BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS -1-

Business Research Methods

Superior University, Lahore
http://www.superior.edu.pk

A Proposal For:
Effects of Modern Advertisement on Children of Pakistan
I will conduct my study under the following criteria the whole picture is presented below
how I have selected this topic.
Marketing

Advertisements

Modern Advertisements effects on children

In Pakistan

Submitted To:
Prof. Muhammad Nadeem Iqbal
Email: Aakash1119@gmail.com
Course In charge of Business Research
Method, In Superior University Lahore

Submitted by:
Muhammad Hussain
Email: mhussain480@hotmail.com
M B A (B) Roll No. 8361

PROPOSED BY: MUHAMMAD HUSSAIN (8361)

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Table of Content

Abstract………………………………………………………..03
Building a theoretical framework for study…………………03

Introduction & Background……………………………….....04

Problem Formulation…………………………………...06

Purpose statement……………………………………………..07

Review of Literature…………………………………………..07

Objective of Study…………………………………………… 11

Data collection & Procedure…………………………………11

Significance of Study………………………………………….12

Research Question…………………………………………….12

Research Methodology………………………………………..12
11. Data analysis………………………………………………14

Validity Procedure……………………………………………14

Ethical issues…………………………………………………..14

Table and Diagram……………………………………………15

References …………………………………………………….18

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01. Abstract:
The study will investigate the advertisement effects on children in Pakistan.
The primary focus of this study is to understanding the modern advertisement affects on
Children of middle level in Pakistan. The study will use sequential exploratory design
which based on mixed method; the first phase of this study will use quantitative research
method in which data will be collected with the help of questionnaire and the second
phase I will use qualitative techniques in which semi-structured interviews will be
conducted. In the end results will be compared to each other to examine whether the both
findings complement each other or not.

02. Building a theoretical framework for study

The writer of “Research Design” John W. Creswell claim in his book that “the proposal
developer needs to consider three framework elements: philosophical assumptions about
what constitutes knowledge claims; general procedures of research called strategies of
inquiry; and detailed procedures of data collection, analysis and writing, called methods.”
• Philosophical Assumptions: I will use pragmatism approach and sequential
procedures will be employed, I will personally conduct the surveys for data
collection. The study is deductive in approach as many other studies are available
on this topic but in Pakistani context there are many few studies.
• Strategies of Inquiry: The sequential procedures will use the qualitative method in
first phase by conducting the semi-structured interviews and in second phase I
will use the questionnaire.
• Data Collection: Data will be collected from the school children and I will
personally visit the research place to collect the data.
The assumptions of John W. Creswell are very much related with the ideas of Crotty
(1998) who suggest the four questions for the preparation of framework. That are written
below.
• What is epistemology?
• What is theoretical perspective?

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• What is methodology?
• What is method?
I will also follow these steps in my study details are give below for each questions.
• Epistemology: To address the research problem I will conduct the surveys of
different school of Pakistan in which both interview and questionnaire will be
used. The results will be generated with help of these two tools and I will use the
different software for the analysis of data.
• Theoretical Perspective: The study will use the Pragmatism approach to get more
realistic results and to reduce the error chance.
• Methodology: The study is deductive in approach. I will use the both qualitative
and quantitative data.
• Method: I will use both close ended questions for quantitative data and open
ended question for qualitative data in my study.

