To Build a Strong Brand within the Fashion Industry - Essay Example

To Build a Strong Brand within the Fashion Industry: A Multiple Case Study Approach 3. Research Methodology 3 Introduction: Research methodology is essential for a research study in order to understand which method would be applicable to which study (Kothari 2008). This particular research is focused on understanding the build-up of strong brand within the fashion industry based on a case study approach. The research objectives as mentioned earlier include: to discuss the significance of constructing powerful brand within the fashion industry; to explain the theory of brand management practices to be used in the fashion industry; to demonstrate about how strong brand is constructed in the fashion industry by focusing upon multiple case study approach; and, to discuss the future development of constructing strong brand within the fashion industry by using the aspect of branding. Thus the steps of the research have been conducted taking into consideration these objectives. The focus on the secondary resources concerning this particular research topic and the approach of involving case studies have enabled the research to achieve its objectives, that have been discussed in this study. 3.2. Research Philosophy: Considering the different philosophies of research, interpretivism has been found to be applicable for this particular research study. Interpretivism combines varied approaches (Brown 2005) together and tries to comprehend the humankind as it is experienced and made considerable by the experiences of human beings. This philosophy takes into account the individual experiences and their beliefs and opinions to form a genuine conclusion that presents a study that lay concealed in such human experiences. In short, this approach takes the individual understanding to reflect the outcomes of the study (Collins 2010). Thus this research philosophy has enabled the present study to focus on the details of the research to determine an understanding on building of a strong brand in the fashion industry. 3.3. Research Approach: The research has been based on a secondary study involving both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Thus the data that have been collected and used for the study have both qualitative as well as quantitative information. For instance, the business reports included financial status of the fashion companies, hence involving quantitative data. On the other hand, the theories and previous researches concerning build-up of strong brand in the fashion industry were qualitative in nature. Qualitative methods require the research study to describe the types and qualities of people or incidents without expressing them in the form of numerical figures (DeBrew 2008; Neergaard and Ulhoi 2007). This approach makes use of case studies, individual experiences, interviews, and related processes that explain the problems and interpretations of naturally occurring activities (Thomas 2003).On the other hand, quantitative methods involve expressing the data and information collected in the form of numbers or amounts (Montello and Sutton 2006). Thus quantitative research uses numerical figures and interprets them through statistical measures (McNabb 2013). In the current research study a combination method has been applied that has taken into consideration both the qualitative and quantitative research studies (Bamberger 2000). This has helped the study to get a clear picture of the underlying facts related to the study. Particularly, the study being related to building up of strong brand in the fashion industry, quantitative measures have been highly significant in understanding the strong brand in the industry as well study the current financial scenario with respect to the brand building in the fashion industry. Qualitative studies have also been conducted to make studies on previous researches conducted on the concerned topic that has given the views and understanding of the human factor in regard to building up of strong brands in the industry related to fashion. Thus a combination method has played a significant role in the research process to effectively meet the research objectives and answer the research questions. 3.3.1. Nature of the Research: Secondary research method has been selected for the present study thus focusing on secondary sources of data collection and analysis. Secondary data refer to those that are not new but have already been obtained by some other researchers at some point of time (Bryman and Bell 2007). These sources can in present be used to analyze a particular study. On the other hand, primary data are those that a researcher obtains himself after making a detailed research work. Secondary sources can be obtained with ease and are less expensive than the primary data. Moreover primary data is more time consuming in comparison to secondary data (Malhotra 2008). Secondary data help in recognition of the problem (Gupta 2004), delineating the problem in a better way, building up an approach for working out the problem, devise a suitable research design, answer questions related to the achievement of research objectives and in understanding data with more insights into it. Thus use of secondary data provides with some great advantages. Moreover it consumes lesser time than with a primary research study and is less expensive as well. Although there may be limitations in using secondary data since these reflect studies that have already been conducted that might not be accurate in answering the required objective questions, yet the secondary method is capable of providing near to accurate results if appropriate study and analysis can be done (Malhotra 2008). 3.3.2. Rationale for Research Method: A significant reason for using secondary research methodology in this particular research study is because the method of secondary research allows the right to use a number of secondary data sources (Smith 2008) depending on which a comprehensive understanding and acquaintance regarding the concerned topic of research could be obtained. Furthermore, another major reason for using the secondary research methodology in this particular study is that the technique facilitated searching the precise needed data that were necessary for efficiently conducting the research study. In addition, the approach of secondary research has been found to be reasonably cost-effective as well as time-efficient, as already mentioned, and hence was trouble-free to implement and most essentially achieve the research objectives in accord with the accuracy of the data and data comprehensiveness which was found to be moderately advantageous to carry out the study (Stevens 2006). 3.4. Case Study Research Design: The secondary research method has also been followed, in this particular research, by a case study method. The case study has been dependent on building a strong brand within the worldwide fashion industry in the present observable facts. A case study approach within the incidence of a research is essentially explained as an ultimate kind of research methodology that is mostly used in representing critical analysis of a particular research topic. It is also viewed to be a thorough rationalization as well as all-inclusive analysis of the subject matters relating to a specific research topic (Ritchie & et. al., 2005). With the case study approach, the study has been able to focus on the industry in more details considering the current scenario of the industry in relation to the building up of strong brand in the industry. The case study approach has taken into consideration a study and understanding on individual fashion brands and companies to determine their brand formation and effects in the industry to enable to come to a conclusion in the study. 3.4.1. Multiple Case Design: Considering the present research study, multiple cases have been involved for analysis (Shekedi 2005) of the building up of brand in the fashion industry. These cases would include different fashion brands and companies and their efforts in building their brands in the industry and their prominence in the industry as a result of the performances of their brands. In a multiple case study design, when many cases are involved and studied, the researcher needs to be more careful considering the mixing and variations of the data. The cases have thus been selected carefully with similar findings on the current topic of study (Munhall and Munhall 2011). 