Assessing Brand Sustainability Perceptions

Overview

The methodology section will cover the approaches and methods deployed in development of data acquisition processes and subsequent knowledge and inference towards consumers’ perception of attitudes towards brand sustainability. It discusses the philosophical framework observed including the beliefs and values held during formulation of objectives and aims, data collection methods and analysing process. Subsequently, it covers the strategy and methods (quantitative) followed in order to capture all pre-formulated objectives as well as answering research questions. It encompasses the processes used in investigating, exploring, and realising elements of consumers’ views and perception on branding and brand values towards respective sustainability while taking Me Lulu Baby brand as a case study. Moreover, the chapter outlines the sampling process, research population, data analysis strategy, and ethical components observed during data collection, evaluation, analysis, and discussion. Broadly, it presents ways in which the research in correlation of consumer attitudes towards sustainability in ethical branding that include the procedures gathering and transforming obtained data into usable information based on facts and patterns related to research topic.

Research ideological framework

As defined by Hughes and Sharrock (2016), research philosophical framework outlines the beliefs and perception held in association to the nature of reality under investigation and subsequent knowledge acquired. It takes into account the assumption inherent within the entire research and justification of research core components that include objectives, goals, and choose of research methods and strategy (Flick, 2011; Bryman, & Bell, 2015). Building from Biesta (2010) description of pragmatism research philosophy arguing that concepts are acceptable as relevant only if it has supporting action, the research adopted a perception that underlying concepts of the research are interpretable and take multiple realities. It took both objective and subjective view in representing consumers’ perspective on sustainability towards ethical branding. The paradigm argues on expressing integration of realities and truth of study variables. Ideally, the paradigm gave the study a platform to have a deeper understanding of the market structure and customers’ views on Me Lulu products that include products materials, ecological aspects, and human rights elements during pre-production, productions, and post-production (distribution and selling).

Research methods and design

The research took a descriptive approach working from general views of consumers’ perception to more specific. Based on Burney (2008) and Gray (2013) claim on deductive research reasoning, this study followed the top-down approach where on the perception of consumers on product sustainability and market in clothing industry taking a case study of Me Lulu Baby brand. The research hypothesised that consumers held strong reservation and attachment with sustainability of products but took limited measures on ensuring maintenance of such during products production and selling processes. Secondly, it perceived that consumers have strong concern of production processes and agents such as rights of sale persons and manufacturing workers as well as source of raw materials. Moreover, both environmental and socio-economic sustainability in clothing industry from consumers’ perspective is on a rise with increasing demand on high responsibility and liability on sourcing and manufacturing of products by Me Lulu Baby Company. Nevertheless, there is prevalence of little effort towards the process of advocating for sustainable process and products in the industry.

On the aspects of research methods, quantitative approach was followed is describing research plans and procedures spanning from stepwise and assumptions during data acquisition, analysis, and discussion. As claimed by Brannen (2017) and Bryman (2017), quantitative approaches focus on the measurable aspects of a research that include mathematical and numerical analysis of acquired data. As such, the employing quantitative research allowed developing a descriptive statistical factors such as mean and standard deviation highlighting the attitude, opinion, and behaviours of consumers towards different products and sustainability components. Unlike qualitative approach that tend to produce insightful aspects through capturing thinking and assertions held by individual participants, deploying quantitative research method offered more structured view as well as allowed deriving facts from data that included preferences on fashion trends, differences in beliefs and views held towards sustainable products, and perception towards sustainable materials and process of production.

Moreover, building from Johnson and Christensen (2008) and Hopkins (2008) assertion that the approach provides a descriptive data, it allowed this study to capture detailed view of population and consumers assumptions and beliefs towards products sustainability variables as provided by Me Lulu Baby organization. On the negative side, it offered limited insight on consumer interpretation of such variables that include reasons behind offering certain beliefs and view on the products sustainability. This limitation might lead to serious deficiency in development of market strategy because of failure to cater for reasons behind the perception as well as overreliance on p-values (likelihood of result chance) and sample size. Where sample size holds that the inferences made with small population size is as reliable as determining something with a large sample size.

