Analyzing Globalization's Influence on Consumer Behavior in M&S

This business research project investigates the impact of globalization on consumer behavior, focusing on Marks & Spencer. The report begins with an introduction outlining the research aim, objectives, and questions, followed by a literature review exploring the concepts of globalization and consumer behavior, including the factors affecting consumer behavior (cultural, social, personal, and psychological) and the influence of globalization on consumer choices. The methodology section details the use of a Gantt chart and WBS for project management. The findings are presented in the data collection and analysis chapter, which is followed by a conclusion and recommendations for improving consumer behavior within the company. Finally, a personal reflective statement discusses the research methodology, alternative methods, and areas for further research. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of globalization's effects on consumer behavior, offering insights and recommendations.

Business Research Project

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................3
Research aim:..............................................................................................................................3
Research objectives:....................................................................................................................3
Research question: .....................................................................................................................3
Reasons for choosing this research project:................................................................................3
Activities and timescales:............................................................................................................4
Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................................1
Chapter 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...................................................................................4
Chapter 4: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS....................................................................7
Chapter 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION...........................................................15
5.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................15
5.2 Recommendation.................................................................................................................16
Chapter 6: PERSONAL REFLECTIVE STATEMENT...............................................................16
6.1 Research methodology used in this project.........................................................................16
6.2 Alternative methods which can be used for this project.....................................................17
6.3 Identify the area of further research....................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
Research aim:
For this research study, “To analyse the impact of globalization on consumer behaviour
in Marks & Spencer” will be supported aim to comes out with this valid conclusion.
Research objectives:
 To understand the concept of globalization and consumer behaviour.
 To determine the factors affecting consumer behaviour.
 To collect, analyse and present data relating to the influence of globalization on consumer
behaviour in Marks and Spencer.
 To recommend the ways to improve consumer behaviour within Marks & Spencer.
Research question:
 What is the concept of globalization and consumer behaviour?
 What are the factors affecting consumer behaviour?
 What is the influence of globalization on consumer behaviour?
 What can be the various ways to improve consumer behaviour within Marks & Spencer?
Reasons for choosing this research project:
The main reason behind selection of this project is to gain information regarding
globalization and its impact on consumer behaviour in Marks & Spencer. This investigation will
help researcher in determining various factors that influence consumer behaviour and the ways to
improve consumer behaviour within firm (Michie, 2017). The topic is important for firm also as
it helps in knowing consumers as individuals and the way they behave while purchasing goods
and services. It helps marketers to understand the manner in which customers behave and
enables them to position their product to targeted individuals or particular group of people. By
this research, the investigator would be able to improve knowledge about globalization and the
impact it has upon consumer behaviour. Apart from this, the research can be helpful and utilized
further for academic purpose. It supports in improving the learning and knowledge of students by
administer real example of the Marks & Spencer.

Activities and timescales:
Gantt Chart: It involves the pictorial representation of number of activities that will be
conducted or performed passim the investigation in addition with time that will be taken by them
for finishing the project. It aids in leading the pathway over which investigator can perform the
research in timely and structured manner (McMahon and et. al., 2014). In project working, such
chart under which series of the horizontal lines show amount of the work done in certain time
period to amount planned for those time period. It is graphical tool that shows tasks or activities
performed against the time. The main reason behind use this tool through Marks & Spencer is
that it helps in divide the task or activities on the basis of set time period.

WBS: WNS stands for the work breakdown structure. work breakdown structure (WBS)
is the kind of deliverable based breakdown of the project which is a part of small components. It
is kind of key project deliverable that is a part of work team which is divided into the
manageable sections (Mak and et. al., 2012). The project manager of the Marks & Spencer
organisation uses WBS for intention of simplifying project execution. Using this, project
manager has divided whole project into the manageable sections, employees can work in an easy
manner.

Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
1. The concept of globalization and consumer behaviour
According to Sammy Collins 2019, Globalisation has encouraged the free flow of goods,
manpower and services between the different territories due to ease in communication and
transportation facility. This has accelerated the pace of world economy through which they can
outsourcing and maintain the coordination by adequate interaction of the business. Due to easy
diversification and open market has provided the opportunity to multiple bushinesses where they
can function and participate in the global market effectively (Globalization, 2019). One of the
foremost reasons of the huge employment opportunity for both skilled and unskilled worker is
globalisation that has resultant in establishing win win situation by undergoing efficient trading
within different countries. The factors that lead to globalisation has effectively enhanced the
living standard of people by getting better jobs and reduce the issue to economic inequality.
Earlier the worker of the developing courtesies used to get exploited but to retain their interest
the local authority and government has made the adequate law that can safeguard the interest of
worker. Moreover, tax avoidance is one of the most common problems which is faced by
different countries so the vigorous growth and awareness amongst the stakeholders has helped to
overcome the loopholes and develop the entire process successfully (Lee and Mazodier, 2015)
There are various consequences of the globalisation that have benefited the country such as
increase in FDI or Foreign Direct Investment that has improve the technology and different
intellectual capital for the sustainable development of business.
As per Smriti Chand 2018, Consumer behaviour refer to the study of an individual that
starts from entering the market and making the buying decision which lasts till the purchase of
the final product. This help the marketer to determine the particular product as well as services
which can compel the company to make significant business strategy. There are various
advantage associated with the consumer behaviour like it help the firm to analyse the likes and
dislikes of the potential customer by making the strategic marketing decision (Kemp and et. al.,
2012). In terms of legislation point of view by understanding the behaviour of customer the
company can take the protective measures against exploiting the interest of consumer. Such as
all the mandatory information like expiry and manufacturing data need to be properly labelled in
the packaging of the product.
2. Determine the factors affecting consumer behaviour
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As per the opinion of S. Jaideep, consumer behaviour directly influences the purchasing
pattern due to which they react and respond in the significant manner. There are basically
different factors like Cultural, Personal, Social and Psychological factors that has affected and
shape the behaviour of consumer in more effective manner.
Cultural factor: It refer to the belief, attitude and value of the consumer that have
powerful impact on the way one leads their life. Culture has the tremendous impact on the
preferences and need of the customer (Jahankhani, 2012). So the large multinational company
before diversifying in any region need to analyse the choices and preferences of the people so
that they can easily make the place in the competitive market and gain the loyalty of their target
market.
Social factor: It basically include the family members or reference group that has huge
impact on one's life while making any decision. The marketer need to systematically analyse the
social factors in order to cover the need of their target market effectively. Thus, company need to
appeal the interest of segmented market in such a pattern they gain the dominance in the market.
Along with that in case of dissonance the firm need to establish an effective way to minimise the
dissatisfaction in order to reduce the negative effect associated with word of mouth publicity.
Personal factor: These factors involve the age, occupation, personality as well as
lifestyle of the buyer that affect buying decision. In dynamic industries like fashion, retail and
personal care high preference is given to the opinion and preferences of customer. Advertisement
plays a foremost role to influence the behaviour of consumer and convert the potential customer
into the loyal ones.
Psychological factor: These factors gets influenced by the perception, motivation,
learning, attitude as well as belief of an individual that act as a psychological factor and affect
the functioning the buying decision making pattern. For the effective functioning of business
human psychology acts as a crucial role that help to design the particular product based on the
likes as well as dislikes of the consumer (Hingley and et. al., 2013). Hence, the marketer needs to
perceive the behaviour of the consumer and can influence their interest by drafting the appealing
advertisement and motivate the customer through innovative idea or by offering huge discount
offers.
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Therefore, these are the factors on the basis of which firm can study their target market
and mould the behaviours towards company by offering them the particular product that satisfy
their need effectively.
3. Influence of globalization on consumer behaviour
According to Thomas Mtcalf, (2018), Globalisation refers to the free market system that
has minimised the trade barrier and created a global economy where everyone can interact and
trade with each other effectively. It has lead to the emergence of innovation and latest technology
to identify the new ways of doing business and improve the distribution process across the
national boundaries. Thus, due to this the firms have become more customer centric where they
can build the foundation via social networking sites and concentrate on the platform of
interactive marketing (How Does Globalization Affect Customers, 2019). The main significance
of the globalisation for local resident is that it has provided wider purchasing options, promoted
wide range of the products as well as focused to enhance the quality of product. Along with that
the existence of internet has offered enormous advantage where different businesses as well as
consumer interact on the virtual environment and conduct the business dealings effectively.
