I need my Thesis edited, I have attached the Thesis. There are comments on the right-hand side that need to fix those comments. I am doing qualitative research, please make sure that it is cohesive and the whole thesis follows a qualitative path. PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE FORMATTING UNLESS THE COMMENTS SAY SO.

 

The Effect of Brand Image on Consumer’s Mind and Power in Modern Business

Michael Ring

Eastern Nazarene College

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presented to the faculty of Eastern Nazarene College

in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the Master of Science

in Management

Date

 

Approval Page

 

 

 

We approve the Integrated Thesis of Students Name:

 

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Eastern Nazarene College

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Abstract

An abstract is a comprehensive summary of the content of your research project. It reveals the purpose of the study and each sentence is extremely detailed and informative. It can only be 120 words and is not indented at the start of the description. The most important information should be revealed, most likely your results and conclusion from the study. It can also contain a few important concepts, findings or implications from the research.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

Approval Page………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ii

Release of Information……………………………………………………………………………………………………. iii

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… iv

Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. v

List of Figures………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. vii

List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. viii

Chapter 1: Research Questions and Setting………………………………………………………………………… 1

Statement of Purpose…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1

Scope and Limitations………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Chapter 2: Literature Review……………………………………………………………………………………………. 7

Brand Image……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7

Hypothesis ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15

Operational Definition of Variables …………………………………………………………………………….. 15

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20

Chapter 4: Results…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 21

Descriptive Statistics………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 21

Hypothesis Testing…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 21

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations………………………………………………………………….. 22

Discussion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 22

Limitations………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22

Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23

Implications for Future Research…………………………………………………………………………………. 23

References……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24

Appendix A: Informed Consent Form Participants 18 Years of Age and Older……………………. 27

Appendix B: Survey Instrument……………………………………………………………………………………… 28

 

 

 

 

 

List of Figures

Figure              Title                                                                                                     Page

1                      What is your title? (EXAMPLE)                    22

 

 

List of Tables

Table               Title                                                                                                     Page

1                      What is your title (EXAMPLE)?                    23

 

 

Chapter 1: Research Questions and Setting

The brand image represents a consumer’s biased behaviour when choosing certain products against an unbranded product. A marketer can influence a consumer’s buying decision by improving the brand’s value. Brand image enables a producer/marketer to gain competitive advantage by employing strategic processes that enhance the product’s capabilities (Swan &Zou, 2012). An organization can realize a unique brand image by improving marketing relations through product promotion or advertising. Evaluating brand image involves a close analysis of resource investment, such as the product and how communication affects the product’s performance. Brand image evaluation helps inform strategic marketing plans and decision-making processes. With brand image evaluation, an organization can measure, invest, and respond to changes in the market, thus enhancing the control and monitoring of outputs and inputs, and later communicated across the firm effectively (Swan &Zou, 2012). Therefore, brand image enables a company to generate competitive advantage through strategic resource distribution and creating value for both a product and its users.

Statement of Purpose

A brand’s equity depends on the brand image, which again depends on the perception the consumers have towards a brand. Despite a company’s marketing strategies, it is the role of marketers to influence the client’s perceptions and attitudes towards the brand (Zhang 2015). Such activities will influence the consumer’s purchasing behaviour on the brand, which will, in turn, increase sales and market share, which helps in the development of brand equity. Marketers use several strategies to help drive a brand’s performance and success, which includes advertisement and product promotion (Zhang 2015). However, marketers cannot solely rely on these strategies to drive brand image and achieve brand equity. Research has indicated that symbolic interaction can help drive brand image. The study aims to discuss how a brand image can impact consumer perception through symbolic interaction. Symbolic interaction is a form of consumer behaviour where consumers acquire certain specific goods and services based on symbols derived from society (Ozkara 2014). The theory deduces that the individual’s interaction with society at large is determined by reference groups that dictate and determine the structuring of behaviour. Individuals place huge importance on objects and events based on society’s symbolic meaning. The paper aims to analyze how a company in the sport’s industry can produce a product image based on the symbolic meaning that is associated with its product. The firm needs to understand the symbolic meaning attached to its product so that they can understand its nature and alter it to their advantage. The firm can hence influence its brand image and build its brand equity in the process. In a nutshell, the study will be to explore how consumer psychology can impact a brand image in the sports industry.

