The Difference between Chinese and British Consumer Behaviour on Coffee Consumption - Essay Example

?Methodology Introduction Coffee has been globally accepted as one of the favourite drinks. Many nations have adopted the coffee culture which is evident due to the growth of the coffee market in the world. There has been an increase in coffee consumption over the years. This can be confirmed by the increase in coffee houses, stores, cafes and coffee operators. This has shown that there is a change in beverage preference because coffee was not very common in the past. The aim of this study is to investigate the consumer behaviour, consumption pattern and trends towards coffee consumption in both China and United Kingdom. The study also examines some of the beliefs, perceptions and causal effects that influence coffee consumption. Answering the ways in which coffee brands have affected the coffee consumption and the overall consumer behaviour will help identify the differences and similarities in consumer behaviour in coffee consumption in China and UK. This chapter discusses the techniques that are used to collect and analyse primary data that will assist in justifying the study conducted in secondary sources. Rationale of research approach The study is conducted by making use of both the primary and the secondary data. This research entails qualitative and quantitative data. The secondary data offers the qualitative data that helps to get more information concerning the coffee consumption and consumer behaviour in China and UK. The reason for choosing to research on literature review is due to the fact that there might be previous studies of the same subject that might help in the study. The secondary data will help to gather information that might be hard to gather from primary data. It is also very easy and cheap to use the secondary data as it is readily available and would help answer unanswered questions. Secondary data will offer information that explains the consumer behaviour and what affects it. The main reason for studying the secondary sources is to get the history of the current situation that would help to predict the trends of the coffee consumption in the two countries. Primary data offers quantitative research that helps to determine the intensity of an issue depending on the number of respondents. It will also help to identify the actual behaviour on consumers towards coffee consumption. Both the primary and secondary data will help to verify the research hypothesis. Description of the data collection instruments The secondary data that provides the qualitative information is retrieved from secondary sources search as books, research reports and journals. They can also be retrieved from wed portals and electronic journals. These sources provide data that helps to analyse information from the past. They contain literature that are reviewed and have summarized theories from a wide range of sources. The primary data is collected by the use of statistical survey. One of the statistical survey method used in this study is the Likert scale type of questionnaire. It is made up of open-ended type of questions. It is a scaling method of a five point scale that shows the level of agreement with the given statement. The respondents are given a simple task to choose one of the options that range from “strongly agree, agree, uncertain, disagree and strongly disagree” (Jackson, 2011). The questions which are more of statements are positively structured which means that if the respondents agree to all statements, it will prove that coffee culture has been fully adopted in both countries. Rationale for data collection instruments The Likert scale questionnaire was the best to collect primary data because it would be easy for the respondents to understand the questions and also to answer them. One of the advantages of the Likert scale type of questionnaire is that it is effective, very easy to construct and they are also reliable. They are also very efficient because they are not complicated thus no major errors when collecting the data and administering them is very easy. They help in studying the different attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of the respondents. Likert scale helps to identify the level of familiarity of the issue being discussed and statistically easy to interpret and analyse. A reason for choosing statistical survey to conduct the study was to get different opinions from a large number of respondents. It is the best technique to use when there is a large population involved. They are very reliable as they are standardised and this makes it very convenient for the researcher in making observations and analysing data. Administering the instruments The questionnaires are administered to random consumers in China and UK. They are given to consumers in cities and rural areas to help identify their differences in attitudes and perception towards coffee consumptions. Questionnaire would also help to identify if branding issues have an effect on coffee consumption. They will also be given to both the youth and adult generation. The study will focus on consumer behaviour in the cafeterias of schools and workplaces during the day. The study also focuses on the consumer behaviour on coffee consumption in the morning hours especially during breakfast and other breaks in between classes and working hours. The sampling procedure that was used was the random sample. The random sample was best for required data that was to be collected from a large population. The researcher asked 30 respondents from every location for concept to take the questions in the questionnaire. A pilot study was carried out in cafes, restaurant and several coffee shops to identify the actual purchase behaviour of consumers of coffee. It involved only twenty participants in total that were willing to participate. Tenenbaum and Driscoll (2005) argue that it happened before the actual study was conducted and was randomly carried out. The main aim of carrying out the pilot study was to determine whether the respondents would have any difficulties in answering the questionnaire. It also ensures that the methods and instruments of collecting data are effective. Limitations of the methodology Some of the limitations of the study are; not knowing the age of the consumers as the respondent did not have a place to fill their ages. Therefore, it would be hard to determine the consumption pattern of the different age sets. It would also be difficult to differentiate the respondents from the rural and others from the city especially in China where there are many cities. The sheets might get mixed up with others from a different region. The Likert scale take a lot of time to complete that wastes time for the researchers to cover a large population. The statistical survey will only offer quantitative data that may not be completely accurate. The simple random sampling that was used in the study was not entirely reliable. The respondents that were