Effect of Branding on the Increase of Tablet Computers Market in the UK - Dissertation Example

? An investigation into the impact of branding on growth of tablet computer for the UK market By Submitted to Contents Table of Figures 3 Listof Tables 3 Photo Credit 3 Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1Introduction 1 1.2 Background 1 1.3 Research Significance 2 1.4 Purpose of study 3 1.4.1 Aim of Research 3 1.4.2 Research Objectives 3 1.5 Methodology 4 1.5 Conclusion 5 Chapter 2: Literature Review 7 2.1 Introduction 7 2.1 Concepts and definitions 8 2.1.1 Brand 8 2.2 Significance 10 2.3 How branding works 11 2.3.1 Perception 11 2.3.2 Brand perception triggers 12 2.3.3 Building strong brands 14 2.4 Branding in technology markets 15 2.4.1 The Branding Process 15 2.4.2 Peculiarities of technology markets 15 2.6. Branding in the tablet industry 19 2.7 Chapter Summary 22 2.8 Research Hypothesis 23 References 24 Appendix 1: Questionnaire 28 Questionnaire on Consumer Perception 28 Perception on branding practices 28 Perception on tablet PCs 31 Tell us about your self 31 Table of Figures Figure 1: Literature review process flow followed for this study 7 Figure 2: The concept of branding 9 Figure 3: The branding scene below is shown on Egyptian Tomb walls dating back to 2,000 B.C. 10 Figure 4: Belief and perception systems in humans 12 Figure 5: Brand archetype triggers and benefits 13 Figure 6: Three dimensions of benefits in positioning technology brands 19 Figure 7: Operating systems of the current tablets in the market. 21 Figure 8: Three important markets for tablet PCs 22 List of Tables Table 1: Branding in technology markets vs. consumer packaged goods markets 17 Table 2: Tablets currently in the market 19 Photo Credit Cover page: http://eastprovidencehighschool.com/townie/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/e3295c9frs_fK1KW_54.jpg Onion in page 8: http://mocoloco.com/art/upload/2007/12/purple_onion/chumley_onion.jpg Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Introduction This chapter provides an overview of the entire dissertation, starting with the background of the study that brings out the phenomenon of study. This is followed by a delineation of the need of such a study and its significance, which then leads to formation of the research question and setting the aims and objectives of the study. Subsequently, the chapter deals with a brief description of the research methods to be adopted for the study covering such issues as the research design, sampling, data collection and analysing. 1.2 Background In the information age, two things have invaded into every individual’s life – one is a mobile phone, and the other a PC. Over the decades, the need for diminishing size and increasing mobility of the personal computer; and increasing size and functionality of the mobile has given rise to the birth of Tablet PC. In other words, a tablet PC can be seen as a blend between a mobile phone and a PC that has evolved from consumers’ preference for larger and larger mobile phones and smaller and sleeker laptops. World’s first commercially available Tablet was launched by Apple computers, the iPad in April 2010. This was quickly followed by a host of companies such as the Dell Streak, Samsung Galaxy tab, Blackberry PlayBook, HP Tablet , Asus Eee Pad, Data Ltd. Tablets, JLT Mobile Computers, and Motion Computing Tablets, just to name a few. Some of these target the consumer market, while other target the professional market. The operating system played an important role in the proliferation of the tablet PC industry. Irrespective of where it is targeted, one thing is apparent that the tablet PC market has taken the technology market by surprize in terms of growth, product innovation, and marketing innovation. Could it be due to branding? It makes an interesting topic for research into this aberration. A brand, according to the American Marketing Association, is “a customer experience represented by a collection of images and ideas… Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the accumulation of experiences with the specific product or service, both directly relating to its use, and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary” (www.MarketingPower, Inc., 2011). VanAuken (2004) added that the brand management process is based on a deep understanding of consumer and competitors, for which an depth qualitative understanding of the consumer benefit structure by segment, including an understanding of the benefits that are cost-of-entry and differentiating in nature. The consumer benefits may be functional, emotional, experiential, and self- expressive (VanAuken, 2004). 