            Problem Statement. This research paper aims to analyze the perspectives of brand image, which investors can undertake to enhance the brand image with relevant examples from real-life. High rates of competition among producers and marketers can negatively affect the development of several brands. Marketers and producers may spend heavily on adverts and product promotion to improve product performance, yet such products still yield lower revenues than expected. This issue affects producers and marketers since it reduces profit margin or contributes to losses, as well as reduces the product’s preference among its users. Most products fail to maintain long-lasting market presence due to poor marketing and product promotion. Revolutionary marketing research proves that symbolic interaction, a subfield in sociological theory, can offer appropriate strategies for improving image brand. This study will incorporate qualitative descriptive research methods to bridge the relationship between brand image and consumer psychology.

            Research Questions. When addressing the effects of brand image on consumer psychology, this paper will attempt to answer the following questions

• How important is a brand image in sports shoes?

     Business Setting. This study focuses on brand image as a form of corporate strategy. The research will be carried out at Eastern Nazarene University. The study is more focused on footwear brands; therefore, it will involve basketball players as the main participants. Basketball players are known to have a given taste of footwear products such as those manufactured by the Nike Company. They, therefore, best suit for this research as their taste in footwear has to be related to brand imaging of products.

Conceptual Framework. Revolutionary marketing research has proved that symbolic interaction, a subfield in sociological theory, can offer appropriate strategies for improving image brand. The study claims that symbolic interaction can assist companies’ impact consumer perceptions regarding their brand image (Ozkara 2014). A company can influence the symbolic image of its products by analyzing its product’s symbolic interactionism and then implementing appropriate marketing programs. Symbolic interactionism impacts the firm’s market segmentation practices as well as the company’s formulation of strategy. All this impacts the company’s marketing mix.

The paper attempts to analyze how symbolic interaction impacts branding image. However, it is important to understand how a positive brand image arises. First, it is important to recognize and identify the kind of symbolic meanings that customers give a brand during the socialization and interaction phase. Second, an explanation should be given regarding how the meanings formed during the social symbolic interaction phase and how the product perceptions emerged during the individual’s subjective period. Finally, it is important to understand the elements of the symbolic interaction and brand as they complement each other in the formation of a positive brand image. The explanation lays the foundation of the conceptual framework for the research. The first variable in the study is symbolic value and meanings, while the second variable is the brand image. The contributing factors in the conceptual model would be interaction. The independent variable in the study is symbolic value and meanings, while the dependent variable in the study is the brand image. The symbolic value and meanings regarding a product create the brand image, with interaction playing out as the contributing factor in the framework (Ozkara 2014). This is an example of a cause and effect relationship, which involves two kinds of variables.

Scope and Limitations

Scope. Intensifying research into a brand image and the importance of branding will offer a different approach to understanding consumers’ ideas about the product. Successful implementation of brand marketing reveals the product, explains the product’s capacities, and convinces customers why they should buy it. Brand image should represent an image that strikes a long-lasting effect on the consumer’s memory.

Limitations. Among the issues that affected the realization of this research paper are selection bias and sampling bias. Sampling and selection error refers to the instance where the chosen strategy does not apply to a given population.

Conclusion

With the increased competition and emergence of rivals in several markets, consumers’ purchasing decision tends to incline towards brand image instead of the product subject. Maintaining a consistent brand image ensures that the product relays the consumers’ concept. Therefore, the brand image covers the realization of elements like product shortcomings, its characteristics, its appearance, and capabilities. Continuous evaluation of brand image and relation to customer preference is crucial to marketer/producers as it helps determine certain personal concepts as exhibited by selected social groups. Brand image improves customer satisfaction by enhancing the client’s general assessment of their product or service preference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 2: Literature Review

The question that this research paper attempts to solve is: How does brand image impact consumer perception through symbolic interaction? The first variable in the study is symbolic value and meanings, while the second variable is the brand image. The contributing factors in the conceptual model would be interaction. The independent variable in the study is symbolic value and meanings, while the dependent variable in the study is the brand image.

