University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC)

Title: To what extent does colour influence the purchase of clothing? The case of Zara

Supervisor: Dr. Ghalib ahad

! Dissertation sub"itted in partial fulfil"ent of the re#uire"ent for the de$ree of %asters in &usiness !d"inistration (%ar'etin$) of University of Wales Cardiff (UWIC)

&y !li(e )i(hi'u *orry

Date: +,st *uly, -../

TABLE OF CONTENTS: PAGE Title............................................................................................................................................1 Abstract......................................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgement......................................................................................................................3

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Research content..................................................................................................................4 1.2 Nature o the !roblem.........................................................................................................." 1.3 Aims and ob#ecti$e o the stud%..........................................................................................& 1.4 'igni icance o the research stud%.......................................................................................( 1.5 )rgani*ation o the stud%....................................................................................................+

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 ,ntroduction.........................................................................................................................2.2 'chool o thought on colour...............................................................................................2.3 .eaning o colour to consumers.......................................................................................1/ 2.4 0onsumer !re erence in colour..........................................................................................11 2.5 0onsumer choice o !roducts............................................................................................12 2.6 0onsumer !erce!tion o colours........................................................................................12 2.7 1nderstanding di erent attributes o colour.....................................................................13 2.7.1 2.7.2

0ultural di erences..............................................................................13 Gender di erences...............................................................................14

2.8 Ps%cholog% o colour.........................................................................................................14

CHAPTER 3: OVERVIEW OF ZARA

3.1 ,ntroduction.......................................................................................................................1& 3.2 2istor% o the 0om!an%................................................................................................... 1& 3.3 0om!etiti$e ad$antage o the 0om!an%...........................................................................21 3.4 .arket share and the growth o the 0om!an%..................................................................23

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

2

4.1 ,ntroduction.......................................................................................................................2( 4.2 Research .ethodolog%......................................................................................................2( 4.3 Research a!!roach.............................................................................................................2+ 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3

Positi$ism.........................................................................................................2+ Phenomenolog%................................................................................................2Realism.............................................................................................................2-

4.4 0ategories o Research......................................................................................................3/ 4.4.1 E3!lorator% Research.......................................................................................3/ 4.4.2 4escri!ti$e Research........................................................................................31 4.5 Primar% 4ata......................................................................................................................33 4.5.1 4.5.2 4.5.3 4.5.4

)bser$ation..........................................................................................34 ,nter$iew...............................................................................................34 5uestionnaire.......................................................................................3" 'am!ling...............................................................................................3"

4.& 'econdar% 4ata..................................................................................................................3(

4.7 ,n6de!th ,nter$iew.............................................................................................................34.8 0ase 'tudies.......................................................................................................................34.9 7ocus grou! discussion......................................................................................................34.10 Reliabilit% and 8alidit%................................................................................................41 4.11 9imitation o the stud%.................................................................................................42

CHAPTER 5: ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

5.1 ,ntroduction....................................................................................................44 5.2 4ata Anal%sis.................................................................................................44 5.3 7indings.........................................................................................................4" 5.4 4iscussion o the indings............................................................................."/

CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 0onclusion....................................................................................................."2

6.2 Recommendations........................................................................................."" 6.3 'uggestions or uture stud% Research........................................................."&

REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................5

A!!"#$%&'%()* 2: .6 2ennes and .aurit* GAP6 Genuine American Product 0: A60amden and Ambo% Railroad ';)T6 'trength< ;eaknesses< )!!ortunit% and Threats 565uestion 1=61nited =ingdom 1'A6 1nited 'tates o America 1AE6 The 1nited Arab Emirates

T%'+# To what e3tent does colour in luence the !urchase o clothing> The case o ?ara 'tore

A!*'"&,' This Research stud% anal%se the in luence o colour on clothes !urchase es!eciall% to emale consumers. The stud% was conducted in 1= mainl% in 9ondon. The collection o data was done b% including both e3amination o secondar% and !rimar% data< whereb% the sam!le o 21 emale consumers were in$ol$ed in ocus grou! discussions to re$eal the colour in luence on clothes !urchase. The stud% re$ealed that colour stimulates interest and subse@uentl% increase the bu%ing !ower o !roducts. 'ince addition o colour can stimulate consumers choice. ,t was ound that colours draw attention to consumers as a result o the linkage in both !h%sical !ro!erties o the !roduct and beha$ioural @ualities. 7urther more rom the consumersA !oint o $iew< it was ound that colours o the a!!arel !roduct not onl% take into consideration the !h%sical
6

a!!earance o the !roduct and the unctional beha$ioural @ualities but more im!ortantl% the beha$ioural @ualities. )n to! o that sensor%< emotional and cogniti$e dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience !la% a ma#or role when emale consumersA asses colour o the a!!arel !roduct. ,t was suggested that< consumers should be able to see the colour e$en be ore the% entered the store< since colour is in the e%e o the consumer< there ore it should be an integral !art o the retailer to ormulate $arious strategies. There ore ormal @ualities such as colour< te3tures< lines and others o inside and outside o the store as well as the la%out and $isual merchandi*ing should be able to s!ell out consumers sensor% and emotional o the aesthetic e3!erience or the colour that the emale consumer is looking or.

A,-)(.+#/0#1#)'*: This dissertation is a combination o man% things. ,t was not the work o an indi$idual !erson rather a grou! o !eo!le. The researcher would like to thank the ollowing or their su!!ort and wonder ul contribution. 7irst and oremost the researcher wishes to thank God or the good health and sound mind during the !eriod o the stud% in 1=. , am sincerel% thank ul to m% !arents< .r. and .rs. 'iriaki Borr% or granting me ull s!onsorshi!. , a!!reciate ull su!!ort o m% su!er$isor 4r. Ghalib 7ahad or the intellectual guidance and comments that made this work !ossible.
7

,n !articular< , would like to thank m% amil% in Tan*ania es!eciall% m% 7ather .r. 'iriaki Borr%< m% mother .rs. 2onorina .umba Borr%< m% onl% brother E$arist and sisters Esther< ;innie< 8ick% and Crenda or their !ra%ers< lo$e< care and encouragement< without orgetting m% ne!hew 2onest E$arist. '!ecial thanks go to m% bo% riend Gratis Gatema 4%egula< or his immense su!!ort during m% studies here in 9ondon. 7inall%< , would like to thank m% lecturers< colleagues and m% riends or the endless su!!ort and ad$ice whene$er , needed it.

C2&3'#" O)# INTRODUCTION

1.1 R#*#&",2 C()'#4' 7ashion in the last thirt% %ears has changed to be a mass market !roduct rom being o the ew selected su!er6rich. 7rom the mid 1--/s those stores that usuall% dominated the market started to be beaten b% the chains which o er s!ecial and latest designs at reasonable !rices. )ne o these success ul stores is ?ara< which is a subsidiar% o the '!anish ,ndite3 Grou!. ?ara has become an international ashion business with 1</+/ stores in 33 countries rom Ba!an to 8ene*uela and it has strong domination in Euro!e and the 1'A in less than 3/ %ears.
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,n a %ear< it sells -/ million garments and its turno$er in 2//1 was o$er D 4 billion. ?araAs success is much based on market orientation. 0onsumers tend to be drowned out b% sensor%< emotional and cogniti$e reactions towards a!!arel !roducts. According to 7iore and =imle 1--(< the results o these reactions originate rom the ormal @ualities such as colour< te3ture< lines and !ro!ortions o the certain items. ,t is a concern o the consumer not to be e$oked b% unctional @ualit% o the ashioned item but to the whole o the sensor%< emotional and cogniti$e satis action that will !ro$ide a com!lete aesthetic know how o the @ualit% o the item E7iore and 4amhorst< 1--2F 4ickerson 2//3< !oints out that clothing industr% ind di icult more and more to satis % the consumer. As it a!!ears that consumerAs !riorities ha$e changed in the last decade. 4uring 1-+/As and 1--/As consumers would bu% ashionable clothing with substantial amount o mone% or a s!eci ic brand name< but now consumers e3!ect more or what the% are !re!ared to !a%. ,n general< consumers are de inite connected to di erent li est%le and colour which in return makes them to ha$e a choice on the !urchase o certain !roducts or ser$ices instead o the other !roducts or ser$ices o ered. 7re@uentl%< their decision making is in luenced much b% their !ersonal e3!erience and the e3ternal en$ironment. ,t is necessar% or the marketers to take into account the notion o colour so as to attract di erent market segments and target on the !ro it market. .ost actors include !ersonal actors< !s%chological actors< re erence grou!s< demogra!hic amil%< ad$ertisements< o!inion reader< social class< moral imagination< interests< s%stem thinking and culture. ,n .aslowAs hierarch% o needs< an indi$idual needs and moti$ation tends to be di erent when an indi$idual mo$es u! the hierarch%. This is be%ond the marketer in luence and control< which has a ma#or e ect on consumer beha$iour and !urchasing decision. 4es!ite the marketers not being ca!able o in luencing consumers on the abo$e actors< marketers can create some manner as the result o the bu%ing !rocess b% using di erent marketing tools< the most common one being the 4Ps which are Product< Price< Place and Promotion Ethe marketing mi3F. Although the $alue o marketing mi3 as a toolkit is much challenged b% marketing !ractitioners< the 4Ps still ha$e im!act on consumerAs beha$iour on the inal outcome o the bu%er and seller attraction.

,ndi$iduals with high !urchasing !ower are in luenced much b% the ad$ertisements and models than low !urchasing !ower consumers. 7amilies are seen to ha$e ma#or in luence on the consum!tion6related beha$iour such as clothing. .an% !eo!le see their amil% as Gbuilding road o their li$esH and im!ortant to build relationshi! ETan 1---< !. 243F. 0onsumers are highl% in luenced b% the re erence grou!s as well< since the% create sociali*ation o the indi$idual< de$elo! sel conce!ts and obtain ul ilment with the norms EClackwell et al.< !.3-+F. 'ocial class is in luenced b% the amil% in which the% are raised. 0olour tends to ha$e an e ecti$e res!onse which in luences consumers. 0olours used in ad$ertisements< !ackages and other marketing stimuli all ha$e an a ecti$e res!onse to the customers E=arders< 2//2F .ost consumers who are res!onsible or !urchasing clothes or themsel$es and or their amilies seem to be womenI more women now bu% clothes not onl% on stores but also on the internet EPark and 'toel< 2//2F. As clothing has become internationalised< consumers are increasingl% getting into understanding o di erences in colour when !urchasing clothes. 0onsumers collect in ormation about clothing and ashion and image the% ha$e about di erent colours. 0olour is a undamental element o cor!orate and marketing communications. ,t induces emotions and moods< in luences consumerAs !erce!tions and beha$iour and it hel!s com!anies !osition or di erentiate rom com!etition. The @uestion still isJ To what e3tent does colour in luence the !urchase o clothing as ar as emale clothing is concerned> =nowledge o the consumers about colour !re erences and the actors that ma% in luence the !urchase o certain ashioned clothes could be used b% retailers and marketers in the selection o !roducts that the% !lan to o er and in !romoting their sales. ;ith regard to this< un ortunatel%< no enough research has been done on how colours can in luence clothes !urchased b% emale consumers. The aim o this research will be to in$estigate how ?ara stores o er di erent coloured and ashioned clothes and how consumers a!!eal to those coloured and ashioned clothes. 1.2 N&'5"# (6 '2# P"(!+#1

;hen looking at consumerAs choice on !roducts< it is a com!licated thing which $aries all the time. The marketers should make e orts in order to understand consumerAs choice so as to be success ul. Celk and 4holakia E1--&F argued that it is im!ortant to understand the nature and origin o !atterns o consum!tion at this emerging time. Towards increasing o global
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changes which in turn contribute to an increase o com!etiti$e market< each market tends to satis % its customers in a better wa%. 'o as to com!ete< man% retailers and manu acturers ado!t !roduct strategies so as to ca!ture customers. 0olour has been seen as one o the !o!ular strategies which in luence customersA choice. The in luence o colour on consumer choice has attracted man% marketers to look at it as an im!ortant marketing tool. To date< the marketers ha$e ailed to recognise the !redicti$e !ower o colour on consumers decision EGarber et al< 2///F. This is wh% man% researchers ha$e been attracted towards looking at the current understanding o colour signi icance and characteristics without orgetting its e ects on consumer choices. This stud% as a result seeks to understand the in luence o colour< s!eci icall% colour attracti$eness and colour !re erences on 1= emale consumersA clothes choices. 1.3 A%1 &)/ O!7#,'%$#* (6 '2# S'5/8

A ter care ull% identi %ing the !roblem in e3!lanation gi$en abo$e< the main aim o this stud% will be to ind out to what e3tent colour in luence the !urchase o clothes< s!eci icall% to women who are highl% connected to colour !re erences and st%les< rom this aim there arises the ollowing ob#ecti$esJ
1. To re$iew on literatures on how colour in luences clothes !urchase.

2. To understand how consumers a!!eal to the colours when !urchasing clothes. 3. To ind out how ?ara o er di erent !atterns o coloured clothes.
4. To recommend to the com!an% on how to im!ro$e their business

1.4 S%0)%6%,&),# (6 '2# R#*#&",2 S'5/8 At the end o this Research stud% there will be se$eral signi icances obtained such asJ The research will !ro$ide in ormation to marketers and retailers on understanding the choice o consumers on clothes de!ending on di erent !re erred colours. The% will get to know wh% and what colours are !re erred most. This research will enable other researchers to stud% more on the related to!ic or similar to!ic< on colour in luences on clothes !urchase
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,n general< there is ast de$elo!ment o

ashion clothes in the 1= with di erent colour

!atterns< designs and com!etiti$e !rices. As a result it is the aim o the research to look at the literature and to know whether it is culture in luence< !s%chological in luence< amil% in luence< interests or ad$ertisement that !la%s !art on in luencing consumers !urchasing certain colours o clothes. 1.5 O"0&)%9&'%() (6 '2# S'5/8

,n this stud%< there consists o si3 main cha!ters. ,n e$er% cha!ter< there is co$erage o e3!lanations and o!inions to enable understanding o the sub#ect matter. This stud% aims at looking at the in luence o colour on clothes !urchase to emale consumers. )n the other side< the research will hel! in !ro$iding out colours that will attract consumers and thereb% increasing !ro it in the business and win out com!etiti$e market at large. C2&3'#"1: This cha!ter includes the introduction on the de$elo!ment o ashion industr% in the 1= which looks at the de$elo!ment o colours in clothes as well as how consumers tend to be attracted b% di erent a!!arel !roducts. 9ooking at the statement o the !roblem and the ob#ecti$es o research which ha$e been identi ied< encouraged the researcher to write this dissertation. This cha!ter also e3!lains how ?ara store has been running out its business in terms o the co$erage o the stores it has and its turno$er in the !re$ious %ears o its business. C2&3'#" 2: This cha!ter basicall% tries to look at di erent meanings o colour according to di erent schools o thoughts. )n to! o that< the cha!ter also looks at the discussion on how consumers a!!eal to di erent colours and how consumers are associated with di erent colours and meanings. C2&3'#" 3: This cha!ter re!resents general o$er$iew o the com!an%< that is ?ara< in the whole business arena that includes its histor%< the com!etitors and the market share o the ,ndustr% at large. C2&3'#" 4: 0onsists o the methodolog% which e3!lains the a!!roach used b% the researcher< the t%!e o research ado!ted b% the researcher and the tools used in the data collection. This cha!ter also measures the $alidit% and reliabilit% o the data collected and the shortcomings which were aced b% the researcher during the research. C2&3'#" 5J ,n this cha!ter< mainl% the indings and anal%sis o the data collected are discussed. This basicall% aims at anal%sing the indings collected so as to know the e3tent to
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which the% relate to the literature re$iew. ,n addition< the researcher wants to ind out whether the indings answered the research ob#ecti$es. C2&3'#" 6: 0onsists o the conclusion and recommendations. .ainl%< recommendations were made to com!anies that are engaged in the retail sector based on clothes ,ndustr%. The same a!!lies to the research o the same to!ic or an% related ield in the near uture.

