AbstractIn China, customers select the online channel to buy l.docx

Abstract
In China, customers select the online channel to buy luxury
dues to the low price (Li, Robson & Coates, 2014). However,
luxury is different from ordinary commodities that the low price
cannot support the long-term development of luxury enterprise.
Therefore, on one hand, the luxury e-commerce is pursued by
investor; on the other hand, it is affected by the Chinese
consumption environment, resulting in market shrinkage and a
lot of waste of resources and false prosperity. On the basis of
defects of luxury e-commerce in current situation, the research
aims to analyse the feasibility and prospect expectation of
luxury online sales through measuring the impact of customer’s
perceived value on their intention to purchase luxury by e-
commerce, so as to provide new ideas for the development of
luxury e-commerce in China. Three dimensions of CPV given
by Sweeney and Soutar (2001), customer perceived price,
quality, and social value, are used to measure CPV. Based on
them, the research objectives are as follows: to investigate the
impact of customers’ perceived social value on their intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce; to investigate the impact of
customers’ perceived quality value on their intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce; and to investigate the impact
of customers’ perceived price value on their intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce.
Questionnaire survey is used to collect quantitative data and
SPSS is used to analyse the quantitative data in order to explain
the relationship between CPV and customers’ intention to
purchase luxuries by e-commerce. Through analysis, the
following conclusions are gained: Chinese customers’ perceived
price value of luxuries provided by e-commerce is high. Chinese
customers’ perceived quality value of luxuries provided by e-
commerce is in the middle level. Chinese customers’ perceived
social value of luxuries provided by e-commerce is high.

Furthermore, Chinese customers’ perceived price, quality, and
social value can all cause their intention to purchase luxuries by
e-commerce to a great extent. What should be mentioned is that
Chinese customers’ perceived quality value has the greatest
impact on their purchase intention, followed by price and social
value.
Contents
1. Introduction4
1.1 Research background4
1.2 Research objectives4
1.3 Research rationale5
1.4 Structure of this dissertation5
Chapter 2 Literature review6
2.1 E-commerce6
2.2 Customer perceived value (CPV)6
2.3 Dimensions of customer perceived value6
2.3 Impact of customers’ perceived value on their intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce7
Chapter 3 Methodology9
3.1 Quantitative or qualitative9
3.2 Philosophy, strategy, and approach of this research9
3.3 Selection and design of research internment10
3.4 Sampling method, data collection and analysis10
3.5 Validity of data11
3.6 Research ethics11
Chapter 4 Findings and analysis12
4.1 Analysis of respondents’ information12
4.2 Analysis of impact of customers’ perceived value on their
intention to purchase luxuries by e-commerce13
Chapter 5 Conclusions and recommendations17
References18
Appendix 1 Questionnaire21
Appendix 2 Tables23

1. Introduction
1.1 Research background
In the background of global economic crisis, luxury enterprises
which are affected by the promotion of capital and e-commerce
development gradually joint in the online business. In China,
customers select the online channel to buy luxury dues to the
low price (Li, Robson & Coates, 2014). However, luxury is
different from ordinary commodities that the low price cannot
support the long-term development of luxury enterprise.
Therefore, on one hand, the luxury e-commerce is pursued by
investor; on the other hand, it is affected by the Chinese
consumption environment, resulting in market shrinkage and a
lot of waste of resources and false prosperity. On the basis of
defects of luxury e-commerce in current situation, the research
aims to analyse the feasibility and prospect expectation of
luxury online sales through measuring the impact of customer’s
perceived value on their intention to purchase luxury by e-
commerce, so as to provide new ideas for the development of
luxury e-commerce in China.
1.2 Research objectives
According to Sweeney and Soutar (2001), customer perceived
value includes four dimensions: perceived emotional value,
perceived social value, perceived quality value, perceived price
value. Due to luxury’s special characteristics, perceived social
value is an important dimension for study customers’ intention
to purchase it. Perceived price value is also important as luxury
purchase intention in e-commerce environment is studied.
Moreover, perceived quality value is necessary for any type of
products especially they luxury goods which are known as high
quality. Nevertheless, perceived emotional value shows less
importance in what is studied in this dissertation. Therefore, in
the consideration of word limit, perceived emotional value is
not investigated in this research. The final research objectives
are as follows:
To investigate the impact of customers’ perceived social value

