Investigating Consumer Behavior and Importance of Customer Service with Global Brands - Uniqlo Case Study

This research project aims to investigate consumer behavior and the importance of customer service with the emergence of global brands, focusing on a case study of Uniqlo. It explores the impact of globalization on consumer behavior and choices, and recommends ways to manage better customer services in the global market.

RESEARCH PROJECT:
PART 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
TOPIC..............................................................................................................................................3
Chapter 1..........................................................................................................................................3
1.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................3
1.2 Research Background.......................................................................................................3
1.3 Problem statement............................................................................................................3
1.4 Aims and objectives.........................................................................................................3
1.5 Rationale for the study......................................................................................................4
Chapter 2..........................................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
2.1 Determining idea to globalization and its impact on consumer behavior........................4
2.2: The importance of managing better customer service with emergence of global brands5
2.3: The impact on consumer behavior and choices from emerging brands..........................6
Chapter 3..........................................................................................................................................9
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................9
3.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................9
3.2 Research Philosophy........................................................................................................9
3.3 Research approach............................................................................................................9
3.4 Research design................................................................................................................9
3.5 Data collection................................................................................................................10
3.6 Data analysis...................................................................................................................10
3.7 Sampling.........................................................................................................................11
3.8 Ethical considerations.....................................................................................................11
TIME LINE OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

TOPIC
“To investigate consumer behavior and the importance of customer service with
emergence of global brands” - A case study on Uniqlo.
Chapter 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION
A good customer service ensures that the organization is reaching its set goals and
objectives and is having a good reputation among its customers as well. The below report
showcases the importance of consumer behavior and the importance of customer service. The
chosen organization for the report is Uniqlo. The company is a Japanese casual wear designer,
retailer and manufacturer. It was founded in 1949. The organizations headquarter are situated in
Yamaguchi, Japan. The report aims to investigate the consumer behaviors and the importance of
customer service of the business in Richmond.
1.2 Research Background
It is one of the most essential and important part of a business to ensure effective
customer service is taking place. The report is going to identify in what manner Uniqlo operates
in the American city of Richmond and how the customers feel about the provided services of the
organization. This is going to help in evaluating the customer understanding and would allow the
company to observe what needs to be done in order to achieve better growth and success in the
area of Richmond. The reason for choosing the topic is to comprehend in what manner the
globalization is impacting the customer demand and the customer choices across the globe. The
research will also help in identifying what the organizations and the businesses needs to do in
order to ensure better customer service and satisfaction.
1.3 Problem statement
Due to globalization, consumers behaviour getting change and for Uniqlo it becomes
difficult to change its strategies and policies according to customers needs. This research will
mainly focus on identifying consumer behaviours and their importance with emergence of global
brands.
1.4 Aims and objectives
Aim
“To investigate consumer behavior and the importance of customer service with
emergence of global brands” - A case study on Uniqlo.

Objectives
 To determine idea to globalization and its impact on consumer behavior
 To evaluate the importance of managing better customer service with emergence of
global brands
 To examine the impact of emerging global brands on customer behavior and choices
 To recommend ways to manage better customer services with increasing globalization
Research Questions
1. What is the idea of globalization and its impact on consumer behavior?
2. What is the importance of managing better customer service with emergence of global
brands?
3. How emerging global brands are impacting customer behavior and choices?
4. How customer services can be managed better with increased globalization?
1.5 Rationale for the study
Globalization is one of the major requirements of a business. It allows the business to
reach new growth and ensure that effective development is taking place. The present research
will be identifying the importance of globalization for the organization such as Uniqlo and how it
impacts its customer services and satisfaction. The researcher will help in evaluating a series of
understandings on the globalization and its impact on the consumer. Along with it, it will help
the researcher to understand the broad concept of globalization and its tools required to grow a
business in the global environment
Chapter 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Determining idea to globalization and its impact on consumer behavior
As per the views of Blazquez, Boardman and Xu, (2019), the impact of globalization is
basically relevant with the changing dynamic which determines is impacts such as consumers are
becoming exposed to the products, lifestyles and behavior patterns of consumers in other
countries. It has been comprised of various reasons such as obstacles which comes down and
consumers as well as goods moves freely across national boundaries. Changing governmental
policies related with taxation, traits, customs, duty and various agreements have impact in the
cost of particular product and services.

