Research Korner

Table of contents Abstract.. 1 Chapter 1. 2 1.1 Background of the study. 2 1.2 Aim and Objectives. 3 1.3 Research Questions. 4 1.4 Scope of the Study. 5 1.5 Significance of Study. 7 1.6 Limitation of Study. 7 Chapter 2. 8 2.1 Ideology of a Shopping Mall 8 2.2 Consumption Culture. 10 2.3 Image Consumption. 13 2.4 Lifestyle Consumption. 15 2.5 Shopping Culture. 16 2.6 Hong Kong Shopping Malls. 17 Chapter 3. 20 3.1 Research Design. 20 3.2 Respondents of the Study. 22 3.3 Interview/Questionnaire Structure. 23 3.4 Data Collection and Analysis. 24 3.5 Validation of the Instrument 25 3.6 Administration of the Instrument 26 3.7 Statistical Treatment of the Data. 26 Chapter 4. 28 4.1 Introduction. 28 4.2 Presentation of Data Analysis. 29 4.2.1 Demographic Profile of the Respondents. 29 4.2.2 Perception of the Respondents. 35 Chapter 5. 49 5.1 Introduction. 49 5.2 Conclusion about the research. 50 5.3 Implications for further research. 52 REFERENCES. 52 APPENDICES. 54 Appendix 1. 54       Abstract   The main objective of this research paper is to determine a new meaning of shopping malls in Hong Kong by employing qualitative and quantitative research approach and descriptive research design. The study provides some relevant literature about the four concepts affecting the development of shopping malls (consumption, image, lifestyle, shopping culture). Relevant literatures about the shopping malls in Hong Kong and ideology of shopping malls were also given. Using the questionnaires formulated by the researcher, a total of 251 shoppers who shops in different locations in Hong Kong was chosen. The new meaning of HK shopping malls was synthesized and combined from the survey questionnaires and interviews of the chosen respondents. The result of this study suggested that the four major concepts of shopping have a relationship in building the context of shopping malls. The relationship was determined using correlation. Further, using the data obtained in the study, it has been concluded that the new meaning of shopping malls in HK as perceived by the respondents is a place in which they can relax, enjoy and be entertained and a place in which everything they needed (commodities, goods, and services) can be found at a low and practical price.   Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background of the study   Despite the growth of various Internet shopping services, shopping for most purpose means physical visits to a shopping site ( 1999). The most frequent visited site is either a supermarket or a shopping mall. According to some marketing literatures, there are two basic types of shoppers. Some shoppers, which are driven by utilitarian concerns, consider shopping as a form of work (1994; 1991). In other words, unless purchases are made, a shopping trip is meaningless for this group. For others, shopping is not justified in utilitarian outcomes; enjoyment and excitement, i.e. hedonistic values, experienced during the shopping trip have their own unique status. Consequently, shopping may represent both instrumental and experiential processes (1992). Shoppers may derive pleasure from the vital process, in addition to the products purchased (1987). It seems that pleasure derived from the process of shopping is further enhanced by the culture of consumption. As there are massive improvements in material life and the attendant cultural practices, the ‘culture of consumption’ or ‘consumerism’ is constituted ( 2003). Gradually, the culture of consumption is being emphasized as a consumption of signs and images instead of a simple appropriation of utilities. It suggests that people in consumption societies may consciously seek for self-image and status through leisure activities and in the manners of dressing, eating and living. In this logic, shopping seems to be one of the ways to promote lifestyles in terms of self-image and status establishment. This changing shopping pattern may have some impacts on the development of shopping mall, especially in Hong Kong.  Hong Kong undoubtedly is famous for being a ‘Shopping Paradise’ over the world. Over decades, many shopping malls are well established in response to the greater demand. The Landmark in Central, Pacific Place in Admiralty, Times Square in Causeway Bay, Cityplaza in Taikoo Shing, Harbour City in Tsimshatsui and New Town Plaza in Shatin are good examples. Recent developments include Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong, apm in Kwun Tong, etc. These shopping malls not only offer a comfortable and attractive place for people to buy, to meet, to gather and to eat, varieties of services in provision of recreational and catering facilities are also catered for people’s relaxation and enjoyment. According to(2004) today’s shopping malls are not just about shopping, but about individuality and entertainment. It is suggested that shopping mall is not merely a place for commodities exchange and leisure; it could be a place for buying images and promoting lifestyles. This research study aims at examining the interrelationship between consumption, image, lifestyle and shopping culture and hence evaluating the new meaning of shopping mall. Implications to its future developing will be also studied. 1.2 Aim and Objectives               The perception of people towards shopping changes because of some underlying factors. With this, people in this generation perceived shopping malls differently. Thus, the main objectives of this paper are. (i) to evaluate the new meaning of shopping mall nowadays and (ii) to study its implication to the future development. Specifically, the study aims on achieving the following objectives: Ø   To conduct literature review on the fundamental concepts of consumption, image, lifestyle and shopping culture. Ø   To provide background study on shopping mall development in Hong Kong. Ø   To examine the strategies on developing shopping malls in Hong Kong in response to the changing consumers’ needs and shopping behaviour nowadays. Ø   To examine the interrelationship between the above 4 concepts and to build a qualitative model. Ø   To explore the new meaning of shopping mall to Hong Kong people through multiple case studies and give direction for developing shopping mall. 1.3 Research Questions   This research is conducted to determine a new meaning for shopping malls in Hong Kong. In particular, the researcher would attempt to answer the following queries: 1.     What is the relationship of consumption, image, lifestyle, and shopping culture for building the context of modern shopping centre? 2.     How these 4 concepts changed the meaning of shopping malls? 3.     What is the new meaning of shopping mall as perceived by the respondents? 4.     What is the prospect of shopping malls in Hong Kong in the future? 1.4 Scope of the Study   This research study will be quantitative and qualitative in nature.  Thus the framework of this study will be based on the Input-Process-Output Model; a process is viewed as a series of boxes (processing elements) connected by inputs and outputs. Information or material objects flow through a series of tasks or activities based on a set of rules or decision points (1997).  Flow Charts and process diagrams are often used to present such process (1997).  Basically, what goes in is the input (what causes the change in the process) and output (the result).  See Figure 1.1 (Basic IPO Model). Figure 1.1 Input – Process – Output Model                          The IPO model will provide the general structure and guide for the direction of the study. Substituting the variables of this study on the IPO model, the researcher came up with the following: Figure 1.2   Conceptual Framework                INPUT                                PROCESS                           OUTPUT                       For this research, the study will focus on assessing Hong Kong shopping centers, the perception of the shoppers/customers and how these industries survive in the stiff competition in the market place. The study will give emphasis on identifying a new meaning for shopping malls that can be used by these industries to be able to have a competitive advantage among their rival industries, specifically those multinational companies. For this study, the researcher will only have respondents from Hong Kong to make sure that pertinent data will be gathered.   