scholarly journals Visual Merchandising Displays: Wasted Effort Or Strategic Move? The Dilemma Faced By Apparel Retail Stores

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1489 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Cant ◽  
Mrs Y. Hefer

Retailing per se has been with us since the beginning of time. Over the years retailing methods and techniques have been adapted and changed in order to meet the demands of the market. In the same way the in store activities aimed at the consumer has been evolving and changing. At first the focus was on merchandising per se, but even merchandising has become more focussed and professional and specialised. This has led to this study focussing on visual merchandising and its effect or not - on consumer spending. Much has been said about visual merchandising displays and the effect it has on consumer perceptions. Consumers perceptions towards visual merchandising displays are investigated and evaluated in this study. The primary research question that was posed in this study was to determine the effect of visual merchandising displays on consumer perceptions. Explorative research was performed and qualitative data were collected by means of focus groups and nave sketches. The data was analysed by means of a thematic analysis process. The main conclusions that can be drawn from this research is that the perceptions of visual merchandising displays are subliminal in creating an interest and desire to further peruse the merchandise and aesthetically to beautify the store.

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1217
Author(s):  
Yolande Hefer ◽  
Michael. C. Cant

Several consumers think they only purchase products when they go shopping, however time and time again they purchase the experience of shopping as well. The experience of shopping is highly influenced by the visual merchandising displays (also known as feature areas where merchandise is presented) used in store. Much has been said about visual merchandising displays and the effect it has on consumer behaviour. The way products are displayed and promoted in apparel retail stores can have a vast impact on consumer responses and how much merchandise the retailer sells. The main research question explored the effect visual merchandising displays have on consumer behaviour. Explorative research was deemed to be the most appropriate for this study and qualitative data was collected. Focus groups were used to collect the first round of data, where after nae sketches were used to support the findings. The focus groups and nae sketches were analysed by means of thematic analysis. The findings indicated that the visual merchandising displays guide consumers in the direction of the products they are seeking and that it also guides their decisions. The participants agreed that their buying behaviour is influenced on a subconscious level, based on the eminence of the visual merchandising displays, as well as their personal preferences and gender.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Corinne Nell ◽  
Jan Wiid

The physical brick and mortar retail environment has been the bastion of survival for retailers over the years. With the developments in technology and the changing shopping patterns of consumers, apparel retailers are facing competition from alternative channels, such as the internet where consumers browse, compare and ultimately purchase products. Faced with this evolution, it has become critical for brick and mortar retailers to reconsider the principles and practices of in-store consumer engagement. They need to understand how their physical in-store environments can be used optimally in order to ensure sales optimisation, consumer satisfaction and sustainable profitability.This state of affairs has led to this study, which focuses on sight and its influence on consumers buying behaviour. The primary research question that was posed in this study was to explore the influence of sight on consumers buying behaviour in apparel retail stores. The type of research design used in this study was exploratory in nature, making use of a qualitative approach and a communicative technique of focus group interviews and nave sketches. The data gathered was analysed by means of Teschs inductive descriptive coding technique, better known as thematic analysis. It was found that sight has the ability to influence consumers in either a subconscious or a conscious way. This has a direct influence on the amount of time that consumers will spend in-store and ultimately influence their buying decisions and behaviour, either positively or negatively.


2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
May Vatne ◽  
Dagfinn Nåden

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of being suicidal and the encounter with healthcare personnel. The research question was, ‘How did the suicidal patient experience the encounter with healthcare personnel?’ Data were collected, analysed and interpreted using a hermeneutic approach. Qualitative research interviews were used to collect data. Participants included 10 people: 4 women and 6 men aged 21–52 years. With the exception of one person, they had all experienced one or more suicide attempts. The study requires ethical considerations in planning and interviews as well as in the analysis process. Through a thematic analysis, three key themes emerged: (a) experiencing and not experiencing openness and trust, (b) being met and not met by someone who addresses the matter and (c) being met on equal terms versus being humiliated. Results in this study may indicate a lack of willingness and courage to listen to what the suicidal person says and to trust him or her.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 160940691989614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danette Starblanket ◽  
Sebastien Lefebvre ◽  
Marlin Legare ◽  
Jen Billan ◽  
Nicole Akan ◽  
...  