C2&3'#" T.( LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

I)'"(/5,'%()

This cha!ter will !ro$ide an o$er$iew o the general meaning o colour according to di erent schools and how consumers a!!eal to di erent colour o clothes according to di erent choice o !roducts. This will ocus mainl% on the actors that in luence consumers to !re er certain t%!e o clothes with certain colours and how consumers are associated with di erent colour !erce!tion and meaning.

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9astl%< the cha!ter will look at res!onses which are much associated with conditioned and unconditioned stimulus and as the result would bring out conditioned res!onse. At the end< this would hel! us e3!lain the di erent attributes that address colour in a wider !ers!ecti$e. 2.2 S,2((+* (6 '2(502' () ,(+(5" As clothing !urchase beha$iour is much connected with the indi$idual clothing interests< to some e3tent< understanding o clothing !urchase beha$iour will be anal%sed de!ending on this. 9ooking at two ma#or schools o thoughts related to colour and human beha$iour which will hel! the understanding and anal%sis o the !s%chological and socio6cultural associations and meanings o colour towards consumers !urchase beha$iour. )ne school o thought relates colour and human beha$iour. 0olour reaction could be innate or instinctual origin E2um!hre%< 1-(&F or o learned or associati$e origin E2u!ka et al.< 1--(F. ,n the irst school which argues that< it is colour which signals the brain so that it triggers an e ecti$e reaction directl%< while the other school argues that colour !re erences are learned o$ertime as shared a ecti$e meanings or as a result o !ast e3!eriences or as a conscious association in language< literature and m%ths

2.3 M#&)%)0* (6 ,(+(5" 0olour tends to in luence human beha$iour and human !h%siolog%. ;ard< 1--" suggested that i %ou want to lower stress at work!lace< the walls can be !ainted with di erent colours in the right !lace so as to make an e3citing di erence. ,t has been noted that< red is o ten associated with e3citing6 stimulating< orange with distressed6disturbed6u!set< blue with tender6soothing< !ur!le with digni ied6statel%< %ellow with cheer ul6#o% ul and black with !ower ul6strong6master ul. 'ince colours are known to !osses emotional and !s%chological !ro!erties hence meanings associated with di erent colours are im!ortant to marketers because the% can be used b%
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marketers to communicate the colour that best its the image o the consumers E'chmitt and 'imonson< 1--(F. 4i erent cultures ha$e associated di erent colours to di erent meanings S3#,'"51 (6 ,(+(5" 1#&)%)0: A 2ot< $ibrant< $iolent Acti$e< e3citing< erocious< calming< cold< gentle< Peace ul< still M#&)%)0* Red C(+(5"* Gold Clack Clue !assi$e Green ;hite

)range Crown Kellow Pur!le

2.4

C()*51#"* P"#6#"#),# () C(+(5"*

'tudies suggest that consumers ma% !re er certain colours o$er others de!ending on $arious !roduct categories. A stud% done b% Pantone E1--2F ound most !o!ular colours or clothing include blue< red and black. Clack< being the most worn colour worn or dress% occasions. )n the other hand< !roducts like cars are !re erred in blue< gra%< red< white and beige is !re erred or car!eting u!holstered urniture and !aint E.undell< 1--3F. ,t has been seen that !re erence o colours on !eo!le di ers de!ending on !roduct and their a$ourite colour was sel determining o these colours in !articular conte3ts< !re erences or colours ma% be determined based on cultural $iew< due to associations o !eo!le who learn the same culture. To a certain e3tent !re erences in colour do not e3ist in $acuum< colour !re erences or certain ob#ects or settings are de!endent u!on the situation and the necessar% association !eo!le ma% ha$e de$elo!ed o$er time EGrossman and ;isenblit< 1---F. A number o studies im!l% that consumers can !re er certain colour o$er others de!ending on $arious !roduct categories EGrossman and ;isenblit< 1---F. A stud% conducted b% Pantone E1--2F ound that the most well6liked colours or clothing were blue< red and black with black being the most worn colour or class% occasions. ,n automobiles the most !re erred colours are blue< gra%<
15

red< white and black< while light brown is !re erred or car!eting< u!holstered urniture and !aint E.undell< 1--3F. 2olmes and Cuchanan E1-+4F asked sub#ects to re!ort their o$erall desired colour and the% !ro iled colours or !roducts such as automobiles< clothing and urniture. The% ound that !eo!leLs colour !re erences di er de!ending on the !roduct and their choice o colour was inde!endent o these !re erences. 0hildren were shown to a$our certain colours when choosing candies E;alsh et al< 1--/F and adults o certain cultures !re ered !articular colours on cheese< e$en when taste cannot be distinguished E'canlon< 1-+"F. An e3!eriment which was described b% 0l%desdale E1--3F showed some !artici!ants who elt ill when a change in lighting conditions re$ealed to them that the% were eating Gblue steak< red !eas< and green rench riesH. 'ome o the e$idence which stress on those !re erences among sim!le coloured stimuli does generali*e E0ro*ier< 1---F. Ta t E1--(F< showed that !re erences among sim!le chi!s did match u! well to actual ob#ect and are guided b% what he called Ggenerali*ed conce!tions o colour6ob#ect a!!ro!riatenessH E!. 4+F which are most likel% in luenced b% cultural con$entions and stereot%!es. 2.5 C()*51#" ,2(%,# (6 3"(/5,'*

The consumer decision !rocess consists o two !artsJ the !rocess itsel and the actors a ecting the !rocess. The decision !rocess has si3 ste!sJ stimulus< !roblem awareness< in ormation search< e$aluation o alternati$es< !urchase< and !ost6!urchase beha$iour. 7actors that a ect the !rocess are consumerLs demogra!hics and li est%les. 'tud%ing demogra!hic and li e6st%les actors can identi % consumer characteristics and needs. 4emogra!hics are easil% identi iable and measurable !o!ulation statistics. 9i e6st%les are the wa%s in which consumers li$e and s!end time and mone%. The retailer must reall% gras! the consumerLs decision !rocess rom two di erent !ers!ecti$esJ aF what good or ser$ice the consumer is thinking about bu%ing and bF where the consumer is going to make the !urchase o that item. The consumer can make these two decisions se!aratel% or #ointl%. The consumer can rel% on the retailer or su!!orts such as in ormation< assortments< knowledgeable sales !ersonnel and market research o$er the entire decisions !rocess. , the decisions are made inde!endentl%< what to bu% in relation to where to bu%< the !erson then gathers in ormation and ad$ice be ore entering a store and $iews the retailer more sim!l% as a !lace o !urchase. ,n addition
16

to identi %ing the characteristics o

its target market< the retailer should ha$e an

understanding o how customers make decisions. This re@uires knowledge o consumer beha$iour or choice< which in$ol$es the !rocess b% which !eo!le determine whether< what< when< where< how and rom whom and how o ten to !urchase goods and ser$ices. The im!act o colour on brand choice has been recognised b% a number o scholars. 0ha!man E1--+F< re!orts that colour are an underle$eraged moti$ator o brand choice. 2.6 C()*51#"* 3#",#3'%() (6 ,(+(5"*.

;hen considering cross-cultural meanings and relation that colours ha$e to an indi$idual denotes that white s%mbolises mourning or death in East Asia ERicks< 1-+3F but in Australia< 1'A and New ?ealand it s%mbolises ha!!iness and !urit% ENeal et al.< 2//2F. Clue< which is known to be American 0or!orate 0olour< the same blue colour is !ercei$ed as cold and e$il in East Asia E'chmitt< 1--4F. ,n Netherlands< it stands or warmth< in 'weden it stands or coldness. ,n ,ran< it stands or death and in ,ndia it stands or !urit% E'chi man et al.< 2//1F. ,n The Netherlands< it denotes emininit% and in 'weden and the 1'A it denotes masculinit% ENeal et al.< 2//2F. Clue means high @ualit%< trustworth% and de!endable in the 1'A< Ba!an< =orea and 0hina. Green re!resents danger or disease in .ala%sia ERicks< 1-+3F and en$% in Celgium and the 1'A E2u!ka et al.< 1--(F. Green denotes lo$e< ha!!iness< good taste and ad$enture in Ba!an< sincere< trustworth% and de!endable in 0hina and good taste and ad$enture in the 1'A EBacobs et al.< 1--1F. Red means unluck% in 0had< Nigeria and German%< but luck% in 0hina< 4enmark and Argentina E'chmitt< 1--"I Neal et al.< 2//2F. ,t is a brideAs colour in 0hina< but a masculine colour in the 1= and 7rance ENeal et al.< 2//2F. ,t shows ambition and desire in ,ndia EGrossman and ;isenblit< 1---F and lo$e in 0hina< =orea< Ba!an and the 1'A EBacobs et al.< 1--1F. Kellow re!resents warmth in the 1'A< but un aith ulness in 7rance ENeal et al.< 2//2F. ,t is associated with en$% and #ealous% in German% and Russia E2u!ka et al.< 1--(F< whereas it means !leasant< ha!!%< good taste< !rogressi$e< authorit%< ro%al and trustworth% in 0hina E'chmitt< 1--"F. Pur!le is a colour o lo$e in 0hina< 'outh =orea and the 1'A EBacobs et al.< 1--1F< but is related to anger and en$% in .e3ico and to sin and ear in Ba!an E2u!ka et al.< 1--(F. Pur!le is considered as e3!ensi$e in 0hina< 'outh =orea and Ba!an EBacobs et al.< 1--1F. Clack is associated with dullness and stu!idit% in ,ndia EGrossman and ;isenblit< 1---F. ,t re!resents grie and sorrow in ;estern cultures< but is also a ceremonial dress or !riests and #ustices and a dress o subser$ience or waiters and ser$ants. Ba!anese connect
17

black with ear and it re!resents ear< anger and #ealous% in German%< Russia< Poland< .e3ico and the 1'A E2u!ka et al.< 1--(F. Clack is seen as !ower ul and e3!ensi$e in the 1'A< 0hina< Ba!an and 'outh =orea and also as de!endable< trustworth% and o high @ualit% in 0hina EBacobs et al.< 1--1F. 2. U)/#"*'&)/%)0 '2# /%66#"#)' &''"%!5'#* (6 ,(+(5"

2. .1 C5+'5"&+ /%66#"#),#* 0ultural di erences are $er% im!ortant in understanding o consumer beha$iour towards colours in clothing. There are certain s!ecial criteria in selecting clothing< as clothing can easil% be altered b% di erent ashion< occasion and !re erence. 0lothing is generall% used to e3!ress onesel . This tends to be !articularl% to women who ha$e an interest in ashion and how to wear clothing. ;omen can s!end a certain amounts o mone% and energ% on clothing. 2. .2 G#)/#" /%66#"#),#* ;ith regard to gender di erences< there is e$idence to suggest the di erences in the decision6 making !rocess between indi$iduals. 7or instance< there is research e$idence su!!orting decision6!rocessing di erences between men and women in inancial decision making EPowell and Ansic< 1--(F. ,n relation to consumer beha$iour se$eral issues ha$e been e3amined< including the relationshi! between gender identit% and consumersA !erce!tions o masculinit% in !roducts EBa ee< 1--1F. Gender identit% was ound to !la% a ma#or signi icant role in areas such as< oodMgendered !roduct !re erence< gi t sho!!ingM gi t choices and gi t e3change< !atronage o the arts etc EGainer< 1--3F. ;ithin these studies howe$er there are con licting results with res!ect to the relati$e im!ortance o masculinit% and emininit% in e3!laining the indings. 7ischer and Arnold E1--4F ound emininit% to be more im!ortant than masculinit% in relationshi! to 0hristmas gi t sho!!ing. ,t is im!ortant to document gender di erences in colour im!act on choice as there is currentl% no such em!irical e$idence E;orth et al 1--2F. 2.: P*8,2(+(08 (6 C(+(5"

18

,t is $er% im!ortant or the stores to consider the !s%cholog% o colour to consumers so as to succeed. The main im!ortant issue is to create the en$ironment whereb% the sho!!er can recogni*e a one6to6one relationshi! with the storeI in order to !in!oint what the% reall% want b% using combination o brain imaging and e%e scanning technologies to del$e into the mind o the sho!!er< the desired insight could be within the reach. The sho!!er !s%cholog% means interaction with the en$ironment and brand in6store and consumer !s%cholog% includes en$ironmental in luences such as culture< amil%< media< !eer !ressure< gender roles< identit%< etc< it also includes im!act o emotions< s%mbols< mood and lastl% satis %ing consumerAs needs and desires. Research shows that it is colour which a ects our moods and tends to mani est itsel in the choices we make. 9o%alt% and man% orms o communication and s%mbolism should be used or the case o the $ehicle !urchaseI this is the !ower ul resource that should be embraced b% all in retail sector. 0olour< sha!e and conte3t use to identi % things and an% anal%sis will de!end on a combination o all 3 actors. Thus the e ect o colour should be considered as generali*ations which re@uire e3!ert inter!retations E'imons< 4.2//2F

T&!+# 1: D%66#"#)' ,(+(5"* &)/ %'* E66#,'* '( C()*51#"*

19

COLOUR RE4

EFFECTS Attention grabber denotes action< strong masculine a!!eal and can be used to !la% down emininit%< can escalate the bod%As metabolism< e3citing< ull o energ% and $italit%< !ower ul< $ibrant< and !assionate. 2as been known to raise the blood !ressure in some cases. Red has a tendenc% to make !eo!le s!end more. Generall%< the irst colour the human e%e notices< cheer ul< used or mental stimulation< combination o %ellow background with black te3t has high memor% retention and legibilit% Eresearch b% PantoneF Ego< o!timism< increase sel esteem but beware o o$eruse as this can howler the e ect. Rela3ation Elighter shadesF dark shades can be o$er!owering. 0alming6 has been known to lower blood !ressure Elight blueF< encourages re lection and logical thought< has the tendenc% to make !eo!le s!end less< intellectual< dignit% Edark blueF< the a$ourite colour o most adults and interestingl%< bees Rela3ing and @uiet Edark greenF< reassuring< !er ect balance Eno usual ad#ustment is needed to see itF< it is the centre o colour s!ectrum< stimulating : u!li ting Ebright greenF< and it is or 2ealth. 2omel%< Earthl% 0ontem!lation 7eminine< 'oothing Ereddish !inkF< se3% 7ier% !assion : !h%sical en#o%ment< sensual< !h%sical com ort 'o!histication ,nnocence< Peace can be cold and sterile but adding units o sil$er and blue can bring warmth.

