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Marketing Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

How Feeling Like a Minority Affects Preferences for Autonomous Digital Interfaces , Ye Seul Kim

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Spillover Effects in Product Customization , Samuel Babu Sekar

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

External and Internal Factors of Sports Sponsorship Selling Cycles in North American Professional Sports , Dan Kaufmann

Increasing Personal and Product Influence Through Background Auditory and Visual Cues , Zhihao Yu

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The Effects of Product Recalls on Competitors’ Market Value and Recalling Firm’s Reputation , Dong Liu

Corporate Brand Impact on Sales / Revenue Per Share , Brad A. Puckey

Competition in Upstream Humanitarian Supply Chain: Investigation of Food Banks , Iana Shaheen

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

How Digital versus Non-Digital Modes of Food Ordering Influence Menu Healthfulness Perceptions and Food Choices , Annika Abell

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Impact of Digital Marketing Decisions on Market Outcomes in Residential Real Estate , Denise Hunter Gravatt

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Hate is a Strong Word: The Influence of Hate-Acknowledging Advertising on Brand Outcomes , Lisa Monahan

The Effects of Loneliness on Consumers’ Digital Engagement with Social Media Ads , Yu Qin

Product Shadows and Ad Evaluations , Nazuk Sharma

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Understanding the Complexity of Product Returns Management: A Complex Adaptive Systems Theory Perspective , Jennifer Anne Espinosa

Branding Implications of Co-Created Social Responsibility , Alexander J. Kull

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

How You Categorize Influences How Helpful You Are: The Effect of Categorization Mindset on Consumers’ Social Decisions , Hsiao-Ching Kuo

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Taken for Granted or Taken with Gratitude? An Examination of the Differential Effects of Donations of Time and Money on Consumers' Evaluation of Corporate Philanthropy , Ryan Langan

Essays on Consumer's Psychological and Behavioral Responses toward Social Coupons , Chinintorn Nakhata

Muscling Consumers to Optimal Option Differentiation: The Influence of Incidental Muscular Sensations on Option Differentiation , Courtney Szocs

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Essays on Mental Accounting and Consumers' Decision Making , Ali Besharat

Perceived Firm Transparency: Scale and Model Development , Jennifer Dapko

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Antecedents and Consequences of Channel Alienation: An Empirical Investigation within Franchised Channels of Distribution , Ivan Lapuka

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

An Empirical Examination of the Dark Side of Relationship Marketing within a Business to Business Context , Brent L. Baker

Developing the Nomological Network of Perceived Corporate Affinity for Technology: A Three Essay Dissertation , David Earl Fleming

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Self-Directed Learning: Measures and Models for Salesperson Training and Development , Stefanie Leigh Boyer

Emotional Exhaustion and Its Role in Service Sabotage among Boundary Spanners , Diane R. Edmondson

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Essays on multiple identities and motivated consumption: Exploring the role of identity centrality on self-brand connections , Tracy R. Harmon

The impact of organizational climate variables of perceived organizational support, workplace isolation, and ethical climate on salesperson psychological and behavioral work outcomes , Robert J. Riggle

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

The Effect of Perceived Entitativity on Implicit Image Transfer in Multiple Sponsorships , FrancoÌ?is Anthony Carrillat

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Relationship Advertising: Investigating the Strategic Appeal of Intimacy (Disclosure) in Services Marketing , Andrea Diahann Gaye Scott

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The Most Interesting Marketing Dissertation Topics 2022

The latest years have been characterised by the explosion of applications to such universities as Bath, Leeds, or Lancaster, with students showing increased interest in marketing. It’s not surprising as it could be viewed as a profession of the past, present, and future: it is all-encompassing, and marketing techniques are at the centre of biggest money exchange in the world.

Dissertation is a climax of studies, but complications arise prior to any research because you have to decide what to write about. Marketing dissertation topics are diverse and you have to select one that stirs your interest at least a little bit. Personal involvement is crucial in such an assignment type. If you’re being in search of professional dissertation help , you can always find it with our writers; if you search for ideas for inspiration, look at the list below.

List of the Top Marketing Dissertation Ideas for 2022

For best results, we’ve divided this complex subject into 11 topics.

Marketing Dissertation Topics

Relationship between Clients and Representatives
Intricacies of Marketing Communication to Attract Students’ Attention to a Specific University
Building Friendly Relations with Influencers: Reasons, Methods, and Expected Results
Campaigns Based on Sexual Exposure: Appeal & Target Audience
Three Major Tactics for Making a Horror Movie Draw the Attention of Audience

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Marketing Management Dissertation Topics

The field of marketing is quite complex, yet choosing marketing dissertation topics, you must remember that the key is to deliver your information correctly. If something is not clear, always discuss it with your academic advisor or try using different wording. See these examples below to get creative:

Why marketing on children’s television brings up controversies.
Social media marketing versus physical marketing methods.
Military academies marketing styles.
Aggressive marketing: pros and cons.
Should e-commerce marketing involve large budgets to succeed?

Branding Dissertation Topics

Branding represents logos, advertisement methods, graphic design, and many other aspects that help to create a brand. Hearing of Rolls Royce, we already turn to historical aspects, yet it is not only about quality but also about the ways how advertisement has been target towards wealthy individuals through the years.

Political aspect of television branding.
Branding style of Apple Inc and social bias.
Why branding and outsourcing do not work together.
scouting: an example of a successful branding system.
Male vs female branding specialists: gender bias in the outcome.
Principles of Creating Relatable Brand: Common Points with Consumers
Superior Brand Positioning for New Hotel Business
Brand Development: Individuals vs. Companies. Differences in Approach
Best Colour Combination for Modern Branding Types
UK Food Logos: Making Brands Distinguished

Direct Marketing Topics

Direct marketing means situations when every client is targeted either individually or by using an individual approach. You can think about your milkman or delivery of newspapers by the children when they talk to you directly, thus making you a valued client. See some of these examples:

Direct marketing in e-commerce vs word of mouth strategies.
Does social media help in direct communication with customers: pros and cons.
Volunteering and direct marketing campaigns.
Newspaper delivery history: direct marketing.
Understanding customer needs: basics of preliminary customer analysis through the lens of perception
Direct Contact with Consumers: Do’s & Don’ts
Direct Mail and Its Connection to Ecology
Evaluating Success of Conducted Mail Campaign
Top Five Promotion Objects to Use for Making Direct Campaign Successful
Impulsive Shopping: Psychological & Social Aspects

Topics on Marketing across Cultures

Marketing across cultures may compare local culture and marketing styles with the rest of the world. For example, we all know that people have their unique vision of a good ad, which will differ from those visions that the American people may have. See dissertation marketing topics list for inspiration:

An Indian influence in society in fashion marketing.
perception of luxury vs the United States.
Wrong perception of marketing peculiarities by the immigrants.
Royal family and intentional style marketing abroad.
Perception of marketing styles in the United States.
Peculiarities of Launching Campaigns in the United Arab Emirates
Differences & Similarities between Luxury Brands for Developed & Developing Countries
Three Ways of Improving Bad International Production Outcomes
Five Creative Techniques of Integrating Elements from Specific Culture into International Campaigns
UK, Australia, New Zealand Differences in Trading

Consumer Behaviour

Why do some people buy certain products or ignore certain brands entirely? Why do people listen to certain advertisements and tend to learn about something new by listening to old-time celebrities? It is all covered by the consumer behaviour dissertation topics. See some of these examples:

Is Apple Inc. approached the same way as in the United States?
Social dividing in target marketing of consumer goods.
Consumerism: a historical analysis.
Conservative attitudes to brands in society.
Winning loyalty of customers: case studies of foreign companies.
Influence of Belonging to Certain Social Group on Buying Decisions
Three Factors that Alienate Consumers from the Brand
Reasons for Consumers Migrating to Other Brands
Emotions-Motivated Buying Decisions: Their Ground & Perspectives of Their Usage
Methods of Loyalty Cultivation Among the New-Age Customers

Marketing and Social Networks Topics

We all know that the majority of commercial deals are being made online with the help of Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. While it is too early to say that social networks marketing is the future, it is still vital to approach various topics like the ones below:

The role of influencers in SMM.
Why social media must be supported by blog posts.
The most common misconceptions regarding the immediate success of Facebook advertising.
Transformation of customers into sales with the help of Instagram.
The dark side of SMM: controversial issues and hacking occasions.
Most Efficient Social Network from Perspective of Promotions
Three Methods of Reaching the Maximal Amount of Customers via Facebook
Instagram, Influencers, and Promotional Posts: An Improved System of Achieving Customers’ Recognition
5 Common Mistakes in Communication with Clients via Social Networks
Advertising Launched via Social Media Platforms

Marketing Ethics Topics

Students often choose ethical aspects when dealing with marketing because people are historically aware of all the importance related to high morals and responsibility. Today’s marketing principles have shifted significantly, yet proper research can help improve the situation. See some marketing ethics dissertation topics below:

Human Rights Violations during news advertisement marketing strategies.
Biased coverage of social campaigns in the media.
political shows: another way of marketing propaganda or analytical work?
How honest is advertisement of foods and beverages?
Should the advertisement of alcohol and tobacco be made illegal?
People’s Rights Violation During Marketing Research, Their Kinds, & Alleviation Methods
Problematic Cases: Thin Line between Lies, Obfuscation, and Vagueness
Work and Mistakes Committed by Puffery During Campaigns
Marketing vs Propaganda: Concept Differences & Similarities
Health Dangers in Advertising Medical Products

Digital Marketing Dissertation Topics

Digital marketing is not necessarily related to social media. Think about video game ads or various mobile alerts that you receive once you are done talking to your university friends or parents. Digital marketing dissertation ideas can deal with anything where computers or any electronic devices are involved.

Digital marketing challenges during Covid-19.
The use of AI tools in digital marketing: benefits and drawbacks.
The benefits of customer targeting and data mining principles.
Commercial side of digital marketing and related risks.
Digital marketing in the bank sector.
How Do Demands Change According To Generation?
Pay-per-click Kinds of Marketing, Its Efficiency and Drawbacks
Peculiarities of Search for what Keywords to Use for Online Ads
Online Ads that Customers Find Annoying: Their Characteristics and Tactics for Addressing Them
Promotions through Influencers, Email, Search Engine Optimisation

Advertising Dissertation Topics

It is one of the most challenging topics to explore because we all know enough about advertising, yet coming up with a good advertising dissertation topic is not always possible. If you are stuck with ideas, see some of these examples below to start with:

Advertising and grammar school children: the lessons to learn.
Should real people (non staged) be allowed to participate in advertising?
Use of street advertisement: way.
Structure of classic advertising: a historical analysis.
Why advertisement is no longer efficient when using print ads?
Seven Ways in Which Advertising Influences Children’s Minds
History of Alcohol Ads & Harm They Caused During Years
Celebrity Endorsement as Outdated Advertising Trend
Is TV Still Good for Ads?
When Advertising Becomes Annoying

Event Management Topics

Event management is not only about organisational and management aspects, which is why writing dissertation on event management, remember that managing an event always depends on type and target audience. For example, you can think about safety rules or financial aspects between children’s festival and a large political event.

Planning an event for all male vs all-female groups.
Event management and safety rules: pros and cons.
Event planning industry during pandemic times.
The limitations in the work of event managers during children’s events.
music marketing during festivals and time management issues.
Functions Performed by Event Managers
Event Planners & Responsibilities They Must Entail
Organising an Event: Five Core Factors that Must Be Considered
Popular Trends in Events Industry
Using Event Management to Boost Profits

Fashion Marketing Dissertation Topics

Fashion marketing belongs to those new marketing topics. Even though it has always been popular it has only recently received scientific attention. If you want to brainstorm fashion marketing dissertation topics, have a look at some of the ideas we came up with below:

Gender bias in perception of marketing ads.
Children’s fashion: how should we discuss it with the children?
Celebrity involvement in fashion industry.
Social media and related impact on distorted body image.
What makes a fashion icon in modern society?
Gender Differences that Affect the Structure of Fashion Marketing
Fashion Icons and Their Contributions to Products Advertising
Factors Affecting Decision Of Fashion Products Purchase
How Fashion Uses Ads
Body Positivity vs Fashion Advertising

Social Media Marketing Dissertation Topics

The role of social media in marketing these days cannot be underestimated, which is why numerous students choose social media marketing topics for their dissertation. You can explore anything from influencers to online sales like in topics below:

The role of storytelling in social media marketing.
Influencers vs private approaches.
Real-time marketing on social media.
The use of guest posting in social media marketing.
Goal setting strategies on social media.
Live streams as the social media marketing future.
Tourism marketing campaigns online.
Augmented reality challenges: pros and cons.
Use of social trends in marketing on Facebook.
Memes and social media marketing: main benefits and limitations.

International Marketing Dissertation Topics

International marketing usually deals with perception of local marketing practices abroad or vice versa. Explore various topics that we have presented below and see what aspects may be narrowed down:

The use of outsourcing in online marketing.
Legal disputes and international marketing cheating.
Why do people tend to avoid international marketing practices.
Marketing and modern delivery methods.
Skype and Zoom as international marketing tools during Covid-19 times.
Healthcare concerns and accurate translation of international medical ads.
International business ethics between and Australian ways of life.
Consumerism in the field of tourism marketing in the United States.
expert of goods to India: the cultural bias.
International marketing in post-Brexit society.

Sports Marketing Dissertation Topics

Sports marketing is a popular topic not only among college athletes but also among students pursuing healthcare careers.

The use of famous athletes for advertising.
Should athletes show their political preferences as a part of a sports campaign.
Inequality of access to sports accessories.
Perception of Wimbledon marketing beyond.
Advertisement of youth sports club in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Should the boarding schools advertise their sports facilities?
An ethical aspect of medication advertising by athletes?
Nike vs Adidas brand analysis in society.
Should politicians participate in sports competitions.
Bias in media coverage of sports events.

Dissertation Topics On Marketing For MBA

As a rule, MBA students pursuing marketing dissertation topics will focus on anything from bizarre advertising schemes to consumerism and ethics. See mba marketing dissertation topics below to help your creativity flow:

Influence of celebrities and consumerism.
The negative aspect of customer satisfaction methods.
Advertisement of Irish pubs abroad: controversial aspects.
Factors affecting male vs female consumer preferences.
Is radio advertising still efficient?
Analysis of online consumer behaviours.
Privacy vs target marketing online.
Corporate ethics and brand advertising strategies.
TV advertising: an outdated approach or the NLP approach?
Relationship marketing: the safest methods of advertising to children.