1.3 Research Significance Traditionally it is perceived that technology and branding appear to be contrasting to each other’s purpose as branding is based on consistency and constancy (Kotler & Pfoertsch, 2006), while technology is based on change and improvement (Sawhney, 2005). Moreover, technology firms usually believe that their key to success is innovation and constant enhancement of product features, and improving price performance. Due to this endemic belief, they generally emphasize on product management instead of brand management. This leads to the scepticism, “did branding really play a decisive role in the phenomenal growth of the tablet PC market, particularly in the UK market”, making this as the research question. The answer to this question is significant from several angles. Firstly, it will provide an insight on whether the tablet PC industry has benefitted due to the impact of branding. Secondly, if it is yes, how exactly branding has benefitted the tablet PC industry. Thirdly, this insight will be a pathfinder for further research in the direction of branding of technology products. Fourthly, it will not only benefit the table PC manufacturers, but a host of other stakeholders including the consumer, as branding effort is usually considered to be a desirable activity. Hence, the study is considered to be highly significant and is a step in the right direction. 1.4 Purpose of study The purpose of the study is to explore into the impact of branding on tablet computers. The findings of the study are expected to contribute to the body of the knowledge and provide further direction to the industry and academia as well. 1.4.1 Aim of Research The specific aim of the study is to investigate the impact of branding on growth of tablet computers. 1.4.2 Research Objectives The study has the following primary and secondary objectives: Primary objectives The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of branding on growth of tablet computers, particularly in the UK market. Secondary Objectives The secondary objectives of this study are: To investigate how consumers perceive the tablet PC. To undertake a theoretical explorations on the subject of branding in general and technology branding in particular. To undertake review of current literatures linking various aspects of branding and consumer perception. 1.5 Methodology Achieving the research aims and objectives will require primary and secondary research. The study will gather perceptions of UK consumers on branding practices and tablet PCs as well. The study will employ quantitative cross-sectional study using about 25 variables to collect perception of 50 respondents. A convenient classroom administered survey to students will be undertaken on voluntary basis will comprise the sample of the consumers. For measuring the variables, 5-point Likert scale will be used. Besides, the study being conducted on human subjects will adhere to all ethical considerations such as: (1) the principle of voluntary participation; (2) requirement of informed consent; (3) risk of harm; (4) participant’s confidentiality; (5) principle of anonymity; (5) participant’s right to service. Additionally, while designing the study, such aspects as reliability and validity will be taken into account and the instrument will be designed appropriately. 1.5 Conclusion The study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter, which is the present chapter, provided an over view of the entire study providing a view of the background, significance of the study, which eventually led to the development of the purpose and research question. Subsequently, the research aim and objectives was finalised so that the research methodology could be chalked. The next chapter provides an extensive review of literatures examining the theoretical aspects of branding, perception and branding in technology sector. It will also study the underlying nuances of branding in the tablet PC market and try to find out what researchers have to say about the impact of branding on the tablet PC market. At the end of this chapter a set of hypothesis will be formed. Chapter 3 contains the research methodology giving a detailed account of the various research methods available, while selecting the most suitable research method for achieving the aims and objectives of the research. In addition to the research method, this chapter will also discuss all relevant research issues such as research design, sampling, measurement, data collection including the ethical consideration and reliability and validity issues. It will also discuss how the data will be analysed. Chapter 4 will be dealt with in three sections such as (1) findings, (2) analysis and (3) discussion. The finding section will list all the major and other findings made during the study. The analysis section will delineate the detailed analysis of the data leading to testing of the hypothesis. The discussion will provide a comparison between the findings of the critical review of the literatures and a critical analysis of the study. Based on these, the final chapter (Chapter 5) will draw conclusions of the study and make recommendations. