MA

MA in Marketing and Innovation Research Proposal

Sample Research Proposal - 3

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This is a sample pass answer for the June 2011 assessment. Extracting or copying any part of this answer is strictly prohibited.

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An investigation into the analysis of the marketing benefits of the Internet for SMEs
"A case study on a media buying agency: XYZ"

Index
Introduction Aims & Objectives Literature Review Hypothesis Research Method Data collection and findings Conclusion References Bibliography 2 3 4 11 11 13 15 16 17

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Abstract: Small and Medium Enterprises are the pillar of the business in the modernized era of corporate market. The importance of technology in terms of business benefits for SME is the core context of the current research. Uses of Internet and squeezing up benefits of its implementation in SME are the main facts of the research. Chapter1 of this research highlights and introduction of the research which introduces concept of SME related to the internet technology implementation. In the next chapter followed with different perspective of authors and critical analysis of different theories. Chapter 3 is specified with the research methods and the methodologies applied for this research. The following chapter is justified with the analysis depending upon the data received and the research. The main research will be concluded with the findings and the observation of the project. 1. Introduction: SME is a well known term in business sector coming out to get identified in todays globalize world. SME or the Small and Medium scale Enterprises are creating a huge difference in the improvement of the country. On the other hand technology is a great tool to expand a business and to make it more communicative to rest of the world. It helps the business to get the key of access beyond the boundaries even by seating in any remote place. Most important part of the technology which has already been sketched up a lot of impacts on SME is Internet. The importance of internet is well accepted from decades. The dramatic expansion and innovation of the usage of internet make the SME more technology oriented. It helps the business to be identified everywhere, even in such places where the traditional approach of marketing fails to reach. It cuts off a huge amount of cost of advertising and marketing. It helps the business to be much more communicative and reachable. Flexibility is also a key achievement of Internet marketing. As an example if a SME wants to launch a new product then they can easily publish it on the relevance places of the internet, if a particular form will not work out then they can easily make it amended and start it in a new pattern according to the consumers response specially in this case, where the company is a media agency who are completely dependent on the social response. In this research we are going to focus on the factors that are affecting the marketing of
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a SME and how they are been benefited by internet marketing. To do a empirical research a case study been adopted on a media buyers XYZ

1.1. Research Aims and objective: The main objective of this research is to find out the impacts of internet marketing in the context of SME. It will also focus on the fact that how it is acting as a magic tool in expanding and globalize organization. The researcher worked thoroughly on the implementation and amendments of internet marketing strategies of XYZ to find out how it helped the company to get the hype so smoothly and quickly in the context of the following issues. Benefits of internet marketing boosting the success of the company The strategies of internet marketing is flexible, cost effective, easy to implement for the SME Tools implemented for Internet marketing in context of SME SME can be more effective by optimized usage and implementation.

The case study is about the www.XYZ.co.uk which is a media company which is included in the category of SME.

The Aims of this research is to find out: How much XYZ is successful through Internet marketing in the context of SME? Is really Internet marketing more effective tool than the traditional marketing techniques in case of SME? What are the other concepts of marketing policies in SME which has also been adopted by XYZ to enhance the internet marketing more effective? What is the result of comparable analysis for Internet Marketing and other marketing tool in XYZ? How Guerillscope is successful as a media agency in the world of SME?

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2. Literature Review:

In this context of the research the researcher is mainly concern about the different aspects of internet marketing in the SME to focus the brighter side and the contributions rose from it. How it is focusing in the success of the SME and also optimizing the total cost cut. SMEs Background:

SME is defined in different perspectives such as the number of employees, number of capital invested, departments, branches, number of projects etc. There are various types of business classified on several aspects. The definition of the SME is different in respect of the geographical location. Outcomes of the SME are quite significant but definition is not specified as a whole. It consists of two parts one is the small size business and the other is the medium scale business. SME is an independent organization owed by individual or a small group of proprietor that employs only 1 249 people to perform the activities. (The Department of Trade and Industry, DTI, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2007, 2009) In case of small enterprise it employs less than 50 employees but in case of medium scale enterprise it should be from 50 but must be less than 250 employees. In every individual country the impact of SME on the economy is remarkable. In UK the SMEs holds a significant contribution on the economical establishment. 99.8% of the total business organizations are SME. (BERR, 2008). In Europe SME employment rate is 6.8 (Observatory of European SMEs, 2007).

