Factors Associated with Customer Satisfaction: IKEA Research Proposal

This research proposal investigates the factors associated with customer satisfaction in the retailing industry, using IKEA as a case study. The proposal outlines the research aim, objectives, and questions, focusing on understanding customer satisfaction theories, identifying key factors, and examining IKEA's strategies for improvement. The rationale highlights the importance of customer satisfaction in a competitive market and the impact of the global pandemic. The literature review explores concepts of customer satisfaction, relevant theories like expectancy disconfirmation, and key factors such as personalization and technology. The research methodology includes a deductive approach with a case study design, employing mixed methods for data collection through literature review, interviews, and online data. The proposal also addresses validity, reliability, data analysis techniques, and a timeline for completion, emphasizing the project's contribution to understanding and improving customer satisfaction within the retail sector.

Research Proposal Form
Student Name: _________________ Student ID: Centre
Name: _____________________
Tutor: ________________ Date:
Unit: ____________________
Proposed Title: “The factors associated with the customer satisfaction in retailing
industry. A case study on IKEA.”
Section One: Title, objective, responsibilities
Title or working title of the research project (in the form of a question,
objective or hypothesis)
Title: “The factors associated with the customer satisfaction in retailing industry. A
case study on IKEA.”
Research objectives (e.g what is the question you want to answer? What
do you want to learn how to do? What do you want to find out?):
Research aim:
“To explore the key determinants of customer satisfaction in retailing industry”.
Research objective:
 To understand the concept and key theories of customer satisfaction in
retailing industry.
 To find out the key factors associated with customer satisfaction in retailing.
 To examine what IKEA can do to improve the customer satisfaction in order
to make high success growth.
Research questions:
 What are the main concept and theories of customer satisfaction?
 What are the major factor which are related to customer satisfaction?
 Which strategies are adopted by IKEA to improve their customer satisfaction
approaches?