KE99);

C91E

GREEN

CR);N 8,)9ET P,N= )RANGE C9A0= ;2,TE

S(5",#: NPs%cholog% o colourA 4ail% .ail< 2& .a% 2//1

C2&3'#" T2"## OVERVIEW OF ZARA

3.1

I)'"(/5,'%()

20

A ter ha$ing a look at how consumers !re er certain colours in clothes and how the% associate di erent meanings o colours according to di erent cultural background< it is o ten seen that consumers are attracted to certain dis!la% o colour !atterns as well< as it has been the aim o man% stores so as to attract the customers. This cha!ter is going to e3!lain the histor% o ?ara 'tore< its com!etitors and its market share. This will hel! to understand how ?ara store win its customers in the market. 3.2 T2# H%*'("8 (6 '2# C(13&)8 ?ara is one o the Euro!ean ashions Crand in the market< at !resent it is in more than 3/ countries with about &// cor!orate stores in most !ri$ileged sites in cities. ?ara which is !art o a!!arel industria de 4iseno te3tile< '.A E9ereina ter ,nde3F in a grou! that is made u! o ashion retail chains< te3tile manu acturing< !urchasing< abric treating and logistic and construction com!anies ECresnick 2//3F. This grou! is best known or its ?ara Crand but has got rather se$en chainsJ =idd%As class< Pull and Cear< .assimo 4utti< Cershka< 'tradwarius< )%sho and ?ara home. This grou! has itAs head@uarter located at Artei3o in Northwest o '!ain. The 0hie e3ecuti$e o icer o the com!an% E,ndite3 grou!F is Bose .aria 0asslollano Rios who #oined the com!an% rom ,C. in 1-+4 E,ndite3< 2//3F. ,n total o 34 countries< more than 34</// em!lo%ees work or the grou! whereb% 1-</// come rom '!ain and 1"</// rom abroad. All the com!anies share the same !hiloso!h% o marketing and management. The% en#o% autonom% in the management o the business as the teams are ree to make marketing decisions and the% can act inde!endentl%. ,ndite3 was ounded in 1-&3 b% Amancio )rtega Gaona. The irst sho! was o!ened b% the grou! in 1-(" in 9a 0oruna< '!ain. )$er the ollowing decade Amancio )rtega Gaona e3!anded b% o!ening $arious new stores. ,ndite3 was established as the head o cor!orate grou! in 1-+". E3!ansion outside '!ain took !lace in 1-++ whereb% a new store was o!ened in Portugal and later in New Kork 1-+- and Paris 1--/. ,ndite3 continued to o!en other new international markets in the mid 1--/AsJ .e3ico in 1--2< Greece 1--3 and Celgium and 'weden 1--4.

21

7urther growth was attained in 1--" as ,ndite3 ac@uired the remaining shares o .assimo 4utti. The same %ear< irst store was o!ened in .alta and the ollowing %ear it was o!ened in 0%!rus< later on Norwa% and ,srael #oined. ,n 1--/ the grou! target the %ounger emale market and new stores were o!ened in Argentina< Ba!an< 1=< 8ene*uela< 9ebanon< 1AE< =uwait and Turke%. The grou! ac@uired 'tradi$arius in 1--- and o!ened new stores in countries including Netherlands< German%< Poland< 'audi Arabia< Cahrain< 0anada< Cra*il< 0hile and 1rugua%. )ther new stores were o!ened in our new countries in 2/// which included Austria< 4enmark< 5atar and Andora. The head@uarters to the new building was installed which was located in Artei3o< 9a 0oruna< '!ain. The grou! was !ublici*ed in 2//1 and listed itsel in the '!anish 'tock .arket. ,n the same %ear< the grou! began its acti$it% in Puerto Rico< Bordan< ,reland< ,celand< 9u3embourg< 0*ech Re!ublic and ,tal%. ,n 2//2< the construction work on the ?ara logistic centre in ?arago*a< '!ain started whereb% a chain o stores o!erated b% the grou! reached (2 stores in 2//2. 4uring 2//4< the irst stores were o!ened in .orocco and 2ong =ong also in Tallin and Estonia. ,n Banuar% 2//"< the grou! ac@uire -+O o the .assimo 4utti .e3ico into the agreement the% entered< but be ore and a ter ranchisee< and .assimo 4utti .e3ico entering the grou!< the grou! would control 1( stores o the chain directl%. ,n Poland< an agreement was reached to ac@uire the "1O stake in ?ara ranchisee. ,n 2//&< ,ndite3 marked its !resence in se$eral markets or the irst time. These include 'erbia< .ainland 0hina and Tunisia. ?ara store was launched or the irst time in 'hanghai and Norwa%. ,n Banuar% 2//(< the grou! entered 't. Petersburg< the second largest cit% in Russia b% o!ening i$e stores. ,n 7ebruar% 2//(< the grou! o!ened its irst ?ara store in Cei#ing< 0hina. ,n the same %ear in .arch< ,ndite3 was awarded a Global Retailer o the %ear during the irst edition o the ;orld Retail 0ongress which was attended b% 1</// o the most rele$ant leaders within the retail industr%. ,n )ctober 2//(< ?ara 2ome< commenced online trading through its websiteI www.*arahome.com which would enable ?ara customers to !urchase ?ara home !roducts
22

rom ourteen Euro!ean countriesI 1=< Celgium< 4enmark< 7rance< German%< Greece< ,reland< ,tal%< 9u3embourg< .onaco< Netherlands< Portugal< '!ain : 'weden. The !roducts o ered online included an e3tensi$e catalogue o around 2</// items rom all the !resent lines in the ?ara 2ome : ?ara 2ome kidsA collections. ,n .a% 2//+< Pull and Cear o!ened its irst store in 9i$er!ool< 1=. ,n Bul% 2//+< 1ter@ue< the new ormat o the ,ndite3 grou! s!eciali*ing in ashion accessories launched its irst stores simultaneousl% in three '!anish citiesI 9a 0oruna< .adrid and Carcelona. ,n 'e!tember 2//(< ,ndite3 o!ened its 4<///th store which is the ?ara store located in Gin*a< Ba!an ,ndite3 s!ecialised in ashion retailing< the grou! which is well established and has di$erse o erings in its !ort olio or retail s!enders which hel! the grou! to car$e a niche or itsel in the global retail market. 2owe$er< increase in labour costs in Euro!ean region< would ad$ersel% im!act the grou!As margin. )n to! o that ,ndite3 has been acing some challenges as well as ha$ing certain o!!ortunities which can be summari*ed in ';)T anal%sis igure below. .

T&!+# 2: SWOT &)&+8*%* 6(" Z&"& S'("#: 'TRENGT2' ;EA=NE''E'

23

 'trong !roduct di$ersit% 'trong re$enue growth 'trong distribution network )PP)RT1N,T,E' E3!ansion !lans Growing a!!arel retail market in 0hina Growing online sales in the 1= S(5",#: www.marketlinein o.com

)$erde!endence .arket

on

the

Euro!ean

T2REAT' New a$enue being utili*ed b%

com!etitors 0ounter eit goods Rising labour cost in Euro!ean Region

C% ?ara belonging to the Grou!< which has e3!anded to o$er 3/ countries< has gi$en them high le$el o s%nerg% in terms o organi*ation and knowledge management thus each management can ocus on its own de$elo!ment in the business. ,ndite3< is #ust incharge o the central cor!orate ser$ices such as international growth< administration< the use o logistics technolog%< the general human resource !olic%< legal as!ects and inancial ca!acit%. ,ndite3 grou! has uni@ue management methods which are inno$ations and le3ibilit%< which has turned ,ndite3 into one o the worldAs largest ashion grou!s. C% ?ara being an integrated retailer< this has been due to its culture which is more o a customer6oriented< has enabled ?ara to ha$e control o$er the entire !roduction !rocess< rom design to sale. 4e$elo!ment o a !roduct rom initial design stage to sale is set out and shows !recisel% how the ?ara model is organised. ,n other ,ndite3 store chains< the grou!As !resence in the !roduction !rocess is weighted di erentl%< as Table 3 below shows.

T&!+# 3: F5)/&1#)'&+ 3"#*#),# (6 I)/%'#4 S'("#*:

24

0om!an%

)wn 'tores

7ranchises

Boint 8entures

'tores '!ain 22/

in Total stores 44-

0ities

?ara

42/

2(

12

23

S(5",#: ;#8 N('# <2== > ,n search o generating $alue or the customer< the com!an% has managed to de$elo! its own business conce!t< which is known as ?ara 0once!t. The ?ara 0once!t im!lies a change in how the business and the !roduct are considered. 7ashion !roducts such as clothing< accessories and ootwear ha$e traditionall% been considered a durable consum!tion article. 7ashion has been considered to be a non6 durable !roduct b% ,ndite36?ara< with a sell6b% !eriod between three and our weeks. This !rinci!le !ermeates the whole organisation and is constantl% !ointed out as a ke% actor or success. ;hat is im!ortant in the ?ara organi*ation is time< which is an essential actor in ?araAs !rocesses. E$er%thing is done to reduce the time between !roduct design and a$ailabilit% or sale. As a result< ?ara !rolongs the time taken in the !roduction c%cle or each season. ;hen the com!an% has !ro$ed acce!tance b% the market an a$erage o +" !er cent o goods are manu actured during the season when the% are to be sold. 'ince this !olic% can also a ects !urchasing< !roduction and logistics !olicies< and the beha$iour o the entire organisation. As a result< market !oint o re erence dri$es creation o !articular sets o beha$iour which< in turn< create $alue or the organisation. The ashion retail market is di$ided into a number o segments P lu3ur%< high street< and su!ermarketMout6o 6town discounter. Gannawa% E1---F suggests that< Gsu!ermarkets are racing to make a!!arel an e$en smarter cash generatorH. The entrance o su!ermarkets into the clothing market has increased com!etition and rede ined how customers sho! or clothing< with time6star$ed customers able to !urchase chea! ashionable clothing as !art o the weekl% sho!< rather than $isiting the high street. 4e initel%< ast ashion is a growing !henomenon in the 1=. ?ara is a s!ecialist ashion chain and an im!ortant e3am!le o a ast ashion retailer< with ra!id stock turnaround and $ertical integration. ,ndeed< ?ara is credited with being a leader in ast ashion E7oroohar and 'tabe 2//"F. 2owe$er< contributing to ?araLs success is its ocus on a limited range and basic sha!es< so that it deals with a rather narrow !roduct range. 2owe$er< ast ashion does not a!!l% to the whole range in stores< and as much as +/O o goods ma% be core and basic lines< with ast ashion accounting or u! to 2/O E.intel 2//2F
25

3.3 C(13#'%'%$# &/$&)'&0# (6 '2# C(13&)8 ,n toda% market< clothing industr% is $er% com!etiti$e. )ne6brand stores chain like 2:. and ?ara in !articular ha$e a tendenc% to com!ete or the same customer !ro ile. Cut at the same time com!anies must com!ete with local< national and international de!artment stores< indi$idual sho!s or bouti@ues< markets and com!anies o!erating sales b% catalogue or on the internet E.a*aira 2//3F. 9ooking at ?ara com!etitors which are the com!anies which distribute ashion and other !roducts like El corte ,nglAes and 0arre our and on the other ashion com!anies like Ga!< 0: A< 2: .< Cenetton< 0orle iel< .ango : Adol o 4omingue* E ,ndite3< 2//3F. This is shown in the table below. T&!+# 4: Z&"& C(13#'%'("*: 0om!an% Ga! 0: A 2: . 'ource 2 2 2 Kear 2/// 1--2/// 'ales millions Number o !esetas 2<1"2<4(" +31<-3/ &&3<(/& 'tores 3&(& 444 &+2 Number 0ountries " 1/ 14 o

S(5",#: ;#8 N('# <2==:> ?araAs sustainable com!etiti$e ad$antage< which materialises in the com!an%As abilit% or nonsto! ada!tation o its o ering to consumer tastes< with short6term ada!tation to changing trends.

This com!etiti$e ad$antage im!liesJ

,ts stores are stocked with di erent new articles se$eral times a week. 0ustomers recognise this and $isit ?ara stores continuousl% during the season. New market trends are brought into the stores in an agile< constant manner. The organisation is there ull !acked< and abilit% to res!ond to the market immediatel%.
26

This is a $er% crucial actor in a changing sector. The% are @uick enough in search a wa% that it takes two weeks rom !roduct design to sale and onl% two weeks !ass b% or re!eat orders or slight changes and it takes i$e weeks or new !roducts.

'uccess ul !roducts are !ermanentl% stocked in the stores e$en during the sales !eriod. The risk o accumulating o the ailed !roducts is done in the in6houseI e$en the inter!retation o the coloured and ashioned tendencies is easil% !ointed out. Purchasing late in the season has !ositi$e e ects on costs< since su!!liers are concerned in selling o materials be ore the season ends u!.

