Management Research: COVID-19 Impact on Morrison's Marketing in the UK

This research report investigates the impact of the 2020 coronavirus outbreak on the marketing practices of Morrison's, a major retail company in the UK. The study aims to analyze how the pandemic affected marketing activities within the retail sector, collecting figures to quantify the impact and identify challenges in re-establishing marketing efforts post-pandemic. The report includes a literature review, exploring existing research on the subject, followed by a detailed methodology outlining the research strategy, design, sampling, and data collection methods, including the use of questionnaires and secondary data analysis. The report also addresses potential issues encountered during data collection, such as limitations due to lockdown restrictions. A timeline for the project is provided, detailing the activities and their corresponding weeks. The conclusion summarizes the findings, highlighting the challenges faced by retail companies and the need for innovative strategies to navigate the pandemic's impact.

MANAGEMENT
RESEARCH

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Aim..............................................................................................................................................3
Objectives....................................................................................................................................3
Questions.....................................................................................................................................3
Background..................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................4
Literature Review........................................................................................................................4
Methodology................................................................................................................................6
Issues............................................................................................................................................7
Timeline.......................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Title: “How has the 2020 corona virus outbreak affected the marketing practices in UK? A
case study on Morrison’s.”
The ongoing pandemic of Covid- 19 has affected all the industries that are operating in the
entire world where the economies of the countries have crashed heavily and the business
functions all over the world are getting affected due to this pandemic outbreak (Fernandes,
2020). In the proposed research report, the impact of this pandemic on the marketing practices
and activities of the Morrison’s company in the retail sector will be identified and analysed. The
research will mainly address the manner in which the marketing has been affected and what are
the further impacts that might occur or recommendations that can be made to control the
negative aspect will also be presented in the research.
Aim
To analyse the impact of the 2020 corona virus outbreak on the marketing activities in the retail
sector of UK. A case study on Morrison’s
Objectives
 To analyse the effect of corona pandemic on the marketing activities of the retail sector.
 To collect the actual figures that shows the impact of corona virus on marketing activities.
 To ascertain the challenges that arise in the reestablishment of marketing activities after the
Corona pandemic gets over.
 To ensure that the research conducted is realistic and helps in developing relevant findings
and conclusions.
 To complete the research in the time period of 8 weeks.
Questions
 How have the activities of the marketing filed been affected due to Covid- 19 pandemic?
 What is the existing impact of corona virus in the marketing field particularly in context of
Morrison’s?
 What are the challenges that can arise in the reestablishment of the marketing activities due
to Covid- 19?
Background
It is evident in the present scenario that due to the current pandemic that is prevailing in the
whole world where the business activities overall have been affected by such pandemic. The
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marketing aspect that are performed in the business in order to attract the customers towards the
products and services that are being sold by the business is also an aspect that has been affected
by the pandemic where the sales have dwindled heavily (Baker and et.al., 2020). It is important
to analyse and measure the effect that this pandemic is having on the economies and the different
aspects that are being affected due to the nation- wide lockdowns that are being implemented in
the majority of the countries. However, the retail segment has increased their sales despite a
heavy decline in the marketing activities due to the increased grocery shopping and the need to
feed all the people of the country. Therefore, in the proposed research, the effect on the
marketing activities of the selected retail company i.e. Morrison’s will be observed and
appropriate recommendations will be developed based on the findings that have been developed
showing the effect of corona virus pandemic on the marketing segment.
MAIN BODY
Literature Review
According to Strong and Welburn (2020) corona virus (covid 19) pandemic has very badly
affected international retail industry, in which retail industry of the United Kingdom also has
very badly affected by this pandemic. Currently people can’t come to any retail stores or
supermarkets for buying different products and services due to lockdown. If vaccine for corona
will not come in upcoming 2 or 3 months, then retail companies of the United Kingdom will be
required to put their huge efforts for again boosting their different marketing functions or
operation. This pandemic has affected not only to retail industry, because currently corona virus
has affected almost all industries or sectors. Every business or company is currently facing
slowdown. Of course, currently the UK’ economic system is in good condition, but if corona
virus not stopped spreading, then it will negatively affective economic system of this country. In
this situation, if UK’s economic system negatively affected by corona virus, then existing retail
companies can face many challenges to in running their business operations.
