Week 2: Introduction

Research and Professional Skills

Bradley Cooper
Lecturer MA Fashion Management & Luxury Brand Management

MA FASHION MANAGEMENT
 Week 2: Introduction

Week Date (w/c) Topic

1 27/01/2020 Introduction – What is research and why is it important?
2 03/02/2020 Introduction – Methods and Theory
3 10/02/2020 The Literature Review
4 17/02/2020 Market Analysis
5 24/02/2020 Approaches to Research
6 02/03/2020 Research Strategies
7 09/03/2020 Research Choices
8 16/03/2020 Time Horizons
9 23/03/2020 Presentations
10 30/03/2020 Paris Trip LBM (No class this week)
11 06/04/2020 Easter Holiday
12 13/04/2020 Easter Holiday
13 20/04/2020 Techniques and Procedures
14 27/04/2020 Re-cap and Assignment hand-in

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 Week 2: Introduction

Re-cap of last week:

1. What is research and the stereotypes

2. Why research is important and competitive advantage
3. The decision making triangle (Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom)
4. The Business Research Topic
5. Getting started in In Design to design a layout

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 Week 2: Introduction

This Week’s Aims:

1. To understand the structure of the assignment in further detail

2. To introduce the methods and techniques for your research (which

will be discussed in the weeks to follow in more detail)

3. To get started with In-Design with a Live mini-tutorial.

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 Week 1: Introduction

Reading for this week:

Ø Research Methods For Business Students. Saunders, M.N.K,
Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2019), 8th edition, Pearson
Publishers Ltd
Library reference: 658.403072/Sau - ONE WEEK LOAN AVAILABLE
Full text available online to download

Ø Please read Chapter 2- Choosing a research topic and

developing your research proposal.

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The Assignment: Business Research Proposal

Report
ØA 3000 word Business research report reviewing current literature, doing a
market analysis and exploring PESTLE factors relating to your chosen topic.
ØThis report will be visualised in a professional format, which will inform the
reader what your chosen Business/ Brand Research Topic (Major Project) will
consist of and why is it important to you.
ØYou will conduct secondary research which will be supported by primary
research in your Major Project.
ØYou will plan what research methods and strategies you will be using for your
final Major project and describe what this aims to tell you and why these have
been chosen.

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 Week 2: Introduction

Assignment: Structure of the Business Research

Proposal Report
Ø Business Proposal Title Page (Brand/ product and which market)
Ø Abstract (Introduce your document and what it includes)
Ø Introduction (Introduce your Business Proposal and what you aim to achieve)
Ø Literature Review (Introduce academic/ Industry research related to your topic)
Ø Market Analysis (Brief analysis of the Industry, Brand, Competitors & Customers)
Ø Research Design & Methodology (How are you going to do your research)
Ø Timetable (When you are going to do everything)
Ø List of References (Where you got ALL of your information from)

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 Week 2: Introduction

Business Research Title Page

ØThis is your Business Research Topic. It must be clearly defined.
ØThe title page should be visually appealing, and should be integrated/ compliment
your topic and field of study.
ØYou can be as creative as you like!

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 Week 2: Introduction

Title Page Example:

ØHermes soins. (Hermes Care’s in French)
Ø Hermes are launching a new range of hand crafted vegan leather products to
appeal to the increasing demand of discerning vegan customers in the United
Kingdom.

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 Week 2: Introduction

HERMÉS SOINS
Hermes are launching a new range of hand crafted
vegan leather products to appeal to the increasing
demand of discerning vegan customers in the United
Kingdom.

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 Week 2: Introduction

Abstract
Ø200 – 300 words (Not part of the word count.)
ØThis summarises your Business Research Topic and the Report.
ØThis should state what the brand/ product/ service is that you wish to explore, and
what your Business Research Project (Major Project) will seek to find out, explain
or answer.
ØIt will explain key authors, insights/ trend reports, and any other literature that has
influenced your research.
ØIt will also introduce your market analysis process and who, what and where you
will be analysing in this report.
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 Week 2: Introduction

Abstract Example:
This business research report will explore current literature surrounding veganism in the
United Kingdom with a focus on a study by XXXX & XXXX (2018) who found that the
veganism is shifting from food and confectionary into fashion products.
Hermes, the French luxury goods manufacturer who specialises in hand-crafted luxury
leather products is launching a new range of products under the sub-brand ‘Hermes Soins’.
This is responding to an increase in demand for vegan fashion products, as studied by XXXX
(2018).
A full market analysis will be completed which will explore the vegan leather market from an
industry, brand, customer and competitor perspective by gathering information from XXXX
(2019) and XXXX (2019) amongst other specialist sources.
This report will also discuss the research methodology XXXXX and research strategies XXXX
and XXXX and how this will be applied successfully complete the primary research.

