Impact of Social Media Advertising on Customer Purchase Decision PDF

Research Design
proposal

Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
New technologies have taken place in the market and these provide many benefits to retail
companies. The general availability of the internet has provided an opportunity to individuals to use
social media. Through the help of Twitter, Facebook, etc., an individual can easily interact with
each other (Bhargave, Jadhav and Lahane, 2013). Social media is one of the effective technologies
that has shifted the power from marketer to consumers. There are many companies in retail sector
that are using social media marketing strategies for grabbing the attention of customers. Among
them, Sainsbury is one of the firms which is using these techniques for influencing customers.
Present research is based on determining the way through which social media advertising influences
purchase decision of customers in retail sector of UK. This research will help in developing an in-
depth understanding related to the selected topic.
1.2 Aims and objectives:
Aim:
To determine the way through which social media advertising influence the purchase decision of
customers in retail sectors of UK- A study on Sainsbury.
Objectives:
 To understand the importance of social media advertising
 To identify impact of social media advertising on customer purchase decision
 To evaluate the link between social media advertising and purchase decision of customers of
Sainsbury
 To recommend strategies through which social media influence the purchase decision of
customers of Sainsbury
Research questions
Q1 What is the importance of social media advertising?
Q2 What is the influence of social media advertising on customer purchase decision?
Q3 What is the link between social media advertising and acquisition choice of customers of
Sainsbury?
Q4 What are the strategies through which social media effect the purchase decision of clients of
Sainsbury?
1.3 Purpose of the research
Purpose of research is to develop understanding related to the social media advertising and
way it can influence customers. Social media has provided place for to the companies to carry out
their advertisement strategies and influence customers. This research will help gathering
information related to the effective of social media marketing and aid company to make

improvement in their strategies. Therefore, it will provide depth knowledge related to the customers
buying behaviour and social media advertising (Tanpure, Shidankar and Joshi, 2013).
Chapter 2: Research methodology
2.1 Introduction
Research methodology is considered as one of the essential chapter in the dissertation that
help in conducting out the investigation in correct way (Kerr, Eckert and Wandwabwa, 2016). It
consists of different tools and techniques that help in making a research more effective and valid.
Different tools such as data collection method, data analysis, research approach etc which can be
used by the researcher. The present chapter will provide detail information related to all the
methods and with detail description. Here below are provided various tools which can be employed
in the study.
2.2 Research philosophy
Research philosophy is one of the important components of research methodology. It
referred to the assumption, values and belief of the investigator on the chosen study. Different types
of research philosophy are interpretivism and positivism. Positivism philosophy is based on the
certain evidences and number related to the selected topic. While interpretivism focus on single fact
which is followed by difference facts (Wright, Wahoush. and Jack, 2016). In addition to this, it
leads to be proven beneficial at the time when qualitative investigation is conducted. On the other
side, positivism is considered while carrying out quantitative investigation. Therefore, it is essential
for the investigator to be careful regarding type of investigation while selecting the type of
philosophy. The present research is based on determine the way through which social media
advertising influence the purchase decision of customers in retail sectors of UK, therefore
interpretivism philosophy will be used. Reason for selecting this philosophy is that it helps in
collecting information which is specific and assist in getting the valid outcome (Bailly and Comino,
2017).
2.3 Research approach:
Research approach is considered as important aspect because it provides a technique done
which information is gathered. It is classified into dual kinds that are inductive and deductive.
Inductive approach lead to make investigation from specific to the general concept with the theories
related to the selected subject (Mebius, Kennedy and Howick, 2016). It leads to demand for
generalisation of the gathered data firm then focus on particular information related to the selected
topic. Therefore, existing theories are considered by the research for observation. On the other side,
deductive approach lead to focus on gathering specific information at first and then generalised it.
Under these new theories are constructed through making evaluation of the qualitative aspect. For
the present research inductive approach will be applied by the researcher. It will help in making a

