BE599 Research Proposal Amendments

The following amendments have been made in response to the feedback comments from research proposal.

The proposal for the specific study will be on the Pick and Pay Supermarket based in Zimbabwe. The study will focus on consumer purchasing behavior in the Pick and Pay Supermarket.

Research gap

The study of consumer purchasing behaviour largely pivots on factors resulting from occidental deduction and rationalism, making it a concept largely colored by Western civilization (Mooij, 2003). This reality makes its application in more diverse landscapes challenging as the factors ( employment status, Income level,urban-rural divide, and education) are inadequate to layout the full picture of their impact on consumer purchasing behaviour in Pick and Pay Supermarket without one crucial factor that represents the peculiarity of Africa thus culture, given the Zimbabwe position in Africa.

Culture has a variety of concepts, one in focus is customs. A custom is a commonly recognized, conventional manner of performing something exclusive to a group of people, a place, or an era, and one significant component of culture is customs (Rangel, 2022). There is a lack of research on how Shona customs affect the Shona consumers on purchasing certain products in Pick and Pay supermarket. For example, its a taboo for a Shona consumer to eat seafood (Gelfand, 1971).

As over 80% population of Zimbabwe is derived from Shona culture (Bourdillon, 2014). Studying this gap poses a significant light on this oversight and draws a full understanding of the concept of consumer purchasing behaviour, given the majority of consumers are from Shona tribe and the supermarkets nowadays cater modern needs. This study investigation should give insight to Pick and Pay Spermaket on adaption tactics, and significant insights to policymakers and industry stakeholders.

Research Aim

Aim to Investigate the Influence of traditional food customs on Shona consumers' Product Choices and consumption pattern

Aim to investigate the extent to which the role of ceremonies plays in consumer consumption pattern in Pick and Pay Supermarket ( NEED TO REFINE AIM ON CEREMONIES)

Research Question

How do traditional Shona food customs influence the product choices and consumption pattern of Shona consumers and the effect to the (Pick and Pay) supermarket store?

Methodology

The study will adopt a qualitative approach.Main data collection and analysis techniquesThe sample unit will be at least 30 respondents per city minimum with a sample size target of 100 respondents.

Reference list

Bourdillon, M.F.C. (2014). Culture Summary: Shona. [online] ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu. Human Relations Area Files. Available at: https://ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/document?id=fs05-000.

Gelfand, M. (1971). DIET AND TRADITION IN AN AFRICAN CULTURE. Medical journal of Australia, 2(21), pp.10941095. doi:https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb92723.x.

Mooij, M.D. (2003). Convergence and divergence in consumer behaviour: implications for global advertising. International Journal of Advertising, 22(2), pp.183202. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2003.11072848.

Rangel (2022). Characteristics of Culture, Customs and Traditions. [online] Available at: https://www.walshmedicalmedia.com/open-access/characteristics-of-culture-customs-and-traditions-114614.html#:~:text=A custom is a widely,a form of cultural representation..