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 Week 2: Introduction

The Introduction
Ø600 words approx
ØThis should include your Business Research Topic, but should offer a thorough
background to your aims and objectives on the project, using market intelligence
and peer-reviewed academic and industry sources to evidence this
ØYou should explain your commitment to the project and why it is of interest to
you, personally.
ØYou should indicate what the limitations are (e.g what the project will not do &
why) and the problems you think you may encounter.
ØYou should describe how you think your project may be of value to the field of
Fashion management and its industry.
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 Week 2: Introduction

The Literature Review

Ø800 words approx
ØFind academic and industry research that has been published and explain
how this collection of writings (body of research) is relevant to your Business
Research project.
ØWhich secondary sources will you use in your project
ØWhy will you use these sources
ØYour review of the literature should be a critical analysis of supporting
literature pointing to questions/ topics that can support/ challenge your
Business decision.
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 Week 2: Introduction

The Market Analysis

Ø1,000 words approx.
ØExploring your chosen industry/ sector in detail (The size of the industry, current
trends and emerging technologies etc)
ØCustomer Analysis (Who are your customers – Age, Sex, Location, Profile? How will
you communicate with them? What are the benefits of this customer type?)
ØCompetitor Analysis (Who are you direct and in-direct competitors? Local/
International Competitors? Similarities and Differences?)
ØEconomic and Market analysis of the country – (What are the trading conditions like
in the country you wish to serve? PESTLE factors?)
ØConcluding why ALL of the above is important to your business research.

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 Week 2: Introduction

Research Design / Methodology

Ø500 words approx
ØThis section should include the overall methodology of the project, the
data collection methods and feasibility study that will explain how
feasible your Business Research proposal is in terms of time, man-
power and universal scope.
ØMethodology = a set of system of methods, principles and rules for
conducting and controlling your research.
ØExplain the methods, measurement tools and analysis tools you plan to
use.
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 Week 2: Introduction

Time table
ØApprox 200 words
ØShould timetable how you are
going to achieve finishing your
Major project and how long
each task will take.
ØThe importance of this to your
work and the results?

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 Week 2: Introduction

Month April May June July August

Week Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5
Activity
Holiday
Read Subject Literature
Compose Questionnaire
Retrieve Questionnaire
Analyse data from Questionnaire
Compose Interview Questions
Arrange Interview dates and times
Conduct Interviews
Analyse data from Interviews
Read Methodology Literature
Submitt Research Proposal
Review Feedback from Research Proposal
Identify themes between both data
Refine themes and patterns between data
Compose Literature Review first draft
Compose Literature Review FINAL draft
Compose Methodology first draft
Compose Methodology FINAL draft
Compose Introduction, Abstract & Conclusion
Compose FINAL Research Proposal draft
Get feedback from Supervisor
Submit Final Research Project

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 Week 2: Introduction

Critical Thinking

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 Week 2: Introduction
• Pick your brand/
business
• Research that
brand/ business
• Start to do your
market analysis
• Industry
• Competitors
• Customers
• Country profile/
conditions
• Summarise key
points for each
that are relevant to
you
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 Week 2: Introduction

• Start to think of
gaps in the market
• Do you have any
questions that you
want to get
answers to?
• Customer/
Competitor
opinions
• How will your
brand/ business fit
in the industry?
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 Week 2: Introduction

• Start planning and writing up

your primary research questions/
activities.
• Speak to people (Friends, Family,
People in the industry)
• Questionnaire, Interviews, Tests
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 Week 2: Introduction

• Compare your
Secondary Research
with your Primary
Research.
• Analyse the similarities
and differences
• Are there any patterns
• New ideas or
understandings?