on their intention to purchase luxury by e-commerce;
To investigate the impact of customers’ perceived quality value
on their intention to purchase luxury by e-commerce;
To investigate the impact of customers’ perceived price value
on their intention to purchase luxury by e-commerce.
1.3 Research rationale
This research is meaningful as it can enrich the existing theories
and facilitate the development of Chinese luxury e-commerce.
The existing researches of customer perceived value and
purchase intention are abundant while they focused on the study
of the two variables’ concepts and measurement (Chong, Yang
and Wong, 2003). The relationship between the two variables
was also frequently investigated (Chang and Wang, 2011).
However, this dissertation tries to explain their relationship by
emphasising luxury e-commerce, which is a field that is studied
by much fewer previous researchers. Therefore, the existing
theories can be enriched through what is studied in this
research. Moreover, the corresponding recommendations will be
given based on the research findings. The research findings can
provide Chinese luxury e-commerce with evidences to better
understand customers’ purchase intention in terms of luxury e-
commerce. The recommendations offer alternative plans for
Chinese luxury e-commerce to improve its development.
1.4 Structure of this dissertation
This research includes five chapters. This chapter is chapter 1
whose contents are as above. Chapter 2 is literature review
which will critically review the previous researches related to
customer perceived value, purchase intention, and luxury
ecommerce. Chapter 3 is methodology which will discuss the
research methods for data collection and analysis. Chapter 4 is
findings and analysis which will summarise and analyse the
research findings based on the data results. Chapter 5 is
conclusions and recommendations which will give conclusions
and recommendations for Chinese luxury e-commerce.
Chapter 2 Literature review

2.1 E-commerce
E-commerce (electronic commerce) refers to the trade activities
which are conducted by using various electronic instruments
(such as telegraph, telephone, broadcast, television, fax,
computer, and mobile communications) within the global scope.
These trade activities are conducted based on computer
networks and include the transactions between product/service
providers, advertisers, consumers, and intermediaries (Poong,
Zaman and Talha, 2006). The e-commerce studied in this
research is the commercial transactions between product/service
providers and the final customers and more specifically is the
transactions between the dealers of luxury brands and the
individual customers over the internet.
2.2 Customer perceived value (CPV)
Porter (1985) was the first one who gave an explicit definition
for CPV. He pointed out that this term refers to customers’
tradeoff between their perceived performance and perceived
cost. Based on the definition given by Porter (1985), Zeithaml
(1988) summarised four aspects of connotation for CPV: low
price, the products/services needed in the process of
consumption process, the product quality possessed by
customers through their payment, and the tradeoff of payment
and product quality. Subsequently, many researchers gave
definitions for CPV. For instance, Monroe (1991) argued that
this term is customers’ perceived benefits to perceived payment
ratio. Anderson, Jain and Chintagunta (1992) held that this term
refers to a series of tradeoffs of a product’s price and the
economy, technology, service, and social benefits customers can
gain by purchasing this product.
Based on the above researchers, the CPV studied in this
research is defined as a series of tradeoffs of a customer’s
payment (i.e. money, physical efforts, and time) for a
product/service and the benefits he or she gains from purchase
of this product/service.
2.3 Dimensions of customer perceived value

Sweeney and Soutar (2001) divided CPV into four dimensions:
perceived emotional value, perceived social value, perceived
quality value, perceived price value. Perceived emotional value
refers to customers’ emotional state brought by using
products/services, such as happy, excited, and joyful. Perceived
social value refers to self-conscious benefits brought by using
products/services, such as sense of superior to others. Perceived
quality value is obtained when the practical utility of
products/services is matched with or beyond customers’
expectation. Perceived price value is gained when customers
think they purchase products/services at low (long term or short
term) cost (Sweeney and Soutar, 2001). There are many other
researcher gave dimensions for CPV. This research does not
enumerate here as the four dimensions given by Sweeney and
Soutar (2001) are appropriate to measure CPV in this
dissertation. Finally, perceived social, quality, and price value
are determined to be used to measure CPV. The reasons were
discussed in section 1.2.
2.3 Impact of customers’ perceived value on their intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce
Customer purchase intention refers to whether a consumer is
willing to purchase certain product by spending the offered
price under the restriction of his or her fixed monetary income
(Munnukka, 2008). The intention is usually produced because
customers’ needs for something. For instance, if a person’s
mobile phone is broken, he or she will intend to purchase a new
one. However, even if the customers do not actually need
something, they may be stimulated by the external environment
and thereby product purchase intention. For example, an
attractive advertisement of mobile phone may motivate a person
to produce purchase intention although his or her phone works
well.
Luxury is originally the unnecessary products for customers and
therefore the purchase intention is usually formed by the
external stimulation (Vigneron and Johnson, 2004). A major
feature of purchase of luxury by e-commerce is the lower price