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This chapter delineates the review of literatures undertaken to answer the research question “what is the impact of branding on growth of tablet computers for the UK market?” Beginning with concepts and definitions of branding, it goes on to review the significance and impacts of branding and how branding enables the buying process. Finally, it studies current literatures relating to the issues surrounding branding in the technology sector before finally delving into studying branding of tablet computers. The literature review process devised by the researcher is depicted in the figure below: Figure 1: Literature review process flow followed for this study To enable searching the right research materials, a key word search was carried out in the library software and a list of relevant materials were gathered. This was followed by a title search and all relevant books, academic publications and research journals, PhD thesis and dissertation reports were searched on branding. The results were compiled and coded under four categories as (1) books and book sections; (2) publication in academic journals, (3) publication in periodicals, (4) thesis and dissertations. Practitioners view was also gathered from various reputed consulting houses in the form of whitepapers, case studies and other resources available in their websites. The review is presented in the succeeding paragraphs. 2.1 Concepts and definitions 2.1.1 Brand The American Marketing Association in their website MarketingPower defines a brand as “a brand is a customer experience represented by a collection of images and ideas; often, it refers to a symbol such as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the accumulation of experiences with the specific product or service, both directly relating to its use, and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary” (MarketingPower, Inc., 2011) Numerous books and literatures have delineated about brands and branding. As it is for the purpose of branding itself, various authors have various perceptions about branding. For instance, Tim Calkins (2005), a co-editor of Kellogg on Branding states that “a brand can be viewed as a set of associations that are linked to a name, mark, or symbol associated with particular products or services. Calkins explains the difference between a name and brand and states that a name does not have associations; it is just a name, something like a person having a name without any reputation (The Marketing Faculty of the Kellog School of Management, 2005). On the other hand, Holt perceived branding as a psychological phenomenon, which originates from the perceptions of individual customers (Holt, 2004). VanAuken (2004) summarised various definitions of branding as: It is the source of a relationship with the consumer; It is the source of a promise to the consumer; It the unique source of products and services; It is a singular idea or concept that you own inside1; It is the sum total of each consumer’s experience with your organisation” (VanAuken, 2004, p.15). Figure 2: The concept of branding Source: VanAuken, B., 2004. The Brand Management Checklist: Proven tools and techniques for creating winning brands. London: Kogan Page, p.5. 2.2 Significance The history of branding goes back to 2000 B.C. which used earmarking and other type of marking of cattle to distinguish the different owners and stocks. Throughout history in all countries and civilisations brands have been used as mark of identification (Devil's Rope Museum, 2007). Figure 3: The branding scene below is shown on Egyptian Tomb walls dating back to 2,000 B.C. Source: Devil's Rope Museum, 2007. The History of Cattle Brands. [Online] Available at: http://www.barbwiremuseum.com/cattlebrandhistory.htm [Accessed 13 May 2011]. The Devil’s Rope Museum stated in block letters that “MANY MEN HAVE AMASSED HUGH FORTUNES THROUGH THE LEGITIMATE APPLICATION OF THEIR BRANDING IRONS. OTHERS HAVE PAID WITH THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THEIR IMPROPER USE” (Devil's Rope Museum, 2007). Brands, in modern competitive times have only become more relevant and highly significant, providing numerous advantages to all those who use it properly. Kotler et al. (2009) identified as many as eleven advantages of strong brands. These are: 1. Improved perception of product performance; 2. Greater loyalty; 3. Less vulnerable to competitive marketing actions; 4. Less vulnerable to marketing crisis; 5. Larger margins; 6. More inelastic consumer response to price increases; 7. More elastic consumer response to price decreases; 8. Greater trade cooperation and support; 9. Increased marketing communications effectiveness; 10. Possible licensing opportunities; 11. Additional brand extension opportunities” (Kotler et al., 2009, p.254). 