Introduction RamaniAresekularetnes international academy (pvt) Ltd was established as a vocational training institution 18 years ago since (1992).

RamaniAresekularetnes international academy (pvt) Ltd has two extensive segments such as for academic functions and saloon intentions. Spotlighting on to the scholastic purposes, they believe that education is key to a rewarding and progressive career. The directress ramani has designed a wide range of courses to meet a variety of experience levels and learning needs to guide people in their search for technical and creative excellence. Choosing to Study at RamaniArsecularatne International Academy (Pvt) Ltd, Provides with premium credentials on which people can build a great career. Their Certificates are recognized locally as well as globally and qualify its holder to a range of special benefits. Focusing on to the saloon purposes they also have RamaniArsecularatne Beauty Salon the brand new & most modern Hair & Beauty Parlor in town, providing the best service for all beauty needs with all facilities having the latest modern equipments, undoubtedly with the most reasonable rates as well. In many trade tribulations the decision makers are only attentive of a certain proportion of the factual dilemma. Criticism from discontented patrons, diminishing market share and loss of services are some exemplars for marketing problems. The purpose of this investigation is to discover the cause for the predicament that is imperceptible and not evidently understood by the verdict creators of RamaniAresekularatne institution. In other words to make them aware that the real management decision problem would be a result of factors such as high pricing strategy than the competitors, deficient promotional campaigns, lacking interest on concerning about the saloon spot, not being aligned with contemporary trends etc. This research also aims at providing Ramani saloon with facts and figures about the current market competitors, consumer expectations and expects ability of their new service by the target market, and the market characteristics.

Problem definition Management problem We identified thatRamaniAresekularatnehad focused on her course areas therefore she is not focused on the salon area. Research Problem Identified ways to increase the demand in the salon area. Research Objectives Our research objectives were as follows: Are the trends Ramani uses in line with the current trends in the market? Does her promotion methods capture the customers attention? Do you think if Ramani introduces new services will it be productive? Do you think Ramani should compare her prices and daily sales with other competitors in the market?

Data Collection Methods The overall preparation for collecting analysing the information obtained is known as the Data Collection methods. This method enables us to decide on the best possible solution for the business effective well-being in the long run. Ramaniaresekularetnes is an organization which has a few decisional problems, so by using the Data Collection method we can research and find the best appropriate solution available. In order to ensure weight, accuracy and attract our research, we propose a variety of methods to conduct the survey consisting of both exploratory and descriptive research methodologies, representing both as well as secondary data collection methods. Data Collection method is not only about the preparation for collecting the information obtained, but also to ensure that the solution found in the data collection method would be practical and effectively achievable in the market. Exploratory Research Exploratory research is the initial research conducted to, identify, clarify and define a problem (Zikmund, 2003). Research methodologies were undertaken to identify the various problems faced by RAMANIARESEKULARETNES such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, observation and use of secondary data etc. The purpose of the exploratory research process is to progressively narrow the scope of the research topic and transform uncertain problems into well defined ones that incorporate specific research objectives (Zikmund, 2002, p.56). In-depth Interviews Group considerations are similar to In-Depth interviews, but usually only one person is interviewed at a time. The interview is usually conducted by a well experienced and trained researcher and at times projective techniques may also be used, in order to ensure that the best possible person is selected and also to make sure that the talented person is not ignored at any costs. This format remains shapeless, but well recognized in the market.

In order to make our study look attractive and effective, we decided to conducted an in-dept interview with one of the Directors of RAMANIARESEKULARETNES who is known as Mr. Smith. This interview was performed, in order to gain some knowledge about

RAMANIARESEKULARETNES e.g:- the history of RAMANIARESEKULARETNES, how they started in the early days of the business, how they managed to reach the current position, what were the barriers they had to cross in order to reach the current position, the marketing tools used to promote their service, the types of services they undergo, in order to take a place in the hearts of the customers, their potential market share and their strength of the challenge they are facing in the market.

By undergoing this study we were able to recognize and understand the real problems and weakness that RAMANIARESEKULARETNES faced. The major problem faced by RAMANIARESEKULARETNES was that RAMANIARESEKULARETNES only had one single outlet in the entire country, which was a main reason for the decline in the amount of customers who visit the outlet these days since they feel inconvenience to travel a long way to visit the outlet. The other major reason for customers to feel inconvenient to travel a long way is because they may have a wrong impression on the standard of the studio and the service provided since they just have one established outlet which does not use any promotional methods to develop their services. Focus group We proposed to conduct focus group, so that questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members and answer honestly and tell their opinions.

There are two focus groups with four members in each one. The focus groups are; Consumers using the service of RAMANIARESEKULARETNES currently Consumers who are aware of RAMANIARESEKULARETNES, but not using it currently

The mediator who conducted the focus group discussions used a total of ten questions for each group. The participants of the focus groups were chosen randomly through our research team with the guidance of the personnel portfolio. Thus the main focus group has been filtered into being the existing customers and potential customers of RAMANIARESEKULARETNES.

