The Influence of Social Media on Consumer Choices: M&S Case Study

This research project investigates the influence of social media on consumer choices, with a specific focus on Marks and Spencer (M&S). The study aims to determine whether social media affects consumer decisions and choices. The project includes an introduction outlining the significance of social media in today's globalized world and its impact on consumer behavior. The objectives are to understand the concept of social media with reference to M&S, assess its importance, highlight advantages and limitations, and recommend ways to improve M&S's social media presence. A literature review explores existing research on social media's role in consumer decision-making. The research methodology involves a descriptive research design, an inductive approach, and an interpretivism research philosophy. Data collection methods include both primary (questionnaires) and secondary sources. Thematic analysis is used to analyze the collected data. The study presents findings on various themes related to social media usage, customer engagement, and the impact on consumer choices. The project concludes with recommendations for M&S to enhance its social media strategies and improve consumer engagement.

Research
Project

PROJECT TITLE..............................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................3
AIM & OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................................................4
Contribution to new understanding...............................................................................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY........................................................................................5
EXPECTED OUTCOMES................................................................................................7
TASK 2.............................................................................................................................7
2.1 Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis.......................7
(A) What are resources required to carry out research ................................................7
(B) What is the relationship between research resources and questions?...................8
2.2 Undertake proposed research with questionnaire..................................................8
2.3 Records and collection of data.............................................................................11
TASK 3........................................................................................................................... 14
3.1 Research evaluation techniques...........................................................................14
3.2 Interpret and analysis the results of original research specification with frequency
....................................................................................................................................15
3.3 Make recommendation and justify areas for further research specification..........21
TASK 4........................................................................................................................... 22
4.1 Presentation of results of research.......................................................................22
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................23

PROJECT TITLE
To assess that whether social media affect consumer choices or not – a case
study on Marks and Spencer (M&S).
INTRODUCTION
In today’s globalised world, it has been seen that every firm is having its presence on
social media. In the present scenario, social media has become one of the most
important communication tools that play a significant role in making people connected
with others as well as directly organization. Individuals now-a-days make effective use
of social media so that their experiences can be shared with others as well as with
organisation with respect to the products and services they bought from there. Also,
through social media, people give their reviews, information and advice that help the
organisation to make target people satisfied by meeting their expectations in the most
effectual manner (How social media influences consumer buying decisions, 2015). In
the present study, with respect to one of the leading firms in retail industry of UK, that is,
Marks and Spencer, it will be assessed that whether social media affect consumer
choices or not.
AIM & OBJECTIVES
Aim – To assess that whether social media affect consumer choices or not – a case
study on Marks and Spencer
Objectives:
 To understand the concept of social media with reference to M&S
 To assess the importance of social media for Marks and Spencer
 To highlight the advantages and limitations of social media for M&S
 To recommend different ways to improve presence of M&S on social media
Research questions:
1. What is the concept of social media with reference to M&S?
2. What is the importance of social media for Marks and Spencer?
3. What are the advantages and limitations of social media for M&S?
4. How presence of Marks and Spencer on social media can be improved?
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LITERATURE REVIEW
As per the views of Xia, Chen and Tang, (2013) in the present scenario of highly
competitive market, social media can be considered as one of the basic necessities of
people as people now-a-days are highly active on sites like Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram or LinkIn for their personal as well as professional use. People in today’s era
like to interact on social media instead of spending time by communicating face to face
whether it is their friend or relative. Same applies in case of organisation also where
people like to share their views and opinions regarding products and services offered on
social media only.
On the other hand, according to Rodriguez, Ajjan and Peterson, (2014) number
of social media users have been increasing at a fast rate and this is the reason
marketers are getting attracted towards the same. It has been recognized by the
marketers that through social media, they can effectually communicate with the target
audience and become aware with their needs and requirements in a clear manner. It
can be critically assessed that social media plays a significant role in making
organizations able to communicate with their customers in such a way that by knowing
their needs and expectations, firms can effectually satisfy them. This leads company to
earn higher profits and revenues that ultimately result in improving its goodwill in the
market. Therefore, it can be said that being on social media is advantageous for M&S.
