Investigating Team Apparel Buying in the English Football Market.
Moilanen, Eero (2018)
Moilanen, Eero
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018052910990
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018052910990
Tiivistelmä
This thesis is a qualitative study for a sports retail start-up company. The research re-volves around gaining an insight and knowledge on team apparel business and the English market. The thesis aims to understand the target customer an English football club. The basis for understanding the customer requires investigating the market environment in which they operate, customer’s organisational structure and the buying process of the cus-tomer.
Market characteristics, customer organisations and business buyer behaviour form the structure for the theoretical framework. Business buying is generally done by an appointed individual or group of individuals. These business buyers are influenced by various different stakeholders in their organisation.
The research process is outlined in the methodology of the thesis. England is studied as a target market due to their football heritage and culture. England is a part of the United King-dom and it is important to understand that with regard to national football associations the United Kingdom is divided in to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Primary data, was collected through an interview with a seasoned football veteran from England, who has an extensive background in football. The main interview topics covered football in England, club organisational structure and club buying process. Additional prima-ry data is collected through the U.K. embassy in Helsinki. The commissioning party re-quested that the author write a commissioning letter to the U.K. embassy for a market over-look study of the English football market. Additionally, statistics from acclaimed and tradi-tional football organisation sources such as the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and The Football Association (FA) was accessed.
The data was analysed alongside with the case company process for customer acquisition, to see how it could fit and what can be learned from the English football market.
The results indicate that there are 40 000 football clubs in England. A majority of the clubs have an annual buying process where end-users have very little say on the apparel that is bought for them. The results of this study are to be used by the company management and owners. In order to assist the case company to receive funding, the results are presented to Business Finland. The results and author’s conclusions are a useful foundation for future studies, market entry and development of the brand.
Market characteristics, customer organisations and business buyer behaviour form the structure for the theoretical framework. Business buying is generally done by an appointed individual or group of individuals. These business buyers are influenced by various different stakeholders in their organisation.
The research process is outlined in the methodology of the thesis. England is studied as a target market due to their football heritage and culture. England is a part of the United King-dom and it is important to understand that with regard to national football associations the United Kingdom is divided in to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Primary data, was collected through an interview with a seasoned football veteran from England, who has an extensive background in football. The main interview topics covered football in England, club organisational structure and club buying process. Additional prima-ry data is collected through the U.K. embassy in Helsinki. The commissioning party re-quested that the author write a commissioning letter to the U.K. embassy for a market over-look study of the English football market. Additionally, statistics from acclaimed and tradi-tional football organisation sources such as the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and The Football Association (FA) was accessed.
The data was analysed alongside with the case company process for customer acquisition, to see how it could fit and what can be learned from the English football market.
The results indicate that there are 40 000 football clubs in England. A majority of the clubs have an annual buying process where end-users have very little say on the apparel that is bought for them. The results of this study are to be used by the company management and owners. In order to assist the case company to receive funding, the results are presented to Business Finland. The results and author’s conclusions are a useful foundation for future studies, market entry and development of the brand.