specific observation related to the social media marketing strategies which is used by Sainsbury.
This specific observation will assist in finding out the pattern and regularities (Winit‐Watjana,
2016).
2.5 Research design
It is referred as an effective process of presenting the findings on the basis of gathered
information. Here are basically 3 kinds of research design that are exploratory, explanatory,
descriptive etc. Exploratory research is considered by the investigator at the time when it wants to
discover new issues which is not find out by any author in their studies (Creswell and Poth, 2017).
While, exploratory research design assist in investigating and uncovering issues which support in
providing valid outcome for the selected topic. Through the help of this, researcher can find out
reasons and consequence relationship. It can be identified underneath which effect of one factor is
measured on another. On the other side, descriptive research design is that which assist describing
the population covered in the study. For the present research, descriptive research design is that it
helps in gathering depth data on the particular subject. Two of the alternatives are not selected that
are exploratory and explanatory is because they are inappropriate method for the selected topic. The
recent subject matter does not tend to investigate new sets of ideas (Edson, Henning and Sankaran,
2016).
2.5 Data collection:
Data collection is considered as essential part of the research which shows the various tools
from where data can be gathered. The scholar uses this tool for sake of gathering information and to
meet the objectives of the present research. Here are 2 methods from where information can be
collected that are primary and secondary (Tight, 2016). Primary method is used for gathering
information which is new and collected at the time of research. It is considered as highly specific
information because views are taken of respondents related to the selected topic on time. Therefore,
the such researcher can carry out research in the effective manner. Primary method leads to include
different methods of collected that are questionnaire, survey, interview, observation etc. With the
use of these tools, the scholar can get depth knowledge related to the viewpoints of participations.
Apart from this, secondary method is such method in which information is collected which is
already published by various scholars in their books and journals. For the present research both
primary as well as secondary method will be used by the scholar. In primary information will be
collected from customers of Sainsbury through survey.while , secondary information is gathered
through books, journal and websites (Toye, Williamson and Lamb, 2016). Reason for selecting
primary research is to gather specific information related to social media advertising can be
gathered from customers of Sainsbury.

2.6 Sampling
The procedure which is linked with the sampling is important for saving immense amount of
time in which appropriate respondents are selected for gathering information. Through the help of
sampling approach an investigator can easily narrow down the entire universe in sample through
which information can be gathered on the selected topic. Along with this it also assists in gathering
greater amount of information with less efforts (Cooper, Desjardins and Croll, 2016). There are 2
kinds of sampling method that are probabilistic and non-probabilistic. For the current research
probabilistic method will be selected in which random sampling techniques will be considered.
Here, 50 customers of Sainsbury will be selected through survey. Reason for selecting random
sampling method is that it lead to reduce the chances of bias and provide equal chance of being
selected.
Chapter 3: Data analysis
Data analysis:
Once the information is collected it is important to assess it by the usage of appropriate tools
and techniques. There are two techniques that are qualitative and quantitate that can be used by
investigator Qualitative focus on numerical based evaluation technique on the other side qualitative
is based on non-numerical method. For the present research quantitative technique will be used by
the investigator (Cooper, Desjardins and Croll, 2016).. Under this, various themes will be prepared
by the investigator in accordance to which interpretation will be done by investigator. Along with
this various themes and charts will be prepared which assist in supporting the findings The aim for
selecting this technique is that it help in getting valid outcome for the selected topic and researcher
can develop depth understanding related to the topic (Bathelt and Glückler, 2017)..
Chapter 4: Ethics value
At the while of conducting out investigation it is vital for scholar to focused on ethical
issues. Here below are some ethical issues which are considered by the scholar:
Informed consent:
At the while conducting out study it is significant for investigator to take authorisation from
the respondents over providing them information related to the conducted research. However, non-
compliance with the same can raise ethical issues. Hence, it is important for investigator to
informed purpose of study to its participants before conducting survey (Bathelt and Glückler,
2017). Confidentiality: It is one of another ethical issue which can be raised while carrying out
research. All the information provided by respondents need to kept confidential. In respect to avoid
this ethical issue, researcher need to kept information secure and destroy them when not in use or
after fixed period of time.
Cost consideration:

In research study various process is required to be carried out which lead to occur cost. It
incorporates, data collection. Evaluation of primary and secondary information. Along with this,
financial resources which are available is limited. Therefore, to address these issues research need
to reduce the cost of hiring research assistances. There is different process of study which can be
carried out by investigator itself (Peter, Werner and Alavi, 2017).
Access issues:
At the time of gathering both primary and secondary information different types of issues
can be faced by investigator. Such as in primary data collected issues related to collecting
information from respondents. To resolve this issue permission is required to be taken from the
firm. On the other side while collected secondary information researcher can face problem while
accessing information from websites, journal article. Therefore, permission need to be obtained for
accessing the full article (Médici and Allen, 2016).
Research limitation
Research can face various types of restraint at the period of resonant out investigation. It is
essential that appropriate consideration is taken through the assistance of which restraint can be
minimised. Here underneath are some restraint that can be challenged by investigator:
Limitation of time: There are various activities in the research which need to be carried and they
consume time (Attar, Haghighat. and Ghassemi, 2016). It is essential for investigator to complete
the entire research in provided time as because delay in one activity can increase the times of other
activities.
Gantt chart
The below provided Gantt chart will help carrying out each activities on the scheduled time through
which chances of time and cost risk can be reduced.
Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Preparing
proposal
Developing
aims and
objectives
Conducting
secondary
research
Developing tools
and techniques
Gathering

primary
information
Conductive
survey and
evaluating
results
Interpreting the
collecting
information
Recommendation
and suggestion