How COVID-19 is Impacting Zara Customer Demand?

Question

Task: Produce an extended research proposal outlining a piece of research you plan to conduct. You may either: 
a. Build on the topic and work already done for Assignment 1 and develop it into an extended research proposal here; 
OR
a. Write an extended research proposal on an ENTIRELY new topic. You will not be penalised for doing so, but do bear in mind that you will have no feedback from your draft work (i.e. Assignment 1) to work with or build upon. You do not need to seek pre-approval if you take this option.

Answer

Introduction
As an impact of COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of lockdown, the fashion industry has been facing certain considerable effects of this ongoing situation on the sales of this particular industry and the demand of customers. Zara is one of the most popular fashion clothing retailers alongside possessing a high reputation in the fashion industry, and the research will be focusing on this particular fashion brand. With the examination of this particular situation, Zara customer demandhas been expected to confront a considerable decline in its sales and growth in 2020. Thereby, theresearch will examine the impact on Zara customer demand in the fashion industry of the United Kingdom.

Background statement
Fashion retailers are shutting down several stores in different cities in the world as a result of lockdown as declared in different nations of the world in 2020. This situation has encouraged shoppers to choose online shopping in order to avoid going out (Brydges and Hanlon, 2020). Nonetheless, it is further to be recognised that due to this pandemic, people have been losing employment opportunities and thereby facing financial hard times (Bain, 2020). This research will be focusing on the fast fashion industry in relation to the effect of this COVID-19 pandemic the Zara customer demand as a result of hard times.It became crucial to examine the impacts of COVID-19 on the fast fashion industry and more specifically, the impact on Zara customer demand as a reputed fashion retailer in the United Kingdom.

Research aims
The given research will be aimed at assessing and evaluating the identifiable impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the changes in the case of Zara customer demand witnessed in the fast fashion industry of the UK. The research paper will further be focusing on Zara customer demandas the selected fashion brand as the central concern of the paper.

Research objectives

• To examine the impacts of COVID-19 on the fast fashion industry regarding customer demand by assessing the global fast fashion market
• To address the impacts of COVID-19 on the sales and Zara customer demand

Research question
What are the potential impacts of COVID-19 on customer demand in the fast fashion industry of the United Kingdom?
Literature Review
The fashion industry will not be considered to be the first thing that will come to mind while thinking about the impacts and effects of COVID-19, same as the other industries; the fashion industry has been impacted significantly by the global pandemic. In this commentary, Brydges and Hanlon (2020), examined the response of the fashion industry to COVID-19. The authors in their paper highlighted the reinforcement of the crisis, followed by the existing structural inequalities within the given fashion industry. The authors further addressed that the workers within the industry have been disproportionately impacted by global production networks (GPNs). On the confrontation of COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the same on the fashion industry was identified to be hit immediately. As a potential effect of the public health concerns alongside social distancing measures, governments of different nations around the world were starting to demand the closure of non-essential retail industries and stores along with fashion. With mass closure of many retail stores, the retailers pivoted their focus to online sales, and thereby they began fundraising with regard to the local as well as international charities, and they further developed plans for supporting their employees. In countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, many frontline workers in the retail industry became eligible with regard to the wage subsidies sponsored by the federal government while they were unable to join work due to the closures. Big as well as small brands ranging from Prada to Dior and Tanya Taylor retooled for producing essentials in a short range of supplies, specifically including personal protective equipment (PPE). As addressed by the authors, some of the fashion councils thereby launched hardship funds for supporting the emerging and independent fashion businesses based on their uncertainties in relation to the business and functions.

From this evaluation, it has been recognised that the position of Zara customer demandin the given situation is no different. Based on the high cost offered by the brand for its clothes, it has become harder for the customers to meet the price during this economic fall down around the globe. An examination of Business Today shows that Zara's owners Inditex has decided and initiated thereof to shut down approximately 3,785 stores around the world amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Inditex further warned that operations of Zara had faced a significant impact as a result of the pandemic. It has additionally been examined that Zara has been forced to make the decision for shutting down in 39 markets (WRAP, 2020).