1.5 Significance of Study               This study will be significant in management/business firms, particularly for the shopping malls in a sense that it will broaden their knowledge about marketing techniques and will help them weigh if the current techniques are appropriate in Hong Kong setting. Furthermore, it will contribute to business research. This can be used as a future reference for future research that will focus on having new meaning to be followed by shopping malls in Hong Kong. Moreover, this study provides significant role to the society since it depicts the future of a certain business with regards to marketing techniques and business models.  In addition, this study might become of great use to different businesses since marketing style has negative and positive effects to different businesses or even to consumers. Moreover, research materials are useful in persuading people to adopt something new like the business mode to be followed in Hong Kong shopping malls. 1.6 Limitation of Study   As stated before, this study provides significant role to the society since it depicts the future of a certain business with regards to shopping malls in HK. Furthermore, this study provides qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis for the findings. Additionally, every data was addressed through interpretation and in-depth evaluation. Furthermore, the number of respondents was only limited to 251 individuals (shoppers). As the research was completed in a relatively short period of time other factors and variables are not considered. This might have an impact on the results of the study. Chapter 2 review of relate literature   2.1 Ideology of a Shopping Mall   While market-places are familiar to all, the shopping mall, especially as it is known in North America and more recently in Europe, is typically based on a galleria or arcade of boutiques and shops on one or more levels between two major stores which 'anchor' the dumb-bell-shaped plan by providing the functional poles of attraction for shoppers. A large food store at one end attracts shoppers from a large department store at the other end, or vice versa. The process ensures a steady flow of shoppers or even strollers, window shoppers and 'hangers-out', elderly people savouring the lively crowd, or adolescent 'mall-rats' and 'mall-bunnies' as one journalist called them (1985). Shopping malls are typically more grandiose than shopping centres which, in their smaller 'community' versions, may be simple strips of small stores fronted by parking. In the malls, the plan becomes more complex (triangular, figure of eight), everything is larger, the architecture more monumental (expensive finishes such as marble, skylit arcades, soaring ceiling heights, dizzying mezzanines, sculpture, indoor tropical gardens), the major 'anchor stores' multiply and the functions increase with the addition of cinemas, hotels, zoos, recreation complexes featuring pools, ice-rinks, stadia, fairground rides and so on, office towers, conference centres, libraries, churches-in short almost any urban activity one can imagine. Shopping malls now form the architectural typology for office buildings whose elevator lobbies grew first into atria then into malls (1992), and international airport terminals where duty-free shopping is a major activity (Terminal 3, Toronto (Globe and Mail, 21 April 1991: C1-8); Schiphol, Amsterdam). More insidiously, their 'social logic' of retail capital mixed with the social ferment of crowds of people from different backgrounds and all strata forms the model for conceptions of community and the public sphere which later emerge, concretized, in public projects such as museums. The building itself is completed by the provision of parking for several tens of thousands of cars. In suburban locations, or areas where land was available when the mall was built, parking forms a great asphalt girdle completely encircling it. Such malls often lie at the intersection of major 'feeder' roads. The mall and intersection are typically ringed by apartment towers and schools sited near by according to modernist theories of urban zoning. In this configuration (a new and little-remarked upon urban morphology), the mall forms the centre of an urban constellation and a social community is born which appropriates the mall as a surrogate town square. As major users of such malls, the elderly walk from the nearby apartments and the adolescent 'mall jammers' migrate from schools in the vicinity to match wits with security personnel, in search of less controlled areas than the schoolyard. Others arrive by car or on buses which, symbiotically exploiting the conjunction of parking space and enclosed waiting areas patrolled by the mall owners' security guards, serve the malls as nodes in the public transport system. Ease of access, controlled climate, and reduced price based on a higher market volume are the functional attractions of the mall (1992).   2.2 Consumption Culture         Hong Kong has become a city of consumption since the past few decades. Consumption is a process by which goods and services are acquired and used to satisfy certain economic needs (1995). Accordingly, consumption increasingly serves the symbolic need of individuals, surpassing the practical and utilitarian needs (1999). This coincides with the idea of  (2003), the ‘culture of consumption’ or ‘consumerism’ is constituted, as there are massive improvements in material life. It has been noted that in general, the modernist separation of economy and culture has left little room for serious engagement with consumption practices. Critiques have been often motivated by the anomalous character of consumption which does not fit easily into the frameworks of productivist economics or the Arbeitsgemeinschaft sociology of work cultures. Tomlinson, in his introduction to consumer cultures, has called the critiques 'sad, dislocated, elitist, and perhaps menopausal' (1990). A serious engagement with consumption must be open to discovering that lifestyles and consumption cultures are not 'confusions over class, regional, generational and gender identities' (1990) but the emergence of new 'identifications'. There is a need, therefore, to treat consumption as an active, committed production of self and of society which, rather than assimilating individuals to styles, appropriates codes and fashions, which are made into one's own (1984). In the process, hegemonic systems find themselves undermined, confronted by an entirely different kind of production, called 'consumption'…characterized by its ruses, its fragmentation…, its poaching, its clandestine nature, its tireless but quiet activity, in short by its quasi-invisibility, since it shows itself not in its own products, but in an art of using those imposed on it. (1984) In their totality, postmodern consumption sites (like shopping malls) are characterized by a new spatial form which is a synthesis of leisure and consumption activities previously held apart by being located in different sites, performed at different times or accomplished by different people. Modernism in this and many other ways is marked by what Max Weber described as the segmentation of culture and the separation of life into separate value spheres: culture differentiated from economy; both separated from religion. Most notably in the shopping mall, a new spatial and cultural form (1991) results from a combination of two sets of spatial practices and understandings; practices which characterize the spatial performance typical of leisure spaces and spatial practices which characterize the performance of commercial sites. Typical of such sites and areas are refurbished, 'preserved' and