Research Project: Impact of International Brands on M&S Fashion

This research project investigates the impact of international brands on social attitudes within the fashion industry, with a specific focus on Marks and Spencer (M&S). The study employs a qualitative research approach, incorporating an interpretivism philosophy and a descriptive research design. Data collection involves both primary methods, such as questionnaires administered to M&S customers, and secondary sources, including literature review. The research aims to determine how international brands affect consumer behavior, identify challenges faced by M&S, and propose strategies for maintaining competitiveness. The project includes an introduction to globalization and its effects on the fashion industry, a detailed methodology section outlining the research approach, philosophy, design, sampling, data collection, analysis, and ethical considerations, and a presentation of the findings. The findings are analyzed to identify key themes and patterns related to the influence of international brands on consumer attitudes and purchasing behavior. The project concludes with recommendations for M&S to adapt to the changing market, a reflection on the research methods, and suggestions for alternative methodologies.

RESEARCH
PROJECT

ABSTRACT
Globalisation is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies and
government worldwide. Juts because of advancements in technologies in transportation and
communication, globalisation has reached to the highest growth. Aim of To determine how
international brands impact on social attitude in fashion industry. A study on Marks and Spencer.
Research methodologies used are qualitative research approach, interpretivism philosophy,
descriptive research design, probability sampling, primary and secondary data collection
methods, qualitative method for analysis of data. The impact of international brands on social
attitudes in fashion industry is determined in this research study. With the increased global
interaction's comes the growth of international trade, ideas and culture. It is also identified that
organisations dealing in the fashion industry, globalisation has leads to tremendous benefits
along with various challenges.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................2
PART 2............................................................................................................................................1
TOPIC:.............................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................2
Introduction............................................................................................................................2
Research Approach.................................................................................................................2
Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................2
Research Design.....................................................................................................................3
Sampling.................................................................................................................................3
Data Collection.......................................................................................................................4
Data Analysis..........................................................................................................................4
Research Limitation................................................................................................................4
Ethical Consideration.............................................................................................................5
RESULTS & FINDINGS................................................................................................................6
DISCUSSION................................................................................................................................15
.......................................................................................................................................................18
RECOMMENDATION.................................................................................................................18
REFLECTION..............................................................................................................................18
RECOMMENDATION FOR ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY......................19
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................20
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................21

