Social Media Marketing and Research Methodology

This assignment involves conducting a research analysis at Qbic Hotel to understand how they use social media marketing for promotions and advertising their services. The researcher prepares a list of activities and schedules it using a Gantt chart, collects primary data through questionnaires, and uses thematic analysis to interpret the results. The study follows ethical norms and maintains participant anonymity. However, limitations such as time barriers, resistance from participants, and budgetary issues are faced and managed. The assignment provides an opportunity for the researcher to learn essential aspects of research methodology, including questionnaire preparation, data collection, and time management.

Managing a Successful
Business Project

LO 1
P1 Devising project aim and objectives
Topic of research: Impact of social media on enhancing marketing and promotional activities of
organisation; a study on Qbic Hotel.
Background of Study
Digital technologies indeed revolutionised the way today's business managers conduct
their business activities. Digital technologies have transformed the way organisations operate. It
not only helps in lowering the cost, time and efforts of companies but also enhances the
profitability and productivity of the organisation (Bakan, 2016). To sustain in competitive
environment it is essential and crucial for business organisations to utilise advance technologies
and systems. Social media marketing is the current trend which revolutionised the marketing
tactics of the organisation. It only helps in promoting organisational products and services to
large number of customers but also assist in interacting with them. This eventually enhances
customer satisfaction, motivation and loyalty. In this context, the following research study will
focus on impact of social media in enhancing the marketing and promotional activities done by
Qbic Hotel. Qbic hotel is a small and medium scale hotel located at 42 Adler St, Whitechapel,
London E1 1EE, UK. The organisation is known for providing excellent services and facilities.
Since the evolutions of social media websites like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, etc.
management of Qbic Hotel has been greatly benefited from it. The management promotes its
organisational services on famous social media websites and have enormous amount of followers
(Lamberton and Stephen, 2016). In this research, researcher will devise project aim and
objectives and formulate project management plans that depicts the activities associated with the
project along with timeline. Small scale research analysis will be conducted where researcher
will inquire about the benefits of using social media for promotion to managers and employees at
Qbic Hotel using questionnaire survey. The methodologies used for research will be elaborated.
Communication of recommendations will be provided by the researcher and through self
reflection, researcher will summarise the whole project effectively and efficiently. In this
context, the aim and objectives of research are provided below:
Aim
The aim of this research is “To analyse the impact of social media marketing in enhancing
marketing and promotional activities of Qbic Hotel.”
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Objectives
In order to support the aim, researcher has formulated objectives which are listed below:
 To understand the meaning of social media marketing.
 To investigate the influence of social media marketing in enhancing promotional and
marketing activities.
 To identify the issues associated with social media marketing. To provide recommendations so that Qbic hotel could improve the social media
marketing to enhance customer base.
Research Questions
1. What social media marketing means to business organisations?
2. How social media marketing influences marketing and promotional activities of
organisations?
3. What are the issues and challenges associated with social media marketing?
P2 Project management plan
WBS Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
1 Managing Successful
Business Project 103 days Thu 8/30/18 Mon
1/21/19
1.1 Determining title of
project 5 days Thu 8/30/18 Wed 9/5/18
1.2 Constructing statement
of problem 5 days Thu 9/6/18 Wed 9/12/18 2
1.3
Establishing deadlines
for sorting research
resources
15 days Thu 9/13/18 Wed 10/3/18 3
1.4 Literarure review 10 days Thu 10/4/18 Wed
10/17/18 4
1.5 Selecting techniques for
research 5 days Thu
10/18/18
Wed
10/24/18 5
1.6 Calculating costs 5 days Thu Wed 6
4