Thus, it depict that globalisation has positively influenced the consumer behaviour by
encouraging the industries to generate and cater the existing and upcoming demand of the
customer effectively (Gopinath, 2014). Contrary, consumer behaviour usually gets influenced by
the external environment which changes on the continuous basis. So due to integration of the
different economies and positive impact of globalisation has drastically assisted the company to
make absolute marketing strategy that can lead to the desirable outcomes.
Apart from this, there are certain drawback of globalisation like it has enhanced the
competition level that although helps in creation of good and unique product but on the same
time affect the functioning of small anal medium size company that starve to gain the potential
market. Therefore, to overcome this situation various local authorities take the initiative to
promote the small and medium size company by making favourable rules and regulation.
4. Ways to improve consumer behaviour
According to Ashita Aggarwal, (2017), Within retail sector online sales has taken the
abundant position that has encouraged the growth of e-commerce and enhanced the turnover of
company. In the modern era where both male and female work outside so they prefer buying
grocery items through the digital platform (How Consumers Buy, 2018). So to expand globally
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companies significantly make the innovative strategy due to which they encourages the online
experience of an individual by engaging and persuading them to be repetitive purchaser. Hence,
the retail sector has basically shifted in different ways that is defined bellow:
Switching from a shop to the showroom: Today retail sector offer the wide range of
goods and services under one roof that has help red the customer to get best dealings and conduct
bulk buying. Along with that the retail companies has made the online catalogue where they
display the product along with its prices (Fernqvist and Ekelund, 2014). This has made the task
more easier as just by sitting at the respective places and by just single click consumer can
purchase the product and get the products delivered.
Switching from mass selling to the personalised experience of an individual: With the
changing preferences of customer retail sector is growing with an effective pace. Like, mostly
women in comparison to the men prefer shopping as they consider it is an enjoyable activity in
comparison to the male. So there are both online shopping experience as well as brick and mortar
outlet which one can opt as per their preferences. Along with that for the convenience of
customer there are certain options like return or exchange policy which are available for the
customer so that they explore the items and shop effectively. Therefore, as the lifestyle of
customer are changing in the similar manner the retail business too changes so that the customer
and make the suitable decision and gain long term competitive advantage.
Chapter 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is characterised to theoretical analysis of appropriate methods,
principle or techniques so to accumulate required information in relevance to specific topic as
well as field of study. It comprises numerous tools that researcher uses in research process for
collecting, assembling addition to evaluating data. In addition, its crucial to gather information
about techniques or tools as they makes the research study more authentic together with relevant.
Main reasons together with proper justifications regarding data sources, research strategy,
research instruments, research reliability, data collection with presentation techniques, research
designs are clearly defined (Ferguson and et. al., 2017). In context to this, research onion fits
effective to identify suitable research approaches. Such framework comprises distinct layers
which are elaborated under beneath:
Research philosophy: It is considered as belief about the aspects through which data or
information about particular phenomenon has to be concentrated, analysed addition to used. In
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general, there are two research philosophies including positivism and interpretativism. As per the
topic, suitable philosophy is interpretivism that will assist researcher to evaluate information in
systematically as well as effectively. In contrary, positivism philosophy does not suits
appropriate to carry out activities of research in systematic in addition to effective manner.
Research approach: It is termed as procedure or plan which involves series of steps
associated with broad assumptions to data collection methods along with analysis and
interpretation. Best research approaches are said to inductive, abduction and inductive research
approaches that researcher goes with to gather in-depth as well as quality data for the study (Esty
and et. al., 2017). Suitable approach for the topic is deductive approach in which true premises
are drawn that results in true conclusions.
Research choice: The concept helps in understanding the ways data will be used to
conduct research in effectual manner. Research types are of two types such as qualitative and
quantitative. In order to make the research more authentic together with reliable, investigators
goes with qualitative research choice as it focuses on identification of actual responses from the
chosen respondents.