Business Marketing Dissertation Topics

This field of marketing studies business relations through the lens of marketing and advertisement. See some examples of marketing topics for dissertation business subjects below:

The most common misconceptions about marketing ethics.
Advertising to a young person: the list of things to know.
Expanding business marketing abroad: pros and cons.
Small business marketing strategies that are purely.
Analysis of business marketing analysis methods.

Retail Marketing Dissertation Topics

Retail marketing sector has undergone significant challenges during the post-Brexit period and then during pandemic restrictions. It is best to reflect in your dissertation writing as done below:

Addressing the issue of food shortages in Wales.
Retail prices in Manchester vs Blackpool.
Retail marketing and relationship marketing during Covid-19 times.
Supply-and-demand changes during post-Brexit period.
Retail marketing and political bias in logistics.

Marketing Communications Dissertation Topics

The most important aspect of successful marketing is communication and being able to focus on correction of mistakes.

The most common marketing communications mistakes made by non-UK businesses.
How to communicate one’s brand and message without turning to aggressive marketing?
Marketing communications specifics on social media.
How do people perceive information: music marketing examples.
Consumerism and communicational barrier: Corner Shop case study analysis.

Green Marketing Dissertation Topics

Green marketing is more than just a popular trend in society, which is why composing your dissertation on green marketing, you are bound to achieve success. See social, moral, and environmental aspects as you choose one of the popular topics below:

Controversy about genetically-modified foods.
Logistic service providers and green marketing methods.
Socio-material analysis: green retailing.
Environmental concerns and advertising.
Freight transportation: analysis of services.

In addition to all those titles, you could also check economics dissertation topics . These two fields are often interrelated, and you could find something interesting there.

Have Chosen A Topic, What’s Next?

So, you have looked through various dissertation topics in marketing and have even selected your favourite, but still have no time to write it? Writix writers provide different kinds of help for students who need help with starting or finishing dissertations. You could tell them, “ Do my dissertation ”, and our experts would instantly get to work.

Also, check interesting ideas for a psychology dissertation or criminology dissertation topics — we cover all subjects to meet even particularly demanding tastes. Enjoy research, contact us if assistance is needed, and earn your diploma!

What topics can be chosen for marketing dissertation purposes?

You can choose anything from social media marketing to consumer relations and MBA marketing topics. If you cannot find your field of science in the list of topics above, contact us with your marketing dissertation questions.

How to choose a marketing dissertation topic?

The safest way to choose your marketing dissertation topic is knowing your subject well and making additional research as you check similar works. Remember that your marketing research topic must inspire you. Think over your wording and connect it with your thesis statement. Most importantly, take care of your structure and include only that information, which has been approved by your academic advisor.

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Dissertation Example

Dissertation writing is a challenging yet enriching experience. It demonstrates the knowledge and skills you acquired throughout your academic endeavours.

Your marketing dissertation will be a showpiece of skills, expertise and comprehension of marketing principles. You can showcase your analytical, organizational, and creative abilities while applying them to a particular marketing challenge or problem.

Find Quality Marketing Dissertation Topics by Premier Dissertations

Understanding, assessing, and analyzing a marketing concept are prerequisites for a marketing dissertation. You might be required to assess marketing ideas from a macro or microeconomic point of view. This article will guide you through all the necessary strategies and steps to complete your marketing dissertation.

To know how each section is managed, you can move through the professionally and successfully crafted marketing dissertation examples below ;

Example: 1 How Effective are Loyalty Programs in Building Customer Loyalty

Example: 2 Effect of Brand Love on Consumer Buying Behaviour

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Standard structure of marketing dissertation.

a. Abstract

A dissertation's abstract is a condensed version of the document. It provides the reader with a concise overview of the completed research. A strong abstract encourages the reader to continue reading the research. An abstract includes the following information:

Research's goal or problem statement.
Methodology or research strategies used to gather data.
Final results or conclusion

b. Introduction

The introduction is paramount for the first impression. It serves as the public face of your research. It provides background information on your topic, explains why you chose it, elaborates on a particular question that was addressed in your study, and outlines your aims and objectives for conducting the research. The following elements should be covered in your marketing dissertation:

Purpose of research
Research Goals

Check out the article mentioned if you want detailed insight into writing a hypothesis. It will help you out.

Research Writing 101: A Guide on How to Write a Strong Hypothesis for a Research

Here's a brief marketing dissertation introduction example. You can get free access to the whole example by clicking on the link given below.

The complexities of the housing market in the United Kingdom have been a matter of concern for the last many years, as it has been subjected to various uncertainties in the last few decades. The highs and lows in terms of economic bubbles, rising market prices, uncertainties over the interest rates and the ratio of demand and supply in the subject market have been the fundamental source of these complexities (Muller et al., 2009).

Although the stakeholders of this market have been primarily the investors who purchase properties for business purposes, the influence of first-time buyers in the market cannot be ignored. First-time buyers are the proportion which has the capacity to stabilize this industry as they are considered to be potential end-users of residential properties. Another factor related to these users is that they can reduce the impact of investors in the housing market, which in the end reduces the chances of an 'unmanaged rise of house prices’. However, the increasing uncertainties and complexities of this market have undermined this potential and has and consequently resulted in a lack of confidence or clarity in the minds of first-time buyers(Quigley and Raphael, 2004); however, the situation has now started to improve due to better policy implementation and through a tailored government support programs.

c. Literature Review

A literature review summarises the works that reputable academics and researchers have produced on a certain subject. It will give your marketing dissertation some context. When writing the literature review, your goal should be to inform the reader of the concepts and theories that have been developed on your subject and evaluate its advantages and disadvantages.

Your marketing dissertation's literature review shouldn't just be a list of sources; rather, it should be driven by the following goals:

Determine the significance of the topic.
Ensure the research question is valid.
Provide a background of the topic.
Connect your research to the existing body of knowledge.
Research Methodologies

Check this link to get inspiration for your dissertation from the digital marketing dissertation example given. You can also consult with our professional writers at Premier Dissertation to get guidance throughout the process.

Assessing the market stock forces in the Hartlepool area, in terms of supply and demand in relation to first buyers

d. Research Methodology

Your research methodologies are specified in your marketing dissertation's research methodology. Whether your study is qualitative or quantitative will be mentioned. It should include information about the following:

Primary research
Approach you take to conduct your research: case study, survey, etc.
Data collecting approaches

e. Ethical Issues

The ethical and confidentiality difficulties you encountered while doing your research should be highlighted in this section of your dissertation. To ensure that the research's participants are completely aware of how the data being gathered will be used, it should refer to how surveys were done, the objective of the study, and the manner in which the purpose was disclosed.

f. Research Findings and Implications

Almost a third of the total length of the marketing dissertation should be devoted to this section. Your research findings will be analyzed and evaluated; their significance will be discussed.

g. Conclusion

Your study will be succinctly summarized here, along with any pertinent recommendations. The findings should confirm that your research's objectives have been met.

h. Bibliography

The references utilized directly in your study will be included in a structured manner in this section, adhering to the citation style that your school has accepted.

i. Appendices

It would have graphs, charts, figures, tables, summaries of surveys, interviews, observations, and statistical findings, which would not be included in the research's actual word count.

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Marketing dissertation example.

Here is a compiled list of successful marketing dissertation examples. Check them out and get a strong grasp on writing your own.

Understanding the Significance of Personalization in Digital Marketing: A Conceptual Framework
How COVID-19 Pandemic have Increased Developmental Opportunities for Digital Marketing?
Impact of Digital Marketing on Brand Image: A Systematic Literature Review
Augmented Reality Marketing: Achieving Situated Customer Experience Through AR Advertisement

Research Strategies and Tips for Marketing Dissertation

1. Define your Research Question

The first step in writing a marketing dissertation is to define your research question. It will help narrow your focus and ensure that your dissertation is on a feasible and interesting topic. Once you have defined your research question, you should develop a research strategy to help you answer it.

2. Develop a Research Strategy

Your research strategy should include both primary and secondary research . Primary research involves collecting data through surveys, interviews, or focus groups. Secondary research involves collecting data from existing sources such as books, articles, or reports. Once you have collected your data, you will need to analyze it to answer your research question.

3. Choose a Topic

Your topic should be relevant to your field of study and that you are interested in. It should also be something that has yet to be extensively researched before. Once you have chosen a topic , you can begin to narrow down your focus and develop a more specific research question.

4. Find Sources of Information

Many different types of sources are available, such as books, journal articles, primary sources, and secondary sources. You will need to evaluate each source to determine if it is reliable and relevant to your topic.

5. Write a Literature Review

A literature review is a summary of the existing literature on your topic. Writing a literature review to demonstrate that you are familiar with the existing research on your topic is important. Additionally, a literature review helps to identify gaps in the existing literature that your dissertation can fill.

6. Choose an Appropriate Methodology

The methodology you choose for your dissertation will depend on the data you have collected and the nature of your research question. Qualitative methods like interviews or focus groups are well-suited for exploratory or interpretive studies, while quantitative methods such as surveys are better suited for descriptive or explanatory studies.

7. Write and Defend Your Dissertation

Once you have collected and analyzed your data, you will need to write up your findings in the form of a dissertation. Once your dissertation is complete, you will need to defend it in front of a committee of faculty members. If you successfully defend your dissertation, you can earn a PhD in marketing.

Writing a great marketing dissertation takes practice and dedication but armed with helpful strategies, techniques and marketing dissertation examples; you can maximize your potential and create an impressive paper that will impress professors or advisors alike!

Whether it's researching strategies or looking through marketing dissertation examples for inspiration, there are many ways to improve your chances of creating a successful paper that meets all expectations an instructor or supervisor sets. With these tips in mind, anyone can create their own unique yet comprehensive dissertation that accurately reflects their skill level!

Here are some more academic guides to help you find a way through writer's block.

Ace Your Case Study Assignment: A Guide on How to Write a Case Study Assignment
A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Write a Stellar Abstract for your Thesis
Expert Tips to Write an Effective and Concise Discussion Section in Research

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Full Dissertation Samples and Examples

Students often face difficulty in starting their dissertations. One way to cater to this problem is to look at samples of full dissertations available online. We understand this problem. Therefore, our professionals have curated expert full dissertation examples for students to get inspired by and start working on their own dissertations.

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Extraversion and Occupational Choice

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Impact of the Global Financial Crisis 2008-2009 on the UK ….

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Engineering

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The leadership styles of successful project managers …., why manchester united football club has been one of the most successful sports …., investigating the impact of employee engagement on organisational performance…., should countries implement a constitutional court for fundamental rights breaches, optimising global supply chain operations: a collection of undergraduate dissertation samples.

Supply Chain

Newspaper coverage of refugees from Mainland China between 1937 and 1941 in Hong Kong

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What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a complex and comprehensive academic project students must complete towards the end of their degree programme. It requires deep independent research on a topic approved by your tutor. A dissertation contains five chapters – introduction, literature review, methodology, discussion, and conclusion. This is the standard structure for a dissertation unless stated otherwise by your tutor or institution.

Writing a Dissertation Proposal

After selecting a topic, the next step is preparing a proposal. A dissertation proposal is a plan or outline of the research you intend to conduct. It gives a background to the topic, lays out your research aims and objectives, and gives details of the research methodology you intend to use.

If your university accepts your proposal, you can start work on the dissertation paper. If it’s not accepted at first, make amendments to the proposal based on your supervisor’s feedback.

Referencing

Referencing is not some little detail at the end of the paper. Without correct referencing, even a brilliant paper can fail miserably. Citing every source accurately is an absolute must.

Don't Neglect Small Details.

Completing a dissertation proves you can carry out something thoroughly. Therefore, you should attend to each part of the dissertation and omit nothing.

Things like creating a table of contents with the page numbers listed, the reference list, and appendices are all parts of a dissertation. They all contribute to your grade. Look at our dissertation samples and writing guides to get a good understanding.

Choosing Your Dissertation Topic

Choosing a dissertation topic is the first step towards writing a dissertation. However, you should make sure the topic is relevant to your degree programme. It should investigate a specific problem and contribute towards the existing literature.

In order to stay motivated throughout the process, the research topic should be in line with your interests. At ResearchProspect, our expert academics can provide you with unique, manageable topics so you can choose one that suits your needs. Whether you’re an undergraduate or postgraduate student, topics from ResearchProspect can go a long way towards helping you achieve your desired grade.

How to Write a Dissertation

Acceptance of your dissertation proposal is the starting signal. Check out our dissertation writing service and look through our thesis samples to grasp the typical writing style.

Structure of a Dissertation

You have a topic and it’s been accepted. Now comes the structure and format. The first chapter will introduce the topic, the second should then explore it deeply and discuss relevant models, frameworks, and concepts.

The third chapter is where you explain your methodology in detail. The fourth and fifth chapters are for discussing the results and concluding the research, respectively.

Our full dissertation samples and writing guides will help you better understand dissertation structure and formatting.

How ResearchProspect Can Help!

Looking for dissertation help? At ResearchProspect, we know how difficult producing a first-class dissertation is. When you have other projects on, it’s particularly demanding.

Head to our order form. You can place your order today. If you’re not ready to commit yet, just message us about your project and what you’re considering. We have experts to write your full dissertation to your requirements.

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Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

The Caveat

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

Acknowledgements page
Abstract (or executive summary)
Table of contents , list of figures and tables
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Results
Chapter 5: Discussion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
How does your research contribute something original?
How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings? In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog .

Psst… there’s more (for free)

This post is part of our dissertation mini-course, which covers everything you need to get started with your dissertation, thesis or research project.

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36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Knowledge Base
Dissertation

What Is a Dissertation? | Guide, Examples, & Template

A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program.

Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you’ve ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating to know where to begin.

Your department likely has guidelines related to how your dissertation should be structured. When in doubt, consult with your supervisor.

You can also download our full dissertation template in the format of your choice below. The template includes a ready-made table of contents with notes on what to include in each chapter, easily adaptable to your department’s requirements.

Download Word template Download Google Docs template

In the US, a dissertation generally refers to the collection of research you conducted to obtain a PhD.
In other countries (such as the UK), a dissertation often refers to the research you conduct to obtain your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

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Dissertation committee and prospectus process, how to write and structure a dissertation, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your dissertation, free checklist and lecture slides.

When you’ve finished your coursework, as well as any comprehensive exams or other requirements, you advance to “ABD” (All But Dissertation) status. This means you’ve completed everything except your dissertation.

