Consumer Attitude towards New and Improved Skincare Products: Comparative Analysis between India and Singapore

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for the academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

1.1Background of the Study1

1.2 Aims and Objectives2

1.3 Purpose of the Study2

1.4 Problem Statement2

1.5 Thesis Statement3

1.6 Rationale of the Study3

1.7 Theoretical Framework3

1.8 Research Questions4

1.9 Research Hypothesis4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW7

2.1 Introduction7

2.3 Consumer Loyalty and Attitudes9

Sociology10

Psychology10

2.4 Consumer Attitudes12

2.4.1 Theory on Consumer Attitude13

2.5 Study on Consumers14

2.6 Relationship between Consumer Attitudes and Behavior15

2.8 Factors Affecting the Consumer Attitude18

2.8.1External influence18

2.8.2 Internal influences20

2.9 Consumer Attitude towards New and Improved Skincare Products23

2.10 Advertising Impact on Consumer Attitudes23

2.11 Skincare Industry in India26

2.12 Trends in Indian Skincare Industry26

2.13 Statistics of Indian Skincare market29

2.13.1 Competitive Landscape31

2.14 Skincare Industry in Singapore33

2.14.1 Key Trends and Developments33

Economic recovery spurs growth33

2.14.2 Science Drives New Product Development36

2.14.3 Male consumers increasingly image-conscious37

2.14.4 International companies continue to dominate39

Market Forecast41

2.14.6 Competitive Landscape42

2.15 Leading Companies43

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY44

3.1 Research Design44

3.1.1 Qualitative and Quantitative Study45

3.1.2 Rationale for Quantitative methodology46

3.2 Research Approach46

3.3 Research Philosophy50

3.4 Research Sample52

3.4.2 Selection of Participants53

3.6 Data Collection54

3.7 Variables55

3.8 Instrument55

3.8.1 Likert Scale56

3.9 Design and Application of Questionnaires56

3.10 Questionnaire Responses56

3.11 Self-Completion Questionnaires57

3.12 Procedure57

3.13 Ethical Concerns58

3.14 Reliability and Validity59

3.14.2 Validity60

3.15 Limitations of Research60

REFERENCES61

APPENDICES66

Appendix - A: Relationship between Questionnaire with Hypothesis, Objectives and Research questions66

Appendix - B: Questionnaire68

Appendix - C: Cover Letter71

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

There was couple of principles at work from the first decade of twentieth century. From them the first focused on the economics of marketing by using branding in order to establish the prestige and authority of a business to deliver brand's value proposition to the consumers. Moreover, marketing has attempted to control and retain the consumers instead of embracing them, but this process is now breaking down as a consequence of failure in getting to know the factors that control an individual behavior in postmodern consumption (Arena, 2009, 12).

In the same way, the relationship between the government and the citizens is very difficult to understand, the relationship between producers and consumers has never been so simple. People are not shouting in the streets what they want to buy; they select from a large range of options that are supplied to them by manufacturers and suppliers. The competitiveness between brands is increasing, and by inference, the number of advertisements increases too (Parasuraman and Zinkhan, 2005, p 288).

There is a close relationship between attitudes and behavior. The measurement of attitudes is used in two different ways, firstly to predict the market reaction to certain commercial activities such as introducing a new product, and secondly to try to bring about changes in consumer's attitudes and thus way to get the same behavior according to ...