The main issues discussed in the focus group are as follows. What are customers opinions about Mr.Peirce? The satisfaction level when considering the service and facility in

RAMANIARESEKULARETNES? How is it compared to the other competitors business services? Whether find it inconvenient to travel to visit the outlet and their opinion on having more outlets around the Colombo area. What are the issues they are facing with the services of Mr.Peirce? The reasons why the people dont go for RAMANIARESEKULARETNES who are interested in the same services they do? What are the ways RAMANIARESEKULARETNES can improve their service in order to attract consumers to visit their outlets?

Observation Our team which consists of a few researchers would be collecting and gathering information on the consumers behaviour toward RAMANIARESEKULARETNES and their service to the customers and all the relevant materials required in order finding a solution to the problems faced by RAMANIARESEKULARETNES. We are looking forward to and are focused to capture information on customers preferences, attitudes, awareness, behaviour and their level of satisfaction with the services provided by RAMANIARESEKULARETNES.

Secondary data Secondary data research is also called as desk research. This is where the needed information is collected without any fieldwork. (Luck.D & Rubin.R, 1999). The secondary data or past data can be found within the company or in the companys past records. Secondary data are also known as data gathered or collected previously by the firm or even through previous general findings and gatherings from any other investigating team which resulted in similar findings, history and

achievements of the organization, past records on services, customer complaints and opinions, mission and vission of the organization are also called as Secondary Data.

The secondary data sources were as follows; Magazine articles which consists of articles relating to RAMANIARESEKULARETNES and their main events RAMANIARESEKULARETNES website on the internet Research reports on past findings Brochures which were issued in the studios itself which contains all the details of the studio.

The main focus behind collecting such information is to identify and understand about the following aspects; Market size Market size is the standard they have in the market and whether they are capable of surviving in the long run. Company Profile It is about the organization, owner, history, staffs, staffs training methods etc. Pricing Different pricing levels available and the memberships available for students. Promotion Promotion is the methods in which they are planning to promote the business in order for in to be more effectively successful in the long run. Competitors The challenge for the business, and the competitors who are always looking forward to seizing a opportunity to bring the business down. Potential market share

Descriptive Research Descriptive research is the most commonly used research method. The basic reason for carrying out descriptive research is to identify the cause of events that is happening in or around the business. Explanatory research or Descriptive research is based on the understanding of the nature of the study, and it describes some personalities of the population and their interests

towards the organization and its services provided by the organization. The resulted figure which enables us to get an understanding can be evaluated precisely and statistically. Considering the descriptive study for RAMANIARESEKULARETNES, we focused on one main method of descriptive research which aids us in applying our study in a successful and effective manner. Hence, we are using this tactic in order to identify the reason behind the research problem we have undertaken and are hoping to find the best possible solution to fix the problem and help RAMANIARESEKULARETNES be effective in the long run. Distribution of Questionnaires In order to accomplish all the above mentioned tasks we are planning to create and distribute questionnaires among the existing consumers as well as the potential consumers of RAMANIARESEKULARETNES, and also to the general public. These questionnaires are structured as well as undisguised. (Refer Appendix)

Measurement Instrument Main measurement instrument for the research will be structured questionnaire. The questionnaire will be distributed among members of the target population of different age groups to measure consumer behaviour patterns and preferences, attitudes and perceptions. Several important considerations were highlighted in developing and designing questionnaires. In order to ensure the willingness of the respondents, we made the questionnaire very simple. Types of Questions To ensure confinement to the research objectives and time limits, the questionnaire will not include open ended questions where the respondent can answer his or her own words. The whole questionnaire will be based on fixed alternative questions which provide multiple answers. Multichotomus and Dichotomous questions. The questionnaire will mainly comprise these types of questions. Dichotomous questions have two possible questions and Multichotomus questions comprise a number of responses. Questions based on levels of measure this is a very important type of questionnaire. These types were essential to estimate the level of preferences in choosing a snack competing with the substitutes available.

Wording & Sequencing of Questions These are some very important aspect of question design, which is neglected very often. The questionnaire designed for this research includes questions in very simple English; every effort is made to avoid technical jargons and discriminative wording. Questions that require considerable thought by the respondents will be placed at the last parts of the

questionnaire and more neutral and easy question at the beginning. This way it is intended to keep the respondent at ease throughout the answering session. Pre-Testing

Pre-testing is a procedure where questionnaires are tested on a small sample of respondents to identify and estimate potential problems (Malhotra, Hall, Shaw & Oppenheim, 2002, p.288). Pretesting is important to determine whether we receive what was intended to generate from the questionnaire. Questionnaire pre-testing may be conducted by an expert group who scrutinizes the validity or/and field testing as mentioned in the definition. Some important aspects that may need clarifications through pre-testing include: Can the questionnaire format be followed by the interviewers? Does the questionnaire flow naturally and conversionally? Are all questions necessary?

