Woolworths Australia: Social Media's Role in Consumer Behavior

This case study investigates the influence of social media on consumer behavior, focusing on Woolworths, a major Australian supermarket chain. It explores research questions related to the role of social media in shaping consumer behavior, key factors impacting purchasing decisions, and strategie...Read More

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH
B U S I N E S S R E S E A R C H

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background of the organization........................................................................................................................................... 3
Business problem...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Research questions................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Literature review....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Research Design and Methodology..................................................................................................................................... 6
Qualitative research............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Quantitative research........................................................................................................................................................... 9
Data analysis............................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Ethical consideration............................................................................................................................................................. 12
schedule of research.............................................................................................................................................................. 13
References................................................................................................................................................................................ 14

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Topic: To analyses the role of social media in consumer behavior: A case of Woolworths,
Australia
BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANIZATION
Woolworths is largest supermarket chain in the Australia. It deals in 995 stores across the
Australia. Woolworths employed approximately 115,000 employees in its distribution centers,
stores, and support offices by offering the quality services, value, convenience, and range. It
prides itself on performing closely with Australian growers and farmers to make sure that best
products are presented for the customers. It also sources 96% of all fresh vegetables and fruits
and 100% of fresh meat from Australian farmers and growers. It also constructs Woolworths
Australia’s fresh food people. It is one of leading innovative retailers in Australia as it focuses on
new and simple ways for customers to shop. Consumers can purchase from the ease of their
computer on the train or at home and on the way by using Woolworths supermarket app
(Woolworths, 2018). The significant feature is that groceries could be delivered straight to the
bench of kitchen.
BUSINESS PROBLEM
In the digital era, social media marketing has an impact on the behavior of consumers as social
media technology facilitates the power to the consumer for assessing the product features with
unfavorable and favorable reviews. The previous research was conducted on the characteristics
of consumer purchasing intention through social media. It is addressed that there are certain
factors, which may affect the behavior of consumer with regards to affordable price, the loyalty
of brand, product features, and its quality. A current development has taken place in the retail
industry while entailing the social media channels (Zeng and Gerritsen, 2014). Australian retail
market is one of the foremost industries due to emphasizing on the high amount of middle-

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income customers. It is determined that Woolworth can arrive at the millions of customers in the
future. Hence, research was conducted to access the social media channels and its impact on the
business. The growth and wider uses of internet technologies may have altered the way of
interaction within communities as it may affect the both professional as well as personal life
(Mkono and Tribe, 2017).
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 What is the role of social media to influence the consumer behavior?
 Which factors could impact on the purchasing decision of consumer?
 Which strategy can persuade the purchasing behavior of customer?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual and theoretical understanding about consumer behavior and social media
According to So, King, Sparks, and Wang (2016), social media is computer-mediated
technologies, which provides the innovation and sharing of data, career interests, ideas and other
forms of expression through virtual networks and societies. There are some theories, which
assess the role of social media in influencing the consumer behavior. In this way, social
cognitive theory determined that consumer behavior is a mutual and dynamic interaction with
personal traits and expressions. It is also opined that social environmental components assess the
intention of customers with regards to purchasing of goods and services.
In support to this, Lim, Hwang, Kim, and Biocca (2015) evaluated that there is a certain model
with respect to consumer purchasing behavior, which specifies the correlations amid social
media and purchasing procedure of customers. These models are known as a contemporary
model and traditional model. The traditional model focuses on economic, learning and