02. Background and introduction:

Advertisement in all forms plays an important role in informing the
people choices of products and services. We welcome industry’s efforts, channeled
through Media to help children understand and interpret advertisement.
(Sachiko, 2004) (1)
Children are a key target for advertisers now a day. The potential of consumption is
increasing day by day in the children. In these days’ children has become the key target of
advertisers. In Pakistan, mostly advertising companies are targeting the children and the
use of children as model in the TV ad is also increasing. Recent estimates suggest that,
children between the ages of 6 and 14 watch about 25 hours of television per week and
are exposed to as many as 20,000 commercials in a single year (Leonhardt and Kerwin
1997) (2). This figure shows that how much children are being involved in the media that
why advertisers are investing in children ads. French advertisers have spent as much as
150 million a year on advertising to children under age of 12 and this figure is rising,
particularly for food advertising. (M.S. Shabbir, 2008) (3)
Further more the research in advertisement has lot of aspect and methods. Simply we can
divide advertisement research in two parts. First, a research take palace as a result of

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students surveys which they are assigned from their teachers. Secondly, a research that is
conducted by different marketing agencies and manufactures companies to search the
market for the better selection of target consumer.
Another study related with same topic has been conducted in earlier of
2008 by M.S.Shabbir, Shabana Kirmani in International Islamic University Islamabad. In
which the main focus is to explore the attitude of children toward TV advertisements and
their awareness about add and influence of add on their purchase behavior. So, the
present study will focus on the TV advertisement as well as on other media like
magazine, bill board and specially internet. The study will not only measure the attitude
of children but also measure the effects of modern advertisement on the children.
In the Pakistani market the advent of Multinational companies brings lot of
changes in the advertisement process. These companies began new trend for children and
use to show the children performing on screen which affect defiantly children and these
companies are very successful to complete their objective by creating the awareness
among the children. The children of 2009 are most aware from the media than the
children of 2000 and there is log time behind this change and Media is key factor behind
this. In Pakistan, advertising agencies understanding the role of children in buying
process of parents and their own. In food adds product like chocolates, candy bars like
milk (Nestle, Haleeb) children has become most important.
The study will also seek the bad impacts of advertisement on children.
Because the unlimited TV channels and easily access to the internet has fall the children
to unsecured activities. Consultancies says that media is responsible for all growing bad
habits among the children. Specially, children from 10 to 15 year perceive very much
affects of TV ads. The coming of telecommunication and the new trend of ads in which
young girls and boys are dancing together has last be very bad impacts on the children
and the most important factor that is Indian media, is very much forward spreading of lot
of bad things which are not acceptable in Pakistani culture.

In spite of all these reason children are keener to see TV which let them to
waste their time and stop them from the healthy activities. The Institute of Medicine
pointed out all these reasons in the report of 2006. The Institute of Medicine (IOM)

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convened an expert committee that conducted an exhaustive review of research
concerning the relationship between food marketing and children’s diets. The committee
concluded that “Television advertising influences the food preferences, purchase requests,
and diets, at least of children under age 12 years, and is associated with the increased
rates of obesity among children and youth” (IOM, 2006).(4)
In December 2006, ten of the top food companies in the U.S. announced a new
Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, which includes a commitment to
devote at least 50% of all advertising to healthier foods or to messages that encourage
fitness or nutrition. In this context study also aims that after finding the negative effects
of advertisement on children study will also suggest to take corrective steps. The study is
also important because it will create the awareness not only among the children but also
in the teachers and parents to protect their children form the bad effects of the media.
During data collection period I will talk on the spot with the teacher as well to aware
them about the advertisement effect and try to guide them how advertisement can affect
their children.

03. Problem Formulation:

The importance of children can be examined from the following Hadith of Prophet Hazrat
Muhammad (PBUH). “One is not from Us, who do not care our children and who do not
respect elders”. Islam gives very much importance to the children and children are the
most important asset of out society. So, we must have to take steps to avoid out children
from the bad impact of modern media. The currently booming media in the country is
affecting our society in both quantitatively and qualitatively. With the advent of private
media since 1995 the advertising practices has shown considerable effects on the growth
of sales almost each and every organization.5 similarly, the advertisement affects on
children and youth age is growing very rapidly. The current study will considered all
these things and specially aims to find out the effects of modern advertisement on the
children of Pakistan.

