Consumer Buying Behaviour Impact on Organizational Performance: Auchan

This dissertation explores the impact of consumer buying behavior on organizational performance, specifically within the context of Auchan Retail Company. It addresses problems related to employee management and its effect on consumer behavior, ultimately impacting sales and profits. The study delves into the concepts and factors influencing consumer buying behavior, including psychological, social, cultural, and economic aspects, as well as relevant theories like cognitive learning and social judgment. Organizational performance is examined through internal and external factors, with a focus on the relationship between consumer behavior and organizational outcomes. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews, to gather data and analyze the correlation between consumer behavior and Auchan's performance. Ethical considerations are addressed to ensure data privacy and responsible research practices. The conclusion provides recommendations for strategies to influence consumer buying behavior and improve organizational performance, while also acknowledging the limitations of the study.

Running head: DISSERTATION
Impact of consumer buying behaviour on organizational performance
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Acknowledgment
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my professor without whose, constant
support and guidance, the research would not have been possible.
Firstly, I would like to thank God the Almighty in giving me the strength and courage
without which I could not have completed the entire study. Secondly, I would like to thank
my family and relatives who gave me constant support mentally and physically so that I can
complete the study on time. Lastly, I would like to give thanks to my peers and the friends
who have helped me in providing the appropriate information throughout the project and
helped me in doing the in-depth analysis of the research. Without their proper guidance, it is
impossible for me to complete the project.
Thanks and Regards,
Yours Sincerely,

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Abstract
The issues that are related to employees such as the issues with the supervisors and the
traumas that they face on a personal level due to the structure of the company. The company
in the recent times need to increase its performance in the market so that it can help in
influencing the behaviour of the customers towards the products that are being delivered by
them. This will provide an opportunity to the company to increase its level of sales, which
will create an impact on the level of profits of the company in a direct manner. The primary
problem of the company is that the sale of the products are going down due to the
management of the employees in an inefficient manner.
Consumer buying behaviour can be defined as the selection of the products and the services
that they would like to purchase for their consumption, which will help in satisfying their
wants. The behaviour of the consumers regarding buying the goods or the services depends
on various factors and characteristics that help in influencing them towards the goods. The
consumers analyse the products in the initial phase so that they can collect the necessary
information that will help them in going for the particular products or services.
Organizational performance can be defined as determining the properties and dimensions that
are present within the organization. It helps in assessing the goals and objectives of the
organization based on the performance of the organization in the market, which helps in
increasing their share in the market and better financial position as well. The financial
performance of the organization can be understood by the return that the company gets
through its assets and investment on the products and the services. The analysis has been
conducted along with proper conclusion has been provided so that the research can identify
the gaps that are present in the study.

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The researches that were conducted by the previous authors has shown that the various
factors that affect the buying behaviour of the consumers. These factors have been analysed
so that it can help in conducting the study in an efficient manner. The performance of the
organization depends on internal and external factors such as the leadership style that is being
followed within the company along with the policies and procedures that are present where
the company is carrying out its operations.
The research method that will be taken up by the researcher will allow the process of the
research to be conducted in a proper manner. The use of the right methodological tools by the
researcher has allowed the research to be conducted in a proper manner. The technique of
collecting the data in a proper manner has allowed the researcher in collecting the relevant
information so that it can help the research to be undertaken in an effective way. The survey
that was conducted by the researcher for the consumers was done based on the ethical
guidelines so that the researcher does not violate the Data Privacy of the consumers. This has
resulted in conducting the research in an effective manner.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................7
1.1: Background of the study.................................................................................................7
1.2: Problem Statement..........................................................................................................8
1.3: Significance of the Study................................................................................................9
1.4: Aims and objectives of the research.............................................................................10
1.5: Research questions........................................................................................................10
1.6: Research Hypothesis.....................................................................................................10
1.7: Structure of the study....................................................................................................10
Chapter 2: Previous Researches...............................................................................................12
2.1: Concept of consumer buying behaviour.......................................................................12
2.2: Factors affecting consumer buying behaviour..............................................................13
2.2.1: Psychological factors.............................................................................................13
2.2.2: Social factors..........................................................................................................14
2.2.3: Cultural factors.......................................................................................................14
2.2.4: Economic factors....................................................................................................15
2.3: Theories of consumer buying behaviour.......................................................................16
2.3.1: Cognitive learning theory.......................................................................................16
2.3.2: Involvement theory................................................................................................16
2.3.3: Social judgment theory..........................................................................................17
2.4: Concept of organizational performance........................................................................17
2.5: Factors affecting organizational performance...............................................................18