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sociological aspects. As well as, the contemporary model contains the Howard-sheth marketing
aspects.
Impact of social media on consumer behavior
Westberg, Stavros, Smith, Munro, and Argus (2018) Discussed that social media has a
fundamental role in each phase of marketing in the current international business circumstances.
It is significant to spread the awareness amid engaging and new customers, and also aids to
develop products and acquires customers with regards to brands. In Australia, mobile screen is
widely used by individuals but, there is dynamically alteration in the path of media and
communicate with others. It is assessed that social media is widely used by customers before and
after the purchase as it aids to get the description of products and services and get the review of
others with a particular brand.
In opposed to this, Munar, and Jacobsen (2014) opined that social media provides the
opportunity to the company for connecting with the perspective of customers and also extend the
behavior of stickiness for the purchaser and creates the imperative association with prospective
customers. Another theory is trust, which illustrates that trust should be maintained by the
advertiser to connect the customers with their products and services. This theory also influences
the customer to prefer the specific brand in the concerned area.
Important factors that influence consumer behavior
Dolan, Conduit, Fahy, and Goodman (2016) assessed that there are certain factors which could
influence the consumer behavior like psychological, behavioral, cultural and social factors.
Culture plays a significant role to identify the behavior of customers. In such circumstances,
culture plays a vital role to analyze the behavior of the consumer. In such case, culture is the vital
perception of individual behavior, which considers the human culture, functions that community

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plays, community behavior, and its customs value and tradition. Hence, the culture should be
extensively analyzed as it is a key factor, which may affect the behavior of consumers.
In favored to this, Kim, Li, and Brymer (2016) evaluated that there is a certain social factor,
which may influence the behavior of consumers. Under the societal factor, reference group has
positively or negatively influenced the behavior of the consumer. Its effect could be distinct from
one brand and product to another. This group includes the ideas and beliefs of leaders. Further,
the attitude of customers is not only affected by the motivation and personality but also affected
by the family and their members who have more than two people as well as influenced by
marriage and blood relationship.
Strategy to persuade the purchasing behavior of the customer
Hajli (2015) recommended that recognized individual could generate five times more trust rather
than the marketing of the brand. Furthermore, a corporation should exercise sports person,
celebrities, and another renowned individual to endorse their brand. It would be effective to
persuade the buying decision of consumers.
In support of this, Kedzior, Allen, and Schroeder (2016) suggested that marketers should
emphasize on the expected needs of customers to influence their behavior. In such case,
marketers should combine the marketing with their experience to persuade the purchasing
decision of customers. It is also recommended that marketers should emphasize on developing
the long-term liaison with their customers as compared to emphasizing on quick selling. Since,
customers suppose to obtain authentic product and obtain the specific extent of personalization in
purchasing the high amount of goods with the upscale matter.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

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Under this research, research design is effective to provide the significant instruction to collect
the facts and figures and assess the outcome of research concern. There is a different type of
research design, which is exercised by an investigator to meet the research objectives such as
quantitative and qualitative research design (Tuten, and Solomon, 2017).
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
For completing this investigation, an investigator will implement the following procedure as it is
beneficial to conduct the qualitative research.
CHART 1: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROCESS
(Sources: Chung and Koo, 2015).
Initially, an investigator will construct the research question with respect to specified research
concern. After that, appropriate research topic will be selected by an investigator. Subsequent,
gathered relevant facts and figures will be interpreted in a comprehensible form by the
researcher. Later, a researcher will construct the theoretical and conceptual knowledge with
regards to conducting the investigation and write up results (Goodrich and De Mooij, 2014).
These procedures would be implemented to analyze the role of social media in influencing the
behavior of consumer in Woolworths Limited, Australia.
Approaches to reliability and Validity