converted buildings, often factories or warehouses, those 'back stages' of earlier commercial activities. Often, buildings built for production activities have been converted to host consumption. For example, processing facilities such as a wholesale fish market may be converted into market buildings which combine eateries and leisure browsing in fashionable boutiques with traditional, more functional food-shopping activities (South Street Seaport in Manhattan). In these sites, the new combination of those consumption activities long thought to be 'ordinary' with leisure activities marks a new phase in the recent history of urban centres and consumerism. Everyday shopping activities are fore grounded as if on a theatre stage, to be observed by passers-by who may vicariously participate in the bustle and lively activity of consumption without necessarily spending money. Attention wavers from rational economic activities: the site hosts a scene in which at least some of the even to contest the economic rationale and rationalized norms of the site. Hence the genesis of a site of cultural change, of social experimentation, a theatre of everyday life. Again consumption, which might have once been regarded as merely part of the reproduction of labour, comes to share its spaces with leisure activities. Questions of inequality and power become complex. Discrepancies arising from economic class differences are met with compensating cultural inventions, lack of political power is displaced by superior 'performance' in a site which endorses a certain theatricality in which all participate at the same time as forming an audience. A spectacle, then, which is marked by the exchange of looks and gazes, complements the theatrical display of goods and commodities (1992).       In short, at the level of individual behaviour and group sociation, changes in the built environment are accompanied by a stress on various forms of flânerie (loitering, aimless strolling) and leisure, a marked shift from the purposive behaviour which provided the raison d'être of the old consumption sites and the first malls. It is not a question of the built environment encouraging a new form of behaviour in a deterministic way, but the buildings are renovated to accommodate and host the new combination of leisure and consumption activities. 2.3 Image Consumption   In consumption society, people are consciously seeking image and status thorough self-image and lifestyle. Image is something which is difficult to concretize as it only deals with surface impression. Self-image is something that is routinely created and sustained in the reflexive activities, such as buying clothes, accessories and performing lifestyle. In shopping mall context, the culture gives emphasis on the semiotic dimension of consumption. A brand is a named version of a given product or service. Brand names help identify the product and brands take on their own meaning and presence because they embody a rich configuration of symbols and meaning. A good brand name should appeal to its customers, be memorable, as well as offer a distinctive image which separates it from competing products. Building a strong brand allows a product to distinguish itself from its competition. From the findings of a study, where 101 companies had been survey, respondents stressed that brand names are indeed essential to the success of products, particularly new launches (1997). Brands make statements to other people. They are a short-hand communication of what the company is. They create social acceptance as well as instant mutual recognition. Through building and maintaining brands, companies are able to relay to the consumers their intended market expression for the products or services they are offering. Most likely, customers tend to buy branded products and as time go by, this branding change use-value with image value. In the shopping centres, the shoppers internalize the image of the brand to form a personal identity and to make sure of their social existence. At the individual level shopping today satisfies not only physical needs, it also plays a significant psychological role, becoming a means of self-fulfilment closely related to self-image, our imagination and, if taken to extremes, addiction.  a British consumer behaviourist working on shopping centre developments in Britain and Europe and studying the psychology that lies at the basis of our desire to shop, sees clear links between shopping and our imagination. While he distinguishes two 'levels' of shopping-to fulfil basic needs and to fulfil imagination or 'perceived needs', he says that today the latter motivates the majority of our purchases. Once basic needs are fulfilled, shopping becomes an act of self-fulfilment; it is a means of expressing oneself, adorning oneself.  By buying a painting to hang in his house, the consumer goes beyond real need, into the realm of perceived need. The purchase helps him imagining other lives and new possibilities. It is part of the idea that 'I imagine [myself as a better person if I have that painting] so I shop’. Taking that one step further there is also 'I shop so I can imagine': seeking new ideas and images in consumer goods and spaces (1999). Here shopping becomes a lifestyle experience as well as a sensory experience where the consumer can touch, see, smell, taste and enjoy the goods but also imagine owning them. Increasingly, consumers today want more than just the product they come to buy; they want it to come with an experience or wrapped in illusion (2003). People enjoy experiential shopping because it feeds their imagination. For example, a good Timberland shoe store is very atmospheric, so much so that you could almost imagine yourself in a log cabin with all these rugged men and women doing amazingly liberating things. By buying the pair of Timberland boots you somehow also buy into the illusion that this quality and atmosphere will rub off on you by osmosis, it stimulates your imagination in other words. Retailers need to do this because all too often the reality of the merchandise is that it is unfulfilling, so it needs to be wrapped up in a dream (1992). 2.4 Lifestyle Consumption         For the term lifestyle, studies defined it as a systems concept. It refers to a distinctive or characteristic mode of living, in its aggregative and broadest sense, of a whole society or segment thereof. It is concerned with those unique ingredients or qualities, which describe the style of life of some culture or group, and distinguish it from others. It embodies the patterns that develop and emerge from the dynamics of living in a society. In short, lifestyle describes how people go about their daily life. Accordingly, lifestyle shopping can be considered to represent a cultural revolution.       Herein, consumption sites, specifically shopping centres testify to the division of conventional distinctions between different spheres of value, involving both public and private reality of experiences. It also provides distinctions between consumption and leisure, economy and culture as well as the difference between life and art (1992). Nowadays, the concept of shopping has become a type of a initial bonding experience among individuals, mediating intimate interactions among friends, new acquaintances and families which are too difficult to do at home. The alteration in the definition and functions of public places for the social self implicates profound changes in terms of the nature of human beings. 2.5 Shopping Culture         ‘Shopping Paradise’ is a one of the best depictions of the Hong Kong City. This phenomenon should be attributed to the growth of shopping mall culture in Hong Kong. Hong Kong opens a sophisticated shopping mall every week, or so it seems. Landmark, Lippo Center, Peregrine Center, United Tower, Pacific Place, Times Square, New World Center, Wing On Plaza, Tsim Sha Tsui Center, China Ferry Terminal, Kowloon City Plaza, Peak Shopping — the list goes on — outdo one another with the latest and most expensive in fashion, electronics, gourmet foods, and anything else money can buy. Any Hong Kong mall, even those in the New Territories or outlying islands, combines the best of New York, London, Paris, and Rome in one arcade ( 1996).       