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• Conclude your findings
with an action/ Week 2: Introduction
proposition
• What is your brand/
business going to do to
answer or respond?
• What benefits will this
bring to the brand/
industry/ customers?
• How will this impact your
competitors?
• This will show the reader:
• What you know/
understand
• What you are going
to do about it
• How you are going
to do it
• Why you are doing it
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 Week 2: Introduction

How to apply Critical Thinking to your Business Research Topic

Ø Identifying other people’s positions, arguments and conclusions

Ø Evaluating the evidence for alternative points of view

Ø Weighing up supporting/ opposing arguments and evidence

Ø Presenting an idea in a structured, clear, well-reasoned way that convinces others.

Ø Reflecting on issues in a structured way, bringing logic and insight (from credible research)

Ø Drawing conclusions about whether arguments are valid and justifiable, based on good evidence and
sensible assumptions

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 Week 2: Introduction
Some Definitions
ØEvaluate: to judge or determine the significance, worth, or qualityof
something

ØReasons(noun): a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or

event

ØReason(verb): think, understand, and form judgements logically

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 Week 2: Introduction
What is an argument?
ØAn argument is the difference between
-‘don’t do it’ (a statement or instruction)

Example - “Buy vegan leather.”

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 Week 2: Introduction
What is an argument?
ØAnd..
-‘don’t do it because..’ (a statement with a credible reason backed up
with a purpose and facts)

Buy vegan leather because:

a) it is sustainable and ethical,
b) it will interact and engage with a wider consumer demographic,
c) it is as strong and durable as cows leather
d) it will increase the brands CSR image.

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What is an argument?

Arguments are designed

to be persuasive
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 Week 2: Introduction
Activity 1 – What is more valuable and why?

In your tables argue the benefits and disadvantages of each and put forward an argument.

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Time to take a 20 minute break J

Any questions ?

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Activity 2 –
Sustainable Definition in Fashion Management:
“The idea that goods and services should be produced in ways that do
not use resources that cannot be replaced and that do not damage the
environment.”

“The quality of causing little or no damage to the environment and

therefore able to continue for a long time”

(Cambridge dictionary, 2019)

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Activity 2 –
In your tables, each of you should propose what you think the most
sustainable fashion brand in the world is.
ØTry to persuade the other person you are right.
ØWhat are your reasons?
ØAre these good reasons?
ØWhat evidence do you have to support your reasons?
ØIs this good evidence?

ØClaim: XXXX is the most sustainable fashion brand

ØWhat evidence can you think of for this claim?
ØBased on the evidence, what reasoning can be made?

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What is a Flawed Argument?
ØA flawed argument is one where the evidence does not support the claim
– Factually or logically
ØExample:
– Claim: if I attend lectures I will get a degree
– Evidence: statistics show students who attend lectures always pass their
final exams
– Warrant: the correlation of exam results to attendance records shows the
claim is valid
Flaw: mere attendance is not enough.....
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 Week 2: Introduction
Your Business Research Topic
ØThe business research topic is the area that you are going to investigate. This
can be broad to begin with but needs to be narrowed down

Steps to narrow the field down:

1. What is currently happening in the field?
2. What will be happening in the future?
3. Is there a problem to investigate?
4. PROBLEM = NEED
5. Will you have access to Academic and Industry Literature/ Market
Information and how much can be found?
6. Will you have access to the data?
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Field of Research
Activity 3
ØConsider a business research topic that is of interest to you, can it be
narrowed down to be a worth while business research proposal?

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 Week 2: Introduction
SWOT Analysis
ØA SWOT analysis is an understanding of the strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats

Activity 4
ØFrom your Business Research Topic create a SWOT analysis on it.
ØRank each of the categories
ØWhat are the biggest Weaknesses and Opportunities.
ØIs there any link between the Weaknesses and Opportunities that can
be developed into a credible Business Proposal?
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M A FA S H I O N M A N A G E M E N T
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For next week: could everybody bring in with them an in-depth SWOT
analysis of their intended business research topic/ idea with a selection of
potential business research proposals to discuss.

The earlier you start researching and thinking about this, the better your
assignment will be.

If you have any questions, please ask!

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