Prevailing Paradigm of Society PDF

The In-Depth Analysis of The Impact Caused by Covid_19 on Consumer
Buying Behavior: The Prevailing Paradigm of Society.

Abstract
In the wake of global crisis in the form of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 there observed
lockdowns and social distancing which results into closure of super markets due to trends in the
buying behaviors of consumers. Markets face changes in consumption patterns in almost every
market. Therefore, the study aims to analyze the extent to which the pandemic has changed the
consumption patterns of the consumers. Also, study will try to draw inferences about post-
COVID consumer behaviors for which interviews will be conducted. Study uses mixed method
approach to analyze the consumer behaviors during the pandemic and after the pandemic. Study
presented results on the basis of existing literature while for in-depth analysis field studies will
be carried out which helps to address the issue appropriately.
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Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................ii
Chapter 1..........................................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the study................................................................................................2
1.2 Problem Statement........................................................................................................3
1.3 Research Questions.......................................................................................................3
1.4 Research Aim and Objectives.......................................................................................3
1.5 Significance...................................................................................................................4
1.6 Limitations.....................................................................................................................5
Chapter 2..........................................................................................................................................6
Literature Review............................................................................................................................6
2.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................6
2.2 Empirical Framework.......................................................................................................6
2.2 Theoretical framework......................................................................................................7
Chapter 3..........................................................................................................................................9
Research Methodology....................................................................................................................9
3.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................9
3.2 Research Methodology.....................................................................................................9
3.3 Research Philosophy.........................................................................................................9
3.4 Research Approach...........................................................................................................9
3.5 Research Purpose............................................................................................................10
3.6 Research Design..............................................................................................................10
3.7 Target Population............................................................................................................10
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3.8 Sample Size.....................................................................................................................10
3.9 Sampling Technique.......................................................................................................11
3.10 Data Source.....................................................................................................................11
3.10.1 Secondary Data........................................................................................................11
3.10.2 Primary Data............................................................................................................11
3.11 Statistical Technique.......................................................................................................11
3.12 Ethical Considerations....................................................................................................12
Chapter 4........................................................................................................................................13
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13
4.1 Conclusion......................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................15
Appendices....................................................................................................................................18
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Chapter 1
Introduction
1. Introduction
It is matter of fact that pandemics are not a novel phenomenon and every time there
observed major economic, regional, and global changes which tends to bring change in the social
behavior and mentalities of the peoples. The most significant changes recorded as a result of
these pandemics were institutionalized which bring different psychological changes. Similarly, it
was observed that due to emergence of pandemic COVID-19 there observed significant changes
in over all living patterns of the masses as everyone across the globe get affected by the deadly
virus due to which it seems difficult to return to the normal life as was before the wake of
pandemic.
In this study researcher will investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the purchasing
behavior of the consumers where the focus will be to find out the trends in consumers behaviors
before and after the spread of pandemic. As we know that due to outbreak of coronavirus
governments across the globe ordered to keep social distancing and lockdown in almost every
sector of the life. Such practices give rise to changes in psychological behaviors. Various studies
pose that due to pandemic several changes were introduced across the countries which give rise
to practices like curfews, closures, lockdowns, quarantine, boarder closures etc. (Harrison, 2020).
Nielsen (2020a) in his studies postulates that due to pandemic there observed there observed
changes in the consumer behavior. In the study the researcher uses a six key model to present the
changing patterns of consumer behavior during pandemic which includes the spending on
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different emergency items, food and health. In the study it was found that at each threshold level
households have different levels of consumption.
1.1 Background of the study
In December 2019 there reported several pneumonia cases in the Wuhan city of China
which emerged from unknown sources (Lu et al., 2020). In January 2020 based on the analysis
of lower respiratory tract a virus was identified which was held responsible for the pneumonia
cluster (Huang, 2020). However, later on in February 2020 WHO named the disease spread from
this virus as COVID-19 which when was causing a lot of deaths was declared as a pandemic
(WHO, 2020). In December 2019 a new form of virus was identified in the Wuhan city of China.
The officials of Chinese government informed WHO about the mysterious deadly virus which
was causing various lung disease. Several of the infected patients work in the “wet market” i.e.,
farmers market where perishable food and animals were being sold by the farmers. World Health
Organization named the disease COVID-19 that was affecting the respiratory system of the
infected people (WHO, 2020a). The cases of this disease increased 10-fold in other countries just
in 2 weeks after the introduction of the disease in China. After observing the deadly effects of the
virus WHO declared this disease as pandemic (WHO, 2020b). In ancient time there observed that
diseases jumped from men to animal but due to COVID-19 it was observed that it was man who
transfer this disease more rapidly to other men due to close interactions and therefore the virus
spread across the globe. In his studies Garthwaite (2020) maintained that disease come up with
people and spread from one region to another in no time by air connections, thus it turned out to
be a global pandemic which affect every sector of life and changes the living patterns of masses
to large extent.
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