In the past, shopping refers to one who might want or need to buy commodities. However, shopping is more than an economic activity for the exchange of daily necessities nowadays (2003). According to  (1997), a pleasurable shopping is understood as consumption-oriented movement in a space whether one has the possibility of making purchases. Similar idea has been adopted by  (1992), he suggested that shoppers are closely related to the environment from the view of consumption, even though he or she did not make any purchases at all.       As in virtual consumption, shopping culture can be attributed to film spectating. The characteristics of a mall can be considered as a resemblance of space of the cinema or theatres. In addition, the architectural and visual sceneries can guide the customers through the mall like what is done in a shot-by-shot architecture of editing films. The window displays and other facilities like elevators/escalators as well as the walkways move the shoppers through a type of ritual play. IN the shopping culture, an economy of desire integrates with an economy of the consumption of goods, which radically changes the interpretation of the shoppers in accordance to the place. 2.6 Hong Kong Shopping Malls                         As can be noted, the whole island of Hong Kong is regarded as a shopper’s paradise. With this, more and more local and international tourists are coming to see and feel the fun and exciting malls in the island.  Aside from these, shopping malls in Hong Kong are being visited because of its practicality and affordability than any other shopping malls. Shopping malls includes those places which provide different and specific needs for specific customers. For example, the central shopping centre has different boutiques that suit the needs of various customers. The stalls at the so called “The Lanes” have everything that a customer needs from cheap watches, clothing, to shoes and luggage. Central Shopping Centre                 Hong Kong has also a shopping area which provides Chinese handicrafts or lovely fabrics. The structure of the Western District shopping area attracts many customers because of its Edwardian Design and architectural design. When you go further to the west, a customer can see different Chinese-style shops and a dazzling area of old coins, stone carvings and watches. Western District Shopping Area           Aside from the Hong Kong Island, Kowloon is also a place in HK which have different shopping areas. One of the shopping malls in Kowloon is the Mongkok. Accordingly, this shopping area is noted to be a lively place. The popular markets are a beehive of shopping activities with many shoppers flitting from one store to another in search for better bargains. The shopping area of Mongkok has also a Bird Garden in which customers can see and hear the humming of different birds. There are also lots of attractions in the mall which enables the shoppers to be entertained and be satisfied with their shopping hours. Mongkok Shopping Area             Those malls mentioned above are only few of the many shopping malls surrounding the whole nation of Hong Kong. These shopping malls are said to attract shoppers from all over the world because of the unique experiences it provides to the shoppers.   Chapter 3 methodology   Referring to the aim and objectives set for the dissertation, the author will now demonstrate the methodology of the means of obtaining data for analysis and coming to the conclusion to meet the aim and objectives.  Though it does show ethnic concerns to those out there, interviews will be tied with the primary data research collection of this dissertation and the secondary research will be supported through the use of the research of other scholars as mentioned in the literature review.   3.1 Research Design   This study uses the descriptive approach.  This descriptive type of research will utilize observations in the study.  Basically, this study, as a whole, can be classified as a descriptive research, whose objective is to portray an accurate profile of persons, events or situations, and may be an extension or a forerunner to a piece of exploratory research, a research that tries to establish causal relationship between variables. (2003) Accordingly, with the descriptive research, it is necessary to have a clear picture of the phenomena on which a researcher wishes to collect data prior to the collection of the data. (2003). Further, even if many project tutors are often wary or work that is too descriptive, and they will want a researcher to go further and draw conclusions from the data gathered, description in management and business research has a very clear place, although, it should not be thought of as an end in itself, but only as a means to an end. (2003). The research described in this document is based on qualitative and quantitative method. The qualitative method permits a flexible and iterative approach, while the quantitative research method permits specification of dependent and independent variables and allows for longitudinal measures of subsequent performance of the research subject. During data gathering the choice and design of methods are constantly modified, based on ongoing analysis. This allows investigation of important new issues and questions as they arise, and allows the investigators to drop unproductive areas of research from the original research plan.    The value of qualitative research can best be understood by examining its characteristics. One of the primary advantages of qualitative research is that it is more open to the adjusting and refining of research ideas as an inquiry proceeds. Also, the researcher does not attempt to manipulate the research setting, as in an experimental study, but rather seeks to understand naturally occurring phenomena in their naturally occurring states. Inductive reasoning, as opposed to deductive reasoning, is common in qualitative research, along with content or holistic analysis in place of statistical analysis (1995). On the other hand, quantitative method is compatible with the study because it allows the research problem to be conducted in a certain and set terms (1998). Besides, quantitative research plainly and distinctively specifies both the dependent and the dependent attributes under inspection. It also follows resolutely the unique set of the goals of the research, leading at more objective and purposive conclusions as well as determining the issues/problems of causality and eliminates or minimises subjectivity of judgment. Furthermore, this method allows for longitudinal measures of subsequent performance of research subjects (1994). Finally, it provides achieving high degrees of reliability of the collated information because of the controlled observations, mass surveys, laboratory experiments, or other kinds of research approaches and manipulations. This study should be based on surveys and statistical treatments, so basically the quantitative approach fits well with it.   3.2 Respondents of the Study               The main purpose of this case study is to identify how the shoppers of Hong Kong define shopping malls in this generation. With the efforts of the researcher, 251 respondents answered the questionnaire and their answers were used in the analysis part. Hence, the respondents of this study include 251 Shoppers. The shoppers are chosen because the respondents find them more reliable for this study. The shoppers chosen from this study are those individuals who shops in Chopping malls in Hong Kong, shopping centres in Kowloon and others came from shopping malls in New territories (See Figure 12). The true identity of the respondents is not revealed for confidential purposes. After selecting the appropriate population, the researcher use inferential statistics in order to draw a concrete conclusion.  