provided by the enterprises. The same luxury products are sold
at a much lower price than the physical stores. Many customers
who perceive the offered price value will purchase luxury
through e-commerce (Broillet, Dubosson and Varone, 2009). It
can be seen that customers’ perceived price value can motive
their intention to purchase luxury.
Moreover, the online vendors provide quality guarantee for their
products and promise that their products are absolutely genuine.
The channels are provided for them to verify whether the luxury
product they purchase is genuine, such as anti-fake code. Under
the comprehensive guarantee, customers can perceive the
quality assurance given by online vendors and therefore produce
intention to purchase genuine luxury at lower price over the e-
commerce (Jagdish, Newman & Gross, 1991; Porat and
Tractinsky, 2012).
In addition, luxury products have symbolic value which
motivates the customers to purchase it for purpose of showing
their social status and wealth, or gaining sense of superior to
others (Bohme and Koble, 2007). To meet their purchases, many
customers who don’t have absolute economic ability to purchase
luxury products are very possible to buy the cheaper luxuries
over the e-commerce (Broillet and Ecole, 2009; Yu, Niehm &
Russell, 2011). However, Broillet, Dubosson and Trabichet
(2008) argued that the social value of luxuries will be weakened
by purchasing them from online vendors.
Chapter 3 Methodology
3.1 Quantitative or qualitative
Quantitative research method is adopted in this research in the
consideration of better achieving the research objectives.
Impact of customers’ perceived value on their intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce is investigated in this
dissertation. Therefore, the collection of quantitative data
(numerical data) is more appropriate as scientific analysis of
numerical data can more accurately demonstrate the relationship
between the two variables. However, the analysis of qualitative

data (words) is completed by the researcher’s speculation
(Cutcliffe and McKenna, 2002), which makes this research
incapable of scientifically verify the relationship between them.
Therefore, qualitative research method is not used in this
research.
3.2 Philosophy, strategy, and approach of this research
Positivistic and phenomenological philosophies are two
frequently used ones (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2009).
This dissertation reflects positivistic philosophies as CPV and
purchase intention and their relationship objectively exist in the
business and management field. This research only tries to
utilise scientific method to objectively verify their relationship.
The similar results can be gained by other researchers provided
they use appropriate measurement tools. Therefore, this
research reflects positivistic philosophy which calls for the
objectiveness of researcher and the observation of social reality
(Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2009).
Case study and survey are two common research strategies
(Remenyi et al., 1998). This research adopts survey strategy as
it allows the researcher to collect quantitative data using
instruments such as observation, questionnaire, or interview
(Curwin and Slater, 2007). Besides, survey is used here also
because it helps the researcher to collect a large number of data
from a sizeable population (Curwin and Slater, 2007). In this
research, the Chinese customers who have purchased luxuries
through e-commerce are the target population. This is a sizeable
population and there is a need for this research to conduct
sampling. Thus, survey which can generate findings
representative of the whole population by sampling (Curwin and
Slater, 2007) is used in this research.
Deductive approach and inductive approach are two research
approaches (Hattie and Jaeger, 1998). This research adopts
deductive approach as it is a quantitative approach which calls
for collection of quantitative data, explanation of causal
relationship, and the objectiveness of researcher (Hattie and
Jaeger, 1998). However, inductive approach requires collection

of qualitative data (Thomas, 2006), which is opposite to this
research’s purpose. Thus, inductive approach is not a good
choice.
3.3 Selection and design of research internment
It’s been mentioned that questionnaire can be used to collect
quantitative in survey strategy. Therefore, questionnaire survey
is the final instrument for data collection. The questionnaire is
designed into two parts. The first part is demographic
information through which the basic information of respondents
is expected to be understood. The second part is main body
through which the relationship between CPV and intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce is supposed to be explained.
The specific contents are shown in Appendix 1.
3.4 Sampling method, data collection and analysis
To gain respondents from the target population (customers who
have purchased luxuries through e-commerce), the researcher
used convenient sampling method to collect the data in
Shanghai China. During the period from 15th Nov. to 21st Nov.
2014, the researcher came back to China and distributed
questionnaire to every other passer-by in Luxury shopping
center in Shanghai. To improve the reliability of data, the
researcher designed a question at the beginning of the
questionnaire “did you purchase luxuries through e-
commerce?”. This question helps the research gained the
respondents who can better answer the research questions of
this dissertation. In total 100 questionnaires were sent to
customers and 71 of them were returned. The response rate is
71%. However, 19 of them answered no to the first question and
therefore the final valid questionnaires are 52. After gaining the
valid questionnaires, the researcher used SPSS to process and
analyse the data. Specifically, frequency analysis was conducted
on the data gained from part 1 of the questionnaires and mean
analysis was conducted on the data gained from part 2 of the
questionnaire. Some tables and figures were generated through
analysis and will be used as the evidences for the summary and
analysis of research findings in the next chapter.