As examined by Baldwin and Mauro, (2020), COVID-19 has been spreading around the world, and as a result, it has become clearer that it has the probability of derailing the world economy significantly. It is no wonder that the economy has a significant effect on the retail industries based on their financial functioning. However, due to this threat to the world economy, the fast fashion industry will not be any different in the case of confronting economic breakdown. This further could be assessed to be a result of a fall in the Zara customer demand based on its high price and their low income during this pandemic (Atkeson, 2020). The authors in their paper addressed that COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly around the world and has become the central concern for everyone, including retailers to customers. COVID-19 is definitely spreading a significant amount of economic suffering around the globe. This economic downfall is most significantly crucial and important in its own right and can be viewed as a warning for avoiding a drastic measure that will not influence any economic development or business growth. However, it is to be assessed that the current situation of the fast fashion industry has an interlinked relationship with this economic breakdown that is directly connected with lack of customer demands.

Research Methodology
Research Proposition
The research proposition will underscore the selected parameters for the given research in its methodologysection. In this particular section, the paradigms, including positivism philosophy, the explanatory study as the researchapproach and the descriptive research design will be chosen alongside the selection of qualitative and quantitative data type.

Research Philosophy
The research philosophy is primarily focused on wisdom as well as awareness in relation tothe subject matter of the study. There are three sections regarding the research philosophy, includinginterpretivism, positivism, and mixed philosophy and the researcher will need to select one of these philosophies for conducting the study (Mayer, 2015). However, in this case, the positivism philosophy will be selected.

Research Approach
The paper willbe developed following an explanatory approach. This identifiedapproach will attempt to identify the explanation and assessment of the research question (Bly, Gwozdz and Reisch, 2015). The approach will be designed for investigating the potentialorigin andcause as well asaffect relationshipsin relation to the considered issue.

Research Design
The research design is of three different types, such as descriptive, causal relationship as well as the exploratory research design. The design may vary in relation to each different study in relation to its specific applicability (Schoonenboomand Johnson, 2017). However, in the present research, an explorative research design will be followed.

Research Strategy
In the present research study, two forms of data are to be collected. In that concern, the research strategy will be focusing on developing survey questions and analysisofliteraryarticles. Data Type and collection Following the requirements of the study on Zara customer demand, two types of data will becollected from different sources. Firstly, qualitative data will be collected from literary sources, and quantitative data are to be collectedfrom a survey based on a number of questions.

Data Analysis Plan
The qualitative data will be analyzedbased on the literature reviews conducted on certain selected literary articles concerning the subject matter of the study. On the other hand, the quantitative data is to be analyzedbased on the response collected from the survey that is to be conducted.

Type of Investigation
The investigation concerning the survey will be conducted based on the following questions under consideration:

1. What is your age group?

• Below twenty
• Twenty to thirty
• Above thirty-five

2. How often you used to purchase branded fashion products before COVID-19 outbreak?

• Rarely
• Once in two/three months
• Very regular

3. Do you consider Zara products to be must-have in your collection?

• Not really
• Certainly

4. Have you been opting shopping online due to COVID-19 outbreak?

• Yes
• No

5. How often have you been buying fashion products since COVID-19 outbreak?

• Very rarely, only necessities
• Sometimes
• Very often

6. Will you consider purchasing branded fashion products during this pandemic same as before?

• No
• Not sure
• Yes

7. Will you be expecting any new addition to your collection of fashion products during the post-COVID-19 era?

• No
• May be
• Yes

Sample Size
The survey will be conducted with the participation of twenty people to measure Zara customer demand. The sampling will follow a random sampling process and thereby execute the study.