Inferential statistics is used to be able to know a population’s attribution through a direct observation of the chosen population or simply the sample. This is because it is easier to observe a portion or a part than observe the whole population.  However using a sample has also its own disadvantages; hence, there is a need to choose the most suitable sample from any population. It will also use Pearson correlation and standard deviation through SPSS.     3.3 Interview/Questionnaire Structure   The researcher design a questionnaire for the for the survey process. The primary aim of the questionnaire is to determine the new meaning of shopping malls in HK as perceived by the shoppers. This research will use a mixture of closed questions and more open comments in the questionnaire.  A closed question is one that has pre-coded answers.  The simplest is the dichotomous question to which the respondent must answer yes or no (2003).  Through closed questions, the researcher will be able to limit responses that are within the scope of this study. For example, the researcher intends to ask the respondents what they think of shopping malls in general. Using a multiple choice method, the answer of the respondents would be within the one of the limited expected answers of the researcher. Thus the researcher will design a closed question type to remain focused on the statement of the problem and on the main purpose of the study.  However, the researcher will nevertheless extend the closed questions with the comments option to be able to gather qualitative data for this study. In addition, closed questions will be used in the survey because the answers are easy to analyse and are straightforward as target respondents are mostly busy that they do not have enough time to give attention to open questions.  Closed response questions save the respondent having to think of possible replies.   3.4 Data Collection and Analysis               The study use questionnaires and interviews to gather pertinent data. Moreover, the researcher also uses previous studies related to the perception of the shoppers regarding shopping malls. A structured questionnaire is employed by the researcher so as to save time and effort in the organization of the answers that will be gained. In the interview, the researcher hopes that those questions that are not tackled by the questionnaires will be gathered from the respondents using the survey questionnaire. The straightforward approach of the questionnaire guarantees that there would be a response generated by the researcher with regards to the questions asked.                In this research the utilization of secondary and primary data were used by the researcher. The secondary sources of data are collected from published articles from business journals, theses and related studies in consumer behaviors and shopping centers. The primary source of data comes from a questionnaire and surveys conducted by the researcher. The primary data frequently gives the detailed definitions of terms and statistical units used in the survey. These are usually broken down into finer classifications. Herein, the researcher constructed a questionnaire and administered them to the respondents. The respondents were requested to answer the inquiries in the survey-questionnaire, each grading the statements using the Likert scale.  The equivalent weights for the answers will be: Range                                                Interpretation 0.00 – 1.49                                        Strongly Agree/Very Important 1.50 – 2.49                                        Mildly Agree/Mildly Important 2.50 – 3.49                                        Neutral 3.50 – 4.49                                        Mildly Disagree 4.50 – 5.00                                        Strongly Disagree                  In the Likert technique, a set of attitude statements are presented, where subjects of a study are asked to express agreement or disagreement using a five-point scale. The degree of agreement is given a numerical value ranging from one to five, thus a total numerical value can be calculated from all the responses. 3.5 Validation of the Instrument               For validation purposes, the researcher pre-tested a sample of the set survey questionnaires. This was done by conducting an initial survey to at least five respondents from the chosen respondents of the companies. After the respondents answered, the researchers then asked them to cite the parts of the questionnaire that needs improvement. The researcher even asked for suggestions and corrections from the respondents to ensure that the survey-questionnaire is effective. Automatically, these five respondents were not included as respondents for the study. 3.6 Administration of the Instrument   The researcher excluded the five respondents who initially used for the validation of the instrument.  The researcher also tallies, score and tabulate all the responses in the provided interview questions. Moreover, the interview used is a structured interview. It is consisted of a list of specific questions and the interviewer does not deviate from the list or inject any extra remarks into the interview process. The interviewer may encourage the interviewee to clarify vague statements or to further elaborate on brief comments. Otherwise, the interviewer attempts to be objective and tries not to influence the interviewer's statements. The interviewer does not share his/her own beliefs and opinions. The structured interview is mostly a "question and answer" session.   3.7 Statistical Treatment of the Data               When the entire survey questionnaire have been collected, the researcher will used statistics to analyze all the data; and will be assisted by the SPSS in coming up with the statistical analysis for this study. For the interview, a content analysis will be drawn in order to identify factors pertaining to the impact of ethnic minority entrepreneurship in Hong Kong. Because of this research design, the results of the data gathered were limited to the determination of factors that affect the development of minority entrepreneurship in Hong Kong. Comparisons were drawn between the overall responses to the questions and the differing responses (1994) the following statistical formulae will be also used: 1.  Percentage – to determine the magnitude of the responses to the questionnaire.             n % = -------- x 100        ;           n – number of responses             N                                 N – total number of respondents   2.  Weighted Mean             f1x1 + f2x2  + f3x3 + f4x4  + f5x5 x = ---------------------------------------------;                         xt   where:            f – weight given to each response                         x – number of responses                         xt – total number of responses   The researcher will be assisted by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) in coming up with the statistical analysis for this study. SPSS is one of the most widely available and powerful statistical software packages that covers a broad range of statistical procedures, which allows a researcher to summarize data (e.g., compute means and standard deviations), determine whether there are significant differences between groups (e.g., t-tests, ANOVA), examine relationships among variables (e.g., correlation, multiple regression), and graph results (e.g., bar charts, line graphs) (Kirkpatrick and Feeney, 2003). Chapter 4 Findings and analysis 4.1 Introduction   This part of the study shall be discussing the findings based on the self-administered questionnaire and the interview conducted by the researcher. The primary objective of this study is to determine a new meaning for shopping malls in Hong Kong. The study intends to investigate the concept of shopping malls and how this changes as perceived by the respondents. Prior to the initiation of the interview process, the purpose, the significance, and objectives of the study were relayed to the participants. They were also assured that all the information they had provided are solely for the purpose of the study while their identities would remain confidential. For this study, primary research and secondary research are used. Primary research was conducted using interview questionnaires that were sent to 30 respondents. The respondents were composed of shoppers/customers. The questionnaires have been used to collect qualitative data and quantitative data. The conduct of this study entails the level and position of the respondents.  