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The inductive approach will be exercised by an investigator due to qualitative nature of research
concern for completing this research. In addition, this approach would be implemented for this
investigation as it will make competent to an investigator for constructing theories and
conceptual knowledge with regards to research concern. As a result, this investigation approach
would be significant to improve the validity and reliability of investigation result. In opposed to
this, the deductive approach will not be implemented by the investigator as there is no
requirement for generating the hypothesis (Dijkmans, Kerkhof, and Beukeboom, 2015).
Moreover, the deductive approach will not be implemented because research concern relies on
subjective nature.
Sampling and Sample Size
Sampling is a process of choosing the participants from the high amount of population in order to
pool the desired facts and figures in order to meet the main aim and objectives of the
investigation. With the intention of this investigation, non-probability sampling process will be
exercised by investigator because research concern is based on qualitative nature. But, this step
does not offer the identical chances to each participant. Although, this sampling technique will
be less costly yet, it would be time taking because of using open-ended questionnaire framework
under the survey (Brown and Knight, 2015).
For obtaining the qualitative based survey, 5 marketing manager will be chosen from
Woolworths limited, Australia with the purpose of the interview. Under this interview, an
investigator will say to the participant to share their beliefs and opinion with regards to the role
of social media to influence the consumer behavior in Woolworths Limited, Australia.
Data Collection Method

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The primary facts and figures are the first hand information that is pooled by investigator to
obtain valid and reliable result. It is collected by using the experiment, observation, survey and
questionnaire. By using this technique, an investigator will be competent to obtain the facts and
figures associated with research concern as it will improve the research quality. With the purpose
of this investigation, an investigator will use survey through questionnaire as it aids to collect the
high quantity of data from targeted population (Valos, Haji Habibi, Casidy, Driesener, and
Maplestone, 2016). As well as, it provides the valid facts and figures to attain the goal and
objective of research.
Variables Specifications
Under this investigation, the investigator will use two variables named dependent and
independent variable. In such concern, the independent variable is social media and the
dependent variable is consumer behavior towards the product of Woolworths Limited, Australia
(Wakefield, 2016).
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
The below steps will be implemented by an investigator for completing the quantitative
investigation (Tsiotsou, 2015).
CHART 2: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROCESS

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(Sources: Dahl, 2018).
As per the above chart, it could be demonstrated that initially, an investigator will construct the
conceptual understanding and create the hypothesis. Afterward, research design and certain
concepts associated with research concern will be framed. After that, an investigator will choose
the feasible investigation sites and select the feasible subjects. Subsequently, data will be pooled
and analysed by an investigator through distinct technique. Later, findings will be estimated by
an investigator to reach at the specific conclusion (Tsiotsou, 2015).
Research Instrument
Research instrument is defined as measurement tool that is framed to pool the facts and figures
as per the research subject matter. With the intention of this investigation, secondary data will be
used to accomplish the objectives and aim of research. Secondary data will be pooled from
specific sources, which are already available on different journal and websites. These secondary
sources would be company websites, academic publication, journal articles, offline, and online
websites (Dahl, 2018). These tools would be implemented by an investigator as it takes less time
and expenditure.
Quantitative Data Analysis Process
The below chart depicts the process of quantitative data analysis that would be practiced by an
investigator:
CHART 3: QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS

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(Sources: Valos, Haji Habibi, Casidy, Driesener, and Maplestone, 2016).
The above diagram depicts that an investigator will prepare the facts and figures that would be
assessed and choice the feasible data from them at the initial level. Later, a researcher will
increase the knowledge with regards to frequencies, mean and recoding. After that, data will be
assessed by an investigator through distinct tools like statistical. Further, Ms-excel software
would be used to demonstrate the data via distinct charts, tables and graphs. Subsequent, it will
construe and describe the outcome and suggest the strategies to improve the research study
(Dahl, 2018). Consequently, it would be beneficial to attain the aim and objective of
investigation at the particular time.
Sampling and Sample Size
For quantitative analysis, probability sampling technique will be implemented by an investigator
as it provides the equivalent chances to participants for giving their response. Consequently, it
would be significant to reduce the possibilities of partiality from the investigation (Valos, Haji
Habibi, Casidy, Driesener, and Maplestone, 2016). With the intention of performing the
quantitative-based survey, 50 users will be chosen who uses the social media to purchase the
products and services of Woolworths Limited, Australia. This investigation would be prominent
to obtain the valid and reliable result in minimum time because of using close-ended
questionnaire under the survey.

