CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research design

Research design is the general plan of how you will go about answering your research questions (Saunders, et al., 2009). According to Cooper & Schindler (2006), research design aids the researcher in the allocation of resources by posing crucial choices in methodology.

In this research, the researcher was using descriptive study to discover answers to the questions who, what, when, where, or how much (Cooper & Schindler 2006). Basically, descriptive statistics are number and the researcher will use descriptive study to analyze the performing calculation on sample data that summarize and describe the key features of the data. Furthermore, the researcher had made use of quantitative analysis method in order to estimate how marketing mix affect male consumers buying decision towards facial cleanser. Quantitative analysis method refers to all such data and can be a product of all research strategies (Saunders, et al., 2009).

In other words, research design can be defined as a framework for specifying the relationships among the studys variables (Cooper & Schindler 2006). There will be one dependant variable in this research which is male consumer buying decision in facial cleanser and four independent variables are place, price, promotion and product.

3.2 Sampling design

According to Cooper & Schindler (2006), a sample examines a portion of the target population, and the portion must be carefully selected to represent that population. This means a group of male facial cleanser buyer was carefully selected to be studied in this research.

3.2.1 Sampling unit Basically, sampling unit can be defined as who will be surveyed and target population that will be sampled (Kotler, et al., 2008). In this survey, the researcher had selected the male facial cleanser buyer randomly in Klang Valley to ensure accuracy of the results. Besides that, randomly survey enable every male facial cleanser buyer have equal chance of being sampled (Kotler, et al., 2008).

3.2.2 Sample size Generally, Kotler, et al., (2008) defined sample size as how many people should be survey. Malaysia government official statistic website showed that, the population size for male in Klang valley is 2891,000 in year 2010 (Statistic, 2010). But according to Kotler, et al., (2008), although large samples give more reliable results than small sample, however it is not necessary to sample the entire target population, sometimes even less than 1 percent of sample with proper sampling procedure can provide high credibility results as well. As the researcher is using non-probability sampling technique, it is unlike probability sampling technique, it does not have a formula to calculate the exact sample size. Non-probability

sampling techniques sample size normally is depending on the research objectives and purposes. Thus, the researcher has prepared 100 set of questionnaire in order to target 100 suitable respondents to obtain the final results.

3.2.3 Sampling procedure In sampling procedure, the researcher was applying non-probability sampling. Non-probability sampling provides a range of alternatives techniques to select samples based on subjective judgment (Saunders, et al., 2009). Mean to say that the selection often based on personal opinion due to non-probability is quite arbitrary (Zikmund, 2000). On the other hand, there are five techniques of nonprobability sampling, which include quota sampling, purposive sampling, snowball sampling, self-selection sampling and convenience sampling (Saunders, et al., 2009).

The researcher was using convenience sampling in this research due to limitation of time. Convenience sampling involves selecting haphazardly those cases that are easiest to obtain for the sample (Saunders, et al., 2009). For example, the researcher can do respondent interviewed in shopping centre or distribute the questionnaire to respondents in order to obtain the results rapidly.

3.3 Data collection

3.3.1 Contact method

The researcher was using questionnaire survey method to collect useful information from respondents. According to Saunders, et al., (2009), questionnaire is one of the most widely used data collection techniques within the survey strategy because each respondent is asked to respond to the same set of questions, thus the results will be more consistent and accurate.

The researcher has spent approximately 1 to 2 weeks to gather information and conduct survey through a free survey research website which is

www.kwiksurveys.com. The researcher has created a survey form and distribute it through the internet to male facial cleanser buyer and this is the website link that created by present researcher to conduct survey-

http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-survey.php?surveyID=HCILMN_6b535f7. Besides, the researcher was distributing the questionnaires to male facial cleanser buyers in some areas in Klang Valley as well.

3.3.2 Questionnaire design The questionnaires have been separated in two parts which part A is regarding the respondents demographic characteristics such as age, income level and education level. While part B designed to measure the marketing mix influence respondents buying decision towards male facial cleanser.

The method that had been used in this part is likert scale model which include five optional: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree. According to Cooper & Schindler (2006), likert scale is easy and quick to construct. Besides that, likert scale is probably more reliable and provides greater volume of data than many other scales. Generally, the statements and questions in part B will be divided into four categories which are product, price, place and promotion. Each respondent is required to answer the questions in each category by selecting one of the options from strongly disagree to strongly agree according to their own perception and opinion.

According to Saunders, et al., (2009), the questionnaire should be laid out so that it is easy to read and the responses are easy to fill in. On the other hand, all questionnaires should be pilot tested prior to their administration to assess the validity and likely reliability of the questions. Hence the researcher had prepared the questionnaire based on the statement from some relevant journals to ensure the reliability of the questionnaire and ease respondents read, understand and answer the questionnaires.

Table 1 in appendixes shows the statements that grabbed from various journals, journals title, author name, year of the journal and questionnaires created by the researcher.

3.4 Data analysis

According to Saunders, et al., (2009), quantitative data analysis helped us to explore, present, describe and examine relationship and trends within our data. Thus, this is a very important process for the researcher as it will bring the final results of the research. However, the researcher has to check every questionnaire properly before entering the data to computer to avoid any mistake or error made by respondents in the questionnaires.

Besides, the researcher was using SPSS software version 16.0 to obtain correlation between marketing mix factors (4ps) and consumer buying decision. According to Sekaran (2000), correlation was used in expressing the relationship between marketing mix factors and consumer purchase decision making. The higher the values in coefficient of correlation, the stronger the relation was. Therefore, the researcher make a conclusion that the highest correlation was identified as the strongest variable that will be used as the most influential factor in affecting male consumer buying decision towards facial cleanser. Table 2 in appendixes indicates the strength of correlation.

Besides that, the present researcher was using pie chart to show the respondents basic demographic information which includes age, income level and education level, descriptive statistics to study the mean and standard deviation of each variable and frequency tables to show the exact frequency for every variable.