Dissertation Proposal: Health Companies and Marketing Strategies

This dissertation proposal investigates how health companies utilize health promotion and public relations as marketing tools. It explores the significance of marketing in the healthcare sector, emphasizing the need for effective communication of products and services. The research aims to analyze the strategies employed by health organizations, the impact of these activities on target audiences, and the role of public relations in building relationships with consumers. The proposal includes a comprehensive literature review, research questions, objectives, and a detailed methodology involving an inductive approach, interpretivism, and random sampling with 50 participants. Data analysis will be conducted using qualitative methods, including thematic analysis, presented in bar graphs and pie charts. The project also outlines a Gantt chart for project management and discusses ethical considerations. The expected outcome is a deeper understanding of how health companies leverage promotional campaigns and public relations to enhance marketing efforts, ultimately increasing awareness of health benefits.

Dissertation Proposal

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Research title: “how do health companies use health promotion or public relation for marketing”
..........................................................................................................................................................3
1. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................3
1.1) Study rational........................................................................................................................3
2. OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH...........................................................................................3
3. LITERATURE REVIEW ...........................................................................................................3
4. RESEARCH AIM .......................................................................................................................4
5. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................4
6. RESEARCH QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................5
7. METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................................................5
8. OUTCOMES................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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RESEARCH TITLE: “HOW DO HEALTH COMPANIES USE HEALTH
PROMOTION OR PUBLIC RELATION FOR MARKETING”
1. INTRODUCTION
Marketing is a process through which businesses communicate their products and
services to the audience or potential customers. It is important to develop public relation or
promotional campaigns so that products and services of concerned organisation can be properly
communicated. Health companies have significant responsibilities towards the people who
consume such products when considering the health promotion attributes (Moorhead and et. al.,
2013). The main focus of this research is to understand the ways in which organisations working
in the health care industry are promoting health and developing public relations so that proper
marketing can take place. The research is facilitated with aims and objectives that fulfil the
rational of undertaking this research.
1.1) Study rational
The use of technology for performing different business operations has changed the
scenario in terms of the way businesses function. Marketing is one of the highest influenced
operational factor that has been transformed with help of technology. The present research study
is focused on developing an insight regarding the ways or techniques which are used by health
organisations for promoting or developing public relations so that marketing operation is not
hindered. In order to improve the strategies and techniques of health and social care, it is
important to understand the techniques which are used by working organisations. Hence, this
research study has been taken so that significant outcomes can be generated on the basis of
information collected from secondary research.
2. OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH
For the present research study, I have chosen the title “How do health companies use
health promotion or public relation for marketing”. As the technological developments are taking
place, there is growing demand for individuals to gain benefits in their health and social care
attributes. I have taken up this research to gain an understanding regarding application of
marketing in sectors which are not oriented with profits but surrounded with health and social
care. Through this investigation, I wish to scratch out the techniques which are used by
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healthcare companies in this sector for marketing their products. There are consequent issues
which are taking place with respect to these marketing options. Through this research, I will
suggest some improvements which can help in enhancing the marketing strategies.
3. LITERATURE REVIEW
Moorhead and et. al. (2013), stated that marketing is a boon to all those individuals that
aspire to develop their customer share with respect to products and services. Health promotion is
a process in which people are made aware about the health care services that are present in
specific communities and societies. Furthermore, health companies use this attribute for
enhancing the sales of their products and services. According to Sharma (2016), marketing is
considered as more oriented with business organisations as compared to health and communities.
In order to promote and prevent health issues or chronic breakouts, companies can use marketing
as the basic tool for developing public relations.
The advantage that occurs with health promotion is significant reduction in probability of
chronic diseases. According to Lupton (2015), when individuals are aware about the basic
measures which need to be taken during a critical situation then a medical assistance can be
provided. There are certain activities which need to be performed by organisation for fulfilling
the marketing function. These include customer research, development of distribution channels,
promotional campaigns and improvements in public relations. McCreanor and et. al., (2013)
stated that the health and social care services which exist in the society become more valuable
when marketing aspects are applied. Engagement of audience increases through these