Business and/or managerial implications of the research
It has been recognised that all the business industries all over the world are getting impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and in that case, even the fashion industry has faced significant impacts in many aspects. For evaluating the impact of this situation on the fashion industry,the research will be focusing on the Zara customer demandand changes witnessed therein alongside evaluating the economic effects of the same. Hence, the research paper is important with its value in relation to the identification of potential impacts of such a situation in the post-COVID-19 era to determine the potential solution to the identified concerns.

What are the limitations of the proposed study on Zara customer demand?
As a limitation to the proposed study, there are to segmentations that could be taken intoconsideration. Firstly, in the case of the collection of qualitative data, it will be considered to be a limitation in the case of accessing sufficient literary evidence as COVID-19 outbreak is the most recent phenomenon and therefore, not many literary works have been published in that regard. Besides, in the case of the collection of quantitative data, it will create a limitation regarding conducting the survey in person. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it is not an issue to make people participate in any survey in person.

Ethical issues and considerations
Ethical considerations are vital to be followed in the case of research (Øye, Sørensen and Glasdam, 2016.).The researcher in this case of Zara customer demand for conducting the given research will need to follow a number of ethical considerations including ensuring the active and consent-based mode for the collection of data. The participants should be communicated prior to the execution of the survey for the ensuing consent of the participants. Additionally, one more ethical consideration that needs to be taken into consideration, in this case, is ensuring that the information to be collected from the survey will only be used for academic purposes and not otherwise. Moreover, certain other ethical considerations will include accessing the permission of the authors in any case where the literary articles are not meant to be used without consent.

Conclusions
COVI-19 outbreak has been identified to affect many industries in relation to their financial activities, and the fast fashion industry in the UK is no different. The research paper, therefore, is aimed at developing an explanatory study on the given subject matter. In order to do the same, the paper will adopt a certain type of methodology and collect relevant data. On analysis of such data, the research study will be able to lead towards a valid answer to the identified research question.

Research timetable/schedule
The research time table can be recognised as another important part in relation to research on Zara customer demand. A proper time frame is needed to complete research as successful (Kunischet al., 2017). The research time table is identified to be the division of the entire time in small works. In the present case of Zara customer demand, the given research will need to be done following a designated time scale. Setting a particular time table will reduce unwanted uncertainties and delay in the completion of the research. Following this is relevant, the research will be needed two weeks to complete.?

References
Atkeson, A., 2020. What will be the economic impact of covid-19 in the us? rough estimates of disease scenarios (No. w26867). Zara customer demandNational Bureau of Economic Research.

Bain, M., 2020. Are Fast Fashion’S Giants More Vulnerable To Coronavirus Than Other Retailers?. [online] Quartz. Available at: [Accessed 11 August 2020].

Baldwin, R. and Mauro, B.W.D., 2020. Economics in the Time of COVID-19.

Bly, S., Gwozdz, W. and Reisch, L.A., 2015. Exit from the high street: An exploratory study of sustainable fashion consumption pioneers. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39(2), pp.125-135.

Brydges, T. and Hanlon, M., 2020. Garment worker rights and the fashion industry’s response to COVID-19. Dialogues in Human Geography, p.2043820620933851.

Kunisch, S., Bartunek, J.M., Mueller, J. and Huy, Q.N., 2017.Time in strategic change research. Academy of Management Annals, 11(2), pp.1005-1064.

Mayer, I., 2015. Qualitative research with a focus on qualitative data analysis. International Journal of Sales, Retailing & Marketing, 4(9), pp.53-67.

Øye, C., Sørensen, N.Ø. and Glasdam, S., 2016. Qualitative research ethics on the spot: Not only on the desktop. Nursing ethics, 23(4), pp.455-464.

Schoonenboom, J. and Johnson, R.B., 2017. How to construct a mixed methods research design. Zara customer demandKZfSSKölnerZeitschriftfürSoziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 69(2), pp.107-131.

WRAP, B., 2020. Coronavirus Impact: Zara Owners Shut Down 4,000 Stores Worldwide. [online] Businesstoday.in. Available at: [Accessed 11 August 2020].