Prior to starting to write, you must form your committee and write your prospectus or proposal . Your committee comprises your adviser and a few other faculty members. They can be from your own department, or, if your work is more interdisciplinary, from other departments. Your committee will guide you through the dissertation process, and ultimately decide whether you pass your dissertation defense and receive your PhD.

Your prospectus is a formal document presented to your committee, usually orally in a defense, outlining your research aims and objectives and showing why your topic is relevant . After passing your prospectus defense, you’re ready to start your research and writing.

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The structure of your dissertation depends on a variety of factors, such as your discipline, topic, and approach. Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an overall argument to support a central thesis , with chapters organized around different themes or case studies.

However, hard science and social science dissertations typically include a review of existing works, a methodology section, an analysis of your original research, and a presentation of your results , presented in different chapters.

Dissertation examples

We’ve compiled a list of dissertation examples to help you get started.

Example dissertation #1: Heat, Wildfire and Energy Demand: An Examination of Residential Buildings and Community Equity (a dissertation by C. A. Antonopoulos about the impact of extreme heat and wildfire on residential buildings and occupant exposure risks).
Example dissertation #2: Exploring Income Volatility and Financial Health Among Middle-Income Households (a dissertation by M. Addo about income volatility and declining economic security among middle-income households).
Example dissertation #3: The Use of Mindfulness Meditation to Increase the Efficacy of Mirror Visual Feedback for Reducing Phantom Limb Pain in Amputees (a dissertation by N. S. Mills about the effect of mindfulness-based interventions on the relationship between mirror visual feedback and the pain level in amputees with phantom limb pain).

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo.

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The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150 to 300 words long. Though this may seem very short, it’s one of the most important parts of your dissertation, because it introduces your work to your audience.

Your abstract should:

State your main topic and the aims of your research
Describe your methods
Summarize your main results
State your conclusions

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework. Here, you define and analyze the key theories, concepts, and models that frame your research.

Checklist: Dissertation

My title page includes all information required by my university.

I have included acknowledgements thanking those who helped me.

My abstract provides a concise summary of the dissertation, giving the reader a clear idea of my key results or arguments.

I have created a table of contents to help the reader navigate my dissertation. It includes all chapter titles, but excludes the title page, acknowledgements, and abstract.

My introduction leads into my topic in an engaging way and shows the relevance of my research.

My introduction clearly defines the focus of my research, stating my research questions and research objectives .

My introduction includes an overview of the dissertation’s structure (reading guide).

I have conducted a literature review in which I (1) critically engage with sources, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of existing research, (2) discuss patterns, themes, and debates in the literature, and (3) address a gap or show how my research contributes to existing research.

I have clearly outlined the theoretical framework of my research, explaining the theories and models that support my approach.

I have thoroughly described my methodology , explaining how I collected data and analyzed data.

I have concisely and objectively reported all relevant results .

I have (1) evaluated and interpreted the meaning of the results and (2) acknowledged any important limitations of the results in my discussion .

I have clearly stated the answer to my main research question in the conclusion .

I have clearly explained the implications of my conclusion, emphasizing what new insight my research has contributed.

I have provided relevant recommendations for further research or practice.

If relevant, I have included appendices with supplemental information.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

I have listed every source in a reference list at the end of my dissertation.

I have consistently followed the rules of my chosen citation style .

I have followed all formatting guidelines provided by my university.

Congratulations!

The end is in sight—your dissertation is nearly ready to submit! Make sure it's perfectly polished with the help of a Scribbr editor.

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Dissertation Topics in Marketing

Updated on
May 8, 2023

As a Marketing graduate, you are expected to submit a Dissertation as a part of your degree or PhD programme. Your Marketing Dissertation topic can connect to various areas including, branding, link marketing, wire/automated marketing, retailing principles, or any alternative field of marketing. Often, students have difficulty finding the correct dissertation topic for their Marketing course. Hence, to encourage you to get established with topic suggestions, we have acquired a list of the recent arguments you can use to create your Marketing Dissertation. Keep reading this blog to know more!

This Blog Includes:

Dissertation topics for marketing, topics for mba marketing, b2b marketing topics , topics on digital marketing, relationship marketing dissertation topics, branding dissertation topics, direct marketing dissertation topics, cultural and marketing dissertation topics, online marketing dissertation topics, mobile marketing dissertation topics, the 4ps of (price, product, promotion, place) of marketing mix, consumer psychology and marketing dissertation topics, social media marketing dissertation topics, ethics in marketing dissertation topics , explore the well-crafted marketing dissertation topics , present the perfectly written dissertation on marketing.

What are the incentives and intentions behind support programs for corporations to engage consumers in the long series?
To what degree does Caffe Nero’s app foster consumer allegiance?
How and why can communication marketing be employed to entice new clients through social elements?
How does production variety influence policy patriotism among high and low-contact producers?
Can leisure goods merchants avoid obstacles by replacing bolt-in clients with a different set of benefits and products?
How do entrepreneurs grapple with polygamous behaviour among users?
Computerised communication economics in the age of COVID-19: Analysing the magnitude of personalisation and customisation.
Growing policy support through long-value distribution management–an event study of UK health brands.
What are the challenges for Tesco’s support card system in now’s cutthroat factory environment?
An investigation of the relationship between observed risk and brand investment: A correlation of department store retailers in the UK .
How does modernisation impact customer brand resonance? A process study of reception brands who were forced to innovate due to COVID-19.
Do purchasers really figure out a company’s brand benefits? The process of Starbucks vs McDonald’s.

Students of the MBA Marketing course can refer to the following list of marketing dissertation topics.

Involving communal systems when seeking different markets and developing the market interest.
Systems companies use acting on customer boycotts.
The job of joint buy in a poor industry.
Are modernisations useful in building up the number of clients?
The relationship between the geographic position and the nature of a system.
The benefits groups get from the customisation of their works.
Mobile commerce: its powers and shortcomings.
The change in prices on offline and wire markets of properties.
How serious is the job of branding in the progress of a business?
Are there proper limitations in brand selling plans?
What are the key features of Internet commerce?

Also Read: Dissertation Topic in Finance

Here are some dissertation topics for B2B marketing.

Altering the Marketing Management. What are the new models, functions, processes, and techniques?
Making the Idea Organisation: How to use expected control to set up brand advantage, develop leads, and interest clients.
Getting to Love the Data Burst. Carrying out the potential of analytics for increased planning, margin control, and outcome.
Drawing up for the B2B Social Buyer. Establishing the appropriate commerce difference between conventional customs and the new civil user.
Sales Channel Enablement. Increasing the impact from your portfolio of enablement movements across direct and ancillary demand channels.
Next Generation Account-Paltry Commerce. Developing the model, mix, and workforce across the full businesses and distribution cycle.

Given below is a list of Digital Marketing dissertation topics.

How does the value of things that affect wire trade differ corresponding to the amount type in the works trade in the UK?
Do consumers react negatively to low and high-term actions in an aggressive networked status? The process of wire record deals.
In what respects do available wire conversation areas affect users’ return to direct selling promotions in civil form sets?
Evaluating the power of vision brands’ direct selling via YouTube.
How does the telemarketers’ community (tone) affect consumer feedback in a more diversified global business situation?
Do users learn how to care for themselves from dishonest direct selling ploys employed by civil forms advertising firms?

Also Read: How to Write Acknowledgement for Dissertation?

Relationship Marketing is a marketing tactic to build long-term relationships with customers. This strategy allows companies to acquire customers, while also maintaining customer loyalty that further results in repeated customs for the respective company. In the modern business world today, Relationship Marketing can be a great base for your marketing dissertation as it provides you with a diverse range of dissertation topics:

Digital relationship marketing in the age of COVID-19: Analysing the importance of personalisation and customisation.
Analyzing the customer-centric marketing strategies in attaining competitive advantage for the firm and sustaining business success.
The role of information technology in revolutionizing marketers’ approach towards manipulative advertisement.
Customer loyalty – Behaviour or attitude? A mixed-method analysis.
The relationship marketing strategies of Nike: A critical analysis.

In simple terms, a Brand is who you are while marketing is how you choose to build awareness about the brand. Basically, promoting a brand’s products and the services provided as a whole. Branding refers to the analysis of how businesses can use their brands to achieve a competitive advantage, through building brand equity, launching brand extensions, managing global brands, and more. Listed below are some Branding Dissertation Topics to begin with:

How does innovation impact consumer brand resonance? A case study of hospitality brands who were forced to innovate as a result of COVID-19.
Do consumers really understand a company’s brand values: Starbucks vs McDonald’s.
A case study: Using digital methods to increase brand salience.
Using social media marketing to attract customers to brands of small companies.
The consequences of Unethical behaviour on the brand image: The cases of Shell, Nike and Starbucks.

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As technology is evolving, the concept of Direct Marketing is a boon for companies as it allows companies to connect with customers directly through advertising services such as emails, online adverts, flyers, database marketing, promotional letters, newspapers, outdoor advertising, phone text messaging, magazine adverts, coupons, phone calls, postcards, and websites. Direct Marketing allows companies to understand a customer’s specific needs to provide them with the most relevant products and services. Listed below are some topics for Direct Marketing Dissertation:

In what ways do free online chat rooms influence consumers’ responses to direct sales promotions in social media environments?
The effectiveness of beauty brands’ direct marketing via YouTube: Analysis
Using SMS and email to connect with customers: Advantages and limitations of direct marketing.
Using social media to reduce the cost of direct marketing
Brand Loyalty And Customer Satisfaction In Online Retailing Company: A Case Study On Amazon

As businesses are expanding throughout the globe, Culture plays an important role in the interaction of marketers with customers. Culture has a great impact on international marketing due to the increase of globalisation in the business world. Companies are required to gain in-depth knowledge of the local culture before offering a product to them as effective communication is a major factor that contributes to customers buying the products. Listed below are some topics for your reference in the Cultural and Marketing Dissertation:

Native advertising: Exploring its effectiveness in the UK, China, and the US.
The effect of culture on marketing communications: The case of Coca-Cola in India
How do supermarket chains overcome language differences in Switzerland?
Effects of social media on organisational culture in the UK’s fashion industry.
How does language impact brand identity? The case of Coca-Cola in the People’s Republic of China.

Online Marketing is an essential part of Marketing as it allows companies to build relationships with customers and spread awareness about the brand through digital marketing such as Search Engine Optimization, Pay-per-Click, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Marketing Analytics and Affiliate Marketing. Unlike the traditional way of marketing that included print, billboard, television and radio advertisements, Online Marketing is a lot more affordable and effective. A dissertation on Online Marketing can definitely provide you with a wide range of topics. Listed below are some of the topics for a dissertation on Online Marketing:

The case of Apple: How can firms customise their products?
The impact of digital marketing innovation on Apple’s performance
Pop-up advertisements: Hit or a miss
Celebrities and influencers: Have they changed the game of online marketing?
Analyzing customers’ psychology and its role in digital marketing.

Due to the increase in Internet browsing on mobile phones nowadays, Mobile Marketing has become an essential part of marketing communication. It aims to reach out to mobile users through different methods such as mobile-optimized ads, push notifications and mobile applications. Listed below are some topics for a Mobile Marketing Dissertation:

Can a strong brand image be built through mobile marketing techniques?
What do customers want from mobile marketing messages?
How does location influence mobile marketing communications?
What role does timeliness play in mobile marketing communications?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of push-and-pull mobile marketing strategies?

The 4Ps of Marketing are widely used by marketers to influence consumer decision-making. Listed below are some topics you can use as a base for writing a Dissertation on Marketing Mix:

The impact of product information availability and persuasive advertising on consumer behaviour.
Advantages and disadvantages of online advertising in international marketing.
The Importance of Marketing mix on non-profit organisations.
Is word-of-mouth (i.e. online customer reviews) the new element of the Marketing mix?
Case of iTunes: Can an overt international pricing strategy negatively affect the brand image?

Marketing is ultimately underpinned by customer behaviour, which may be explained in large part by studying consumer psychology. This focuses on how consumers behave at each stage of the purchasing process and why they react the way they do. Marketers can use this information to create and implement communication strategies that target specific client groups based on their psychological characteristics. Here are some ideas for marketing dissertation topics based on marketing and consumer psychology:

What drives customers to buy things from Amazon?
What are the benefits and advantages of customer internet reviews?
What impact do marketing intelligence and planning have on sports marketing?
How can businesses use Big Data to obtain a better knowledge of their customers’ psychology?
What do customers think about green marketing?
What are customers’ feelings about Burberry’s digital marketing efforts?
What were the forefathers of word-of-mouth communication? A case study in blockbuster marketing.
How does gender influence information processing among luxury goods consumers?

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter are widely used mediums for reaching out to customers online. Social media has become an essential part of both local and international companies. Some topics for Social Media Dissertation are:

A content analysis of Food brands Instagram posts.
The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty.
Instagram, influencer marking and trust – a critical analysis.
Partnering with YouTube content creators and influences – An effective marketing strategy for brands.
Implications for marketing managers: limitations of social media marketing.

Ethics in Marketing is the implication of standards of fairness, or moral rights and wrongs, to marketing decision-making, behaviour, and practice in the firm. Using unethical marketing practices may put a company’s viability at risk and cost its reputation which might have taken years to build. From ethical business practices to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), several research options are available for a marketing dissertation. Some topics to begin with a dissertation on Ethics in Marketing are as listed:

How have spam laws improved marketing ethics online?
What impact does published codes of conduct have on customer buying behaviour? The cases of The Body Shop, Levi Strauss, and Marks and Spencer
The influence of local culture on business ethics of immigrants- A case study of the UK
Vegan vs cruelty-free: the politics of labelling and why it matters
What factors distinguish a consumer’s choice of most and least socially responsible firms?
Exploring how organizations use corporate social responsibility (CSR) to reinforce brand equity

Marketing is a process through which companies be they Local or International use to create and build brand awareness, and customer relations, and for increasing business profits. Marketing is a great field for research as it provides you with a large number of research topics and sources. Listed below are some Marketing Dissertation Topics to start from niche:

Analysis and determination of consumer buying behaviour for Coca-Cola
Critical research on how AI will help make better marketing decisions
Brand advertising and political campaigns: a possible interwoven impact?
Analysis of how brands exploit impulsive buying
Marketing budgets included by BREXIT
The effect of COVID-19 on the global economy
The decline in organic reach on social media platforms
Do people appreciate being click baited into sponsored posts?
How the extraordinary content offered by intelligent chatbots can help sports teams strengthen fan loyalty

A dissertation requires a lot of independent research so it may get a bit difficult to start with. Demonstrating your ability to think critically and analytically is what you’re supposed to bring in your Marketing Dissertation. A marketing dissertation requires you to conduct extensive research and present an argumentation in a particular claim of the topic you have chosen. The very first step to presenting a perfectly written marketing dissertation is to choose a topic you’re genuinely interested in, this allows you to understand and present the arguments well. However, you should make sure that the topic chosen is capable enough of contributing to your future in career aspects. You can look for marketing topic ideas from present scenarios, academic journals and scholarly books. In the aftermath of choosing the topic, you’re supposed to develop a research question. While creating a research question you must keep in mind your ability to answer it through primary and secondary sources. Gather the necessary material for your research and prepare an outline for your Marketing Dissertation. The last and final step of presenting a perfectly written marketing dissertation is to revise, edit and proofread your dissertation and make changes if required. Revise your marketing dissertation as many times as you can until you are fully satisfied with the paper.