It is assumed that the attributes of the respondents influence on their behaviour and answers on the interview questions.     4.2 Presentation of Data Analysis                  4.2.1 Demographic Profile of the Respondents   This part will be the discussion of the demographic profile of the respondents who have been chosen in this study. The description of the respondents includes their age, gender, and marital status, number of children, nationality, Expatriate nationality, monthly income, highest education, and occupation. Gender of the Respondents   Figure 5 present the distribution of the gender of the respondents who participated in the study. The sample populations’ gender depicts an unequal distribution of the sexes.  It shows that out of 251 respondents, only 248 of them have given their genders. In this case, 191 (77%) of the respondents are female and 57 (23%) were male. This may indicate that most of the shoppers in HK are females.   Age of the Respondents The Figure above displays the distribution of the respondents according to their age. Out of 248 respondents, it shows that most of the respondents are 26-30 years old which compromised 86 (34.7%) of the total respondents. Fifty-five (22.2%) of the respondents belongs to 31-35 years of age and Thirty-five (14.1%) are 18-25 years old. These also shows the percentage of the ages of the respondents compromised to the following distribution; ages between 41-45 (9.7%), 36-40 (8.9%), 46-50 (7.3%), over 50 years (2.8%) and below 18% (0.40%). This implies that most of the respondents are matured enough to become a reliable source for the study.     Marital Status Figure 7 provide the data for the marital status of the respondents who participated in the study. Herein, it shows that 185(74%) were single and only 26% of the total population are married.   Nationality               The figure above shows the division of the respondents in accordance with their nationality. It shows that 165 or 66% of the respondents are HK citizen while only 86 or 34% where expatriate. The nationality of the expatriates includes Americans, Australian, Asians, and Europeans. It can be analysed the there are many expatriates in Hong Kong that travels and shops domestically.   Monthly Average Income   Figure 9 show the monthly average income (HK$) of the general public who joined the study. In this, 251 out of 251 possible answers were gathered. It can be seen that most of the respondents (34% and 41%) have an average monthly income below $8,000 and $8,001-$15,000. Since most of the respondents are younger people, it can be concluded that most of them are just starting to work or some are not yet working which affects the distribution of the monthly average income.     The figure above presents the highest educational attainment of the respondents who participated in the study. In the result, it shows that 74% of the total population has finished a university degree. On the other hand, 34 (14%) have their diploma, 19 (8%) of them were high school graduate, 4 or 1.6% were intermediate graduate and have other education units and only 1 (.4%) is elementary level. It can be noted that with this, respondents of this study can be said to be literate enough to provide pertinent data for the project.           Figure 11 illustrate the occupation of the respondents who participated in the study. Herein, it shows that out of 243 respondents who answer this query, 119 (49%) of the total population are working as a government sector employee while 104 (42%) of them are private sector employee. Some respondents compromised other occupations (11, 4.5%). Five respondents which compromised 2.1% of the population is student and 4 (1.6%) are self-employed. This may indicate that most of the respondents can be considered to afford shopping. Where do shoppers usually go?                         The figure above shows the distribution of the respondents in terms of their preferences on a shopping area. Herein, it shows that 43% (103) of the total respondents usually go to shopping malls in Kowloon. On the other hand, 34% (85) of the total participants reveals that they usually shop at the shopping malls located in Kowloon and the 25% which comprises 63 participants said that they usually go to shopping malls in new territories in Hong Kong.                  4.2.2 Perception of the Respondents               This part of the study will show the result of the analysis of the answers of the respondents in the survey questionnaire given. Herein, the standpoint of the respondents regarding shopping malls or shopping centres will be assessed.               A1: Relationship of Consumption, Image, lifestyle and shopping culture             When you are going to a shopping centre, you are going there because of one of the following reasons: Table 1 Statements 1 2 3 4 5 Weighted Mean Interpretation Buying or shopping commodities and other need (consumption concepts)   248   3   0   0   0 1.01     Strongly Agree To enhance their self-image within the society (image concept) 195 56 0 0 0 1.22   Strongly Agree To show the social status of living (lifestyle concepts) 214 37 0 0 0 1.15   Strongly Agree To be part of the social culture (Shopping Culture) 125 98 28 0 0 1.61   Mildly Agree     Table 1 present the views of the respondents on different statements which indicates the reasons which may affect their decision to go to shopping centres or shopping malls. It reveals that most of the respondents strongly agree that they are going to shopping centres or shopping malls because of the following concepts: consumption, image, and lifestyle concepts. On the other hand, the respondents mildly agreed that they go to shopping centre to be part of a social culture.   Correlation To determine the relationship of consumption, image, lifestyle, and shopping culture, the use of correlation statistic was employed. On the other hand, the strength of the linear association between two variables is quantified by the correlation coefficient (Guilford, J.P. and B. Fruchter, 1973). Given a set of observations (x1, y1), (x2,y2),...(xn,yn), the formula for computing the correlation coefficient is given by:               Where: = Correlation between X and Y = Sum of Variable X = Sum of Variable Y = Sum of the product X and Y N= Number of Cases = Sum of squared X score = Sum of squared Y score               Furthermore, the correlation coefficient always takes a value between -1 and 1, with 1 or -1 indicating perfect correlation (all points would lie along a straight line in this case). A positive correlation indicates a positive association between the variables (increasing values in one variable correspond to increasing values in the other variable), while a negative correlation indicates a negative association between the variables (increasing values is one variable correspond to decreasing values in the other variable). A correlation value close to 0 indicates no association between the variables. Since the formula for calculating the correlation coefficient standardizes the variables, changes in scale or units of measurement will not affect its value. For this reason, the correlation coefficient is often more useful than a graphical depiction in determining the strength of the association between two variables. In addition, if the correlation index of the computed rxy is not perfect, then it is suggested to use the following categorization (Guilford, J.P. and B. Fruchter, 1973):             rxy                                                  Indication between ± 0.80 to ± 1.00    :           High Correlation between ± 0.60 to ± 0.79    :           Moderately High Correlation between ± 0.40 to ± 0.59    :           Moderate Correlation between ± 0.20 to ± 0.39    :           Low Correlation between ± 0.01 to ± 0.19    :           Negligible Correlation   Analysis Table 2 Correlations   Consumption Image Lifestyle Shopping Culture Consumption Pearson Correlation Sign (2-Tailed ) N 1   .   