As illustrated by de Bruin and et.al. (2020) recently existing government of the UK has
taken some productive steps to stop spreading corona virus across the country. For example; it
has passed total lockdown rule which every person within UK is responsible to follow, otherwise
local government take a legal action on that person. Currently this is the only way to government
for overcoming this pandemic. If people properly follow concept of social distancing, then
country will be able to remove this pandemic from its authorisation areas. Government of UK
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has decided to reopen market only in that condition, when it will found zero case of corona virus.
In this situation, existing retail companies of the UK also will be able to again start their business
operations at the large scale in that condition when government found zero case of corona virus.
Currently exiting retail companies of UK has great opportunity to start boost their all functions
through their respective e-commerce sites, because currently local government has allowed to
those businesses for running their operations which provides home delivery services in some
selected areas of the United Kingdom. In this situation, this is the most appropriate way to
different retail companies to smoothly run their all functions including marketing.
On the basis of Koren and Pető (2020) in this satiation also local government has given
permission to some selected retail companies to opens respective stores and supermarkets, but
only in that time period which has allotted by existing governing office. Currently government
has given permission to only those industries or sectors which can fulfils prime needs of people.
That’s why government has allowed to different retailers in this country to run their business
operations in a specific time period, because most retail company always provides essential
products and services. For example; Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrison’s, ASDA etc. retailers are
running their business operations in this pandemic time period, but only in that time period
which has informed by local government. These retail mainly fulfils prime needs of people like;
food & beverage, clothes etc. This is the main reason that, local government has allowed them
for continuing their operations in this pandemic situation as well.
According to Burnson and PACK (2020) when total lockdown will over, on that time top-
level management within each retail company should take some appropriate steps for again
running their respective business operations in progressive manner. Of course, various retail
companies will face many challenges to run their operations in progressive manner. But now
each retailer should understand this basic thing that, it is not the only company which is facing
such situations, because currently all retailers are facing many challenges worldwide due to this
pandemic. Currently all retail companies are in the same side, so every retail company within the
United Kingdom should stop worrying about its loss. Local government of the UK will definitely
found an appropriate way to resolve issue of pandemic. According to currently situation, each
retail company within country should take some innovative steps for helping UK’s government
for fighting against this corona virus pandemic.
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Methodology
The research methodology helps in analysis of certain tools and techniques that are
researcher can select and implement in the research that is being undertaken by them. In the
proposed research, the methodology that will be used by the researcher can be illustrated in
following manner:
Research Strategy: Research strategy can be qualitative or quantitative where qualitative
research signifies that the data that will be collected would be more facts rather than figures and
take human aspect also into consideration (Ørngreen and Levinsen, 2017). The quantitative
research on the other hand signifies the collection of number and figures in the data where the
numerical data related to topic is analysed. Out of the two major types of research strategy, the
qualitative research strategy will be undertaken by the researcher where the different qualitative
aspects that are related to the impact that Covid- 19 has had on the marketing aspect of the
business.
Research Design: The research design basically signifies the strategy that has been selected for
the purpose of research and the collection and analysis of data (Mohajan, 2018). This can be
descriptive, experimental, correlational etc. In the current research, descriptive research design
will be selected where the questionnaire method will be used along with secondary data that has
already been published. The research design collectively will help in meeting up with the
expectations of this research adequately.