Brand Image

The brand image could reflect the perspective of the company or the consumer. On the one hand, the consumers’ aspect of brand image is their subjective awareness, such as satisfaction and attitudes. The statement implies that in as much as the brand image influences consumer decisions, their preference to consume a specific product comes back to their perception of the brand, and how it reflects their deeper senses. Therefore, customer-based brand equity (CBBE) reflects customers’ mindset and perception, which is evident through the product’s brand image, brand awareness, and its ability to sustain the brand (Raji, Mohd Rashid &Mohd, Ishak, 2019).

On the other hand, the brand image could encompass company perspectives such as market value, cash flow, and market share. Further evaluations reveal a relationship between non-financial and financial performance. Financial performance covers market share and brand premiums, whereas non-financial performance cover aspects like brand awareness, brand association, brand reputation, and brand loyalty (Manoha&Rehman, 2019).

Brand development evaluates aspects of a product or service such as its credibility and reputation, and later suggests guidelines that the customer can use to enhance their experience, thus determining their brand loyalty. The brand image highlights the beliefs and attitudes that reinforce customers’ choice of decision (Wijaya, 2013). Brand image appeals to certain aspects of human perspectives. Positive image brands result in a stronger brand image and offer more opportunities than manufacturers can improve to increase their popularity. This strategy informs the consumer of the benefits, advantages, use, attributes, the process of product formation, and any communication concerning the product. Thus, the brand image represents the idea that customers have concerning a product (Singh, 2016).

While the consumer and society reference groups are involved in the definition of the product’s symbolic meaning, marketers can use the same information to shape and reinforce such definitions by carefully manipulating the variables of the marketing mix. The goal of such an effort is the sending of evidence that will foster the creation of a product’s symbolic image. To successfully manage a product’s symbolism, a strategy should be created for all four variables (product, price, promotion, and place) that will ensure that consistency is achieved. If any of the variables are not consistent with the rest, the product’s symbolic image could adversely be altered and obscured. While each variable is analyzed individually, there is an actual need to coordinate the actual strategy formulation. These four Ps represent two diverse aspects of the product, that is financial (price and promotion) and non-financial (product and place) (Fetscherin 2015).

Product

This stratagem offers a thorough evaluation of the product appearance, its design, ability to use, customization, and function to improve the customer’s experience. This strategy could involve developing seamless hardware and software different from rival products. Additionally, the producer could enhance the product with other aspects such as add-ons and detachable features, making it highly effective and, eventually, improving product margin (Mas, 2018). An extension of the product reveals that product packaging and product presentation also influence consumer choice and preference. Since most companies target consumers who can spend money within a given range, the packaging of the products should also display the product standard.

Moreover, the product should also exhibit essential accessories, which makes it easy for users to operate it. Such specifications offer value for the product. The company can also incorporate warranty policies that make the product appealing (Mas, 2018).

Price

Price is another aspect that producers use to influence a brand’s image. The relationship between product quality and values tell a lot about customer satisfaction. Price stratagem considers crucial factors such as customer valuation, cost information, target market, economic situation, and its usefulness, among other aspects. Pricing is an essential strategy for improving brand image as it dictates the profit margins. Right prices improve sales performance, whereas wrong prices lead to losses (Hannah & Dodge, 2017). Producers can influence their products’ price margin by improving product volume, understanding aspects that customers value most, respond to competitions, and forecast any competitive development. Producers can develop an appealing brand image by increasing the product’s price, reducing the cost of production, and facilitating customer loyalty. Consumers can also influence a product’s worth based on the quality of the product they prefer. Producers/marketers can profit from this strategy by producing goods or offering service high-quality (Hannah & Dodge, 2017). A practical pricing approach considers manufacturing and marketing expenses and their long-term operation of the company/organization. Marketers can propose a better pricing strategy by carefully evaluating the costs involved in resource allocation and product definition. Such evaluation considers the costs of distribution and manufacturing as well as technological and marketing expenses. Marketers can also determine support and overhead costs by incorporating labour expenses (Hannah & Dodge, 2017).

