Research Proposal: Social Media Impact on H&M's Business Performance

This research proposal investigates the impact of social media on H&M, a major international clothing retailer. The introduction provides background information on social media and H&M, highlighting the importance of social media for businesses. The research aims to analyze the meaning, importance, and influence of social media on H&M, identifying the different types of social media the company utilizes. A literature review explores the meaning and importance of social media, along with its impact on businesses, particularly H&M. The proposal outlines the research methodology, including the research philosophy (interpretivism) and data collection methods. It is designed to explore how social media affects H&M's marketing, customer engagement, and overall brand performance, while also considering both positive and negative impacts of social media on the company's operations.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Background of research ..............................................................................................................1
Overview of company..................................................................................................................1
Rational........................................................................................................................................2
Research questions-.........................................................................................................................2
Literature review-.............................................................................................................................2
Meaning of social media..............................................................................................................2
Importance of social media .........................................................................................................3
Impact of social media on H&M.................................................................................................4
Different types of social media used by H&M............................................................................5
Research Methodology....................................................................................................................5
Time lines.........................................................................................................................................7
Resources.........................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

Topic: Impact social media has on businesses. A study is based on H&M.
INTRODUCTION
Background of research
Social media is one of the most amazing source and leading website that enable people to
share and create content from one place to another. It is group of many websites that helps to
share feeling and make people able to participate in social networking. Social media is the best
platform for businesses to introduce their service or goods in market. As it help to grow business
and make it popular among UK economy (Balakrishnan, Dahnil and Yi, 2014). Social media
affects many retail businesses and support to communicate them with its consumers. It is
essential for small and large size businesses as they can use to make connection with its target
market or group of people. Social media form of electronic communication such as applications
for micro blogging and social networking, through these people can create online communities to
share ideas, videos, personal message, thoughts, informations and other content. It has negative
and positive impact on businesses as it is very important for business marketing and selling
products in marketplace.
Overview of company
Hennes & Mauritz is Swedish international clothing retail organization, knowing for their
fast fashion clothing for women, children, men and teenagers. H&M operate in 62 countries with
over than 4,500 stores and employed around 132,000 people. They are one of the second biggest
multinational clothing retailer, offer its products to customers and provide in many nations. The
firm has significant online presence, they give people an opportunity through online shopping
sites available in 33 countries. ARKET, Monki, Cheap, COS, Monday, & other stories, Weekday
and Fabric Scandinavien Ab are the five new stores' concepts of H&M brand which they consist
separately. They identify customer preference and current trends in fashion world that helps to
produce the best design for people according to their needs and requirements. Company
manufacture clothes specially for women's and also design shoes and another accessories for
people to make them happy and satisfied. Organization released its limited edition in 2009
diffusion collection by Jimmy Choo feature handbags and shoes, this collection also involves
clothing designed by Choo for first time. Garments made from leather and suede which is
available in 200 stores globally.
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Rational
The proposed research is all about the impact of social media on businesses, social media
is current trend many people used social media as best networking site that helps to connect
person from one place to another one. Researcher try to find out social media influence on
businesses and many organizations, they want to understand it affect on overall function of
ventures. The researcher chose this topic to know impact of social media on H&M or whole
industry. It helps to learn the ways in which businesses get impact on both negative and positive
sides through social media activities. The main reason behind choosing this topic is to know
more about social media platform and it functions and activities that affect organization the most.
Aim-
To identify the impact of social media on businesses.
Objectives-
 To analyse the meaning of social media.
 To determine the importance of social media on H&M.
 To identify the influence of social media on H&M.
 To identify the types of social media used by H&M.
Research questions-
 What is the meaning of social media?
 What is the importance of social media?
 What is the impact of social media on H&M?
 What are the various kinds of social media used by H&M?
Literature review-
Meaning of social media
According to Ainin, (2015) social media is computer based technology that help people
sharing their ideas and information through building of virtual communities and networks. It is
ever-evolving and ever changing web based platform. People are using social media sites more
and more, they prefer to share their feelings via social media. With the help of it, person can be
enable to build good relationship with another person in world. Social media support to explore
the world and also helps to spread information in context of businesses. In simple words social
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media is interactive computer mediated technologies, which impact on businesses the most. In
business it is used to market services or products, connect to potential and current consumers,
promote brands and also used to foster new business. Just on large scale if social media is used
effectively, it has all benefits of word of mouth. Reducing market costs is one of the potential
advantages of this technology that help to increase profit. It plays important role in businesses
and drive them towards success and growth in market. Discussed by Hassan (2015) social media
helps to promote products of organizations and also contribute to build strong customer base.
Social media define applications and websites that is designed to permit people to share feeling
and other content quickly and efficiently in real time. Social media support to gather information
in context of new goods offer via many businesses.