7urther< according to the words o the com!an% e3ecuti$e< continuous change in the storesA !roducts achie$es a scarcit%6o!!ortunit% eeling E2erreros< 2///FJ ,t is clear to customers who enter a ?ara store and see something the% likeI customers know the% ha$e to bu% it straight awa%< because it !robabl% wonAt be there ne3t week. ,t has been $er% hard or its com!etiti$e ad$antage to be co!ied b% com!etitors< because its success is not sim!l% a technical issue. ,t originates in the com!an%As strong recognition with the $alues o market orientation and the ?ara business conce!t. An a$erage o 1/</// !roducts is being brought b% ?ara in the market each %ear. ,n ormation gathering dri$es this e3traordinar% o ering. ,t is the work o the design team throughout the season to stud% e$er%thing rom which clothes are worn in and hit T8 series to how clubbers dress. GProduct6sho! teamsH check !roduct sales and store trends e$er% da% and this in ormation is crosschecked against storesA twice6weekl% orders. The in ormation is immediatel% ed to !urchasing< design and !roduction unctions. ;hen seems to be unsuccess ul !roducts< the% are straight awa% taken o the marketI and store is now ca!able o onl% !lacing small orders to a$oid building u! stocks. .arket in ormation also dri$es ?araAs !ricing. Traditional !ricing uses a Gcost !lus marginH calculation. ?ara studies the e3isting market !rice o a !articular !roduct and establishes a !rice !oint below the lowest or like com!etitor !rice. The% design their own o ering and the% !roduce to meet this !rice !oint.

27

,ndite3M?araAs concern with continuous anal%sis o its $alue chain has led the organisation to ocus on control o$er the greatest !ossible number o links. ?ara has established control o$er the total length o the !roduction !rocess< rom ince!tion o a !roduct design to sale. This is a crucial issue in the grou!As strateg% and the main eature o its di erentiation rom its com!etitors Esee Table 4F. 3.4 M&"-#' *2&"# (6 '2# ,(13&)8 ?ara home store rom the ,ndite3As core ?ara chain re!resents another milestone or the retailer that achie$ed Q &.(4 billion in sales during its latest inancial %ear Banuar% 2//&. This is mainl% due to its strateg% which under !ins success growing organicall% b% creating new ascias that broaden its reach and hel! s!read risk 'ince the millennium< ,ndite3 has been accelerating its store growthI this is b% tri!ling its outlet number o$er the !ast si3 %ears and b% e3tending its international !resence. ,n )ctober 2/// it reached 1</// outlets. .a% 2//4 e3!anded to 2/// and in )ctober it o!erated rom 3/// stores across the globe. The com!an% home market is based in Euro!e< that is what the com!an% has been working or and now it accounts or o$er +/O o the sales. There are other $ast !lans or urther international e3!ansion o its eight ascia which accounts or a goal o 1"O to 2/O during the %ear o Banuar% 2//(. ,n Euro!e countries like ,tal%< 7rance< 1= and German% ha$e the most !otential and the% continue to e3!and aggressi$el%. ,ndite3< with its multi6brand model which hel!s s!read risk< and one that the ke% ri$al 2:. is onl% recentl% introducing. ;ith the act that during the ,ndite3As irst hal o its inancial %ear some o the other stores sales increased b% "O< com!ared to /."O or ke% ri$als 2:.. ,ndite3 is belie$ed to continue to take market share rom ri$als rom man% o its market. ;ith its market strateg% o e3!anding more< which includes testing the water o$er a sustained !eriod be ore committing itsel to a market will hel! see it through e$en the toughest o times or ashion retailers and hel! ensure stable growth across its global store !ort olio. ,t is belie$ed that< Euro!eAs largest clothing retailer has managed to a$oid the worst current economic crisis< through its registered strong sales growth in 2//+ as a sustained ra!id international e3!ansion. This shows that it is well !ositioned to tackle the tougher markets in 2//-.

28

4es!ite the global market challenges< in 2//+< ,ndete3 achie$ed growth in all geogra!hical areas rom Asia to the Americas. Grou! sales rose b% 12O to Q1/.4 billion< while at the same time in the inal @uarter o 2//+ the markdowns and mere used !romotional acti$it% did not hurt the com!an% !ro its because its gross !ro it rose to 11O to Q".- billion and net !ro it increasing b% 3./O to Q 1.2" billion. The com!an%As real growth !otential lies abroad as ,ndite3 continued to e3!and abroad in 2//+ des!ite the worst trading conditions. The com!an% entered i$e new marketsI 1kraine< 'outh =orea< .ontenegro< 2onduras and Eg%!t. Now ,ndete3 is !resent in (3 countries and international sales accounts &&O o grou! turno$er in 2//+. The com!an% has the !lan o continuing to e3!and more in 2//-. Plans to o!en u! new 4"& stores which is adding to 23/< /// s@uare metres o selling s!ace to its store estate< -"O o which will be outside '!ain. 4ue to its intention o growing more international o!erations< ,ndete3 ho!es to gain market share in highl% ragmented markets abroad. 4ue to its retailerAs le3ibilit%< attracti$e !ricing and high ashion !rinci!les will contribute win market share abroad. ,ndite3 so ar has !ro$ed to be resilient to the downturn< with clothing sales holding u! in 2//+. 2owe$er< the 2//- will be more challenging %ear due to the nature o the global recession in the world. 4es!ite o internationali*ation< but still Euro!e remains the com!an%As stronghold which accounts or (-O o total sales in 2//+. ,ndite3 grou! manu actures high @ualit% clothing and ootwear and sells worldwide at mid6 market !rices through its own branded retail stores. ?ara o ers clothing or women Eabout "+O o salesF men Eabout 22OF and children Eabout 2/OF< ,ndite3 describes ?ara in this wa% E,ndite3< 2//4F. 'hown in Table " below 0lothing ,ndustr% at ?ara is re!resented b% a!!arel retail. This combination o menAs wear< womenAs wear and in ant wear in the retail market has the 2" largest economies and generates re$enue o a!!ro3imatel% D +"/ billion with a$erage annual growth o 2.3O or the !ast "%ears. ,n the womenAs wear it generates re$enue o e@ui$alent to "4."O o the ,ndustr% o$erall $alue. C2&"' 1: R#3"#*#)'%)0 S'("#* *&+#* !8 G#(0"&32%, &"#&:

29

S(5",#: ;#8 )('# <2==4>

T&!+# 5: T&"0#' &5/%#),# 3(*%'%()%)0 &)/ .#%02' (6 I)/%'#4 S'("#*

30

C(13&)8 Z&"&

T&"0#' &5/%#),# W(1#) <5:?> M#) <22?>

P(*%'%()%)0 B5&+%'8: 2%02 1#/%51@

?S&+#*

:.2? P"%,#: 1#/%51@ +(.

C2%+/"#) <2=?> S#$#"&+ A0# =@45A5= S(5",#: ;#8 N('# <2==:> +%)#* 3"(/5,'

C2&3'#" F(5" RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

31

4.1

I)'"(/5,'%()

,n the !re$ious cha!ter< the researcher tried to e3!lain on $arious meanings that the consumers ha$e on di erent colours and how consumers associate those meanings in the choice or the clothing. The aim o this cha!ter is to e3!lain the research st%le used and the data collecting techni@ues that ha$e been used b% the researcher de!ending on the nature o the !roblem in mind. ,t is the aim o the researcher to gather the ollowing in ormation at the end o this cha!ter
1. To re$iew on literatures on how colour in luence clothes !urchase.

2. To understand how consumers a!!eal to the colours when !urchasing clothes. 3. To ind out how ?ara o er di erent !atterns o coloured clothes.
4. To recommend on the com!an% on how to im!ro$e their business.

,n general< at the end o this cha!ter the researcher aims at getting $arious in ormation about !rimar% data so as to e3amine how ?ara store dis!la% and arrange $arious clothes according to di erent colour !atterns and how the% in luence consumers to a!!eal on clothing so as to ca!ture the market. Ce ore going an% urther< the researcher will begin the ne3t cha!ter b% discussing $arious a!!roaches and methodologies that are used in research and !ick the one that will it in this research. 4.2 R#*#&",2 M#'2(/(+(08 1nderstanding o the term methodolog% is im!ortant or an% researchI methodolog% has been de ined b% 0ollins and 2usse% E2//3F as the o$erall a!!roach to the research !rocess< rom the theoretical under!inning to the collection and anal%sis o data. This section aim to identi % the de inite wa%s and acti$ities !er ormed during the researcherAs stud%< in the course o im!lementing the conce!tual ramework o the research !roblem. ,t there ore e3!lains in detailed manner how the research a!!roach used during data gathering.
32

According to Anderson and Poole E1--+F< choosing a design essentiall% in$ol$es selecting the most a!!ro!riate method or techni@ue to sol$e the !articular !roblem under in$estigation. ,t is crucial ste! in a thesis because i a wrong decision is made< the whole stud% ma% be criticised o the ground o ina!!ro!riate design or e$en worse as being unscienti ic or illogical. There are di erent t%!es o research using di erent t%!es o techni@ues in collecting< anal%sing and summari*ing data according to the nature o the sub#ect or to!ic in stud%. 4.3 R#*#&",2 A33"(&,2 According to 'aunders E2//3F< there are three ma#or a!!roaches when carr%ing out a research !rocess< which includes Positi$ism< Phenomenolog% and Realism. 4.3.1 P(*%'%$%*1 Positi$ism research !rocess is de ined as the a!!roach used b% the researcher with a!!arent social certaint% as agreed b% .alhotra E2//4F. The end !roduct o the research can take the sha!e o a natural law or a generali*ation theor%. The Researcher needs to be $astl% structured when using the !ositi$ist a!!roach so as to ease the @uanti iable obser$ations< which leads the researcher to a statistical anal%sis o their indings. Positi$ism a$oids the hidden and also the idea that theor% com!rises general obser$ations. Positi$ism tends to go towards an ob#ecti$e $iew!oint and the @uanti ication o data at the same time assumes that the researcher is outside the sub#ect matter. There are bene its o using a !ositi$ist a!!roach which includes gi$ing a broad co$erage o the $ariet% o situationsI it can be a reasonabl% ast and cost6e ecti$e wa% o collecting data and also can be o considerable im!ortance to !olic% decisions. )n to! o that< there are weaknesses which enclose this !rocess< which includeI the method is non le3ible and non6 natural and not use ul in understanding !rocesses or the im!lication those attached to actions. ,t is most likel% not hel! ul in generating theories and !olic% makers ma% ind it hard to deduce rom it what should ha!!en in the uture.

4.3.2

P2#)(1#)(+(08

33

Phenomenolog% is the stud% o structures o consciousness as e3!erienced rom the irst6 !erson !oint o $iew as agreed b% .alhotra E2//4F. ,ts main structure o an e3!erience based on intentions< structure o consciousness that is being directed toward something< as it is an e3!erience o or about some ob#ect. ,t is e3!erience which is belie$ed to direct an ob#ect b% $irtue o its content or meaning together with a!!ro!riate enabling conditions. ,t ma% be thought that the easiest and surest wa% would be to draw the solid indi$idual !henomenological !roblems rom the conce!t o !henomenolog%. Phenomenolog% is basicall% such and suchI hence it encom!asses such and such !roblems. ;ithin !henomenological in@uir% there are contradictor% de initions o its nature and tasks. Cut< e$en i these di erences in de ining the nature o !henomenolog% could be brought to an agreement< it would remain doubt ul whether the conce!t o !henomenolog% conse@uentl% attained< a kind o a$erage conce!t that could direct towards the most concrete !roblems to be chosen. E3!lanation o the idea o !henomenolog% is the same like e3!osition o the idea o scienti ic !hiloso!h%. The weaknesses o this a!!roach includeI it consumes much o the time rom gathering the resources and im!lementing them< it is di icult in anal%*ing and inter!reting the results< it is cluttered because o the !ace< im!ro$ement and end!oints are di icult to control and !olic% makers gi$e the stud% a low credibilit% rating. 'uch an understanding is im!ortant to the researcher as he ma% be including or e3cluding data that creates bias in the sam!le and thereb% in$alidates the research indings. There ore issues such as de!endence $ersus in$ol$ement and ield work or e3!erimental a!!roach ha$e been included when considering the !hiloso!hical a!!roach o research strateg%. 4.3.3 R#&+%*1 ,t is the belie o Realism that realit% e3ists inde!endent o human thoughts and belie s. ;hen Realism a!!lied to the stud% o human sub#ects it recogni*es the im!ortance o understanding !eo!leAs sociall% constructed inter!retations and meanings within the conte3t o seeking to understand broader social orces or !rocesses that in luence the nature o !eo!leAs $iews< 'aunders E2//3F. This means that it is a must or the researcher to interact with !eo!le being researched and indings are the result o the interacti$e !rocess ocusing on meanings and understanding o the situation or !henomenon under stud%.

34

Realism belie$es that there are large social orces that ha$e an e ect on !eo!le beha$iours. A!!l%ing to this stud% in a real world< the researcher will be able to get the data correctl% as well to test the h%!othesis !rior since the research aims at obtaining data rom the real world whereb% the consumers who are the main grou! concerned o the stud% will be included in this stud% to obtain in ormation on the e3tent to which colour in luence clothes !urchase to women consumers EThornhill< 2///F. 4.4 C&'#0("%#* (6 R#*#&",2 A research can be classi ied into two categories< according to ?ikmund 1--&< !. 1/1 4.4.1 E43+("&'("8 "#*#&",2 This categor% o research has the ob#ecti$e o ormulating !roblems< more !recisel%< illustrate conce!ts< gathering e3!lanations< gaining insight< eliminating im!ractical ideas< and orming h%!otheses. ,n !er orming E3!lorator% research a literature search can be used< certain !eo!lesA e3!eriences can be sur$e%ed< ocus grou!s< and case studies. ;hen sur$e%ing !eo!le< e3!lorator% research studies would not tr% to get a re!resentati$e sam!le< but rather< look orward to inter$iew those who are knowledgeable and who might be able to !ro$ide insight concerning the relationshi! among $ariables. The ad$antages o the e3!lorator% research includeJ
i. ii. iii. iv.

To gain ideas and insights about the research !roblem. To increase amiliarit%. To de$elo! h%!otheses to be tested in subse@uent research. To hel! @uestionnaire de$elo!ment and in !re6testing @uestionnaires.

E3!lorator% research has the ollowing characteristicsI

i. ii.

9ess structuredM.ore le3ible. 1suall% small sam!le si*es in$ol$edI ma% or ma% not be re!resentati$e o the !o!ulation.