Santoso and et.al., (2018) stated that, the variations in the governmental policies would
have impacts on consumer behaviors in relation with purchasing a commodity. It can be said that
the changing trend, fashion as well as preferences would also have such impacts. On the
contrary, Song and et.al. (2016), Stated that, with the in trends and fashion the consumer
behaviour is also changing which have their impact on the performance and profitability. The
increasing global brands have to face various problems due to which there are changes in their
customer base and performance and profitability.
Globalisation have its impact on the consumer behaviours because it has increase the
competition in the market due to which the customer have the different options available in the
market due to which they have the low cost of shifting which leads to change in the consumer
behaviour if their demands are not being met by the organisation which are providing the
products and services in the market. The consumer behaviours is base don the determinants
which consist of market trend, price, quality, demand etc. if there are any changes in these
determinants the consumer behaviours is changed towards the organisation and for the products
and services provided by that organisation.
The changes in price of the products and services provided by the firm have their impact
on the buying habit of the consumer. Wit the increase in the price of products and services the
demand for the products is reduces as the customer moves towards the organisation which
provide the products and services at the lower cost due to which the profitability of the
organisation is reduced. The consumer behaviours is highly affected with the increase in the
global brand because it has provided them with the large option sin the market for the different
products and services which will assist in fulfilling their demands.
The consumer behaviours is changing due to changes in the factors which have their
impact on the buying habits such as income level of the consumer, various changes in the
taxation policies due to which the high tax is paid by the consumer for getting the products
which affect the behaviours towards the products and services provided by the organisation.
2.2: The importance of managing better customer service with emergence of global brands
In the views of Blazquez, Boardman and Xu (2019), With the increase in the global brand
the organisation have to focus on managing their customer service in order to retain the
customers for the longer period in the organisation. The emergence of global brands across the
world have made people to make use of their services effectively. This allows the businesses to

reach new growth and ensure that they are achieving set goals and objectives. Along with it, this
helps the businesses to reach a growth with is global.
As per the views of Ayers (2017), it has become important for these organisations to
ensure that they are providing effective services to their customers. Ensuring this helps the
organisation to reach new level of growth and achieve better growth and development. Along
with it, provision of better customer service helps the organisation to ensure that it is reaching its
customers in order to solve their problems regarding the products and services and keeps the
satisfied. Emergence of global brands have also created such situations in which, the
organisation and the business have to face such situations where customer retention is not the
issue but the large issue is the promotion of products and services to the right consumers. The
new brands are providing cheap and easy services to the customers and they are taking those
customers which belongs to the brand and its position. Effective customer service plays a major
role in order to retain those customers and ensure set growth and development.
According to the views of Odegaard (2017), it is one of the most important requirement
of the organisation to understand how effective its customer service is in the age of globalisation.
It is because the companies are having a lot of competitors. These competitors often makes it
hard for the organisation to achieve set growth and development and creates an environment
where their own customers tends to shift towards them. Ensuring better customer service makes
it easy for the organisation to ensure that its competitors are not having a better advantage. Along
with it, it ensures that they are gaining better growth and development.
As per the views of Monaco (2015), good customer service helps the organisation to
retain its customers for a long time period. Customer retention is one of the core requirement of
each and every organisation because it ensures set growth and development and helps the
organisation to earn good profitability in this age of globalisation. This helps the organisation to
ensure that its customers are not shifting towards any of its competitors. Also, globalisation also
impacts the economy of the country in which the organisation is selling its products and services
into. Having the right set of customers allows the organisation to save itself from the suffering, in
the times of crisis.
2.3: The impact on consumer behavior and choices from emerging brands
According to the views of Prouzet (2015), today emerging brands across the world have
made such place in the world that their provided products and services directly impact the

choices and behaviours of the customers. These consumer behaviours and choices are often
dependent upon the manner in which the brands tend to serve them. For example, the times when
a brand has launched new products and services in the market, the consumers which are
favourable towards the brand, also tends to shift towards the brand with new products and
services. This often makes the organisation and other business suffer from growth and
development.
As per the views of, Murphy (2018) globalisation has allowed a variety of brands to sell
their products and services in new places across the world and ensure that they are achieving set
growth and development. This has provided numerous new brands and companies with the
opportunity to sell their products and services on large scale. The arrival of different brands have
made the customers across the world to choose from different options. This has subsequently
changed their buying habits and have impacted their overall behaviour as well.
According to Knemeyer (2018), emerging brands across the world understand the
consumer choices and behaviours really well. These brands when sell their products and services
to the customers they tend to gain better reputation in the market. Also, they tend to earn good
profits as well. Provision of products and services to the customers are per their set requirements
and needs tends to allow the organisation in reaching new growth and development. Along with
it, it provides them with the ideas and requirements under which they tend to change their
present products and services in serving their customers better. This impacts the choices of the
customers and their buying behaviours as well.
Similarly, Cheng (2018) states that the consumer choices are often dependant upon the
trends, choices of other customers, cultural preferences and variety of other reasons. These
choices are impacted or brought into change when there is a change in these dependencies. For
example, when we see that the customers of western countries are having new preferences in
clothing and other utilities. The customers residing in eastern nations tends to do the same. This
impacts the choices and preferences of the customers of other nations which follow them and
accordingly it impacts the choices and behaviours of other customers. Thus, it explains in what
manner the emerging brand in western countries impact the choices of the customers of eastern
countries.
According to the views of Pressman (2018), it has been seen that the behaviours of the
customers often changes when there is a change in their personal needs and desires, their