Importance of social media
Discussed by McCann, (2015) social media users tend to be younger. Social media is
important tool in businesses as it helps to grab the attention of consumers and assure about brand
loyalty and quality of products. It is known as current trend many people used this application
and define it as the best app on tablet and smartphone which helps to communicate and make
friends in all over the world. It plays vital role in businesses life cycle, it makes things easier and
convenient way to access data, give information and communicate with consumer via social
media networking sites. Consumers and company are connected with each other with the helps
of social media. Its purpose is to build the strong brand image in market and increase brand's
visibility through building relation and communicating with current clients. It is important piece
of businesses considered as marketing strategy, social media is the best platform it supports
businesses to connect with target market, maximize awareness about brands and boost sales and
leads.
As per view of Kim (2015) social media is very useful tool in businesses, they can use it
to promote and launch product first time in market. It helps to attract people or target consumer
which is quite beneficial for overall specific industry. It gives many advantages to businesses as
it permit them to gain desired organizational goals and allow reaching out to customers and help
to gain attention of more consumer/ people. Social media marketing is one of the best marketing
strategy that enables businesses to get traffic, exposure and gain market insights. Godey, (2016)
elucidated that social media use in businesses has impact on positive and negative sides as it give
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company many advantages and disadvantages that directly impact on their business profit margin
and financial budgets.
Impact of social media on H&M
Social media has impact on businesses, it helps to generate revenue and connect firms
with customer/people better and support to serve them on high level. Marketing department of
companies actually used social media platform effectively which helps to make digital marketing
easier. Agnihotri, (2016) statued that in UK 2 million businesses in today world use Facebook
and Bill board advertising for promoting their facilities and products. Positive impact- many
people use Facebook, what's up and other sites to connect another person, but on the other hand
they also used this sides gather information about current trends in fashion industry. Customers
collect more detail about new products, they investigate more and more in context of goods.
Businesses with social media sites can satisfy people, they offer range of their products and
promote these through blog post side and Facebook which helps to grab the attention of potential
customers and new ones as well which is beneficial for businesses. Firms directly connect with
their target customers or group of people and inform about their innovation with the helps of
good market plan. They can get people comments such as negative and positive about customer
service and products which helps to improve quality more than before. It gives opportunity to
businesses for developing their brand and established strong brand image in market place.
Negative impact- Alwagait, (2015) argued that social media permit clients to interact and
connect with businesses more personally. It can be better way of attracting new consumer and
potential ones, but bring many challenges which impact on business profit margin and
productivity. Negative comments of people on social media sites and businesses own websites
put negative impact on Brand image. Many people like to read further comments and prefer to
view reviews which helps to chose products and give information about it. Negative review
always decrease customer interest for purchasing specific products that make negative effect on
businesses. According to Kumar, (2016) if organizations cannot identify and understand market
requirements and need and make marketing plan for promoting their products, they can not be
able to succeed. Because without market research marketing strategy does not work and cannot
enable businesses to attract people more towards them as compare to competitors in market.
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Different types of social media used by H&M
According to Holsapple, (2014) around the world with more than three billion people
using social media sites every month. Facebook, twitter, Google+, Qzone, blog comments and
forums, book marketing sites, social networks, what's app are the types of social media that can
be used by businesses to create good market reputation. Blog pages, bill board and other tools
use at broad level by companies to promote their specific products or services in market place
within having different purpose in business. H&M used social media platform, they have large
audience on it as company states that through social media marketing a million of their followers
and fans share opinions and ideas and get fast answers to its queries. Via organizations Facebook
page they can attract more than 14 million customers and posts many updates in context of
services or products a day except on weekends.
Research Methodology
Research methodology may involves publication research, research techniques,
interviews and surveys and also include both historical information and present. Research
methods refers to tool that researcher will use ones, it can either be quantitative or qualitative or
mixed. It pertains to all those techniques which researcher will use to undertake research process
and also used to solve any issue. In short research methodology define as research method which
can be use systematically for conducting research (Flick, 2015). It is the best procedure will use
by researcher to gather data and information about chosen topic for purpose of making research
proposal appropriately. Survey, interview, observation, questionnaires etc. are the research
operations that encompasses both of the methods of performing investigation functions.
Research philosophy- Research philosophy is the most essential part of research
methodology, it classified as epistemology, axiology and ontology. It is the method of
researcher's thought, following which reliable, new knowledge about research topic is obtained.
In simple words, RP is summary of overall research experience and including present, past and
future endeavours. Positivism and interpretivism are two types of research philosophy that can
be chosen based on relevant topic. In this report researcher will use interpretivism research
philosophy to interpret components of research proposal. It helps to evaluate phenomena, usually
includes both interviews and observation.