35

4.4.2

D#*,"%3'%$# "#*#&",2

4escri!ti$e research is more rigid than e3!lorator% research and seeks to describe users o a !roduct< determine the !ro!ortion o the !o!ulation that uses a !roduct or !redict uture demand or a !roduct. As o!!osed to e3!lorator% research< descri!ti$e research should de ine @uestions< !eo!le sur$e%ed< and the method o anal%sis !rior to beginning data collection. ,n other words< the who< what< where< when< wh%< and how as!ects o the research should be de ined. 'uch !re!aration allows one the o!!ortunit% to make an% re@uired changes be ore the costl% !rocess o data collection has begun. There are two basic t%!es o descri!ti$e researchJ C+()0%'5/%)&+ *'5/%#* &)/ ,"(**@*#,'%()&+ *'5/%#*D according to ?ikmund< 1--&< !. 11-. L()0%'5/%)&+ *'5/%#* are anal%sis that base on time series and that make re!eated measurements o the same indi$iduals< hence allowing one to monitor beha$iour such as brand6switching. )n the other hand< longitudinal studies are not necessaril% re!resentati$e since man% !eo!le ma% re use to !artici!ate because o the commitment re@uired. C"(**@*#,'%()&+ *'5/%#* this tends to sam!le the !o!ulation so as to make measurements at a s!eci ic !oint in time. The ,m!ortance o 4escri!ti$e Research is as ollowsJ

1sed at the time when research ob#ecti$es and research @uestions are clearl% ormulated and when descri!ti$e and summar% measures are needed to address the research @uestions.

To estimate !ro!ortion o !eo!le in a !o!ulation who beha$e in a similar wa%.

Also 4escri!ti$e Research has the ollowing characteristicsJ

9ess le3ible than e3!lorator% research. Re@uires care ul !lanning o all ste!s including a data anal%sis strateg%.

36

)ther t%!es o research such as 5uantitati$e and @ualitati$e research de!end on the choice o researcher in carr%ing out the ado!ted or a gi$en research. B5&)'%'&'%$# "#*#&",2 !ro$ides results in numerical $alues and uses mathematic statistics to e$aluate results. This is more ob#ecti$e research than @ualitati$e one as the data are s%stematicall% collected. B5&+%'&'%$# "#*#&",2 is a descri!ti$e and non6numerical wa% to collect data and inter!ret in ormation. ,t is the research which is highl% regarded more sub#ecti$e than ob#ecti$e. ,t basicall% in$ol$es e3amining the !erce!tions in order to gain an understanding o a certain social and human actions. A33+%#/ &)/ B&*%, "#*#&",2< these are the t%!es o the research according to the outcome o the research< A33+%#/ "#*#&",2< it is the research t%!e which is used to sol$e !ractical !roblems o the modern world< rather than to ac@uire knowledge or the knowledgeAs sake. ,ts indings are used in sol$ing gi$en !roblems. B&*%, "#*#&",2< it is the research where !roblems are not gi$en !riorit%< onl% aims at increasing the insight or understanding o a gi$en matter. 4educti$e and ,nducti$e research. T%!e o the research which base on the logic o the research. D#/5,'%$#< is the research t%!e on which theories and h%!othesis are tested through em!irical obser$ation. This is a set o techni@ue or a!!l%ing theories in the real world E'aunders et al 2//3F. Particular in ormation is deduced rom general in erences. This is sometimes called a Nto!6downA a!!roach whereb% %ou start withI Theor% 2%!othesis )bser$ation 0on irmation

S(5",#: 4iagram made b% the researcher

37

I)/5,'%$#E it is the o!!osite o the deducti$e whereb% it is the stud% which is de$elo!ed rom the obser$ations o em!irical realit%. ,n inducti$e reasoning< we begin with s!eci ic obser$ations and measures< detect some regularit%< ormulate some h%!othesis and de$elo! some general conclusions or theories. This is called Nbottom u!A a!!roachI )bser$ation Pattern Tentati$e 2%!othesis Theor%

S(5",#: 4iagram made b% the researcher 2owe$er< the !ur!ose o the researcher to bring all abo$e t%!es o research on board is to bring the general understanding and insight o the research t%!es< but or the !ur!ose o this research stud%< @ualitati$e research will be used as the researcher aims to carr% out the stud% so as to get some basic in ormation on the in luence o colour in the !urchase o clothes to women consumers. 'ome o the discussions based on gathering in ormation irst and the meaning o colour to the consumer< how the consumers see colour and the in luence o colour to their !urchase o clothes. 4.5 P"%1&"8 D&'&

Primar% data is de ined as data obtained or the irst time and used s!eci icall% or the !articular !roblem or issue under stud%< as agreed b% .alhotra E2//4F. ) ten< secondar% data must be su!!lemented b% !rimar% data originated s!eci icall% or the stud% at hand. 'ome common t%!es o !rimar% data areJ

4emogra!hic and socioeconomic characteristics. Ps%chological and li est%le characteristics. Attitudes and o!inions. Awareness and knowledge 6 or e3am!le< brand awareness. ,ntentions 6 or e3am!le< !urchase intentions. ;hile use ul< intentions are not a reliable indication o actual uture beha$iour. .oti$ation 6 a !ersonLs moti$es are more stable than hisMher beha$iour< so .oti$e is a better !redictor o uture beha$iour than is !ast beha$iour. Primar% data

can be obtained b%J )bser$ation ,nter$iews And 5uestionnaires.

38

4.5.1

O!*#"$&'%()

)bser$ation in$ol$es the recording o actions and is !er ormed b% either a !erson or some mechanical or electronic de$ice. )bser$ation might take longer since obser$ers ma% ha$e to wait or a!!ro!riate e$ents to occur< though obser$ation using scanner data might be @uicker and more cost e ecti$e. According to ;hite E2///F< the ad$antage o this method o obser$ation where researcher becomes a com!lete !artici!ant< is the reduction o bias because the identit% o and !ur!ose o researcher is not re$ealed to other grou! members. 0ollecting !rimar% data through obser$ation is constructi$e when a researcher re@uires data !articularl% concerning what !eo!le do. ,t in$ol$es se$eral methods such as s%stematic obser$ation< recording< descri!tion< anal%sis and inter!retation o E'aunders et al< 2///J21+F 4.5.2 I)'#"$%#. !eo!leAs beha$iour

4ata collection through inter$iew can be reliable in that it enables gathering o rele$ant data rom !ur!ose ul discussions with two or more !eo!le E=han and 0annell< 1-"(F. There are man% t%!es o the inter$iews such as structured< semi6structured< unstructured< standardi*ed< non6standardi*ed< res!ondent and in ormant E'aunders et al< 2///J243F. This method gi$es the researcher reedom to ask an% @uestion which is within the to!ic researched. ,t also gi$es the researcher the o!!ortunities to access some more con idential issues that not thought be ore. 4uring the inter$iew< the researcher can take the short notes o what the inter$iewee is tr%ing to e3!lain so as to remember the main !oints. According to ;hite E2///F< the inter$iew method allows the low o con$ersation< all misunderstanding can be cleared u! immediatel% and o!en ended @uestions< !ro$ided< not le3ible but also the chance or $er% detailed res!onses to be gi$en. 2owe$er< there are issues o whether !eo!le or organi*ations are willing to co6o!erate ull% with the researcher< in order or the researcher to obtain best @ualit% res!onses. Additionall%< it can be time consuming since the researcher ma% re@uire more in ormation a ter the inter$iew session.

39

According to ;hite E2///F there are se$eral limitations o inter$iew< which areI Cias Time consuming. ,nter!retations o the in ormation ma% !ro$e di icult to the o!en6ended nature o the @uestion. There ore !lanning and designing o @uestions is essential to decrease the necessit% to re$isit the same !eo!le or organi*ation. 4.5.3 B5#*'%())&%"# 4ata collection rom @uestionnaire is carried out when each !erson in a sam!le res!onds to the same set o @uestions in a !redetermined order E4e8aus< 1--&F. ,t can either be both structured inter$iews and tele!hone @uestionnaires or that o which the @uestions are answered without the !resence o the inter$iewer. )ne o the main disad$antages o the @uestionnaire is that the res!onse rate is lowI additionall% it can be $er% time6consuming. 4.5.4 S&13+%)0

7irst and oremost< we can look at the meaning o sam!le be ore going urther< 'am!le< is a small subset o the !o!ulation that has been chosen to be studied. The sam!le should re!resent the !o!ulation and ha$e su icient si*e or a air statistical anal%sis. According to Bankowic* E1--1F< sam!ling can be de ined as the deliberate choice o a number o !eo!le< the sam!le< who are to !ro$ide the data necessar% to draw conclusions rom< about a larger grou!< the !o!ulation whom these !eo!le re!resent. 'am!ling is also a !rocess o de ining a re!resentati$e sub!o!ulation to stud%. ,n sam!ling there are two main categories which are probability Sampling and nonprobability Sampling, as agreed b% .alhotra E2//4J+-F. ,n Probabilit% sam!ling< there is a !roblem o biasI this ma% be due to researcherAs !re erence. As a result< Probabilit% 'am!ling attem!ts to !roduce a re!resentati$e strati ied random sam!le o the !o!ulation in an attem!t to remo$e bias as much as !ossible. ,n order to a$oid bias< it is necessar% and im!ortant to make sure that each o the candidates is included in the stud%. Casicall%< this can be guaranteed i randomi*ation is em!lo%ed.
40

Randomi*ation is im!ortant mainl% or two reasonsI irst< it !ro$ides a sam!le which is not biased and second< it meets the re@uirements or statistical $alidit% E'aunders et al 2//(F ;hen randoml% selecting sub#ects< se$eral methods can be a!!lied which are 'im!le random sam!ling< '%stematic random sam!ling< 'trati ied sam!ling< 0luster sam!ling and 4is!ro!ortional sam!ling. ,n realit%< true random sam!ling is $er% di icult to achie$e due to time< cost and ethical considerations which o ten !rohibits the researchers rom making the necessar% clearance. There ore< it is necessar% to use other sam!ling techni@ues whereb% the techni@ues !roduce non !robabilit% sam!les< in that the sam!ling techni@ue is not random. ;ith Non6!robabilit% sam!ling< it is unlikel% that the !o!ulation selected will ha$e the correct !ro!ortions since all the members o the !o!ulation do not ha$e e@ual chance o being selected. As a result it is not necessar% that the sam!le should ull% re!resent the target< and an% statement generali*ing the results be%ond the actual sam!le tested must be tested with @uali ication. Non6!robabilit% sam!ling acce!ts an element o bias b% actoring in criteria set b% the researcher to take account o en$ironmental actors such as time< cost< and @uestions to be answered. .ost im!ortantl%< since the $alidit% o the statistical testing methods is based on random selection o sub#ects< it is im!ortant when using non !robabilit% sam!ling that random techni@ues be em!lo%ed to the ma3imum. There are i$e non !robabilit% sam!ling techni@ues which can be used< these includeI 0on$enience sam!ling< 0onsecuti$e sam!ling< Budgemental sam!ling< 5uota sam!ling and 'nowball sam!ling. . ,n both cases there is a chance o sam!ling error and the researcher needs to acknowledge this in the work i the stud% is to ha$e wider acce!tance E'aunders et al 2//(F. ,n designing the research stud%< one should consider the !otential errors. Two sources o errors are random sampling error and non-sampling error as !ointed b% .alhotra E2//4J+-F. 'am!ling errors are those due to the act that there is a non6*ero con idence inter$al o the results because o the sam!le si*e being less than the !o!ulation being studied.

41

Random sam!ling errors are those are considered unbiased< in that< no !art o the !o!ulation has an ad$antage in being o$er6re!resented in the sam!le. A random sam!le ma% not be re!resentati$e o a !o!ulation based on chance actors alone Eit is !ossible to draw a sam!le that o$er6re!resents some !ortion o the !o!ulation b% chanceF. Non6sam!ling errors are those caused b% ault% coding< untruth ul res!onses< and res!ondent atigue. There is a trade6o between sam!le si*e and cost. The larger the sam!le si*e< the smaller the sam!ling error but the higher the cost. A ter a certain !oint the smaller sam!ling error cannot be #usti ied b% the additional cost. ;hile a larger sam!le si*e ma% reduce sam!ling error< it actuall% ma% increase the total error. There are two reasons or this e ect. 7irst< a larger sam!le si*e ma% reduce the abilit% to ollow u! on non6res!onses. 'econd< e$en i there is a su icient number o an inter$iewer or ollow6u!s< a larger number o inter$iewers ma% result in a less uni orm inter$iew !rocess. 7rom abo$e re$iew o sam!ling and di erent sam!ling techni@ue< the researcher decided to use 0on$enience sam!ling as it is eas% to select di erent sub#ects because o eas% accessibilit% and eas% to obtain or the stud%. The techni@ue itsel is eas%< ast and usuall% the least e3!ensi$e and least troublesome. Convenience sampling was thus selected or the stud%< that according to Cabbie and .outon E2//1F not onl% is con$enient and eas%< but the method is easible !articularl% or the students and others with limited time and resources and can legitimatel% be used as long as its limitations are clearl% understood and stated. The number o !artici!ants in @ualitati$e research< according to Cabbie and .outon E2//1F< de!endent on the sco!e o the research strateg% as well as the number o times the data6collection will be re!eated. ,t is recommended to ha$e a smaller sam!ling ramework in order to conduct an in6de!th in@uir%.

42

4.6

S#,()/&"8 D&'&

'econdar% data refers to information that has previously been gathered by someone other than the researcher and/or for some other purpose than the research project at hand, as de ined b% ?ikmund E1--&< !. &+F. According to Anderson and Poole E1--+F< the secondar% sources o in ormation are summaries o in ormation gathered rom !rimar% sources. These include translations< summaries and re$iews o research E or e3am!le< enc%clo!aedia articlesF< abstracts< guidebooks and other !ublications containing in ormation< commentaries and so on. The literature re$iew cha!ter was com!leted using researching the literature !resent< and b% looking through $arious books< #ournals< statutor% documents< newsletters< and the internet. T83#* (6 S#,()/&"8 /&'&: aF ,nternal 4ata Ee.g.< 4atabase .arketingF bF E3ternal 4ataJ 0ase 'tudies Published 'ources '%ndicated 'ources 4atabase 'ources

'econdar% data ma% be internal to the irm< such as sales in$oices and warrant% cards< or ma% be e3ternal to the irm such as !ublished data or commerciall% a$ailable data. The 'econdar% data has the ad$antage o sa$ing time and reducing data gathering costs. The disad$antages are that the data ma% not it the !roblem !er ectl% and that the accurac% ma% be more di icult to $eri %. 'ome secondar% data is re!ublished b% organi*ations other than the original source. Cecause errors can occur and im!ortant e3!lanations ma% be missing in re!ublished data< it is im!ortant to obtain secondar% data directl% rom its source. Also there should be a consideration o what the source is and whether the results ma% be biased. ,n carr%ing out the research< the Researcher decided to use E3!lorator% research as it hel!s to determine the best research design< data collection method and selection o sub#ects< and sometimes it ma% e$en conclude ine3istence o the !roblem.