The pricing element in image branding also justifies product value. Marketers should reveal information concerning the pricing and how it affects other packages such as delivery, installation, after-sales and technical support, and prestige/status associated with the product. Additionally, marketers can use the pricing strategy to influence consumer’s psychology. Competition among producers also affects price adjustments. For instance, one firm can cut down the cost of one of its products, motivating the rival company to imitate them, exemplifying the idea of price wars (Hanna & Dodge, 2017). Hence, price adjustments evaluate competing tendencies. For instance, to determine what causes the difference in their prices, producers can evaluate one another’s capacity utilization. The statement implies that some companies have the resources and capacities to produce goods at a lower cost compared to their competitors. Further, producers can consider evaluating product demand to determine the frequency of product consumption. Producers may also determine the price of a product by comparing its performance to its substitutes.

Promotion

Product promotion is also another technique that producers are using to influence image brand. In the modern age, companies are incorporating several elements of communication to influence the market’s purchasing decisions. For instance, marketers and producers can involve advertising in their communication policy through advertising, which consists of the use of communication to convince, dissuade, or manipulate a specific population of consumers. Marketers publish promotional ideas and personal presentation through print media like magazines and newspapers, electronic media such as wireless communication, telecommunication through radios and televisions, and display media such as posters and signposts (Yang, Basile & Letourneau, 2020). Therefore, social media provides a platform for content campaign interaction with stakeholders.

Producers can also engage online platforms through texts, online reviews, and blogs to improve their brand image. Online reviews enhance brand image in the consumers’ minds, thus reducing their uncertainty concerning the product. A vibrant brand image motivates customers to pay high prices for products, giving the company a high-competitive advantage over its competitors (Chakraborty & Bhat, 2018). Advertising makes use of a paid form of controlling consumer perceptions aided by mass media to enforce and present services or goods to consumers. Adverts seek to communicate certain aspects such as reduced prices, improved quality, quick delivery, improved service delivery, or reveal certain features that the rival does not offer. Promotional strategies change with time due to the increased difficulty of influencing customer preference and choice selection. For instance, marketers, despite relying on television advertising, also involve celebrity endorsement (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel, 2015). Promotional strategy falls under the communication process. Humans react differently to feelings, emotions, and ideas. Hence, product promotion helps revoke the customer’s reaction, especially if launching a new product, replacing an old or improving its services/products. Additionally, producers can use the promotion to correct mistakes and suggest counter-solutions.

Some marketers also go as far as incorporating some psychological aspects to improve a brand’s image. For instance, some manufacturers include emotional techniques like warmth and humour. According to Chang et al. (2019), triggering emotional appeal is likely to influence an individual’s response to an advert. Such an instance explains why warmth and humor make it easy for a customer to recall the product associated with it. For example, first-person narration accompanied with empathy improves customer motivation by encouraging social belonging, whereas third-person description accompanied by knowledgeable images motivates customer decision by encouraging self-enhancement (Chang et al., 2019). Therefore, the use of highly intense emotional stimuli also influences ad-evoked feelings.

Place

Place refers to the channel or pathway that a product follows from the manufacturer before reaching the final consumer. Such a strategy may involve a distribution channel, dealers, place of display, or the impact that the product has on the consumer’s mind (Halder et al., 2017). This strategy considers the customer’s ability to revisit a shop to buy products in the market continuously. The place stratagem also considers the ability of the product to attract new and more customers through recommendations. The customer’s frequency of purchasing products and services at certain places or the ability to shop more at one place compared to another also explains the product placement approach (Wongleedee, 2015).

Additionally, place strategy affirms the right place and time that individuals can involve obtaining services or goods. Some distribution channels are composed of firms representing wholesalers and retailers who relay products from one stage to the next before eventually reaching the consumer (Todorova, 2015). Complex and multilevel distribution channel increases a brand’s price due to the increased costs of transactions, while reduced distribution processes and bureaucracy hasten the distribution process and lower the final cost of the product.

Advanced technology has led to the realization of several techniques and elements that individuals can use to influence product placement. The internet offers several aspects that an organization can use to generate sales and brand their products. Some of these forms include email marketing, web marketing, web seminars, direct mail, sales channel, and telemarketing promotions, advertising through flyers and catalogues, and direct sales (Todorova, 2015). These forms of product placement enable the producer or retailer to direct internet traffic to their website, improve online sales, influence customers to continue purchasing the product, or make phone calls (Todorova, 2015). This form of communication enables communication with target customers at personal levels. Therefore, this technique explains the probability of enhancing interaction with the target audience at the right place and at the right time. Mobile and internet technologies have also led to the development of several social media websites, mobile applications, and e-commerce, thus increasing a company’s online presence. This strategy also enables the company to establish a reliable, appropriate, and fast form of communication with the consumers (Todorova, 2015). Other than the conventional 4Ps used in marketing, researchers have proposed other elements that help improve product image. These additional strategies include people, process, and physical evidence.