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Data collection- Data collection is procedure or method of gathering information about
chosen topic from all authentic sources to find the better outcomes to research. Data collection is
very important part of research methodology as it helps to accomplish project on time with
relevant data. DC method is divided into two categories such as primary and secondary process
of data gathering. Primary data collection method divided into two groups qualitative and
quantitative. Quantitative data collection is based on mathematical calculations in different
formats. On other hand qualitative methods contrary involve words, feeling, colours, sound,
emotions and other elements that are non quantifiable. Researcher in this research will use
primary data collection methods.
Data analysis- Data analysis is discussed in research methodology of chosen topic, in
which research will explain in brief how they going to analyse primary data will gather
employing procedure explain in this research proposal. In short data analysis is procedure of
consistently applying logical and statistical techniques to condense and recap, measure
information and to describe and illustrate data. Data analysis is divide into two prominent
methods such as qualitative and quantitative. Surveys and experiments is quantitative research
and observation and interview is qualitative data analysis method. Researcher will use thematic
methods that helps to give better results. It helps to organize and collect information so that they
can use to come to conclusion.
Sampling- Sampling is one of the another important part in overall research, as it define
as statistical analysis methods used to analyse and manipulate representative subset of
information or data points to determine patterns in larger data set being examined. It enables
predictive modellers and researcher to work with manageable and small amount of information
about statistical population to run and build analytical models more rapidly, while still producing
appropriate findings. Simple random sampling, cluster sampling, stratified sampling, multistage
sampling and systematic sampling are the types of sampling which is very useful in research
proposal. Simple random sampling methods will use by researcher in this research to randomly
chose participants from entire population. In this research proposal researcher will take 10
workers as participants. As sample build up, more data is gathered to be useful for investigator,
this technique is used in hidden population such as workers.
Ethical consideration- Ethical consideration in research is pettifogging, ethics are
standards or norms for conduct that severalize between wrong and write. It helps to identify
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difference between unacceptable and acceptable behaviours. Researcher will follow all the norm
while they are doing research or making project. Researcher and research participants must not
be subjected to harm in any ways, research associates should be prioritised and respect for
dignity. Researcher will protect information and make privacy of research participants, they try
to do not revel in front of anyone. They must avoid misleading information or data,
representation of primary information finding in biased. Researcher should communicate with
people in relation to research with transparency and honesty.
Time lines
Activities Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8
Topic
selection
for
investigat
ion
Framing
aims and
objectives
for the
topic
Writing
of
Literature
review
Gathering
informati
on
Informati
on
Analysis
Conclusio
n
Making
change
according
to
feedback
Submissi
on of
research
report
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Resources
Resource refers to stock and supply of money, staff, materials and other assets that drawn
on by organization or person in order to function effectively. In other words resources define
something that is needed and ready to use if it is required. In this researcher human resource,
stationary products, photocopy and travel costs considered as resources that helps to accomplish
research at set time frame.
Cost, is value of money that is used up to make something and purchase products, in this
research travel cost is£50, human resource cost is £60, photocopying costs is £40 and
stationary products cost is £70.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Agnihotri, R. and et.al., 2016. Social media: Influencing customer satisfaction in B2B
sales. Industrial Marketing Management. 53. pp.172-180.
Ainin, S. and et.al., 2015. Factors influencing the use of social media by SMEs and its
performance outcomes. Industrial Management & Data Systems. 115(3). pp.570-588.
Alwagait, E., Shahzad, B. and Alim, S., 2015. Impact of social media usage on students
academic performance in Saudi Arabia. Computers in Human Behavior. 51. pp.1092-
1097.
Balakrishnan, B.K., Dahnil, M.I. and Yi, W.J., 2014. The impact of social media marketing
medium toward purchase intention and brand loyalty among generation Y. Procedia-
Social and Behavioral Sciences. 148. pp.177-185.
Flick, U., 2015. Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project. Sage.Choy, L.T., 2014. The strengths and weaknesses of research
methodology: Comparison and complimentary between qualitative and quantitative
approaches. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science. 19(4). pp.99-104.
Godey, B. and et.al., 2016. Social media marketing efforts of luxury brands: Influence on brand
equity and consumer behavior. Journal of business research. 69(12). pp.5833-5841.
Hassan, S., Nadzim, S.Z.A. and Shiratuddin, N., 2015. Strategic use of social media for small
business based on the AIDA model. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 172.
pp.262-269.
Holsapple, C., Hsiao, S.H. and Pakath, R., 2014. Business social media analytics: Definition,
benefits, and challenges.
Kim, W.G., Lim, H. and Brymer, R.A., 2015. The effectiveness of managing social media on
hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 44. pp.165-171.
Kumar, A. and et.al., 2016. From social to sale: The effects of firm-generated content in social
media on customer behavior. Journal of Marketing. 80(1). pp.7-25.
McCann, M. and Barlow, A., 2015. Use and measurement of social media for SMEs. Journal of
Small Business and Enterprise Development. 22(2). pp.273-287.
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