The best research topics in digital marketing include Artificial Intelligence, Conversational Marketing, Video Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation, Influencer marketing, Pay per Click Advertising, Visual Search, and Social Media Management and Marketing.

Some special dissertation topics in commerce are: 1) Write about the influence that advertising picks up on the performance of purchasers. 2) Address about the scholars can be trained among the mobile phone business. 3)Write about how foreign commerce can manage standardisation.

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Qualitative & Quantitative data analysis

IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON SPORTS MARKETING – A CASE OF NIKE UK

[Name of Student]

[Name of University]

The aim of this study was to analysis the impact of social media advertising on sports marketing within the context of Nike in the UK. Using the statistics exhibited, this inquisition substantiates that social media content is most important element of digital marketing success of Nike. This study conducted mixed method research process with 100 marketing professionals in the UK as survey participants and 10 marketing professionals as interview participants. It can be observed from the survey results that there is significant impact of social media marketing on sports marketing. The social media affects sports marketing through content, celebrity endorsement and through positive word of mouth. The results of this study are generally consistent with those of past literature.

Chapter 1: introduction.

Throughout history, the successive introduction of new technologies has operated as a generator of social change. The digitization of information and the convergence of this phenomenon with that of its network distribution have brought with it a new era of human development of historical dimensions. Since the appearance of the Internet, and more specifically with the advent of web 2.0, the world of communication has undergone great transformations (Horák, 2016), thus consolidating the idea that the history of communication is closely linked to the history of technology. The linear theoretical model of mass communication in which a sender (source) transmits a message through a channel (media) destined for a receiver (public), for many years has been the dominant paradigm in studies on the information and communication (Nufer, 2016). Since information and communication is an important aspect of business, therefore, related technologies such as social media have also gained their importance which is the main aspect of this research study.

Today, the social media admits certain revisions in favor of a more reticular than linear model, with which the traditional flow of information basically one-way “from one to many” has been changed to a flow of multidirectional cut “from many to many”. In short, some old explanatory models of mass communication have already been overtaken by novel approaches (Huang and Hsu, 2017).

The strictly technological, while being fundamental, is not the only key element of this process that many already qualify as a “paradigm shift” and in which, as in all revolutions, there is another unavoidable protagonist, i.e. the individual. The great difference between new media and traditional media lies in the greater interactive potential of the latter. The Internet and the rest of new social media allow the multidirectional flow of messages and greater possibilities for selection, expression and communication (Erzikova, et al., 2016). There are those who interpret that the Internet is not so much a technology as a cultural production, because it is a truly social construction, in which users are simultaneously consumers and producers of content (“prosumers”). It is the people themselves who shape this new lattice model through their contributions, through their actively creative participation and through their collaborative attitudes (Hsu and Hunang, 2017). Based on these arguments, this study aims to focus on the social media and how it is shaping the business communication particularly marketing communication in modern world.

McCarthy (2016) pointed out a few years ago that the media would improve if they somehow emulated the way people communicate in face-to-face conversations. Machines alone have not been and are not capable of generating a full interactive discourse, but they are necessary tools for users to develop their relationship skills. The individual has thus taken a leading role in the formation and growth of this interactive network culture that has opened the human mentality to dialogue and to a continuous approach in a scenario of multiple participations like never before. According to Saari and Tuominen, (2016), Internet users seek to dialogue, discuss, confront, support and, in one way or another, establish a relationship with others. In short, as powerful as it is, technology is only an enabling tool that gains its true strength in the hands of (connected) people. Therefore, the focus of this research has been set on the social media which is an important networking internet based tool.

Both quantitatively and qualitatively speaking, the emergence of online social channels (social media) is perhaps the most significant phenomenon that has occurred in the Internet environment in recent years, so that the interaction of people in real time, regardless of the location they have become one of the star activities of the moment in the online world, something of which some data give a good example (Hoffrén, 2019). 90% of Internet users already belong to some social network; social media has already surpassed the consumption of other online services and material such as entertainment music, video, etc. Majority of the businesses are using social media such as LinkedIn to recruit employees and, the rate of minors accessing social networks on the Internet from smart mobile phones increased exponentially (Newman, Peck, and Wilhide, 2017).

According to Hale, (2016) an overwhelming majority of mobile phone users who connect to the Internet from their mobile phones do so to access social networks. Perhaps the definitive proof of the strength and successful social implantation of the latest technologies and the phenomena of use associated with them is the amazing speed with which they have succeeded, because as Haemers, (2016) points out to achieve the 50 million users, the radio needed 38 years, television required 13 years, Internet required 4 years, the iPod required 3 years, but for Facebook it took just nine months to reach its first 100 million users (Ehrenberg and da Costa Bueno, 2016). Since social media has gained increasing importance for both consumers and businesses therefore there is a need to continuously gather empirical evidence and this study contributes towards this notion.

The latest technical means of communication have revolutionized the traditional way of seeing the world. Now there is a balance in which, on the one hand, we have the structured and controlled information offered by the traditional media and, on the other, a collective citizen action that generates its own content and places it on platforms of theoretically universal access (Ristevska-Jovanovska, 2017). At the same thing happens in institutional settings, the internet has made it easier for companies and institutions to create their own “media”, thus breaking the traditional difference in roles between the media that “inform others” and the social subjects of information (Fetchko, Roy, and Clow, 2018). Social media as therefore become an important and unique communication channel between businesses and consumers and this study aims to explore its potential through a case study of Nike, which is considered to be leader in social media marketing.

Placing the focus of these initial reflections in the field of sport, the influence that the latest information and communication technologies are having on it is also indisputable, and vice versa. In order to understand the evolution of sport throughout history with a holistic vision, it is necessary to attend in parallel to the changes experienced by the media and the evolution of information technology itself (Manna, 2019), because the osmosis between sport and communication goes beyond the extremely important role that the media has played – and is playing – in the financing of sports, fundamentally, but not exclusively, in its professional sphere. The media have spectacularized the sport to the point of molding spectators and athletes themselves a particular experience of it (Schmidt, et al., 2018).

Ristevska-Jovanovska, (2018) posited that there is no longer sport without television, nor television without sport. Furthermore, the study pointed out at the dawn of the 21st century that in a context of profound changes in the system of production and distribution of communication, sport has become a representative social practice of the processes of convergence that occur in the information society between technological, cultural and social factors, and that this convergence should not be considered, therefore, as an isolated phenomenon, but as a direct consequence of the transformations that are taking place in the communications system and in the new processes of cultural mediation in the information society (Hazari, 2018).

Problem Statement

In sports industry, the NIKE brand has marked an incomparable importance when evaluating the incidence of different brands on the perception and behaviour of sports consumers. Supporting this is the plethora of marketing research that explains the evolution that Nike and other sporting brands have had over time and how they have standardized a prototype of comfortable and practical sports merchandise in global society. It also explains the success and positioning that these brands have had worldwide by offering quality, innovation and continuous improvement in their products (Caetano, 2019).

One of the key success factors of Nike is its effective marketing strategy. Nike, like other sporting brands, makes heavy investment in marketing and advertising. Furthermore, there has been significant research about the way Nike has used social media and has become the leading sporting brand on Twitter as well as other social media platforms (White, White, and White, 2017). This study is aimed to understand and explore the impact of social media on sports marketing by conducting the case study of Nike as case study. The aim is to assess and stress upon the use and impact of social media in sports marketing in the UK.

Aims and Objectives

The research would like to evaluate the impact of social media advertising on sports marketing.

To Study the concept of social media advertising and sports marketing
To identify the key factor pertaining to social media that influence sports a marketing
To study the impact of social media on sport marketing in light of Nike UK.
To provide recommendations to Nike UK on deploying effective social media strategies to enhance sports marketing.

Research Questions

The research questions formed for achieving the aim of study are as follows:

What is the concept of social media advertising and sports marketing?
What are the key factors pertaining to social media that influence sports a marketing?
What is the impact of social media on sport marketing in light of Nike UK?
What are the social media strategies Nike UK can deploy to enhance sports marketing?

Research Organisation

The organisation of this study has been divided into five main components. The first part is the introduction and rationale for research phenomenon, research problem, aims and objectives. The second part is the secondary data collection and analysis results in the form of a comprehensive literature review. The literature review also developed a conceptual framework that serve as the foundation for primary data collection and analysis methods. The third chapter provides complete details and rationale for each methodological step undertaken during the course of the study. In the fourth component the researcher presented results and analysis of primary empirical evidence. Finally the study ends with conclusions and recommendations.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction.

Despite the fact that the first scores between business and sport were already visible at the beginning of the 20th century, it was not until the 70s of the last century when marketing settled definitively in the world of sports. Thanks in large measure to radio and television, which were the main means of announcing the products of the different brands. Nike, Adidas and Puma took advantage of this wave and in just ten years they grew exponentially (Cornwell, 2016). One of the visible and most prominent heads at the beginning was Phil Knight, founder of the sports company Nike. Considered the father of sports marketing, he was able to quickly make a name for himself in the commercial world thanks to the sponsorship he offered to athletes such as Michael Jordan or the Brazilian soccer team (Madej, 2019).

Today, and taking advantage of the revolution that social media has brought, it is much easier to make yourself known. Additionally, companies target a much broader audience. The objective, without a doubt, is to establish a brand-athlete and public-brand relationship. And this is the main change that this sector has managed: to commercialize everything that surrounds sport (Phua, et al., 2018). For Nikodimou and Dimitrakopoulou, (2019) practically everything is marketed and highlights that clubs and athletes are aware of the media platform they have become and seek to obtain the greatest possible economic return for their activity.

Real Madrid or Football Club Barcelona may be charging around 100 million euros per season from their sponsor. It would be unreasonable to think that a high-level team could be entering these amounts of money. But taking the beginnings of marketing as a reference, there is no doubt that he took sport as an object to continue growing and that he does it more and more (Burton, 2019).

History of sports marketing

Despite the fact that there are some glimpses of the relationship between advertising and sport in the second half of the 19th century, it was not until the 20s of the last century when this contact was made. It originated in the United States and gradually spread throughout the world. It was in the year 1923 when the Wilson Sporting Goods company began to sponsor the golfer Gene Sarazen (Toffoletti, 2016). At first, the agreement stood at $ 6,000 per month and an extra of the same amount for expenses on their trips. The Wilson company, founded by Thomas E. Wilson, is well known today for being the sponsor of high-level tennis rackets like Roger Federer or Serena Williams (Gadiraju, 2016).

Years later and already in 1928, Coca Cola decided to bet heavily on the Amsterdam Olympics. They managed to sell more than 1,000 cases of bottles and it was the main drink of many of the athletes who gathered there. In addition, the Coca Cola logo was already visible on some posters of the event and since then its relationship with the Olympic Games has increased considerably, being one of the most important official sponsors (Billings, et al., 2017).

The radio also took advantage of this type of strategy and began to establish its first advertising spaces. However, this method was definitively implemented with the appearance of the then journalist Phil Knight, one of the founders of the Nike brand in 1964. His company has since been dedicated to the design, development, manufacture and marketing of balls, footwear, clothing, equipment, accessories and other sports items. Knight also managed to establish a millionaire contract in the 80s with the famous basketball player Michael Jordan, creating at that time the Air Jordan sneakers (Sobande, 2019). Like radio, television and the media in general, they served as a voice so that all these companies began to market their products and grew little by little. In 1951, the American television channel National Broadcasting Company (NBC), began to broadcast the main sporting events that had repercussions nationally and worldwide. Companies, especially Americans, began to value and saw the opportunity to include their brand in these events, observing the effect they had (Bohnsack, et al., 2016).

Following this line, in the 60s sports companies continued to see the media as a fundamental piece when promoting their products. In addition, the fight between the most famous sports brands began: Nike, Adidas and Puma. From the 70s, many athletes are already included as the protagonists of numerous spots or advertising campaigns. The campaign moved politically. Adidas wanted to highlight how the Argentine country was at that time: lifting of the prohibition of Peronism, the Farc, the corruption of many military personnel, the lack of unity of the people (Prather, 2018). With the motto Representatives of the new Argentina: strong and elegant united took football as a starting point to reverse that situation through sportswear. In addition, the campaign also included the company Gatic, founded in 1953 and which was licensed by the Adidas company from Germany to manufacture sports products in Argentina (Schlereth and Frederick, 2017).

In the 80s, the inclusion of athletes themselves in advertising spaces was strengthened. Even many brands that did not sell sports products also saw selling their product via athletes as viable. One of the most famous advertising campaigns of the 80s was carried out by Diego Armando Maradona and promoted by the Generalitat de Catalunya, when the Argentine footballer was at Fútbol Club Barcelona. The spot promoted sports in addition to showing its refusal to use drugs (Diers-Lawson and Croucher, 2017).

The irruption of companies not linked to the sports world established a relationship with those that did, with the objective of mutual benefit. Nike’s relationship with football grew exponentially from the 90s and its ads began to become authentic works of art. One of them was the announcement that featured the Brazilian soccer team in ’98, one of the best in history. The spot was shot at the end of 97 and was published the following year on the occasion of the 1998 World Cup in France (Cottingham and Petersen-Wagner, 2018). The chosen setting was the Galeao Airport in Rio de Janeiro. Soccer players such as Ronaldo or Rivaldo, among others, toured the entire airport with dribbles, watermarks, ball kicks, all the beauty of Brazilian football. The announcement is remembered as one of the best in football history (da Silva and Las Casas, 2018).

Already in the 21 st century, more and more brands are taking sport to sell their products or to be the official sponsor of a club. Without going any further, the flight company Fly Emirates, is the official sponsor of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol or Rakuten, the largest online store in Japan, which is the Fútbol Club Barcelona. This, linked to the rise of social networks, has turned sports into an industry that continues to grow (Sande, 2019).