Over the past several years, academic discourse has included discussions around improving research methodologies, particularly related to Indigenous people. Using Western research methodologies and methods when undertaking health research with Indigenous people, in the direction of Indigenous communities, has not been very effective. This is due to the fact that Western research methodologies do not address the need to foster relationships, mutual respect, and reciprocity. Engaging Indigenous communities empowers them to take an active role in how the research is conducted and ensures that the research is relevant to their communities. Engagement with Indigenous communities is also important during the analysis of qualitative data in the form of interviews, focus groups, and sharing circles. Without adequate engagement, data analysis often reverts back to Western methods, leaving the community out of the data analysis process. Bartlett et al. developed the “Collective Consensual Data Analytic Procedure” (CCDAP) in 2006 to address the lack of community involvement in the data analysis process. Analyzing the qualitative data using a community panel to reach a group consensus reduces the possibility of biases that any one person could bring to the research. Furthermore, group participation helps foster relationships and camaraderie within Indigenous communities. The process outlined by Dr. Bartlett could however become tedious and lengthy when dealing with a large number of interviews and data entries. This is why the CCDAP process was streamlined by first doing a thematic analysis of the data using the NVivo software. Following the thematic analysis, digitalization was added to the process by the way of Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and Excel spreadsheet. This made it quicker and easier to perform the analysis remotely using any videoconferencing platform that allows for screen sharing.


2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (9) ◽  
pp. 2328-2343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rana Muhammad Ayyub

Purpose – There is a growing demand of Halal products and services in a number of non-Muslim countries. Although Muslim consumers have been studied in several research studies but there is dearth of empirical studies about the perceptions of non-Muslims towards Halal. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of non-Muslims towards Halal products and services. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected from non-Muslims of UK through snowball sampling technique. In total, 29 interviews were conducted. The consumer perceptions were explored about Halal foods. The qualitative data were analysed for thematic analysis by adopting Spiggle’s steps for data analysis. Findings – It was found out that majority of the non-Muslims have positive perceptions regarding the Halal products and services as far as quality is concerned. The themes which emerged from these interviews were quality, knowledge about Halal, acculturation and animal welfare issues. Research limitations/implications – This study will guide the Halal marketers about how to market the Halal products and services from the non-Muslim customers. Originality/value – This is probably among the rare studies on non-Muslims regarding their perceptions towards Halal.


Author(s):  
Sara Mallinson ◽  
Jennie Popay ◽  
Gareth Williams

After reading this chapter you should be able to introduce key features of qualitative research, outline how different qualitative methods can be used to answer different types of research question, describe some of the most widely used qualitative methods, explain key issues in the analysis of qualitative data and common features of the analysis process, and outline the importance of qualitative research in a public health context.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 132-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Zubow ◽  
Richard Hurtig

Children with Rett Syndrome (RS) are reported to use multiple modalities to communicate although their intentionality is often questioned (Bartolotta, Zipp, Simpkins, & Glazewski, 2011; Hetzroni & Rubin, 2006; Sigafoos et al., 2000; Sigafoos, Woodyatt, Tuckeer, Roberts-Pennell, & Pittendreigh, 2000). This paper will present results of a study analyzing the unconventional vocalizations of a child with RS. The primary research question addresses the ability of familiar and unfamiliar listeners to interpret unconventional vocalizations as “yes” or “no” responses. This paper will also address the acoustic analysis and perceptual judgments of these vocalizations. Pre-recorded isolated vocalizations of “yes” and “no” were presented to 5 listeners (mother, father, 1 unfamiliar, and 2 familiar clinicians) and the listeners were asked to rate the vocalizations as either “yes” or “no.” The ratings were compared to the original identification made by the child's mother during the face-to-face interaction from which the samples were drawn. Findings of this study suggest, in this case, the child's vocalizations were intentional and could be interpreted by familiar and unfamiliar listeners as either “yes” or “no” without contextual or visual cues. The results suggest that communication partners should be trained to attend to eye-gaze and vocalizations to ensure the child's intended choice is accurately understood.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Benedicta Sophie Marcella