In the words of Saravanakumar and SuganthaLakshmi, (2012) interactions that
organisations make with customers through social media prove to be very helpful in
making the marketers determine the exact needs of target audience and thus, by
understanding what their market might look like, they formulate their strategies
accordingly. It can be said that these are the key business factors of social media that
help the customers in estimating products and make suitable recommendations to
people they know and share any of the purchases by the way of social media.
Therefore, it can be said that the major importance because of which firm should be on
social media is that of increased customer base. Thus, it can be said that being on
social media will be beneficial for M&S as if affects the consumer’s choices.
As per the views of Stephen and Galak, (2012) social media is that tool which
plays a significant role in affecting consumers in terms of their cognitive, affective and
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behavioural attitudes. Along with that, it has seen that advertising on social media page
proves to be highly influential for building new consumer’s behaviour. In the present
scenario, as consumers tend to make purchases or conduct business on social media, it
is beneficial for organisations to have a strong presence on it so as to grab the attention
of people at a large scale.
Tuten and Solomon, (2014) say that main benefit that social media provides to
the organisations is that of spreading awareness regarding its products and services at
a large scale which leads to increase its customer base and thus, the market share also
gets enhanced. It can be critically assessed that with having a strong presence on
social media, business become able to gain sustainability and they can survive for
longer span of time with attaining high success and growth. Thus, for Marks and
Spencer, it can be said that being on social media is beneficial.
However, Vinerean and et. al., (2013) argues that along with so many benefits of
social media, there are some limitations too for the firms having presence on it. One of
the major limitation that firms face being social media is of lack of specialised and
expert staff who can deal with the same and for running operations through social
media, specific skills are required in the personnel. Thus, firms need to recruit expert
staff which costs them a lot. Therefore, overall, social media proves to be time as well
as cost consuming method. Apart from that, risk of losing confidential information is also
one of the limitations associated with the use of social media.
Contribution to new understanding
Information collected in the literature review based on assessing that whether
social media affects consumer choices or not of will help many Ph. D. scholars as well
as other researchers who would conduct study on the same subject. Further, firms in
retail and other sectors would also gain help through this research to have a strong
presence on social media be understanding its importance and benefits. Moreover,
scholars would also be able to conduct further studies related to it like ‘ways in which
presence of social media can be improved’.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
For assessing that whether social media affects customer’s choices or not with
references to Marks and Spencer, best suitable research methods will be used by the
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researcher. As nature of study is qualitative, tools and techniques of research that will
be used here are:
Research design – Descriptive research design will be used by the scholar as the topic
demands plenty of details and theory. Here, no calculations or statistics is required. This
research design will help the scholar in gaining in-depth understanding regarding the
topic.
Research approach – Researcher will use inductive approach of research where he will
gather the specific data regarding topic in beginning and later, a general conclusion will
be made by him (Flick, 2015).
Research philosophy – Interpretivism research philosophy will be used by the scholar
as per which he will make social constructions with respect to language, consciousness
as well as the shared meanings of subject.
Data collection – Both primary and secondary methods of gathering information will be
used where scholar will make use of tool of questionnaire under primary sources where
both open and close ended questions will be used by him (Glesne, 2015). On the other
hand, he will use sources like books and journals along with online articles of different
authors for collecting secondary information.
Data analysis – For analysing the information collected based on assessing that
whether social media affects the consumer’s choices or not, qualitative method of data
analysis will be used in which researcher will apply the tool of thematic analysis where
distinct themes will be prepared by him depending on which scholar will make the final
conclusion and give suitable recommendations (Mackey and Gass, 2015).
Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Proposing the research
Formulating research aim
and objectives
Reviewing literature
available in secondary
sources
Deciding research
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methodology
Gathering information from
primary and secondary
sources
Analysing and giving
interpretation of gathered
information
Framing final conclusion
Giving suitable
recommendations
Final submission
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
It is expected from the present study that with after gaining the results from same,
Marks and Spencer as well as other firms in retail and different sectors will be able to
understand the use and importance of social. It will help them increasing the scope of
their business by grabbing attention of more customers and thus, through earning
higher profits from them. It is expected from the study that firms will improve their
presence on social media that will create a healthy competition in between them which
will ultimately lead to rise in economic condition of nation (Xie and Lee, 2015). Last but
not the least; many scholars would find this research to be very helpful for them in
conducting study on similar subject or any other related to the same.