3.5 Validity of data
Research validity is concerned with whether the measurement
tool can generate research findings which are really about what
they appear to be about (Avis, 2006). As for this dissertation,
the researcher searched the relevant scales and reference of
variables and designed the questionnaires by referencing the
existing and mature scales of the previous researchers.
Therefore, this research’s questionnaire has its powerful
theoretical foundation and thus can ensure the validity.
3.6 Research ethics
The research avoided the ethic issues from the following
aspects. The researcher asked for the permission of the passers-
by before distributing questionnaires to them. The researcher
also put the respondents at ease in order to avoid
embarrassment. Moreover, the researcher did not force them to
return the questionnaire. In the future, the customers will ensure
the confidentiality of data and research results.
Chapter 4 Findings and analysis
4.1 Analysis of respondents’ information
52 valid questionnaires and thus the total number of the
following statistics are 52. Table 4-1 Basic information of the
respondents
Questions
Options
Frequency
Percentage
Age
18 to 25
13
25.0%
26 to 30
14
26.9%

31 to 35
10
19.2%
36 to 40
7
13.5%
41 to 45
5
9.7%
46 to 50
2
3.8%
More than 50
1
1.9%
Gender
Male
24
46.2%
Female
28
53.8%
Income
3000 and below
3
5.8%
3001 to 5000
7
13.5%

5001 to 8000
12
23.1%
8001 to 10000
14
26.9%
More than 10000
16
30.8%
According to table 4-1, the respondents who are over 40 years
old are much fewer than those who are under 40 years old. It
can be seen that the younger people, especially those who are
18 to 30 years old, are more likely to purchase luxuries through
e-commerce. E-commerce should be completed by using
electronic facilities (i.e. computer) and internet technology
(Poong, Zaman and Talha, 2006). The younger people are those
who are more familiar with these facilities and technology.
Therefore, they are the major force of customers of luxury e-
commerce. According to the gender distribution, female
respondents are more than male ones while the distance is not
very obvious. Thus, it can be seen that both Chinese men and
women will purchase luxuries through e-commerce while
women have higher tendency to do this. Depending on the
income distribution, people who earn more than 5000 are the
major force of the respondents and the number of respondents is
increasing as the income increase. Luxuries have much higher
price than the ordinary products. Thus, economic foundation is
necessary for purchase of luxuries even if discount is provided
by e-commerce. However, the data shows that e-commerce does
weaken luxuries’ requirements for economic power.
4.2 Analysis of impact of customers’ perceived value on their
intention to purchase luxuries by e-commerce
Table 4-2 Customer perceived price value

N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
The price of luxuries provided by e-commerce is much lower
than that offered in the physical stores.
52
1.00
5.00
4.1154
1.14881
The lower price provided by e-commerce motives me to produce
intention to purchase luxuries through it.
52
1.00
5.00
3.8846
1.23119
My intention to purchase luxuries through e-commerce is
stronger as the price provided by it is lower and lower.
52
1.00
5.00
2.9423
1.39204
Valid N (listwise)
52
According to table 4-2, the mean of the first statement is 4.1,
which is higher than 4 (suggests agree). It can be found that
majority of respondents agree with this statement, which
implies that the price of luxuries provided by e-commerce is

truly lower than that offered in physical stores. For instance, the
luxuries provide by Vip.com (a famous online vender in China)
are sold at discount of 10% to 70%. The lower price offered by
such online vendors can cut customers’ cost and thereby attract
the luxury consumers or motivate low-income customers to
produce intention to purchase luxuries over the Internet. The
mean of the second statement can verifies this point. This mean
is 3.88, which demonstrates that most of the respondents agree
with the second statement and confirms that customers’
perceived price value can lead to their intention to purchase
luxuries over the Internet to a great extent. However, the mean
of the third statement is 2.94, which is lower than the neutral
mean 3. This suggests that more respondents disagree with this
statement and shows that their intention to purchase luxuries
over the Internet will not always increase as the decrease of
price. This is because high price is an accepted feature of
luxuries (Vigneron and Johnson, 2004). If the prices provided
by internet sellers are too low, the customers will suspect
whether the luxuries sold by them is genuine and thereby give
up purchase intention.
Table 4-3 Customer perceived quality value
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
The luxuries provided by e-commerce are genuine.
52
1.00
5.00
3.4808
1.37898
The design, appearance, and materials of the luxuries provided
by e-commerce are same with those offered in the physical
stores.