According to Griffith, contribution of SME in Hong Kong is incomparable. Ninety percent of the total companies here are SME and not only that most of them, like near about eighty eight percent of them are small enterprise with only ten employees working for the company. Surprisingly the four fifth of the business are delivered by these SME in Hong Kong. (Griffith, 1993)

In United States the world trade hub consist of almost 3,800,000 concerns which fall under SME as they have only 1-99 people working under them. These companies are contributing a lot in the
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economic development and the betterment of the country (Griffith, 1993 cited in Behrendorff and Goldsworthy, 1996). The above descriptions and definition proves that the SME is a important key of economic development Technology in SME Marketing: Context of Internet:

The technological implementation (Auger and Gallaugher, 1997) in SME is significantly different from the large concern but usage of it is not much less than the bigger concerns. (Cragg and King, 1993) The marketing strategies for internet marketing are much less for the SME than the strategies implemented in the bigger concern (Pool et al., 2006). They are not that well defined rather than they are much more experimental. (Mason, 1997).

Usage of internet opened a door o globalization for the SMEs without spending a lot on the cost effective traditional approaches of the marketing. It helped the concern to conquer the barrier of distance, time and money (Michalski, 1996). Now a smallest concern with 1 employee and a very less investment and internet can get an identity within the global competitors (Lawrence, 2008). Utilizing the gateway of WWW and the other relevant tools of internet marketing can easily put the SMEs on the top of the hip. The only thing required is the proper coordination by correlating the time and scope.

Through the usage of internet the SMEs are not only getting the consumers they are getting access to many things together. The applications and approaches of internet are giving the SMEs a lot of opportunities to get the access of ecommerce which is a major aspect of business today. A company can get a lot of consumers though this gateway of success. It is giving the business to spread out the opportunity to get the access in new areas and new markets. They are getting familiar with many various terms of data transitions which are possible by this usage of internet. It is helping the concern to publish their newly launched product in global height. It is also exploring the field for the organization where they are getting the scope to reap for their future. All time trading is one of the greatest approaches of internet marketing. It helps the
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organizations to serve the consumer 24 hours and it is automatically increasing the scope of expansion. Internet Advertising and marketing: SME

Internet Marketing has got an exponential success for the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (Schofield, 1997; Jeoffrey, 1997). The organizations are been offered by the access to global transactions (Ranchhod and Hackney, 1997). Daily innovation, addition and research on internet marketing are strengthening up the scopes and access of internet marketing. The all time access in internet is helping the organization to get exceptionally potent clients around the world. It is now covering more area than the traditional methods. It is also providing better support which is creating a wider aspect of customer satisfaction and getting a larger access to huge number of customers which was traditionally not that active. (Burgess and Cooper, 1999). The online transactions increased the sales. The companies who are economically not enough strong to reach the international level they can get them market by less investment through the internet. (Lawrence, 2002; Spectrum, 1998)

The traditional procedure of the marketing is too much cost effective and needs a lot of professional to shape up it to get the actual success whereas the research and development units, offer the SMEs various kind of tools of marketing which are easy to use and also less in price. (Poon and Swatman, 1995). The traditional methods are cost effective but cannot access a wider range of network whereas the investment on internet marketing can easily cover up a much wider area to market the company. The Design, graphics enhance the presentation of the advertisement and the blogs help to compare the similar products and can focus on the key factors which help the company to get the hype on the product or services. It also shapes up the advertisement for marketing according to the alteration of the customers choice. It reduced the cost of transition as well for example the expenditure of printing, publishing, transportation, employee cost, hiring cost etc.

On the other hand the internet marketing makes the companies able to overcome the barrier of infrastructural issues and other relevant factors. All the company needs a very attractive website to compete the rivals. It doesnt matter about the size, area or number of employee.
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It is much more flexible than the traditional methods and theories. It needs to follow several step, methods and formalities. The internet marketing incorporates the entrepreneurs with the marketing templates, strategies and supports. It is also a simpler process than the traditional approaches. It is flexible according with the requirements. Entrepreneurs get a lot of choice and a lot of easy alteration processes.