TASK 2
2.1 Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis
(A) What are resources required to carry out research
In order to carry effective research in Mark and Spencer primary and secondary
sources have been carried. Primary sources provides direct and first hand evidence that
is related to event, object, work and person (Fleischhacker, Evenson and Rodriguez,
2013). It includes historical and legal documents, results from experiments, statistical
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data and many more things. There are various tools and techniques which can be used
to collect relevant information from interviews, surveys, internet communication. It can
be done with emails, blogs and other primary elements. Results of present research
determines through performing observation.
In addition to this, secondary sources are also used in research that describes,
interpret, analysis, evaluates and summarize primary elements (Amabile, Ahmed and
Goldberg, 2017). These can be collects from different elements such as articles,
newspapers, books and reviews, etc. In this aspect, journals evaluates original research
in Mark and Spencer.
(B) What is the relationship between research resources and questions?
In respect to carry the present research, questions and hypothesis is based on
objectives. With the help of these outcomes can be achieve in positive way that
develops operations to analysis social media that affects to customer choice (Dean,
Bradbury and Clyne, 2013). Through identifying research elements, researcher can
make relation with proper information. With the help of primary resources, researcher
can get fresh information that helps to address specific issues in some area. It is also
helpful to interpret the better to all relevant data in target market. Collection of primary
data also gives edge over competitors replying on their secondary elements. On the
other hand, secondary data make relations to assess the relevancy of primary
resources. It provides basis of comparison for the data which collected by researcher.
Hence, understanding towards the problem can be enhance. It also recommends
effective way for improvement in social media that affect to consumer choice (Xia, Chen
and Tang, 2013).
2.2 Undertake proposed research with questionnaire
In respect to carry effective research to assess that whether social media affect
consumer choices or not, researcher take 20 respondents from the company. In this
way, following questionnaire has been design for conducting survey:
Questionnaire
Name: ________
Age:________
Gender:________
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1. Which type of social media promote products of company?
 Facebook
 Twitter
 FarmVille
2. Which of the following social media generally enhance customer base from market?
 Google
 Twitter
 Facebook
 Blogger
 You tube
3. Do you agree that your customer refer their friends and relatives towards company
products through social media?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
4. Do you agree that social media has increase your knowledge regarding online
information towards customer?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
5. Which age group generally affected through social media?
 6 to 15
 15 to 30
 31 to 45
 More than 45
6. Which type of advertisement generally effect to customer choice?
 Traditional advertisement
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 Modern advertisement
 Both
7. Does any social media affect to your customers when they are purchase product and
services from the business?
 Yes
 No
 Don't Know
8. What benefits Mark and Spencer getting when customer are purchase from online
website?
 Cost saving
 Time saving
 Quick response
9. Do you think that Social media affecting to customer loyalty to make differentiating
products from competitors?
 Yes
 No
 Don't Know
10. Which element of the company is promoted through social media?
 Finding new product and services
 Information towards customer choice
 Connection with new potential customer
11. Does any social media affect to customer choice?
 Yes
 No
 Don't Know
12. Which factor is affected through social media in Mark and Spencer?
 Brand name
 Details about products
 Enhance information related with products and services
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2.3 Records and collection of data
In respect to make effective results in research program, records and collection
of data is requires. It assists to make relevant information to assess the affect of social
media on customer choice. Following analysis has been made through different themes:
Theme 1. Promote of products through social media
Which type of social media promote
products of company?
Respondents
Facebook 9
Twitter 8
FarmVille 3
Theme 2. Enhance customer base through social media
Which of the following social media
generally enhance customer base from
market?
Respondents
Google 5
Twitter 4
Facebook 6
Blogger 3
You Tube 2
Theme 3. Refer to friends and relatives through social media
Do you agree that your customer refer
their friends and relatives towards
company products through social
media?
Respondents
Strongly agree 7
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Agree 6
Neutral 3
Disagree 1
Strongly Disagree 3
Theme 4. Increase your knowledge regarding online information towards customer with
social media
Do you agree that social media has
increase your knowledge regarding
online information towards customer?
Respondents
Strongly agree 8
Agree 5
Neutral 2
Disagree 1
Strongly Disagree 4
Theme 5. Age group affected through social media
Which age group generally affected
through social media?
Respondents
6 to 15 4
15 to 30 12
31 to 45 3
More than 45 1
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