04. Purpose Statement:

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Advertising agencies are targeting children more than past and using them as tool of
marketing. Specially, in the food ads are considered incomplete without the children.
Children are also involving their self in the media and like to perform as model. One of
the most important scenarios of this study is to measure the relationship between TV
advertisement and aggressive behavior of children as well as the role of media in
awareness of children and the bad effects of media on children of Pakistan. Critics claim
that the aggressiveness and rudely behavior among children is because of the media effect
on children. That’s why the purpose of this sequential mix method study will be to
explorer the effects of advertisement on the middle level children of Pakistan.
Because this study is directly related with children defiantly there are lots of benefits for
children and their parents also for the teachers of these children. The study will be very
helpful in creating awareness among the children, parents and teachers and it will peruse
them to avoid their children form the bad effects of modern advertisement.

05. Literature Review:

As we know the media is changing very sharply and advertiser has lots of new
tactics to attract the customers toward their products. In these days the use of children in
advertisement has been increased more than last decades. Parents use to go with children
and ask them before and after purchasing about their likeness. So, that why in these day
marketers have started targeting the children.
The study will concern with the attitudes, memory, learning and aggressive behavior of
children. These entire variables are depending on our environment and the media is most
important factor that is influencing all these variables. Considering the media responsible
in affecting the children the study will seek to explore the modern advertisement effects
on the children in Pakistani context. Many other studies have been found related with this
topic. Some importance scenarios are coded below.

The report of National Study 2002 indicates that children get message about the product
through carious mediums such as television, magazines and online and it also helps them

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to memorize the product in more better and effective way. The National Twine Study
presents the attitude of the children similarly all children in the world like to purchase
only those things from which they are aware and watching and listening on the media.
Children like to do as they are watching in their daily life on TV and other media. The
advertisers have captured this thing very tidily and working more to attract the more
children toward their brands.
The P&G campaign of Safeguard has generated the pool of children saying the song “Pak
Pak Pakistan” is so much popular that children have attached their self with safeguard.
And similarly hundreds of ads have been made which depict that how much children are
important for advertisers. Attractive advertisement makes a deep influence on children
attitudes and behavior, which especially leads to purchase behavior as well as purchase
request. Children can be categorized into positive and negative attitudes. Positive attitude
will show that after watching the ad of any one product children went purchase the
products and the negative behavior will present that children only watch ads but do not go
for purchasing the products.
The study of Erling Bjurström which was conducted in Sweden for the first time in
1994 and than review again in 2000 indicates that the Swedish Govt. has banned on
advertisement targeting the children.
The ban is laid down in Sweden’s broadcasting legislation with the following wording:
“A commercial with advertising that is broadcast during commercial breaks on the
television must not have the purpose of attracting the attention of children under 12 years
of age.” Which reflect the government’s strategy, how much they are aware form the bad
effects of advertisement on children?
Advertisement on television has sharply effects on our society, especially on the children
from 5 to 15 years because they are building their memories and their memories are
depending on the environment. At this stage children are developing their learning and
this is the key stage for the marketers to capture the memory from the childhood and lead
this to youth. The study of Shabeer & Shabana has coded a reference for similar situation
which depict that “Children age 10 or younger feel difficulty to recall
previous stored information and in making comparative decision
(Kobasigawa, 1977). (6)

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Therefore rather than comparing alternatives and choosing from its,
young children usually prefer to make attitude toward the advertised
product and make decision about purchase based on this. (Wartella et
al., 1979) ” Everyday when we start out daily life we are facing each
(7)

and every time some kind of advertisement activities. The use media
has been increased everybody is connected with media and using the
different sources of media to get information.

