Research Project on Globalisation - Sony

Research Project

Table of Contents
TOPIC: “HOW DOES SONY SURVIVE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET”....................................3
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................3
1.1 Research Proposal............................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................6
2.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................6
2.2 Literature Review.............................................................................................................6
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES........................................................................10
3.1 Research approaches......................................................................................................10
3.2 Methodologies................................................................................................................10
CHAPTER 4: DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS................................................13
4.1 Data collection................................................................................................................13
4.2 Data Interpretation or Analysis......................................................................................15
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.....................................................23
5.1 Conclusion......................................................................................................................23
5.2 Recommendation............................................................................................................24
CHAPTER 6: PERSONAL REFLECTIVE STATEMENT..........................................................25
6.1 Reflect on research method used in project....................................................................25
6.2 Consider research method that could have been used....................................................25
6.3 Areas for further research...............................................................................................25
APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................26
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................35

TOPIC: “HOW DOES SONY SURVIVE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET”
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Research Proposal
Overview of nature of project
Today, in order to earn competitive advantage organisations concerns more on getting
sustainability in global market. For this process, they develop various strategies and policies to
attract customers and meet their demand in desired manner. In context with Sony, it is one of the
multinational companies that deal in technology sector (Hirst,Thompson and Bromley, 2015).
This is a German Company that offers diversified products and services such as electronics,
mobile phones and gadgets, video games, entertainment, telecommunication equipment,
computer hardware and more. It operates its business in many countries and offer its products
world wide. For expansion of business in new emerging marketplace in the fast-changing
international market, Sony needs to concern more on introducing innovative features in its
products as well as reinvent itself. This would give advantages to survive in global market and
earn more profitability. The present research focusing on understanding the concept of how Sony
survive in international market, where many companies are already established to give high
competition. To investigate this topic, researchers have framed appropriate aims and objectives
( Beck, 2018). This would help in getting direction to address research issues and develop
effective outcomes in predetermined period of time.
Research aims and objectives
Aim: “To find out how Sony can survive in the global market”.
Objectives:
 To find out how does Sony survive in a global market.
 To investigate about Sony’s research and development team.
 To expand knowledge on how Sony maintains a good cash flow.
 To find out how Sony is one of the biggest companies in the world.
 To collecting and analysing primary and secondary data about Sony to help with objects
what to follow
Rationale of research

In today’s competitive world, innovation is the only way by which companies can survive
in global market. In this regard, technology is considered as future of technological, retail,
manufacturing and other industries. Therefore, the main reason behind choosing this topic is to
analyse how technology helps organisations in getting sustainability of business (Rugman,
2012). For this purpose, Sony is chosen because this company deals in both technical and
electronic segment where innovations come out with new products and services that helps in
increasing customer satisfaction. While another reason to choose Sony as a research case study
to evaluate how much this company operate business ethically.
Activities and Timescale
This part of research activities which are going to be done for conducting a research on
chosen topic. It includes identification of main topic, frame problem statement, setting deadlines
for completion of project, conduct literature review to analyse view point of some professionals
who have already done investigation on same topic, select appropriate research methodologies
for gathering adequate amount of primary and secondary information, determine budget and
more (Docquier and Rapoport, 2012). After developing such activities, researchers have used the
concept of Gantt Chart to frame each activity in a proper interval of time. This would help in
completing research study within three to four months.
Task Name Duration Start Finish Resource Names
Identifying title of study 15 days 01/02/19 15/02/2019
Problem statement 18 days 15/02/19 9/3/2019
Setting deadlines 4 days 12/03/19 16/03/19
Literature review 5 days 19/02/19 24/03/19 Books, Journals, Internet
and articles
Selecting techniques for
research 5 days 26/03/19 31/03/19
Determining Budget 4 days 02/04/19 06/04/19
Data Interpretation and 13 days 09/04/2019 22/04/19 Questionnaires

analysis
Evaluating results and
findings 8 days 10/04/2019 18/04/19
Presenting conclusion
and recommendations 7 days 16/04/2019 23/04/19
Documenting results 3 days 23/04/2019 26/04/19
Submission of report 16 days 14/04/2019 30/04/19
ACTIVITE
S
WEE
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WEEK
4
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5
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WEE
K 1 0
Identifying
title of study
Problem
statement
and select
the company
with tutor
Setting
deadlines,
red about
Sony
Literature review
Selecting
techniques
for research
Determining