Social networks within sports marketing

Create a hashtag, upload a video or carry out raffles. Launch surveys, conduct contests or do a live show. More than 90% of companies have carried out any of these actions. Social networks have allowed brands to go further and retain more people. Also, they have allowed you to follow a live match of a team through their platform or find out about the latest signings. Features such as immediacy or feedback allow you to connect the brand with the public. In this case, the companies are sports teams, with the aim of establishing a closer relationship with fans (Sanderson and Siegfried, 2018). An example of this is creating attractive content, the task of the Community Managers, and that this content goes viral. One of the most recognized in Spanish football is the Community Manager of Club Deportivo Leganés. His creativity and close contact with the followers of the Madrid team has made his content go beyond simple information and has made the followers feel part of his publications (Scelles, et al., 2017).

The creativity of the Twitter simulating a Champions League match by the time and day of the match against Real Madrid went viral in a few hours. Also connecting with the athletes themselves is also a success of social networks. Beaming or sharing a content at important events reiterates that feedback between players and fans (Stavros and Smith, 2019). We can feel their feelings, their sensations after having played a game or simply their day to day within a sports team. On the other hand, we can highlight that companies are targeting a young audience, given that adolescents tend to spend a lot of time on social networks and are waiting for new sports products at the last minute (Chisam, 2019).

By having a wide variety of platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.), one can know the likes of our followers through surveys or just by responding to the publications made by the company (for example: uploading an image of some new sneakers). In addition, by publishing this type of content, the company can increase its sales within its website with online payment, without having to make its buyer go to the physical store (Rowe, et al., 2019). According to Geurin and McNary, (2020) social networks are very important. In my opinion perhaps advertising in mainstream media is overrated. Brands were always fighting to be in prime time and reach a larger audience, but today social networks allow you to segment a target audience and reach it directly causing greater impact than, for example, television.

Background of Sports Marketing

In the twentieth century, the emergence of sport as a professional practice is perceived and, at the same time, it begins to have a powerful presence as the axis of thematic content in the mass media, modifying the level of traditional symbolic practice: a new and double synergy between communications and sports. Until the late 1960s, sport maintained relative autonomy from the mass media (Budraitis, 2016). But the influences came when the media flooded the field of sports information to become protagonists with live and direct broadcasts. From that moment, they became natural and genuine co-authors (Phillips, 2019). Sports fields and stadiums were the new television studios. The growth of the relationship between television and sport has been so significant and marked that even | Study carried out by the Chicago Tribune revealed that between 1900 and 1975 sports pages had gone from 9 to 17% of the newspaper (Deshinge, 2020).

Most importantly, in 1975, sports commentaries occupied almost 50% of the local, national and international press together. Editors had realized that readers wanted more sports, more comics, more fun, and less news. In fact, in 1984 an expert detected that the sports section occupied 30% of all the circulation of a newspaper in a big city (Fried and Mumcu, 2016). In 1990, sports fans in the United States were able to purchase their own sports newspaper, “The National” daily. Although this newspaper has already disappeared, a new one will probably appear soon. Based on the above, it is noted that the increase in sports information in the different media had an impact on the birth of sports marketing (Youn and Jin, 2017).

Legg and Dottori, (2017) say that in the specific case of basketball in the United States of America. It was suggested to the NBA the increase in downtime to have more advertising spaces, in tennis a new scheme was created, later called a tie-break to reduce the duration of games; in volleyball a system called rally point appeared, where it is not necessary to have the serve to add. And in soccer, even the change of shirt was forced during the game to improve the visualization of the teams. Shortly before 1972, the great changes did not take long to arrive, mainly to the market of the brands that offer sports products and services; The “revolution” of the clothing companies appears on the scene with a strong accent and the so-called brand war is introduced to sport (Nichols, Cobbs, and Tyler, 2019).

According to Mittal and Manavalan, (2017) in 1978 Advertising Age used the terminology of Sports Marketing to describe the activities of the consumer, the product of the industry and those responsible for marketing who began to use sports excessively as a vehicle for promotion

The Product of Sport

Hand in hand with what is defined as a product in traditional marketing, Wolfsteiner, Grohs, and Reisinger, (2019) affirm that a vital step in sports marketing is recognizing that you are dealing with a special product. Given the preeminence of this product in our culture, we understand that the organisations that offer sports to their consumers form the industry. If a product can be described as a set or combination of qualities, processes and attitudes (material, services, and / or ideas) that the buyer expects to bring him satisfactions, it is a peculiar aspect that distinguishes the sport. In this aspect, the sport product offers the consumer the satisfaction of some basic desires or needs such as health, fun or sociability. This advantage has to be redefined by the person in charge of marketing in an organisation (Maderer, Parganas, and Anagnostopoulos, 2018).

Gajek, (2016) approached sport as a product, they set out to show some components that in this research are grouped in the following table and that are part of the same for detail the elements that belong to its constitution, then define the following:

Components of the Sport Product.

According to Vimieiro, (2017), sport is a product and a service that many people around the world enjoy playing, observing and participating. While there has been a great deal of global media attention at sporting events such as the Olympics and the World Cup of world football, there appears to be a lack of integration between sports marketing and international business disciplines, both from one point from a practical and academic point of view. There is enormous potential to link sports marketing and international business literature through focusing on corporate sports businesses that occur around the world. Finlay, (2018), demonstrated the need to adopt an international perspective of sports marketing and business relations to deal.

Sports Marketing Strategies

According to Cornwell and Kwon, (2019) sports marketing strategies vary according to the type of company and the business in which they operate, but in general they are focused on the consumer of sports products, seeking to find a differentiating and sustainable advantage. before the competitors. Given this new panorama, sport has become a source of symbols and social representations with great influence, so companies do not hesitate to use advertising campaigns to create new needs and influence people’s behaviour. In order for a brand to position itself above another in the minds of consumers, it is important that companies identify with the values and attributes of their brands and thus be able to search for the most appropriate channels and marketing strategies, to reach they consumers more directly and effectively (Pourazad, Stocchi, and Pare, 2019).

Nufer, (2016) adds that in any organisation or type of company, the customer is the starting point, since the objective of an efficient service strategy is to keep current customers satisfied and attract potential customers, This must be considered when designing the marketing or marketing plan. Generally, customer satisfaction is used as a tool in quality management planning. Every organisation must have a marketing plan (Oliveira, 2019).

According to Brown, Anderson, and Dickhaus, (2016) currently many countries have soccer teams that focus their sports marketing strategies, towards four main objectives:

Increase the number of partners, through campaigns for fans to bond with the team.
Sale of tickets and subscribers for all the games of the season, offering special benefits to the fans, to get resources through important assistance to the stadium.
Sale of television rights and advertising space in the stadium in each of the games played.
Obtain sponsorship agreements with companies seeking exposure of their brands, as an important source of income for the team’s operation.

King, et al,., (2012) argue that loyalty is another key variable within the marketing that is applied in sports clubs, the authors propose the importance of applying defensive marketing strategies to loyalty to consumers and not an offensive marketing that only aims to motivate new consumers by snatching them away from the competition. The same authors point out that they often make the mistake of neglecting current customers to attract new ones, investing money in consumer attraction campaigns (Volozova, 2016). According to the experts mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph, it is much more difficult to conquer new clients than to retain current ones, this last strategy being more advantageous, since loyalty of current clients could without further effort captivate new consumers only through word of mouth (Bigsby, Ohlmann, and Zhao, 2019).

Recently, sports activities involving people with limited capacity in their sports staff have become important within the sports industry and the same has led to the massification and attractiveness of events of this magnitude, from the perseverance and discipline that these athletes They print in their profession, and the same seeks to raise awareness among those with the same disabilities to start a sports career (Abeza, et al., 2017).

Theoretical Framework

For Moragas (1985 cited in Serazio, 2019), the uses and gratifications approach create an exploration of individual behaviour towards the media, because they create and gratify their needs. Many of the needs studied may be related to the media but others are independent of them. For his part, Klevtcova, (2018) between the end of the 1950s and the second half of 1970, developed the approach in which he analyzed not only the content of the media, but also the audience that became partially active. The normative theory of social responsibility used especially the theory of ‘uses and gratifications’. In this theory, individuals choose according to their personal goals and needs to satisfy them. But it assumes that each member of the audience is isolated, has different needs, and therefore uses the media with different objectives and interests and also in a different and selective way (Popp, Horbel, and Germelmann, 2018).

Likewise for Kunkel and Biscaia, (2020) the theory of uses and gratifications arises directly from functionalism. This theory is based on the fact that gratifications come not only from media content, but from the type of exposure to the medium and from the social context of gratifying consumption. In other words, this theory believes that the audience becomes an active element, since it chooses the means to satisfy its needs and gratifications. On the one hand, Chanavat and Desbordes, (2017) according to the Theory of Uses and Gratifications, the mass media satisfy some needs, such as cognitive, aesthetic-affective, entertainment and integrative. The audience stops being passive to become active, which was not the case with other theories. There will be those who for their part want to see the Simpsons, while there will be those who choose the news programs. There will also be those who prefer show programs, etc. It is simple, people have power and it is with the use that they give to the means that satisfy certain needs. On the one hand, the needs that seek to be satisfied can be those of entertainment, informational, recreation, etc. (McKelvey and Grady, 2017).

Conceptual Framework

Content marketing.

In case of digital marketing and specifically in social networks within its sports marketing strategy, the content is considered to be most important aspect. According to Hoffrén, (2019) the firms should carry out a coherent content strategy to meet its objectives. The published content is considered to be most influential factor (Hoffrén, 2019). Though, the content is considered to be most influential aspect of digital and social media marketing, but it cannot be the centre of sports marketing strategy for any firm. Since a content if it is not intended for a specific type of audience or target will not be successful. If it also does not meet the issuer’s objectives, not only will it not be successful, but it will also comply with the strategy set by the institution, so there will be no Return on Investment (ROI) that marketers require (McCormick, 2018).

Therefore, what is meant at this point is that the first thing the firm must do is to be clear about what the objective as a firm will be, what strategies will be followed to achieve those objectives, and above all, who or who are the targets that we want to impact with the content (Cornwell, 2016). Once the objectives have been established, the different audiences with different interests should be identified. This means that the generated content must be of interest to those audiences so that they cause the effect which has been marked in the club’s sports marketing plan (Jones, 2019).

Celebrity Endorsement

Social networks have fundamentally changed the way people are connected to each other. The same applies to the way in which brands communicate with their customers and prospects. News reaches users of Twitter, Facebook and other social networks as it unfolds, much faster than any other media and more and more of our free time is devoted to consulting our mobile phones on which social networks are enthroned. Therefore the social networks of sports celebrities strategic for the brand marketing plan (Richelieu, 2016).

Sport produces passions, presents itself as a source of well-being, a health asset and a synonym of positivism. On a certain level, sport unites millions of people under a single shared will, whatever their beliefs, their socio-professional categories and their lifestyle. The communities gathered around sports celebrities such as world stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kobe Bryant or Michael Phelps present numbers that create confusion (Sanderson and Siegfried, 2018). No less than 63 million fans on Facebook for Ronaldo and 21 million followers on Twitter! This is how brands like Babolat, for example, have bet on a global sports icon, Rafael Nadal, to promote its products, instantly communicating with 5.2 million followers on Twitter and more than 12 million fans of the tennis on Facebook (Austin and Jin, 2017).

The social media allows brands to communicate quickly to an attentive and enthusiastic target audience, it is essential to remember that they are not like other means of communication. The power of Twitter, Facebook and other Instagram lies in the relevance of the message transmitted and its credibility, which must be linked to the sports celebrity to which the account belongs (Fried and Mumcu, 2016). As such, perfect compatibility between the brand, its image, its products and the sportsperson is one of the key elements for the success of a digital influence campaign with product placements, as demonstrated by the successful activations of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nike his sponsor, on social networks (Carson, 2018).

Product placement on sports celebrity accounts integrated more generally into a digital influence campaign highlighting the benefits of a product or service is capable of having an unequalled impact, from the moment when it is scrupulously planned and controlled. The message, whatever it is – even if it is a sponsored communication (Cornwell and Kwon, 2019) will have more value in the eyes of members of the sports community because it is more authentic and more credible. Social networks give new impetus to celebrity marketing and present themselves as a platform capable of multiplying the desired effect by a brand, both in terms of awareness and results in terms of the sale of its products or services. The term Powerful means within the reach of brands wishing to quickly reach their audience and influence their behaviour (Leng, 2017).

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth is an important aspect of social media marketing. The concept of word of mouth is the recommendation made by satisfied consumers through content they create on social media platforms. Loyal customers provide valuable positive as well as negative feedback about products and services of the company and show their satisfaction (Volozova, 2016). They also highlight unique characteristics of the products and services and they help to build and promote brand over the internet. Taking advantage of the virality of the medium, the scope of the product awareness can be exponential. Social media word of mouth reaches more audiences, more effectively (Nufer, 2016). When combined with the effects of social media, what is said on social media can go far beyond the scope of traditional marketing. Word of mouth resulting from speech and activity will effect, change behaviour, and influence the actions of others (Kalu, 2019).

With the help of new social media services, companies can shape and lead positive conversations over time and with desired results. It has been shown that digital influence is the fundamental building block in the marketing and service of companies around the world. To help make sense of how word of mouth becomes influence (Hazari, (2018), Caetano, (2019) recommends to understand how reach and relevance fuel resonance. Resonance is a result of scope and relevance and determines how long something stays alive in the stream before attention dissipates. This is important because social media is a noisy world, and without resonance, conversations evaporate quickly. As the activity that results from influence campaigns is not only measurable, it reveals the elements of resonance that can be optimized. In order to measure results as a brand, they first have to be designed into the strategy and accounted for in the supporting parameters (Belasen and Belasen, 2019).

Within this context, Connolly, (2020) highlighted the role of Buzz marketing, or word of mouth marketing which is a technique, within viral marketing, whose objective is to generate conversation among people towards a specific brand or product. To do this, it begins by inducing product testing in a few specifically selected consumers, who discuss their experience with other people, becoming not only transmitters of information, but also acquire the ability to influence their purchasing behaviour (Madej, 2019).

Chapter Summary

The review above clearly indicates that sports marketing has seen gradual and significant changes with the introduction of different marketing strategies such as celebrity endorsement as well as adoption of new technologies such as social media. The fundamental aspect of sports marketing, like marketing in any other industry, is to develop content that is favourable for the firm, its brand, and its product. The ultimate aim is to influence the consumer behavior among which one of the most important objectives is to encourage customers to spread positive word of mouth. This study has combined these variables in the conceptual framework above to conduct a primary survey questionnaire based empirical evidence to evaluate the impacat of social media marketing on sports marketing within the context of Nike .