3.4.2. Case Study Rationale: The rationale behind depending on the multiple case study approach was to enhance the credibility of the findings of the research and hence determine a significant conclusion. In order to settle on the character of the case study approach intended to be useful in the particular research study, it has been actually obtained that case studies characteristically highlight upon single or multiple ideas in which case incidents, either single or manifold, are investigated with due contemplation towards conflicting situational circumstances. The wide-ranging characteristics of case study approach encompasses qualitative along with descriptive, inductive, particularistic, longitudinal as well as precise and flexible. It can be mentioned that case study approach that has been taken into consideration for this particular research study was predominantly concerning towards building a strong brand within the fashion industry due to its certain advantages. The merits of case study approach in the proposed study is expected to chiefly hold close the prospect for collection of a broad array of valuable data, effectively organizing as well as managing the obtained data and vigorously interpreting the acquired information (Ritchie & et. al., 2005). 3.5. Collection of Data: Secondary sources that have been used in this study mainly include materials obtained from the internet websites, the books, articles and journals, the previous studies conducted by different researchers on the current topic, and case studies on different companies involved in the fashion industry that reflect on the building up of strong brand in the industry. To understand building up of strong brand in the fashion industry, the previous studies and analyses of different authors and theorists have been studied and consulted. Some studies have been also conducted on the business reports of some of the fashion companies in the industry. Internet based studies have also been conducted on the fashion industry to understand the current scenario and the relevant importance of strong brand formation in the industry and in the minds of the customers. This in turn also facilitated the research with the analysis of the effect of the strong brand building in the fashion industry. Thus these studies have reflected a significant participation in fulfilling the research objectives and determine answers to the questions of the research. Thus use of secondary sources including internet websites, books, articles, journals, and financial reports have been made in this research to get the ultimate results of the concerned topic. 3.5.1. Data Analysis: After the thorough collection of the information based on the secondary sources as well as the case studies and business reports, these information were studied and analyzed to find correlation between the different studies and hence come to a general conclusion in regard to the building up of strong brand in the fashion industry. 3.6. Ethics: Ethical issues are highly essential in research processes as this would include collection of data, reviews of different professional information and the research results have been based on the analysis of such data collection. Maintaining ethical standards is crucial as professionalism and avoidance of wrong measures is expected and demanded of every research work (Orb, Eisenhauer & Wynaden 2000). The different codes of ethics needed to be followed include integrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care, confidentiality and professional behavior. To maintain integrity, fair dealing and honesty need to exist in the research work. Personal influence should not have an effect on the outcomes of the research objectives. Professional standards in regard to knowledge and care need to be utterly maintained. Disclosure of information should have proper backup supports. Moreover, professional behavior needs to be highly maintained in any research work so as not to affect the professional relationships with respect to any step taken in the process. Transparency should be maintained while doing the research work and each and every procedure followed for the research work require to be clearly mentioned in the report (Ethical Dilemmas: What would you do?, n.d.). Ethical factors have been duly kept in focus while conducting the research work. The collection and analysis of data have been done with due care to ensure that professional ethics is not harmed by any wrongdoings. While dealing with the industry analysis, and the data related to performances of the fashion companies, care has been taken regarding the limitations of disclosing facts. Also, every detail of the steps adopted for the study has been provided in the dissertation. Transparency has been maintained and sources of all data that have been used for the study have been provided in references or bibliography. 3.7. Limitations: Since the research study is only secondary sources based, the main limitations of the research have been obtained in the availability of data. The credibility and authenticity of the data had to be kept in note. Not all websites provide with authentic information. Hence limited sources were available. Moreover secondary sources reflect the studies and information that have already been in existence for a while. The analysis is thus based on already worked out theories and results. New and fresh research is not done and hence there is a greater dependency on the information provided by others. Also, the verification of qualitative or quantitative data was very important. Hence the research had to base its judgment on the accuracy, reliability, and precision of the data collected. Credibility and verification of data are required to be taken utmost care of, so that there would not arise any grounds of mistrust on the research (Denscombe 2007). 3.8. Summary: Methodology can be described as the means to deliver a crystal clear understanding regarding the topic on the researcher is looking to conduct the research. An ideal methodology looks to deliver the much required foundation to the researcher to develop a strong research plan. This includes right onwards from choosing the main topic till providing the final recommendation. In this case the research work has been conducted to analyze the importance of building strong brand within the fashion industry, to describe the important theories of brand management applied in the fashion industry and to discuss future scope of study related to the development of strong brand in the fashion industry (Nargundkar, 2010). One of the key decisions to be made during the research design is to decide whether to go for primary or secondary research. Primary research is the collection of data from actual resources such as consumers, retailers, dealers, etc. On the contrary secondary research is conducted too collect secondary data that may include newspapers, reports, journals, etc. Although it is ideally proposed to conduct both primary and secondary research in this case secondary research only has been conducted (Kazmi, 2010). The use of case studies was made in this study since the case studies allowed the understanding of the practical conditions within the fashion industry in regard to the building up of strong brand by the fashion companies. Thus study on few of the fashion companies and their efforts to build up strong brand in the fashion industry, along with the theoretical knowledge of the concept enabled the study to come to an analyzed conclusion. One of the key reasons for such a decision is the relative short period of time for the study. Also another vital reason for choosing secondary research is it is believed that the secondary research is likely to help in the extraction of information smoothly in cost effective manner within a relatively short period of time. Also the relative exploratory nature of the study has lead to the choice of secondary research only (Chattopadhyay, 2009). References Bamberger, M. (2000). Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Lessons from the Field. 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