Time Horizon: It is said to the time within which investigation is completed by the
researcher. It is one of essential research tool that fully supports researcher from starting till
ending period to analyse all the aspects of research activity (Devadas and et. al., 2013). The time
horizon within which the research will be completed is 24 weeks. For this, Gantt chart is used to
represent the time horizon that assists research worker while completing activities within set
duration.
Research design: It is characterised as framework of techniques along with methods
opted by investigator for combining research components in logical and reasonable manner in
order to handle the problems efficiently. It usually describes the ways or plans for conducting
research with particular methodology. It is considered as essential together with master plan
involving certain procedures that are applied for gathering, organising and reviewing data needed
by decision maker. Research design includes exploratory, experimental together with descriptive
types. These all plays essential role in research activities but out of all, descriptive research type
is generally suitable due to its effectiveness to describe portray of events, person and
circumstances under research study (Chun, 2013). The research design is based on theory that is
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created to collect, examine and presenting the data that is collected. Further, such research design
allows accurate together with in-depth evaluation of numerous variables and elements.
Sources of data: Data collection sources are named to distinct ways through which
important information are gathered by researcher for completion of study. In this, investigator
relies on primary data sources together with secondary data sources to reach towards objective
findings. In context to primary data, it involves data which is collected by researcher first time as
per the area of interest (Bonaiuto and et. al., 2012). It is collected through using questionnaires
together with observations. In addition, secondary data includes information that is already
collected by someone else. Accumulation of secondary information is done through and using
personal records and analysing documents recorded through unpublished or published documents
as well as going through subject related literature. These all are main data collection sources used
for in depth data collection concerned with study.
Data collection techniques: Data collection involves procedures for gathering addition to
measuring information about interested variables in systematic manner through research
questions, testing of hypothesis as well as evaluating outcomes. Various techniques to collect
information involves questionnaires, data analysis, using personal records and action research.
The suitable techniques used by researcher for collecting information about the topic is
questionnaire that will result in gathering reliable addition to valid information in relevance to
study.
Research sampling: In terms of research, sample is said to group of individuals, items as
well as objects that are selected from larger population in context to measurement. Researcher
should select appropriate sample who can represent entire population. In general, sampling
techniques are categorised into probability along with non probability sampling. Other methods
are random, systematic, judgemental as well as stratified sampling. In relevance with the
research, investigator will opt simple random sampling to gather primary information from
respondents. Simple random sampling is technique that provides equal chances to every
population to get selected as sample (Blumrodt and et. al., 2012). Researchers with this type of
technique, creates samples which highly represents all the population units. In addition, 50
employees that are adults are taken into consideration as respondents from Marks and Spencer.
Data presentation technique: The modes or techniques that shows appropriate, clear
together with accurate aspects are only selected to present collected information in attractive and
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understanding manner. Numerous ways opted by researcher in order to present information about
the study are bar charts as well as pie charts.
Data analysis technique: To analyse the gathered information, various techniques to
analyse the data are inductive analysis, regression analysis addition to deductive analysis. From
all, the investigator will analyse the data through deductive analysis as it will significant for
analysing alternative explanation addition to understanding circumstances and knowing the
nature of hurdles in much better manner.
Research ethics: In primary research, research ethics is extensively applied for ensuring
relevancy of results. It encompasses confidentiality, anonymity addition to informed consents.
Considering informed consent, in this all the data are effectively communicated with respondents
that were used while primary research concerned with research objectives together with results.
On other hand, in anonymity, researcher does not provide any information to research
participants (Amin and Mahasan, 2014). In confidentiality, the research respondents having key
interest about research results and other aspects are only provided information. All the elements
are considered to complete the research in appropriate as well as better manner.
Research limitations: Few research limitations are limited time addition to cost for
completion of research. In the limited time period, the investigator had to distribute all the time
phases in each activity with economical monetary resources such that the workings are
effectively carried out. Resulting time for primary research limits achieving responses via
questionnaires together with observations. The limited time period has also resulted in failure of
respondents to return back filled questionnaire which leads on time extension in primary research
completion.
Research reliability addition to validity: in context to present research, reliability and
validity were usually dependent on instrument of research that was questionnaire that helped in
collecting proper information as well as exact data about the research topic.
Chapter 4: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Contact no:
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