People

This section focuses on the individuals who undertake service delivery. This strategy evaluates their interpersonal behaviour, level of professional training, and efficiency when undertaking organizational duties. For instance, producers have for long incorporated customer service to enhance customer satisfaction, thus improving brand image. For example, customers seek advice from experts and can forward complaints to respective producers and marketers. This form of interaction enables individuals to develop a sense of trust in the product. Producers can achieve this strategy by incorporating empathy in their marketing strategy. Thus, according to the plan, warm and friendly staff can positively influence customer loyalty and satisfaction, whereas rude or cold personnel can negatively impact the brand’s image.

 

 

Process

The process represents the steps involved in obtaining or rendering service. This technique evaluates certain aspects that relate to service delivery or product design, such as ease of using a website, its efficiency, the ability of the service to satisfy the customers’ needs, and organization of sequence/events (Mohammad, 2015). Standard practices under this strategy include the development of reliable self-banking services and fast service delivery. Based on this proposition, organizations and firms need to improve their service delivery, which will enhance the satisfaction of customer-specific needs, thus improving brand image.

Physical Evidence  

This aspect of image branding evaluates the location where the business operates, such as place appearance, design, and infrastructure. The service environment can influence consumer behaviour since they can observe the service environment, which evokes different stimuli among them. Therefore, the service environment affects consumer purchasing, level of satisfaction, and how they respond. According to Mohammad (2015), the service environment influences consumer perception concerning the average product value/quality. The statement implies that customers tend to infer certain products based on the state of tangible assets such as physical layout and land of the buildings. Hence, organizations should develop conducive environment that assures clients of their safety and comfort. Some of the modifications that businesses can incorporate to improve customer loyalty include installing air conditioning, availing customer-dedicated parking spaces, fence, and security lights, among other features (Mohammad, 2015).

 

Hypothesis

The research questions and associated hypotheses are as follows:

R1: How important is a brand image in sports shoes?

H1: Brand image is essential in sports shoes.

R2: How does brand image impact consumer perception through symbolic interaction?

H2: Brand image impacts consumer perception through symbolic interaction

R3: What is the relationship between brand image and consumer preference?

H3: Consumer preference impacts brand image.

R4: How does product symbolism impacts brand image through symbolic interaction?

H4: Product symbolist has a positive effect on brand image.

R5: How can a company influence its brand image through an understanding of the symbolic meaning attached to its products?

H5: A company can influence its brand image if they understand the product’s symbolic meaning.

Operational Definition of Variables

Conclusion

In summary, the brand image covers a broad aspect and calls for keen evaluation to determine elements that might improve product performance. This research paper has explained how the conventional 4Ps of marketing and the additional 3Ps have influenced the development of brand image by evoking customer behaviour. These elements help improve customer satisfaction, thus influence their decision concerning product preference and purchasing patterns.

Understanding the relationship between the dependent and independent variable calls for the close evaluation of secondary sources of information such as peer-reviewed journals and books. This section offers a critical analysis of the seven aspects of the product that determine the interaction between the customer and the product. The next chapter (Chapter 3) will explain the methodologies used to conduct this study, the processes involved to determine the relevant variables, and how they influence customers’ decisions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3: Methodology

To discover a symbolic value, one needs to study the psychology of human beings through research. The effect of symbolic value on branding can be known through a practical experiment. The experiment will be carried on real-life situations so that one can honestly understand how people react. The first step of knowing that people might have a symbolic value for something is to identify what they love. The base group to work with is sports fans. The sports fan can be known when they attend a match. The other big deal is relating their love for the sport and the likelihood to love something associated with the game in other words, knowing the amount of influence that key sports players have on the fans.