randomly chosen would represent the entire population and it might give inaccurate information. Method for analyzing data The computer program that was used for analyzing the collected data was Excel. This is because it is easy to compute and manipulate the collected data. Most of the responses from the respondents in the Likert scale questionnaire were positive or rather encouraging. One of the reasons that made the study successful was the manner in which the questions were structured. This made it very easy for the respondents to answer questions. The open ended questions are very easy and the respondents do not take much time on a question as there are no many requirements needed. This makes it convenient for both the researcher and respondents. Data collection I carried out a background investigation on the current coffee consumption trends in both China and United Kingdom. I prepared two questionnaires that assisted me to analyze coffee consumption in the two countries. A good questionnaire should be short, clear and few in number. It should be intelligible, impersonal, simple, multiple choice or open end type. The questionnaire must not be aggressive type. Questionnaires with questions that measure separate variables, could for instance include questions on; preferences (e.g. political party), behaviors (e.g. food consumption) and facts (e.g. gender) Advantages of questionnaires Questionnaires have a numbers of advantages over other methods of data collection. A questionnaire provides a relatively inexpensive means of data collection from large number of people. People are able to quickly answer, completely and return the questionnaire at their convenience time. This method allows individuals to maintain anonymity thus there is more likely hood of providing real facts. Last but not least the responses can be easily tabulated and analyzed quickly. In this project I also carried out some observations. I choose to carryout unobtrusive observation, which involves observing behavior without the target group’s knowledge that they are observed. I observed how people took coffee in a day, sales per day and response from consumers. I observed that sales and number of people at coffee shops were increasing everyday. Most customers took coffee after work, meeting friends and when it was cold. The reasons why I choose this method of data collection is because the data collected is highly reliable. The person collecting data is able to see clearly what is being done and do works measurement. This method is also relatively cheap compared to other methods. This survey was conducted two countries, China and United States, to know the consumers consumption behavior on coffee. Data collection assisted us to get different opinions from the consumers and non-consumers. I used the survey questionnaire to find the attitude and benefits awareness of coffee consumption for both the old and young. The questionnaire used for the survey was designed to capture socio-economic variables about consumers such as age, monthly income, level of education, employment status and gender. The information below will assist one to compare and contrast between Chinese and British consumer behavior on coffee consumption; Data gathered from China Half of the Chinese who filled the questionnaire complained of lack of knowledge on importance of taking coffee. Three quarters of the Chinese who completed the questionnaire preferred spending time in coffee shops than in tea shops where there was a lot of smoke and noise. Most citizens Lack of knowledge on how coffee is made, drunk and the actual taste of quality coffee affect consumer behavior on coffee consumption in china. The coffee consumers in china are not familiar with the different types of coffee such as cappuccino and latte. All the coffee consumers who filled the questionnaire said that the coffee taste is bitter and most of time it kept them awake the whole night. Data gathered from the United Kingdom Most of consumers who completed the questionnaire preferred taking coffee in the morning. Three quarters of the citizens have been trained on how to make different types of coffee. The survey shows that coffee is a staple beverage in UK and most people take coffee. The research shows that UK makes the highest sales and the coffee shops still earn and make profits during recession. The citizens have bargained for better prices and this has contributed to an increase in coffee consumption. The survey shows that the consumers like hot beverages especially during cold seasons and coffee is the most common drink among the chocolate and tea. Questionnaire interpretation China No; Questions; Analysis; 1 Do you prefer taking coffee or tea and why do prefer your choice? Three quarter of the consumers prefer taking coffee over other beverages such as tea and chocolate 2 Are you aware of various benefits of taking coffee? Half of the citizens were not aware of the benefits of taking coffee everyday. The citizens complained of complained bitterness and it kept them awake. 3 How many different types of coffee do you know or can you prepare? Most citizens are not familiar with different types of coffee United Kingdom No; Questions; Analysis; 1 Do you prefer taking coffee or tea and why do prefer your choice? Three quarter of citizens took coffee everyday in the morning 2 How many different types of coffee do you know or can you prepare? Most of the citizens are able to make of coffee such as cappuccino and latte with several flavors such as amaretto, cinnamon and hazelnut. They have made use of the toppings and creamers to help in enhancing the taste of the beverage Conclusion from data gathered The analysis from questionnaires and observation clearly show that both China and United Kingdom have adapted to the trend of coffee consumption. In China the trend is picking slowly as the living standards of people keep improving. The young and the old people prefer taking coffee as they relax and meet their friends at coffee shops. In the United Kingdom almost the whole population is well informed about the coffee and its benefits. The citizens have ensured that the prices for coffee are fair. The quality of coffee has made the citizens to choose coffee over other beverages such as chocolate and tea. Data analysis Introduction The data collected from the study that was conducted from the primary sources were very positive. This showed that consumers have started accepting coffee to be one of their favourite beverages. The quantitative research that was collected in the study has justified that there has been an increase in coffee preference. This shows that coffee market is booming and will continue to grow. The study has also established and increased love coffee. Using the secondary data, the data collected from primary sources gives statistical significance to the study. Data analysis identifies the main themes that could be noted from the nature of the questions. It would then compare with the data collected from secondary