43

The most common @ualitati$e research techni@ues according to .alhotra E2//4F includeJ

,n6de!th inter$iews 7ocus grou!s 0ase studies and Pilot studies.

4. I)@/#3'2 I)'#"$%#.* This is a @ualitati$e research techni@ue which allows !erson to !erson discussion. This t%!e o a @ualitati$e research can lead us into urther understanding o the !eo!leAs thoughts< eelings and beha$iours in im!ortant issues. 4ue to its unstructured st%le< it there ore allows the inter$iewer to encourage the corres!ondent to talk at a length about the to!ic o interest E9o land : 9o land< 1--"F. ,n6de!th inter$iewer uses a le3ible inter$iew a!!roach. The main aim o the inter$iew is to e3!lain the reasons underl%ing the !roblem in a target grou!. The techni@ue can be used to gather ideas< and gather in ormation. This t%!e o @ualitati$e research has the ollowing ad$antages such as it allows to %ield richest data< details and new insights< !ermits ace to ace interactions with res!ondents< allows to!ics to be e3!lained in de!th< allows the inter$iewer to e3!lain and hel! clari % the @uestions . 2owe$er< the techni@ue has got $arious disad$antages such as e3!ensi$e and time consuming< it needs well @uali ied and high trained inter$iewers< in ormation collected is too large< hence ma% be di icult to transcribe and reduce the data and le3ibilit% sometimes can result into inconsistencies across inter$iews. 4.: C&*# S'5/%#* This de!ends much on the !artici!ant obser$er method. These are normall% large descri!ti$e e3aminations< usuall% o a small number o sites Esmall towns< hos!ital< schoolsF whereb% the !rinci!al in$estigator immersed himsel in the li e o the communit%. The in$estigator holds ormal or in ormal con$ersations with in ormants obser$e the ongoing acti$ities< de$elo! an anal%sis o both indi$idual and the indings. This t%!e o a @ualitati$e research can !ro$ide rich e3!lorations o a !ro#ectI it de$elo!s in a real world something. 'ometime the case tends to be com!le3 as the% need time since there should be no brie site $isits onl%< rather data collection and re!orting should be taken into account EPatton< 1--/F

44

4.F F(,5* 0"(53 /%*,5**%() According to 9ederman< A ocus grou! discussion is a techni@ue in$ol$ing the use o in6 de!th grou! inter$iews in which !artici!ants are selected because the% are a !ur!osi$e< although not necessaril% re!resentati$e< sam!ling o a s!eci ic !o!ulation< but this grou! is being ocused on a gi$en to!ic. EThomas et al.< 1--"F Partici!ants in this t%!e o the research are selected on the criteria that the% would ha$e something to sa% on the to!ic or are within the age6range< ha$e similar socio6characteristics and would be com ortable talking to the inter$iewer and each other. ERichardson : Rabiee< 2//1F 7urthermore< 7ocus grou! discussion !ro$ides in ormation about a range o ideas and eelings that indi$iduals ha$e about certain issues< as well as illuminating the di erences in !ers!ecti$e between grou!s o indi$iduals. 7ocus grou! discussion has got the ollowing strengths and weaknesses< F(,5* G"(53 S'"#)0'2*:

E3cellent a!!roach to gather in6de!th attitudes and belie s rom se$eral stakeholders Grou! d%namics might generate more ideas than indi$idual inter$iews. 0an be e ecti$el% used to ocus on details regarding issues ound through sur$e%s or

at a time.

other data collection methods. F(,5* G"(53 W#&-)#**#*:

Re@uires sta time to set u! and acilitate ocus grou!. Re@uires sta time to identi % and schedule !artici!ants or ocus grou!. Re@uires strong acilitator to guide discussion and ensure !artici!ation b% all 1suall% re@uires s!ecial e@ui!ment to record and transcribe ocus grou! discussion.

members.

45

7rom the abo$e re$iew< the researcher decided to use 7ocus grou!s discussions as the% ha$e got one distincti$e eatures o its grou! d%namics< as the t%!e and the range o data generated during the social interaction o the grou! are o ten dee!er and richer com!ared to the one collected on the one6to6one inter$iews. EGreen et al 2//3F. The total number o 21 members was in$ol$ed in the discussion< whereb% the discussion was di$ided into three grou!s. ,n each grou!s there contained se$en E(F members in a grou! which consisted o di erent age. ,t was decided to ocus on emale consumers who meet the criteria or a strong s%mbolic6 instrumental consumer< a consumer with con idence< with a strong interest in her !ersonal a!!earance< who is lo%al towards certain brands and who en#o%s sho!!ing or clothes. These consumers were the ones who sho! at di erent stores including ?ara store or the aim o ca!turing their interest to store which was the main aim o the researcher. Gi$en the degree to which man% markets are segmented b% gender< it was decided to include onl% emales in this research. The studies done earlier suggest that there are di erences between male and emale consumers decision making in the choices o st%les and colours in clothes< it is emale consumers who are attracted most to colours and st%les ECakewell : .itchell< 2//4F. 4.1= R#+%&!%+%'8 &)/ V&+%/%'8.

Researcher decided to measure the reliabilit% and $alidit% o the methods o collecting data. Cell E2//"F de ines the term reliabilit% as Gthe extent to which a test or procedure produces similar results under constant conditions on all occasionsH. Reliabilit% is undamentall% the situation where b% data collection methods !roduce the same indings< obser$ations or conclusion b% other researcher E'aunders et al , 2//(F. There are se$eral t%!es o the threats to reliabilit%< but or !ur!ose o this research onl% ew will be considered< sub#ect or !artici!ant error< sub#ect or !artici!ant bias< obser$er error and obser$er bias E'aunders et al 2//(< !.14-F. ,n this research< !rimar% data were highl% used in conducting the research hence there was high !ossibilit% o sub#ecti$ism< researcher was there ore tr%ing to minimi*e the threats to reliabilit% o the data collection methods. ,n the ocus grou! discussions which were conducted b% the researcher< there were consistent answers !roduced b% some o the !artici!ants< there ore the !artici!ant or the sub#ect error to the great e3tent controlled< this could be because most o the !artici!ants sho! in retail
46

clothes stores which ha$e got almost similar dis!la% and selling o the a!!arel !roduct within the same industr%. )n the other hand< researcher admits that there were some slight sub#ect errors gi$en that the answers were di ering in some as!ects when researcher was doing test re6test< this might be attributed b% di erent arrangements and dis!la% o di erent stores and di erent choices o the customers that attracts them to a certain store. Also secondar% data were used to back u! the !rimar% data< hence the sub#ect bias is likel% since some o the #ournals are sub#ecti$e and can be mani!ulated or market !ur!ose. 2owe$er< researcher mostl% used the ke% notes which are $er% reliable source o data which are audited mostl% b% ,sla Gower. Researcher there ore minimi*ed the sub#ect bias to the great e3tent. )n other side o obser$er error and obser$er bias< researcher tried at ma3imum care to ensure that the data which were collected are reliable. ,n the !rocess o anal%*ing the consistenc% hence it can be argued that it was $er% reliable. 8alidit% is basicall% the central idea in the measurement< According to Neuman E2//3F de ines $alidit% as to Ghow well an idea about realit% its with actual realit%H. 'aunders et al , 2//4 !oints out di erent t%!es o threats o $alidit% but mostl% threats like histor%< whereb% it might gi$e $ariations o the indings rom %ear to %ear< this !roblem has been controlled since researcher was tr%ing to use the most recent indings. The !roblem o the !artici!ants in ormation gi$en could not tell whether the% s!eak o realit% which is another threat o the $alidit% since the data might not be re lecting the realit% o the data gi$en or anal%sis. This !roblem has been controlled since researcher was using $er% $alid source =e% Note which is $er% reliable market re!orts. Generall%< it can be concluded that< researcher has been tr%ing to maintain high le$el o the reliabilit%I $alidit% and accurac% that is wh% most o the indings accumulated are consistent with other work o other authors in the literature re$iew. data< researcher was anal%*ing data ob#ecti$el% with no sub#ecti$ism. There ore gi$es this research

47

4.11

L%1%'&'%() (6 *'5/8.

Researcher did ace some di iculties while doing the research< one being anal%sis o the data collected because o the method itsel which was unstructured. 2andling o the grou! discussion itsel was not eas% as sometimes the !artici!ants were going out o the matter being discussedI there ore the researcher had to make sure the% are within the main to!ic o discussion. Time limitation was another setback aced researcher< there were lots o things to do within relati$e short !eriod o time< including to!ic selection< gathering in ormation< writing down o$er 1"</// words or this reason< the time rame gi$en was not enough. This made the researcher to do man% things in last minute. .oreo$er< there were other limitations< mainl% being that< in ocus grou!s %ou learn what !eo!le sa%< the% do or think< and not what the% actuall% do or think. ,n ocus grou!< sometimes !artici!ants were e3!ressing an o!inion which is !robabl% with their own !ersonal li e. )n to! o that some o the !artici!ants dominated the grou!< thereb% could ha$e created inaccurate $iew o what usersA o$erall o!inion was. The researcher chose a @ualitati$e research design and there ore a small sam!le si*e. This stud% onl% concentrated on emale consumers< as the% are still the !rinci!le6bu%ing agents or the household. 2owe$er< social and demogra!hic changes are !utting !ressures on traditional gender roles and males are now more in$ol$ed in sho!!ing com!ared with !re$ious generations. 7uture studies could there ore concentrate on male consumers and also include other geogra!hic areas< age grou!s and cultural grou!s.

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C2&3'#" F%$# FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

5.1 I)'"(/5,'%() 7rom the !re$ious cha!ter< whereb% the researcher tried to e3!lain the methodolog% which was ado!ted throughout the research and later hel!ed out in the collection and anal%sis o data. 4i erent data were collected rom di erent grou!s set out or discussion and more s!eci icall% consumers who sho! at ?ara. The researcher decided to use a ta!e recorder and as soon as the discussion was inished< e$er%thing was summari*ed and noted down so as to allow eas% anal%sis o the data without ski!!ing some o the in ormation out while in discussion. As it has been !ointed out in the last cha!ter< ocused grou! discussion was used in collecting data< the researcher mainl% di$ided the discussion into two !arts< the irst !art aimed at ca!turing the meaning o colour rom the consumers and the second !art aimed at getting in ormation on the in luence o colour in their choices. ;ith regard to the ocus grou! discussion that was carried out the ollowing were the result 5.2 D&'& &)&+8*%* A ta!e recorder was used during the ocus grou! discussion to ensure that nothing was lost< so as the notes could hel! b% in the inter!retation o the data. ,t is $er% crucial or the researcher to note down the discussion as or some o the non$erbal beha$iours which can aid in the inter!retation< can be missed i notes are not taken. Note6based anal%sis was used which relied !rimaril% on the ield notes< debrie ing session and the summar% comments. ,t was decided b% the researcher to hold ocus grou! discussion so as to e3tract some @ualitati$e in ormation rom the consumers who sho! at ?ara 'tore and to in$estigate whether !artici!ants had an% in luence in colour when the% !urchase clothes at ?ara. ,t was elt this was an e ecti$e wa% to !robe colour in luences as it has some emotional< stimulus and cultural e ect to di erent consumers.

49

Three di erent grou!s were heldI each grou! had se$en !artici!ants< in which the researcher had to acilitate. The main aim o the researcher was to guide the discussion rom to!ic to to!ic< !robe and encourage discussion so as to ensure all !artici!ants contributed their $iews. The researcher a ter recording< immediatel% the summar% o all recorded im!ressions o the meeting was !ut down in a note orm. ,n ormal sessions were carried out at the room which was acilitated b% the hel! o the school. 4i erent grou!s were gathered b% the acilitator EResearcherF and e$er%thing was recorded as the con$ersation was going on which was summari*ed in a note book immediatel%. All the three sessions had the same structure with the three identical @uestions being !ut to the grou!s. At irst< in the start o the session all the !artici!ants were encouraged to introduce themsel$es to the grou! and e3!lain how the% see di erent colours that were !resented to them as sam!le colours. 7or the irst @uestion< the !artici!ants were asked to write down on a !iece o !a!er an% reason on what colours do the% like most and wh%. 7ollowing each ocus grou!< the !roceedings were noted down on !a!ersI at the end an% recurring themes were identi ied. A com!arison note was made and the inal selection o the @uotations which seemed to illustrate ke% issues was made and this was !roduced in this section. The ollowing @uestions were !osed in the ocus grou!s and below are the indings that were ound b% the Researcher 5.3 F%)/%)0* 51. 2ow do %ou see colour> This was @uestion !osed to them so as to identi % whether there are some emotional and stimuli connection o colours when the% bu% clothes. 52. ;hat is the meaning o colour to %ou> The aim o this @uestion was the ke% one< so as to ha$e di erent meaning that !artici!ants ha$e on colours according to di erent cultural background.