potential salaries, financial situations and due to a variety of other factors as well. Today,
emerging brands often provides these customers with the products and services as per their needs
and desires. It allows the customers to buy the products and services as per their particular
behaviours. This impacts their choices and behaviours as now they have products and services
available as per their particular needs and they do not have to look for other source and options.

Chapter 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
Research methods are the way through the information regarding the research topic is
identified and analyzed to form the conclusion on the basis of the information gathered. It plays
an important role in research project. It allows researcher to analyses the appropriate types and
design of research as per its topic. Some elements of research includes research philosophy,
approach, design, data collection etc.
3.2 Research Philosophy
It is the belief regarding the phenomenon through which the data is gathered and
analyses. It consists of positivism and Interpretivism philosophy (Lee, 2018). Positivism is
based on the high samples and is highly structured whereas Interpretivism is based on the small
samples which are chosen for conducting the in - depth research regarding the research. Through
the help of positivism philosophy only factual information is gathered through the observation
(Song and et.al., 2016). Whereas Interpretivism philosophy is based on naturalistic approach of
data collection and in this philosophy the researcher interpret the elements of the study. In the
Present research, Interpretivism philosophy will be considered for gathering the in- depth
information regarding the study.
3.3 Research approach
It is a plan and procedure that consist of steps on the basis of which the whole study is
conducted. It consists of deductive and Inductive research approach. In the deductive approach
the hypothesis is created regarding the observation on the basis of the theory to test the
observation (Ghafoor, Shah and Rashid, 2017). Whereas inductive approach is not based on
creating hypothesis for testing the observation in order to identify the useful information
regarding the research. Inductive research is based on the theory in which the hypothesis is not
created for testing the results of the observation. In this study, It will use the inductive approach
for conducting the in-depth study regarding the research.
3.4 Research design
It is the way through the research questions are being addressed through the use of two
techniques which consist of qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative research design involve
the opinion and views of the different respondents and authors to identify solution relating to the

problems (Narayana, Varalakshmi and Pullaiah, 2016). On the other hand, Qualitative research
design involves the use of numerical figures to address the research problem. The qualitative
design does not include the numerical figures for identifying the information. In this study, It
will include the quantitative research design for the conducting the in depth study through the
use of numerical data. There is another research design which is exploratory in which the
research questions are explored and does not intend to offer the final and conclusive solution to
existing problems. Quantitative research design is based on using the numerical figures regarding
the study to provide the information which is accurate and is not based on the views and opinions
of the authors and respondents.
3.5 Data collection
It is way through which the information regarding the research is gathered for conducting
the research in the effective and efficient manner. There are two sources of data collection which
consist of primary and secondary sources. Primary source include the use of first hand
information regarding the research and includes questionnaire, interviews, survey etc
(SULOCHANA and PRASAD, 2019). Whereas secondary data collection method is used for
gathering the information regarding the research through the use of Books, journals, articles,
internet sources etc. In the present research, Both primary and secondary data collection methods
will be used for gathering the information regarding the research in order to conduct the in- depth
research for conducting the research in the effective and efficient manner. Secondary data is
useful because it is already published and is authentic because the information is gathered by the
other researcher which have used the information for conducting the research in the effective and
efficient manner. But the disadvantage of secondary data is there is lot of information available
and to identify the reliable and accurate data is difficult to identify.
3.6 Data analysis
It is the way to identify the useful information from the data collected through the
different sources. There are two ways through which the data can be analyzed which consist of
thematic analysis and SPSS. In thematic analysis the information is analyzed through the use of
qualitative technique whereas in SPSS the information is analyzed through Quantitative
technique. In the present research, The data analysis technique which will be used is SPSS
analysis in which the information will be analyzed on the basis of the quantitative technique to
identify the useful information for the research to have reliable and accurate information in order