PART 2
TOPIC:
“To determine how international brands impact on social attitude in fashion industry. A
study on Marks and Spencer”
INTRODUCTION
Globalisation is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies and
government worldwide. Juts because of advancements in technologies in transportation and
communication, globalisation has reached to the highest growth. With the increased global
interaction's growth of international trade, ideas and culture is increased. In context to the
organisation dealing in the fashion industry, globalisation has lead to enormous benefits along
with various challenges (Schivinski and Dabrowski, 2016). This present research paper is context
with Marks and Spencer which is recognised as one of the best fashion retail sector in United
Kingdom. Further, this research will include appropriate analytical tools to analyse research
finding and data. Moreover, recommendation will also be provided by researcher to company on
expansion of business by overcoming the challenges. In the last section, scholar will reflect on
the effectiveness of research methods applied for meeting objectives of the business research
project.
Research Aim:
“To determine how international brands impact on social attitude in fashion industry. A
study on M&S”
Research Objectives:
 To identify the effect of fashion industries on changing attitude of customers.
 To ascertain the challenges faced by M&S due to changing behaviour of consumers in
international retail market.
 To determine strategies that need to be adopted by M&S to deal with challenges staying
competitive at fashion industry.
Research Questions:
 How to identify the effect of fashion industries on changing attitude of customers?
 What are the challenges faced by M&S due to changing behaviour of consumers in
international retail market ?
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 Which strategies are needed to be adopted by M&S to deal with challenges staying
competitive at fashion industry?
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
Research Methodology is a systematic way to solve the research problems. It is a science
of studying how research is done scientifically. Research is the logical and systematic search for
new and useful information on a particular topic. In this present chapter of research
methodology, researcher has used various methodologies in order to reach the aims and
objectives of research in a desired manner,
Research Approach
Research approaches are very important part when researcher decide to conduct study on
any topic of the study. These are the plan and procedure for research that span the steps from
assumptions to detailed methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation. In addition to
this, it provides a scientific plan and process to solve the research problems. There are two main
approaches used to study the research problems which are Quantitative and Qualitative.
Qualitative approach refers to the primarily exploratory research which is used to gain
underlying opinions and motivations (Mackey and Gass, 2015). It helps to develop an idea or
hypothesis for quantitative research. Quantitative research approach is a way of generating
numerical data which can be converted into usable statistic. In quantitative research approach,
the structure of data is more recognised and strict in comparison to qualitative research approach.
In this preset research, scholar has used, qualitative research approach because it is cost
and time effective methods to collect, analyse and interpret the research outcomes. Thus, with
the use of qualitative approach, scholar effectively and efficiently determine how international
brands Marks and Spencer impact on social attitude in fashion industry.
Research Philosophy
Research philosophy is a belief about the way in which data about a phenomenon should
be gathered, analysed and interpreted. There are mainly two types of research philosophies
which are positivism and interpretivism. Positivism Philosophy is based on natural phenomenon
so that information derived from sensory experience, interpreted through logical and reason and
form the exclusive sources of all certain knowledge (Silverman, 2016). Whereas Interpretivism
philosophy integrates the interest of human into the study. In this present research, scholar has
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used interpretivism philosophy as scholar has considered the views and interest of humans in
solving the research questions. Thus, with the use of interpretivism philosophy, scholar
effectively and efficiently determine how international brands Marks and Spencer impact on
social attitude in fashion industry.
Research Design
Research design is the most critical part of the study. It is a plan to answer the research
question and to solve the research problems in a detailed manner. Research design and research
method are different but they are closely related to each other. It is because research design
ensured that the data obtain will help to answer the research question more efficiently. There are
mainly two types of research design which are experimental and descriptive (Taylor, Bogdan and
DeVault, 2015). Methods which involves describing and observing the behaviour of the subject
is called as descriptive research design.
In this present research, scholar has used descriptive research design method as it is most
appropriate method when research study is based on qualitative method. Thus, with the use of
descriptive research design scholar effectively and efficiently determine how international brands
Marks and Spencer impact on social attitude in fashion industry.
Sampling
Qualitative research essentially required sampling technique. It is the process to divide
the large sample into small group or divisions. It is fact that, researcher face issues of cost,
money and time, so it is not possible to study the large sample. Thus, scholar select the group of
sample or divide the large population in small group is called as sampling. It makes the activities
of study convenient and manageable for the researcher (Flick, 2015). The challenging task of
sampling is that scholar have to select the most suitable sample so that reliability of study is
maintained. Probability and Non- Probability sampling are two types of sampling technique..
Methods in which respondents have equal chance for being selected in sample is called as
Probability sampling. Whereas, when respondents does not have equal chances to be selected in
sample is called as Non- Probability Sampling.
In this present research, scholar has used probability sampling where 30 customers of
Marks and Spencer will be selected as sample size. Thus, with the use of probability sampling
