Research questions in academic inquiry and methodology

Brand Loyalty in the United States and Kenya in the Youth Sportswear Market

Key components of brand loyalty include intangible factors such as perceptions of brand name (i.e. The social cache attached to the brand); style; price; and promotional techniques. Brand loyalty components also include tangible concepts such as product quality (both perceived and real); store environment (both virtual and brick-and-mortar); and service quality (Lau et al. 2006:3-5). The research will compare patterns of young person's product loyalty between the United States and Kenya in all seven critical factors in the sportswear market to answer the following preliminary research questions:

Are there different emphases placed upon brand loyalty factors in both the United States and Kenya in the sportswear market amongst young people?

Although there is little literature specific to Kenya, the literature indicates that teens to late 20s consumers tend to be 'brand switchers' in the sportswear market cross-culturally (Lau et al. 2006:10). Overall, because of the income levels of residents of Kenya, however, it is suggested that price may be more of a factor in brand loyalty than in the United States. It will be argued that amongst residents of the U.S., intangibles such as brand name and style in the sportswear market will have greater importance than more tangible aspects of the clothing such as price.

How does social class affect brand loyalty factors in both nations? (For example, is brand name more important in Kenya vs. The United States among upper-income residents and is price more significant for lower-income residents)?