2.3 How branding works 2.3.1 Perception Whatever may be the perception about branding by various authors and researchers, it is apparent that perception plays a decisive role in branding itself. Perception can be referred to as the intuitive understanding and insight on something or simply speaking perception is “the way some thing is regarded, understood, or interpreted (Oxford Dictionaries, 2010). People perceive differently, and assign different meaning to the same exposure. Webpronews (2008), a professional website, explained that the mind is a “deeply complex organ, which sometimes is influenced even by small and trivial things; yet at other times is closed to external stimuli. Webpronews (2008) compared perception as the outer layer of an onion, wherein belief resides at the core. When subtle stimuli are impounded on a human mind it gradually descends deeper and become belief, which are hard to change; just as the top layers of the onion may dry up over time due to interaction with air, but not the layers beneath (www.webpronews.com, 2008). Figure 4: Belief and perception systems in humans Adapted from: www.webpronews.com, 2008. In Marketing, Perception Is Everything: Influence.Not so much. [Online] Available at: http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/04/04/in-marketing-perception-is-everything [Accessed 13 May 2011]. 2.3.2 Brand perception triggers Repeated exposure of impressions is the essence of branding, which intends to create beliefs about a particular brand by repeatedly exposing the customer or consumer to its brand elements. Apart from having extraordinary products and services, creating impeccable perception in the minds of the customer at each and every exposure and touch point of the customer is an important branding strategy. To trigger perceptions about a brand, researchers have identified as many as 10 archetypes operating in the collective psyche of the people (Context, 2007). These archetypes can be managed to alter options and behaviours relating to a brand. The trigger points and benefits of the trigger points are placed below. Figure 5: Brand archetype triggers and benefits Source: Context, 2007. Brand Perception & the 10 Brand Trigger-Points. [Online] Context (Powerpoint Presentation) Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/ContextBranding/brand-perception-the-10-brand-triggerpoints-presentation [Accessed 13 May 2011]. Backwith in his book “Selling the Invisible: a field guide to modern marketing” (1997) brought out another dimension to perception. According to him, perception of the customer is always right; since the issue is not whether the customer should be satisfied with the efforts of a company or its products or services or relationships; but the issue is about how satisfied the customer is and remains satisfied for how long (Beckwith, 1997). Beckwith added that humans perceive poorly; besides their perception is neither logical in forming, nor in drawing conclusions. The mere experience what they perceive or believe to experience (Beckwith, 1997). Therefore, managing perception is the most important evolution of branding, which amply justifies the huge importance accorded towards determining consumer perception. In managing consumer perception, brands have a remarkable ability to impact the way people view products or service; as they see the product together with brand. “As a result how they perceive the product is shaped by the brand (Calkins, 2005, p.2). 2.3.3 Building strong brands Aaker (2010) in one of his recent articles on “Japan Builds Brands to Last” stated that brand building is done over an extended period of time. While studying the Japanese Brands, he observed certain facts about strong brands. These are: 1. Brand equity is based on decades of performance; and customers don’t just forget previous brand experience. 2. Brand building is a long-term project. 3. It is difficult to break into the top echelon of brands. 4. It is hard to destroy top brands. 5. Heritage and past experience matter. A brand that has a heritage and some latent equity might be a candidate for revitalization. 2.4 Branding in technology markets 2.4.1 The Branding Process VanAuken (2004) stated that the brand management process is centred around a deep understanding of consumer and competitors, for which an depth qualitative understanding of the consumer benefit structure by segment, including an understanding of the benefits that are cost-of-entry and differentiating in nature. The consumer benefits may be functional, emotional, experiential, and self- expressive (VanAuken, 2004). Based on these insight brand designing is undertaken. Designing involves a consideration of such aspects as (1) target consumer; (2) essence; (3) promise; (4) personality; and (5) positioning. The brand design needs to be aligned with organisation’s core competence and strategic intent. VanAuken (2004) suggests that “once the brand is designed, the design must drive all of the organisation’s consumer communication, and all other marketing elements, organisation design and value chain. According to Michael Porter, value chain refers to when each activity an organisation undertakes necessarily leads to adding value to its target consumers. When it fails to do so, the activities are re-evaluated and possibly eliminated (VanAuken, 2004). 