Design

There are two categories of research methods, that is quantitative and qualitative methods of research. Qualitative research method refers to the process of obtaining data that is non-numeric. Typically, it includes in-depth interviews and focuses on groups for types of themes. At the same time, the qualitative method uses surveys, structured observations, and interviews, and it also reviews documents for non-numeric information. On the other hand, the quantitative method of research refers to a systematic study of phenomena by which quantifiable data is gathered using mathematical, computational or statistical techniques.

In this case, the qualitative method shall be used because the administered questionnaires are non-numeric. The qualitative approach to be used shall be an in-depth questionnaire disbursed to basketball players. The players are the most and likely users of sports shoes like Nike products. After the survey is conducted, the data obtained will be analysed using a thematic analysis approach.

This approach, groups themes formulated from participants’ response statements, that is; by identifying, examining and reporting themes in the data. The approach follows descriptive grouping, interpretive coding, and identification of overarching themes as the basic steps in the analysis. The survey will be conducted on people who use or have an idea of the product in question.

Participants

The participants will be the school’s basketball players. Sixteen questioners will be administered to basketball players. I will use two friends to help me distribute the questionnaires. The questionnaires are intended to be gender-sensitive where eight girls and eight boys will participate for unbiased results. Since the questionnaires are disbursed to college basketball players, the expected age will be in the range of to twenty-five. I will compare the various perceptions of all participants regarding the brand.

Data Collection Tools

I conducted a pre-test to know the age of basketball players. The pre-test was achieved by holding a conversation with the coach. It was also noted that there is gender equivalence.  I will wait until the end of the game to start issuing the questionnaires with the permission given by the sports department. A copy of the survey will be attached to the appendix.

Appendix A is a consent form describing the validity in conducting the research. It essential as it asserts the confidentiality of the information given by the participants as it acts as an invitation for voluntary participation. Consequently, Appendix B describes the survey instrument in which case, interviews for the survey are issued by me in the form of questionnaires. I formulated an open-ended qualitative questionnaire for the interview channelled at achieving the intended purpose of the study.

Data Collection Procedure

The following procedure will be conducted to ensure that outcomes are close to ideal.

1. Early planning will be done. The plan will first answer why the survey is being done. The objectives of the survey shall be as follows: To know the impact of consumer perception through symbolic reaction, to see the relationship between brand image and consumer preference, and how symbolism impacts brand image through symbolic interaction.
2. A pre-test to be conducted with the guidance of the research advisor.
3. The sports department will be notified, and a letter acceptance will be used to survey after the game ends. The rules stipulated by the department shall be followed.
4.  Relevant questions shall be outlined in line with the aim of the study to formulate the best questionnaire possible.
5. Following appendix B, questionnaires shall be formulated, and they will have the following questions.

What brand of the shoe does the star wear?

What brand of the shoe are you wearing?

How is the price of the shoe?

How did you come across the shoe brand you are wearing?

Why do you like the brand of shoe that you are wearing?

How is the accessibility of the brand products?

Which brand of shoe do basketball players prefer?

Why do they prefer the brand of the shoe?

1. Sixteen questionnaires shall be printed as well as the appendix A.
2. At the entrance to the basketball pitch, the gatekeeper will be notified that I intend to deliver questionnaires to the basketball players as a form of collecting data for my research.
3. Once the training is done, and the players are back to the locker room, appendix A shall be issued to each participant followed by a questionnaire together with a pen where they can comfortably fill the questionnaires. A polite language shall be used to get the players to fill the questionnaires.
4. The participants are required to answer all the questions competently since only completely filled questionnaires will be applicable for data analysis. All the filled questionnaires shall be collected for further analysis through the thematic method of approach.

Conclusion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 4: Results

This is where all statistics and hypothesis testing should appear. Any illustrative Figures or Tables should be in this section. I would open with a warm welcome transitioning from chapter 3 to chapter 4 and what you intend to cover relative to the research.

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive Statistics section summarizes basic characteristics of the sample that are important to understanding the results. For example, students might report how many employees from whom departments participated, the number of respondents from certain age or seniority categories, or overall averages for certain key variables of interest.

This section details exactly who participated, providing demographic statistics that were not mentioned in the ‘participants’ section of the method. For example, here you might describe how many students of different majors participated, or faculty of different ranks or experience. You might also report the number of people who fall into any of the key comparison groups you are using in your analyses below.