The challenges of successful marketing and the risk factors are much less than the traditional approach of the marketing. This is because of the less investment and the flexibility in approaches and alteration.

Traditional marketing can only affect a particular group, a specific community or a selected area whereas the internet marketing can easily overcome all those barriers of boundaries and specifications. Different possible aspects of Internet Marketing:

Different possibilities of Internet Marketing: Taken from: http://seanpresley.blogspot.com/p/internet-marketing.html

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 Impacts of Internet Marketing: XYZ: XYZ is a small company with a versatility of departments within a same roof. The areas they focused on are like Insurance Law Travel and tourism Health Sports and leisure Public sector Retail Entertainment Music

There key of success in the usage of internet in the expansion of the business. For all the above key areas they have different websites to market them. There all are hosted under their own server and maintained accordingly. In fact the name of the visitors and the details of their visiting are stored in their database to get further reviewed. This help them to directly hit the visitors are them who are showing interest in any product or services. For example in the following web link: http://www.XYZ.co.uk/TVAdvertisingAgency/AdvertisingCosts/tabid/2537/Default.aspx They are selling their services directly to the client. They listed out the services whereas if the client will click on any of the link as per their requirement then they will be redirected to a specific page where the customer can leave his/ her details to get them back with their requirements further. The below figure showing, the above linked web page and how they display the services in their website.

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Figure showing the link below: http://www.XYZ.co.uk/TVAdvertisingAgency/AdvertisingCosts/tabid/2537/Default.aspx For advertising in Television customer should click on this area

For advertising on radio customer should click on this area

For Outdoor advertising the customer should click on this area

In this way when a customer will click on the TV advertising they will be redirected to a new page, where they will be providing a form which is known as enquiry form. This form needs to be filling up and the authority will contact the customer within a very short time span by replying him as per his requirements. The model form is like the figure below:

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Figure showing the form provided to the customers. These data inserted by the customers directly stored in the Database for further usage. For the whole process of the form they just implemented a template form from an internet marketing provider formstck.com This company use to provide sample of forms according to your requirement which you just need to embed to your website.

These are the examples which can be highlighted from their websites to get aware of how they are doing the internet marketing. This is an example how they are fetching their data from the website for further utilization.

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On the other hand the Google Analytic help them to track the record of the web traffic and that helps them to get the review of how popular is their website and how many people are visiting them, what is the timing of their visit, how they are getting their search, from which zone they are login in and many more. This information helps them to map out the type of visitors and they can alter their site according o their requirements, taste, culture, background and many more. It is quite easy and simple process than the traditional approach and the methods. Apart from that they buy the data about the customers from several internet resources which help them to pin out their business. The usage of CMS helps them to make it easy about the alterations. It takes very short time than a traditional method to amend any advertisement and content accordingly. All their web pages are based on .Net Nuke. It also holds the database in SQL server 2008.

3. Hypothesis: The success rate of SME can be more enhanced with powerful internet marketing To reach the success of this proposed research the researcher need to focus on the relative possible hypothesis to prove the truth of the context in respect to SMEs Internet marketing. The case study of XYZ will enlightened the proposed research on these contexts. 4. Research Methodologies: Research Methodology is the most important rather crucial part of a research because it provides the way to research and helps the researcher to choose the proper research design in order to get conclusion of the research. According to Emory, Research Method is the only procedure which can reflects the transparency of a research. Some relevant and original information provides the researcher knowledgeable about the research whereas ten research methodology yields the original thinking approach to a researcher. (Emory, 1977) 4.1. Choices for Qualitative Research Methodology: Research Methods can be categorized into two different approaches depending on the nature of data or information. First one is the Quantitative Approach and the other one is the Qualitative approach.

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Qualitative Approach: Some types of research topic are there which is maintained according to the new observation or dependent upon the experiment of that particular case study. Though no calculation or measurement is involved in the approaches still some case study related observations are definitely reflected in the research. The main findings of the research are the case specific but some secondary data is also required from the previous study. Reason: The reason for considering the current research as Qualitative because: Online Marketing is a trend which is adopted in the modern era and its provision of changing of the process is vast according to the project needs. The research is a case study specific which involves certain primary data collection directly from the company. So this research cannot be used fro any other purposes. No further calculations are involved in it. The researcher cannot think about his own perception but need to take the idea from the previous research and mainly from the case study.