2.4.2 Peculiarities of technology markets As the entire process of branding revolves around consumers and competitors, branding process also varies considerably depending upon the market in which it is undertaken. Technology markets provide a different operating environment from that of the traditional markets. The differences can be in many contextual factors such as marketing characteristics, product life cycle, product complexity, product architecture, customer behaviour, and channels and partner ecosystem (Sawhney, 2005). To quote Derrith Lambka, ex-corporate advertising manager at Hewlett-Packard, “It is very hard for technology companies to embrace branding because technology and branding are completely opposites. To me, branding is consistency, consistency, consistency, and technology is change, change, change” (Sawhney, 2005, p.201). Further, the nature of endemic belief in the technology firms prevailing in the technology markets also makes them apart from the rest of the market. For instance, technology firms believe that their key to success lies in innovation, constant enhancement of product features, and improving price performance. Due to this inherent belief, technology firms usually direct their marketing effort on developing and marketing innovative products. As a result, their marketing organisation instead of emphasising on brand management, tend to focus on the opposite – product management. Another aspect that differentiates the technology market from the rest is that rapid change and evolution, with high and quick product obsolesces, which are the hallmark of technology markets (Sawhney, 2005). For instance, outside the technology sector, especially in the consumer product goods (CPG), products have longer longevity, extending well over decades. Numerous examples in soaps, shampoos, breakfast cereals, packaged food stuff and the like exemplify this fact. Along with the products, the brands such as Kellogg, Dove, Tide and many others continue to live for generations. Expecting the same thing to happen in the technology market would certainly be overstatement. Sawhney (2005) brought out differences of branding in technology markets vis-a-vis branding in CPG markets and the implications for managing technology brands pertaining to such contextual factors as: market characteristics, product life cycle, product complexity, product architecture, consumer behaviour, channels and partner ecosystem. These are reproduced in the table below. Table 1: Branding in technology markets vs. consumer packaged goods markets Contextual factor Consumer packaged goods market Technology markets Implications for managing technology brands Market characteristics Relatively mature markets. Emphasis on market share with existing categories Rapidly changing and evolving markets. Emphasis on shaping demand and creating new categories. Branding the company, not the product Pre-market branding in emerging opportunity arenas Product life cycle Long. Product categories are relatively stable and evolve slowly. Short. Products diffuse rapidly through the adoption life cycle and successive product generations are introduced rapidly. Managing dynamics of brand positioning across the technology adoption life cycle. Migrating from category – level competition to brand level completion. Managing dynamics of brand positioning across successive product generations. Product complexity Low. Products have a few easily understood features. High. Products have hundreds or thousands of features. Product as focus instead of brand as focus. Abstracting from features and functions to benefits and emotional benefits. Product architecture Simple. Product is usually one integral unit. Complex and modular. Products consist of several components from many providers. Importance of brand hierarchy and brand architecture. Importance of co-branding and ingredient branding. Customer behaviour Relatively simple customer decision-making process (MMP). Simple decision-making unit (DMU) Complex DMP with many steps and many sources of information. Complex DMU with multiple audiences and influencers. Brand as total customer experience across diverse touch points and steps in buying cycle. Managing integrity of the total customer experience with the brand. Channels and partner ecosystem Mostly vertical channel relationship-distributors and retailers. Vertical as well as horizontal relationships – complementors, VARs, ISVs. Managing brand experiences mediated through partners. Managing conflicts of interest in co-branding with ecosystem partners. Source: Sawhney, M., 2005. Branding in Technology Markets. In A.M. Tybout, ed. Kellog on Branding. Tim Calkins ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp.204-205. From the table above, it is apparent that branding in technology markets needs more than branding in other markets. Besides, technology firms need to go beyond the feeds-and-speeds, which overly relies on functional characteristics of products in branding positioning and focus on customer-desired outcomes and benefits (Sawhney, 2005). Sawhney provides a model to enable three dimensions of benefits in positioning technology brands, depicted in the figure below. Figure 6: Three dimensions of benefits in positioning technology brands Source: Sawhney, M., 2005. Branding in Technology Markets. In A.M. Tybout, ed. Kellog on Branding. Tim Calkins ed. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p.220. 2.6. Branding in the tablet industry Though Tablets have been in existence for some time, their mass appeal is only recent. In April 2010, the world witnessed the world’s first iPad launched by Apple Computers. Yet in precisely a year’s time the market is flooded by competing products with improved features. The Android operating system for tablets, a rival of Apple’s mac, has facilitated many market players such as Samsung (Samsung Galaxy Tab), Motorola (Motorola Xoom), Dell (Dell Streak), and many more are getting ready to launch. The table below provides the makes of the brands, along with their respective operating systems, and availability and screen features. Table 2: Tablets currently in the market Maker Operating System Availability Screen Apple  iPad IOS 4.3 AT&T and Verizon 9.7 inch TFT display with a 1024 by 728 pixel ratio Samsung  Galaxy Tab Android 2.2 T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, Verizon 7 inch TFT-LCD display with a 1024 by 600 pixel ratio Dell  Streak Android 2.2 T-Mobile 7 inch WVGA display with a 800 by 480 pixel ratio Motorola  Xoom Android 3.0 Verizon 10.1 inch HD widescreen display with a 1280 by 800 pixel ratio iPad 2 IOS 4.3 AT&T and Verizon 9.7 inch LED display with a 1024 by 768 pixel ratio Samsung  Galaxy Tab 2 Android 3.0 To be announced 10.1 inch TFT display with a 1280 by 800 pixel ratio Source: August, R., 2011. Tablet Wars. [Online] Available at: http://eastprovidencehighschool.com/townie/2011/03/tablet-wars/ [Accessed 12 May 2011]. A tablet PC is an amalgamation between a mobile phone and a PC, which has resulted from consumers’ preference for larger and larger mobile phones and smaller and sleeker laptops. The operating system plays an important role in the tablet industry. Frost & Sullivan (2011) state that there are only a few types of operating systems that are available for tablet PCs primarily the limited hardware that compatible with software written for x86 architecture. Currently, tablet operating systems include or will include such operating systems such as: iOS, Android OS, Windows 7 Starter, Palm Web OS, QNX (for BlackBerry tablet). Industry experts believe that many of these operating systems are likely to be fixated with their specific hardware, except Windows 7 and Android, which are likely to have more open architecture, and thus will be available from a number of hardware vendors (Frost & Sullivan, 2011). Figure 7: Operating systems of the current tablets in the market. Source: Frost & Sullivan, 2011. Tablet PC Market Overview. [Online] ( 2 Mar 2011) Available at: http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/market-insight-top.pag?Src=RSS&docid=225907684 [Accessed 14 May 2011]. As the competition gets hotter and hotter, tablet PCs manufacturers are trying to position the products of their brands in line with Sawhne’s (2005) three dimensional consumer benefits; moving from economic and functional benefits to emotional benefits (Fig.6). For instance, the tablets PCs are now becoming extremely versatile with touch screen voice, portability features with small and light weight and a host of other mobile functionality that were once unique to PCs and mobile phones respectively. Due to the inherent convenience, usage of tablet PCs can be expanded into three distinct markets as placed below and more usage areas are emerging by the day. Figure 8: Three important markets for tablet PCs Source: Frost & Sullivan, 2011. Tablet PC Market Overview. [Online] ( 2 Mar 2011) Available at: http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/market-insight-top.pag?Src=RSS&docid=225907684 [Accessed 14 May 2011]. Despite the already flooding of the market place, which is more likely to escalate in the recent future, market predictors profess that only a few brands those who can differentiate themselves due to a combination of sleek product design, advanced device capabilities, capable operating system, and company reputation will only prevail. 2.7 Chapter Summary The present chapter presented a review of current literatures on branding available in books, current academic journals and professional websites. It delineated the concept and definition of branding. Beginning with a brief account of historical significance of branding, the chapter dealt why and how branding is important to businesses. Subsequently, it dealt with how branding works and the role of perception in the branding process. Moving ahead the chapter discussed the peculiarities of branding in technology sector. The review culminated with branding of tablet computers. 