Hypothesis Testing

The hypothesis testing section is where the results which address your actual hypotheses are reported. Note: NO actual SPSS output should show up here. Students should write their results in the APA format described in the Quick ‘n Dirty Manual (Understanding Statistical Hypothesis Testing: Quick ‘n Dirty Manual for Professors and Graduate Students), which can be found on Moodle.

Conclusion

Provide highlights from chapter 4 and then tell the reader what you will discuss in chapter 5.

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations

This is where students reflect on the results reported in Chapter 4 and interpret them considering their original expectations as well as the context of previous research. Results may have been perfectly in line with the predictions of previous research, or they may challenge the current understanding of your topic. As mentioned above, this section does not include any statistics, but instead focuses on the meaning of the results.

Discussion

The research paper is written so that a statistical novice can understand your topic, method and findings without getting lost in the results section. To that end, it may seem like your discussion section is repeating what you just said in your results section; that is appropriate. Write your discussion section so that someone could skip the results section and still understand your project and conclusions.

The larger goal of the discussion section is to interpret your findings in terms of theoretical and practical implications. How do your findings fit with the previous research you reviewed in the Introduction section? Are your findings consistent with the background literature, or theoretical approaches to your topic? Were your findings surprising in any way?

Limitations

Your discussion section should outline the limitations to your findings, including a delineating of how far those results might be generalized. This involves an assessment of the reliability and validity of your findings. In this, you can describe any aspects of your study that did not go as planned and report the implications of those changes to the plan. A good way to finish your discussion section is to comment on what future research makes the most sense, based on what you have found, and what you have learned in the process of carrying out your study and any recommendations you might make.

Recommendations

Here you would provide insight to the problem you were attempting to address. If this was a problem in your organization, what would you provide to the management team based upon your research?

Implications for Future Research

Now that you’ve found an answer to the research question, what else could have been investigated that was out of your scope? I’m sure when you first started, your vision of the project was from a bird’s eye and in class and with your advisor, you were trying to narrow it down. Now is the time to suggest continued research on your topic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Armstrong, K. L. (1999). Nike’s communication with Black audiences: A sociological analysis of advertising effectiveness via symbolic interactionism. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 23(3), 266-286.

Chakraborty, U., & Bhat, S. (2018). The credibility of online reviews and its impact on brand image. Management Research Review.

Chang, Y., Li, Y., Yan, J., & Kumar, V. (2019). Getting more likes: the impact of narrative person and brand image on customer-brand interactions. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 47(6), 1027-1045.

Fetscherin, M. (Ed.). (2015). CEO branding: Theory and practice. Routledge.

Haider, A. A., Zafar, A., Khalid, A., Majid, A., Abdullah, M. A., & Sarwar, M. B. (2017). Marketing Management. Head, B. 22.

Hanna, N., & Dodge, H. R. (2017). Pricing: policies and procedures. Macmillan International Higher Education.

Lamb, C. W., Hair, J. F., & McDaniel, C. (2015). MKTG 9. Cengage Learning.

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Appendix A: Informed Consent Form Participants 18 Years of Age and Older

EASTERN NAZARENE COLLEGE

 

Dear Participant,

I am a student at Eastern Nazarene College, working on a graduate degree in management. As part of my thesis project, I am conducting an interview based on a series questions on the effects of brand image on the consumer’s mind in sports and the power in modern business. The purpose of this survey is to gather information regarding the different impact’s on certain topics in each sport, which are hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball, football.

 

You are being invited to participate in a research study since you meet the requirements for

enrollment into this study. Your participation is voluntary which means you can choose whether

or not you want to participate. You may withdraw any time without penalty. If you decline to continue, any data gathered to that point may be used in data analysis.

 

The investigator and staff involved with the study will keep your personal information collected for the study strictly confidential. Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be identified with you will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission or as required by law. Your identity will be kept strictly confidential.

 

Thank you,

Your name

Appendix B: Survey Instrument

My survey instrument will be me conducting interviews with sports fanatics in each of the five sports, soccer, baseball, hockey, football, and basketball, which is a qualitative research.