1. INTRODUCTION The aim of this study is to explore the Country of Origin effects along with fashion involvement theory and self-concept theory and its influence on perceptions of After the Second World War the international trade has gained momentum, and is still growing rapidly. Firms are globalising their operations and expanding markets in order to gain competitive advantage. In such markets consumers have access to large range of products from all over the globe. To make the purchasing decision in such wide range of products consumers may rely on some cues which would help them evaluate the products. One of the important measures is 'country of origin'. Consumers relate the product quality to the country it belongs to. However to some extent it also represents consumers' emotions such as national pride. Hence, country of origin is considered important in modern economy. Several studies, such as 'hierarchy of biases' among countries- a positive relationship between country of origin effects and the level of economic development (Schooler, 1971, Wang and Lamb, 1983) and similarly other studies have hypothesised that country of origin effects may differ across countries, as it depends on consumer's perception on the political and cultural climate of the country of origin (Cited in Han, 1990). The studies also found the disparity of COO effects among product types and a nexus between the demographic factors such as sex (Schooler, 1971 and Wang 1978 cited in Good and Huddleston, 1995), age (Wall et al, 1988; Tongberg, 1972; cited in Good and Huddleston, 1995), educational level and income (Anderson and Cunningham, 1972). Many authors have also discovered the existence of consumer ethnocentrism in some countries which creates a strong element of patriotism favouring home produced to foreign produced goods and services (Sharma et al., 2005; Balabanis and Diamantopoulos, 2004; Nagashima 1970). For example, the This study concentrated on the COO effect on the 1.1 INDUSTRY BACKGROUND The 1.2 CLOTHING MARKET The 1.3 RETAILING Owing to the high import penetration, the clothing market in the Clothing retailing is a key sector of the
Source: Key Note (2006) Clothing Manufacturing Official estimates of retail sales of clothing are a little higher than total household expenditure. According to National Statistics' Retail Sales, retail sales of clothing by clothing retailers, increased from £25.39bn in 2001 to £30.61bn in 2005, a 20.6% increase. Large businesses accounted for 87.6% of the total in 2005, up from 83.1% in 2001, while sales of clothing within the smaller businesses are estimated to have fallen by 11.5% between 2001 and 2005 (to £3.8bn). The lower prices offered, as well as the more extensive clothes ranges available to customers from the larger stores, are likely to have contributed to the trend (Key Note, 2006).
2. LITERATURE REVIEW INTRODUCTION The aim of the study is to determine the COO effects on the This chapter provides the most relevant literature about COO and COO image. The chapter is divided into two sections, covering COO effects and images and fashion literature i.e. fashion involvement. It explores the studies conducted by many researchers, such as model of 'country image dimension' discovered by Roth and Romeo (1992) which explains the country image and product category fits. The review then outlines the self- concept theory, and later the notion of fashion involvement and fashion innovation. 2.1 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Countries of origin have many effects on the products or services offered overseas. These effects have been investigated for a long time, and the studies carried out by several researchers (Nagashima, 1970; Roth and Romeo, 1992; Papadopoulos, 1993; Cateora and Graham, 2005) have reflected in the vast number of research articles. According to Papadopoulos (1993) and Lee and Schaninger (1996) country of origin is the country of manufacture or assembly and also the country of product design. However due to globalisation one particular product may be manufactured in many countries, for example to cope with the increasing competition at international echelon, automobile companies were forced to develop the following framework and integrate them in the local management strategy. Product development, supply systems including factory locations; systems to purchase from suppliers of parts, components, intermediary material and raw material; production systems at factories, and automobile sale and distribution systems although they may be different region by region, but the product is integrated under the local management (Shimogawa N. D.). This illustrates how global manufacturers operate in order to be cost effective. For instance, in many countries such as Consumers may not know the exact country of these processes. Thus a suggestion was provided by Johnson et al. (1985) and Ozsomer and Cavasgil (1991) that the country of origin could be referred as the country where the corporate headquarters of the company marketing the product or branch is situated. After summarising the definitions of COO it could be said that in the view of these authors country of origin is the country where products or services are manufactured, designed, integrated, and it is also holds a headquarter of the corporation. 2.2 COUNTRY IMAGE The significance of country of origin in the customer choice behaviour is well known in business literature. It was initially highlighted by Schooler (1965). However the definition of country of origin image provided by Nagashima is commonly accepted. According to Nagashima country image is 'the picture, the reputation, the stereotype that businessmen and consumers attach to products of a specific country. This image is created by such variables as representative products, national characteristics, economic and political background, history, and traditions (Nagashima, 1970). However the view of Nagashima was argued by other researchers. They believed that in relation to well known products, consumers have product specific information which is structured and developed in memory. Experimental studies have verified that consumers persist to seize diverse sets of beliefs across different product categories and those attitudes towards products from a given country vary by product category (Bilkey and Nes, 1982; Kaynak and Cavusgil, 1983; Roth and Romeo, 1992, Cited in Agarwal and Sikri, 1996). For instance, product category of fashionable garments and accessories originating from 2.3 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN EFFECTS The study of country of origin effects evaluates how consumers react to products originating from a particular country. "Country of origin effect is any influence that the country of manufacture, assembly or design has on a consumer's positive or negative perception of product." (Cateora and Graham, 2005, p.367) In the view of Philip Cateora and John Graham (2005) the country, the type of product, and the image of the company and its brand influence whether the country- of- origin will engender a positive or negative reaction from consumers. Roth and Romeo looked at the country and product category dimension matches and mismatches. Figure below illustrates the model introduced by Roth and Romeo (1992). They said: "A product- country match should occur when important dimensions for a product category are also associated with country's image. When there is no such linkage, a mismatch between the product category and country should exist." To understand the model of 'matches/ mismatches of product category and country dimensions by Roth and Romeo (1992) the four dimensions of country image should be observed.