251 **205.   001.   251 **265.   000.   251 063.   323.   251 Image Pearson Correlation Sign (2-Tailed ) N **205.   001.   251 1   .   251 **776.   000.   251 **305.   000.   251 Lifestyle Pearson Correlation Sign (2-Tailed ) N **265.   000.   251 **776.   000.   251 1   .   251 **237.   000.   251 Shopping Culture Pearson Correlation Sign (2-Tailed ) N 063.   323.   251 **305.   000.   251 **237.   000.   251 1   .   251   **Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)     The correlations table displays Pearson correlation coefficients, significance values, and the number of cases with non-missing values. Pearson correlation coefficients assume the data are normally distributed. The Pearson correlation coefficient is a measure of linear association between four variables. Basically, the values of the correlation coefficient range from -1 to 1. The sign of the correlation coefficient indicates the direction of the relationship (positive or negative). The absolute value of the correlation coefficient indicates the strength, with larger absolute values indicating stronger relationships. The correlation coefficients on the main diagonal are always 1.0, because each variable has a perfect positive linear relationship with itself. Correlations above the main diagonal are a mirror image of those below. In our data, the correlation coefficient between consumption and image concept is 0.205. Since 0.205 is relatively close to 1 or -1 this indicates that consumption and image has a low correlation. On the other hand, the correlation coefficient between lifestyle and consumption is .265 is relatively close to 1 or -1 this indicates that consumption and image has a low correlation. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between consumption and shopping culture is .063 which indicates that these two variables have moderately high correlation. The correlation coefficient of image and lifestyle is .776 which means that these two concepts have a moderately high correlation. The correlation coefficient between image and shopping culture is .305 as shown in the table, Hence, this means that these two concepts has a low correlation also. As can be seen in the table, the correlation of lifestyle and shopping culture is .237 which shows that these two concepts have a low correlation. The significance of each correlation coefficient is also displayed in the correlation table. The significance level (or p-value) is the probability of obtaining results as extreme as the one observed. If the significance level is very small (less than 0.05) then the correlation is significant and the two variables are linearly related. If the significance level is relatively large (for example, 0.50) then the correlation is not significant and the two variables are not linearly related. The correlation coefficient for Consumption and Image is 0.205. The significance level or p-value is 0.000 which indicates a very low significance. The law significance level indicates that consumption and image are significantly positively correlated. Likewise, the correlation coefficient between lifestyle and consumption is .265 which also indicates that these two variables are positively correlated. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between consumption and shopping culture is .063 which indicates that these two variables are positively correlated also. The correlation coefficient of image and lifestyle is .776 which means that that these two variables are positively correlated. The correlation coefficient between image and shopping culture is .305 as shown in the table; hence, this means that these two concepts are positively correlated. As can be seen in the table, the correlation of lifestyle and shopping culture is .237 which shows that these two concepts are positively correlated.             The result indicates that some concepts have low correlation while two have moderately high correlation. In this case, it can be assumed that the variables may be considered to have a strong relationship for building the context of modern shopping centre as perceived by the 251 respondents.   A2: Factors Affecting Preferences for Shopping   Factors influencing the Decision of the Respondents When going to Shopping Malls Table 3 Statements 1 2 3 4 5 Weighted Mean Interpretation a)  Your shopping budget 177 38 25 4 4 1.47 Very Important b)  Length of your shopping 119 84 35 5 5 1.76 Mildly Important c)  Prices of the commodities and goods 112 79 45 8 2 1.82 Mildly Important d)  Quality of services in the shopping malls 133 84 26 3 2 1.62 Mildly Important e)  Attitude of people in the shopping centre 145 70 21 10 2 1.60 Mildly Important f)   Language spoken at the shopping centre 43 70 85 25 21 2.60 Neutral g)  Security at the shopping malls 198 30 17 2 1 1.30 Very Important h)  Travel time to the shopping malls 42 61 68 40 34 2.85 Neutral i)    Variety of entertainment activities at the shopping centres. 112 90 34 8 5 1.81 Mildly Important j)    Recommendations of your friends or relatives 29 70 85 38 25 2.84   Neutral k)  Quality of shopping facilities at the destination 59 69 69 36 15 2.51 Mildly Important l)    Availability of some sporting events 7 20 62 55 104 3.92 Mildly Unimportant m) Availability of cultural activities 20 66 70 41 51 3.15 Neutral n)  Availability of children-related activities 58 84 47 23 36 2.58 Neutral   In the table above, it can be seen that as perceived by the participants of the study, they view the following as very important factor which influence the individual decision when going to a shopping mall or shopping centre: shopping budget, and the security of the shopping mall or shopping centre. On the other hand, some factors which are perceived as mildly important by the participants include length of shopping, prices of the commodities in the shopping malls, quality of services in the shopping malls, attitude of people in the shopping malls toward the customers and variety of the entertainment activities. On the other hand, the respondents believed that in making decisions when going to a shopping centre, the following factors have been regarded as neutral and this include the language, travel time, friends and relatives recommendation, quality of shopping facilities and availability of children activities. This means that these factors mildly affect the decision of the respondent’s n terms of shopping preferences. Lastly, it also shows that the respondents perceived sporting important as mildly not important when they go to shopping centres or malls.   A3: How Consumption, lifestyle, image, and shopping culture changed the meaning of shopping centre?             