Section Two: Reasons for choosing this research project
Reasons for choosing the project (e.g links to other subjects you are
studying, personal interest, future plans, knowledge/skills you want to
improve, why the topic is important):
In order to complete this research, the researcher choose customer satisfaction and
make relation to different approaches. Further it has been used and measure to
make customer loyalty and retention programme. In the high competitive market,
customer are the priority of every type of business. This is basically related to
different sector and make customer satisfaction to measure the happiness and
satisfaction which are related to company’s product, service and capabilities. This is
basically related to customer information, survey and ratings which may be related
to best improvement and changes through its product and services in a society.
This is an essential technique which are associated through different attraction of
customer and make competitive business approaches. Further this analysis of the
company are basically related to improve change in product and services. The
chosen organisation is IKEA, a Swedish organisation that design and sale ready to
assemble furniture, kitchen appliance and home accessories. It’s headquartered in
Delft, Netherlands and founded in 1943. This research report include the proposal of
the research that include aims, objective and rationale choice of the research.
Further methodologies are related to major approaches and techniques. So it is
important to understand the need and ways to make high level of satisfaction in
customer through retail industry (Al-Omari, Alomari and Aljawarneh, 2020). After
seeing the impact of global pandemic on major area of business it is important to
the organisation for understand their customer need and fulfil on time which make
them effective competitive spirit in market.
Section Three: Literature sources searched
Use of key literature sources to support your research question, objective
or hypothesis:
What are the main concept and theories of customer satisfaction?
As per the view point of Rajeev, M., (2021); person feeling with the changing model,
pleasure, or having any disappointment are related to comparing a product
performance and its expectation which are basically related to different sector and
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growth of the company. To increase the nature of customer satisfaction is basically
related to performance of the products, word of mouth, reviews given by other
buyers, competitors’ product and services, and the image of owner services and
behaviour. All of these concept are basically related to different sector and growth
of the company. Customer satisfaction is basically related to the physiological
concept and behaviour of the products impact on them. Further there are different
ways and method of theory that can be used by the owner of the company to run
and make effective solution within the company and make an effective image in
market. Some of the theory are expectancy disconfirmation theory and another one
is customer satisfaction theory (What is customer satisfaction? 2021). These both
are basically related to measure and method of the customer applicability and
desirability within the market and purchase the company’s product in an authorised
manner. These theory suggest the owner about their main key indicator and make
effective organisational products.
What are the major factor which are related to customer satisfaction?
As per the view point of Juneja, P., (2021); there are different factors which may be
used and manage by customer satisfaction. This is all related to different products
and services which are delivered to suppliers. Further it may be related to different
important factor which may include the factor which affect their satisfaction level.
Some of the factor which are basically related to different customer understanding
which may be related to different sector that may be affected through choices,
preferences, personalization (Bagla and Sancheti, 2018). Advance technology and
different services are the most valuable technologies which are used by the
company to promote their product and able to serve best product and services ().
Factors affecting Customer Satisfaction, 2021). There are different sector which
may be related to complaint management, supplier personal factors, customer life
cycle approaches, free function and managing operation are basically related to
company’s product and services. That may be related to growth and sector of
company and work with the high success rate and factors.
Which strategies are adopted by IKEA to improve their customer satisfaction
approaches?
As per the view point of Isaksson, R. and Sulijanovic, M., (2018); there are different
need which are used by the organisation and make effective approaches towards
the goals setting and enhance the opportunities to work and manage sources. The
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very first starting their marketing strategies on online platform and able to work
with some high intention and abilities. They are adjusted their strategy location and
able to work on the specified strategy that may be related to Europe and US.
Further they make strategies to enter in India and able to work on the different
emerging companies. Their main focus is to keep targeting their customer in an
organised way and work on the basis of manager and adopt different culture and
society. Further they adopt value chain creation method which are used and
manage by their leading team to make effective approaches and attain the mind of
customer towards their product and sales volume. Some of the basic approaches
are used by the company to promote their value and ethical consideration
technique to manage effective sources.
References
Books and Journals
Al-Omari, Z., Alomari, K. and Aljawarneh, N., 2020. The role of empowerment in
improving internal process, customer satisfaction, learning and
growth. Management Science Letters, 10(4), pp.841-848.
Bagla, R.K. and Sancheti, V., 2018. Gaps in customer satisfaction with digital
wallets: challenge for sustainability. Journal of Management Development.
El-Adly, M.I., 2019. Modelling the relationship between hotel perceived value,
customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. Journal of Retailing and
Consumer Services, 50, pp.322-332.
Fargnoli, M. and et.al., 2018. Product service-systems implementation: A
customized framework to enhance sustainability and customer
satisfaction. Journal of Cleaner Production, 188, pp.387-401.
Zhang, J., Zhang, J. and Zhang, M., 2019. From free to paid: Customer expertise and
customer satisfaction on knowledge payment platforms. Decision Support
Systems, 127, p.113140.
Online
Rajeev, M., (2021). What is customer satisfaction?. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.freshworks.com/freshcaller-cloud-pbx/call-center-software/customer-
satisfaction-definition-blog/>.
Juneja, p., (2021). Factors affecting Customer Satisfaction. [Online]. Available
through: < https://www.managementstudyguide.com/factors-affecting-customer-
satisfaction.htm>.
Isaksson, R. and Sulijanovic, M., (2018); The IKEA Enterpreises. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.divaportal.org/smash/get/diva2:1032639/FULLTEXT01.pdf>.
Section Four: Activities and timescales
Milestone one: Literature Review
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Target date (set by tutor):
Milestone two: Research Methodologies
Target date (set by tutor):
Gantt Chart
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Section Five: Research approach and methodologies
What type of research approach and methodologies are you likely to use
and why? What your areas of research will cover:
 Approach: This is the approach which is used and manage different sources
and use appropriate research that must be use and make literature review,
this research has been used and manage by the observer that is related to
deductive and inductive. In order to make effective approach this is deductive
approach with a specific hypothesis (Zhang, Zhang and Zhang, 2019).
Deductive research are related to different concept which are associated to
particular concept. And deductive approach is used as this research include
positivism approach in market.
 Design: This research included experimental data design or descriptive as
this is basically related to case study of the company. It is helpful in analysing
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the research and make effective outcome when it is related to particular and
effective approaches. Mainly there are three type of research design which
include; data collection, measurement and analysis of data.
 Methods: there are different type of methods are use which are basically
related to mixed method and multi-methods for conducting the research.
From where a researcher collect the data and make the possible outcome for
the research (El-Adly, 2019). In this method researcher collect the data in a
qualitative from, as this method is can be adjusted with the time frame and
new knowledge. And this method is collected through small sample size. In
that secondary data are analysis which are used and helpful to make effective
customer experience.
 Participants: Companies people, interview, online data are the major source
where the researcher collect the data and analysis the behaviour of
completing material based research. Here the secondary data is collected
through the help of Literature review and make effective interview of the
companies employee and their customer which are spread all over the world
through calling procedure.
 Validity and reliability: This is the concept which are basically related to
evaluate research and make something effective methods. Reliability is use
as consistency where validity is related to accuracy of the products.
Appropriate time scale for completing this project is nearly about 5 months.
Most suitable method and data collection procedure are used and chosen for
completing this research (Fargnoli and et.al., 2018). In simpler term it can be
said that there are high level of reliability and validity which are use and
manage by the outcome of researcher to make research methods in similar
outcomes and work under the similar conditions.
 Data analysis: This is the final layer of the research which is based on the
outcome that may be related to different purpose of research outcome. At
this stage, researcher needed to be choose in between primary and
secondary data of collection. As data is collected through central piece of data
which are use and manage for completing research utilisation. This is the
method which help the researcher to make sure about the outcome and
analysis the behaviour which are effective and sustain for conducting the
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research measurable outcome.
Comments and agreement from tutor
Comments (optional):
I confirm that the project is not work which has been or will be submitted
for another qualification and is appropriate.
Agreed: ________________ (name)_______________ Date ______________
Comments and agreement form project proposal checker( IV sampling)
Comments (Optional):
I confirm that the project is appropriate.
Agreed /Disagree: (Name of the IV)
Date
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