10/25/18 10/31/18
1.7 Collection of data 25 days Thu 11/1/18 Wed 12/5/18 7
1.8 Analysing data 10 days Thu 12/6/18 Wed
12/19/18 8
1.9 Interpretation and
evaluation of data 10 days Thu
12/20/18 Wed 1/2/19 9
1.10 Generating findings and
results 5 days Thu 1/3/19 Wed 1/9/19 10
1.11
demonstrating
conclusion and
recommendations
5 days Thu 1/10/19 Wed 1/16/19 11
1.12 Documenting results 2 days Thu 1/17/19 Fri 1/18/19 12
1.13 Submission of report 1 day Mon 1/21/19 Mon 1/21/19 13
Cost: The total cost associated with the research project is around 2025 pounds. Major portion of
total cost will be incurred during literature review analysis. Researcher has to purchase articles in
order to generate deeper understanding.
Task Name Cost
Formulating problem statement £100.00
Establishing deadlines £50.00
Conducting literature review £700.00
Selecting investigation techniques £150.00
Cost calculation £400.00
Data analysing and interpretation £500.00
Generating outcomes £50.00
Conclusion and recommendations £50.00
Documenting results £25.00
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Scope: In the end of project, researcher will be able to describe the influence of social media in
enhancing the marketing activity of Qbic Hotel.
Time: Researcher will take 59 days in order to attain the aim and objectives of the study.
Quality: In order to enhance the quality of the study, researcher will use precise and relevant
sources of data collection.
Risk: Risk can be associated with the analysis part where researcher can find difficulty in
analysing the data effectively due to inadequate response of participants and lack of coherence
and relevance in the found articles.
Communication: Researcher will communicate with the participants of the study in order to
obtain data.
Resources: Resources such as questionnaire, books, and journals will be used to carry out the
study.
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100
50
700
150 400
500
505025
Formulating problem
statement
Establishing deadlines
Conducting literature review
Selecting investigation
techniques
Cost calculation
Data analysing and
interpretation
Generating outcomes
Conclusion and
recommendations
Documenting results

P3 Gantt Chart to provide time frames
Illustration 1: Gantt Chart
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Illustration 2: Network Diagram
8

P4 Small-scale research
Small scale research has been conducted by researcher in order to gather the reviews of managers and employees regarding impact of
social media marketing. The analysis has been done in themes which are described below:
Questionnaire
Name: ___________
Age: ________
Gender:______
Q1. How often Qbic Hotel uses social media for marketing and promotion of its services?
 Very Often
 Often
 Sometimes
 Never
Q2. Is social media marketing provides benefits to Qbic Hotel?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
Q3. How social media marketing benefits Qbic Hotel?
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 Enhancing customer base
 Improving relationship with customers
 Enhancing organisation reputation
 Increase in profits
Q4. Is there any issues or challenges you have faced while using social media for marketing?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
Q5. What type of issues you faced while using social media marketing
 Measuring Return on Investment
 Issues of negative feedbacks
 Linking social media campaigns to sales
 No issues
Q6. Does management devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
Q7. What strategies have been formulated by your management to overcome issues and challenges of social media marketing?
 Using social analytical tool to measure ROI
 Developing client relationship
 Establishing unique and creative content
 More consistency on social media
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Q8. What are your recommendations to management so that they can improve their social media marketing practices?
 More training to employees
 Increase social media marketing budget
 More creative content
 No Recommendations
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Theme 1: Very Often Qbic Hotel uses social media for marketing and promotion of its
services.
Q1. How often Qbic Hotel uses social media for marketing and promotion of
its services?
Frequency
Very Often 11
Often 5
Sometimes 3
Never 1
Interpretation: The questionnaire survey has been conducted at Qbic Hotel where the
participants has been asked how often their organisation uses social media for marketing. After
analysing the sample of 20 respondents it was identified that 11 agreed very often, 5 agreed
often, 3 agreed sometimes and 1 agreed never. Thus, from the analysis it is clear that
management of Qbic Hotel very frequently used social media for marketing and promotion of its
services.
Theme 2: Social media marketing provides benefits to Qbic Hotel.
Q2. Is social media marketing provides benefits to Qbic Hotel? Frequency
Yes 16
No 1
Not Sure 3
Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey conducted at Qbic Hotel, the participants were asked
about any benefits Qbic Hotel secured after using social media marketing. From the analysis of
sample of 20 respondents it was identified that 16 agreed that Qbic hotel got benefits from using
social media as marketing, 1 disagreed that social media marketing does not provides any
benefits whereas 3 were not sure whether Qbic Hotel was has secured any benefits from using
social media as marketing tool or not. Thus, from the analysis it is clear that social media indeed
provides benefits to Qbic Hotel.
Theme 3: Improving relationship with customers and by enhancing organisation reputation
social media marketing benefits Qbic Hotel.