52
1.00
5.00
3.7692
1.27749
E-commerce provides me with the products of luxury brands
which don't have physical stores in China.
52
1.00
5.00
3.4423
1.43368
If the quality of luxuries provided by e-commerce can reach the
above levels, I will produce purchase intention.
52
1.00
5.00
4.0769
.94653
Valid N (listwise)
52
According to table 4-3, the means of the first and third
statements are 3.48 and 3.44 in turn, which are both higher than
the neutral mean 3 but not too much. It can be found that some
but far from the whole respondents believe the luxuries
provided by e-commerce are genuine or agree Internet sellers
can offer more luxury brands. Therefore, Chinese luxury e-
commerce should make more efforts to improve their customers’
recognition of the authenticity of their luxuries and provide
more categories of luxury brands to attract customers. However,
the mean of the second mean is 3.76, which is much higher than
3. This suggests that Chinese internet sellers can provide

luxuries which have same design, appearance, and materials
with those in physical stores. Customers usually cannot evaluate
whether a luxury is true or false. The similarity of the design,
appearance, and materials is the only way for customers to
conduct judgement. Moreover, the mean of the fourth statement
is 4.07, which is higher than 4. This demonstrates that majority
of the respondents pay great attention to the authenticity of the
luxuries provided by Internet sellers and their purchase
intention is significant influenced by their perceived quality
value. Luxuries have superior quality (Broillet, Dubosson and
Varone, 2009) which is an important aspect pursued by luxury
customers. Therefore, if they feel or know the luxuries provided
by e-commerce is not genuine, their purchase intention will be
eliminated.
Table 4-4 Customer perceived social value
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
The luxuries I purchase through e-commerce improve my social
relationship at lower cost.
52
1.00
5.00
3.8077
1.12090
The luxuries I purchase through e-commerce bring me sense of
superior to others at lower cost.
52
1.00
5.00
3.7115
1.36247
The above two points motivate me to produce intention to

purchase luxuries through e-commerce.
52
1.00
5.00
3.7692
1.21454
The luxuries I purchase through e-commerce usually cannot
bring me the same social value as those I purchase in physical
stores, thus I will not purchase through e-commerce next time.
52
1.00
5.00
2.9615
1.57133
Valid N (listwise)
52
According to table 4-4, the means of the first two statements are
3.80 and 3.71 in turn, which are both much higher than 3. It can
be found that most of respondents think luxuries purchase over
the Internet can provide them with social value at lower cost.
They can spend less buying luxuries through which their need of
building social relationship can be met and sense of superior to
others can be gained. Usually, luxuries can be identified by
some apparent symbols, letters or others. People will not deeply
judge the authenticity of others’ luxuries. Moreover, the
luxuries sold over the Internet have same design, appearance,
and materials with the ones in physical stores. Thus, customers
can perceive the same social value from luxuries the purchase
over the Internet. Their intention to purchase luxuries over the
Internet is then caused by the social value they perceive. This
point can be verified by the mean of the third statement. This

mean is 3.76, which is much higher than 3 and suggests the
respondents’ perceived social value has positive impact on their
intention to purchase luxuries by e-commerce. In addition, the
mean of the fourth statement is 2.96, which demonstrates that
the respondents deny this statement. It can be seen that the
respondents’ perceived social value of luxuries is not weakened
by the purchase channels, which provides great opportunity for
the development of Chinese luxury e-commerce. Therefore, the
view of Broillet, Dubosson and Trabichet (2008) (see section
2.3) is denied in this dissertation.
Chapter 5 Conclusions and recommendations
Based on findings and analysis in the last chapter, this
dissertation gains the following conclusions: Chinese
customers’ perceived price value of luxuries provided by e-
commerce is high. Chinese customers’ perceived quality value
of luxuries provided by e-commerce is in the middle level.
Chinese customers’ perceived social value of luxuries provided
by e-commerce is high. Furthermore, Chinese customers’
perceived price, quality, and social value can all cause their
intention to purchase luxuries by e-commerce to a great extent.
What should be mentioned is that Chinese customers’ perceived
quality value has the greatest impact on their purchase
intention, followed by price and social value. Therefore,
Chinese luxury e-commerce should make more efforts to
improve their customers’ perceived quality value. Specifically,
Chinese Internet luxury sellers can provide reliable channels for
their customers to verify the luxuries’ authenticity, such as anti-
fake code and the website or phone number to test the code, or
regularly hold on the scene test activities.
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Zeithaml, V. A. (1988) ‘Consumer perceptions of price, quality,
and value: a means-end model and synthesis of evidence’, The
Journal of Marketing, 52(3), pp.45-50.
Appendix 1 Questionnaire
Thanks for your participation of this investigation! This
questionnaire is for an academic research which aims to study
the impact of customer perceived value on their intention to
purchase luxury by e-commerce. This questionnaire is answered
anonymously and the researcher will not show any personal
information of you. Thus, you don’t need to worry about your
privacy. Please fill in the questionnaire based on your true
thought.
Did you purchase luxuries through e-commerce?
A. Yes B. No
Part 1 Demographic information
1. Age_ (years old)
A. 18 to 25 B. 26 to 30 C. 31 to 35 D. 36 to 40
E 41 to 45 F. 46 to 50 G. More than 50
2. Gender_
A. Male B. Female
3. Income_ (Yuan)
A. 3000 and below B. 3001 to 5000 C. 5001 to 8000
D. 8001 to 10000 E. More than 10000
Part 2 Main body
Likert’s five point scale is used to measure the impact of
customers’ perceived value on their intention to purchase
luxuries by e-commerce. There are five options for you:
strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree.
The corresponding numbers are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in turn. Please

tick the one which can reflect your opinion.
Dimensions
Q
Items
Strongly disagree
disagree
neutral
agree
Strongly agree
Customer perceived price value
1
1
2
3
4
5
2
1
2
3
4
5
3
1
2
3
4
5