Roth and Romeo (1992) developed this framework which explains how country of origin image dimensions matches or mismatches product features. This framework links product category perception of consumers to the country of origin image dimensions. A favourable match would take place when a perceived value of a country is favourable for a particular product. For example, A favourable mismatch would appear when the strength of the country is not perceived to be essential for product feature. Taking the example of 2.4 STERIOTYPING According to Oskamp (1991) stereotypes are a "highly simplified sets of beliefs; typically they contain clear evaluative elements and are rather rigidly resistant to change" (Cited in Cele Otnes and Mary Ann McGrath, 2001). In other words, people tend to form a certain image or behaviour towards products or the country. Stereotypes may take the form of images, attitudes, feelings and activities. (A. Michel, 1986) Papadopoulos and Heslop (1993) believe that the existence of country images leads to the stereotyping of products. Stereotyping is inherent to the process of classification which people use as means of coping with the world around them. Stereotyping is a generalisation process inherited from the familiarity with the products. It creates the image that represents the whole country. In fact, it is the consumers' speculation to approach the reality. For example, French product stereotype is luxury and Japanese stereotype is advanced technology. "The Stereotype that all Japanese cars are reliable is based more on inference than on observation of reliability of the target product" (Maheshwaran, 1994). Stereotyping begins in the form of generalisations abstracted from a limited number of observations; and if the number and scope of observations about the object (i.e. familiarity with it) increases, the stereotype is likely to move closer to 'objective reality' (Papadopoulos and Heslop, 1993). Consumers' evaluation of products is based on various attributes, but when they do not know much about the product, they rely on country stereotype (Cattin et al., 1982). Consumers tend to relate the products to the nature of the country. The study by Nagashima evaluates how Japanese and A similar study was conducted by Roth and Romeo (1992). They formulated a theoretical framework for the relationship between consumer preferences for a country's product and preferences for country's culture, economy and politics. They asserted that the consumer's evaluations of a specific product from the country X are based on the match between the product and country. According to the authors, consumers prefer country X as an origin for specific products when they believe that there is a match between the perceived "strengths" of country X and the skills that are needed for manufacturing the product under consideration. For example, a preference for German car is based on consumers' perception of the workmanship of German engineers and the facts that German is a technologically advanced society (Verlegh and Steenkamp, 1999). Therefore studies have indicated that there are linkages between country stereotypes and product categories. There are some products considered more cultural and classic of a country as compared to other countries. Even though country stereotypes are often difficult to change and tend to be long lasting, they are not unchangeable. Aggressive advertising, advanced engineering and even sponsoring an international event could improve a negative country image (Verlegh and Steenkamp, 1999). 2.5 LOCAL V/S IMPORTED A strong element of patriotism has been found in many studies, favouring home produce to foreign produced goods and services. For example, the From the perspective of ethnocentric consumers, purchasing imported products is wrong because, in their minds, it hurts the domestic economy, causes loss of jobs, and is plainly unpatriotic; products from other countries are objects of contempt to highly ethnocentric consumers. To non-ethnocentric consumers, however foreign products are objects to be evaluated on their own merits without consideration for where they are made (Shimp and Sharma, 1987). 2.6 DEMOGRAPHIC EFFECTS Demographic variables, such as age, sex, education and income, may also play a role in differences in COO image. Many researchers from different time and ethics found some controversial conclusions which could be seen as below: Age: In terms of age, younger people tend to have more positive attitudes towards foreign products that older people do (Wall et al, 1988; Tongberg, 1972; cited in Linda and Patricia, 1995). However, some researchers found that age has no influence on the favourability of foreign product (Johansson et al., 1985; Morganosky and Lazarde, 1987). Sex: The result of sex in correlation to country of origin is also mixed. Schooler (1971) and Wang (1978) found that females tend to rate foreign made products more favourably than do men (cited in Good and Huddleston, 1995). However, Han (1988) found women to be more patriotic and more patriotic consumers are less likely to choose foreign products. However Anderson and Cunningham (1972) have revealed in his studies that there is no such gender discrimination. Education: in the view of Festervand et al. (1985) education is the most dominant demographic variable. Many authors have concluded that highly educated consumers were more in favour of imported products than the ones with limited education. As the education level was increasing the perception in favour of imports was increasing simultaneously. (Anderson and Cunningham, 1972; Good and Huddleston, 1995; Schooler, 1971; Sharma et al., 1995;) Income: Anderson and Cunningham (1972) found that consumers with a higher level of income are likely to accept foreign products more easily, and are less likely to buy national-made products only just because of nationalistic feelings. Similarly other authors such as Bailey and Pineres (1997), Good and Huddleston (1995), and Sharma et al. (1995) supported the view of Anderson and Cunningham. On the contrary Han (1990) argued that the income is not the significant factor in the variations in ethnocentricity between consumers. 2.7 FASHION INVOLVEMENT "In the perspective of consumer activity and fashion clothing, involvement is defined as the extent to which the consumer views the focal activity as a central part of their life, a meaningful and engaging activity in their life." (O'Cass, 2004). Fashion involvement is a consumer's perceived importance of fashion clothing. Further, the continuous and cyclic nature of fashion implies that people are often drawn into the style or fashion of the moment (O'Cass, 2001). Tiger at al, (1976) cited in McFather, (2005) found that fashion involvement is composed of five dimensions of fashion adoption-related behaviour: a) fashion innovativeness and time of purchase, b) fashion interpersonal connection, c) fashion interest, d) fashion knowledge ability, e) and fashion awareness and reaction to changing fashion trends. There has been a very high Fashion involvement by young adults and due to this; this age group has been taken into consideration in the study of clothing by Auty and Elliott (1998). In their study of fashion involvement, self-monitoring and the meaning of brands; perceptions of brand were perceived differently according to age and sex of the respondent. The findings display that women and young consumers were more positive about their trend (Auty and Elliot, 1998). O'Cass (2001) examined the relationships between gender, self-monitoring, motives for clothing consumption, materialism, age and fashion clothing involvement. The fashion clothing involvement is significantly effected by a consumer's degree of materialism, gender and age where females and younger consumers possess a strong involvement in fashion. Further, fashion clothing involvement influences fashion clothing knowledge. Finally the fashion clothing knowledge influences consumer confidence in making purchase decision about fashion. One of the most significant dimension of fashion involvement is fashion innovativeness. The study of fashion innovativeness by fashion marketers, consumer psychologists and clothing theorists helps them to better understand the behaviour of fashion innovators and the process of fashion distribution. Fashion innovators, after all, comprise a unique and important segment of the fashion market. Because they are among the first to purchase apparel when new styles and designs are launched in the market, their reaction to the new styles and design may be crucial to the eventual success or failure of the product (Goldsmith, Moore & Beaudoin, 1999). Fashion innovators influence fashion followers by exposing them to new styles and also fashion innovators have different self image compared to later fashion adopters. Fashion innovators enjoy spending money on fashion apparel and also tend to be younger than fashion adopters. They also generate adequate revenues in the fashion market (Goldsmith, Moore & Beaudoin, 1998 & 1999 ). 