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

This part of the study is focused on discussion about methodological design and process undertaken during the course of the study (Brannen, 2017). The discussion begins with philosophical position and then continues to identify the research approach. The discussion then carries on to identify alternate research methods and provides justification for the current choice. The next section provides discussion about data collection instrument, data analysis techniques and sampling techniques. Finally, the researcher also provides a brief discussion of ethical considerations undertaken in this study.

Research Philosophy

Epistemological position in social research refers to the belief and perspective of researcher regarding methods and ethos of research process to gain acceptable knowledge. There are two basic contradictory schools of thought with respect to epistemology. One of them is the positivism, which stands with the opinion that for the acquisition of acceptable knowledge, it is critical to apply methods and ethos of natural sciences (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2015). Therefore, positivism requires quantification of social phenomenon. In contrast, the interpretivist epistemological paradigm stress upon the idea that the subject matter of social sciences is different as compared to subject matter of natural phenomena. Hence, instead of applying methods and ethos of natural sciences, the social research process should be based on a separate research strategy (Walliman, 2015). Hence, the interpretivist paradigm conducts social research process from subjective perspective and does not quantifies phenomenon under consideration. Finally, there is the hybrid of both interpretivist and positivist paradigm, which stands that both quantitative and qualitative aspect of a social phenomenon can be integrated to conduct social research (Taylor, Bogdan, and DeVault, 2015).

This study is based on pragmatism paradigm, because the fundamental aim of the study is to understand and explore the impact of social media marketing in sport marketing within the context of Nike. The researcher believes that both quantitative and qualitative methods are required to gain clear understanding of the impact and hence the researcher decided to posit with the positivist pragmatism.

Research Approach

In social research community, the research approach can be classified either as deductive or inductive. The deductive approach aims to use existing theories and test them within the context of specific target settings. The purpose is to test the theory to ascertain that whether the theory that is applicable in general settings can be used to explain the specific target settings also (Silverman, 2016). In sharp contrast, the inductive reasoning based research approach aims to develop new theories instead of testing existing theories. The inductive reasoning based approach collects data from specific circumstances and then continues to identify common patterns and similarities, based on which a theory is constructed and proposed (Bryman, 2016).

This study is designed with deductive approach. The justification to choose deductive reasoning-based research approach is that the aim of the study is to test the impact of social media in sports marketing within the specific content of Nike company. There is significant theoretical debate regarding the impact of social media in sports marketing. Therefore this study conducted a conceptual model from existing theories and then identified the factors that can be used to explain the impact of social media. The researcher then collected data for the Nike as target settings and then applied the conceptual framework to analyse whether existing theoretical relationships are applicable in case of Nike.

Research Methods

The research methods are grouped as mixed method, qualitative method, and quantitative method. If the researcher uses the quantitative method, the entire research process is based on quantitative data only. The phenomenon under consideration is quantified and then data is collected in the form of numbers, ratings, digits, etc. The distinguishable benefit of quantitative method is that it provides higher reliability as compared to qualitative method because the data is quantitative and thus has minimum personal bias (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2015). However, the major limitation in the quantitative method is that it lacks to provide in-depth details about feelings, experiences, opinions of people. If qualitative methods are chosen for the social research process, the entire process is based on qualitative and subjective data only. This type of data can be text(s), speeches, pictures, or other forms excluding numerical data. The qualitative method provides in-depth details about feelings, experiences, and opinions of people, and overcomes the weakness in the quantitative method (Walliman, 2015). However, the qualitative method is typically subjective and therefore it is often critiqued for its vulnerability to personal bias of data sources. Finally, there is mixed method which is the hybrid of both quantitative and qualitative method and thus the research process requires collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. Although, the mixed method overcomes the limitations of both mono-methods, yet the time and budget requirements of mixed methods are higher and therefore it is considered to be a constraint (Taylor, Bogdan, and DeVault, 2015).

This study is based on mixed method. The primary rationale for choosing research mixed method is that the choice is dependent upon the choice of research epistemology. The positivist paradigm is often paired with quantitative method and the interpretivist paradigm is paired with qualitative method. Since this study is based on pragmatism paradigm, therefore mixed method is considered to be natural choice for this investigation. In order to overcome the constraints in mixed method, the research decided to minimize the sample size of both quantitative and qualitative data collection processes. This was done to meet strict deadline from university and to minimize the budget requirements.

Research Strategy

A number of strategies have been developed and implemented in social research community which include, but not limited to, survey strategy, action research, ethnographic strategy, etc. The survey strategy is based on collection of data from a sample of target population at a specific point in time. It is a commonly applied research strategy as it provides high level of time and cost efficiency (Silverman, 2016). In contrast, there is ethnographic strategy in which the main requirement for researcher is to collect data as a member of target population. There are multiple data collection processes at different time intervals (Bryman, 2016). The reliability of ethnographic strategy is considered to be high because it provides more comprehensive analysis and larger empirical evidence. However, the ethnographic strategy has very high time and budget requirements which make it unfeasible for small scale research processes (Brannen, 2017).

This study is based on survey strategy. The research chose survey because the study was based on mixed method and the survey strategy facilitated to manage time and budget constraints. In addition, survey strategy allowed to collect large amount of data in relatively less time and gathers statistically reliable and significant evidence within the specified time duration (Walliman, 2015). The ethnographic strategy was also not feasible for researcher because it required to become a member of target population which meant that researcher needed to become a professional marketer in the UK. This was not viable in current circumstances (Silverman, 2016).

Data Collection Methods

Data collection methods are categorized on the basis of type or nature of sources of data. Primarily, there are two groups, the primary data collection methods and secondary data collection methods. The secondary data collection methods are those sources that are already published and provide past evidence and information regarding research phenomenon (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2015). Typically, secondary data collection is considered to be highly time and cost efficient because researchers are now able to collect large amount of data using digital libraries and search engines. However, the primary critique on using the secondary methods of data collection is that the sources provide past data only and therefore there is no fresh evidence to gain new insights. In addition, secondary data and information are also considered to be less reliable as they are vulnerable to potential bias of publisher, for example, government publications and institutional publications may be politically biased (Taylor, Bogdan, and DeVault, 2015).

This study used a number of secondary sources of data which include research articles in published academic journals and libraries, text books, as well as literature and research published by universities and other institutions. In order to minimize the personal bias problem, the researcher used articles from credible and authentic only. Since articles are published after editing and reviewing therefore personal bias is minimized. The purpose of using secondary data and information was to identify existing theories and then develop a conceptual model to analyse specific target settings of Nike. The results of secondary data collection process have been presented in previous chapter.

The primary sources are those that require researcher to collect fresh empirical evidence from human participants. The main benefit of primary sources of data is that they provide new data and evidence and thus provide the opportunity to gain new and innovative insights into the research phenomenon (Silverman, 2016). However, the main constraint in using primary evidence is that they are more costly and time consuming as compared to secondary data. Primary data collection involves sampling from target population and then collection of data using data collection instruments (Bryman, 2016). The details of data collection instruments used in this study are provided in the following section.

Data Collection Instruments

Data collection instruments are devices or tools that are used to accumulate primary data from participants in the study. Data collection instruments are chosen in accordance with the research methods choice. There are several data collection instruments available for quantitative and qualitative data (Walliman, 2015). Since this study was based on mixed method, therefore two data collection instruments were conducted for data collection process. The details of each of these tools are provided in following sections:

Questionnaire

For quantitative data collection, one of the commonly used instruments is questionnaire. The questionnaire is grouped into standardized questionnaire/scales for measurement of social phenomena or self-administered or customized questionnaires. The standardized questionnaires are those that have been specifically developed to measure a specific data collection instrument such as employee satisfaction surveys, customer satisfaction survey, service quality surveys, etc. (Taylor, Bogdan, and DeVault, 2015). The basic advantage of standardized tools are developed and tested and have proven reliability and validity. However, they are standardized and therefore may not meet the individual or unique requirements of target setting or particular research. The self-administered questionnaires, on the other hand are those that are developed and formulated by researcher to collect data within the specific research aims and objectives (Silverman, 2016). Self-administered questionnaires enable the researchers to formulate questions that can provide required data for the research process while also meeting unique requirements of each setting. However, the reliability and internal consistency of self-administered questionnaire are considered to be lower as compared to standardized tools (Bryman, 2016).

This study conducted a self-administered questionnaire. The researcher designed the questionnaire in five sections. In the first section, the researcher formulated questions regarding demographic characteristics of participants which include gender, education, and age groups. Each of the characteristic was operationalized using a statement and relative multiple choice answers that respondent could choose (Walliman, 2015). The next three sections in the questionnaire were focused on accumulation of data for independent variables, i.e. content marketing, celebrity endorsement, and word of mouth respectively. Each of these sections contained four statements followed by Likert five point scale (Silverman, 2016). The respondents were asked to show their degree of agreeability towards the statement from strong disagree to strongly agree. Each of the items in the scale was assigned a rating which was used as quantitative data. The last section of the questionnaire was focused on independent variable. The structure of this section was the same as used in previous three sections.

For qualitative data collection, the social researchers commonly use focus groups and/or interviews. The focus group is a method that allow researcher to conduct a discussion about research phenomenon with two or members of the target population. Each focus group typically has three or four participants but could involve more. In contrast, the interview is a qualitative data collection method in which the discussion is conducted between the researcher and one respondent only (Bryman, 2016). The main advantage of focus group over interviews is that the former provide large amount of data in relatively less time as compared to latter as there are several respondents at the same time providing data. However, the limitation in focus group as compared to interviews is that the former compromises the confidentiality and anonymity of participants while the interviews provide complete anonymity (Brannen, 2017). However, since interview discussions are one-to-one only, therefore the researcher has conduct several interviews to collect sufficient data for research process and thus interviews are much time and cost consuming (Walliman, 2015).

In this study, the researcher decided to conduct individual interviews because it was not feasible for the researcher to gather two or more marketing professionals in the UK and conduct discussion about sports marketing of Nike due to differences in their schedules and availability. Individual interview was thus a feasible choice for researcher. In order to minimize time and cost aspects of individual interviews the researcher decided to conduct structured interviews (Taylor, Bogdan, and DeVault, 2015). The structured interviews are those types of interviews in which there is a predetermined list of questions which are posed to all participants. The main benefit of structured interviews as compared top unstructured interviews is that the former provide high level of time efficiency as compared to latter. Furthermore, the focus of interviews questions and discussion is strictly focused on research objectives and thus highly relevant data and responses are acquired (Silverman, 2016).

Sampling Strategy

Sampling techniques are defined as identifying a sub-set of population that can be used in research process to represent entire population. The sample members are involved in data collection process for empirical data, the analysis and results of which are considered to be applicable on total population. General categories of sampling techniques are probability and non-probability sampling techniques (Brannen, 2017). The basic difference between probability and non-probability sampling techniques is that the former requires that the probability to participate and get recruited is distributed equally in the entire population while the former is free of any such restrictions. The main benefit of probability sampling techniques is higher reliability while the main limitation is that the researcher must have access to complete target population (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2015). Since the target population in this study is marketing professionals in the UK, therefore it is a huge and the researcher did not have adequate means and channels to access all professionals in the UK. Hence probability sampling techniques were not feasible in this study (Walliman, 2015).

The sampling in this study was done using the convenience sampling technique. The convenience sampling can be used to access population members in the nearest vicinity and as per own convenience of researcher (Taylor, Bogdan, and DeVault, 2015).

The sampling process for questionnaire participants began with interacting with marketing professionals using social media channels and the researcher asked them to provide email addresses. The researcher sent blank questionnaire, blank consent form and research background in MS Word format to those participants who agreed to participate in the study. The researcher sent 156 emails and in response 100 complete questionnaire with signed consent forms were gathered. The data collection process was stopped at 100 sample size as it is an adequate sample size for statistical analysis. The same technique and process was applied for interview participants. Each interview was conducted using one-to-one interviews through multimedia applications in the smartphone. All discussions were recorded and then transcripts were prepared using the MS Word format.

Data Analysis Techniques

The data analysis technique is defined as a process that converts raw data into meaningful results and inferences and conclusions are drawn from results. Therefore are different data analysis techniques for quantitative and qualitative data. In case of quantitative data, statistical techniques are used (Silverman, 2016). The statistical techniques are highly appreciated in research community as they provide results in the form of tables and graphs which makes it easier to understand and analyse the data and interpret easily. However, statistical analysis cannot be chosen for qualitative analysis and they provide limited inferences as compared to qualitative data (Bryman, 2016).

This study used three statistical techniques commonly used in social research processes. The frequency analysis, correlation technique, and regression model were used to understand and analyse the quantitative data and explore the impact of social media marketing on sports marketing within the context of Nike. The impact of each variable in the conceptual framework was gauged using these techniques. The results and interpretations are presented in the following chapter.

For qualitative data analysis technique, there are several techniques which include thematic analysis, grounded theory, and content analysis, among others. In this study, the researcher used thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is a technique that enables the researcher to choose a set of keywords and then search them in large pieces of text(s), such as interview transcripts and sort the most relevant data called the categories. Once the relevant data is collected, the researcher further refines the data and identify common patterns and similarities in different pieces. These similarities and patterns are termed themes (Brannen, 2017).

The same technique and process was applied in this study. Since the interview questions were formulated using keywords from objectives, therefore, the researcher used thematic analyses and used the same keywords for search for themes in the interview transcripts. The results of the thematic analysis are presented in the form of a narrative in following chapter.

Reliability and Generalisability

The reliability is one of the important aspects in research processes. This study assessed the reliability by evaluating the internal consistency of the questionnaire survey. The internal consistency was evaluated using the Cronbach’s alpha measure.

Although, the results of this study are generalizable on Nike consumers, yet they are not necessarily applicable in case of all sports consumers. In addition, the results are limited to be applicable on sports industry only and do not explain the behavior of consumers in other industries.

Ethical Considerations

A number of ethical principles were observed during the course of this study. Firstly, the author used Harvard referencing style to pay proper credit and credentials to all the works that have been used. In addition, the researcher obtained consent from all participants during the data collection process for the accumulation and use of data for academic purposes. Furthermore, the researcher has maintained confidentiality and anonymity of all participants. Finally, the researcher used the data and information of participants for the academic use only and was not put to commercial use.