to con duct the research in the effective and efficient manner. Quantitative analysis will help in
identifying the practical information by analyzing the data which will assist in forming the
conclusion and results on the basis of the research questions.
3.7 Sampling
It is the way of collecting the information by choosing the sample from the large
population. It consists of probabilistic and non- probabilistic sampling. In probabilistic sampling
the sample size is selected on simple random basis in which the population is provided with
equal chance of being selected as sample for the research whereas on the other hand, Non-
probabilistic sampling does not provide the population to be selected on the random basis. In this
research, Simple random sampling will be used in order to provide the population with the equal
chance of being selected as sample in the research. The sample size will consist of 30 employees
of Uniqlo. It will assist in identifying views and opinions of the respondents on the basis of the
research questions.
3.8 Ethical considerations
It is the way of using the ethical standards and norms while conducting the research. It
consists of taking the informed consent of the respondents and to have the confidentiality of the
information which is being provided by the respondents to the researcher. In the present research,
The researcher will take the informed consent of the respondents in order to disclose the
information provided by them. It is important to have considered the ethical standard while
conducting the research in order to conduct the research in the effective and efficient manner.
TIME LINE OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
It is one of the most essential requirement in order to complete a research and obtain the
outcomes which are specific there are two major techniques used by researcher. They are Work
Break-down structure and Gantt Chart, which are explained below:
The Work Break-down structure or WBS refers to the division of the whole project and
the work of an organisation into similar tasks. It is important to divide the whole project in
similar tasks. It tends to make the work very much manageable and easy both. The project
manageable makes use of this method in order to make the work simpler. There is no rule which
is hard and fast in order to drive the work under this method. It is important to ensure that this
work is being ensured with better and effective approach altogether.

Only when the method is efficiently adopted by the managers in the organisation it tends
to determine the project's success (Eaton, 2017). The reasons under which the method needs to
be adopted includes the accurate responsibility of the assignment to the entire team, the costs and
the risks and the time measurement. It allows the project to flow smoothly and ensure required
growth and development is taking place.
When it comes to the Gantt Chart, it is a type of bar chart which is used in the illustration
of a project's schedule. It is used by each and every type of the project and from the help of this
the project managers tends to track the progress of the project at its each and every level. The
simplest tool which is required in creating a Gantt chart is Microsoft excel, and other software's
as well which can be used as per the creator of the chart and according to the requirements. The
identification of the detail level is required in the schedule of the project which is the key when
selection of a suitable Gantt chart tool for the project.

Illustration 1: Gantt Chart
Illustration 2: Project network diagram

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ayers, J. B. and Odegaard, M. A., 2017. Retail supply chain management. CRC Press.
Blazquez, M., Boardman, R. and Xu, L., 2019. International flagship stores: an exploration of
store atmospherics and their influence on purchase behaviour. International Journal of
Business and Globalisation. 22(1). pp.110-126.
Cheng, S. C. and Pressman, A., SDL Inc, 2018. Globalization management system and method
therefor. U.S. Patent 9,954,794.
Eaton, J., 2017. Globalization and human resource management in the airline industry.
Routledge.
Ghafoor, F., Shah, I. A. and Rashid, N., 2017. Issues in adopting agile methodologies in global
and local software development: A systematic literature review protocol with preliminary
results. International Journal of Computer Applications. 160(7).
Lee, K. and Joshi, K., 2016. Importance of globalization in the information technology
convergence era. Journal of Global Information Technology Management. 19(1). pp.1-5.
Lee, W. K., 2018. Identifying the Determinants and the Dynamic Characteristics of ICT Non-
Use: A Qualitative Study by Grounded Theory Methodolgy. The Journal of Information
Systems. 27(1). pp.1-20.
Monaco, A. and Prouzet, P., 2015. Integrated management of seas and coastal areas in the age of
globalization. Governance of Seas and Oceans. pp.235-279.
Murphy, P. R. and Knemeyer, A. M., 2018. Contemporary logistics.
Narayana, P. S., Varalakshmi, D. and Pullaiah, T., 2016. Research Methodology In Plant
Science. Scientific Publishers.
Santoso, A. S. and et.al., 2018. Does satisfaction of P2P online transportation affect consumer
willingness to purchase their own vehicles?. International Journal of Business and
Globalisation, 21(3). pp.408-425.
Song, D. P. and et.al., 2016. A methodolgy for evaluating the structure-borne road noise prior to
a prototype vehicle using direct force measured on a suspension rig. Noise Control
Engineering Journal. 64(3). pp.295-304.
SULOCHANA, M. and PRASAD, T. D., 2019. A Study on Capital Structure. European Journal
of Business and Social Sciences. 7(4). pp.775-780.