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2.6: Relationship between consumer behaviour and organizational performance...............19
2.7: Impact of consumer behaviour on organizational performance....................................20
2.8: Summary.......................................................................................................................21
Chapter 3: Research Methodology...........................................................................................22
3.1: Introduction...................................................................................................................22
3.2: Research Onion.............................................................................................................22
3.3: Research philosophy.....................................................................................................22
3.3.1: Justification............................................................................................................23
3.4: Research approach........................................................................................................23
3.4.1: Justification............................................................................................................23
3.5: Research design.............................................................................................................24
3.5.1: Justification............................................................................................................24
3.6: Research type................................................................................................................24
3.6.1: Justification............................................................................................................25
3.7: Sampling.......................................................................................................................25
3.8: Data collection techniques............................................................................................25
3.9: Data analysis.................................................................................................................26
3.10: Ethical considerations.................................................................................................26
3.11: Summary.....................................................................................................................26
Chapter 4: Analysis and Findings............................................................................................28
Independent variables...........................................................................................................28

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Dependent variable...............................................................................................................38
4.2: Interview with Auchan Consumer Head.......................................................................41
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation..........................................................................44
5.1: Conclusion....................................................................................................................44
5.2: Linking with the objectives...........................................................................................45
5.3: Recommendations.........................................................................................................48
5.4: Research Limitations.....................................................................................................50
Reference List..........................................................................................................................51
Appendix..................................................................................................................................58
1.1: Survey questions...........................................................................................................58
1.2: Interview questions- Auchan Consumer Head..............................................................61

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Chapter 1: Introduction
The recent world has seen some changes in the work place in a rapid manner due to
the global economy. It has resulted in the development of the organizations, which are
associated with the skills and knowledge of the employees along with their experience in the
work place. It is a matter of concern to address the level of production within the organization
along with maintaining a better performance in the organization in the dynamic world
(Gattorna 2017). The management of the organization needs to pay more attention towards
the differences between the individuals so that their needs and behaviours can be understood
in a better way. This will allow the companies to manage and understand the complexity of
the employees in a better manner. This understanding of the problems by the management
will help in developing better styles of learning within the organization so that it can result in
meeting the needs and objectives of the individuals (Horner and Swarbrooke 2016).
1.1: Background of the study
The management needs to learn about the beliefs and values of the employees so that
it can help in motivating the behaviours of the employees, which will lead to better levels of
production. Organizational performance can be defined as the system that is present in the
society so that it can help in fulfilling the objectives that are required within the organization.
It is a dynamic approach that needs to be judged in a proper manner and interpreted as well
(Perez, del Mar Garcia de los Salmones and Rodriguez del Bosques 2013).
Auchan retail is a multinational corporation that has its business on an international
scale. The company has its headquarters in Croix that is located in France. The company is
one of the most popular distribution group in the world with an employee strength of more
than 330,000. The company was started by Gerard Mulliez who had opened the first store in
Roubaix in the district of Hauts-Champs (Tingchi Liu et al. 2013). The company has become