2.8 SELF-CONCEPT THEORY Consumer self-concept could be defined as the individual's definition of the situation, for example in response to the existential questions of 'who am I' and 'what is the meaning of my life?' (Wee et al., 2003). The theory of self-concept is referred to as, 'the collection of attitudes that people hold towards themselves (Goldsmith et al 1998, 99). Individuals often define their existence and selves in relation to others. People have a desire for a personal identity so that they can better understand their status and roles in life (Elliott, et al., 1998). Individuals often define their life and selves in relation to others. People have a desire for a personal identity so that they can better understand their status and role in life. To achieve this personal identity, people relate to, and compare themselves with, others around them in a process known as symbolic interaction, where individuals learn to agree on shared meanings of symbols or objects (Wee, et al. 2003). As there is no universal yardstick to measure and compare people, the only way people can know who they are is by observing what they themselves have or possess. Self, then, can be said to comprise not only one's body parts, but also one's thoughts, ideas, experiences, as well as external objects such as personal possessions (money, clothes, shoes), more substantial possessions (like cars and property), and even persons, such as spouses, children, friends and subordinates (Wee, et al. 2003). Belk (1988) maintained that only a complete ensemble of consumption objects may be able to represent the diverse aspects of the total self. On the surface, fashion appears to provide consumer with a plethora of choice – a palette from which a consumer can paint an identity as he or she pleases (Miles 1998:90). Craik alludes on the relationship between fashion and self-concept commented that 'the body is constantly re-clothed and re-fashioned in accordance with changing arrangements of self' (cited in Miles 1998:102). Miles also explained that fashion not only reveals your identity but also helps a particular individual to express his or hers individuality (Miles 1998:104). CONCLUSION The literature review mainly outlines the consumers' perception towards fashion and the effects of COO image. The fist half of review concentrates on the COO effects. The studies have revealed that the COO image has a significant impact on the product category and the consumers' perception. It concludes that the buying behaviour of the consumers is influenced by the COO image. Fashion involvement along with COO is another factor which influences the buying behaviour of fashion consumers. Self-concept theory bounds the choices of consumers towards fashionable apparels. Fashion now-a-days is used as a mode for self-expression and a way of making perceptions about others. Researchers discovered that people who wear similar clothes are considered to have similar thoughts, ideas and experiences. Clothes resemble one's personality and hence special attention is given to fashion to enhance it. It is believed that the findings of this research will be extremely important to understand different factors that influence consumers' perception. It provides a notion and a deep understanding on how consumers will behave in situations where fashion goods are bought in from other countries. 3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Overall aim of the study The overall objective of the research study is to determine
4. METHODOLOGY This part of the paper presents the methodology used in this study. It will discuss the research methods available for the study and what is applicable for it to use. Likewise, the chapter will present how the research will be implemented and how to come up with pertinent findings. 4.1 METHOD OF RESEARCH There are three kinds of research methods (Walliman and Baiche, 2001). The correlational research refers to studies in which the purpose is to discover relationships or associations between variables. The correlational kind of research method is used due to the aim of the study i.e. to determine the relationship of consumer behaviour towards Indian fashion. Sometimes the conditions to which research participants are exposed can be highly emotional or thought-provoking. In these cases, ethical considerations arise for researchers, who are concerned with the immediate effects of their research on participants, but also with the potential long-term benefits for larger segments of society. Through correlational research, ethical issues such as deception and mimicking the conditions of real life are avoided. Ethical principles include informed consent, limited use of deception, protection of participants from harm and unnecessary discomfort, confidentiality, and full disclosure of any deception at the end of the experiment. Moreover, correlational research is used due to practical problems with experiments. This mode of study is widely applicable, reasonable, and usually ethical. A correlational relationship between two variables is occasionally the result of an outside source, so one has to be careful and remember that correlation does not necessarily tell about cause and effect. It should, however, be pointed out that the most serious danger of this type of research is the conclusion that because two factors go together, one is the cause and the other is the effect. On the other hand, this research also considers the descriptive type of research method. The descriptive research method uses observation and surveys. In this method, it is possible that the study would be reasonable and quick. It could also suggest unanticipated hypotheses. Nonetheless, it would be very hard to rule out alternative explanations and especially infer causations. This descriptive type of research utilises observations in this study. Descriptive research is a type of research that is primarily concerned with describing the nature or conditions and degree in detail of the present situation (Landman, 1988; Creswell, 1994). The emphasis is on describing rather than on judging or interpreting. The aim of descriptive research is to verify formulated hypotheses that refer to the present situation in order to elucidate it. According to Burns & Grove (2001) researchers who use this method for their research usually aim at demarcating the population by means of perceiving accurately research parameters and recording in the form of a written report of that which has been perceived. The aim of the latter is that when the total record has been compiled, revision of the documents can occur so that the perceptions derived at can be thoroughly investigated. Because the total population during a specific investigation can not be contemplated as a whole, researchers make use of the demarcation of the population or of the selection of a representative test sample. Test sampling therefore forms an integral part of descriptive research. The researcher opted to use this kind of research to obtain first hand data from the respondents so as to formulate rational and sound conclusions and recommendations for the study. Moreover, this method allows me to utilise approaches that are more applicable in understanding a culture. The purpose of this study is to describe how This study will extend from being descriptive to being analytical