In the same way children are watching TV during the breakfast, they
are listing Radio on the way when going to school and looking at
billboards and the modern advertisement include the video billboards
which attracts more attention than others. So, in this way children are
being pursued by the marketers and they are influencing the memory
of children.
The purpose of all these activities is to make the people to go and
purchase their products. Today’s advertising and marketing are
described by cultural analyst Andrew Wernick (1991 p vii) (8)
as “a
rhetorical1 form that permeates our entire culture”. According to
Wemick, advertising nowadays comprehensively influences our society
and our fundamental cultural patterns. But questions associated with
the way advertising influences society and our basic cultural frames of
reference go beyond the bounds of what can be studied using the
perspectives of advertising research. Many critics of both advertising
and the view of its effects that has dominated in advertising research
also maintain that the most important effect of advertising lies in
promoting the modem ideology of consumption (Ewen 1976; Lee 1993
p 90). The central message of advertising - which is always present
whatever goods it is promoting - is to make us buy, or consume. (9)

Both these studies have been applied in USA with the purpose of
measuring the advertisement effects on society. In this view the
present study is very important to measure the effects of modern

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advertisement on Pakistani society especially on the children. USA is
going far away in this context the study will suggest to follow the
example of USA to measure the exposure of advertisement. There are
few examples collected from different studies presenting the USA’s
strategy to explore the advertisement effect on society and especially
on the children and teenagers.
During the 1960s there was an intensive debate about the effects of TV violence on
children and young people in the USA. This led the US government to appoint, in the
early 197Os, a committee by the name of the Surgeon General’s Advisory
Committee on Television and Social Behavior (The Surgeon General’s
Committee) 9, with the task of summarizing and evaluating research into the effects of TV
violence on children and young people.(10)

The example shows that how much they are worried about their children and want to
avoid them form the negative effects of advertisement. These kinds of committees can
also save the Pakistani children from the miss gaudiness or from many other bad habits.
So, the study is also important because I will be very helpful to recognize the parents how
media can affect on the memory of their children.
By 1979 a new committee has been appointed by the American public health authorities
(The national Institute of Mental Health). This body was assigned to evaluate and
summarize the results of the research that had been done. The committee’s report, which
was published in 1982 under the title Television and Behavior: Ten Years of Scientific
Progress and Implications for the Eighties, stated that the research done in the 1970s
confirmed that there was a relationship between TV violence and aggressive behavior
among children and young people over time. (Lowey & DeFleur 1988 p 389 et seq).(11)
Klapper ‘s(media researcher1060)(12) conclusions were also confirmed by the first major
study of the effect of television on children, which was conducted in the late 195Os, and
which was presented in the book Television in the Lives of our Children, where the
results of eleven large research projects were set out (Schramm et al 1961).(13)
On the other hand there is no committee or organization that is working to check this
tendency which reflects the negligence of government. In Pakistani market many
Multinational companies are changing the environment. There is no one to ask them or to

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stop them, have look at the telecommunication sector of Pakistan. All most each and
every company offering late night package which appealing the young generation to talk
for long time on the phone at night. I also want to code the example of WARID which is
offering the late night package in which two child are working and calling each other on
night and hiding from their mothers. These types of ads leave longer effects on the
memories of children. The study will present the results also to PTCA (Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority) and to the schools which will be visited during the survey.
With the reference of results I will request to the schools to inform the parents about this
and to arrange different kind of activities so that we can avoid our children form the bad
effects of modern advertisement. That’s why the purpose of this study is to measure the
effects of modern advertisement effects on the children.
The study will use semi-structured interviews in as well as questionnaire to
measure the effect of advertisement. All questionnaires will be translated into Urdu so
children can better understand the purpose of this study and it will be also helpful to make
clear results and to remove biases from the study, and interviews will be conducted on the
interviewee’s choice either they want to speak in English or Urdu.

