CIA – I Research Methodology

TOPIC: Dabur’s weakening brand loyalty in a highly digital and competitive

marketplace.

BY

Samuel Prakhar James

2527941

Under the guidance of

Prof. Sreedhara R

MBA PROGRAMME SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND

MANAGEMENT
CHRIST (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY), BANGALORE

FEBRUARY – 2026

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Topics Page no.

Executive summary 3
Background of the research problem/ problem statement 3

Review of literature 4
Research questions and Research objectives 5

Hypotheses 6
Research Design 7

Scheduling the research 7-8

Costing and budget 9

References 10

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 1. Executive Summary

This report examines two major management challenges faced by Dabur, a leading
FMCG company in India. The first issue is the decline in brand loyalty in a highly
digital, competitive marketplace. The second focuses on how effective social media
advertising is in boosting customer engagement and influencing sales. The study seeks
to explore these concerns using a structured research method, outline clear research
questions and hypotheses, review related literature, and build a detailed research plan
that includes timelines and budget estimates.

2. Background of the Research Problem/Problem Statement

Problem 1: Declining Brand Loyalty in the Digital Age

Dabur’s long-term growth depends heavily on maintaining a strong base of loyal

customers. However, the rapid expansion of digital marketing and the rise of new,
agile brands are reshaping customer expectations and buying behavior. With the
growth of online shopping and direct-to-consumer competitors, retaining consistent
brand loyalty has become more challenging for the company.

Problem 2: Effectiveness of Social Media Advertising

Dabur has significantly increased its investment in social media advertising, but the
actual return on investment (ROI) and its I nfluence on customer engagement are not
yet clearly measured. There is a need to systematically evaluate the performance of
different platforms, content approaches, and audience-targeting methods to improve
the effectiveness of its digital marketing strategy.

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 3. Review of Literature

• Digital Disruption and Brand Loyalty:

Research shows that digital transformation is changing how consumers interact with
brands. Kumar and Reinartz (2018) note that digital platforms give customers more
options and greater control, which can weaken long-term brand loyalty. Easy access to
competitor information online has made customer behavior more fluid, pushing
companies like Dabur to upgrade and adapt their engagement strategies continuously.

• Impact of Social Media Advertising:

Kaplan and Haenlein (2020) explain that social media advertising is effective in
building brand awareness, but its effect on actual purchase decisions is not always
consistent. Existing studies suggest that well-targeted and personalized ads can
improve customer engagement, yet their success depends largely on how relevant the
message is and how often it is delivered.

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 • Consumer Behavior in FMCG Sector:

In the FMCG sector, competition is fierce, and consumer preferences are

highly volatile. Kotler et al. (2021) emphasize the need to continuously
monitor consumer trends, particularly in the digital landscape. Gupta and
Sharma (2022) further underscore the importance of adopting innovative
digital strategies to maintain competitive advantage.
These studies collectively provide a theoretical foundation for examining
Dabur's challenges in sustaining brand loyalty and measuring the efficacy of
social media advertising.

4. Research Questions and Research Objectives

Research Questions:

1. How has digital transformation influenced customer loyalty toward Dabur’s

brands?
2. Which major factors drive customer retention in today’s digital marketplace?
3. How effective are Dabur’s social media advertising campaigns in achieving
their goals?
4. How do various social media platforms contribute to customer engagement and
sales performance?

Research Objectives:

• To evaluate how digital transformation affects Dabur’s brand loyalty.

• To determine the main factors that impact customer retention in the FMCG industry.
• To measure the effectiveness of Dabur’s social media marketing strategies.
• To suggest practical improvements to enhance digital advertising ROI.

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 1. Hypotheses

H1: Digital marketing innovations have significantly weakened traditional brand

loyalty in FMCG companies such as Dabur.

• Null Hypothesis (H0): Digital marketing innovations have no significant effect on

traditional brand loyalty in FMCG companies like Dabur.
• Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): Digital marketing innovations significantly reduce
traditional brand loyalty in FMCG companies like Dabur.

H2: Personalized marketing strategies improve customer retention for Dabur.

• Null Hypothesis (H0): Personalized marketing strategies do not have a significant

effect on Dabur’s customer retention.
• Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): Personalized marketing strategies have a significant
positive effect on Dabur’s customer retention.

H3: Social media advertising produces a measurable effect on brand engagement and
purchase decisions.

• Null Hypothesis (H0): Social media advertising does not create a measurable effect
on brand engagement or purchase decisions.
• Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): Social media advertising creates a measurable effect
on brand engagement and purchase decisions.

H4: Influencer marketing generates stronger sales results for Dabur than standard
social media advertising.

• Null Hypothesis (H0): Influencer marketing is not more effective than standard
social media advertising in driving Dabur’s sales.
• Alternative Hypothesis (Ha): Influencer marketing is more effective than standard
social media advertising in driving Dabur’s sales.

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 2. Research Design
This study uses a conclusive research design that is mainly quantitative and aims to provide clear,
evidence-based answers to the research questions. It combines descriptive and causal research
methods to improve the reliability and accuracy of the findings.

