marketing research
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METHODOLOGY1.docxRunning Head: DEMAND FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT 10
Demand for Public Transport
Institution
Name
Executive Summary
This research will employ both qualitative and quantitative techniques to find out how the perceived efficiency, income levels and perceived safety will influence the demand for public transport. The main population of research will be obtained from the active customer who often uses public transport in the bus stops. Regarding pretesting, the researcher will need to carry out a pre-test study that will be aimed at finding the weaknesses of the questionnaire that will be used to carry out the main research. This will not be easy to carry out the pre-testing on the online platform; the focus group will be used in this case. The participants will be approached at the bus stops. The focus group will be interviewed for ten minutes, but the participants will require to be settled to give more reliable and honest responses. Those filling the questionnaires will do it at their convenience as they travel or in their homes. The significance of this research has been given so that those willing to assist in it can have the value inherent in taking part in this research.
Research Methodology
The demand for public transport in Singapore has been rising over the recent period as a result of increased reliability among the commuters (Carvero, 2016). Besides, the public transport has been promoted to reduce the car use by improving the convenience and comfort in the public mode of transport and make it easier to substitute the car at more affordable rates.
Consumer willingness to trust the public means of transport is dependent on the benefits that the consumer will derive from the service offered. The consumer can prefer the given mode of transport from the convenience inherent in the given medium of transport. Comfort is another critical way of evaluating the value a customer derives from the available means of transport.
For the public transport to gain popularity among the users, trust is the driving force in any operating business success, and deviation from the customer expectations automatically leads to the failure of the particular business operations (Yu, 2009). To get optimal results from the intended research, there are many factors that need to be taken into account since they have a bearing on the perception people have on the given mode of transport.
Moreover, the age of the consumer defines how the consumption patterns and decision making and therefore, should be a factor to consider while trying to find out consumption patterns. However, it is crucial to note that the reliability by the customer on a given service determines the demand of such a service (Zott, 2008). Service with a good reputation will attract higher demand while a service that has a bad reputation will attract significantly lower demand.
This research will concentrate on finding the correlation between perceived convenience, safety and income levels to the demand for public transport as outlined in the framework shown below.
Research Design ( PLEASE MINIMISE TO 180 WORDS)
The research methodology will employ a combination of both quantitative and qualitative approach where the researcher will carry out field researches and case studies regarding the previous, present and the future factors which influence demand for public transport. The researcher will then employ the collected data to gauge how perceived efficiency, income levels and safety determine the demand for public transport.
During the research, the researcher will concentrate on addressing the following questions; first, the researcher will determine the reasons as to why the demand for public transport has been rising and the factors that will likely contribute to the increased demand with a close look at the contribution of perceived convenience, safety and income levels. Secondly, the researcher will embark on analyzing the increased demand for public transport to the economy as a whole. Thirdly, the researcher will determine the effects of increased demand for public transport on the economy. Lastly, the researcher will also find out whether public transport will maintain its demand in the face of other competing transport agencies which are coming up in the Singapore transport sector. The methodology selected is within the scope of the research question in that it provides the researcher with an opportunity to collect data that can be used to test the reality of the reality of the hypothesis. Given the author will use both quantitative and qualitative methods, he will employ both positivism and interpretation approach.
The questionnaire will be used in this research since the consumer in public transport will only be required to fill up the questionnaire online on social platforms like Facebook. This survey technique is relatively cheaper as compared to other types of surveys, and provides standardized answers that will make it easier to compile data. Although this type of survey has been criticized based on demographic limitations especially when dealing with people who cannot read or write though on a limited scale and thus the questionnaire will be the best method of data collection in this case.
Pretesting
The research will concentrate specifically on the survey questionnaire as the main method of quantitative data collection. A pre-test will, therefore, be ideal to test the clarity of the questions in the research. Also, a pre-test will be carried out to test for the validity and reliability of the research questions. Besides the order, flow, skip patterns and the overall respondent’s well being will be tested will be evaluated.
The researcher will be interested in finding the consistency with which the respondent give their responses to the particular question each time. Through this, the researcher will compare the responses from different pre-tests to the same question and find out whether there is any consistence to establish the reliability of the research questions in the questionnaire. The validity of the questions will be done by finding out whether they meet the intended purpose of the research. Any deviations from the questions will be determined through a comparison between the responses to the same question, and the researcher will redesign questions appropriately until the questionnaire meets the expectations of both the respondents and the researcher.