by analysing, and evaluating data and synthesising ideas. According to Sauders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2003), descriptive research alone is not enough in the formulation of conclusions so there is a need to go further to draw conclusions. Moreover, this study will employ a multi-methods strategy. To come up with pertinent findings and to provide credible recommendations, this study will use two sources of research: primary and secondary. Primary research data will be obtained through this new research study. Questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews will be conducted. In addition, the secondary research data will be obtained from previous studies on Indian and 4.2 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TECHNIQUES By mixing the methodologies that will be used in conducting the study the researcher will be enabled to take a broader and complimentary view of the issues being researched. The research on the possibility of harmonising Indian fashion with According to Burns and Grove (2001) quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are utilised to obtain information about the world. This allows investigation of important new issues and questions on Indian clothing as they arise, and will allow me to drop unproductive areas of research from the original research plan. Through this quantitative research technique, the relationship between the perceptions of traditional Indian clothing and When selecting approaches to a study decisions should reflect which approach is most suitable for the topic under consideration. However it is also reasonable to suggest that they may also reflect the bias of the researcher. For example, the majority of medical research is quantitative and considered to produce "hard", generalisable results, whilst much of nursing research is qualitative and considered to produce "soft" results (Burns & Grove, 2001). Qualitative approaches to research are based on a "world view" which is holistic. Under these approaches, it is believed that there is not a single reality; reality is based upon perceptions that are different for each person and change over time; and what we know has meaning only within a given situation or context. This study will also employ qualitative research methods because the researcher intends to find and build theories that will explain the relationship of one variable with another variable through qualitative elements in research. Through ocular observation and interviews, qualitative elements that do not have standard measures such as behaviour, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs within the Indian culture are analysed. Furthermore qualitative research can be multimethod in focus, involving an interpretative, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them. The reasoning process used in qualitative research involves perceptually putting pieces together to make wholes. From this process meaning is produced. However, because perception varies with the individual, many different meanings are possible. Through observations and interviews, this study will identify the factors that affect the fashion sense of UK consumers; to discuss the effects of globalisation and modernisation on Indian clothing; the impact of ethnicity in terms of choice and evaluation of clothes; the evolution of Indian clothing; and the characteristics of Indian and UK clothing styles that make it possible to harmonise these two styles. The primary sources of data come from the survey, observations and interviews conducted by the researcher to consumers in the 4.3 RESEARCH PLAN For this research design, the researcher will gather data, collate published studies from different local and foreign universities and articles from social science journals; and make a content analysis of the collected documentary and verbal material. Afterwards, the researcher will summarise all the information, make a conclusion based on the null hypotheses posited and provided insightful recommendations on the possibility of harmonising Indian fashion and 4.4 HYPOTHESIS From the previous discussions, this paper aims to analyse and discuss the following hypotheses: 1. There is a significant relationship between current perception of 2. There is a significant difference between the perceptions of respondents towards fusion of Indian fashion to 4.5 SURVEY 4.5.1 Questionnaire Structure The researcher will design a questionnaire for the survey. The primary aim of the questionnaire is to determine how Through closed questions, the researcher will be able to limit responses that are within the scope of this study. For example, the researcher intends to ask the respondents what they think of Indian culture in general. Using a multiple choice method, the answer of the respondents would be within the one of the limited expected answers of the researcher. Thus the researcher will design a closed question type to remain focused on the statement of the problem and on the main purpose of the study. However, the researcher will nevertheless extend the closed questions with the comments option to be able to gather qualitative data for this study. In addition, closed questions will be used in the survey because the answers are easy to analyse and are straightforward as target respondents are mostly busy that they do not have enough time to give attention to open questions. Closed response questions save the respondent having to think of possible replies. 4.5.2 Respondents of the Study A sample is a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole (Webster, 1985). When dealing with people, it can be defined as a set of respondents (people) selected from a larger population for the purpose of a survey. A population is a group of individuals, persons, objects, or items from which samples are taken for measurement for example a population of presidents or professors, books or students. Sampling is the act, process, or technique of selecting a suitable sample, or a representative part of a population for the purpose of determining parameters or characteristics of the whole population. To draw conclusions about populations from samples, we must use inferential statistics which enable us to determine a population's characteristics by directly observing only a portion (or sample) of the population. Obviously, it is less resource intensive to observe a part rather than the whole, but we should prepare ourselves to cope with the dangers of using samples. The researcher plans to take a sample population of 20 male and female teenaged respondents and 30 women and men with age ranging from 40 to 50 years. The researcher also decided to do so because teenagers are assumed to be fashion-oriented ( Basically, the sample size of the population in this paper was determined by Slovin's formula discussed in the book of Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2003; p. 158). The formula of Slovin is given as follows: Where: n = a sample size N= population size e= desired margin of error (percent allowance for non-precision because of the use of the sample instead of the population). Apparently, the questionnaire-survey will collect data on the respondents' demographic profile first to check that the sample is appropriately stratified and representative and second to provide further information about the sample for analysis purposes. Furthermore, the researcher will design the online questionnaire through an online questionnaire framework at www.studentresearcher.com. This website specialises in student research offering the opportunity to design an online or paper questionnaire which can be easily constructed providing multiple choices. To determine the impact of Indian culture on Instead of using a five-response scale, the respondents will grade each statement in the survey-questionnaire using a Likert scale with a four-response scale wherein respondents would be given four response choices. This is to make sure that respondents will not provide a 'safe' response by choosing the middle choice, as in the case of odd number scales Even numbers prevent people from 'sitting on the fence' – they force people to make a clear decision. The equivalent weights for the answers will be: Range Interpretation 4.50 – 5.00 Strongly Agree 4.10 – 5.00 Agree 2.10 – 3.00 Disagree 0.00 – 2.00 Strongly Disagree The scores need to be weighted as such in order to be informed on the degree of response given by the respondents. Thus, a more credible and specified interpretation may be given. 