scholar effectively and efficiently determine how international brands Marks and Spencer impact
on social attitude in fashion industry.
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Data Collection
Research without data collection is incomplete, useless and meaningless. It is very
important to collect the data from authentic sources. Data collection is the process to collect the
data from various authentic sources and methods. There are two methods of data collection
which are primary and secondary. When researcher collected the data from his/her own efforts, is
called primary methods. On the other hand, when researcher collect the data form any other
sources is called as secondary method. Example of primary data are questionnaire, survey, force
group, observation, interview etc. and examples of secondary data are articles, blogs, books,
journals etc. In this present research, scholar has used to collect data from both primary and
secondary sources (Alvesson and Sköldberg, 2017). Researcher has formulated questionnaire
which contain number of questions related to mentioned topic where respondents provides their
own views. On the other hand, secondary research are conducted for literature review to address
the objectives.
Data Analysis
Data without its analysis is useless and meaningless. It is very important to evaluate the
data when it is collected. When data is collected by the scholar, it is raw in form, so in order to
make them useful and meaningful, the process of data analysis is conducted. There are two
methods for collecting the data which are quantitative and qualitative. In Qualitative analysis,
scholar used interviews, focus group, survey etc. on the other hand, Quantitative analysis
includes critically examining as well as interpretation of numbers or figures along with efforts to
find rationale behind the beginning of principal findings where SPSS, Microsoft Access and
Spreadsheet is used (Quinlan and et.al., 2019).
In this present research, researcher has used qualitative data for analysing the data in
more suitable way. Thematic analysis has been done in order to interpret the data in very useful
manner. Researcher has prepared charts, tables and graph to present the data.
Research Limitation
Research limitation are those which are not control by the researcher in any manner.
There are many limitations which are not controlled by the researcher. Limitations places
restriction on the conclusion along with methodology and are not control by scholar. Research
has face several limitations which are as follows-
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Cost Limitation- Researcher has to face shortcoming in cost because of optimum cost
and resources. Scholars have to make a plan for which they have to make there expenses. In this
present research, in data collection, cost tends to increasing which cannot be control by scholar
because it is very important to reach conclusion of the research (Smith, 2015).
Time Limitation- It is very essential that researcher should have to complete the study
on time because of time boundations. In this present research, scholar has less time that affect the
research study, as investigator could have study the research in deep but it is not possible
because of time issue.
Ethical Consideration
This is last part of research methodology but rank first in research pyramids because of
its importance. Ethics are necessary part of the research study. These are the norms, laws, rules
and standards that make it difference in what is right and wrong (Humphries, 2017). In this
present research, scholar has followed all the ethics and norms which are required to study the
research wrong are as follows-
 All the information collected are informed consent.
 Researcher has collected data from most suitable and authentic sources.
 Any exaggerations and deception about the aims and objectives of the
investigation are avoided by the researcher.
 Researcher has considered the privacy and security of data collected from
respondents.
 Scholar has taken permission for accessing all the websites to collect the
information.
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RESULTS & FINDINGS
Primary Method
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
1) From how long, you are purchasing the products and services of Marks and Spencer?
 1 to 3 years
 3 to 6 years
 6 to 8 years
2) Do you think entry of fashion industries impact on social behaviour of people?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
3) Do you think customers have now become brand conscious?
 Yes
 No
 Not Sure
4) Is changing behaviour of customers affect sales performance of fashion industries in positive
way?
 Highly Agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Highly Disagree
 Disagree
5) What are the main challenges M&S face due to entrance of international brands in same
marketplace?
 Changing behaviour of customers
 Decreasing sales performance
 Remain competitive at marketplace
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6) What are the opportunities people gain with emergence of global organisations?
 Get a range of fashionable products
 Purchase products on desirable rates
 Improving living standardisation
7) Which is the most essential factor that M&S needs to concern while developing strategies?
 Promote Brand
 Maintain competitive edge
 Foster customer relationship
8) What are the main strategies that makes M&S to remain competitive at marketplace?
 Creating innovation in business as per latest trends
 Promoting business in international marketplace
 Dynamic Organisational Policies
9) Are you satisfied with fashionable products offered by M&S in international marketplace?
 Highly Agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Highly Disagree
 Disagree
10) Provide some recommendation to M&S to improve and enhance its sales performance, to
remain competitive at international marketplace.
…............
Theme 1: Majority of customers are using the products and services of Marks and Spencer for
3 to 6 years.
PARTICULARS RESPONDENTS
1 to 3 years 8
3 to 6 years 14
6 to 8 years 6
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Theme 2: Entry of fashion industries impact on social behaviour of people.
PARTICULARS RESPONDENTS
Yes 18
No 6
Not Sure 4
Theme 3:Maximum customers are now become brand conscious.
PARTICULARS RESPONDENTS
Yes 15
8
Yes
No
Not Sure
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
RESPONDENTS

No 9
Not Sure 6
Theme 4: Changing behaviour of customers affect sales performance of fashion industries in
positive way.
PARTICULARS RESPONDENTS
Highly Agree 9
Agree 6
Neutral 3
Highly Disagree 8
Disagree 4
9
Yes
No
Not Sure