Budget
Data
Interpretatio
n and
analysis
Evaluating
results and
findings
Presenting
conclusion
and
recommend
ations
Documentin
g results
Submission
of report
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
Literature review refers to paper of scholars that include various articles and journals
which are consisting of current knowledge and information. This will also include substantive
findings which help them in conducting research in proper manner. Along with this, literature
review will also include theoretical as well as methodological data that is based on a particular
topic on which research is conducting (Papastergiadis, 2018). The respective method is
considered as secondary source of collecting data as well as information in order to complete
research in effective and appropriate manner. By this, researcher is also able to collect
information, data or view point of different authors on a particular topic on which research is
conducting in order to do analysis. It may include various sources such as books, journals,
articles, online books or journals and many more. In respect of this research, researcher consider

literature review of various authors related to research topic, it will help them in understanding
viewpoint of other on same topic, some major of them are mentioned below:-
2.2 Literature Review
Sony survive in a global market:
As per the view of Vlad Sanov 2018, Sony is a Japanese multinational corporation which
headquarter is in Kōnan, Minato, Tokyo. It has a diversified business which includes consumer
and professional electronic items as well as it also offer gaming, entertainment and financial
services. The company owns the largest music entertainment and video game console publishing
business in world. Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products for the
consumer and professional markets, also a leading player in the film and television entertainment
industry. According to author, Sony is facing decline stage for some of its products and services
but they are also developing various innovative products which help them in regaining trust and
market shares. Such as latest earnings report from Sony indicates the company’s already tiny
smart phone business has shrunk by almost half. In 2018, Sony managed to sell only 2 million
mobile devices which lead to downfall to 1.4 million from the same period of preceding year. In
year 2017, Sony sold 13.5 million phones and back in April 2018 with estimate target for 10
million, but now that’s been revised reducing to 9 million (Sony’s mobile business, 2019).
Competitor of Sony, HTC is for the title of being the least relevant global Android device
vendor. As per the author's perspective, the overall earnings report from Sony is much more
upbeat, with most of its sub-divisions growing at a healthy rate which is led by its Play Station
gaming group. Now by their new innovative section of play station, respective company able to
gain its market share at worldwide level that leads to company’s profitability and customer’s
base.
Sony’s research and development team:
As per article given by Sony in year 2018, Sony is a Japanese multinational corporation
whose headquarter is in Kōnan, Minato, Tokyo. It has a diversified business which is one of the
leading manufacturers of electronic products for the consumer and professional markets, and also
a leading player in the film and television entertainment industry. According to the respective
author, Sony plans to continue its research and development based on the spirit of innovation and
challenge detailed in its Founding Prospectus. Respective company also contributes in social
responsibility through its innovative idea. Sony's R&D Centre works to promote research and

development by integrating devices and systems. As per author, Sony will also try to expand
ranges of products and services by using new and innovative technologies such as in Business to
Business, entertainment and financial services fields.
In respective company, research and development department conduct market analysis so
that they can understand new technology, need and requirement of customers. This helps them in
developing new and innovative products according to customers which leads to enhancement in
customer’s base as well as increase in market shares. Each of these subsidiaries conducts R&D
related to its business field. Sony Computer Science Laboratories was established in 1988 to
conduct R&D that contributes to humanity and society by pioneering new research areas and
research paradigms and developing new technologies and businesses. The company is
developing new research fields by giving researchers the freedom to pursue highly creative and
fundamental research that is truly innovative in nature. R&D costs for fiscal 2017 increased to
458.5 billion. Compare to 6.9% in the previous fiscal year, the ratio of R&D expense to total
revenue excluding Financial Services was 6.3% (Research & Development, 2019). By its research
and development team, Sony able to gain market shares which helps it in attracting customers
and clients in effective manner. Along with this, firm is also able to increase its profitability ratio
and gain high competitive advancement.
Sony maintains a good cash flow:
According to author Jon Russell 2013, Sony is one of the famous and big brands which
offer numbers of products from years 1946. Products offer by respective company are consumer
electronics, semiconductors, video games, films, games, television programs, computer
hardware, music, telecommunication and equipments. Along with this, it also provide variety of
services such as financial services, insurance, banking, credit finance, advertising agency as well
as network services. By offering variety of products and services, firm is able to attract more and
more customers which lead to development and maintenance of good cash flow. Play station
offer by Sony, boom the revenue as well as cash flow of by 27 percent which is recorded as $2.1
billion profit in a year (Sony posts $2.1B profit as PlayStation sales keep on growing, 2019).
According to author, play station of respective company is performing very effectively
and efficiently which leads to increase in revenue from six percent to $19.6 billion. Other
offering of receptive company also helps it in boosting its sales as well as revenue in appropriate
manner. Such as apart from gaming or play station, Sony is known as one of the big gainer in