Sampling Strategy: Sampling signifies the collection of respondents who will be selected out of
the entire population to be included in the research (Fletcher, 2017). Probability sampling and
non probability sampling are two major aspects of sampling that can be used to collect the
sample i.e. respondents. Under probability, samples are selected randomly without any fixed
criteria as opposed to non- probability sampling where they are selected on the basis of some
pre- formulated criteria. Currently purposive sampling will be used where the respondents will
be selected randomly out the population of employees that are working in Morrison’s. the total
selected respondents would be 40.
Data Collection: Data collection will be done through primary and secondary method where the
primary data i.e. the original data that researcher themselves collect can be collected through
questionnaire method and the secondary data that has already been published can be collected
and analysed using the literature review that is being performed (Ledford and Gast, 2018). The
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research will be completed in a comprehensive manner as both primary and secondary data
collection tools are being used.
Data Analysis: The data analysis can be done using statistical tools for the quantitative research
and using thematic analysis for the qualitative research (Kumar, 2019). Since the research being
undertaken is qualitative in nature, the thematic data analysis technique will be used by the
researcher where the different charts, diagrams, bar graphs etc. will be prepared based on the
data that is collected. Further the interpretation will be done on the basis of themes such
developed and this will help in addressing the correct and simplified interpretive meaning that
can be inferred from the data thus collected.
Issues
There various issues will come while collecting data for different sources. For example; currently
there are zero possibility for collecting data through face to face interview, because exiting
government passed specific rule for maintaining social distancing due to corona virus pandemic.
Of course, in this satiation online interview in the best way to collect data, but everyone knows
that online interview is less productive than face to face physical interview. If there will be
collected data through online interview, then data accuracy also will be lower than common face
to face interview. On the other side, there is no possibility to travel different locations due full
lockdown to collect data from different sources (Williams and Kayaoglu, 2020). For example;
books & journals, business magazines, internet, newspaper articles etc. are some major resources
to collect data. But currently market is closed everywhere in the United Kingdom, so there are
various books & journals, business magazines and articles of newspaper not available for
collected required to data. These are some major issues within this research project.
Timeline
There are eight weeks has required to complete this research project. This timeline section
mainly shows those activities which will be necessary to conduct for properly completing this
research project. There are some major activities of this research task has been mentioned below
with specific timeline.
Activities Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Setting aim and
objectives
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Literature review
Research
Methodology
Data analysis
Recommendations
Prepare final
report
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that different retail companies within the United Kingdom are suffering
from slowdown due to corona virus pandemic. They are running their business operations in this
pandemic situations as well, but these companies are not able to run their different functions, like
marketing at the large scale. Retail industry of the UK will definitely run on its progressive path
again, when lockdown is over.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, S.R., and et.al., 2020. The unprecedented stock market impact of COVID-19 (No.
w26945). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Burnson, P. and PACK, B. C., 2020. Search 24/7 Customs Broker News. Transportation. 4. p.29.
de Bruin, Y. B., and et.al., 2020. Initial impacts of global risk mitigation measures taken during
the combatting of the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety Science. p.104773.
Fernandes, N., 2020. Economic effects of coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) on the world
economy. Available at SSRN 3557504.
Fletcher, A.J., 2017. Applying critical realism in qualitative research: methodology meets
method. International journal of social research methodology. 20(2). pp.181-194.
Koren, M. and Pető, R., 2020. Business disruptions from social distancing. arXiv preprint.
arXiv:2003.13983.
Kumar, R., 2019. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications
Limited.
Ledford, J.R. and Gast, D.L., 2018. Single case research methodology: Applications in special
education and behavioral sciences. Routledge.
Mohajan, H.K., 2018. Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related
subjects. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People. 7(1). pp.23-48.
Ørngreen, R. and Levinsen, K., 2017. Workshops as a Research Methodology. Electronic
Journal of E-learning. 15(1). pp.70-81.
Strong, A. and Welburn, J. W., 2020. An Estimation of the Economic Costs of Social-Distancing
Policies.
Williams, C. C. and Kayaoglu, A., 2020. COVID-19 and undeclared work: impacts and policy
responses in Europe. The Service Industries Journal, pp.1-18.
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