A Study of
Consumer Perceptions and Evaluations
of The Jaguar Brand in Saudi Arabia
Supported By:
Al Saif Motors
Prepared by
Dr Stephen Calcich
Associate Professor of Marketing
Department of Management and
Marketing
Students and
Instructor of MKT 345 (Marketing Research) course
Department of Management and Marketing
King Fahd
University of Petroleum and Minerals
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
1. INTRODUCTION
6. PRESENTATION
OF RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
9. COST
1. INTRODUCTION
As
part of the requirements for completing the Marketing Research course offered by
the Department of Management and Marketing at King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (KFUPM), students are often required to conduct research on a
marketing-related topic of interest. Upon recommendation from the Business
Development Center of the College of Industrial Management at KFUPM, during the
Spring semester 2003 the Marketing Research class has decided to use an
investigation of consumer perceptions of the Jaguar brand of automobile as a
class research topic.
The study
will examine how these brands are currently perceived in the Saudi market, and
will provide information that will be useful to Al Saif Motors in their efforts
to better penetrate the market.
2. RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES
The
research will be designed to achieve the following objectives.
1. To examine the competitive standing of the Jaguar brand
in Saudi Arabia verses other brands of luxury cars.
2. To identify the factors that influence consumers’ preferences
for different brands and models of luxury cars. For example, price,
performance, after sales service including parts availability, resale value,
and frequency of model redesign.
3.
To examine
consumers' quality and image perceptions of the Jaguar brand name.
3.
RESEARCH DESIGN:
To achieve the above objectives, a survey will be conducted
among owners and potential buyers of luxury cars in the Eastern Province of
Saudi Arabia using a structured self-administered questionnaire.
Prior
to the main survey, exploratory research will be conducted to identify the
factors that influence customers’ preferences for different brands and models
of luxury cars in the Kingdom. This will be achieved through focus group interviews
and depth interviews with selected customers as well as with resource personnel
(e.g. salespeople) in car dealerships that offer luxury models. Results of
these investigations will be used to design the questionnaire, which will then
be tested in a small-scale pilot study before final implementation in the main
survey.
4. DATA COLLECTION
Students
of the Marketing Research course at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
will distribute the questionnaires. Each student will be responsible for
collecting information from a sample of respondents.
5. DATA ANALYSIS
The
students will code and enter their data into a computer for electronic
processing using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)
software. Specific analysis techniques to be employed will be dictated by
requirements of the research objectives formulated for the study.
6. PRESENTATION OF RESULTS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Findings
from the study, conclusions drawn, and related recommendations will be
communicated to Al Saif Motors in a written report prepared by the Marketing
students. An oral presentation could also be arranged if this would be of
interest to Al Saif Motors. This will provide the opportunity for management of
Al Saif Motors to seek clarification of issues contained in the written
report.
7. EXECUTION TIME SCHEDULE
The
study would be completed by the end of the Spring semester – June 2003. Dr
Calcich will be available for further consultation July 2003.
8.
BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT
We
envisage that Al Saif Motors will derive significant benefits from this project.
First, the research objectives have been formulated taking into account the
practical marketing issues involved with an existing brand represented by Jaguar-
issues related to customer awareness, market segments to target, product
perceptions compared to competitors, and factors important to customers when
they choose among alternative brands. We believe that information collected
from the project will be valuable to Al Saif Motors in helping the company to
better define its direct competitors and its target market, and also to
identify aspects of its marketing strategy that need to be improved to make the
product a success in the market. Second, implementation of the project
itself will contribute to improving the image of the brand and the Jaguar
product line among Saudi consumers. Furthermore, each student (
approximately 90 students enrolled in the course) will be distributing
questionnaires to approximately 10 people resulting in more than one thousand
people becoming more knowledgeable regarding the Jaguar brand and product line
just by virtue of completing the questionnaires.
9. COST
We hope that Al Saif Motors will contribute to the
research effort by meeting expenses involved in the data collection, providing
a prize for the students producing the report and an honorarium for the
instructor for supervising and directing student efforts to ensure that quality
research is conducted.