Abstract: “Klenteng” is an Indonesian term for place of worship for Chinese traditional faiths in Indonesia. Sam Poo Kong temple is a heritage building located in Semarang. Chinese temple building is part of the China building architecture, thus Chinese temple apply the feng shui principals, so that people get the fortune, peace, and prosperity from the perfect balance with nature. In this research, to be conducted a review of the use of feng shui principles contained in the layout of the building mass. The research question that arises is "How the application of feng shui to the layout of the building mass in the Sam Poo Kong temple?" This research aims to determine the influence of feng shui contained in the layout of the building mass Sam Poo Kong temple in Semarang. This research use structuralizes qualitative methodology. Analysis process was done by comparing the theory of feng shui with field observations. The building layout, planes, and the filler elements apply the principles of feng shui and it has a good meaning, leads to happiness and welfare in life. Cultural influence of Islam, Buddhist, Hindu, and Chinese cultures convey the meaning and message to the user of the building, all for good purpose in human life. Based on the analysis it can be concluded that the meaning of the layout of the building mass on the Sam Poo Kong temple in accordance with feng shui theory and it brings prosperity.Keywords: feng shui, Sam Poo Kong Temple, the layout of the building massAbstrak: Kelenteng atau Klenteng adalah sebutan untuk tempat ibadah penganut kepercayaan tradisional Tionghoa di Indonesia pada umumnya. Kelenteng Sam Poo Kong merupakan bangunan cagar budaya yang terdapat di kota Semarang. Bangunan kelenteng termasuk dalam bangunan Cina, sehingga dalam tatanan bentuk bangunannya masih mempergunakan kaidah feng shui. Konsep feng shui adalah seni hidup dalam keharmonisan dengan alam, sehingga seseorang mendapatkan keuntungan, ketenangan, dan kemakmuran dari keseimbangan yang sempurna dengan alam. Dalam penelitian ini, akan dilakukan peninjauan penggunaan kaidah feng shui yang terdapat pada tata letak massa bangunannya. Pertanyaan penelitian yang muncul adalah “Bagaimana penerapan fengshui pada tata letak massa bangunan di kawasan Kelenteng Sam Poo Kong?” Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh feng shui yang terdapat pada tata letak massa bangunan Kelenteng Sam Poo Kong di Semarang. Metodologi yang digunakan adalah strukturalis kualitatif. Proses analisis dilakukan dengan membandingkan teori feng shui dengan hasil observasi lapangan. Tata letak massa bangunan menerapkan kaidah feng shui serta memiliki makna yang baik, mengarahkan pada kebahagiaan serta keselamatan dalam kehidupan. Pengaruh budaya Islam, Buddha, Hindu, serta Kebudayaan Cina telah bercampur, menyampaikan makna serta pesan kepada pengguna bangunan, semua untuk tujuan kebaikan dalam hidup manusia. Berdasarkan hasil analisis maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa tata letak massa bangunan pada kawasan Kelenteng Sam Poo Kong sesuai dengan feng shui aliran bentuk dan mendatangkan kebaikan.Kata Kunci: feng shui, Kelenteng Sam Poo Kong, tata letak massa bangunan


2020 ◽  
pp. 095935352093060
Author(s):  
Jennifer M Cole ◽  
Sarah Grogan ◽  
Emma Turley

Endometriosis is a condition which affects around 1–2% of women worldwide and has profound effects on their everyday lives. Previous research has tended to focus on physical symptoms (such as chronic pain); how women manage changes to their identity and relationships as a result of endometriosis has received less attention. This paper discusses qualitative data examining how women negotiate changes to identity while living with endometriosis, in a social context where women are expected to minimise their symptoms and conform to feminine role expectations. We conducted thematic analysis of 34 replies to an online survey seeking qualitative text responses. The women identified disruptions to personal identity as a result of living with endometriosis. They talked about not feeling like themselves (Theme 1) and about reactions from medical and social connections prompting feelings that they were going “mad” (Theme 2). Participants also expressed feeling as though they were a burden to loved ones (Theme 3), which often resulted in self-silencing (Theme 4). Findings are discussed in the context of Western expectations of women’s roles in social relationships and suggest that professionals who support women with endometriosis should be aware of strategies such as self-silencing which may reduce effective self-care.


Author(s):  
Aniruddh Ajith ◽  
Aaron Broun ◽  
Danielle A. Duarte ◽  
Bambi Jewett ◽  
Lilianna Phan ◽  
...  

Although Black/African American populations have high cigar-smoking prevalence, little is known about cigar-smoking cessation among this group. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of cigar-smoking cessation and assistance received from healthcare providers among forty Black young-adult cigar smokers (ages 21–29). Semi-structured in-depth phone interviews were transcribed and coded. Qualitative data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. Participants mostly smoked cigarillos, large cigars, and blunts. Overall, many regular cigarillo smokers reported interest in quitting eventually, while large-cigar and blunt smokers shared less interest in quitting because they perceived low harm from smoking these products. The reasons for cigar-smoking cessation were health concerns and financial constraints. Most of the participants who attempted to quit cigars did not use any cessation aids. The reasons for relapse included nicotine withdrawal, stress, and easy access. Additionally, most participants reported their healthcare providers did not ask whether they smoked cigars, and even when they knew, little assistance for cigar-smoking cessation was provided. Informing Black cigar smokers of the harm of cigar smoking and encouraging healthcare providers to screen for and assist with cigar-smoking cessation may alleviate the health burden of cigar smoking in this population.


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