Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Master-thesis Proposal
under the supervision of professor Bernardo Figueiredo, Post doc. PhD.
2. Research
design
Methods of data-collection - the purposive sampling criterion is going to be based on
nationality of participants. In order to ensure validity of my research, only Koreans are
going to be chosen. In order to enrich my research findings in terms of a multiple
perspective on a given topic, both Koreans from/outside of Gangnam are going to be
chosen in the same proportion. For the purpose of my research, I will use sampling
technique based on criteria of saturation. In other words, I will try to learn in detail and in
particular depth about the experiences of chosen individuals and at the same time stop
interviewing participants when no new information of significance (was) obtained for
ongoing thematic development and theorizing (Tuckett 2004). Therefore, size of the
sample is not known in advance. Demographic characteristics of above-mentioned
participants are going to be: age (22-35), occupation (university students and
professionals), and social stratification (middle-class). Importantly, this generation of
participants has been raised based on Confucian-values and, at the same time, currently
face radical changes of their lifestyles due to globalization forces. Therefore, this
generation is the main component of rapidly changing environment and may be a good
sample to focus on in order to see discourses in the market place, where they play the
most active role (Hyun 2001). Furthermore, my study will follow in a traditional
consumer research that emphasis developing more in-depth analysis of the life stories
expressed by a relatively small number of participants (Thompson 1996). The
fundamental tenets of this type of sampling strategy have been expressed by McCracken.
McCracken stress that the purpose of the qualitative interview is not to discover how
many, and what kind of people, share certain characteristic. It is to gain access to the
cultural categories and assumptions according to which one construes the world
qualitative research does not survey the terrain, it mines it. It is, in other words, much
more intensive than extensive in objectives (Thompson 1996). After explaining reasons
of my research, each participant will take part in interview dialogue (conducted in
English) that ranges from 60 to 90 minutes. Interviews are going to be recorded using
dicta-phone and later transformed into verbatim written transcripts. The majority of the
interviews occur at private-study-rooms situated in the local library. In order to derive
participants` experiences and world-views, the dialogue will be largely set by each
3. Categories
of
literature
Generally spoken, I will make a use of literature related to methodology (Arbnor and
Bjerke 1997, Belk et. al. 2013, Birks and Malhotra 2006, Burrell and Morgan 1979, Foss
and Waters 2008, Thompson et. al. 1989, Thompson 1997, Thompson and Hyatko 1997,
Thompson and Tambyah 1999, Thompson and Holt 2004, Myers 2008), Korean history
(Clark 2012), Confucian ethics and its effects on consumption (Nelson 2000, Palmer
2002, Weber 2002) national culture and its effects on consumption (Hampden-Turner and
Trompenaars 1997, Hofstede et. al. 2010, Lewis 2003), effects of globalization on
consumption (Craig 2006, Fang 2008), consumer culture theory (Arnould and Thompson
2005), global-local consumption (Kang et. all. 2011), consumer discourses (Thompson et.
al. 1989, Thompson 1997, Thompson and Hyatko 1997, Thompson and Tambyah 1999,
Thompson and Holt 2004) etc. To be more precise, sources of secondary information that
are going be used are enclosed at the end of this proposal.
becoming popular market due to the following reasons: Asia is an attractive consumer
market consisting of more than half of world`s population, there is rapid growth in
consumption, enormous developmental potential, rapidly emerging middle class, and
increasingly disposable income, are just few factors that contribute to popularity of Asian
markets. Nevertheless, some of the unique characteristics of Asian market have made a
multinational presence challenging at best. For example, in spite of growing interest in
Asian markets, marketers still possess lack of knowledge on how marketing techniques
and theories can be applied to non-Western contexts. Therefore, it is important to
understand Asian consumers. If we talk about South Korea in particular, reflecting
GDP, annual disposable income per capita has continued to increase slowly but steadily
since 2009, going from Won13,486,600 (9,354 Euro1) in 2009 to Won13,945,500 (9,672
Euro) in 2010 before reaching Won14,025,100 (9,727 Euro) in 2011. At the same time,
consumer spending has continued to grow with annual expenditure per capita going from
Won12,529,400 (8,698 Euro) in 2009 to Won12,996,200 (9,022 Euro) in 2010 before
reaching Won13,256,700 (9,208 Euro). Between 2009 and 2011, annual disposable
income per capita increased (in real terms) by nearly 4% while consumer spending per
capita increased by nearly 6% (Passport 2012). Therefore, based on the rise of
dispensable income as well as increasing spending patterns, it is very important,
especially for companies to understand consumer market and Korean consumption
patterns. From a scientific point of view, I can say that understanding of consumer
discourses in South Korea could contribute to a growing stream of research on the
socially embedded nature of consumption activities and meanings (Thompson 1996). To
defend the topic of my thesis even further, even if there are various studies on discourses
in consumers behavior and consumption patterns (Thompson et. al. 1989, Thompson
1997, Thompson and Hyatko 1997, Thompson and Tambyah 1999, Thompson and Holt
2004), there has been a limited focus on consumer discourses happening outside of
Western countries, especially those in Asia, South Korea in particular. In addition, based
on the current literature scrutiny, there is currently no study related to consumption
patterns of Koreans living in Gangnam. In this way, my study would pave the way for
further understanding of consumption patterns and related discourses happening in,
1
based
on
Exchange
rate
on
May
14,
2013
5.
6.
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