which has been or will be submitted for
another qualification and is appropriate.
Agreed: ________________ (name)_______________ Date ______________
Comments and agreement form project proposal checker( IV sampling)
Comments (Optional):
I confirm that the project is appropriate.
Agreed /Disagree: (Name of the IV)
Date
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Research Ethics approval form
All students conducting research activity that involves human participants
or the use of data collected form human participants are required to gain
ethical approval before commencing their research. Please answer all
relevant questions and note that your form may be returned if incomplete.
For further support and guidance please see your respective Unit Tutor:
Before completing this form, we advise that you discuss your proposed
research fully with your unit tutor. Please complete this form in good time
before your research project is due to commence.
Section 1: Basic details:
Project title: “To determine the impact of digital media in order to maximise production and
profit margin for business transformation – A case study in Bloom Perfumery”
Student name:
Student ID number:
Programme:
College Name:
Intended research start date:
Intended research end date:
Section 2 Project summary
Please select all research methods that you plan to use as a part of your project:
 Interviews Yes No
 Questionnaires √ Yes No
 Observations Yes No
 Use of personal records Yes √ No
 Data Analysis √ Yes No
 Action Research Yes No
 Focus Groups Yes No
 Others (Please specify) :
Section 3: Participants
Please answer the following questions, giving full details where necessary.
Will your research involve human participants? Yes
Who are the participants? Tick all that apply:
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Ages 12-16: Young people aged: 17-18 √ Adults: 19- 60
How will participants be recruited (identified an approached)?
Random sampling method as all belong to differ category and sections
Describe the processes you will use to inform participants about what you are doing:
Describe them through presentation which support in order to describe all associated
things in a better concerning manner.
How will you obtain consent from participants? Will this be written? How will it be made
clear to participants that they may withdraw consent to participate at any time?
Through questionnaire in written format so that better and appropriate decision lead to
carried down.
Studies involving questionnaires: will participants be given the option of omitting
questions that do not wish to answer?
Yes No √
If no please explain why below and ensure that you cover any ethical issues arising from
this
Studies involving observation: Confirm whether participants will be asked for their
informed consent to be observed.
Yes √ No
Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation (i.e give them a brief
explanation of the study)?
Yes √ No
Will participants be given information about the findings of your study?(This could be a
brief summary of your findings in general)
Yes No √
Section 4: Data Storage and Security
Confirm that all personal data will be stored and processed in compliance with the Data
Protection Act (1998)
Yes √ No
Who will have access to the data and personal information?
Only researcher whom is organising study
During the research: Only me
Where will the data be stored? In my system
Will mobile devices such as USB storage and laptops be used
Yes √ No
If Yes, please provide further details:
After the research:
Where will the data be stored?
The data will not going to store anywhere once the management of consent company
interpret it.
How long will the data and records be kept for and in what format?
Not more than 1 month after that it will get destroy
Will data be kept for use by other researchers?
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Yes No √
Section 5 : Ethical Issues
Are there any particular features of your proposed work, which may raise ethical
concerns? If so, please outline how you will deal with these:
It is important that you demonstrate your awareness of potential risks that may arise
because of your research. Please consider/address all issues that may apply. Ethical
concerns may include, but are not limited to the following :
 Informed consent.
 Potentially vulnerable participants.
 Sensitive topics
 Risk to participants and /or researchers
 Confidentiality/anonymity
 Disclosures/ limits to confidentiality
 Data storage and security, both during and after the research (including transfer,
sharing, encryption, protection).
 Reporting
 Dissemination and use of your findings.
Section 6: Declaration
I have read, understood and will abide by the institution’s Research and Ethics
Policy:
Yes √ No
I have discussed the ethical issues relating to my research with my Unit Tutor:
Yes √ No
I confirm that to the best of my knowledge:
The above information is correct, and this is a full description of the ethical
issues that may arise in the course of my research
Name: Date: Please submit your
completed form to your supervisor.
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