Data Collection ( minimize to 180 words)
The most efficient and appropriate methods of collecting data will entail the use of questionnaire in the transport sector. The reliability of the research will be based on the data collection. The main sample of the research will involve exclusively the customers in the public transport. The main method that will be used to approach customers will entail invitation of the public to take part in the research. The respondents will be invited through posters in the public transport vehicles which will have a facebook page where the customer will get the questionnaire and fill appropriately. This approach will be appropriate since the researcher will only concentrate on the specific population of the study enabling him to get the relevant information which will provide the most relevant data to the researcher.
Using the questionnaire as the main technique for data collection will be more appropriate since it will allow the respondent time to consider their responses. A large population of people will be reached since the responses will be given online through a Facebook page. Again, the public transport users will have an opportunity to give a response about their experience with the public mode of transport.
Qualitative data will be collected through focus group which will be comprised of customers for the public means of transport. The customers will be approached at the most convenient time such as when they are awaiting for a bus at a bus stop. The participants will be asked to give their view about the safety of public transport. Also, they will be required to give responses regarding the convenience of public transport regarding cost and flexibility. The customers will then be required to briefly to indicate their salary brackets to enable the researcher to establish whether the income of the individual dictates public transport preference. The aim of using salary bracket is to ensure the confidentiality of the respondent’s income has been maintained.
Research Environment ( minimize to 180 words)
The participants will be required to give their responses via a questionnaire that will be attached online on the facebook page. This will be more convenient since they will give their responses while travelling and thus much of their time will not be wasted and ensuring that they are at ease giving their responses. By giving them an opportunity to give their responses while travelling it will help them give adequate and honest responses to the questions. As a result, the researcher will get more reliable information for the research question.
The focus group will be found in the Central Business District around Singapore. Singapore is both the centre for the Singapore State. The respondents will participate while they wait for the buses. This will be convenient since there will be no time restriction to meet the participants. The participants in the focus group will give their responses to the spot, and there will be no requirements for participation based on specific points. The interview will not take a lot of time, and it will only take 10 minutes since the questions will only be briefs and it will be comprised of 20 participants, ten males and ten females. For the group to feel well represented, they will settle
On the other hand, those who will be filling the questionnaire will follow a facebook page where they will find a questionnaire on which they are to provide their responses and thus more convenient since they will fill them at the convenient of their mobile phones. The survey will be more efficient since there will be no limitation of time as the researcher will give a time allowance of seven days.
Before the kick off of the actual process, the researcher will be required to carry out a pre-test to identify areas that need improvement in the questions in the questionnaire, to avoid transferring such issues to the main research process.
Contribution of the Research ( minimize to 240 words)
The public transport service providers will also extend their services to more users by moving closer to their customers and therefore, improving the convenience with which the pass4engers can access these services, which is in line with the research question. The research will also form a baseline which the public system transport can implement to improve the safety of the customers and therefore improve their confidence with the system. Apart from the identification of the loopholes, the findings of this research will provide insight to the public transport service provide on the best approach they can employ to come up with a more robust system, that improves both customer experience at the same time enhancing the comfort of the customers using this means of transport.
The findings will further be helpful in building a strategy that will enhance the coverage of the public transport network in Singapore. It will also be useful for the stakeholders as they will find out why most people prefer using private mode of transport and therefore make improvements based on the findings. The public transport service providers will start providing customer centred services to encourage them to respond to their needs more appropriately.
References
Carvero, R. (2016). Public transport and sustainable urbanism: global lessons. Transit Oriented Development, 43-56.
Yu, H. &. (2009). Relative impact fromproduct quality, Service quality and experience quality on customer perceived value and intntion to shop for the coffee shop market. Total Quality Management 20(11), 1273-1285.
Zott, C. &. (2008). The fit between product market strategy and business model: implications for firm performance. Strategic management journal, 29(1), 1-26.
demand for public transport
attitude towards public transport
perceived safety/ security towards society
perceived convenience
reserarch opportunity
income level