4.6 INTERVIEW For the face-to-face interview part, open-ended questions will be used to obtain as much information as possible about how the interviewees feel about the research topic. The researcher will interview 10 purposively selected UK University students who are taking courses on Arts and Social Sciences. The researcher will design a semi-structured interview. Using this type of interview enables the researcher/interviewer probe deeper on the issues of harmonising Indian and Open questioning, in addition, will help me explore the topic and produce a fuller account. In this case, interviewees are encouraged to clarify vague statements and to further elaborate on brief comments. The researcher will not also share her own beliefs and opinions so as not to influence the answer of the interviewee. Importantly, the researcher will avoid leading questions and showing personal bias as these may result to interviewee or response bias (Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill, 2003). In both the online survey and face-to-face interview, the distribution and collation methods that will be used to manage the process will ensure anonymity. A cover letter will explain to them what the research is all about and how the researcher intends to regard the survey with high confidentiality. The results from the interview will be given in question and answer format; while the results of questionnaire survey would be presented in the tabular form with a few graphical representations. The questionnaire will be given at the appendix. Content analysis will be drawn from the interviews to identify how effective is the harmonisation of Indian and 4.7 VALIDATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF INSTRUMENT For validation purposes, the researcher will initially submit a sample of the set of survey questionnaires; and after approval, the survey will be initially conducted with five respondents. The respondents will be composed of my colleagues who are knowledgeable about designing questionnaires. The researcher will also include in the initial respondents those who belong to the general population of the study. After the questions are answered, the researcher will ask the respondents for any suggestions or any necessary corrections to ensure further improvement and validity of the instrument. 4.8 RESOURCES AND DATA ANALYSIS As was discussed previously, there are two resources that were used for the completion of this study, one of which is the primary resource (or the direct information-gathering which was discussed in the earlier parts of this chapter) and the secondary resources. The secondary resources were taken from the literatures and published documents that pertained to the changes and developments that have occurred within Data gathered using these instruments were collated for analysis. Data analysis will primarily be characterised by comparative and statistical approach. Qualitative data derived from interviews will be presented in text and tabular formats. These will then be supported by quantitative data from the survey questionnaire used, which will be presented in graphic forms. In order to facilitate the computation required for this study, the SPSS program will be utilised. Specifically, descriptive statistics and frequencies will be computed so as to evaluate the visitor experience of the selected participants. 4.8.1 SPSS The SPSS is a software that allows faster assessment of the statistical data as based on the compiled information and backgrounds of the respondents. This allowed the researcher to take note of the different information that the data resolves and be able to use these data for the assessing. Moreover, the SPSS is also valuable for quicker results that will save the researcher time and effort in understanding the different information. However, it must also be emphasised that despite the help that SPSS offers to the assessment of the study, there is the continued need for the researcher to know how to analyse the data and be able to give the necessary conclusions and findings based on the gathered information. Moreover, the descriptions of the situations must also be conducted based on the area as well as certain circumstances must also be included through objective study, thus requiring that the researcher to be analytical. As such, this study is the result of the effort in pacifying the use of analytical and scientific assessment as included with the observation of the researcher, while also making the connection. 4.9 ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE STUDY Because this study will utilise human participants, certain issues must be addressed. The consideration of these issues is necessary for the purpose of ensuring the privacy as well as the safety of the participants. These issues must be identified in advance so as prevent future problems that may arise during the research process. Among the significant issues that need attention include consent, confidentiality and data protection. 4.9.1 Gaining Consent Securing permission and gaining the consent of the participants for this study is an important ethical consideration. In order to do so, the researcher must relay the aims of the research clearly to all participants. Each participant should be asked to accomplish a consent form, stating in detail all the activities involved as well as the purpose of the study. The reasons why these personalities are selected as participants should also be stated so as to enable the selected participants to connect the aims of the research with that of the participant qualifications. In the consent form, the researcher should also discuss in detail all the treatments or procedures that will be done during the process. Building rapport and gaining the trust of the participants who were involved in the study are also essential. These will help in ensuring the cooperation and willingness of the participants to give dependable and sufficient data that will help the study. Although the participants may initially give their consent for the research process, the researcher must give the assurance that they are allowed to withdraw from the study even without providing any reason. By giving this freedom, the participants will not feel forced to participate in the process. The possible risks that were included in the research were also discussed with the participants in an effort to gain their consent and also to let them know about their position in the study. More importantly, mechanisms to prevent risks of information leak was also considered and used; one of these is to practice openness and to ensure that the researchers who have access to the information will keep their confidentiality. Openness and honesty all throughout the study assured the research respondents that their security and safety is of utmost priority. All of these factors to gain the consent of the research participants were discussed in the most comprehensive manner based on their level of understanding. 4.9.2 Confidentiality The privacy of the respondents as well as the confidentiality of their responses was prioritised by the researcher as well. This was done through keeping their private information confidential and by merely using the information that they have given as part of the statistical information of the study. Moreover, it was ensured that the respondents know the purpose and subject of this study in order to help them with the formulation of their own perspectives. It is thought that this reassurance lends to better and more accurate responses from the respondents as their reasons will be given better assessment and they will be less inhibited when it comes to responding on the questions that may be based on some personal information. 