06. Objective of Study:

⇒ To explore the advertisement effect on middle level of children of Pakistan.
⇒ To explore the attitude of children how they are changing their attitudes with the
passage of time and how they response to the media.
⇒ To aware the parents and teacher form the bad impacts of advertisement on the
children.
⇒ To bring in the notice of Government to identify code of conduct for
advertisement agencies as USA has don in early 1970s.
⇒ To check the relationship between aggressive behavior of children and TV ads.
07. Data collection & Procedure:
For the purpose of data collection the study will take the help of two tools. The first is
questionnaire that will be helpful in conducting quantitative analysis and the study will
also use the semi-structure interviewees that can be helpful in qualitative analysis. It is

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going to be a mix method approach. The study will collect data form 10 schools and the
number of children is proposed 300 from which we will collect the data and on the
interviewee side both children and teachers or parents will be asked about the influences
of media on their children. The sample period of 30 days has been selected for the data
collection and complete schedule of day by day progress has been attached with this
proposal in the end.
08. Significance of the study:
The study will contribute the body of knowledge in several ways and will be very helpful
for the education sectors as well as for the students and children. It is also important
because of its audience the study will compare the USA’s strategy with Pakistani context
how USA is working to save their children from the bad effects of advertisement and
where our country is working for children or not working. Only few studies have been
employed in this field and the government of Pakistan is even not thinking about this
major issue. So, this study can be a first drop of rain for the betterment of children.
09. Research Question:
(Main Research)
What are the effects of Advertisement on children in Pakistan?
(Sub question)
Is there any relationship between aggressive behavior of children with TV ads or not?
How children react to advertisement?
Are children responses positive or negative to the advertisement?
What are the perceptions of parents and teacher about the advertisement effects on their
children?
10.0Research Methodology:
10.1. Philosophical Assumption and Approach:
• Using pragmatism approach I will use Mix Method to quantify the findings.
10.2. Sampling:
• I will select the school children as population and defiantly those children will be
selected who used to watch TV or listen Radio or use internet etc.

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10.3. Sample size:

• For the purpose of data collection 10 schools will be visited from which 20
students from each school will be asked to fill questionnaire or interview in this
way the total number of population will be of 200 children.
10.4. Sampling Procedures:
• I will use the both probability and non probability procedures in my study in
which the stratified random sampling and quota sampling will be applied. The
reason is that my respondents are demography located at different places and there
is language biasness
10.5 Method:
• I will personally visit the schools, before the survey I will contact with school
principles via telephone using reference of somebody else related with that
schools so I can get permission to collect the data.
10.6. Instrument:
• Questionnaire forms will be used as instrument to collect the data from the
children and these forms will also be translated in Urdu language so the children
can easily understand. During the surveys the teacher will also be asked some
question for better understanding the behavior of children. So, the interviews of
teacher will be recorded via tape recorder and than these interviews will utilized in
purifying the result.
10.7. Analysis tools:
• I will use the most efficient and popular software to analyze the data which are
explained below.
• SPSS (quantitative data)
• QSR NVivo 7 (quantitative data)
10.8. Types of Data:
The research will use both quantitative and qualitative data. After collection process both
data collections will be analyzed with the help of these two softwares.
• Quantitative data

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• Quantitative data
11. Data analysis
I will use the sequential data analysis procedures in which supported data will be
collected before of after the primary dataset. In the first phase quantitative data will be
analyzed and in the second phase qualitative data will be analyzed and in the third phase
both results will be compared with each other for the final conclusion.

12. Validity and Reliability Procedure:

• The study will use different methods to ensure the validity and reliability of data
which are listed below.
• Validity:
• Face validity: In which I will ask the expert personality to identify if there is any
error.
• Reliability:
• The reliability of data will be measured with the help of Stability and
Consistency of data.
• Stability will be measured with test-retest method.
• Consistency will be measured with interterm consistency method.