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an international brand and its chain is spread in countries like India, Hungary, Romania,
Russia, China and other places. The company presently has more than 600 hypermarkets and
2800 supermarkets spread all over the world. The tagline of the company is ‘La Vie, La
Vraie’, which means ‘Life, the real one.’ This tagline was changed in 2007 to ‘La vie
Auchan, elle change la vie’, which means ‘Auchan’s lifestyle changes life (itself).’
The company opened its store in China in the Shanghai province in the year 1999
after which the company continued to increase its store to 114 within the country. The
customers are allowed to purchase the grocery items through the online portals so that the
goods can be delivered to their houses.
1.2: Problem Statement
The major problems are the issues that are related to employees such as the issues
with the supervisors and the traumas that they face on a personal level due to the structure of
the company. The management team that is present in the organizations may lack expertize in
communicating with the employees in a proper manner. The other issues such as problems in
working in the team are also present, as they have to work together so that the goals and
objectives of the company can be achieved in a better manner (Ramsay, Wagner and Kelly
2013). The breakdown in the network of communication between the team members can lead
to confusion between the team members, which may affect the personal goals of the
employees as well. The issues within the team and employees may spread at a quicker
manner within the organization, which may lead to the fall in the level of production. This
may affect the corporate culture within the organization in a negative manner and the
performance of the organization may decrease to a great extent (Sahney, Ghosh and
Srivastava 2013).

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The company in the recent times need to increase its performance in the market so
that it can help in influencing the behaviour of the customers towards the products that are
being delivered by them. This will provide an opportunity to the company to increase its level
of sales, which will create an impact on the level of profits of the company in a direct
manner. The primary problem of the company is that the sale of the products are going down
due to the management of the employees in an inefficient manner. These problems have to be
addressed in a proper manner by the company so that it can help in influencing the consumer
behaviour within the local market (Solomon et al. 2014).
1.3: Significance of the Study
The company needs to address the issues that are related to the employees in a better
manner so that it can help in increasing the level of production and the level of efficiency
among the employees can increase to a great extent. The upper management that is present
within the organization needs to take care of these problems in a proper manner by
communicating with the employees in a proper way and understand the problems that they
are facing within the organization. The teams that are present in the organization needs to be
managed in a proper manner by taking in to consideration that the network of communication
within them is maintained in a proper manner. The leaders who have been assigned in the
team needs to gather feedback from the members on a constant manner so that they can
understand the problems that are present within them. This will help the company in
mitigating those and help in efficiently managing the teams. The main cause of the problem
needs to be checked so that correct actions can be taken, which will help in avoiding the
breakdowns within the team members.
The company needs to follow steps that will result in solving the problems that they
are facing within the organization. The managers firstly, need to solve the issues on a current
basis so that it can prevent the interpersonal conflicts within the organization. Secondly, the

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root cause of the problems need to be analysed, which will help in mitigating the issues at a
later stage.
1.4: Aims and objectives of the research
The research will be based on the following aims and objectives:
 To explore the meaning and concept of consumer buying behaviour
 To identify the relationship between consumer buying behaviour and organizational
performance
 To recommend the strategy to influence the consumer buying behaviour towards
organization
1.5: Research questions
The research will be based on the following questions:
1. What are the meaning and concept of consumer buying behaviour?
2. What is the relationship between consumer buying behaviour and organizational
performance?
3. What are the strategies to influence the consumer buying behaviour towards
organization?
1.6: Research Hypothesis
The research will be based on the following hypothesis
H0- There is no relationship between consumer buying behaviour and organizational
performance
H1- There is a relationship between consumer buying behaviour and organizational
performance

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1.7: Structure of the study
The process of research has been divided in to five chapters so that it can be studied in
a proper manner. The first chapter consist of the introduction where the researcher has
highlighted the problem and the significance of the research that is being conducted so that
the process can be done in a proper manner. The second chapter consists of the secondary
sources that are published in previous researches. This allowed the researcher in
understanding the variables in a proper manner. The third chapter consists of the research
methodology here the researcher has identified the different tools that are present in the
process of the research and has provided justification for it as well. The fourth chapter
consists of the results and findings that has been conducted in a qualitative and quantitative
manner. The fifth chapter consists of the conclusion and the recommendation where the
objectives of the research has been linked with the literature review and the data analysis. It
also provides recommendation to Auchan so that it can increase its organizational
performance in the market.