Research Proposal on Customer Attitude and Perception- A Case Study of Singapore Airlines

This research proposal focuses on understanding customer attitudes and perceptions towards Singapore Airlines. It explores the impact of service quality and price on customer perception and attitude. The study aims to provide insights into factors that influence customer perception and attitude towards the airline industry, with a specific focus on Singapore Airlines. The research methodology includes an exploratory research design, primary data collection through surveys, and quantitative data analysis. The study is expected to be completed in 24 weeks.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Research Proposal on Customer Attitude and Perception- A Case Study of Singapore Airlines
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Abstract
The focus of this particular study lies in determining the customer attitudes and perception
towards the Singapore Airlines. The attitudes and perceptions of customers not only affect their
decision making but also change the image about a particular product. Improved digital
connectivity, practical functionalities of the website and the internet interface along with the
embracement of social media lifestyle have led to high level of participation and activism by
consumer class as evident through online posting of customer reviews have led to higher level of
participation and activism the consumer class. However, in case of a full service airline,
customer attitude and perception is determined by the employee attitude and price. This report
tries to portray how the quality of the services especially the price factors and the employee
attitudes should receive increased attention for the development of the customer attitude and
perception about the Singapore Airlines. The report however put across detailed research
methodology that helps in carrying the research in a particular direction. It is however expected
that the research would get completed in a span of 24 weeks.

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Introduction:
1.1 Background of the Study:
The aviation industry has experienced a tremendous growth in the last 25 years. In
addition to the technological developments, the growth of the airline industry has been in
supporting international investment, world trade and the tourism activities (Wagner & Walton,
2016). These roles make the aviation industry a centre of globalization for the other industries.
The growth of airlines industry has provided opportunities as well as challenges to business
entities in the industry. The opportunities lie in increased demand for airline service while
challenges have been due to the higher level of competition amongst airlines and growing
demands for a better service. The growth of the industry has encouraged the government across
the world in deregulating the industry by helping the companies form private airlines. Such
conditions have caused the players of airline industry to constantly innovate in terms of
technology and services and thereby deliver better service to customers. Singapore Airlines is no
different and it has been one of the flagship carriers of Singapore considered the best airline
service in terms of first class, airline seat and service.
1.2 Research Aim and Objectives
The aim of this study lies in understanding the attitudes and the perception of the
customers towards the airline industry with special focus on the Singapore Airlines. The research
objectives are as follows:
 To understand whether service quality leads to the development of customer attitude and
perception towards the Singapore Airlines

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 To understand whether the price of the airline results in the development of customer
perception and attitude towards the Singapore Airlines
 To understand other criteria that influences the attitude and perception of customers
towards the Singapore Airlines.
2. Literature Review
2.1 Concept of Consumer Attitude and Perception:
According to Rani (2014), consumer attitudes refer to a combination of feelings, beliefs
and the behavioral intentions towards a particular object within context of marketing. The
components are observed together since they remain increasingly interdependent and represent
forces that influence how consumers would react to object.
According to Munthiu et al. (2014), consumer perception plays a key role in the ability
of the company in attracting newer customers and in retaining the existing ones. However, the
organizations have the ability of controlling many such factors that helps in building individual
perception in regard to the brand. In other words, consumer perception can be defined as the
marketing concept that encompasses the customer impression, consciousness or awareness about
the company and its offerings. Gee (2018) stated that consumer perception portrays what the
customers or the potential customers think about an organization. In fact this perception have a
direct impact on attracting newer customers and the capacity of maintaining better relationships
with the present customers.
In today’s digital world, every virtual thing is simply Google search away. This makes
the goods and services easier in finding which makes it easier for the unsatisfied or the unhappy

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customers easier to leave. Flint & Woodruff (2014) stated that the customers not only wants
good quality but they also wants to realize that they are getting better value. This value does not
remain judged by product or services that the consumers purchase but by the usability and the
availability of customers service. In present times it is not sufficient to have a brand recognition
as consumes wants to have a good feeling about the company or the brand. Some of the factors
that influences the individual perception includes (Gifford & Nilsson, 2014):
 Impact of Advertising: Through advertising the messages delivered in regard to a
particular service or product helps the others in forming opinions
 Impact of Influencers: The people surrounding an individual have immense impact on the
decisions. Whether in person or social media human nature have the tendency of listening
to thoughts and opinions around them.
 Impact of Personal Experience: This represents one of the most important factors that
weight the customer perception. This has a positive or negative influence on the aspect of
perception.
Organizations put up tools for the creation of a positive experience for customers and
when unforeseen events lead to the creation of negative impressions, the organizations undertake
steps of challenging and often winning back unhappy customer (Yi & Gong, 2013). This is
ensured by the management of certain foundational factors within the control of the company.
These include:
 Avoiding False Promises: Companies must strive for the truth in advertising and general
communication

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 Listening: This can be a challenge for some of the organizations. It is however, vital for
an organization to listen when the customers talk either in person, or online or on the
phone.
 Communication: This involves quick, clear and frequent communication and trains the
representatives in being compassionate, knowledgeable and responsive while
communicating with the customers.
 Ensure Effective Social Channels: These channels helps in tracking the company’s
responsiveness to the customers thereby rating them.
 Ensure Streamlining: This involves offering of quick response, centralization of the
information for the prevention of the need for re explaining the issues.
Xia & Kukar (2014) stated that customer perception primarily deals with the feeling. From,
first touch points to the last the entire company remains involved in the perception and hence can
contribute in a positive manner. It will therefore be easier and increasingly cost effective for the
creation of environment for a positive customer perception from beginning than fixing negative
perception.
2.2 Image of Singapore Airlines that Changes Consumer Perception and Attitude
According to Fan & Lingblad (2016), Singapore Airlines represented a flag ship airline of
Singapore with the hub located at the Changi Airport of Singapore. The airline makes use of the
Singapore Girl as the central figure for its central branding. The airline is ranked as one of the
best airline and gained the top spot in three categories, ‘Best of First Class’, ‘Best of the First
Class Airline Seat’and the ‘Best Airline of Asia’. In the year, 2018, the airline held the eighteeth
position and has been admired amongst the top 50 admired airline companies across the world ,