50

53. 4oes colour has an% in luence to %our !urchase> This @uestion was asked !rimaril% so as to balance @uestion number one. This also hel!ed with su!!orting e$idence or the original aims o the research in identi %ing an% colour in luence in the clothes !urchase. 7ollowing the irst @uestion which was asked< as the @uestion itsel a!!eared to be the main ocus o the discussions and a!!eared to be the answer o most interest and concern to the !artici!ants. The ollowing were the ones which o$erla! most and this list below indicates the broad headings. E3!ression o eelings Gi$es out realit% message to other !eo!le Eoutward lookingF

Expression of Emotional Feelings in relation to colour in clothes ;ith regard to the emotional dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience< it was clear that< it is im!ortant or the emale consumer to e3!erience emotional !leasure when she e$aluates the @ualit% o the clothes with colour o choice and secondl%< i the clothes arouse her emotions. 2ence< these two emotional dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience are so im!ortant and that she will !robabl% not be so much interested in the unctional @ualities i she does not e3!erience !leasure or eel aroused b% the items. ,t is im!ortant or the a!!arel item to do something or consumerAs eelings about hersel < or e3am!le< eeling good< con ident and that she will get com!liments about hersel . 2owe$er< the consumer might !robabl% eel that she wonAt e$en want to e3!ress hersel i wearing an item that make her eel negati$e. )n the role o the emotional !leasure and emotional arousal< !artici!ants reacted as ollowsI G;hen , wear red suit< , eel like , li$eI %ou know it gi$es me con idence as the colour itsel tellsH the !artici!ant continue to e3!lain hersel that GAlwa%s red is known to be the colour that grabs attention o other !eo!le. ) course< , ha$e been getting nice com!liments when , wear it. Then , eel e3cited alwa%sH ,t was $er% interesting as the !artici!ant was !robedI this was what was e3!lained<
51

G;hen , am at the store , will tend to consider more than one item when , know that , will get com!liments when wearing it< it is $er% im!ortant that , will eel good when wearing the item that has got red in it.... e$en i it is black< but it should be a little bit o black with red in it. As %ou know ......red colour can go with white too...As when , am in the store< something that has red in it tends to catch m% e%es @uickl%H The researcher also came to ind out that< in the third !lace< the emale consumer would e3!erience a eeling o dominance when e$aluating the @ualit% o the coloured !roducts. This third conditional dimension< which is the eeling o dominance< is more s!eci icall% an im!ortant @ualit% o a ormal da% wear or career wear. As it is im!ortant or the emale consumer when e$aluating the @ualit% o the cloth< suitable or career wear< she should eel that she would be in a !osition o control the whole situation when wearing the item and that it would< more s!eci icall% in a working en$ironment< gi$e her a eeling o dominance or !ower. The ollowing statements e3!lain the indings on the role o dominance. G,t is im!ortant or me that this Red blouse will hel! me to look st%lish because !eo!le ha$e to take me seriousl% when , am at workH as to when she was re erring to the Red blouse that she !ut on that da%. As the discussion was going on the other !artici!ants added on this b% sa%ing thatI G, like looking and eeling !ro essional at work< , will consider the same Red colour to wear because it kee!s me !ro essional. As ar as it is im!ortant or a woman to make a statement at workH T2# R(+# (6 C(+(5" %) 0%$%)0 (5' (5'.&"/ +((-%)0: 7rom the indings< it was clear that emale consumers e$aluate the colour o the a!!arel !roduct based on certain cogniti$e dimensions on the aesthetic e3!erience. 7emale consumers< when e$aluating the colour o the a!!arel !roducts whether it is ormal da% wear or career wear< it is im!ortant or them to e3!erience a message o realit%. 7emale consumer would like to e3!erience that the item being !ut on will hel! her be !art o the current ashion within the cultural en$ironment< su!!ort her be !art o the social grou! that includes amil%< riends and colleagues as well as con$e% to them what and who she is in the social en$ironment. .oreo$er< !articularl% colour gi$es an emotional eeling o dominance
52

which is im!ortant or her career wear. ,t seems that line and st%le as well as the interaction between $arious ormal o the !roduct such as colour< te3ture< line and !ro!ortion !la%s an im!ortant role in creating an e3!erience o realit% during e$aluation !rocess. Partici!ants reacted as ollows on the role o the abo$e e3!erience realit%I G, will choose classic lines and st%les< es!eciall% the black and white lines or sometimes !lain colours like red< blue< white blouse< black trouser. There ore something ormal or work because the clothes will show other !eo!le that , am serious with m% work.H ,n the second @uestion that was asked< the main aim o the researcher was to see i !artici!ants associate di erent colours with di erent meanings as some !artici!ants came rom di erent cultural backgrounds. .ost o the !artici!ant aged 3/As re!lied about ( times thatI GClack is associated with sadness< itAs the colour o ten used or grie$ing< as the colour itsel indicates $er% strong emotionsH Cut the answer was di erent to %oung girls aged 1-6 2"< as it was re!lied 1/ times. GThe black colour , wear it when going out at night< during the da% e$en at work< it is the colour that makes %ou looks thinner.H As the discussion was going man% re!lies on di erent colours came out< or girls aged 1- and 21< the% said the ollowing about white colourI G;hite is the colour associated with !urit%< it is makes %ou look clean as it is worn in most wedding dressesH Cut this was di erent or the two 0hinese ladies< who saidI G;e use red dresses or wedding as it will make %ou be noticeable because it draws !eo!lesA attentionH. 7or the A ricans< whereb% two o the ladies rom Nigeria and 0ameroon< the% said. G7or us in our countries or the .uslims in weddings %ou !ut an% colour o %our choice< whether it be !ink< green< %ellow< blue< an%thingH.
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7or blue colour< this was liked b% most o the !artici!ant as it was said thatI G,t is the calming colour< encourages re lection and logical thought< but at the same time too much blue can send a cold and uncaring messageH. Pur!le was also seemed to attract most !eo!le< the women aged 3" most o them said< G,t is our most ro%al colour that is associated with wealth< !ros!erit%< rich so!histicationH the %oung generation aged 1- to 2"< almost all o them when asked the% corres!onded thatI G all shades o !ur!le is m% a$ourite coloursH. ;hen the second @uestion was ull discussed< the researcher !osed the third @uestion< and this was what was discussed< As the discussion was going on< the @uestion was !osed to the !artici!ant to see i colour has an% in luence to them when !urchasing clothes. 'o as to su!!ort the e$idence or the original aim o the research< this was $er% crucial one to the literature. This was mainl% regarded to the sensor% dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience as it was clear that it was s!eci icall% the dimensions o the sensor% e3!erience that is sight< which !la%s a ma#or role when the emale consumer e$aluates the @ualit% and choice o her a!!arel. ,t was urther clear that it is es!eciall% the ormal @ualities o colour that brings about an e3!erience o !leasure through the dimension o sight. ,t is im!ortant or the emale consumer senses to be aroused when e$aluating a cloth and that she is satis ied with what she sees as well as the !h%sical as!ect o an item< to the act that she would not consider an% other !ro!erties o an item i not satis ied with the colour. There ore< the !artici!ants were so much enthusiastic in the whole !rocess o e3!ressing their ideas on this and the ollowing were the indings. G0olour or me is the most im!ortant thing when , e$aluate an item. , alwa%s look at the colour irst and i , am not satis ied , wonAt e$en look urtherH

54

)ne o them added that< Nsince , am such a $isual !erson< , will alwa%s consider the colour irstAA when !robed more on this that wh% colour should be o their main concern i the design is good> The !artici!ants continued on e3!laining thatI G,n order to e$aluate the design o the a!!arel items< , alwa%s consider the colour irst and i it is something that , donAt like , would not e$en go urther. A good item to me should ha$e a nice colourH 5.4 D%*,5**%() (6 '2# 6%)/%)0* The emotional dimensions on the colour e3!erience !la% the abo$e im!ortant role es!eciall% when consumers e$aluate the @ualit% o the coloured !roducts< as the% will !robabl% not consider e$en the unctional @ualities the% are not satis ied with what the% eel when e$aluating an item EGu% et al< 2//1< !.3F ,n agreeing with the !oint abo$e which is the im!ortance o emotions as the actor during the e$aluation stage o the decision6making !rocess< this is the !roblem to the e3tent that consumers will onl% be willing to consider an% other @ualities i the !roduct makes them eel !ositi$e and con ident towards themsel$es. 4e9ong 1--+< agrees with this $iew!oint and underline the im!ortant role o colour in bringing about these emotions s!eci icall% or the clothing consumer. ;hen com!aring ormal da%wear and career wear< it is im!ortant to the emale consumer that her casual wear con$e%s a message o antas% and entertainment. As when e$aluating her casual wear< it is something that has to do less with her !ublic sel Ethat is about being !art o and eeling dominant and in6control in the ormal or working en$ironmentF rather it is much more to be connected to her !ri$ate sel and that the a!!arel should con$e% something about her inner sel Ethat is< what she real isF without taking into account other considerations. ,t was ob$ious that these messages o antas% and entertainment are brought about b% interaction o colour which is !art o the st%le materials o the a!!arel item. At the same time !re$ious e3!erience o the same !roduct !la% an im!ortant role in establishing an e3!erience o antas% and entertainment while e$aluating the a!!arel items. ;hen re erring to the case o the sensor% and emotional dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience< it seems cogniti$e dimensions are #ust as im!ortant when consumers e$aluate the colour o the a!!arel !roducts or the emale consumer< it is not onl% im!ortant that the a!!arel to stimulate the senses or arouse s!eci ic eelings but also about s%mbolic messages that she recei$es rom the item< which would later on be able to con$e% messages to others.
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There ore a!!arel !roducts can ser$e as means through which the consumer can e3!erience entertainment and can engage in antas% !la%. ,t ser$es as a means whereb% the emale consumer can e3!erience realit% in im!ortant e$er%da% li e6situations also esca!e realit% when she eels like being hersel and e3!erience entertainment within a antas%6world. ,t was clear rom this stud% that the aesthetic e3!erience !la%s a $er% im!ortant role as !art o the e3!ected beha$ioural @ualities o a!!arel !roducts< although it would be wrong to assume that the !artici!ants would ne$er consider other unctional as!ects such as durabilit% or eas%6 to6care @ualities. ,t ma% be that the !artici!ants were so amiliar with the te3tiles that the% automaticall% knew how the te3tile would beha$e when wearing the item. )ne would< howe$er< e3!ect some re erences to the role that the te3tiles !la% in establishing im!ortant unctional @ualities such as eas%6to6care6 or @ualities. ,n addition< none o the !artici!ants !ointed out the im!ortance o construction as an inherent !h%sical @ualit% o a!!arel !roducts that has ma#or im!lications or unctional @ualities such as durabilit% as well as or aesthetical @ualities< such as straight hemlines or seams that do not !ucker. ,t is @uestionable i these as!ects are so !art o the emale consumerLs e$aluation !rocess that she includes it automaticall% and unconsciousl% without the need to mention it or !ur!osi$el% uses it when e$aluating the @ualit% o a!!arel !roducts. 7rom this stud% it rather seems as i the sensor%< emotional and cogniti$e dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience are o ma#or im!ortance or the a!!arel emale consumer as !art o the @ualit% e$aluation o an a!!arel item< to the e3tent that it !robabl% o$ershadows the im!ortance o other unctional @ualities o a s!eci ic item. According to 7iore and =imle< E1--(F sight is !robabl% the most im!ortant contributor when it comes to aesthetical e3!erience that is desired rom a!!arel !roducts. Rasband E2//1F argued colour is !robabl% the most $isible element o an% clothing !roduct. According to 4e9ong E1--+F colour has the !otential to accentuate the $arious !arts o the bod% and there ore can be used to bring $ariation as to how the wearer looks rom da%6to6da%. ,t has come into awareness that colour !la%s a $er% im!ortant role when emale consumers e$aluate the @ualit% o a!!arel !roducts. ,t is rom the ormal @ualit% o an a!!arel item that enables the emale consumer to e3!erience beaut% onl% b% looking at an item and this clearl% !la%s an im!ortant role in her e$aluation o the @ualit% o the a!!arel !roduct.

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,n adding more about colour< 7iore and =imle E1--(F !oint to the im!ortance o abric hand to consumers to the e3tent that regardless o whether te3ture is an im!ortant design ocus in a!!arel< consumer satis action almost alwa%s includes a!!reciating the eeling o the abric to the hand and on the bod%.

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C2&3'#" S%4 CONCLUSION S AND RECOMMENDATIONS 6.1C(),+5*%()* 7rom the indings abo$e< it is clear to draw two main conclusions< which areI irst< rom a consumerAs !oint o $iew the colour o a!!arel !roducts does not onl% concern the !h%sical a!!earance o the !roduct and the unctional beha$ioural @ualities< but more im!ortantl%< the aesthetical beha$ioural @ualities< and secondl%I it is the sensor%< emotional and cogniti$e dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience which !la% a ma#or role when emale consumers assess the colour o a!!arel !roducts ECrown : Rice 1--+< !.3(F ;hen s!eaking o colours in clothes and relate to the satis action o consumersA needs as well as a!!l%ing to clothing !roducts. ,t can be concluded that< rom this research that< colour is in the Ge%e o the consumersH. 7or the emale a!!arel consumer the colour o a!!arel !roducts or that reason not onl% includes the unctional beha$ioural @ualities o a s!eci ic item< but also the aesthetical beha$ioural @ualities< these @ualities ha$e to be included in an% uture research that concerns the consumerAs $iew !oint. 2a$ing a look at the theoretical !oint o $iew a!!arel !roducts are seen as ha$ing< in the irst !lace intrinsic !h%sical !ro!erties E such as design< material< construction and inishesF which s!eci %ing what item it is< and secondl%< beha$ioural !ro!erties E unctional and aestheticalF which s!eci % what !roduct can achie$e EGersak< 2//2F. , one thus ado!t the $iew !oint that colour is about what the !roduct can do or the consumer in order to satis % her e3!licitl% and a!!lied needs< this means that both beha$ioural !ro!erties should be included in research that concerns the colour o a!!arel !roducts rom consumerAs !oint o $iew< as it was e3!lained in this research. 1n ortunatel%< man% !re$ious researchers concentrated onl% on the intrinsic !h%sical !ro!erties and the unctional beha$ioural !ro!erties without regarding the aesthetical @ualities as the crucial thing o the colour o the a!!arel !roducts. E=arnes et. al.< 1--"F.

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A!!arel consumers can e$aluate the @ualit% o an item during the e$aluation stage at the !oint o !urchase< again when wearing the item and when the item is discarded E9in@uist : 'irg%< 2//3F. 2owe$er< consumers do not necessaril% e$aluate the @ualit% o a!!arel !roducts in the same wa% at the !oint o !urchase< as the% would !robabl% do a ter ha$ing worn it or a while. At the !oint o !urchase< the main concern is !robabl% Gwhat the item can and will do or meH P an e$aluation o the estimated ca!abilities o the item to satis % the needs that the consumers are aware o at the !oint o sale Ewhich not necessaril% include all the im!ortant needs o the consumerF E.urali : 9itell< 1--"F. ,t can be concluded rom this research that the aesthetical beha$ioural @ualities o a!!arel !roducts !la% an im!ortant role in emale consumersL e$aluation o colour o a!!arel !roducts at the !oint o sale to the e3tent that it seems as i their needs with regard to the aesthetical @ualities o a !roduct !robabl% o$ershadow most o the unctional needs that the% ma% e3!erience when wearing the item. EEckman et. al.< 1--/F As noted in discussing the results< it would seem as i the emale a!!arel consumer does not !ur!osi$el% e$aluate most o the unctional @ualities that ma% become im!ortant when wearing the item< although one cannot assume that the !artici!ants will ne$er consider unctional as!ects such as durabilit% or eas%6to6care @ualities. Although the !artici!ants re erred to the !h%sical !ro!erties o te3tiles and to a lesser e3tent to design< none o the !artici!ants made re erence to the im!ortance o construction as an inherent !h%sical @ualit% o a!!arel !roducts that has ma#or im!lications or unctional @ualities such as durabilit% as well as or aesthetic @ualities< such as straight hemlines or seams that do not !ull. 'ieben E1--1< !. (1F re ers to the act that because most consumers !robabl% do not ha$e ade@uate knowledge o the !h%sical !ro!erties o a!!arel !roducts< the% tend to concentrate on the !s%chic !er ormance as!ects. 0onsumers also tend to em!hasi*e characteristics that the% can e$aluate ade@uatel%< such as the $isible elements o the garment and in most cases the% onl% antici!ate the !h%sical utilit% o the item. This a!!arent lack o attention to unctional detail that could !la% an im!ortant role in @ualit% e$aluation when the item is worn< ma% in a !ost6 !urchase stage result in dissatis action with man% o the im!ortant unctional !ro!erties that ma% satis % the consumerLs needs< and or the retailer in more returned articles due to unsatis actor% construction or e$en te3tile !ro!erties that do not li$e u! to the needs o the emale consumer. 7ull% rational decisions cannot be made unless consumers are in ormed and able to a!!raise the relati$e merits o com!eting !roducts.

