Role of Social Media in Consumer Behavior: A Case of Woolworths, Australia

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH
B U S I N E S S R E S E A R C H

BUSINESS RESEARCH 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background of the organization...............................................................................................................................................3
Business problem.......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Research questions....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Literature review........................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Research Design and Methodology........................................................................................................................................6
Qualitative research................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Quantitative research.............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Data analysis................................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Ethical consideration................................................................................................................................................................ 12
schedule of research.................................................................................................................................................................. 13
References.................................................................................................................................................................................... 14

BUSINESS RESEARCH 3
Topic: To analyses the role of social media in consumer behavior: A case of Woolworths,
Australia
BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANIZATION
Woolworths is largest supermarket chain in the Australia. It deals in 995 stores across the
Australia. Woolworths employed approximately 115,000 employees in its distribution centers,
stores, and support offices by offering the quality services, value, convenience, and range. It
prides itself on performing closely with Australian growers and farmers to make sure that best
products are presented for the customers. It also sources 96% of all fresh vegetables and fruits
and 100% of fresh meat from Australian farmers and growers. It also constructs Woolworths
Australia’s fresh food people. It is one of leading innovative retailers in Australia as it focuses on
new and simple ways for customers to shop. Consumers can purchase from the ease of their
computer on the train or at home and on the way by using Woolworths supermarket app
(Woolworths, 2018). The significant feature is that groceries could be delivered straight to the
bench of kitchen.
BUSINESS PROBLEM
In the digital era, social media marketing has an impact on the behavior of consumers as social
media technology facilitates the power to the consumer for assessing the product features with
unfavorable and favorable reviews. The previous research was conducted on the characteristics
of consumer purchasing intention through social media. It is addressed that there are certain
factors, which may affect the behavior of consumer with regards to affordable price, the loyalty
of brand, product features, and its quality. A current development has taken place in the retail
industry while entailing the social media channels (Zeng and Gerritsen, 2014). Australian retail
market is one of the foremost industries due to emphasizing on the high amount of middle-

BUSINESS RESEARCH 4
income customers. It is determined that Woolworth can arrive at the millions of customers in the
future. Hence, research was conducted to access the social media channels and its impact on the
business. The growth and wider uses of internet technologies may have altered the way of
interaction within communities as it may affect the both professional as well as personal life
(Mkono and Tribe, 2017).
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 What is the role of social media to influence the consumer behavior?
 Which factors could impact on the purchasing decision of consumer?
 Which strategy can persuade the purchasing behavior of customer?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual and theoretical understanding about consumer behavior and social media
According to So, King, Sparks, and Wang (2016), social media is computer-mediated
technologies, which provides the innovation and sharing of data, career interests, ideas and other
forms of expression through virtual networks and societies. There are some theories, which
assess the role of social media in influencing the consumer behavior. In this way, social
cognitive theory determined that consumer behavior is a mutual and dynamic interaction with
personal traits and expressions. It is also opined that social environmental components assess the
intention of customers with regards to purchasing of goods and services.
In support to this, Lim, Hwang, Kim, and Biocca (2015) evaluated that there is a certain model
with respect to consumer purchasing behavior, which specifies the correlations amid social
media and purchasing procedure of customers. These models are known as a contemporary
model and traditional model. The traditional model focuses on economic, learning and