Investigate The Essential Factor That Influence Pople's Selection Toward The Company In The UK (Thesis Proposal Sample)

TO INVESTIGATE THE ESSENTIAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE PEOPLE'S SELECTION TOWARD THE O2 COMPANY IN THE UK
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Table of Contents
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Table of Contents  PAGEREF _Toc311046468 \h
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Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc311046469 \h
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The Aim of the Research  PAGEREF _Toc311046470 \h
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Research Objectives  PAGEREF _Toc311046471 \h
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Methodology  PAGEREF _Toc311046472 \h
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Data Collection  PAGEREF _Toc311046473 \h
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Ethic Considerations  PAGEREF _Toc311046474 \h
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Initial Literature Review  PAGEREF _Toc311046475 \h
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Customer Loyalty and Customer Retention  PAGEREF _Toc311046476 \h
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Branding and Brand Loyalty  PAGEREF _Toc311046477 \h
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CSR Theory and Sponsorship marketing  PAGEREF _Toc311046478 \h
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SWOT Analysis  PAGEREF _Toc311046479 \h
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Conclusion  PAGEREF _Toc311046480 \h
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Reference List  PAGEREF _Toc311046481 \h
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Appendix  PAGEREF _Toc311046482 \h
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Appendix A: Ethics Clearance Form  PAGEREF _Toc311046483 \h
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Introduction
Telefónica O2 UK Limited is the leading communications company for both individual consumers and businesses in the U.K. Apart from providing mobile and broadband services; the company also offers fixed-line telecommunication services to its consumers. In addition, the company offers location-based marketing through its mobile services. This enables businesses and corporate customers to deliver appropriate SMS and MMS messages to their customers. Telefónica O2 UK specialises in non-voice services which include text and media messaging, games, music and videos, and 3G, GPRS, WLAN and HSDPA data connection services.
The branding choice reflects its wide range of services which has led to many youths in the UK to joke that it is not oxygen that maintains their lives, but rather the other O2. Currently, the company has a wide customer base of 22 million mobile subscribers and about 700,000 broadband subscribers. This has been made possible by the 500 plus retail stores and the widely known O2 online shop (Norton, 2010, p. 2). The fact that O2 has become the default choice for customers in the UK is the focus of this study.
The Aim of the Research
Because this research is aimed at investigating the influential factors making people to select the O2 Company, it is stemmed from one major question which is stated below:
What are the essential factors that influence people's selection toward the O2 Company in the United Kingdom (UK)?
Research Objectives
In order to attain the research aim, the following distinctive research objectives will be pursued:
To investigate the factors influencing people to select the O2 Company in the UK
To examine how the O2 Company manages to maintain customer loyalty and attract more potential clients.
To provide suitable recommendations for enhancing customer loyalty and attracting new potential clients.
Methodology
I have chosen to use the quantitative research methodology in my dissertation. The quantitative research format will be applied through out my research to measure both theoretical constructs and practical concepts. Therefore, statistical analysis will be used as a measuring instrument to observe the most important variable in this study. This will be applied in determining the factors that attract individuals to the products and services offered by the O2 Company. Similarly, the extent to which these factors are important to the customers will be established.
A number of reasons have influenced my decision to use the quantitative research format. Firstly, as Langdridge and Hagger-Johnson (2009) have stated, quantitative research methodology focuses on the customers behaviours as contrasted to the qualitative techniques which tends to focus on meanings. This is in line with the aim of my research and the supportive research objective I have constructed. Therefore, this methodology will allow me to efficiently investigate the essential factors that have influenced customers to choose the O2 Company. Secondly, Langdridge and Hagger-Johnson (2009, p. 14) say that quantitative technique is focused more on prediction of these behaviours and no the mere descriptions of them. This will be essential in helping me to come up with the appropriate recommendations, by predicting the customer behaviours on varied influential factors.
Data Collection
Firstly, I will collect and analyse relevant literature about the O2 Company in The UK and its major success factors in marketing and social responsibility. This is aimed at ensuring that I generate the required background information which is essential for any successful research. After I collect and review the appropriate literature, I will then decide to use survey technique in which questionnaires will be used to collect the quantitative data required research.
I have deemed questionnaire to be the most effective data collection method in my dissertation research for a number of reasons. Firstly, the use of questionnaire will allow me to collect data from a wider audience within the time constraint. Secondly, say that it is suitable for collecting data about incidence behaviours, opinions, beliefs and attitudes. Lastly, the use of questionnaires will enable me to discover the essential factors that attract customers towards the O2 Company.
The participants in this study will be mainly university students but any individuals above the age of 18 and who use one or more of the O2 products and/or services will be involved. The respondents will be required to provide qualifying data such as the products and services they use from the O2 Company. Additionally, the participants will be required to indentify and explain the factors that led to their decision to get those particular products and service from O2 and not any other provider. The presentation and analysis of the data collected will be dependent on distribution and sampling techniques.
Ethic Considerations
In this study, I will guarantee the anonymity of my informants and the information I will collect from the participants will only be used in the research method. Therefore, all my respondents will remain anonymous and the information collected from them will be highly confidential. This is in accordance with the Leeds Metropolitan University Policy, Procedures, and Guidance Notes. I will also submit The Ethics Clearance Form in this research proposal (please see Appendix A).
Initial Literature Review
Customer Loyalty and Customer Retention
According to the Customer Loyalty Institute (2011), customer loyalty is concerned with attracting the right customers and making them to buy more often and in large quantities as well as brings in new customers. However, as stated by Mathew Key upon his appointment as the new O2 CEO, winning new customer is not enough for sustained profitability (Keiningham, Aksoy, Buoye, & Cooil, 2011, p 29). Of great importance is to ensure new customers have a good experience during their first contact with the products and/or services (Ashridge Business School, p. 3).
Therefore, customer loyalty and retention is attained by focussing on the customers during marketing and branding. Customer intimacy is of great value. This is build by keeping in touch with the customers through emails or thank you cards. According to the Customer Loyalty Institute (2011), rewarding customer loyalty shows that you appreciate your customers for choosing your company and not the competitors. This makes customers satisfied and hence become loyal to the company’s products and services (Mohsan, Nawaz, Khan, Shaukat, & Aslam, 2011, p. 265).
Branding and Brand Loyalty
Branding is very important in attracting potential customers. The O2 brand has proved efficient especially among the youth in the UK. This is because it reflects the wide range of products and services offered leading to the famous phrase of “everything, everywhere.” The brand has therefore become so important such that many youths joke that it is not oxygen that they requires but rather the other O2. This has enabled the company not only to sustain its wide range of products and services but also make these products and services easily accessible through its retail outlets and the online shop (Tolba, 2011, p. 58).
CSR Theory and Sponsorship marketing
Apart from its strong Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the O2 Company has employed the sponsorship marketing as its powerful marketing strategy which has greatly influenced its customers. CSR is a self-regulatory mechanism integrated in the business model and aimed at ensuring compliance with the law, ethical standards, international norms and continued community support. On the other hand, sponsorship marketing is a promotional strategy aimed at generating publicity and cheaply reaches a wider audience. The O2 company has been using this strategy effectively especially through its partnership with the Arsenal Football Club. According to nxtConcepts (2011), partnership/sponsorship greatly increased the pr/media exposure which enabled the company to consistently build its brand. Consequently, this earned the company more customers and at the same time increased their loyalty.
SWO...