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Reliability and Validity of Data
Validity is described as the extent to which wide range of concept is appropriately evaluated in
the quantitative investigation. For example, survey through questionnaire will be implied by an
investigator to address the role of social media in influencing the consumer behavior in
Woolworths Limited, Australia. Another technique is reliability, which will be practiced to
analyze the quality in a quantitative investigation (Dahl, 2018). An investigator will apply certain
instrument of research like survey through questionnaire because of quantitative nature of
research concern.
DATA ANALYSIS
After pooling the facts and figures, statistical data analysis technique will be used by an
investigator to pool the data and construe it in a comprehensible form. With the intention of this
investigation, Ms-excel software will be implied by an investigator to depict the facts and figures
via different bar diagram, pie chart and column diagram (Tsiotsou, 2015). As a result, it would
be competent for readers to create the broad understanding with respect to research subject
matter.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
An investigator will implement the data protection regulation 1988, where they have no authority
to disclose the personal information to another person before research completion. An
investigator will also not compel to any respondents to share personal information and cannot
demonstrate it by handling. Moreover, an investigator will enlighten regarding the research
purpose to the superior before pooling the facts and figures (Wakefield, 2016). As a result, an
investigator would be competent to engage the respondents in the investigation.
SCHEDULE OF RESEARCH

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TABLE 1: TIME PLAN FOR COMPLETING THE RESEARCH
Activities which would be practiced Number of days to complete the practices
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Choice of feasible research concern
Choosing the aim and objectives
Collection of primary and secondary information
Framing the questions
Choosing the sample from a large amount of
population by sampling technique
Evaluating findings
Writing of report and drafting for final submission
Project submission
The above time plan shows that conducting the survey through questionnaire and gathering the
data via secondary sources will take more time as compared to other practices, which would be
performed.

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REFERENCES
Brown, A., & Knight, T. (2015). Shifts in media images of women appearance and social status
from 1960 to 2010: A content analysis of beauty advertisements in two Australian
magazines. Journal of aging studies, 35, 74-83.
Chung, N., & Koo, C. (2015). The use of social media in travel information search. Telematics
and Informatics, 32(2), 215-229.
Dahl, S. (2018). Social media marketing: Theories and applications. USA: Sage.
Dijkmans, C., Kerkhof, P., & Beukeboom, C. J. (2015). A stage to engage: Social media use and
corporate reputation. Tourism Management, 47, 58-67.
Dolan, R., Conduit, J., Fahy, J., & Goodman, S. (2016). Social media engagement behavior: A
uses and gratifications perspective. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 24(3-4), 261-277.
Goodrich, K., & De Mooij, M. (2014). How ‘social’ is social media? A cross-cultural
comparison of online and offline purchase decision influences. Journal of Marketing
Communications, 20(1-2), 103-116.
Hajli, N. (Ed.). (2015). Handbook of research on integrating social media into strategic
marketing. UK: IGI Global.
Kedzior, R., Allen, D. E., & Schroeder, J. (2016). The selfie phenomenon–consumer identities in
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Kim, W. G., Li, J. J., & Brymer, R. A. (2016). The impact of social media reviews on restaurant
performance: The moderating role of excellence certificate. International Journal of
Hospitality Management, 55, 41-51.

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Lim, J. S., Hwang, Y., Kim, S., & Biocca, F. A. (2015). How social media engagement leads to
sports channel loyalty: Mediating roles of social presence and channel commitment.
Computers in Human Behavior, 46, 158-167.
Mkono, M., & Tribe, J. (2017). Beyond reviewing: Uncovering the multiple roles of tourism
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Munar, A. M., & Jacobsen, J. K. S. (2014). Motivations for sharing tourism experiences through
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Tsiotsou, R. H. (2015). The role of social and parasocial relationships on social networking sites
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Woolworths (2018). About us. Retrieved from:
https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/about-us/our-brands/supermarkets/Woolworths

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