How social media influences consumers’ buying preferences - Research Proposal

This research proposal aims to identify the influence of social media marketing on buying preferences and behaviour of consumers towards IKEA. It includes a literature review, methodology, and expected research outcomes.

Research proposal

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................3
Background/Context of the Research.....................................................................................3
Research Question..................................................................................................................3
Research Aims and Objectives...............................................................................................3
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ...........................................................................................................4
Key papers..............................................................................................................................4
Conceptual framework...........................................................................................................5
3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................6
Research Approach.................................................................................................................6
Research Strategy...................................................................................................................6
Methodology & Tools............................................................................................................6
Sampling Approach................................................................................................................7
Ethical Considerations............................................................................................................7
4. CONCLUSION ...........................................................................................................................8
Limitations of Proposed Approach.........................................................................................8
Expected Research Outcomes................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

1. INTRODUCTION
Background/Context of the Research
Title: How social media influences consumers’ buying preferences
Consumer preference is defined as such subjective taste which is exerted by individual as
customer. This is measured by the level of satisfaction gained by customers by the service or
product purchased by them (Ioanas, 2020). This level of satisfaction is referred as utility and for
each group of product and services buying preferences of customers is dependent upon customer
buying behaviour. In the current time social media is regarded as one of the influential factor
which is used by organisation to influence buying behaviour of their customers. As social media
in current time is followed by mass audience and this will assist the business to develop their
edges and help them to acquire market image as well.
Research Question
 What is the conceptual framework of social media marketing in context with IKEA?
 What is the influence of social media marketing in changing buying preferences and
behaviour of consumers towards IKEA?
 Explain the benefits of changing buying preferences and behaviour of consumers for the
profitability of IKEA?
Research Aims and Objectives
Aim: To identify the influence of social media marketing on buying preferences and behaviour
of consumers’: A study on IKEA
Objectives:
 To identify the conceptual framework of social media marketing in context with IKEA
 To determine the influence of social media marketing in changing buying preferences and
behaviour of consumers towards IKEA
 To ascertain the benefits of changing buying preferences and behaviour of consumers for
the profitability of IKEA

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Key papers
What is the conceptual framework of social media marketing in context with IKEA?
According to Godey and et. al., (2016), social media marketing is defined as such
networks in which use of social media is promoted in order to market product or service of an
organisation. Social media marketing is providing a way by which organisations may engage
new customers in global manner and attain their aims and objectives. Social media marketing is
the form in which internet is used and helps the organisation to promote their business offerings
in market so that to reach out to their business goals and keep their customers engaged. In social
media marketing prominent and appealing content is created which are regarded as actions which
are taken in order to promote the same business offerings.
What is the influence of social media marketing in changing buying preferences and
behaviour of consumers towards IKEA?
According to Stephen (2016), in the current time social media is a platform which is used
by majority of customers as this is one of the emerging platform which is providing wide
opportunities for the business to exhale and develop in global manner. In the current time
disposable income of customers has increased which has given area to businesses for managing
their scope in high manner. The class of current population is highly influenced from social
aspects in which social media is playing vital role for the business to persuade their customers
towards business offerings. In this manner by developing content over social media customer
buying preferences can be changed as customer will get to know regarding product range and
service quality of IKEA.
Explain the benefits of changing buying preferences and behaviour of consumers for the
profitability of IKEA?
According to Elena (2016), there are significant benefits of changing customer buying
preference and behaviour in profitability of an organisation as businesses are working in order to
reach out to maximum number of customers and to attain maximum profitability. In this manner
with the help of changing buying preference and behaviour of customers IKEA may increase
their profitability as they get power to involve more audience. With the help of positive buying
behaviour sales can be promoted which leads the organisation to earn more profits and market

sustainability as well. Changing buying behaviour of customer helps the business to develop
similar behaviour in their customer which results in developing positive attitude.
Conceptual framework
The above mentioned conceptual framework explains that consumer buying behaviour is
made up of four major aspects such as entertainment, familiarity, social imaging and
advertisement spending. By accumulating these four elements, consumer behaviour can be
formed and understood which is helpful in developing the business offerings into the market and
instigate the same in consumer decision making.