Quantitative Approaches: The name itself is defining the entity of the research approaches. Quantity is always involved with some of the figurative approaches. Some research topic or types are there which are deductive in the flavor. Mathematical research needs some calculation in a traditional way new innovation or discovery is really not involved in it. This kind of the research directly signifies the Quantitative approach. The previous related studies are very important aspect in that case because this nature of study directly correlates with the traditional methods for calculating. As because the current research is not directly linked up with any deduction or calculation based on the previous related studies so it cannot be considered as Quantitative research.

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4.2. Collection of Data: Data can be collected in numerous ways but two of them are very important aspect according to the nature of the data which are Primary data and Secondary data collection. Primary Data Collection: Any case study specific research needs to be assessed through the direct observation on the case study. For observing analyzing the case study which is based on a media buying agency named as XYZ some primary data directly from the employee of the company is needed to be achieved. For receiving the primary data from directly the company some basic nature of the procedure has been followed up as: Scheduling interviews with employee of the organization. Providing them some questionnaire with an assurance of data security. Research through the internet resources like a daily blog, discussion forums etc. of the company. The online link for the company which directly informs the facts about the company. As the size of the company is medium which ensure it as SME so the managing director appointment is not tougher like the other bigger companies? Preparing a framework of the questionnaire which is the most important part for the data analysis.

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Figure 4.4: Data Collection Method. Picture taken from: http://www.watershedplanning.illinois.edu/profile_steps/step3.cfm Secondary Data Collection: It is discussed earlier that the research under consideration is entire case study specific and henceforth it is Qualitative in nature. On a contrary the research also needs to be understood by the previous related studies. The idea of SME marketing and contribution of online marketing in SME is perceived through some previous related studies which is elaborated with the theoretical perspective and some previously researched case studies. So the importance of Secondary data is not less than the Primary data. It is equally signified as Primary data in the current research.

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4.3Analysis of Collected Data: The collected Primary and Secondary data must be critically analyzed through some parameters. In order to perform the analysis of data validity, generalizability of the research must be assessed. Research Validity: The designing of eth research is followed with the validity which states how much the data and the research design validated with the research topic. In order to examine the data validation the hypothesis of the research must be understood which elaborates the online marketing tool implementation in order to enrich the success rate of SME. Now the confusion is the hypothesis can be positive or negative depends upon how much the data analysis is validated. For performing a proper data validation analysis the Sampling of Data must be required 4.3.1Sampling Analysis: Sampling analysis is the fundamental approach of statistics and to be more specific Probability. The Sampling of the data is performed through the primary data questionnaire and interviews of the employee of XYZ. The other data are collected through the direct online resources of the company. Key features of Sampling for this research: Primary data collection through direct interaction and contacts with XYZ employees. Correlating the information with the online resources. The reliability checking with the same types of reply from every employee of the company. Interpretation the data with the Statistical figures.

(http://www.csulb.edu/~msaintg/ppa696/696sampl.htm#Why sample) Variables determination for performing the Sampling:

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Proper determination of the variables is the basic requirements for understanding the interpretation of the statistical presentation. The first one is changeable according to the case study but the later one is static for every similar types of the research related to the same types of topic. Independent: the marketing techniques Dependent: the success rate of XYZ representing a SME. Reliability of Research and data: The data are collected directly form the company resources wither from verbally directed from them or eventually from the online link. In order to maintain the reliability the checking of very data correlation is also performed which ensures the research designing and data analysis is quite perfect in respect to reliability. Generalizaibility of Research and data: This aspect of a research is another vital part for analyzing the data. The theoretical perspective and concepts of different authors must be correlated with case study whether it is reflected or not. The generalizabilty of the research is well accepted in terms of maintaining the theoretical reflection in the case study. The former studies abut SME and online marketing is also highlighted in the strategies of XYZ.