sources. This will help link the data collected from the primary data to the secondary data and help to verify the information in the literature review. Coffee shops atmosphere The data collected in the first, second and third questions from the Chinese questionnaire showed that many respondents agreed to the statements. According to the literature review, this justifies the fact that Chinese are starting to love coffee and they are increasing their consumptions level. There were a high percentage of those that agreed to coffee culture being very appealing to mean that they wee ready to adopt the culture due to its attractiveness. Many respondents agreed that coffee was the favourite. The little percentages that took the other responses show that China is still having some barriers that are affecting the coffee consumption. The consumer behavior would change and the coffee preference would increase as many found the coffee shops to be extremely comfortable and beautiful. According to literature, it identifies that coffee houses are designed to be beautiful and pleasant places where consumers can enjoy their drink. The results from the questionnaire that was answered by the British respondents showed that the British like taking coffee from coffee houses. They strongly agreed that the cafes were beautiful and attractive. The British consumers spend a lot of their leisure time in coffee houses and most prefer to hold meetings in them. Others just go to hang out with friends or family just to have a good time. This is due to the fact that the coffee shops are now entertainment joints. Many go there to relax as compared to other joints that are noisy. The collected data also show that the British have a tendency of purchasing the take-away coffee. There was a 90 percent strongly agree response that focused on the tendency of buying take away coffee from coffee shops. This shows that the habit is very common in the UK. The atmosphere of the coffee shops such as the aroma of the roasted coffee would make the cafes to have a pleasant smell that would attract more consumers. Attitude/ perceptions Questions number 6 and 7 have been strongly agreed. The respondents thought that coffee was a luxury drink with a very attractive lifestyle. Both questions had more than 60 percent. This made it easy to identify that the respondents perceived coffee to be an occasional drink. Literature review showed that coffee was mostly drunk when there was a business meeting and during social gatherings. This sheds the light on literature that identified that coffee was rarely drunk by individuals but by groups such as a group of family, friends or associates. Respondents had a positive response which indicated that they had a positive attitude towards coffee culture. Knowing that China is a tea nation, the results show that there has been a positive trend in terms of consumer behaviour on coffee consumption. The study showed that many respondents believed that coffee was an energy giving drink. It was a favourite beverage to many in the UK and some drank it just because it helps to keep them awake. This could help understand why most of the consumers of coffee are the youth that are in schools and jobs. This could probably be linked to the reason why they believe that coffee keeps people alert. Another strongly agreed statement focused on the annual festivals that help to familiarize consumers with coffee culture. Many British consumers agreed to having loyal attendants of the London coffee festivals. This shows that they have truly embraced the culture and they continue to celebrate coffee as they get to learn more about the beverage on how it is made. This helps to increase the coffee consumption and preference. The festivals contribute in helping to increase the knowledge of coffee and its different tastes. Actual purchase behaviour According to the data collected from quantitative research show that the Chinese prefer purchasing their coffee from coffee houses rather that taking a cup of coffee from their houses. There was also a high response that agreed to having an attraction to instant coffee. They also purchase instant coffee from coffee stores which are easy to prepare. Chinese have not yes fully been absorbed by the coffee culture. Not many people know how to brew coffee nor do they have the interest to know. They go for instant coffee that is easily prepared or visit coffee shops to purchase a cup of coffee. They would not enjoy premium coffee because many have complained that it is bitter therefore, it would be hard to find the Chinese purchasing roasted coffee as they are not yet used to the taste. The results however are encouraging as they show that there is an increasing trend of coffee consumption. The results that were collected from the British respondents show that many are addicted to purchasing take away coffee and making the actual purchase from coffee houses. There was a response that strongly agreed to preferring roasted or grounded coffee to instant. This shows that the British consumers know the value and taste of premium coffee. The results also showed that most of the consumers are willing to pay more just to have a nice cup of coffee. Another response that was really encouraging in terms of increasing the consumer consumption of coffee was that they agreed to brew their own coffee. They purchase the coffee beans in the coffee stores. Post purchase behavior `The response of the questions numbered 10, 11 and 12 have a high percentage of the level of agreement. This shows that there is positive post purchase behaviour towards coffee consumption in China. They are willing to continue to buy coffee which is evident due to their frequent visit to the coffee shops. The Chinese have increased their consumption of coffee and they are continuing to know more about coffee and their preference towards premium coffee is increasing. The results from the study show that there is also positive post purchase behaviour as the responses show that British consumers prefer taking a cup of coffee. They are also willing to purchase quality coffee which means that coffee culture has settled among the British. Branding issues The study conducted in China has shown that consumers have increased their coffee consumption due to the appealing advertisements. That statement was strongly agreed upon and this explains the impact of marketing strategies on consumer and purchase behaviour. Chinese have increased their consumption of instant coffee due to the introduction of sachets of instant coffee that would make a cup of coffee. The Nestle Company is one of the companies that have introduced an instant coffee brand and is the most consumed. References Jackson, S. L. (2011). Research Methods and Statistics: A Critical Thinking Approach. Belmont: Cengage Learning. Tenenbaum, G., & Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Methods of Research in Sport Sciences: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Oxford: Meyer & Meyer Verlag. Read More