3. METHODOLOGY
Research Approach
Research approach is defined as such action plan which is used within research in order
to develop the research in prominent and systematic manner. There are various broad
assumptions which are taken under research approach so that to take differentiated steps within
research. There are two major types of research approaches such as inductive and deductive.
Under the current research inductive research approach will be followed so that to acquire
research objectives in appropriate manner. Inductive approach is related with developing
relationships between concepts of research topic and different variables. This is regarded as one
of the prominent aspect which is helpful in developing research outcomes in accurate manner.
With the help of inductive research approach accurate decisions can be taken by researcher so
that the same can be aligned with research objectives.
Research Strategy
Research strategy is regarded as such methods and tools which are used by researcher in
order to gather related information within research topic. With the help of using effective
research strategy researcher may execute the overall research in systematic and appropriate
manner. At the same time quality can be consistently maintained with the help of effective
research strategy (Heyvaert, Hannes and Onghena, 2016). There are different research strategy
such as survey, focused group and many others that can be used by researcher in order to develop
research and acquire prominent results as well. Under the current research survey research
strategy will be followed and by this researcher may get assistance to gain accurate results within
research topic. With the help of survey strategy overall information related with research topic
can be gathered and this will provide accurate path to the research in attaining research
objectives.
Methodology & Tools
Research methodologies are defined as such set of tools and tactics which can be used by
researcher so that to gather authentic data and information within research. There are two types
of research methodologies such as qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research
methodologies are related with gaining in-depth information regarding research topic whereas
quantitative research methodologies are related with developing the research in statistical

manner. Under this research, quantitative research methodologies are followed so that to cover
the research in statistical manner and include numerical informatics as well. Besides this,
research tools are regarded as such activities which are used within research so that to analyse
the information in organised manner. Under this method questionnaire will be used in which
respondents are asked close ended questions. Questionnaire is considered as one of the
prominent way in which statistical information can be gathered and accurate results can be
attained.
Sampling Approach
Sampling is defined as the process under which small samples are exerted out of overall
population and these samples are representing the whole population. There are two types of
sampling methods that can be used by researcher in their course of action such as probabilistic
and non-probabilistic sampling. Under the current research, probabilistic sampling will be used
as this sampling method is associated with giving equal opportunities of selection to each and
every respondent.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical considerations are such aspects which are used within research in order to
develop the research in ethical manner (Alase, 2017). In order to attain objectives within current
research, ethical barriers are required to be eliminated so that to develop the research. In this
research informed consent is obtained from respondents so that to provide security and privacy
measures to respondents. Besides this, data protection is the other ethical consideration which is
used within the current research and this will provide access to the researcher in terms of
attaining objectives.

4. CONCLUSION
Limitations of Proposed Approach
The proposed research is executed on the basis of quantitative research methods in which
statistical approach is followed. Quantitative research methods are associated with taking out
numerical information so that research can be executed in numbering form. The major limitation
of this approach is that high proficiency is needed in order to analyse the gathered data which
may create issue for researcher in aligning the same with research project. Besides this, limited
outcomes are exerted in quantitative research methods so that researcher could cover limited
area.
Expected Research Outcomes
From the above analysis this is examined that social media marketing is regarded as one
of the emerging concept which is used by businesses in order to promote their product and
services into the global market. This is analysed that with the help of social networks the
businesses in current age may develop their business and acquire larger base of customer which
may result them in earning higher sustainability and profitability. In the current digital age social
media marketing is the concept which is used by businesses to promote their products and by
customers to understand quality of various business offerings.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Alase, A., 2017. The interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA): A guide to a good
qualitative research approach. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies.
5(2). pp.9-19.
Elena, C.A., 2016. Social media–a strategy in developing customer relationship management.
Procedia Economics and Finance, 39, pp.785-790.
Godey and et. al., 2016. Social media marketing efforts of luxury brands: Influence on brand
equity and consumer behavior. Journal of business research. 69(12). pp.5833-5841.
Heyvaert, M., Hannes, K. and Onghena, P., 2016. Using mixed methods research synthesis for
literature reviews: the mixed methods research synthesis approach (Vol. 4). Sage
Publications.
Ioanas, E., 2020. Social media and its impact on consumers behavior. Jurnal Analisa Kesehatan.
1(1). pp.1-1.
Stephen, A.T., 2016. The role of digital and social media marketing in consumer
behavior.Current opinión in Psychology, 10, pp.17-21.