4.10 SUMMARY OF METHODS As stated in this chapter, the researcher will undergo stages. In the research design, the researcher will collect secondary data and will formulate and develop the questionnaire and interview. In this stage, these instruments will be subjected to approval and validation. During the data collection, the researcher will collate and summarise the data that will be obtained from the questionnaire and survey. The researcher will then analyse these data and from these, findings and recommendations will be presented. In summary, the researcher will have taken four major phases to complete the study. Phase 1: Problem Identification for Research In the first phase, the researcher identifies the specific focus of the problem to be researched. This involves reviewing existing theory, research, and practices from professional literature. This process helps me integrate theoretical perspectives and empirical findings with my own understanding of the problem, and discern the aspect of the problem the researcher want to research and learn more about. Phase 2: Administration of the Instrument After reviewing literature, the researcher formulates questions for the survey and makes a set of guide questionnaires for the interview. These are then presented to the advisor for validation purposes. After this the researcher will initiate a process of building collaborations with the Phase 3: Data Collection and Analysis In the third phase, the researcher will collect and analyse data for the purposes of identifying critical cultural/contextual variables specific to their setting. These data will enable me to achieve a specific understanding of the problem. Phase 4: Data Synthesis and Generation of Recommendations In the fourth phase, the researcher will synthesise findings from the previous phases and relevant previous research. The focus of this stage is to synthesise these data to modify existing hypotheses and account for different factors, as well as generating recommendations based on new understandings. During this phase, research-based, culture-specific recommendations for action will be generated. The researcher would like to mention that in the future, it is planned to hold a fashion show concerning the Indian traditional clothes after getting them together with the 5. ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA This chapter presents the data gathered from the questionnaires conducted by the researcher from the consumers in This chapter will have three sections in order to facilitate a better analysis of the data that were gathered. The first sections will involve the characteristics of the respondents to give the readers an idea about the background of the respondents. The next sections involve the survey questions pertaining to consumers' perception towards Indian Fashion. The third section will be discussing the results of the Interview. And finally, the synthesis of the chapter will be shown in section four. This is to ensure that the proper data will be collected and analysed and be able to derive conclusions concerning the perception of The conduct of this study entails a detailed account of the demographic profile of the respondents. It is assumed that the attributes of the respondents influence their behavior and answers on the survey questions. Of particular significance to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the study – which is to be an instrument of analysis of the institution to gauge where it is now and where it is heading, thus what changes are to be made – is to be able to evaluate the following hypotheses:
5.1 What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: 1. age, 2. gender 3. civil status 4. educational attainment 5. occurrence of wearing Indian clothes The profile of the respondents is looked upon in terms of age, gender civil status, educational attainment, and occurrence of wearing Indian clothes Figure 1 Age of the Respondents Figure 1 shows the age range of the respondents. Thirty three percent (33%) of the respondents were 41-50 years old, showing that most of them were already considered as adult. Seventeen percent (17%) of the respondents were between 31-40 years old. Twenty six percent (26%) of the respondents were between 21-30 years old. Respondents' aged 16-20 is 24% of the total respondents. The apparent diversity of the maturity of the respondents reflects several implications in the study's findings. To illustrate, almost one hundred percent of the respondents stated that they are wearing Indian clothes. In relation of the age bracket of the respondents, the researcher could presume that in the said percentage, a considerable number could be among the adult members of the population. Figure 2 Gender of the Respondents Figure 2. The number of the female respondents (57%) is still closed to the male (43%) with the total of 24 for female and 18 for male. Based on the figure, the dominated gender among the respondents is female. Based on the collated questionnaires, over a half of the population is composed of female respondents while 43% are males. This shows a virtually equal footing in terms of representation of gender regarding the perception of women in terms of Indian fashion acceptance. The female respondents outnumbered the male respondents by approximately 14%; this data provides a glimpse of the aggregate size of women that are concerned to Indian fashion emerging in Figure 3 Civil Status Figure 3. The above illustration shows the civil status of the respondents. 50% of the total respondents, which is the dominated response is married. There is only 48% who are single from the forty-two respondents. As the figure was interpreted, there is a little percentage of respondents who are separated. Basically, the response of the respondents in this particular variable provides a great impact to the finding s of the study. Based on these responses, we can say that most of single and married respondents are aware about the impact of Indian fashion to Figure 4 Educational Attainment of the Respondents Figure 4. Likewise, the respondents were asked for their educational attainment and the report shows 65 % of them graduated in college are currently taking up masters or doctoral degrees. The survey indicates that most of the respondents are mature and knowledgeable that is engage to the study. This data illustrate the maturity of the respondents particularly in terms of experience. On the other hand, the apparent small number of youthfulness of the respondents, provided by their age and their lack of professional experience could not be considered as deterrence to their responses considering that the researcher has made sure that the respondents are familiar to Indian clothes and fashion. Moreover, there is a noticeable distinction of the respective positions of the younger generations in their respective perceptions towards Indian fashion in Figure 5 Figure 6 Do you wear Indian clothes? How often? Figure 5. This part of the paper illustrates the number of respondents who are aware to Indian fashion particularly to Indian clothes. Basically, the majority of surveyed respondents are familiar to Indian fashion since they all tried and tested wearing Indian clothes which corresponds to 95% of the total subjects. In terms of number of occurrence of wearing Indian clothes (see Figure 6), 64% of them wore this "sometimes". On the other hand, 21% of them wore this type of dress rarely or if there are only special occasion. A good percentage of 10% responded that they are wearing this type of clothes most of the time. And 5% of them never wore this kind of fashion. 5.2 Perception of the Respondents This part of the study illustrates the perception of the respondents pertaining to Indian fashion in 5.2.1 Perception on Indian Culture and Fashion Table 1. Perception on Indian Culture and Fashion
Table 1 illustrates the perception of the respondents pertaining to Indian culture and fashion. The table presented the overall mean standard deviation and interpretation in each statement. Basically, it shows that majority of the respondents responded agree on each statement except to statement 7 in which it describes the conservative issue of Indian fashion. Majority of the respondents disagreed in this statement and reveal that Indian is not that too conservative and since it still relevant to modern The survey results shows describes that majority of them agreed that Indian fashion shows power, it also creates a mood in which respect and dignity are achieved while wearing Indian clothes. For the majority of the respondents, Indian fashion represents a status symbol but it is still comfortable to wear. Actually, Indian fashion is not a big issue in 5.2.2 Perception on Table 2. Perception on