The research has used four main types of scales, namely nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio. The main scales used where nominal and ordinal. Nominal Scale This is a scale in which the numbers or letters assigned to objects serve as labels for identification or classification (Zikmund, 2003, p.326). Here the numbers used are mere labels, they express no mathematical properties. For example, if the respondents were asked to rate the attributes related to Gonuts with Donuts, this type of scale can be used for identification and there are no mathematical properties of the responses. Interval Scale The interval scale arranges objects according to their magnitudes and distinguishes this ordered arrangement in units of equal intervals (Zikmund, 2003, p.327). Interval scales were used in this questionnaire to measure income levels and age group that the respondent will be segmented (Refer appendix 1). Ordinal Scale Ordinal scale defines the ordered relationship among objects or events: attitudes, preferences for brands, social class (Kinnear & Tayllor, 1996, p.223-228). Ordinal scale was used in this questionnaire to rank the preferences for the different snacks that customers would prefer.

Analytical Method Statistical analysis software called SPSS will be used for the analysis of the raw data obtained from the questionnaire. The data analysis will include editing, coding, general frequencies, cross tabulations, significant text, correlation analysis and regression analysis. These types of analysis will be used wherever it is relevant for the research study.

Editing involves the checking and adjusting of data for omissions, legibility and consistency as well as getting it ready for coding and storage (Zikmund, 2003, p.500). There are two types of editing: Field Editing This will help to analyse the questionnaire accurately and gather reliable information which will show the attitudes of the customers towards the service, price and consumer behaviour patterns more accurately. This showed a precise view of the position the firm held in consumers minds. In-house Editing This is as important as field editing as the company itself analyses the current situation via the data collected through field editing. Field editing In-house Editing

Zikmund (2003, p.567) states that a chi-square test is a hypothesis test that allows for investigation of statistical significance in the analysis of frequency distributions. It is used to test if a relationship exists between two qualitative variables. In this analysis, we will use chi-square tests to test the relationship between the age group and purchasing preference (dine in, takeout or delivery of donuts).

Results gathered from the marketing research should be carefully acted upon. They need to be clearly communicated with simplicity and briefness in an easily understandable manner.

Decisions should be made, in line with the target market considering the major findings. For better understanding, information gathered could be communicated through visual formats.

Time line CHRONOLOGY Week Two TASK Research of background information Initiate Literature Review

Week Three Week Four

Research of background information Literature Review Problem definition Interview Preparation Problem definition Interview Preparation Background information completed Literature search Interview Data collection analysis Sampling method Measurement instrument Proposed analytical method Questionnaire design Limitations of the study Budget Finalizing Questionnaire

Week Five

Week Six

Week Seven

Week Eight (August 25th

Limitations
Limitation of the Time factor, Observations of the market and bringing up recommendations to overcome the imperfections of the company are heavy and a complex task, which requires information in abundance. This time factor will be the obstacle to gather all the possible and relevant information considered necessary to the following research.

The budgetary demands are too constraining and limit the flexibility. The budget can be expressed in terms of the budget of the consultancy firm as well as the financial position

The economy is currently facing rapid changes; this may have an effect on the forecasting effectiveness. The dynamic environment may be a reason to amend the results foreseen through various indicators such as regression models, economic indicators and so on.

The information which is unable to be gathered using primary data due to time constraints will inquired using secondary data collection. The data found in relation to our research may have lack the precision. The reasons behind this may be; There may have been probable alterations in the economy as well as the

market within the time period since the data was collected and till it was used in our researchers. The connected information with regard to the research (of secondary

information), such as who, why and how the research was carried out will not be available. This information at some instances is vital, due to the reason that outcomes may change with how the decision and research problem was defined, and the techniques used to carry the research. The biasness and the errors created by the researchers of the secondary

information may have an impact on the analysis done by our research team

The sample size used in the primary research is assumed to generalizing the whole target market. However in reality this is not the situation, we might reach the respondents out of the target

population as well as exceptional personalities, will have an effect on the fact-findings and analysis. The limitations above will be a constraining factor to limit the 100% guarantee over the success to the client company. However the research team has taken various measures to ensure the minimal damage off these different limitations. To reduce the impact of respondents lack of interest towards interviews and questionnaires, the option of giving away free tokens to encourage the respondent to be corporative has been suggested. The data entry errors have been planned to be prevented using methods of validation and verification (such as proof reading). To increase the dependability on the secondary information, the researchers are heavily depending on acquiring information off the original sources which provides republished dates.

Budget

Costs 1. Personnel salaries and wages

Rs.

Rs.

Questionnaire preparation Primary & Secondary data collection Data Analyst salaries Data Entry & Organizing Fringe benefits Compiling & Finalizing the report

2 600 7 700 8 200 6 300 3 500 4 000 32 300

2. Transportation

Designing the Sample Transport for Data gathering Questionnaire Distribution Preparing the Proposal Completion of Data Analysis

2 300 5 700 4 500 1 500 1 200 15 200

3. Supplies & Materials Printing Material Photocopy charges Stationery Items Documentation & Binding costs 4. Communication Telephone charges Postage charges Audio & recording devices 5. Miscellaneous Expenses Consultants and contracts MICR Equipment Rental Other Overhead Expenses 2 500 2 900 1 700 8 300 2 500 6 600 7 400 4 900 5 400 1 200

18 900

17 400

7 100

Total Budgeted Expenses 900

90