Research methods assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Methods assignment - Research Paper ExampleMekonnen and Harris (2006) is an empirical investigation whether cause-related and affinity marketing enhances the crossways appeal and provides product differentiation (p. 135). In particular, the choose investigated whether linking a commercial organisations product with a non-profit organisation enhances the products appeal and provides differentiation from rival offers (Mekonnen and Harris 2006, p. 135). Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 135) articulated that the purpose or aim of their study is to investigate the efficacy of the premise of affinity marketing. The seek objectives were not explicitly stated but it buns be surmised that, implicitly, the research objectives covered identification of values associated with the use of affinity cards and how they affect the likelihood of donation. 2.0. Literature Review Based on a review of literature, Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 136) claim that there are significant gaps in understanding c onsumer attitudes towards products being sold by cause-related marketing and affinity marketing. ... 136). Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 135) declared their work as a challenge to the assumption that linking a product to a non-profit organisation enhances its appeal and provides a basis for differentiation. For Mekonnen and Harris (2005, p. 135), the efficacy of this premise depends on the type of cause or affinity group. Unfortunately, however, the review of literature of Mekonnen and Harris (2006) does not amount to an illustration of the significant gaps in understanding consumers attitude in the literature. It is not clear from the review of literature what the various studies have made or the findings they have reached on the relationship surrounded by cause-related market marketing and affinity marketing on one hand and product sales on the other. Perhaps there was no empirical study done at all prior on cause-oriented and affinity marketing prior to their study but this is n ot clear from the review of literature. However, because of the failure to expatiate what empirical studies have done or to explicitly clarify at least that no study has been done, the review of literature fails to identify precisely or to justify precisely the significance of the Mekonnen and Harris (2006) endeavour in the overall literature on the subject. The review of literature narrated that cause-oriented marketing has been conventionally characterised as being centre on short-term campaign initiatives (Mekonnen and Harris 2006, p. 136). It also pointed out that the affinity marketing is a sub-set of cause-related marketing (Mekonnen and Harris 2006, p. 136). However, citing the work of Berger and others in 1999, Mekonnen and Harris (2006, p. 136) clarified that affinity marketing can