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

The primary research results are presented and analysed in this chapter. The first section analyses quantitative results using frequency tables, correlation coefficients, and regression model. The next section in the chapter summarises the results of interviews transcript analysis. The interview results are organized in relation to the theme of each interview question. The researcher has provided quotations from transcripts as supplementary evidence to inferences. Furthermore, the results are also compared with past literature to check their consistency.

Questionnaire Results

Frequency trends analysis.

The British marketing professionals were requested that they notify the gender. The frequencies of questionnaire analyses indicated that 57% of the British marketing professionals rated male and 43% of the British marketing professionals highlighted female.

The British marketing professionals were requested in the questionnaire that they identify their age group. As per the frequencies the researcher showed that 24% of the British marketing professionals marked 18-30 years, 18% of the British marketing professionals selected 31 to 40 years, 24% of the British marketing professionals selected 41 to 50 years, 34% of the British marketing professionals ticked 51 to 60 years, and 0% of the British marketing professionals selected over 60 years.

The questionnaire questioned British marketing professionals that they mention the educational background. The findings of frequency tables indicate following trends 14% of the British marketing professionals opted undergraduate, 16% of the British marketing professionals opted graduates, 14% of the British marketing professionals rated postgraduates, and 56% of the British marketing professionals marked others.

In the survey British marketing professionals were asked to select one rating for the statement below. Social media content is most important element of digital marketing success of Nike. Following trends have been obtained from ratings 5% of the British marketing professionals opted strongly disagree, 16% of the British marketing professionals marked disagree, 8% of the British marketing professionals highlighted neutral, 35% of the British marketing professionals picked agree, and 36% of the British marketing professionals ticked strongly agree.

The British marketing professionals were requested that they rate the statement as followed. The content on Nike social media platforms is coherent and consistent with its strategic marketing objectives. The frequencies of questionnaire analyses indicated that 6% of the British marketing professionals selected strongly disagree, 16% of the British marketing professionals chose disagree, 6% of the British marketing professionals highlighted neutral, 33% of the British marketing professionals chose agree, and 39% of the British marketing professionals opted strongly agree.

The questionnaire requested that they rate the statement as followed. The content of Nike’s social media is focused on developing community of loyal customers. Following trends have been obtained from ratings 8% of the British marketing professionals picked strongly disagree, 18% of the British marketing professionals picked disagree, 5% of the British marketing professionals ticked neutral, 28% of the British marketing professionals picked agree, and 41% of the British marketing professionals opted strongly agree.

In the survey British marketing professionals were asked to select one rating for the statement below. Nike effectively uses social media content for advertising and marketing of its products and brand. The findings of frequency tables indicate following trends 8% of the British marketing professionals highlighted strongly disagree, 13% of the British marketing professionals opted disagree, 9% of the British marketing professionals chose neutral, 35% of the British marketing professionals picked agree, and 35% of the British marketing professionals marked strongly agree.

The questionnaire requested that they rate the statement as followed. Nike has a powerful customer engagement such as ‘@NikeSupport’ to enhance positive word of mouth. The trends observed from frequency tables indicated that 9% of the British marketing professionals rated strongly disagree, 12% of the British marketing professionals chose disagree, 9% of the British marketing professionals opted neutral, 34% of the British marketing professionals rated agree, and 36% of the British marketing professionals marked strongly agree.

The questionnaire requested British marketing professionals to select one rating for the statement below. Social media has become an essential feature of sports marketing firms such as Nike. As per the trends in survey ratings this study reports that 12% of the British marketing professionals rated strongly disagree, 9% of the British marketing professionals picked disagree, 9% of the British marketing professionals selected neutral, 35% of the British marketing professionals chose agree, and 35% of the British marketing professionals chose strongly agree.

The British marketing professionals were requested in the questionnaire that they rate the statement as followed. The success of social media based sports marketing is heavily relied upon the content quality. From the frequency tables it was found that 9% of the British marketing professionals rated strongly disagree, 11% of the British marketing professionals picked disagree, 10% of the British marketing professionals selected neutral, 39% of the British marketing professionals opted agree, and 31% of the British marketing professionals selected strongly agree.

The British marketing professionals were requested that they rate the statement as followed. Celebrity endorsement is a customary and effective marketing strategy for sports merchandise firms such as Nike. The frequencies of questionnaire analyses indicated that 7% of the British marketing professionals chose strongly disagree, 12% of the British marketing professionals marked disagree, 10% of the British marketing professionals opted neutral, 33% of the British marketing professionals selected agree, and 38% of the British marketing professionals picked strongly agree.

The questionnaire requested that they rate the statement as followed. Spreading positive word of mouth is critical for the achievement of marketing objectives such as developing loyal customer base and online community for Nike. The findings of frequency tables indicate following trends 8% of the British marketing professionals chose strongly disagree, 15% of the British marketing professionals highlighted disagree, 8% of the British marketing professionals ticked neutral, 40% of the British marketing professionals selected agree, and 29% of the British marketing professionals rated strongly agree.

Correlation Analysis

Although the trends above confirm that there is strong relationship between content marketing, celebrity endorsement, and word of mouth in sports marketing in case of Nike, however, the results above do not provide insights about the nature and strength of relationship among these variables. Therefore, correlation analysis has been conducted. A correlation coefficient evaluates the strength and nature of change between two variables. The positive correlation or direct correlation reflected by positive sign indicates that both variables change in same direction, i.e. if one of them increases the other also shows increment and if one of them decreases the other also shows reduction. The strength of the correlation is considered to be strong if the magnitude of the correlation coefficient is higher than 0.5 and closer to 1. On the other hand, if the magnitude is less than 0.5 and closer to zero the correlation is generally considered to be weak. Following table shows correlation between independent variables (content marketing, celebrity endorsement, and word of mouth) and dependent variable (sport marketing).

The correlation between content marketing and sport marketing is (r=919, p=.000). the interpretation of this results is that there is very strong and statistically significant correlation between these quantities. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between word of mouth and sports marketing is (r=.886, p=.000) which leads to the inference that celebrity endorsement has very strong positive correlation with sports marketing. The correlation between positive word of mouth and sport marketing is (r=.886, p=.000). The interpretation of this result is that there is very strong and statistically significant correlation between these quantities.

Although the correlation provides useful inferences about the nature and strength of relationship, still more analyses is required due to inherent limitations in correlation technique. Firstly, it only shows relationship between two variables and does not accommodate for more than two variables. Furthermore, it does not gauge the impact of one variable on another and thus it cannot be used for predictive purposes. Hence, this study also conducted regression model which is discussed in following section and overcomes the limitations.

Regression Model

The regression model shows more insights about change in a social phenomenon. There is coefficient of determination, i.e. r-square which indicates the degree of variability in the phenomenon under consideration that can be explained by given set of independent variable. As a general rule, an r-square of 0.7 or higher is considered to be statistically sound and shows adequate soundness in the model. Furthermore, there is significance value in the ANOVA table which indicates whether the model is statistically sound. If the significance value is less 0.05, then the impact of independent variables on dependent variable is statistically significant. Finally, there is the beta coefficient which determines the change in units in the dependent variable that can be expected by a unit change in the independent variable. Therefore, it gauges the impact of independent variable on dependent variable. Following table presents the regression model for the variables in this study.

The table summary shows that r-square is .895 which implies that 89.5% of variability or change in sports marketing (as dependent variable) can be explained by the independent variables (content marketing, celebrity endorsement, and word of mouth). Furthermore, the ANOVA table shows that significance level is 0.000 which indicates that the impact of independent variables is statistically significant. Furthermore, the beta coefficient for content marketing is .451 which leads to the inference that if there is a unit increase in content marketing, while assuming that all other factors remains the same, it can be predicted that sport marketing will show a positive increase by .451 units. Similarly, the beta coefficient for celebrity endorsement is .564 which leads to the inference that if there is a unit increase in celebrity endorsement, while assuming that all other factors remains the same, it can be predicted that sport marketing will show a positive increase by .564 units. Finally, the beta coefficient for word of mouth is -.049 which leads to the inference that if there is a unit increase in word of mouth, while assuming that all other factors remains the same, it can be predicted that sport marketing will show a decrease by .049 units. The impact of content marketing and celebrity endorsement are consistent with past literature while the negative impact of word of mouth is inconsistent with general findings in literature which shows that word of mouth has positive impact.

Reliability – Cronbach’s Alpha

The table below presents the reliability with respect to internal consistency of questionnaire items used in this study. Typically the internal consistency is considered to be high and demonstrates adequate reliability if the Cronbach’s alpha is at least 0.7 or higher. This study found that there is high level of internal consistency in the questionnaire because the Cronbach alpha is .98 which is very high reliability.

Interview Results

Focus of content of social media marketing by nike.

Many participants stated that the content of Nike social media is focused on brand image and customer self-image. Consider the following statement

People wear Nike and go to events and then they upload their selfies! They want to relate them with Nike.

Similar conclusions have been drawn by Cornwell and Kwon, (2019) who argued that people can develop a sense of belongingness with online community and the central brand by relating their taste and preferences with the products and services of the company. In fact, the analysis makes it possible to examine the concept of self and identify motivations of consumers towards buying of brand merchandise.

Another participant made following statement,

This use of brands, in line with a real self-image, was mentioned by Nufer (2016). Indeed, although several studies mentioned having a particular interest in a luxury brands, many of them considers these brands as being directly linked to their identity. It should be noted that they are “fan” to regularly buy products from a luxury brand (the others mainly mentioned buying luxury goods through counterfeits and democratized products such as accessories, shoes and beauty products). It is also the oldest participant and having reached a certain social status through their employment as well as their financial means.

In addition, another participant stated,

Now there is a culture that shows an ideal image which can be achieved through use of popular brands or luxury brand

The same conclusion have been presented by Brown, Anderson, and Dickhaus, (2016) who argued that the cultural notion would play a role in the importance given to luxury brands as well as in the social valuation attributed to associating one’s identity with that of luxury houses. People therefore justify tier desire to reflect a prestigious ideal self, among other things.

Consider another statement,

“Exclusivity is sure and certain […] the effect of scarcity […] being different from the others”.

The statement above can be related to King, et al, (2012) who posited that people desire to be associated with these brands on Facebook comes directly from their need to project a positive image to others and to perpetuate this image of a person of confidence. Therefore, it can be said that the content the Nike generates and the content that Nike encourage consumers to generate is focused on creating a link between brand image and people own self-image. With this sentence, participant demonstrated the desire to establish, via Facebook, an ideal social self through luxury brands. For people, accessing the communities of these brands allows them to strengthen the image that she owns them and that she, too, is prestigious.

Furthermore, the marketing professionals also mentioned that Nike attempts to raise brand awareness by encouraging followers to upload content about its products and services.

“Many users upload pictures of Nike products and indirectly promote these while trying to propagate self-image”

Similar assertion is made by Serazio, (2019) who concluded that while some followers associate the brand with their identity on Facebook simply by integrating their virtual community, others comment on their status, love their photos, share their content or clearly stage the brand on their personal page using techniques visual. In fact, two informants substituted their profile photo (the one most directly linked to the identity of the individual who owns the Facebook page) in order to show an image of a brand. Thus, by appropriating the images of luxury brands and generating their own personalized story with the brand, these participants try to accentuate the link between the brand and the self in order to promote the ideal social self.

Engagement by Nike

Many interviewees indicated that Nike social media encourage engagement by triggering interest of followers as well as their curiosity. For example one of the professionals opined,

“There are several intrinsic motivations for users to follow Nike social media. There is entertainment, news, exciting new offers/products, etc.”

Many researchers indicate that brands use social media to engage followers and customers. Followers subscribing to the brand’s Facebook page specifically to access the information it offers, for entertainment as well as for interest and curiosity. Indeed, for them, behaviour is also intrinsically motivated since the activity is carried out for the satisfaction it generates, the pleasure as well as the content it offers (Kunkel and Biscaia, 2020).

Consider another statement

“I think majority of the followers are there to get information and infotainment”

Similarly, McCormick, (2018) argued that the desire to acquire information is an intrinsic need related to knowledge and mentioned by many respondents. In addition, various anticipated consequences underlying this need were mentioned by informants such as the desire to learn to buy, to maintain a blog and to be informed about new products.

Consider another excerpt,

“It’s really to keep up with the latest news.” ” I’m sure consumers feed on this information, that’s why they subscribe to these types of pages.”

The need for general knowledge of brands is highlighted here in addition to a desire to acquire specific information. For example, the desire to obtain information about the brand is a motivating factor for consumers since they frequently mention the same. In addition, it justifies its adhesion and its desire for information by another need which can, for its part can also be considered as extrinsic that is to feed a blog on fashion. Therefore, for consumers, these pages are a source of reliable information on the brands that she can use to maintain her own page (Nufer, 2016).

Finally, following statement sums the intrinsic motivation and engagement.

“Facebook is going to keep me posted on what’s going on there on Nike […] I’m going to get information and then shop around with it.”

According to Huang and Hsu, (2017) for participants purchasing luxury brand products, the desire to be informed about new products may also be in the perspective of purchasing these goods. Thus, they no longer need to regularly go to the store to find out about product offers since they can now observe them directly on their news feed.

Entertainment

Entertainment was also mentioned by some professionals as the attraction for consumers. Consider the following statement,

“For people the social media pages have transformed into magazines. You log on to the page and then scroll through so much that each brand shares a photo”.

The similar conclusions have been put by McCarthy, (2016) who argued that in order to occupy their free time and have fun, consumers can indulge in all kinds of activities related to brands. Some subscribe to fashion magazines, allowing them to observe trends and see the brands’ product offerings while others window shop. For participants, the brand pages on Facebook offer them the possibility of carrying out these two activities, without any time constraints. A Facebook page is primarily a place of entertainment. Indeed, rather than using paid and paper magazines, this participant uses her Facebook page to distract herself and to reach the various fashion images of the many luxury brands of which she is a “fan”. For her, as for other participants, her own Facebook page gives her direct access to the world of brands and allows her to relax while watching a variety of content.

Similar statement made by another participant is,

For participants, the brand page provides entertaining content that allows them to relax. The fun aspect of the brand’s videos also attracts Florence since she says

Furthermore, one of the participants stated,

“Nike and other brands attract attention of consumer by sharing their enthusiasm for sports and celebrities and therefore the brands try to link and relate with customers”

The aforementioned element has been mentioned by many studies such as Saari and Tuominen, (2016) who argued that it is critical for social media marketing to establish relationship between target consumers and brand products and services. The basic idea is to depict that the brand shares the same feelings and excitement with the customers regarding the sports. Therefore, customer stay connected with the brands.