• Descriptive Research: This stage focuses on collecting measurable data through structured
surveys and reviewing past data on consumer behavior and the performance of social media
advertising. The objective is to identify patterns and trends.

• Causal Research: This stage is intended to test the hypotheses by examining cause-and-effect
relationships between digital marketing initiatives and brand loyalty indicators. Methods such
as controlled experiments and regression analysis will be used to establish causation.

Primary data will be collected using structured surveys and focus group discussions with Dabur
customers and marketing professionals. Secondary data such as company reports and published
market research will be used to support the analysis. A sufficiently large sample size will be
selected to strengthen validity, and statistical analysis will be conducted using tools like SPSS
and regression models.

3. Scheduling the Research

The research project will be carried out over a three-month period, divided into clear phases and
milestones to maintain structured progress and ensure timely completion.

• Phase 1: Preparation and Literature Review (Weeks 1–3)

o Finalize the research design, methodology, and data collection tools.
o Conduct a detailed review of existing studies on digital transformation, brand loyalty, and social
media advertising.
o Design and pilot test the survey questionnaires and focus group discussion guides.

• Phase 2: Data Collection (Weeks 4–6)

o Roll out structured surveys to Dabur’s customers across different regions.
o Begin gathering secondary data from industry reports, company publications, and prior research
studies.

• Phase 3: Data Analysis (Weeks 7–9)

o Clean, organize, and code the survey and focus group data.
o Run descriptive statistics and regression analysis in SPSS to evaluate the hypotheses.

• Phase 4: Report Writing and Final Review (Weeks 10–12)

o Prepare the full research report with detailed analysis and findings.
o Review internally, incorporate feedback, and refine the document.
o Complete the final presentation and supporting documentation for submission.

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A detailed Gantt chart will be developed to represent the timeline visually, showing
overlapping tasks, key milestones, and deadlines for each research phase. This will be a
practical tool for monitoring progress throughout the research period.

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Phase 1: Preparation & Literature Review X X X
- Finalize design & methodology X
- Conduct literature review X X
- Develop & pilot test instruments X
Phase 2: Data Collection X X X
- Launch surveys X
- Conduct focus groups X
- Collect secondary data X X
Phase 3: Data Analysis X X X
- Data cleaning & coding X
- Descriptive & regression analysis X X
- Interpretation & validation of findings X
Phase 4: Report Writing & Final Review X X X
- Draft report X
- Incorporate feedback & revisions X
- Finalize and submit report X

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 4. Costing and Budget
The table below outlines the financial resources required for the research project. The total
estimated budget for the project is approximately ₹200,000.

Estimated
Cost Component Description
Cost (INR)
Investment in advanced survey platforms (e.g.,
Survey Tools &
Qualtrics/SurveyMonkey Enterprise) and license fees ₹64,000
Software Licenses
for statistical analysis software (e.g., SPSS)
Incentives for Monetary incentives or gift vouchers for survey and
₹80,000
Participants focus group participants
Data Collection &
Online promotion (social media ads), administrative
Miscellaneous ₹40,000
costs, and potential travel for in-person focus groups
Expenses
Allocation to cover unforeseen expenses
Contingency Fund ₹16,000
(approximately 10% of total budget)
Total Estimated
₹200,000
Budget

Conclusion
In summary, this report outlines a structured and in-depth research plan to examine two major
challenges faced by Dabur: declining brand loyalty in the digital environment and the real impact of
social media advertising. Using a conclusive research approach that combines descriptive and causal
methods, the study is designed to generate solid quantitative insights into how digital transformation
is shaping consumer behavior and how targeted marketing efforts perform. The clear research
questions, hypotheses, timeline, and budget in Indian rupees make the project both systematic and
practical to execute. The final results are expected to deliver useful, action-oriented recommendations
to help Dabur strengthen its digital marketing approach and improve customer retention in a
competitive marketplace.
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 5. References
Aaker, D. (2020). Managing Brand Equity: Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name. Free
Press.
Ashley, C., & Tuten, T. (2015). Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory
study of branded social content. Journal of Business Research, 70, 33-41.
Dwivedi, Y.K., et al. (2021). Social Media Marketing and Advertising. Journal of Business
Research, 131, 590-601.
Keller, K.L. (2016). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand
Equity. Pearson.
Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). "Users of the world, unite! The challenges and
opportunities of Social Media." Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68.
[Link]
enges_and_Opportunities_of_Social_Media
Kumar, V., & Reinartz, W. (2018). Customer Relationship Management: Concept, Strategy,
and Tools. Springer. Customer Relationship Management: Concept, Strategy, and Tools |
SpringerLink
Kotler, P., Keller, K. L., & Chernev, A. (2021). Marketing Management. Pearson. Link

Gupta, R., & Sharma, P. (2022). "Digital transformation in the FMCG sector." Journal of
Marketing Trends, 34(2), 45-60. Digital transformation in FMCG: Navigating the e-commerce
landscape - Industry News | The Financial Express

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