13. Ethical Issues:

The main participants are children in this study so, in this way there are lot of constraints
and ethical issues. Lot of schools have made so tough and tide laws that no body from the
outside can not go into the school and even they don’t give permission to talk with
children. Similarly, another issue is that the respondents are from the age of 10 to 15
years of child, this is the immaturity stage of children and they might not give the proper
answer with deeper understanding.
I will make it sure to the schools teachers that the privacy and information of all children
will be kept in secret and after the certain time of period I will delete all data of children
in order to avoid from misuse of somebody else me. The questionnaire and interviewees
will be conducted after permission of the principal of school or form the top management.
During the questionnaire filling process there would be no pressure on children to do
according to our wishes they will be given free hand to complete the questionnaire form. I

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will motivate my participants by offering them sweets and chocolates during the process
of data collection.

14. Tables and diagrams:

1 3
Elements of Inquiry 2
Design Process
Alternative Knowledge Of research
Approaches to
Claims
Children Attitude Towards Research
TV Advertisements in Semi-structured
Pakistan Mix Method Interview
(Shahbaz, Shabana and Faiz) Questionnaire
Children and television
Approach of
advertising Mix Method Personally visit (in data
(BY ERLING BJURSTRÖM) collection)
Convergence The use of software
Strategies of Inquires Model SPSS+ NVIVO
(data analysis )
Sequential Procedure

Qualitative Validity & Reliability

Quantitative Face validity
test-retest

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Advertisement and Children

Advertiseme
nt

Others
medias TV Web

Society

You Eld
Childre
th n ers

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Studies related with advertisement and children

Study Researchers
Children Attitude Towards TV (Shahbaz, Shabana and Faiz)
Advertisements in Pakistan
Children and television advertising (BY ERLING BJURSTRÖM)

Children, Advertising, and Product ( ELIZABETH S. MOORE

Experiences: RICHARD J. LUTZ*)
A Multimethod Inquiry

Television Food Advertising to (Walter, Nancy, James, Victoria)

Children in the United States

Food Advertising and Marketing (International Journal of

Directed at Children and Behavioral Nutrition and Physical
Adolescents in the US Activity 2004)

14. References:
(1) Sachiko, M (2004).Children and Media. Journal of Young Consumers:
Insight and Ideas of Responsible Marketers 6. P37-43

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(2)Leonhardt, David and Kathleen Kerwin (1997), “Hey Kid, Buy This!” Business Week
(June 30), 62–67.
(3) M.S.Shabbir, S,Kirmani (2008). Children Attitude Towards TV Advertisements in
Pakistan
(4) Institute of Medicine report of 2006, adapted from “Television Food Advertising to
Children in the United States” (A Kaiser Family Foundation Report, 2007)
(5) National Tween Study (2002) Sponsored by Nickelodeon Magazine.
(6) Kobasigawa,A.(1977)“ Retrieval Strategies in the Development of Memory,” in
Perspective on the Development of Memory and Cognition, R.V. Kail and J.W.Hagen,
eds. Hills dale, NJ:Erlbaum.
(7) Wartella, E., and Alexander, A (1979), “The Young child as consumer,” in Children
Communication: Media and Development of Thought, Speech, and Understanding
E.Wartella, ed.Beverl Hills,CA:Sage Publications.
(8) Wernick, Andrew (199 1): Promotional Culture: Advertising, ideology and symbolic
expression. London: Sage Publications.
(9) Ewen, Stuart (1976): Captains of Consciousness: Advertising and the Social Roots of
the Consumer Culture. New York: McGraw Hill.
(10) Surgeon General’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social
Behavior (SGR) (1971): Television and Growing Up: The Impact of Televised Violence.
Report to the Surgeon General, United States Public Health Service. Washington: U.S.
Government Printing.
(11) Lowery, Shearon A & DeFleur, Melvin L (1988): Milestones in Mass
Communication Research. Media Effects. New York & London: Longman.
(12) Klapper, Joseph T (1960): The Effects of the Mass Media. Glencoe: The Free Press
of Glencoe.
(13) Schramm, Wilbur; Lyle, Jack & Parker, Edwin (1961): Television in the Lives of
Our Children. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press.
14) The National Swedish Board for Consumer Policies, October 1994

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