Data collection

Englander (2012) described data collection as process of acquiring data and subsequently information from relevant sources with intention of finding solution to research problems, answers to pre-set study questions, achieving research objectives, testing hypothesis, or evaluate outcomes. In this case, research employed the use of primary sources through surveying the participants on product sustainability and ethical branding. Consumers of Me Lulu Baby products were surveyed using face-to-face survey by requiring each participant to complete questionnaire. The survey questionnaire comprised of closed-ended questions where respondents were required to complete by marking or providing their personal opinions concerning various components related to products sustainability and ethical branding. Ideally, it was formulated to capture what consumers of Me Lulu Baby products perceive the products sustainability ranging from socio-economic, environmental, and rights (human and animals rights) taking particular concern on product lifecycle, benefits and impacts on socio-economic, rights of workers and raw material producers, sources of raw material (quality and environment friendly raw materials), recyclability of end products (disposal), and usability. Promptly, the use of survey questionnaire ensured the research covered a wider scope obtaining large data on consumers’ perception on fashion systems articulable to quality over quantity, ecological aspects, and workers’ rights within product lifecycle.

Population sample and sampling process

As stated, the study deployed the use of survey questionnaire aimed at obtaining large data quantity. It surveyed 100 consumers of Me Lulu Baby products questioning on the views on various components of products sustainability and ethical branding. The research ensured the participants were consumers of the organization products or had previously used products from the company. This made ensure the view and beliefs held were in line with or emanated from usage of products, respective quality and raw materials, and product lifecycle. Although it did not have specific requirement on the usage period of respective products, it was keen to emphases on retained consumers (those who did repeated purchase of the products) with anticipation of making grounded assertion concerning company’s products. The potential participants were sampled randomly and in a probabilistic manner (Uprichard, 2013; Sekaran, & Bougie, 2016). The sampled population as representative of the large products consumers were surveyed through questionnaire sending to them through online platforms that include mails.

Data analysis

Enders (2010) described data analysis as process of applying systematically logical and statistical techniques to evaluate and give meaning to the acquired data. According to Ott and Longnecker (2015), it a process of extracting information comprising of establishment of data set, processing, and using formulated models and frameworks to identify key variables that inform development of evidence-based inferences. In this light, this study employed the use of univariate analysis. It involved categorising the data into subsets such as participants’ concern on workers’ rights, awareness of source of raw materials, and view of usability and performance. The data was grouped in a manner that it captured frequency distribution, grouped data, and percentage and cumulative distribution.

Ethical consideration

According to Ritchie et al. (2013), research ethical consideration is standards and norms observed while conducting a study particularly a social research. Essentially, it prevents falsifying data or fabrication of information hence enhancing promotion of development of inferences and knowledge concerning given topic truthfully and reliably (Connelly, 2014; Bryman, 2016). As such, all potential participants were informed prior on the scope, duration, and purpose of the study. The participants were require to fill the survey questionnaire anonymous hence not required to sign consent letter and privacy agreement before commencing to completing questionnaire form. Furthermore, relevant authorities such as the university and Me Lulu Baby were notified on the study beforehand detailing purpose, dimension, and duration.

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Reliability and relevance of the study

Fashion industry and in larger perspective clothing industry is among the big industries globally. It significantly depended on human workforce from raw material production to sale services as well as environmentally depended considering products lifecycle. Sustainability in the industry requires focus on four core areas namely extraction process of raw materials, textile production, processing and manufacturing, and disposal. In order to capture such wide scope as well as development a grounded inferences requires taking a quantitative approach and deductive reasoning. Collected data through survey questionnaire offers wide perspective into the study positioning study to understand the market and develop market plan based on findings.

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