Business Research Analysis

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Requirement

The aim of this Assessment is for Students to demonstrate both their understanding of and ability to formulate
and execute a Literature Review associated with a suitable Research Project.
This Assessment requires Students to undertake a Research Investigation in response to a selected Business
Related Problem within the realm of the Business Environment.

Research Project

Section 1: Business Problem and Research Objective: 

a.    Business problem:

The current study has shed light on the sales issues faced by Samsung regarding changes in the purchasing pattern of generation Z customers’ existing in the market. The company started its journey as a seller of home appliances in the year of 1969. Recently, Samsung is providing valuable services in different sectors such as health and social care, telecommunication, environmental and energy in order to fulfil changing requirement of modern customers (Sun et al. 2015). However, the company has been accused of ethical violation against labours that affects their right and safety in the workplace. Samsung has faced severe allegation of exploiting young employees in China or providing an unhealthy working condition to female employees in Malaysia. Lucid security measures have also resulted in multiple accidents that threatenlife of workers in different factories (Sun et al. 2015). Lack of safety protocols and individual rights has raised anger and frustration among employees that affects organisational function (Flammer 2015). Lack of Samsung’s corporate social responsibility policy has created an adverse impact on the purchasing decision of Generation Z customers. People belonging form this modern generation considers the importance of corporate social responsibility to make the world a place for worth living (Flammer 2015). Current corporate social responsibility issues of Samsung creates a strong influence on the buying behaviour of generation Z customers that affects their sales function. 
The aim of the paper is to address the impact of these ethical issues on the new marketing strategy that would be launched by Samsung within a time span of 10 months (Sun et al. 2015). Detailed evaluation of the competitive advantage and internal weaknesses would contribute in addressing new marketing campaign that needs to be followed by the firm to fulfil changing demand of generation Z customers that influences sales function. 

b.    Research question:

Research questions are set on the basis of the research objectives. These questions are as followed:

1. •    What are labour issues faced by Samsung in recent time?

2. •    What are buying behaviours of Generation Z customers?

3. •    What is the influence of changing buying pattern of Generation Z clients on the sales function of Samsung? 

4. •    What are recommendations provided for improving sustainable programs and marketing strategy of Samsung to deal with labour problems and attract more Generation Z customers? 

c.    Research objective: 

The present study has considered the impact of buying behaviour of Generation Z customers on the sales function of Samsung. Therefore, Objectives related to this research work are as followed:

1. •    Overview of labour issues of Samsung in recent time.

2. •    Investigation of the buying behaviour of Generation Z customers.

3. •    Analysis of the impact of changing buying pattern of Generation Z customers on sales function of Samsung. 

4. •    Recommendations for sustainable programs and marketing plan to deal with labour issues and to attract more customers. 

Section 2: Literature search and review:

Overview of issues faced by Samsung:

Samsung Electronics has recently faced some labour issues that affect their business operation in an adverse manner (Sun et al. 2015). The company has included telecommunication, healthcare related services along with the home appliance in order to expand their business function (Flammer 2015).  However, lack of corporate social responsibility policies has created issues in protecting rights of employees that affects their performance level within workplace. Irregular working shifts for younger workers has raised agitation among the employees existing in Malaysia and China. Long working hours for the young employees has caused great damage to their health status (Flammer 2015). On the other hand, unhealthy working condition of workshops has created trouble for female staffs of Vietnam to continue their job. Lack of security measures has caused health problems for frail female workers that affect their service quality provided in the workplace (Sun et al. 2015). Lack of integration of safety measures and rights of employees led Samsung to deal with bad reputation in the market. The company has recently faced strikes and lawsuit cases of employees that affects their sales function intensely. Lack of CSR policies has also created difficulty to retain the trust and loyalty of Generation Z customers in order to maintain sales operation. 

Investigation of solution released by Samsung to deal with labour problem:

Samsung has focused on introducing corporate social responsibility programs to fulfil interest of employees. Effective implementation of CSR programs benefits in protecting rights of employees within workplace ambience (Short et al. 2016). Ethical framework followed in the Code of Conduct of employees can also benefit the firm to address safety measures that need to be incorporated to protect the rights of employees. Recent evaluation of the chances of business growth has also made Samsung capable of launching new marketing plans in order to introduce newly launched products effectively (Sun et al. 2015). Detailed analysis of the market segment and competitive advantage enables the firm to identify innovative marketing plans that need to be followed to introduce new products among generation Z consumers (Short et al. 2016). Modern age customers are inclined to purchase products and service from those companies who are involved in corporate social functions intensely (Short et al. 2016). Therefore, top management level of Samsung needs to consider new CSR programs to increase the involvement of Generation Z customers’ existing in modern business market. 

Overview of the buying nature of Generation Z:

Generation Z customers are also considered as Millennial who born between 1995-2002, and their buying behaviour is different from previous generation. Customers of this generation haveconsidered the importance of brand image along with the quality of product offered to them. Customers belonging to Generation Z has considered the importance of improving livelihood of people living in the society. Therefore, they have focused on purchasing valuable products from companies who possess strong CSR policies in order to maintain health and well-being of people living in the society (Short et al. 2016). Changing lifestyle of Generation Z customer has also created a strong influence on their purchasing decision. Therefore, different firms like Samsung need to reframe their CSR functions in order to meet changing demands of these customers existing in the market. 
Investigation of the impact of changes in buying behaviour on the company sale: 
Changing behaviour of Generation Z customers creates a strong influence on the sales function of companies existing in the modern market. Changing lifestyle and interest of clients influences their purchasing decision effectively (Short et al. 2016). Therefore, Samsung has considered the plan to bring necessary changes in the marketing strategy in order to retain commitment level if Generation Z customers. The company has also planned to include innovative CSR plans to protect the rightsanddignity of employeesfor retaining their reputation in market. Strong brand image will benefit the firm to increase their sales operation in recent time. 

Reference:

• Short, J.C., McKenny, A.F., Ketchen, D.J., Snow, C.C. and Hult, G.T.M., 2016. An empirical examination of firm, industry, and temporal effects on corporate social performance. Business & Society, 55(8), pp.1122-1156.

• Flammer, C., 2015. Does corporate social responsibility lead to superior financial performance? A regression discontinuity approach. Management Science, 61(11), pp.2549-2568.

• Assaf, A.G., Josiassen, A., Ahn, J.S. and Mattila, A.S., 2017. Advertising spending, firm performance, and the moderating impact of CSR. Tourism Economics, 23(7), pp.1484-1495.

• Sun, Z., Li, L., Bego, A. and Dababneh, F., 2015. Customer-side electricity load management for sustainable manufacturing systems utilizing combined heat and power generation system. International Journal of Production Economics, 165, pp.112-119.

• Xu, Z., Frankwick, G.L. and Ramirez, E., 2016. Effects of big data analytics and traditional marketing analytics on new product success: A knowledge fusion perspective. Journal of Business Research, 69(5), pp.1562-1566.

• http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/2127830/samsung-sued-rights-groups-over-alleged-use-child-labour-its

• https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/nov/21/malaysia-workers-speak-of-their-despair-samsung-only-knows-how-to-take