Fashion is often thought of as a kind of mask disguising the 'true' nature of the body or person. It is seen as a superficial gloss. Yet, it is regarded by ways in which we clothe the body as an active process or technical means for constructing and presenting a bodily self. Western fashion (elite or high fashion) is a particular variant of this in which the designer plays the role of definer. The 'life' of the body is played out through the technical arrangement of clothes, adornment and gesture. In line with this, this part of the chapter illustrates the perception of the respondents pertaining to From the results of the survey, we can deduced that the specific character of UK consumer fashion was the size and reach of fashion products, and the accelerated rate of stylistic change, rather than consumerism per se. A range of commercial practices should be adapted to the requirements of the fashion industry, including techniques of advertising and promotion, mass production, increased product range, multiplication and differentiation of markets, as well as new techniques of selling. These techniques underpinned the fashion process and shaped associated body techniques. Fashion became a tool of prestigious imitation among most social groups, the specific character of which was flavoured by techniques of gender; fashion and consumer knowledge, competences and habits; and by the circumstances of different lifestyles. Clothes were a key to the modern consumer's sense of identity. 5.2.3 Prospect of Harmonising Table 3. Perception towards Harmonising
With regards to the goal of the study i.e. to determine the perception of the 5.3 Interview Question 1. What are the common concerns you have encountered with regard to the fusion of Indian and In accordance to the fusion of Indian fashion to Aside from this, relationship marketing of Indian clothes should be considered in order to attain market success in Perceived value determines the success of a product or service, because with a positive perceived value of consumers creates a positive effect in the value of a product or service. Similarly, a good service quality and value helps generate a good profit for the company. In addition, the society has a big influence on brand loyalty, with the role played by the different advertising media. Likewise, emotional loyalty affects relationship marketing, for with the continuous patronage of consumers on specific products or services, the company can cater to their needs. With relationship marketing, customer value can always be determined by the company, which is essential in their aim to efficiently providing their consumers with good and high quality products and services. Question 2. What solutions would you suggest to solve the problems you have mentioned? From the solution stated by the respondents, appropriate marketing techniques should be considered by the firms engaged in marketing Indian clothes to Thus in this issue, the consumer behaviour involves the purchase process, but it is concerned with the product use process as well. Therefore, consumer behaviour in some general sense concerns not only phenomena that are directly related to but also phenomena that might be characterised as post marketing in the sense that marketing's influence on and involvement in consumers' use of products is nonexistent, more indirect, and/or less intense than its influence and involvement in product purchase. 5.4 Synthesis From the results of the discussion, Indian fashion is most likely acceptable to In accordance to this acceptance of H1: There is a significant relationship between current perception of To test the relationship of the perception of the respondents, the use of correlation statistics was considered. The strength of the linear association between two variables is quantified by the correlation coefficient (Kault, D. 2003). According to Kault, D. (2003), given a set of observations (x1, y1), (x2,y2),...(xn,yn), the formula for computing the correlation coefficient is given by: The correlation coefficient always takes a value between -1 and 1, with 1 or -1 indicating perfect correlation (all points would lie along a straight line in this case) (Kault, D. 2003). A positive correlation indicates a positive association between the variables (increasing values in one variable correspond to increasing values in the other variable), while a negative correlation indicates a negative association between the variables (increasing values is one variable correspond to decreasing values in the other variable). A correlation value close to 0 indicates no association between the variables (Stevens, J.P. 1999). Since the formula for calculating the correlation coefficient standardises the variables, changes in scale or units of measurement will not affect its value. For this reason, the correlation coefficient is often more useful than a graphical depiction in determining the strength of the association between variables. Using this tool, this part of the study illustrates the relationship of the variables related to the issues pertaining the current perception of Table 4. Correlation Analysis The correlations table displays Pearson correlation coefficients, significance values, and the number of cases with non-missing values. Pearson correlation coefficients assume the data are normally distributed. The Pearson correlation coefficient is a measure of linear association between two variables. As previously stated, the values of the correlation coefficient range from -1 to 1. The sign of the correlation coefficient indicates the direction of the relationship (positive or negative). The absolute value of the correlation coefficient indicates the strength, with larger absolute values indicating stronger relationships. The correlation coefficients on the main diagonal are always 1.0, because each variable has a perfect positive linear relationship with itself. Correlations above the main diagonal are a mirror image of those below. In our data, the correlation coefficient for current perception of H2: There is a significant difference between the perceptions of respondents towards fusion of Indian fashion to To determine the difference between the perception of respondents towards fusion of Indian fashion to When testing for a relationship between two variables, sometimes there is a 3rd variable, which we are not interested in at the moment, which influences our results. So, the null hypothesis (Ho: x and y are independent), can also be written as:
Then, using the standard "template" for our inference test, we have: Source: Walpole, RE et al 2002 Assumptions of the Tests[1] In conducting t-test analysis, it is very vital to consider the following assumptions. Ø One last note: It is important to know the assumptions we make in using the 2 sample t-test. Ø Characteristics of the Dependent Variable: It is assumed that y is interval, continuous, and normally distributed. Ø Homogeneity of Variance: We assume that the variances are equal for both groups in the population. If the sample estimates are vastly different, such as 9:1 or 3:1, then you probably have violated this assumption. As you can see, the two sample estimates have to be very different from each other before we worry about the assumption. For this reason we say that t is robust with regard to violations of this assumption. In other words, t still works well, unless the sample variances are drastically different from each other. When homogeneity of variance is violated, it is suggested use of the following modified 2 group tdf for independent samples. Source: Walpole, RE et al 2002 Table 5 Table 5 display the number of cases, mean value, standard deviation, and standard error for the variables compared in the T Test procedure. Since the T Test compares the means for the two variables, it is useful to know what the mean values are. From the presentation pertaining to the overall perception towards fusion of Indian fashion to Table 6 Independent Samples Test As previously discussed, the T Test procedure compares the means of two variables that represent the same group at different times (e.g. between responses of male and female respondents) or related groups. The Independent-Samples T Test procedure compares means for two groups of cases. As shown in Table 6, the mean values for the two groups are displayed in the Group Statistics table. Since the significance value for the Levene test is low (typically less than 0.05) then we may use the results that do no assume equal variances for both groups. From the results, a low significance value for the t test (typically less than 0.05) indicates that there is a significant difference between the two group means. Thus, from the survey respondents, we may conclude that the perception of their perception towards fusion of Indian fashion to 6. