Factors Influencing Consumer Behaviour: A Case of McDonald’s

RESEARCH PROJECT

RESEARCH PROJECT PLAN
Formative assessment
Topic Investigate the factors are influencing the customers buying behaviour a case study
based on McDonalds
RATIONALE/
BACKGROUND
Over a period of time competition has been increased in fast-food industry.
KFC, Dominos, McDonald’s are performing well in market. But die to increasing
competition companies are facing challenges in retaining their customers in
business for longer duration. Demand of consumers is also increasing, many firms
offer such great benefits thus, they expect great additional benefits from other
companies as well (Joshi and Rahman, 2015). Thus, it is essential for these entities
to pay attention on several factors that influence buying behaviour of end users.
This would help enterprises in making effective plan and offering satisfactory
services to customers significantly.
McDonald’s is facing challenges in keeping its customers satisfied, number
of consumers complains is increasing. Thus, this study is essential to be conducted
so that entity can identify causes of this problem and can make necessary changes
in its strategies so that it can gain competitive advantage (Maniatis, 2016).
INTRODUCTION In the modern competitive environment, it is very important for companies to
understand behaviour of consumers before programming marketing activities.
Consumer behaviour can be defined as actual perception of buyers towards
particular products and services. Companies always look upon elements that impact
on overall buying decision of person (Kaur and Singh, 2017). Firms have to ensure
reaction of customers towards particular goods and services so that they can offer
satisfactory services to them and can make them positive towards the brand.
Culture, social class, family, status, age, lifestyle etc. are so many factors that
impact on overall behaviour of customers to great extent.
The study will be based on McDonald’s that is fastest growing fast food
firm. It has many branches across the world and offer variety of food and services
to its consumers as per their needs and preferences (Jadhav and Khanna, 2016).
Present study will emphases on the various factors that influence buying behaviour
of consumers. Research proposal will frame aim and objective and will give

rationale of conducting this investigation. Researcher will select suitable research
methods and will give justification for each selected tool. At last, proposal will
include time plan and resources required for the entire study (Gurtner and Soyez,
2016).
Aim of the
research
To identify factors that influence buying behaviour of consumers: A study on
McDonalds
Objective of the
research
● To understand conceptual framework and theories of consumer buying
behaviour
● To determine several factors that contributes to buying behaviour of
customer in McDonald’s
● To identify relationship between buying behaviour of person and
performance of company
● To suggest ways to make the customer positive and loyal towards
McDonald’s
Research
Questions
● Explain conceptual framework and theories of consumer buying behaviour?
● What are the several factors that contribute to buying behaviour of customer
in McDonald’s?
● How buying behaviour of person impact on overall performance of
company
● What are the ways to make the customer positive and loyal towards
McDonald’s?
Research strategy It is essential for scholar that to select right approach by considering nature of
study. Selection of wrong method may affect overall result of investigation.
Qualitative approach is being applied in the research where scholar needs not to
involve any statistical data and calculations. It supports in gaining understanding of
underlying reasons and help in developing ideas through which scholar can answer
research questions easily (Yadav and Pathak, 2016). Whenever researcher is
required to analyses trends and have to uncover these trends then investigator apply
this technique. On other hand quantitative approach is generally used in studies
where researcher is required to use numerical data and have to quantify attitudes.

Quantitative data are more structured as compare to qualitative (Testa, Cosic and
Iraldo, 2016).
In the present study on understanding consumer buying behaviour and
factors that influence their buying decision scholar will take support of qualitative
research, this will help in gaining insight detail related to buying behaviour of
customer and identifying various factor that impact on their decision (Baruk and
Iwanicka, 2015). By applying theories and models investigator will develop their
understanding and would be able to answer each question properly. Use of simple
questions and involvement of population will aid the scholar in finding results
related to subject matter.
Primary/
secondary
research
Scholar has to determine the appropriate way to conduct any research. Primary
research is the technique in which individual involves only primary information.
Scholar takes assistance of questionnaire, interview through which actual and
current detail about topic can be gathered. Primary sources are firsthand details that
have never been used in any previous study. Scholar collects these details specific
for current topic (Mackey and Gass, 2015). Questionnaire, interview, observation
are various tools through which primary detail can be gathered. On other hand
secondary data are far differed from primary information. This type of source
involves evaluation and interpretation of primary sources. There are so many
authors who conducts their investigation by using secondary sources. Books,
journals, internet articles are some tools through which secondary data can be
gathered. Though such kind of details are already used in previous studies and are
not specific to existing investigation, but it supports scholar in developing
understanding about subject matter (Flick, 2015).
In the present study on understanding consumer behaviour and identifying
factors that influence their buying behaviour researcher will take support of
primary source. Individual will collect fresh data related to buying pattern of
customers and will analyses these details. These fresh details will aid in answering
research questions in most effective manner.