2.8 Research Hypothesis Considering the observations made in the literature review vis-a-vis the research question and the aims and objectives of the present study, the researcher believed that branding of tablet PCs will determine the survival of the Tablets. Accordingly, following research hypothesis is established. Hypothesis 1 (H-1): In the tablet PC market in UK, branding practices adopted by various Tablet PC manufacturers are positively correlated to customer perception on Tablet PC. Null Hypothesis (H0): In the tablet PC market in UK, there is no correlation between branding effort and market share. References 1. Aaker, D., 2010. Japan Builds Brands to Last. [Online] Available at: http://www.marketingpower.com/ResourceLibrary/Publications/MarketingNews/2010/5_30_10/Aaker%20on%20branding.pdf [Accessed 13 May 2011]. 2. August, R., 2011. Tablet Wars. 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Wonglorsaichon, P. & Sathainrapabayut, P., 2008. Brand Perception & Brand Equity of Baby Accessory Products in Working Moms’ Perspective. International Review of Business Research Papers, 1 January. pp.385-95. Available at: http://www.bizresearchpapers.com/Paper-26new.pdf. 39. www.stc.org, n.d. Brand Identity: Current Perceptions (Survey I) - Analysis & Results. [Online] Available at: http://www.stc.org/PDF_Files/STC-Brand-Perception-Survey-Analysis.pdf [Accessed 12 May 2011]. 40. www.webpronews.com, 2008. In Marketing, Perception Is Everything: Influence.Not so much. [Online] Available at: http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2008/04/04/in-marketing-perception-is-everything [Accessed 13 May 2011]. Appendix 1: Questionnaire In the tablet PC market in UK, branding practices adopted by various Tablet PC manufacturers are positively correlated to customer perception on Tablet PC. Dear Respondent, I am pursuing _____________ programme at _________ college of _______ University. Towards fulfilment of part of the study curriculum, I am undertaking a study on impact of branding on growth of tablet computer for the UK market. Your views regarding this will be important for the study. Participation is voluntary and is on anonymous basis. If you wish to participate, you have to answer the questionnaire by selecting the statement that best describes your views. The questionnaire will take about 15 minutes to complete. Questionnaire on Consumer Perception Perception on branding practices Statement Strongly disagree Disagree Can’t say Agree Strongly agree V1. Without branding nobody would not have known about Tablet PCs V2. I am familiar with the Tablet PCs is because of: Advertisements Reviews Internet Saw them in a showroom Someone told me V3. I would buy an unbranded Tablet PC, because it would be considerably cheaper than the branded ones V4. Advertisement have helped me to know learn about Tablet PCs V5. Branding is helping the Tablet PC market in UK V6. Without branding effort, I wouldn’t have known about the Tablet PCs V7. I like to be informed about the Tablet PCs through Print media advertisement Visual media advertisement E-mail Internet Direct mail V8. How many of these Tablet PC brands you are familiar with (please tick the ones you are familiar with) Apple I Pad Dell Streak Samsung Galaxy tab Blackberry PlayBook HP Tablet Asus Eee Pad Data Ltd. Tablets JLT Mobile Computers Motion Computing Tablets Perception on tablet PCs Statement Strongly disagree Disagree Can’t say Agree Strongly agree V9.. Presently I own a Tablet PC. Yes No V10. Tablet PCs are useful products. V11. Tablet PCs are more useful than mobile phones. V12. Tablet PCs are more useful than laptops and PCs V13. Tablet PCs will continue to remain in the market for a long time to come. V14. Tablet PC will replace the mobile phone in future. V15. Tablet PC will replace the PC in future. V16. Tablet PCs prices will be more affordable in future. V17. I intend to buy a Tablet PC for my own self Yes No V18. I will recommend my family members to buy a Tablet PC V19. I will recommend my friends to buy a Tablet PC V20. The future of Tablet PC in the UK market is bright Tell us about your self V21. I am a: Male Female V22. I am in the age group of 15-20 years 21-25 years 26-30 years 30 – 40 years 41 years and above V23. I am a Student Employed person Home maker Business person Retired person V24. My educational attainment is up to Some schooling High school graduate Some college College graduate Postgraduate and above Professional degree V25. My pre-tax annual income (in GBP) is Less than 5000 GBP Between 5000 and 10000 Between 10,000 and 15,000 Between 15,000 and 20,000 Between 20,000 & 25,000 More than 25,000 Read More