techniques. The health companies can promote better communication regarding risks and
delivery of services when marketing strategies are included.
According to Sharma (2016), internet marketing can be used as the primary platform for
distributing the information related with health products and services. There are different
techniques which are considered as part of the promotional activities. These include internal,
external, personal selling, branding, professional referral marketing and social media
communication. The impact of each and every technique is quite massive and helpful increasing
awareness of people towards the present health conditions.
Public relations is a means through which companies develop certain type of relationship
with customers. The health and social care is a sector which involves direct interaction of
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individuals with organisations to seek care and other support services. According to (), the
promotional activities like social media marketing, advertisements on billboards and hoardings,
using sponsorships, etc. help in bringing customers and service users close to the organisation.
Furthermore, greater awareness is experienced regarding the products and services of a brand or
any other company. For instance, the healthcare companies actively participate in activities and
events like marathons or social events which are held for a cause, etc. In these cases, when
sponsors are considered then several products and services are marketed to the people present in
the scenario.
This turns out to be a type of social marketing strategy. According to (), simply
considering public relations then there is great value for the healthcare enterprises. There has to
be a follow up of certain standards and policies which helps in adapting to ethical practises and
bringing the principles of corporate social responsibility in activation in operational markets.
Often patients and certain medical practitioners seek compliance of health companies for
supporting patients with financial and economic instability. On the other hand, () stated that there
has to be certain types of promotional campaigns by the healthcare organisations so that general
awareness can be facilitated with respect to marketing solutions.
4. RESEARCH AIM
The aim of this research study is:
“To study how the health companies use health promotion or public relations for
marketing”.
5. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Objectives are the most important part of any plan or strategy. Being a well-defined
research, there has to be certain objectives defined by the researcher so that a guided path is
provided to all the activities that will take place in the research. Following objectives have been
defined:
 To analyse the ways through which health promotion or public relations are maintained
by health companies.
 To understand the impact marketing activities of health companies have on potential
audience.
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6. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Following are the research questions which are developed for enhancing the quality of
research and information that is to be produced.
 What is health promotion and public relations?
 How marketing activities are taken up by health companies?
 How health companies use health promotion or public relations for marketing?
 Why public relations are important for an organisation?
 What kind of promotion activities are initiated by healthcare companies?
 Can public relations or health promotion be useful in marketing?
The above designed research questions are kind of milestones or quality checkpoints that
are developed for creating a better approach towards information. The aims, objectives and
research questions all together help in devising a particular standard for the concerned project.
Importance of research questions is felt when there are no guidelines or techniques present for
conducting the research. The feasibility and suitability of information which is collected by
researcher is judged through comparison with the research questions.
7. METHODOLOGY
Research methodology: Research methodology helps in understanding the methods and
techniques that will be utilised for conducting the research and gathering information.
Qualitative and quantitative research techniques help in collecting relevant information for the
research. From two types of research approaches i.e. deductive and inductive; this research will
be conducted with help of inductive approach. On the other hand, the research philosophy that is
to be adopted for this research is interpretivism because it helps in providing adequate
consideration when gaining insights over a matter. The sampling process is performed for
categorising the characteristics of respondents on which research is to be conducted.
Out of the various sampling techniques like quota sampling, random sampling, etc.
random sampling is taken into consideration and 50 people who have been taking health care
products and services are taken as sample. The data analysis that is to be performed is with help
of a qualitative research method that helps in interpreting responses that will be catered from
these 50 individuals in the form of bar graphs and pie charts. This interpretation is conducted
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through use of thematic analysis. It is important to handle all sorts of limitations and ethical
considerations so that quality of research is not deteriorated.
Gantt Chart
Activity Week1 Week
2
Week3 Week
4
Week5 Week6 Week7 Week
8
Week9
Developing
research
proposal
Referring to
literature
review
Developing
aims and
objectives
Preparing
LR
Collecting
secondary
data
Reviewing
secondary
data
Preparing
research
Preparing
research
methodolog
y
Preparing
questionnair
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e
Developing
interview
Conducting
the
interview
Accumulati
ng the data
Drafting
Findings
Analyzing
data
Preparing
remaining
chapters
Submitting
it to tutor
and
awaiting for
feedback
Revising
the draft
Printing and
binding
Submission
8. OUTCOMES
The prospective outcome which is expected to be achieved through this research is the
knowledge regarding the ways in which health organisations use promotional campaigns or
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public relations for marketing. The use of such effective marketing strategies helps in making
individuals more aware about the health benefits.
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