Research Presentation (Essay Sample)

Descriptive Research Report
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Table of Contents
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Executive Summary:  PAGEREF _Toc420624685 \h
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1.0 Introduction and Background:  PAGEREF _Toc420624686 \h
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1.1 Importance of the Research  PAGEREF _Toc420624687 \h
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1.2 Scope of the Report  PAGEREF _Toc420624688 \h
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1.3 Research Problem  PAGEREF _Toc420624689 \h
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1.4 Aims and Objectives  PAGEREF _Toc420624690 \h
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2.0 Method  PAGEREF _Toc420624691 \h
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2.1 Methodological Considerations and Assumptions  PAGEREF _Toc420624692 \h
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2.2 Sample Considerations  PAGEREF _Toc420624693 \h
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2.3 Data Collection and Framework, and Analytical Considerations  PAGEREF _Toc420624694 \h
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3.0 Ethical Considerations  PAGEREF _Toc420624695 \h
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4.0 Analysis  PAGEREF _Toc420624696 \h
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4.1 Cleaning and Editing  PAGEREF _Toc420624697 \h
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4.2 Descriptive Statistics  PAGEREF _Toc420624698 \h
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4.3 Preliminary Analysis  PAGEREF _Toc420624699 \h
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4.4 Testing of the Constructs in the Model  PAGEREF _Toc420624700 \h
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4.4.1 Self Concept  PAGEREF _Toc420624701 \h
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4.4.2 Model  PAGEREF _Toc420624702 \h
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4.4.3 Models (Segments)  PAGEREF _Toc420624703 \h
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5.0 Discussion and Recommendations  PAGEREF _Toc420624704 \h
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5.1 Evaluation of the effect of individual characteristics on online the retail shopping attitudes  PAGEREF _Toc420624705 \h
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5.2 Determination of the effects of Internet usage on online retail shopping attitudes  PAGEREF _Toc420624706 \h
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5.3 Identification of market segmentation of online retail shoppers  PAGEREF _Toc420624707 \h
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6.0 Limitations  PAGEREF _Toc420624708 \h
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References  PAGEREF _Toc420624709 \h
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Executive Summary:
This study sought to determine the factors that influence the attitudes of online retail shopping. The specific objectives included the determination of the relationship that exists between the attitudes of the retailing shopping Australian consumers and the self - concept dimensions; and carry out evaluation on how the attitudes of online retail shopping is affected by the individual characteristics. The research also sought to determine how the attitudes of online retail shopping are impacted on by the internet usage motivations; and to understand how the research results may be influenced by the social desirability bias. It also sought to identify if there exists, among the online retail shopping, any meaningful market segments. It has been found out that individual characteristics and internet usage have no effect on the attitudes towards online retail shopping.
1.0 Introduction and Background:
Importance of the Research:
The number of online users in the world has increased tremendously in the recent years and this does not leave out Australia. As at 2013, more than fifty percent of the Australians had shopped online in which product categories such as fashion products, and leisure and entertainment were found to be the most populous products purchased online then as pointed out by Morgan and Mackinnon (2013). Leisure and entertainment experienced average purchase of 46.8 % while the average purchase for fashion products stood at 22.4 % as per this research. Marketers such as online retailers will find this report important since it informs them on the major group of people that shop online, the things that motivate this group and on ways in which they can meet this target group (shoppers).
Scope of the Report;
This research focused majorly on the Australian online shoppers and other non – online shoppers (consumers) from which the data was obtained by the administration of questionnaires to them. The products that were given consideration in this research are those that can be purchased both online, and offline, and are tangible such as clothes, electronics, and books among others.
Research Problem;
For marketers to strategize well in order increase the sales volume of their companies, they need to carry out market research for the identification of the key areas that need to be strategized on (Malhotra, Hall, Shaw, & Oppenheim, 2007). This research tends to provide an answer to the question: What are the factors determining the attitudes of the Australian consumers in doing shopping online?
Aims and Objectives;
The main aim of this research is to establish the factors determining the attitudes of the Australian consumers toward online shopping. In addition, this research seeks to examine the specific objectives such as the relationship that exists between the attitudes of the retailing shopping Australian consumers and the self - concept dimensions; and carry out evaluation on how the attitudes of online retail shopping is affected by the individual characteristics. The research also seeks to determine how the attitudes of online retail shopping are impacted on by the internet usage motivations; and to understand how the research results may be influenced by the social desirability bias. Lastly, it seeks to identify if there exists, among the online retail shopping, any meaningful market segments.
Method:
Methodological Considerations and Assumptions;
The debate as to whether a dominant paradigm is appropriate in social science research has resulted in disagreement among researchers in the field (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010). A particularly central issue in this context is the question of whether or not the social world can and should be studied according to the same principles and ethos as the natural sciences. The research paradigms dominantly used include positivism and interpretivism. According to active researcher Morgan (2007), positivism is an epistemological position that advocates the application of the methods of the natural sciences to the study of social reality and beyond. Conversely, interpretivism is predicated upon the view that a strategy is required that respects the differences between people and the objects of the natural sciences and requires the social scientist to grasp the subjective meaning of social action (Bryman & Bell, 2011).
This research has used positivist approach since it is consistent with quantitative study. That is, an inquiry into social or human problem, based on testing theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analyzed with statistical procedures, in order to determine whether the predictive generalizations of the theory on the factors determining the attitudes of the Australian consumers toward online shopping hold true.
Sample Considerations;
This research adopted the use of cross sectional design in which the data was collected only once (Blanche, Blanche, Durrheim, & Painter, 2006), from a sample of 1327 respondents in which 611 (46 %) were females and 716 (54 %) were males. In addition, 435 (32.8 %) were Baby boomer, 437 (32.9 %) were Gen X, and 455 (34.3 %) were Gen Y. Most respondents used in this study were Australian online and offline consumers making the data relevant to the study.
Data Collection and Framework, and Analytical Considerations;
A quantitative data was collected through administration of a survey. After the data had been collected, a data entry template was constructed to for the entry of the data in the Microsoft Excel. The entered data was then exported to the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for coding and further analysis. The coding was done using variable code in which the segmentation variables were numerically coded. Analysis using SPSS helps the researchers in doing data reduction for the variables that have been found to be insignificant.
Ethical Considerations:
Some of the ethical issues that the researchers should take into consideration when conducting a survey include avoidance of falsification, informed consent and confidentiality (Campbell & Groundwater-Smith, 2007). In addition, the autonomy of each of the respondents is expected to be respected by the researchers. This research has considered all these ethical issues. To begin with, the falsification problem has been dealt with accordingly as the results presented here are rightly reported from the original data collected and no modification has been done to the data and results. The informed consent of the respondents was also sort before they participated in this survey and they were never coerced to give their opinions (Harriss & Atkinson, 2011). The confidentiality has also been maintained, as the respondents have not been quoted for giving some specific information in this report as their identities have been withheld. Lastly, the respondents’ autonomy has also been taken into consideration in this research since all the opinions and views of the respondents have been incorporated in this report.
Analysis:
Cleaning and Editing;
In any given research, however keen the researcher is, some errors arise because of poor data entry in terms of omis...