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The focus of this study is to investigate the perception of 6.1 Summary6.1.1 Profile of the Respondents The respondents were composed of the respondents at the fashion industry in 6.1.2 Perception of the Respondents From the given perception of the respondents pertaining to the three categories in the survey questionnaire i.e. (a) Perception on Indian Culture and Fashion, (b) Perception on UK Culture and Fashion, and (c) Prospect of Harmonising UK Fashion with Indian Fashion, the respondents gave an overall average Agree rating. This means that the fusion of Indian fashion or clothes to On the other hand, 6.2 Conclusions Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concludes the following: 1. The respondents who took part in this study are already mature in age, responsible and reliable. They are also aware of what's happening in the fashion industry and are deeply concerned about the improvement in the said industry. 2. The respondents have given an average rating of Agree or Strongly Agree to each of the criteria. Most of the respondents believe that the fusion of Indian fashion to 3. The statistics show that that the perception of 6.3 RecommendationsBased on the foregoing summary of findings and conclusion, the researcher recommends the following: 1. Update the marketing strategies and business approach of Indian fashion manufacturers to make it more appealing 2. Maintain open communication lines among the consumers and Indian fashion and clothes manufacturers. 3. Organisations open communication lines between consumer and business industries especially in disseminating information and communication. This is to ensure that the businesses in fashion industry know what the consumer is up to and vice-versa. 4. The products or services or even the Indian fashion clothes should always be in synch with the tastes, lifestyle, economic status and purchasing power of the prospect foreign target market. If the contrary is the case, it may also worthy to consider the time frame in which the marketing strategy and advertising plan will be duly employed and utilised in a foreign locality with different cultural orientation. Time is also the factor to be considered in conceptualising and contextualising a product or service innovation as well as its launching or introduction in the market. Even though the concept of the strategy is a standardised advertising campaign, the people who will be responsible in executing the said project should be sensitive enough to investigate on the local environment. The same advertising campaign does not necessarily mean that the strategy, plans and approached that will be utilised is similar. Too much generalisation about a locality and the people who will be the target of the campaign may post danger on the success of the project. It is important to get close to the audience by knowing their culture. Appendix A Questionnaire Good day. I am currently conducting a study on "UK Consumer Perception towards Indian Fashion". To enable myself to make the necessary conclusions and recommendations for this study, I would appreciate it very much if you answer all the items in the questionnaire, adding your own comments whenever possible in the spaces provided. I assure you that the information you will give will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Thank you very much. Sincerely yours, Pranah Shah Part 1. Personal Data Direction: Please fill up in all the necessary information about yourself. Don't leave any item unanswered. a. Age ________ b. Sex Male ( ) Female ( ) c. Civil Status Single ( ) Married ( ) Separated ( ) Widow/Widower ( ) d. Educational Attainment Secondary ( ) Tertiary ( ) Graduate ( ) e. Do you wear Indian clothes? Yes ( ) No ( ) f. How often? Most of the time ( ) Sometimes ( ) Rarely ( ) Part 2. Perception on Fashion Direction: Encircle the number that best corresponds to your answer. 4 - Strongly Agree 3 - Agree 2 - Disagree 1 - Strongly Disagree Also, please provide any comments after each statement. Thank you. A. Perception on Indian Culture and Fashion 1. Power is embedded in traditional Indian fashion. 2. Respect and dignity are achieved in wearing Indian clothing. 3. Indian fashion represents a status symbol. 4. Indian clothes are comfortable to wear. 5. Indian fashion clothes are practical to wear. 6. Indian fashion clothes are economical. 7. Indian fashion clothes are conservative. 8. Indian fashion clothes are still relevant to modern 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 B. Perception on 1. Power is embedded in 2. Consumers achieve respect and dignity when wearing 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
C. Prospect of Harmonising 1. Fusing (Acculturation is the obtainment of foreign culture by an individual or a group of people. This foreign culture is added and mixed with that of his or her already existing one acquired since birth.) 2. Indian clothing designs will negatively affect 3. Indian clothing designs negatively impact traditional values of 4. The fusion of Indian and 5. Harmonising Indian culture with 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
6. Combining 7. The introduction of Indian designs on 8. In this modern society, it is acceptable to use Indian and 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 Part 3. Problems and Solutions Direction: List down your concerns and suggestions regarding the introduction of Indian fashion to 1. What are the three most common concerns you have encountered with regard to the fusion of Indian and a. ______________________________________________________________ b. ______________________________________________________________ c. ______________________________________________________________ 2. What solutions would you suggest to solve the problems you have mentioned? a. ______________________________________________________________ b. ______________________________________________________________ c. ______________________________________________________________ Appendix B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction Today's market is characterised by highly competitive organisations which are all vying for consumer's loyalty. Firms are faced with the challenge to maintain their own competitive edge to be able to survive and be successful. Strategies are carefully planned and executed to gain the ultimate goal of all: company growth. However, external factors are not the only elements which influence growth. There are also internal factors, components working within the organisation which shape the direction of the company. Along with the changing business world, customers change as well, becoming more demanding and knowledgeable than before. In turn, company management had shifted their focus on their clients or customers so as to stay successfully in business. This transition meant that organisations have to completely reformulate their conventional business aims and purposes from being process-focused to customer-centred. Hence, in order to bring out exceptional custome
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