International Fashion Retailing Research Methodology Report, Analysis

This report details the research methodology employed in a study on international fashion retailing. It outlines the data sources, including primary data collected through questionnaires and secondary data from journals and websites. The report describes the quantitative and qualitative data collection approaches, including questionnaire design, interviews, and group discussions. It explains the research design, focusing on descriptive research. The report also covers data analysis methods, such as coding and statistical analysis, and discusses sampling techniques, reliability, validity, and limitations of the study. The research involved 300 quantitative samples and 50 qualitative samples, highlighting the methods used to ensure the data's reliability and validity. The report serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the research process in the context of international fashion retailing.

Running head: INTERNATIONAL FASHION RETAILING
International Fashion Retailing
Name of student
Name of University
Author note

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Table of Contents
Name of student...............................................................................................................................1
Research methodology.....................................................................................................................3
4. Data source..................................................................................................................................3
4.1 Primary data...........................................................................................................................3
4.2 Secondary data.......................................................................................................................4
4.3 Adopted data source...............................................................................................................4
5. Data collection approaches..........................................................................................................5
5.1 quantitative.............................................................................................................................5
5.2 qualitative...............................................................................................................................5
5.3 Adopted data collection approach..........................................................................................6
6. Research design...........................................................................................................................6
6.1 Questionnaire design..............................................................................................................7
6.2 Pilot testing............................................................................................................................7
7. Data analysis methods.................................................................................................................8
7.1 Coding....................................................................................................................................8
7.2 Statistics.................................................................................................................................8
8. Sampling......................................................................................................................................9
8.1 The concept of sampling........................................................................................................9

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8.2 Sampling of this study............................................................................................................9
9. Reliability....................................................................................................................................9
10. Validity....................................................................................................................................10
11. Limitations...............................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

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4. Data source
The topic includes the collection of quantitative data that has been collected with the
distribution of survey questionnaires to the respondents. The primary data has been collected
from the responses of managers and respondents who have been taken as samples during the
research process in a quantitative way. The secondary data sources were mainly from the various
journals, articles, documents and Internet websites where relevant data and information had been
found related to the research topic (Blumberg, Cooper & Schindler, 2014).
4.1 Primary data
The research methodology used the quantitative data, which had been collected based on
the responses and opinions of the customers on the survey questionnaires that were provided to
them. The customers within the Chinese luxury fashion sector have been asked several questions
relevant to the research topic and they filled the questionnaires submitted to them. The
quantitative data on the other hand has been gathered from the responses of the customers who
have been considered as research samples (Brinkmann, 2014). The respondents have been
selected at first and then they have been provided with survey questionnaires where they
provided their opinions and responses. The quantitative data is a major part of the primary data.
4.2 Secondary data
The secondary data has been collected from various journals, articles, internet web sites
that were found relevant to the research topic concerned with the impact of brand image,
valueandperception of the loyalty of customers. Few of the keywords that have been searched
while collecting secondary data during the research are Chinese luxury fashion sector, brand
image, value of a brand, perception of customers, etc (Caniato et al., 2014).

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4.3 Adopted data source
Based on the positivism research philosophy and deductive approach of research, the
research is primary and so quantitative data have been gathered from the customers present
within the Chinese luxury fashion sector. The research supports various surveys and information
systems to obtain data related to the research and the existing studies have been reviewed as well
for gaining an in-depth analysis of the sampling strategy and other components of data in an
effective way (Choi & Chiu, 2012). The primary data sources that have been adopted include the
major informants of the case study while the secondary data sources were the review articles
where the reviews and opinions of respondents were present, technical documents, annual reports
of the organisations that are needed for conducting the interviews. The secondary data sources
are useful for cross-checking the important data and information, identify the major events and
the causes, obtain technical details as well s determine the major organizational players and their
roles. Therefore, these are the major sources of data that have been adopted while conducting the
research efficiently (Flick, 2015).
5. Data collection approaches
There are various ways or approaches of collecting data and information during the
research. The approaches of collecting data are effective for both primary and secondary data
collection. The most important data collection approaches followed here are semi-structured
interviews, observing the participants, group discussions, secondary data analysis and
distribution of survey questionnaires. The interviews were conducted with the managers of the
organisation to collect primary qualitative data and the questions have been conceptual rather
than being representativeness (Glesne, 2015).