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The consumer must ha$e the abilit% to make clear distinctions o colour in !roduct in order to achie$e e icient decision making. The abo$e conclusions ha$e ma#or im!lications or the retailer and e$en more so or the e6 retailer. 7irst< because o the act that it would seem that emale a!!arel consumers do not consciousl% and !ur!osi$el% e$aluate im!ortant unctional @ualities that ma% satis % their later needs during the !ost6!urchase stage< retailers and e6retailers there ore should !ur!osi$el% draw their customers attentions to the linkage between the !h%sical !ro!erties o the a!!arel !roduct that in luence im!ortant unctional !ro!erties that ma% !la% a role in the satis action that the% would e3!erience when wearing the item. This is es!eciall% im!ortant with regard to limited decision6making and routine decision6making. ;hen consumers are amiliar Eor think the% are amiliarF with a !articular !roduct andMor decision6making situation< or when the% bu% !roducts Esuch as clothingF on a regular basis< the% tend to s!end less time on each o the decision6making stages< including the e$aluation stage. ,n man% cases the% then ma% not consider alternati$es and in man% cases< brand recognition or store image ma% then ease the !rocess< to the e3tent that it ma% a!!ear as i the decision6making !rocess is almost non6e3istent. ,n addition to the abo$e< Poloian E2//3< !. 3/4F !oints to the act that res!onses to stimuli ma% be dee! in the sub6conscious. 0olour< odours and te3tures Eall o which orm !art o the aesthetic e3!erienceF ma% con#ure u! !ast e3!eriences and urge the consumer to bu% certain clothes. ,t is there ore o the utmost im!ortance that the consumerLs attentions be drawn to the linkage between the !h%sical !ro!erties o the !roduct and the beha$ioural @ualities. These linkages could be an inherent !art o i3ed as well as additional labels and should certainl% be !art o the on6line in ormation that e6retailers !ro$ide to their customers who are not in an% !osition to handle the !roduct and there ore are unable to a!!l% an% !re$ious knowledge or e3!erience< es!eciall% with regard to the te3tiles. 'econdl%< knowledge on the im!ortance o s!eci ic sensor%< emotional and cogniti$e dimensions o the aesthetic e3!erience or emale a!!arel consumers could direct the a!!arel retailer or e6retailerLs ashion merchandi*ing strateg%< while knowledge on the consumerLs !re erence or s!eci ic ormal @ualities in career and casual wear< such as colour< te3ture or line< is crucial or the bu%er and should also direct $isual merchandi*ing and other orms o ad$ertising.

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0onsumers look or their idea o colour. , colour is in the e%e o the consumer and aesthetics< the lens through which the colour is e$aluated Eas is here suggested in the case o the emale consumerF< then surel% it should be an integral !art o the retailer or e6retailerLs ashion merchandi*ing strateg%. 0onsumers should be able to GseeH colour rom their !oint o $iew< e$en be ore the% ha$e entered the store. ,t should be ke!t in mind that< in the case o a!!arel !roducts< the bu%ing !rocess< in man% cases alls in the domain o s%mbolic consum!tion E9ind@uist : 'irg%< 3//3< !. 133F< the !rocess through which consumers P on the basis o s%mbols P bu%< consume and dis!ose o !roducts. '%mbols are the most !ower ul o signs because the% can be used to induce certain states o mind or eelings in the consumer. 7ormal @ualities Esuch as colour< te3tures< lines and othersF o the outside and inside o the store as well as the store la%6out and $isual merchandi*ing< should clearl% s!ell out to the consumer the $arious dimensions Esensor%< s%mbolic and emotionalF o the aesthetic e3!erience that she would e3!erience as !art o the colour o the a!!arel !roducts that she is looking or< and most !robabl% will ind in the s!eci ic store. 6.2 R#,(11#)/&'%()* 0onsumers learn colour association< which make them !re er certain colours or di erent ranges o !roducts. Peo!le who come rom di erent cultures are e3!osed to di erent associations and the% de$elo! colour !re erences based on their own cultureAs association. .arketers can learn thisI there ore the% can identi % the associations made b% consumers or their !roduct categor% and make an attem!t o matching a!!ro!riate colours. As !art o the marketing strateg%< marketers should consider their !roductAs colour< !ackaging colour and an% colour associated with ad$ertising. These are all within the marketerAs control. ;ith the changing o consumer beha$iour as a result o globali*ation< as a result< there are growth o!tions a$ailable or s!ecialit% retailers like ?ara. The best wa% or ?ara to maintain their sustainable growth is to seek new o!!ortunities in the a!!arel market. ?ara can create di erent sector or distribution o their goods so as to decrease logistics in order to deli$er ashionable goods in a aster manner. This will also allow them to ha$e additional unds to s!end in other areas o business such as ad$ertising.

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C% allowing the consumers to !urchase direct on the internet< still ?ara 'hould make sure that all o its e$er6changing ashion online should be dis!la%ed. Another recommendation to ?ara is that< to o er s!eciali*ed !roducts or di erent geogra!hic locations within the same cit%. This will increase consumer demand and will moti$ate them to $isit more ?ara locations within their own region. 4i erentiation o its !roducts rom location to location could increase sho!!er tra ic. This will make a sho!!er to !a% a $isit as the% would hear about new di erent !roducts rom word o mouth or increased ad$ertising and the% will !a% a $isit. The com!an% must continue to re6in$ent and inno$ate themsel$es in order to sta% awake in the a!!arel industr%. 6.3 S500#*'%()* 6(" 65'5"# *'5/8 R#*#&",2 4ue to a certain circumstances< the researcher chose @ualitati$e research design and used a small sam!le si*e. 7indings can be used in uture studies in @uantitati$e st%le with the use o the larger sam!le si*e to ensure better re!resentation. This stud% concentrated on emale consumers as the% en#o% sho!!ing in nature. 2owe$er due to social and demogra!hic changes there is in$ol$ement o males. 7uture studies can thereb% concentrate on male consumers and can include other geogra!hic areas< age grou!s and cultural grou!s. 0olour research in the ield o marketing still a!!ears to be immature. As a result< studies which e3amine $ariet% o measurement related to colour should be considered. Es!eciall%< more research on colour !re erence should be conducted so as to establish strength as a actor in !urchase beha$iour. 7urthermore< colour ma% ha$e an e ect on other $ariables that ma% be ound in a marketing conte3t. '!eci icall%< colour ma% a ect memor% or ob#ects< which could a ect ad$ertising and dis!la% strategies< combination o colours ma% ha$e e ects to consumers too. Ad$ancement in technolog% or creating colour la%ering o$er one another< and thereb% creating new colour !alette ma% ha$e e ects to consumers.

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To sum u!< associations in colours that consumers ormulate can !redict their beha$iours so as to understand how associations mani est themsel$es in !eo!leAs !roduct. 0olour choices< re@uires the e3amination o a com!le3 network o associations that indi$iduals ormulate. ,t a!!ears in man% cases that consumers are able to articulate associations and !ro$ide their reasoning or choosing !articular colours. , this ha!!ens< then marketers can hel! clari % their own colour strategies but in other cases where marketers are unable to identi % the e3isted associations< there is o!!ortunit% o de$elo!ing new colour associations or !roducts that the marketer can control.

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REFERENCES: Cakewell< 0.< .itchell< 8. E2//4F< R.ale consumer decision6making st%lesR< !nternational "eview of "etail, #istribution and Consumer "esearch< 8ol. 14 No.2< !!.22364/. Crown< P.< Rice< B. E1--+F< "eady-to-wear $pparel $nalysis< 2nd Edition< .errill6Prentice 2all< 1!!er 'addle Ri$er< New Berse%. 0ha!man< T. E1--+F< Colour% &he 'nderleveraged (otivator of )rand Choice< Rosetta .arketing 'trategies Grou!. 0l%desdale< 7... E1--3F< R0olour as a actor in ood choicesR< Critical "eviews in *ood Science and +utrition< 8ol. 33 !!.+361/1. 4a$ido < B. E1--1F< Cognition through Colour< The .,T Press< 0ambridge< .A. 4e9ong< ..R. E1--+F< &he ,ay ,e -oo. #ress and $esthetics< 2nd Edition< 7airchild< New Kork. 4ickerson< =.G. E2//3F< !nside the *ashion )usiness< (th Edition< Prentice 2all< 1!!er 'addle Ri$er< New Berse%. 7iore< A...< =imle< P.A. E1--(F< 'nderstanding $esthetics for the (erchandising and #esign /rofessional< 7airchild< New Kork. 7ischer< E.< Arnold< '.B. E1--4F< R'e3< gender identit%< gender role attitudes< and consumer beha$iourR< /sychology and (ar.eting< 8ol. 11 !!.1&36+2. 7oroohar< R. and 'tabe< .. E2//"F G7abulous 7ashionJ 9ow coast com!anies like ?ara and To!sho! are emerging as de ining and dominant !la%ers< not #ust ollowersH< Newsweek ,nternational< No. )ct1(< !!3/. Gainer< C. E1--3F< RAn em!irical in$estigation o role o in$ol$ement with a gendered !roductR< /sychology and (ar.eting< 8ol. 1/ No.4< !!.2&"6+3. Green< B. ..< 4ra er< A.=. and 4owler<E. A. E2//3F 'hortcuts to 'a et%J risk and rules o thumb in accounts o ood choice. 2ealth< Risk and 'ociet% "< 336"2

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Gu%< A.< Green< E.< Canim< .. E2//1F< &hrough the ,ardrobe% ,omen0s "elationships with their Clothes< Cerg< New Kork. Ba e< 9.B. E1--1F< R,m!act o !ositioning and se36role identit% on womenLs res!onses to ad$ertisingR< 1ournal of $dvertising "esearch< No. 3 BuneMBul%< !!."(6&4. =e% Note E2//4F .arket Re!ortJ .arket share and growth 2nd edition. .iddlese3. =e% Note E2//(F .arket Re!ortJ 0olours and 7ashion 0lothes. 11th edition. .iddlese3 =e% Note E2//+F .arket Re!ortJ Retailers in 0lothing. 4th edition< 8olJ 2. .iddlese3 9in@uist< B.4.< 'irg%< ..B. E2//3F< Shopper, )uyer, and Consumer )ehaviour< 2nd Edition< Atomic 4og Publishing< 0incinnati. .alhotra< N. =< E2//4F G.arketing ResearchH 4th Edition< Prentice 2all< New Berse%. .a*aira< A.< Gon*Sle*< E.< A$endaTo< R. E2//3F< RThe role o market orientation on com!an% !er ormance through the de$elo!ment o sustainable com!etiti$e ad$antageJ the ,ndite3 ?ara caseR< .arket ,ntelligence : Planning< 8ol. 21 No.4< !!.22/6-. .intel E2//2F 0lothing retail in the 1=< A!ril .ontague< 0. E1--(F< RPigments that !er ormR< (ar.eting &ools< .undell< 2. E1--3F< R2ow the colour ma ia choose %our clothesR< $merican #emographics< No. 12 No$ember< !!.2163&. Patton E2//1F G1nderstanding the Reliabilit% and 8alidit% in 5ualitati$e ResearchH Pantone E1--2F< /antone Colour /references Study< Pantone ,nc< Powell< ..< Ansic< 4. E1--(F< RGender di erences in risk beha$ioural in inancial decision6 makingJ an e3!erimental anal%sisR< 1ournal of 2conomic /sychology< 8ol. 1+ !!.&/"62+. Richardson< 0. A. and Rabee< 7. E2//1F NA @uestion o AccessA6 an E3!lorator% o the actors in luencing the health o %oung males and their use o health care ser$ices< 2ealth Education Bournal
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'aunders ..< 9ewis P. And Thornhill A. E2//3F< Research .ethods or Cusiness 'tudents< 3 rd Edition< Pearson Education 9td. 'aunders .< 9ewis P< Thornhill A E2//(F Research .ethods or Cusiness 'tudents .4th editionE Pearson Education Prentice 2all. 'chi man< 9. G. Cednall< 4.< 0owle%< E. And =anuk< 9. E2//1F 0onsumer Ceha$iour. 2nd Edition< Pearson Prentice 2all 'chmitt< C. 2. And Pan< K. E1--4F .anaging 0or!orate and brand identities in Asia6 Paci ic Region 0arl ornia .anagement Re$iew< 3&E4F.!!2+63& 'imons< 4. E2//2F GAd$ertising as 'cienceH< American Ps%cholog% Association< 8ol.33< No. )ctober Ta t< 0. E1--(F< R0olour meaning and conte3tJ com!arisons o semantic ratings o colours on sam!les and ob#ectsR< 0olour Research and A!!lication< 8ol. 22 !!.4/6"/. Thomas< 9.< .ac.illan< B.< .ac0oll< E and 2all< 0. E1--"F 0om!arison o 7ocus Grou! and ,ndi$idual ,nter$iew .ethodolog% in e3amining Patient satis action with nursing care. 'ocial science in 2ealth 1< 2/&621;hite6'a3< C E2///F< R0olour com!le3 so!histicated colour choices or a di$erse marketR< #rug Store +ews< Bune 2&< 1--+. ;alsh< 9...< Toma< R.C.< Tu$eson< R.8.< 'ondhi< 9. E1--/F< R0olor !re erence and ood choice among childrenR< 1ournal of /sychology< 8ol. No. 124< No$ember< !!.&4"6"3. ;ard< G. E1--"F< 0olours and Em!lo%ee 'tress ReductionI 'u!er$ision< "& E7ebruar%F< 36" W#!*%'#*:
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