Customer perceived quality value
4
1
2
3
4
5
5
stores.
1
2
3
4
5
6
which don’t have physical stores in China.
1
2
3
4
5
7
1
2
3
4
5

Customer perceived social value
8
1
2
3
4
5
9
1
2
3
4
5
10
1
2
3
4
5
11
1
2
3
4

5
Appendix 2 Tables
Questions
Options
Frequency
Percentage
Age
18 to 25
13
25.0%
26 to 30
14
26.9%
31 to 35
10
19.2%
36 to 40
7
13.5%
41 to 45
5
9.7%
46 to 50
2
3.8%
More than 50
1
1.9%
Gender
Male

24
46.2%
Female
28
53.8%
Income
3000 and below
3
5.8%
3001 to 5000
7
13.5%
5001 to 8000
12
23.1%
8001 to 10000
14
26.9%
More than 10000
16
30.8%
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation

52
1.00
5.00
4.1154
1.14881
52
1.00
5.00
3.8846
1.23119
52
1.00
5.00
2.9423
1.39204
Valid N (listwise)
52
N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
52
1.00
5.00

3.4808
1.37898
stores.
52
1.00
5.00
3.7692
1.27749
which don't have physical stores in China.
52
1.00
5.00
3.4423
1.43368
52
1.00
5.00
4.0769
.94653
Valid N (listwise)
52

N
Minimum
Maximum
Mean
Std. Deviation
52
1.00
5.00
3.8077
1.12090
52
1.00
5.00
3.7115
1.36247
52
1.00
5.00
3.7692
1.21454

52
1.00
5.00
2.9615
1.57133
Valid N (listwise)
52
Security and Military Power

Chapter 8
1
What Is Security?
Level of analysis approach: Should security focus on individual,
national, or international security?
During the Cold War “national security” meant “military
security”
Indication of dominance of realist academic perspective
Reactions to realist perspective
From late 1980s “societal security” school of thought developed
Goal: broaden the discourse on security to include economic,
environmental, social, and political issues
From 1990s: Ethnonational security
Reaction to genocides in several multiethnic countries
2
Mainstream Approaches to National Security

3
Realist Views on Security
International system is anarchic; peace is temporary
States will try to balance against one another to avoid the
ascension of a hegemon
Key concepts
Security dilemma: uncertainty and lack of trust among states
Cheating: cooperation hindered by constant fear that another
state will cheat to gain an advantage
Relative gains: states are more concerned about their status
compared to other states instead of absolute status in the
international system
4
Liberal Institutionalists on
Global Security
International institutions help promote stability and cooperation
in the international system
States’ investing in these institutions is evidence of their belief
that they are beneficial to the international system
Institutions created after World War II in Western Europe have

diminished concerns of a general European war
Examples: Bretton Woods regime, EU, ASEAN
Key concept: security community
Shared values, common aversions lead to cooperation
Example: NATO
5
Constructivist Approach and War
Fundamental structures of the international system are social
rather than material
Structure is a product of social relationships
Shared knowledge, practices, and material resources shape
security relationships
Security dilemma is a social structure composed of
intersubjective judgments
Security community is a different social structure: shared
knowledge can thus resolve conflicts without war
6
Critical Security Studies:
Feminism
Challenge the central role of the state in security analysis

States are a source of security and insecurity
Women are affected as much or more than men in war
Masculinization of security and war
Cohn: language, terms of war are highly gendered
7
Marxism and War
Offers a connection between globalization and security affairs
Provides explanation for and solution to exploitation
Changing Character of War
War is no longer the only instrument of state policy: today war
and security have been altered because of more amorphous
threats such as terrorism
Asymmetrical warfare: states fighting nonstate actors
Conflicts usually occur in urban or remote rural settings
Major difference in weapon capacity and technology between
state and nonstate actors in conflicts
Multidimensional battlefield: soldier on the ground, cyberspace,
satellites, drones

9
Radical Liberal Approach and War
Analysis of the connections between globalization and political
institutions
Military spending exacerbates a range of social, economic, and
environmental problems
Changing Character of War
The Nature of War
Clausewitz: war as a means to an end
War is not random violence but a rational political decision
War is an act of violence to compel one’s opponent to fulfill
one’s will
Development of war
If war is a political decision it develops as our understanding of
politics develops
Contemporary wars are local wars fought on a wider field
Television, Internet, IGOs, and NGOs have influenced the
nature of war
Global media helping to induce “war fatigue”

