Market research: Sponge Mask

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

In Technopreneurship – CEE115 (11082)

For Academic Year

2019-2020

Submitted by:
James Kyle Apa-ap
Jhazylou Monteza
Jan Froyd Item
Hannah Vera Tanguihan
Maria Fatima Andres

Submitted to:

Engr. Jetron J. Adtoon, MSCpE

June 20, 2020

 INTRODUCTION

Safety is the number one priority of all the people nowadays especially during
this pandemic. The use of masks is part of a comprehensive package of the prevention
and control measures that can limit the spread of certain respiratory viral diseases,
including COVID-19. Masks can be used either for protection of healthy persons (worn
to protect oneself when in contact with an infected individual) or for source control
(worn by an infected individual to prevent onward transmission). During this pandemic,
many countries, including the Philippines, are stockpiling face masks for use as a
nonpharmaceutical intervention to control the virus transmission. There has been an
extraordinary demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) including face masks
which led to a nationwide shortage of safe face masks.

Prevention is still the best method of keeping yourself safe from the highly
contagious virus. A face mask made-out of shredded and compressed loofah sponge
with an antimicrobial filter can help against many respiratory infections that are spread
through the droplet route, and that includes coronavirus. By developing sponge mask,
a new source of effective, safe, and economical face masks that has the same useful
capabilities as the current surgical face masks used today has been produced. What’s
different and advantageous about this product is it has an anti-microbial filter made up
of an organic material which is the loofah sponge made from a vegetable called loofah.

Any individual whose capable of using this face mask is the target respondent.
Questionnaires will be made through google forms for easy dissemination of the forms
and since the researchers maximized the internet, they can conduct the survey with
ease. A link will then be sent to random individuals through various social media
platforms that will reach at least 50 respondents. In sending the link, the researchers
will use convenience sampling technique for it is the easiest way in choosing the
sample respondents putting in mind the use of internet in conducting the said survey.

METHODOLOGY

This chapter contains the discussion of research instrument, research subject

and design, and the data gathering procedure. The presentation of the information
below shows the used in the study conducted by the researchers.
Research Instrument

An online survey questionnaire was used as the prime source of information in

gathering the data. The survey consisted of 14 questionnaires, in which 10 of them
are multiple choice, 1 rating scale question, and 3 were optional to fill-out: name,
gender, and address. These lists of questions were distributed online as the
researchers were unable to conduct a personal survey due to the Enhanced
Community Quarantine. To avoid misinterpretation, the questionnaires were
constructed in a brief, concise, and clear form. The purpose of this is to accurately
measure their responses and feedbacks for the researchers to obtain a more
comprehensible analysis.

Research Subject and Design

The respondents were 82 netizens, in which they were chosen basically by the
availability and the nearest to the proponents. Researchers aimed to know what are
the preferences of the populace based on the gathered data from them.

Furthermore, this market research used convenience sampling approach.

According to Farrokhi (2012), in studies, convenience sampling is the most common
type of sampling where the researcher’s convenience is the only criterion. It counts on
data collection from population members conveniently available to contribute to the
study.

Data Gathering Procedure

The following will be the steps in the gathering of data:

• Seeking permission to conduct the study. The researchers profoundly

requested an authorization to the netizens to orchestrate the data gathering.
• Administration and distribution of the questionnaires. The consent of the
owners has led to the organization of the online surveys or questionnaires.
• Retrieval of the questionnaires. The data gathered was calculated, examined
and inspected with precision by the researchers.
 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

This chapter shows the result and discussion based on the response of
respondents in the online survey.

Based on the gathered data, researchers have found out that the respondents
towards this survey are from various provinces. Most of the 82 respondents are from
Davao City, Malita Davao Occidental, and Surigao del Sur. The results of this survey
indicate that, even if the respondents are from different municipalities, their situations
concerning facemasks are similar.