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5.1 quantitative
The quantitative data was gathered by involving the participants of the research and were
provided survey questionnaires to them, which would be filled by them. The research
questionnaires would contain various questions related to the research topic and its components
like brand image, brand value and perception of customers. Group discussions should also be
there for gathering their responses and opinions and discuss about certain matters about how
brand image, value and perception of customers could be beneficial for creating a positive
impact on the loyalty of customers within the luxury fashion sector of China (Leary, 2016).
5.2 qualitative
To collect qualitative data, interviews were arranged based on the non-probability
convenient sampling technique for allowing the managers to take part in the data collection
procedure according to their convenient time. During the interviews, the managers of the
organizations were asked certain questions that had been relevant to the research topic and also
with the purpose of fulfilling the outcomes and requirements of the research. The managers were
asked questions that were conceptual rather than being representative (Liu et al., 2013). The
qualitative data has been collected with the involvement of interviewees who have knowledge
about the topic and have experiences in management and issues related to the organisations.
5.3 Adopted data collection approach
The most suitable approaches to collect data have been the semi-structured interviews
conducted with the managers of the organisations and the distribution of survey questionnaires to
the respondents who have been selected as samples. The group discussion approach has been
considered as effective too for collecting data with ease and effectiveness (Miller et al., 2012).

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6. Research design
There are three different types of research designs including the exploratory, explanatory
and descriptive research designs. The exploratory research helps in managing the research based
on the hypothetical or theoretical data. The researcher can easily understand the observations
made and gain proper understanding to create a ground work for doing the research in the future
as well. It can also be beneficial for researching the existing theories and concepts and
furthermore create an initial ground work for conducting the research in the future with ease and
efficiency (Neuman& Robson, 2014). The explanatory research on the other hand helps in
exploring the new concepts of the research to enhance the knowledge and other aspects during
the research conduction. It is sued to connect ideas and determine the cause and effect of
research, furthermore focus on determining the ways things interact and predict the outcomes
that may be generate din the future. The descriptive research design is the most suitable design of
research because it explores the new found information and data in much more details as well as
fill up the gaps for expanding the understanding of the research. The additional information
collected can also help in making assumptions and elaborate the models to predict the future
outcomes and determine the actual causes rather than demonstrating why it happened
(Panneerselvam, 2014).
6.1 Questionnaire design
The questionnaires are designed by making the questions conceptual and not
representative, so that it can be easily understood by the participants. The research survey
questionnaires must be able to fulfill the objectives of the research and ensure that the research
bring good outcomes all throughout. The questions present should be target based consisting of
definite options so that those could be easily responded to by the respondents. The target

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questions should be according to the problems defined along with the chosen hypothesis and
objectives that are needed to be achieved during the research (Silverman, 2016). The respondents
should be knowledgeable about the research topic and have ideas behind the questions and
authority of the subject matter.
6.2 Pilot testing
The pilot testing enables to select a sample size of the populationand then conduct the
research process to determine the use friendliness and reliability of the survey questionnaires that
have been developed. The pilot testing enables to select the sample size based on the normal
practices and literature that has been provided. The various respondents who participated in the
pilot testing provided their answers regarding their convenience and ease of understanding the
questions present in the survey questionnaires. Few changes were made as well if the questions
are found not relevant to the research or had been difficult to understand b the participants. Focus
groups are considered as effective for the pilot testing which can not only identify the problem of
the research but will also allow the researcher to go ahead with the final finished
questionnaire(Smith, 2015). The pilot testing would be further useful for administering the
survey questionnaire based on the sample size chosen.
7. Data analysis methods
The analysis of data is done with the use of SPSS tool and MS excel software tools to
present the data and information in graphical and table formats, so that the researcher can
understand those with ease. The data analysis can help in determine the accuracy of data and
information and furthermore determine the conclusion based on the research outcomes (Snyder,
2012).