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the first in the Asian continent and the only Airline on list. The Singapore Airline included
various subsidiaries related to airline. The SIA Engineering Company handled repair,
maintenance and overhauled the business across the nine countries with portfolio of close to
twenty seven joint ventures including Rolls Royce and Boeing. The freighter fleet of SIA was
operated by Singapore Airlines Cargo. This also managed the cargo hold capacity in the
passenger craft of SIA. The two subsidiaries included Silk Air which operated the regional
flights to the secondary cities and Scoot that operated the lower cost carrier. Singapore Airlines
have been the launch customer of Airbus A380, one of the largest passenger aircraft and the
Boeing 787-10 and a longer range version of Airbus A350-900. Singapore Airlines has been the
topmost 15 carriers across the world in terms of the passenger kilometers and revenue. It ranks in
the tenth position in terms of international passengers carried.
Methodology
Research Design:
There exist three kinds of research design that includes descriptive or analytical research,
explanatory research and exploratory research. The descriptive or the analytical research design
helps in the evaluation and the understanding of study in a descriptive manner. The explanatory
design on the other hand helps in the development of relationship between the two variables that
remains under consideration. On the other hand, exploratory research however tries in
understanding the initial stages of the research (Beavers et al., 2013).
This study makes use of an exploratory research design that acts as the foundation for the
researchers to solve the problem. This will allow the researchers in achieving better

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understanding of the situation or the problem. The other two methods are however rejected for
this particular study
Method of Data Collection
Data collection refers to the procedure for measuring and collecting data over the targeted
variable in a systematic manner. The ways of data collection is classified as in either the Primary
or the Secondary methods of the data collection. The primary methods of the data collection are
concerned with conduction of questionnaires and interviews of surveys with smaller group of
people. The secondary method of the data collection make use of the past researches for
gathering the data from the different sources that includes the peer reviewed articles and
journals. In this particular case, the primary method of data collection will be used for
conducting survey amongst 50 customers.
Sampling Method and Sampling Size:
The sampling method followed in this research is the method of Simple Random
Sampling for gaining better understanding of the topic (Levy & Lemeshow, 2013). In this
particular case close to 50 employees of the organization could be asked for participation in the
survey with the CEO of the Singapore Airlines presenting its view point on the particular study.
Method of Data Analysis Method:
Data analysis represents the techniques of cleansing, inspection, modeling and
transformation of the data with the aim of providing support to the decision making, put forward
conclusions along with discovering require details thereby putting across suggestions. There are
two key data analysis methods that include Qualitative and Quantitative (Brannen, 2017).
Qualitative method of Data Analysis refers to range of processes that involves explanation,

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understanding and the investigation of investigated scenario whereas the quantitative data refers
to systematic methods of investigating strategies during data collection that enables the
researcher in making observations based on observations of numerical data. For this particular
study, quantitative analysis would be applied for analyzing the data collected through the survey
amongst 50 customers who remain inclined towards the Singapore Airlines.

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References:
Beavers, A. S., Lounsbury, J. W., Richards, J. K., Huck, S. W., Skolits, G. J., & Esquivel, S. L.
(2013). Practical considerations for using exploratory factor analysis in educational
research. Practical assessment, research & evaluation, 18.
Brannen, J. (2017). Mixing methods: Qualitative and quantitative research. Routledge.
Fan, T. P. C., & Lingblad, M. (2016). Thinking through the meteoric rise of Middle-East carriers
from Singapore Airlines' vantage point. Journal of Air Transport Management, 54, 111-
122.
Flint, D. J., & Woodruff, R. B. (2014). Marketing’s service-dominant logic and customer value.
In The Service-Dominant Logic of Marketing (pp. 201-213). Routledge.
Gee, J. (2018). The new work order. Routledge.
Gifford, R., & Nilsson, A. (2014). Personal and social factors that influence pro‐environmental
concern and behaviour: A review. International Journal of Psychology, 49(3), 141-157.
Levy, P. S., & Lemeshow, S. (2013). Sampling of populations: methods and applications. John
Wiley & Sons.
Munthiu, M. C., Velicu, B. C., Tuţă, M., & Zara, A. I. (2014). Service quality evaluation models
determined by Online consumer perception and satisfaction. Procedia-Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 109, 1303-1308.

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Rani, P. (2014). Factors influencing consumer behaviour. International journal of current
research and academic review, 2(9), 52-61.
Wagner, S. M., & Walton, R. O. (2016). Additive manufacturing’s impact and future in the
aviation industry. Production Planning & Control, 27(13), 1124-1130.
Xia, L., & Kukar-Kinney, M. (2014). For our valued customers only: Examining consumer
responses to preferential treatment practices. Journal of Business Research, 67(11), 2368-
2375.
Yi, Y., & Gong, T. (2013). Customer value co-creation behavior: Scale development and
validation. Journal of Business Research, 66(9), 1279-1284.