Nature vs. character of war as described by Clausewitz and
Gary
12
The Revolution in
Military Affairs
Technological advancement in weaponry and communication to
reduce uncertainty and increase efficiencies of a fighting force
Idea introduced after “effortless” victory in the 1991 Gulf War
Overlooks nontechnological factors and creates oversimplified
picture of a more complex phenomenon
13
Postmodern War
Changing modes of production and eventual outputs in advanced
societies are altering the character of war
Globalization has weakened normal forms of identity
(nationalism) and at the same time a resurgence of older forms
of identity has taken place (ethnic, clan, religious)
Changing “modes of information”
The role of broadcasting and journalists in conflicts
Journalists are no longer observers but active participants

14
Counterinsurgency Strategy
Providing security for civilians
Protecting infrastructure
Helping local governments to provide basic services to their
citizens
Helping to shift population’s loyalty from insurgents to local
authorities
Globalization and New Wars
Emergence of “new” wars since the 1980s where the conflict is
characterized by the disintegration of the state
State loses control of various sectors of economy and areas of
national territory
Use of child soldiers

16
Nuclear Proliferation
and Nonproliferation
17
and Nonproliferation
The collapse of the Soviet Union was the only instance in which
a nuclear state disintegrated
The importance of cooperative threat reduction programs and
agreements
Established framework for former Cold War adversaries to
handle the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the
implications for its nuclear weapons
Proliferation optimism and pessimism
Nonproliferation regime: product of first nuclear age (1950–
1990)?
The NPT as a means of disarmament or a means of limiting new
nuclear weapons states
18

Nature of Nuclear Weapons
Difference between nuclear weapons production and nuclear
power production
For nuclear weapons a chain reaction is required, whereas for
power generation a moderation of the reaction is required
Separate processes are needed for each
Nuclear weapons effects
WMD: weapons of mass destruction
CBRN: chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
Three forms of energy with a nuclear explosion: blast,
heat/thermal, and nuclear radiation
19
Nuclear Defense
US National Missile Defense (NMD) Act of 1999
Brought into question the ABM Treaty
Debate in Europe over stationing of US Ballistic Missile
Defense in Poland and Czech Republic
20
Theorizing

What is nuclear proliferation?
Acquiring a nuclear weapon or the process of constructing a
nuclear weapon
Why haven’t nuclear weapons been used?
Nuclear weapons only good in their nonuse (i.e., as a deterrent)
Arms Transfer Agreements Worldwide
21
Arms Transfer Agreements Worldwide: The conventional arms
suppliers here are shown as percentages. Do you notice a shift
between the two date ranges compared here? Is it significant?
How would you explain the relative stability of conventional
arms suppliers worldwide?
Nuclear Motivations
Shift from nuclear weapons being war-winning weapons to
weapons of deterrence
Transnational actors and the procurement of nuclear weapons
Nuclear capabilities and intentions
Difficulty of reaching international consensus on
noncompliance
Cases of Iraq and Iran highlight difficulty on both sides

22
Post–Cold War
Antiproliferation Efforts
Missile Technology and Control Regime and the Hague Code of
Conduct
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and lack of consensus
23
Use the 4P’s Mix Evaluate the Effectiveness of Ikea’s
Marketing Strategy in UK and Make Recommendations
Content
1. Background .......................................................... 3
2. Research aim......................................................... 4
3. Research objectives ...............................................4
4. Methodology.......................................................... 4
4.1 Quantitative and Qualitative Method.............. 4
4.2 Instrument choices.......................................... 5
4.3 Sampling method............................................ 6
4.4 Data collection an analysis method................. 7
5. Timescale................................................................ 7

6. Resource ................................................................. 8
1. References............................................................... 91.
Background
IKEA is the largest furniture retailer in the world. It was
established in 1943.In 60 years, it has developed 180 chain
store to a worldwide network, located in 43 countries and
employs more than 70,000 people. IKEA, mostly of flat-pack
furniture,customer need combine by themselves .This reduces
cost and packaging. All products can be purchased via the
Internet to choose. ( http://businesscasestudies.co.uk) IKEA
offers carefully designed and functional furniture to customers,
maintaining low prices to ensure that more people can buy. This
idea has been maintained from product development to the
whole process of buying, now IKEA opened to the world.(
http://www.ukessays.com)There have 18 stores in UK to date.
IKEA gets sales revenue of 11 billion Euros and net profit is
more than 1.1 billion Euros in 2003, increasing market share in
almost all countries it operates in.Therefore, IKEA marketing
strategy is one of the highlight of the management strategy.(
http://www.bbc.co.uk )
2. Research Aim
The aim of this study is using the 4P’s marketing mix to
evaluate the effectiveness of the current marketing strategy of
IKEA in the UK, followed by making suitable
recommendations.3. Research Objectives
· Evaluate IKEA’s marketing strategy using the 4P mix
· Establish the weaknesses of IKEA’s current strategy
· Make recommendations
4. Methodology
4.1 Quantitative and Qualitative Method