Q3. How social media marketing benefits Qbic Hotel? Frequency
Enhancing customer base 3
Improving relationship with customers 10
Enhancing organisation reputation 5
Increase in profits 2
Interpretation: : In the questionnaire survey conducted at Qbic Hotel, the participants were asked
what kind of benefits management got after using social media marketing. From the analysis it
was identified that 5 agreed on enhancing customer base, 10 agreed on Improving relationship
with customers, 3 agreed on Enhancing organisation reputation and 2 agreed on increased in
profits. Thus, from the above analysis, it can be concluded that improving relationship with
customers and by enhancing organisation reputation social media marketing benefits Qbic Hotel.
Theme 4: There are issues or challenges management faced while using social media for
marketing
Q4. Is there any issues or challenges you have faced while using social
media for marketing?
Frequency
Yes 11
No 8
Not Sure 1
Interpretation: To accomplish the aim and objective of research, researcher conducted
questionnaire survey at Qbic Hotel. The participants has been asked about any issues or
challenges they have faced while using social media marketing. From the analysis it was
identified that 11 participants agreed that they faced issues and challenges, 8 respondends denied
of facing any issues and 1 responded was not sure whether any issues or challenges have been
faced or not by using social media marketing. Thus, from the analysis it can be understood that
issues or challenges management faced while using social media for marketing.
Theme 5: Issues of negative feedbacks faced by Qbic Hotel while using social media
marketing.
Q5. What type of issues you faced while using social media marketing Frequency
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Measuring Return on Investment 4
Issues of negative feedbacks 8
Linking social media campaigns to sales 3
No issues 5
Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey, the participants of researcher has been asked what
kind of issues they faced using social media marketing. After analysing the sample of 20
respondents it was identified that 4 agreed on measuring ROI, 8 agreed on negative feedbacks
given by customers on social media, 3 agreed on linking social media campaigns to sales and 5
said no issues. Thus, from the analysis it can be understood that Issues of negative feedbacks
faced by Qbic Hotel while using social media marketing.
Theme 6: Management devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges
Q6. Does management devised strategies to overcome the issues and
challenges?
Frequency
Yes 17
No 0
Not Sure 3
Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey, the participants of the research has been asked
whether management devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges or not. From the
analysis it was identified that 17 managers agreed that management devised strategies to
overcome the issues and challenges and 3 were not sure whether management devised strategies
to overcome the issues and challenges or not. 0 response on disagreement and thus it can be
concluded that management indeed devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges.
Theme 7: Developing client relationship strategies have been formulated by your management
to overcome issues and challenges of social media marketing.
Q7. What strategies have been formulated by your management to overcome
issues and challenges of social media marketing?
Frequency
Using social analytical tool to measure ROI 2
Developing client relationship 11
Establishing unique and creative content 3

More consistency on social media 5
Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey conducted at Qbic Hotel, researcher asked about the
type of strategies has been formulated by management to overcome issues and challenges of
social media marketing. From analysing the sample of 20 respondents it was identified that 2
agreed on using social analytical tool to measure ROI, 11 participants agreed on developing
client relationship, 3 agreed on establishing unique and creative content and 5 agreed on more
consistency on social media. Thus, it can be concluded that Developing client relationship
strategies have been formulated by your management to overcome issues and challenges of
social media marketing.
Theme 8: What are your recommendations to management so that they can improve their
social media marketing practices?
Q8. What are your recommendations to management so that they can
improve their social media marketing practices?
Frequency
More training to employees 7
Increase social media marketing budget 4
More creative content 6
No Recommendations 3
Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey, researcher asked the participants about their
recommendations which could help Qbic hotel to improve their social marketing practices. In
this context, 7 respondents recommend more training to employees, 4 respondents recommended
increasing social media marketing budget, 6 participants recommended to establish more creative
content and 3 participants have no recommendations. Thus, it can be understood that employees
and managers recommended to establish more creative content and provide more training to
employees to raise their skills and competencies.
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LO 3
P5 Analysing research data
In this part researcher will describe the research methodologies applied by him or her in
the following research. It is important for researcher to describe the research methodology so that
readers can have the idea about the methods utilised by the researcher. In this context, the
methodologies used by researcher is described below: Research Philosophy: According to Saunders research onion, research philosophy should
be the first criteria to be covered by researcher (Taylor et al., 2015). In this research
project, researcher has selected positivism research philosophy. As positivism research
philosophy deals with source, nature and development of knowledge. Research Approach: Discussion of research approach is crucial in the research study. It
refers to the plans consisting steps describing broad assumptions made by researcher to
the process of data collection. In this research project, researcher has selected inductive
research approach. Research Design: Research design is the plan which helps researcher to accomplish the
research questions. In this research project researcher has selected exploratory research
design to attain questions of research. Research Strategy: Research strategies are general plans through which researcher able
to accomplish the aim and objectives of research (Silverman, 2016). In the present
research study, researcher has used quantitative research method to analyse the numerical
data effectively and efficiently. Data Collection: Data collection is crucial for research study (Mackey and Gass, 2015).
In the primary research study, researcher has acquired data from primary sources by
using questionnaire research instruments. The questionnaire has been provided to the
managers and employees working at Qbic Hotel and it comprises close ended questions. Sampling: Sampling is done where the survey population size is large. As surveying
large populations is not feasible, researcher prefers to take sample. In present project,
researcher has taken sample of 20 employees and managers using simple random
sampling method and provided questionnaires to them for survey. Data Analysis: Data analysis is the process of converting raw data into meaningful
information (Lewis, 2015). For research perspective, analysing collected data and