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Figure 4.1. Sources from (http://conductingresearch.blogspot.com/2010/11/reliability-andvalidity-of-qualitative.html) 5. Research Limitation: The employee interviews and responses are correlated but the actual scenario is only possible from the managing director. Arranging the interview with Managing Director is little bit complicated due to the work load of him. The size of the organization does not provided with many employees so Sampling Analysis may cause some error.
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5.1. Recommendation of the research: The interviews and some significant information must be kept with all the privacy and security so that the reliability on the researcher is well maintained. 5.2. Further Scope: The research can be compared with the other companies to be more specific about the SME concept and online marketing. With the enhancement of XYZ the future researches can be well reflected without any sampling error.

6. Conclusion: In this context of research the researcher focused on how the internet marketing can enhance the rate of success of the SMEs. It was started with the definition of the relevant facts and topic and later focused on to correlate those stated facts with the practical scenario through the case study adopted. It concludes with the overview of the optimum usage of the internet, to globalize a SME by overcoming the barriers of time, distance and cost. Supported literature reflects that the proper utilization of internet can help the SMEs to get compatible more quickly than the traditional approach. Through the context of the case study it proved the hypothesis and established the fact of the research.

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References: Auger, P., and Gallaugher, J., (1997), Factors affecting the adoption of an Internet based

Sales presence for small businesses, The information society, 13, pp. 55-74 BERR (Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), (2008), http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/sme Behrendorff, G. and Goldsworthy, M., (1996), Electronic commerce for Small to

Medium Sized Enterprises, Centre for Electronic Commerce, Monash University, Australia Burgess, L., and Cooper, J., (1999), A Model for Classification of Business Adoption of Internet Commerce Solution, Twelfth Bled Electronic Commerce Conference, Global Networked Organizations, Bled, Slovenia Craig, P., King, M., (1993), Small-firm computing: Motivators and Inhibitors, MIS

Quarterly (March), pp. 47-59 DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), (2009), http://www.dti.gov.uk DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), (1997, 1998, and 1999), moving Into the Information Age: An International Benchmarking Study. Emory, C.W. (1977).Business Research Methods. Lawrence, J.E., (2008), The Challenges and Utilization of e-Commerce: The Use of Internet by Small to Medium-sized Enterprises in the United Kingdom, Information, Society and Justice Volume 1 No. 2 Lawrence, J.E., (2002), The Use of Internet in Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises, PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK. Mason, R.M., (1997), SME adoption of electronic commerce technologies: Implication for emerging national information infrastructure, Systems sciences, Proceedings of the thirtieth Hawaii international conference on information systems, pp. 495-504 Michalski, (1996) Factors influencing e-commerce adoption and use by small and medium businesses, Electronic Markets, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp 438-453. Observatory of European SMEs (2007), Competence development in SMEs, 2008, European Commission

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Pool, P. et.al. (2006) .Are SMEs meeting the challenge of integrating e-commerce into their businesses? A review of the development, challenges and opportunities, International Journal of Information Technology and Management, Vol. 5, No 2/3, pp 97113.

Poon, S., and Swatman, P., (1998), Small Business Internet commerce Experience: A Longitudinal Study, Eleventh International Bled Electronic Commerce Conference, Bled, Slovenia

Ranchhod, A. and Hackney, R., (1997), Global Marketing through Information Technology, 7th BIT Conf. Manchester Metropolitan University, UK Schofield, P. A., (1997), The World Wide Web: Marketing Communications and Improving Effectiveness, 7th BIT Conf. Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Bibliography: Abell, W., and Black, S., (1997), Business use of Internet in New Zealand: A Follow-up Study, http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/ccb/staff/abell/webnet.htm Al-Qirim, N. (2006), Personas of E-commerce adoption in small businesses in New Zealand, Journal of Electronic Commerce in Organizations, Vol. 4, No.3, pp.17-45 Angell, I.O.and Smithson, S., (1989), Managing Information Technology: A crisis of Confidence? Department of Information Systems, London School of Economics and Political Science, Working paper series 20 Auger, P., and Gallaugher, J., (1997), Factors affecting the adoption of an Internet based Sales presence for small businesses, The information society, 13, pp. 55-74 Barnes, D., Dyerson, R, Harindranath, G., (2008), If it isnt broken, dont fix it, http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Management/Research/PRISM/index.html Behrendorff, G. and Goldsworthy, M., (1996), Electronic commerce for Small to Medium Sized Enterprises, Centre for Electronic Commerce, Monash University, Australia

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