In this research, using quantitative method and qualitative
method which are useful and simple research method. Keith F
Punch pointed ‘Quantitative research is empirical research
where the data are in the from of numbers’ and ‘Qualitative
research is empirical research where the data are not in the from
of numbers ’(Keith F P, 2014)
Quantitative research is usually through phone survey, face to
face interview, door to door, interception method, mystery
customer and mail survey to get the data. The advantages of the
research that it will give quantization data and high-accurate
data. However,Disadvantage of this research that it will receive
a large amount of data, if you do not know how to use, then it
will become meaningless. And this method is not dominant at
detail description and deep mining.Therefore, research need
using qualitative and quantitative methods can get better
accurate information. Classic techniques of qualitative research
is observation and in-depth interview. This data do not need
analysis, but it will spend lots of time and money from
qualitative research.(Fergus L，Guido M and Mark S, 2012)
In this essay, quantitative will be used. Using the research to
get more data from numbers. Such as, How often have you
visited IKEA in 2014? The quantitative research through the
number to analysis that how is popular with IKEA. Meanwhile,
qualitative research also can help the essay to gain more
specific information. For example, do you like IKEA? In the
question, customers can choose yes or no. Therefore,
quantitative and qualitative research need using in the same
time for this essay.
4.2 Instrument choices
Questionnaire is the frist select in this research. Because the
instrument has two advantages for the research. First is
accuracy. Questionnaire is divide into face-to-face
questionnaire, paper-and-pensil questionnaire, Computerized

questionnaire and Adaptive computerized questionnaire(
Mellenbergh, G.J. 2008). For this research, using face-to-face
questionnaire. Because interviewee can follow the interviewer
answer the question, when the interviewee do not know the
mean of the question, interviewer can explain for them, so it can
improve the veracity of data. Secondly, the survey method can
help researchers quickly gain quantitative data and qualitative
data with less costs and time.
4.3 Sampling method
Firstly, the essay uses ten questionnaires to test validity, if find
problems during use, then it will be modified in time. If there is
no problem then put into formal use.
Age
18~32 years old
33~46 years old
47~60 years old
Gender
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Number of Questionnaires
5
5
5
5
5
5
For the questionnaire, this survey will select 30 people, and
divide into age. Form 18-60, in three stages, then men and
women conduct research at every stage so that separated each
stageis10 questionnaires.

4.4 Data collection an analysis method
For data collection, this study will choose in front of IKEA in
Coventry, the investigators will randomly select 40 customers at
the exit, which ensures all the interviewee have been to IKEA,
extra 10 persons can also ensure the effectiveness of the last 30
formal questionnaires, if find the waste questionnaire can
instead of it form the extra 10 questionnaires.
For data analysis, Questionnaires using frequency question as
warm-up question, make score for all of the choice after
collected quantitative research data. Takes each questionnaires
core turned into a pie chart of the same question, by percentage
of pie charts to analyze the data.This is the process of change
numbers data into text analysis.combine quantitative data and
qualitative data, then it can have accurate data.
5. Timescale
week 1
Colleting background of IKEA in UK
Week 2
Colleting products data of IKEA
Week 3
Colleting price data of IKEA
Week 4
Colleting place data of IKEA
Week 5
Colleting promotion data of IKEA
Week 6
Analysis weakness of IKEA
Week 7
Giving recommendation6. Resource
For the resource, questionnaires is most part for cost. Because
the research need people go to Coventry form Birmingham, it
will spend bus fees. And print fees of questionnaires, pen cost
and we also need buy some small gift for the interviewee.

7. References
Website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25925523 30/06/2014
14:36
http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/ikea/swot-analysis-and-
sustainable-business-
planning/introduction.html#axzz36IslEFXN 01/07/2014 18:06
http://www.ukessays.com/essays/business/factors-of-ikea.php
03/07/2014 20:17
Book:
Fergus Lyon，Guido Möllering，Mark Saunders, (2012),
Handbook of Research Methods on Trust, first edition, Edward
Elgar Publishing Limited
Keith F Punch, (2014), Introduction to Social Research:
Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches, third edition, SAGE
Publications Ins, P 2
Mellenbergh, G.J. (2008).Chapter 10 : Tests and
Questionnaires: Construction and administration. In H.J. Adèr &
G.J. Mellenbergh (Eds.) (with contributions by D.J. Hand),
Advising on Research Methods: A consultant's companion (pp.
211--236). Huizen, The Netherlands: Johannes van Kessel
Publishing.

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