interpreting it in precise manner is rudimentary. In this context, researcher by using
thematic analysis analysed collected data in effective and efficient manner. Ethical Consideration: Ethical consideration is the norms and ethical codes followed by
researcher. In the present research project, researcher follows all the ethical norms and
code of conducts. Researcher explained the purpose of research to participants in order to
gain their consent. No such information has been acquired which affects the
confidentiality of the organisation. Anonymity of participants has been maintained.
 Research limitations: in the present research study, researcher faced limitations in
collecting and analysing data, resistance of participants, lack of time and budget issues.
P6 Communicating appropriate recommendations
After conducting research study at Qbic Hotel, researcher founds some issues and challenges
that faced by the management regarding social media marketing. In order to obliterate these
issues, researcher has provided some recommendations. These recommendations can be
implemented within the organisation in order to enhance their social media marketing practices.
The recommendations are listed below: Establishing social media marketing goals which aligns to business objectives: The first
step the management of Qbic Hotel needs to take is establishing social media marketing
goals which align to business objectives (Armstrong et al., 2015). This can be done my
using SMART objectives. By formulating precise goals and objectives management of
Qbic Hotel will be able to enhance their social media marketing. Learn everything about audience: Knowing who the target audience is essential and
identifying the type of content they prefer is important for social media marketing. The
management of Qbic Hotel needs to acquire effective and adequate knowledge about
their audience so that social media marketing practices can be enhanced in effective and
efficient way. Research the competition: Knowing who the competitors are very important.
Management need to consider what competitors are planning about and how they will
inculcate the plan is essential (Lamberton and Stephen, 2016). It is recommended to the
management of Qbic Hotel to conduct research in order to analyse the competitor’s
organisation using social media marketing. In this way, they will be able to gain
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competitive advantages and will be able to enhance social media marketing and
promotional activities. Conducting social media audit: Social media audit helps the management to assess the
things which are working efficient and which are not working efficiently. They will be
able to know about which social media websites is providing more benefits for them and
which site is generating loss (Tiago and Veríssimo, 2014). Thus, it is recommended to the
management of Qbic hotel to conduct social media audit in order to gain competitive
advantages and to know the accurate position of social media marketing.
 Following deadlines strictly: All the activities based on the project management plan set
by the researcher should be followed properly. At initial stage when any of the activities
gets delayed, then all the remaining activities gets affected. With this respect, proper
planning should be made by considering the deadline and in completing them with high
quality.
P7 Reflection
The aim of my research was to analyse the impact of social media marketing in enhancing
marketing and promotional activities of Qbic Hotel. In order to support the aim, researcher has
formulated objectives which were to understand the meaning of social media marketing, to
investigate the influence of social media marketing in enhancing promotional and marketing
activities. To identify the issues associated with social media marketing and to provide
recommendations so that Qbic hotel could improve the social media marketing to enhance
customer base. Digital technologies indeed revolutionised the way today's business managers
conduct their business activities. Digital technologies have transformed the way organisations
operates. It not only helps in lowering the cost, time and efforts of companies but also enhances
the profitability and productivity of the organisation. In this context, I have conducted research
analysis at Qbic Hotel to know how they use social media marketing for promotions and
advertising their services. For this research I have prepared list of activities and scheduled it
appropriately which has been demonstrated with the help of Gantt chart. I have conducted
primary analysis and selected employees and managers as the participants of the research. With
the help of precise research methods I have framed this research project in most appropriate and
precise manner. I have used questionnaire method for collected primary data. A sample of 20
employees and managers has been taken randomly and I have provided them questionnaire by

hand and collected by hand only. I have used thematic analysis in order to interpret data. In this
research I followed all the ethical norms and code of conducts. Researcher explained the purpose
of research to participants in order to gain their consent. No such information has been acquired
which affects the confidentiality of the organisation. Anonymity of participants has been
maintained. I have faced few limitations such as time barriers, resistance of participants and
budgetary issues. Though I have managed it somehow and thus was able to attain common goals
and objectives. Thus, from the above study, I have learned various essential aspects to carry out
the research study. I have learned how to prepare questionnaire, articulate it to the participants,
learned how to manage time. I have faced limitations during the study which I have described in
the research methodology section. I have made redundant efforts in order to obliterate those
limitations and produce a well establish and robust study for the readers.
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