The first set of questions aimed to know what the respondent thinks of wearing
a facemask. In response to Question 1, most of those surveyed indicated that felt that
wearing a mask is vital, and 1.2% of respondent thinks it is not. This implies that most
of the respondent knows how wearing a face mask today is vital.

This is an essential finding in the understanding of how people protect

themselves from diseases that can be pass through droplets. In response of 2nd
question out of the 82 patients who completed the survey, 72.8% of respondent always
wear a mask; 14.8% said most of the time they wear a mask; 6.2%, 4.9% and 1.2%
respectively for who don’t go out at all, once in a while, and never used mask.

On the 3rd question, 82 responses were also recorded, as shown on the graph.
57.3% of the 82 respondents always answered when asked whether he/she is wearing
mask in a public place. 28% answered depends, and only 4.9% answered no.

On the 4th question, several shops sell face masks. Based on the results of the
survey, most of the respondents buy their face mask on pharmacies with more than
half of the respondents and with a percentage of 58.5%, and 28% of the respondents
buying their face masks online. The rest of the respondents are making their own
masks. With different shops that sell face masks, the prices also differ with each one.
 On the 5th question, the money of the 30 respondents spends on regular face
masks ranges from 20 pesos to 30 pesos with the highest percentage of 36.6%. About
25 of the respondents spend 10 to 20 pesos, and they are with a percentage of 30.5%.
With 24.4 %, 20 respondents spend 30 to 40 pesos in buying masks, and the rest of
the respondents either spends no money or above 40 pesos in purchasing face masks.

As for the 6th question, 62.2% responded that they are experiencing a shortage
of masks in their areas. There are 20.7% who did not come across a shortage. And
17.1% of them did not notice the insufficiencies of face masks in their respective
localities.
Here on the 7th question, 85.4% responded that they prefer to wear disposable masks,
and 14.6% do not.

For those who do not prefer wearing disposable masks, most of them, 54.5%,
think that it is time-consuming. There are 27.3% of them responded that it is not
convenient, and 18.2% of them believe it is costly.
 For those who prefer wearing disposable masks, 69.9% responded that it is
more convenient than buying multiple mask products. 20.5% of the respondents
answered that it is fit for their skin conditions. And other concerns were found reflecting
their inclinations.

On the 8th question, there are also 82 responses which is shown on the graph.
78% of the 82 responses answered depends which indicates that they are cautious of
the new kind of face mask. 20.7% answered yes, and only 1.2% of the 82 responses
answered no.

On the 9th question, 82 responses were also recorded as shown on the graph.
65.9% of the 82 respondents answered yes when asked whether he/she is willing to
spend a substantial amount of money (50 to 100 pesos) for safe and effective face
masks. 29.3% answered depends, and only 4.9% answered no.
 In the final question, respondents were asked how they feel about additional
organic filter. The answers are scaled from 1 to 10. The result show that 42.7% out of
82 respondents answered 10; 12.2% answered 9; 30.5% answered 8; 8.5% 8.5%
answered 7; 6.1% answered.

CONCLUSION
This chapter shows the conclusion and decision of the researchers concerning
the result of the online survey.
Based on the data gathered, the researchers found out that the respondents
who took this survey are from different municipalities. Most of the respondents are
from Davao City, Malita Davao Occidental, and Surigao del Sur. The respondents are
from different districts, but their situations concerning facemasks are similar. Based
on the results and discussions, there is truly a need for a new variation of face mask.
The majority of the respondents answered a 10 on the scale about a face mask with
an additional filter made from organic material. So, introducing a new face mask today
is advantageous because of the peoples’ needs and demands. After analyzing and
evaluating the risks and opportunities in the gathered data, the researchers conclude
that the business is acceptable, interesting, and profitable enough in this time of
pandemic. The researchers are confident that people would buy the product based on
the results. And the researchers think that this type of product will be helpful to the
health of the community.
Sample Survey Form
References

Thompson S. (2012). Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics. Retrieved from

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781118162934.ch2