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7.1 Coding
The coding is an effective process which has been sued here for managing the analysis of
both qualitative and quantitative data. The coding is useful for analyzing the quantitative results
from the questionnaire and qualitative data derived from the interview transcripts for facilitating
the process of analysis. The coding helps in transforming the data into a particular form that can
be understood by the computer system to present the research outcomes conveniently (Taylor,
Bogdan&DeVault, 2015).
7.2 Statistics
The statistics are managed for collecting the data, analyse those and finally make a
reference from the data. The statistical data methods also help inccommunicating the research
findings and support the hypothesis to provide credibility to the methods of the research and
derive good conclusion in the end (Best & Kahn, 2016).
8. Sampling
There are two different kinds of sampling methods including the probability and non-
probability sampling methods. The sampling is mainly done to ensure that a group of individuals
is selected among the huge population who can provide their responses and opinions related to
the questions asked regarding the research topic. The probability sampling techniques include
random sampling where specific groups of people are selected randomly whereas the non-
probability sampling method includes the purposive and convenient sampling for obtaining
quantitative and qualitative data respectively (Brinkmann, 2014).

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8.1 The concept of sampling
The random sampling and purposive sampling methods helped in collecting the data from
the quantitative samples, i.e., the customers and other individuals who had been involved in the
research process. The non-probability convenient sampling method helped in providing a
suitable time for the managers to take part in the interview process to deliver their useful
opinions and feedbacks regarding the research (Caniato et al., 2014).
8.2 Sampling of this study
Based on the analysis of data, it could be understood that 300 respondents had been
considered as quantitative samples while 50 managers of the organizations were considered as
qualitative samples during the research conduction. Thus the sample size chosen here had been
300 for quantitative samples and 50 for qualitative samples (Flick, 2015).
9. Reliability
The reliability of research means how much the research is valid and appropriate in terms
of quality and outcomes derived. The reliability of research had helped in making an assessment
of the quality of the measurement procedures that had been utilized for collecting data during the
research. The procedures of measurement were appropriate, due to which the results obtained
had been valid and appropriate as well (Glesne, 2015).
10. Validity
The validity of the research showed that whether the data and information used in the
research had been accurate or not to derive positive outcomes. The validity of the research
showed that the research had been sound and appropriate and all the designs, methods and

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research approaches were correct. The data collection procedures were also valid because the
findings represented the actual phenomenon that were claimed by the researcher to measure prior
to the research conduction (Leary, 2016).
11. Limitations
Few limitations faced during the research are language barriers and lack of time to
conduct the research properly. Due to language barriers, the questionnaires were difficult to
understand for certain individuals and even they managed to skip few of the questions that were
present in the survey questionnaires provided to them. The time was less as well, though the
research had been competed within the allocated time frame. Still, come additional time would
have been beneficial for conducting the research in much more details and explore the areas that
had been left uncovered previously while conducting the research effectively (Miller et al.,
2012).
References
Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. V. (2016). Research in education.Pearson Education India.

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Blumberg, B. F., Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2014). Business research methods.McGraw-
hill education.
Brinkmann, S. (2014). Interview. In Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology (pp. 1008-
1010).Springer New York.
Caniato, F., Caridi, M., Moretto, A., Sianesi, A., &Spina, G. (2014). Integrating international
fashion retail into new product development. International Journal of Production
Economics, 147, 294-306.
Choi, T. M., & Chiu, C. H. (2012). Mean-downside-risk and mean-variance newsvendor models:
Implications for sustainable fashion retailing. International Journal of Production
Economics, 135(2), 552-560.
Flick, U. (2015). Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project. Sage.
Glesne, C. (2015). Becoming qualitative researchers: An introduction. Pearson.
Leary, M. R. (2016). Introduction to behavioral research methods. Pearson.
Liu, N., Ren, S., Choi, T. M., Hui, C. L., & Ng, S. F. (2013). Sales forecasting for fashion
retailing service industry: a review. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2013.
Miller, T., Birch, M., Mauthner, M., & Jessop, J. (Eds.). (2012). Ethics in qualitative research.
Sage.
Neuman, W. L., & Robson, K. (2014). Basics of social research. Pearson Canada.
Panneerselvam, R. (2014). Research methodology. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd..

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Silverman, D. (Ed.). (2016). Qualitative research. Sage.
Smith, J. A. (Ed.). (2015). Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage.
Snyder, C. (2012). A case study of a case study: Analysis of a robust qualitative research
methodology. The Qualitative Report, 17(13), 1.
Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R., &DeVault, M. (2015). Introduction to qualitative research methods: A
guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.