Impact of Social Media

Another important theme in the interview discussions was to understand and explore the impact of social media on sports marketing. Although, previous themes show that social media shows its impact in terms of connection, relating, and engaging the brands with customers through targeted content, interest, infotainment, and sports enthusiasm, however, the basic purposes of marketing is to affect the buying behaviour. Following discussion provides evidence regarding impact of social media on buying behaviour of Nike customers from the perspective of professionals in the UK. Consider the following excerpt,

Nike definitely wants social media marketing to have effects on buying behaviour. The basic purpose is to enhance loyalty and positive buying decisions.

Majority of the literature on social media marketing is focused on identifying its impact on buying behaviour. According to Nufer (2016) within the context of sports marketing, the purpose of social media is to engage the customers to the brand and its products. The brand provide product details and other information for customers in different and innovating ways so that they can enhance brand image in the minds of customers and the idea is to make customers recall when making buying decisions.

Another participant expressed the impact of social media in following words,

“One of the main fundamental purpose of social media for any company including Nike is to drive sales. This can be achieved by identifying needs of customers and then providing relevant content that affects their buying decision”

The aforementioned aspect is also frequently cited in literature. According to Kunkel and Biscaia, (2020) social media generates significant and valuable content for marketers and businesses. Since users are able to generate their own content, therefore the content can be used to identify unmet needs of customers as well as change in buying preferences.

Another important aspect of impact of social media was reflected in following statement,

“Social media has much wider reach to people as compared to traditional media. People have access to social media content in their personal phones, thus it can be used to reach individuals”

There is significant amount of literature that shows the ability of social media to personalise the marketing and advertising content for target customers. According to McCarthy (2016) social media communities develop by people with common interest and common characteristics. Businesses can identify their interests and characteristics and adapt their products so that people feel more relevant with the brand and its products. This is an important objective of branding strategy.

Finally, it is important to highlight an important impact of social media advertising which is reflected in the following statement,

“for me the most important impact of social media on sports marketing is the cost efficiency marketing effectiveness. Social media is cheaper as compared to traditional media. Imagine the cost of conducting a simple survey among millions of consumers without social media”

The cost efficiency of social media marketing has been widely discussed and generally the researchers agree that it provides higher cost efficiency and higher return on investment as compared to traditional advertising media. According to Saari and Tuominen (2016) although the measurement and evaluation of efficiency and effectiveness as well as return on investment of marketing and advertising is non-definitive generally, however, it can be fairly opined that social media has some unique characteristics such as wider reach, two way communication, etc. which makes its more cost and resource efficient as compared to traditional media. However, the study also highlighted a number of risks such as a corporate scandal going viral and having adverse impact on brand.

The quantitative results show that social media marketing has significant impact on sports marketing. This is based on the finding that celebrity marketing, content marketing, and positive word of mouth are important aspects of social media marketing within the context of Nike and these affect the buying behavior consumers. The internal consistency of the questionnaire is high which adds to the reliability and validity of the findings. This provides answer to the main research objectives of this study. Furthermore, the interview results confirm that the focus of content marketing by Nike is on encouraging customer involvement and spreading positive word of mouth as well as to develop a community that creates a sense of belongingness. Furthermore, entertainment and infotainment are also major aspects of Nike’s social media marketing. The results of interviews are generally consistent with past studies which also adds to the reliability of this study. A number of recommendations have been made in the next chapter to answer the final research objective.

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The aim of this study was to analysis the impact of social media advertising on sports marketing within the context of Nike in the UK. Using the statistics exhibited, this inquisition substantiates that social media content is most important element of digital marketing success of Nike. Furthermore, from the discussions yielded, this work proclaims that the content on Nike social media platforms is coherent and consistent with its strategic marketing objectives. Additionally, taking into account the inferences furnished, this investigation records that the content of Nike’s social media is focused on developing community of loyal customers. Moreover, grounded on the details discovered, this investigation testifies that Nike effectively uses social media content for advertising and marketing of its products and brand. In addition, taking into account the analysis secured, this inquisition endorses that celebrity endorsement is long lasting tradition maintained by Nike both in traditional as well as digital social media marketing strategies.

In addition, grounded on the deductions yielded, this investigation deduces that celebrity endorsement contributes towards creating online community and developing sense of loyalty towards its brand. Furthermore, in view of the evidences produced, this investigation substantiates that celebrity endorsement helps Nike to transform passion and love of fans of celebrities into favourable buying behaviour and customer loyalty. Moreover, considering the discussions procured, this work ratifies that it is safe to assume that Nike uses the celebrity endorsement strategy effectively in its marketing campaigns.

Moreover, using the facts secured, this inquisition recognises that positive recommendations made by friends and family in social networks are more trusted and accepted by consumers as compared to other advertising. Also, from the analysis gathered, this inquiry derives that positive word of mouth increases the intention to buying and favourable consumer behaviour such repeat purchase. Additionally, taking into account the statistics collected, this inquisition explains that the content on social media platforms of Nike is generally positive and favourable for its marketing objectives. Additionally, in the light of the statistics provided, this work deduces that Nike has a powerful customer engagement such as ‘@Nikesupport’ to enhance positive word of mouth.

Additionally, based on the empirical data brought forth, this inquiry exhibits that social media has become an essential feature of sports marketing firms such as Nike. Moreover, in view of the analysis presented, this investigation supports that the success of social media based sports marketing is heavily relied upon the content quality. Furthermore, in the light of the deductions put up, this research denotes that celebrity endorsement is a customary and effective marketing strategy for sports merchandise firms such as Nike. Furthermore, in view of the arguments secured, this investigation testifies that spreading positive word of mouth is critical for the achievement of marketing objectives such as developing loyal customer base and online community for Nike.

Recommendations

Although, it can be observed in the general literature that Nike has a successful social media marketing strategy, however, there is always room for improvement. Following are some of the recommendations derived from general literature:

It is recommended to promote more research on the theory of Uses and Gratifications since there is not much information on the subject, much less updated research. Nike should use various instruments such as customer motivation and satisfaction surveys to identify the unmet needs of its loyal consumers and develop more promotional strategies (Green, 2016)
Furthermore, it is recommended that it has been observed that Nike invests millions of dollars in marketing and therefore it can be recommended that there is a need to achieve higher efficiency. Nike can use data and information provided to its social media pages by consumers and use data analytics tools to achieve more efficiency (Nichols and Gardner, 2017)
In addition, it is also recommended that Nike can use artificial intelligence tools and techniques to enhance its marketing strategy. For example, AI-enhanced PPC advertising is a tool that can be used to enhance marketing effects and optimise marketing budget on social media web pages such as Facebook (Karppinen, 2016).
The Nike positions itself in different targets and takes into account the particularities of each country. For example, in the United States basketball and American football are stronger than soccer. In addition, Nike is in different sports disciplines and is also an event sponsor. Thus, it encompasses people who practice different sports and has made everyone feel part of the same community. In this way, in digital strategy it has differentiated its segments by disciplines such as “Nike Football” or “Nike Basketball”. This segmentation for content marketing manages to provide each buyer person with what they need depending on their interests. Hence, more segmentation focused on identifying niche products can be used to enhance content marketing strategy (Zhou, et al., 2016).
Nike empowers its audience to create their own personalized content. In other words, it gives the consumer the opportunity to design their own sports shoes according to their style. Thus, it manages to make users feel part of the brand and its values. In fact, through personalization, it manages to generate a feeling of belonging and relevance to the company. In Nike’s strategy consumer tastes and interests are key, allowing them to create their own footwear. Thus, it reaches the emotions and feelings of the clients, feeling part of a shared project. It is recommended that Nike should improve this strategy by developing promotions and social media influencers and celebrities that are most effective for the company as compared to sports celebrities (Teo, 2019).
There is also a need for the reorientation of sports sponsorship. This new reality has triggered a real war between Nike, and its main competitor Adidas, for sponsoring the best clubs in the world. One of the effects of this reorientation of sports sponsorship to clubs is the high figures that will be paid for such sponsorship, which will require a long time for the investment to be profitable. For all these reasons, we insist that the decades-long alliances allow sports firms to better monetize their investments, which in the case of large teams have been triggered by increasing economic demands (Ratten, et al., 2016).

Future Research

Although, this study is based on mixed method using both secondary and primary sources of data, and depicts adequate level of reliability and validity, yet, there are some inherent limitations in the methodology and scope of this study. These limitations present future research opportunities. First among the methodological limitations is the small sample size of data collection process for both quantitative and qualitative empirical evidence. Furthermore, the evidence has been gathered from marketing professionals only which shows that the sample lacks diversity. Although the marketing professional’s insights are important and valuable yet, the research literature would also benefit from perspective and opinions of other stakeholders, particularly consumers, athletes, fans, and other stakeholders. Therefore, it is recommended that future researcher may conduct the same methodology with bigger and larger scale survey and more interview participants as well as with more diversified sample participants. In addition, this study was focused on assessing the impact of social media while using only three indicators, i.e. content marketing, word of mouth, and celebrity endorsement, however, there are also other factors of social media that must be determined and included in future research projects. In addition, this study was based on case study of Nike which is a multinational company which invests millions of dollars in marketing and has shown significant success in social media marketing. But the results cannot be equally applicable in case of SMEs. Hence there are opportunities for future researchers to gather evidence regarding SMEs and assess the impact of social media marketing on sport marketing in SMEs context also.

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Appendix A – Survey Questionnaire

Demographics.

Over 60 years
Under graduate
Post graduate

Scale Strongly Agree (5), Agree (4), Neutral (3), Disagree (2), Strongly Disagree (1)

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Marketing Theses and Dissertations
Theses/Dissertations from 2009. An Empirical Examination of the Dark Side of Relationship Marketing within a Business to Business Context, Brent L. Baker. Developing the Nomological Network of Perceived Corporate Affinity for Technology: A Three Essay Dissertation, David Earl Fleming.
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Luckily, we've done the work for you. Here is a list of the latest marketing management dissertation topics to help you out. Using financial products in the UK retail banking sector. A study of how service quality and customer satisfaction affect brand equity. A study of the antecedents and consequences of a firm's reputation.
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Dissertations on Marketing. Marketing can be described as promoting and selling certain products or services to meet the needs of the customer. Tasks involved with Marketing include market research, content creation, advertising, and more. View All Dissertation Examples.
PDF Marketing: Selected Doctoral Theses
This dissertation investigates the implications of consumer inattention and uncertainty for firms' advertising and pricing decisions. The first chapter is an overview of the problems addressed in the dissertation and the main findings. The second chapter develops a theory-based, cost-effective method to estimate the demand for new
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Award: 2018 Charles A. Beard Senior Thesis Prize. Title: "A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man": UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947. University: University College London. Faculty: Geography. Author: Anna Knowles-Smith. Award: 2017 Royal Geographical Society Undergraduate Dissertation Prize. Title: Refugees and ...
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Wadi Maalej, 2021. The impact of social media marketing and gender differences on brand equity in China's cosmetics industry. Weihan Gao, 2020. An exploratory study of the relationship between Instagram food influencer's review content and credibility towards consumer dining intentions in Hong Kong. Oi Ying Lau, 2020.
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The following is a list of topics that can be undertaken as a part of social networks and marketing dissertation: Topic 86:The role of Facebook as a marketing tool. Topic 87:Social media marketing vs. traditional marketing evaluating the success rate. Topic 88:Building relationships with customers through social media.
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This chapter dives deeper into the theory and literature of digital marketing and attribution mod-eling. Section 2.1 discusses what digital marketing is. Then, Section 2.2 looks into the attribution problem and defines what attribution modeling is. Furthermore, criteria to which an attribution model should satisfy will be defined.
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See dissertation marketing topics list for inspiration: An Indian influence in society in fashion marketing. perception of luxury vs the United States. Wrong perception of marketing peculiarities by the immigrants. Royal family and intentional style marketing abroad. Perception of marketing styles in the United States.
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This article will guide you through all the necessary strategies and steps to complete your marketing dissertation. To know how each section is managed, you can move through the professionally and successfully crafted marketing dissertation examples below; Example: 1 How Effective are Loyalty Programs in Building Customer Loyalty.
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Here, we'll explore a variety of marketing-related research ideas and topic thought-starters, covering both traditional marketing (offline media) and digital marketing (including social media marketing, content marketing and the like). We'll also look at actual dissertations and theses from marketing students to give you a view of what a ...
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List of quality Marketing Dissertation Examples for writing your own work. Over 10,000 dissertation examples with references on your topic. Skip to the content. ... A CASE STUDY OF PICK AND PAY RETAIL SHOP IN LESOTHO by (Name) Course Tutor University City Date Contents TOC o "1-3" h z u CHAPTER ONE PAGEREF _Toc515970104 h 41.0 INTRODUCTION ...
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A study on social media marketing would be best founded upon an understanding of the concept of marketing as a whole before narrowing down to the concept of social media marketing. The practice of marketing has been around for millennia. Traditionally goods and services were sold in physical stores (shops). It rapidly
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Therefore, you should attend to each part of the dissertation and omit nothing. Things like creating a table of contents with the page numbers listed, the reference list, and appendices are all parts of a dissertation. They all contribute to your grade. Look at our dissertation samples and writing guides to get a good understanding.
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TU Dublin | Technological University Dublin
PDF Marketing: Selected Doctoral Theses
This dissertation investigates the implications of consumer inattention and uncertainty for firms' advertising and pricing decisions. The first chapter is an overview of the problems addressed in the dissertation and the main findings. The second chapter develops a theory -based, cost-effective method to estimate the demand for new
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Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.
What Is a Dissertation?
A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program. Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you've ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating ...
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Some special dissertation topics in commerce are: 1) Write about the influence that advertising picks up on the performance of purchasers. 2) Address about the scholars can be trained among the mobile phone business. 3)Write about how foreign commerce can manage standardisation.
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For example basketball for its speed, agility and precision. Similarly, the defense of American football makes marking very difficult and this avoids scoring and spectators pay close attention to what happens on the scoreboards. Marketing must identify the innate attractions of the game so that attendance remains stable (Lyons, 2017).
Dissertation examples
Dissertation examples. Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written.
(PDF) BSc. Marketing Dissertation
Marketing Dissertation. March 2016; DOI: ... 250 convenient samples were purposively sampled from the University of Professional Studies, Accra. ... University students, ...
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The California State University system Board of Trustees recently voted to apply new general education requirements for transfer students to first-time freshmen, as well, to create a simpler, unified general education pathway, EdSource reported. The new requirements reduce the number of general education credits required from 39 to 34.