The view about consumption, lifestyle, image, and shopping culture can be considered as factors which easily changes in the view of the customers or consumers. The following shows the distribution of the respondents in their view on how the mentioned four concepts changed the meaning of shopping malls. Most of the respondents strongly agreed that shopping consumption changes the meaning of a shopping mall because of the continuous changes in the needs and demands of the consumers. Consumer goals and needs are constantly changing in response to environmental conditions, interaction with others, and physical conditions. As individuals realize their goals, new objectives may be established, hence, in order for the shopping malls to cope up for these changes, the context of a shopping area must also be changed. Many respondents have indicated that shopping for commodities, goods, and services in the most important thing that influenced them to go to shopping malls. Herein, the respondents believed that the involvement of the commodities in shopping malls is still an important aspect and that they noted that commodities are a source of leisure for many customers. It appeared also that the participants are mostly interested with the categories of the commodities being offered in shopping malls. In addition, the consumption enables changes in the meaning of shopping malls thru the excitement of the shoppers in their shopping experiences. On the other hand, as perceived by the shoppers who participated in this research study, image changes the meaning of shopping malls primarily because of the standards set by the shoppers in line also with their self-image. At the individual level shopping today satisfies not only physical needs, it also plays a significant psychological role, becoming a means of self-fulfilment closely related to self-image. In this regard, shopping malls tends to seek ways to identify means of fulfilling the needs of their customer to gain self-satisfaction. Lifestyles are also perceived by the respondents as an influential factor that changes the meaning of shopping malls. Lifestyles emerge from various social influences. They are also derived from the individual's personal value system and personality. The marketers, specifically those involved in shopping malls need to study the way consumers live and spend their money as well as how they make purchase decisions. For example, blue jeans in shopping malls may serve as inexpensive, functional clothing to blue-collar workers, but as fashionable, self-expressive apparel to upper-class members. Credit cards may be used as a convenience for the affluent, while others use them as a basis for instalment purchases since balances are not paid off immediately. Decisions emanating from lifestyles are learned as the result of many influences such as culture, subcultures, social class, reference groups, and family. Activities, interests, and opinions reflect how consumers spend their time and their beliefs on various social, economic, and political issues. When understood by the management of the shopping centres, these variables can help them to change the context of their shopping malls to meet the lifestyle of their target audience. Some of the respondents believed that lifestyles are routinised practices, the routines incorporated into habits of dress, entry, modes of acting and favoured milieus of encountering others; but the routines are reflexively open to change in the light of the mobile nature of self-identity. Each of the small decisions a person makes every day contributes to such routines.  Lifestyle therefore differs from traditional status orders, as well as structural divisions (class, family, gender, and ethnicity) and for two reasons. First, it tends to stress a powerful cultural pattern made up of signs, representations, and media towards shopping malls. Second, and relatedly, it is inherently unstable since, in a sense, it is an extension of consumer choice to mode of life: lifestyle groupings and patterns do not reflect communities with well-policed social gates, with obligations to long-term commitment or to extensive social learning processes. Moreover, lifestyle groups are 'elective communities', memberships which we choose rather than have ascribed or allocated to us. Social membership is reduced to identities one puts on and turns off at whim, a flânerie which moves us beyond even the solidarity of subculture to 'the supermarket of style. In the fourth account, respondents perceived that contemporary shopping is a reflection of a new and more democratic definition of l heritage and further evidence of an expanding historical culture. Shopping becomes a part of this expansion of popular memory, as shoppers become Clio's under-labourers and goods become clues and signposts to the past. This expansion of historical culture into shopping can be indexed in a number of ways. There is, first of all, the new visibility of shopping in representations of the material past: In pictorial histories (such as those reproduced from old postcards) pride of place is given to the high street scene. In the mock-ups and pin-ups of the 'traditional' village, the general stores-or village post office-occupy the symbolic spaces once given to the parish church. 'Period' shopping is a leading attraction at the open-air museums and theme parks.  Shops of a more recent vintage are also the centre piece of the open-air and industrial museums.   A4)  The New Meaning for Shopping Malls             As perceived by the respondents, they are all agreed to the notion that the new meaning of shopping malls should be incorporated on its purpose and how the consumers believed it to be. For the shoppers who participated in this study, shopping malls should be defined as an area in which customers could gain favorable experiences. Importance of the Following Activities For having Perfect Shopping Hours Table 4 Statements 1 2 3 4 5 Weighted Mean Interpretation a)  Shopping/consumption 248 3 0 0 0 1.01 Very Important b)  Total relaxation 123 68 60 0   0 1.75 Mildly Important c)  Attending sporting events 79 40 51 60 21 2.62 Neutral d)  Watching movies 165 57 29 0 0 1.46 Very Important e)  Attending music concerts and other entertainments 132 31 42 27 19 2.08   Mildly Important f)   Attending cultural festivals 58 78 64 33 18 2.50 Neutral g)  Visiting amusement parks, etc. 90 89 43 13 16 2.11 Mildly Necessary               Table 4 presents the perception of the respondents regarding the importance of the given factors to have perfect shopping hours. Most of the respondents believed that shopping and watching movies is very necessary for having perfect hours to shopping centres. Conversely respondents believed that some factors are mildly necessary to have a perfect hours spent in shopping centres. Most of the respondents believed that attending cultural festivals may be important or not important in a shopping centre.   Using these factors, it can be analysed that the customers perceived shopping malls nowadays as a place in which they can relax, enjoy and be entertained and a place in which everything they needed (commodities, goods, and services) can be found at a low and practical price.   A5) Prospect of the Hong Kong Shopping malls   The shopping malls in Hong Kong offers a good prospective which Hong Kong entrepreneurs can exploit in other parts of the world market characterised by the developing competitiveness in accordance with quality and price as well as environmental considerations. Having a strong foothold in which the HK shopping malls has had for long in these types of markets, and the advantage of having shoppers not only in the local level but also from international level, and could mount a rigorous s marketing campaign to extort a share integrated with their natural strength and potential in creating luxurious but affordable shopping malls and shopping centres and creation of new and innovative shopping malls that would meet the needs of the target market.   Figure 13 SWOT Analysis of HK Shopping Malls   With the strengths of the HK shopping centres, there is a greater possibility that in the future, Hong Kong will become a strong competitor as a Shopping paradise in the global marketplace and be the number one choice of shopping malls of consumers all over the world.   Chapter 5 CONCLUSION 5.1 Introduction This part of the study will provide the discussion of the conclusion and implications for further research based on the results presented in the previous chapters. The focus of the study is to determine in detail the researcher’s findings regarding the assessment of the perception of the shoppers about HK shopping malls. Specifically, the study focuses on designing a new meaning for HK shopping centres. Since, it is considered as an important aspect of the shopping centres in Hong Kong, it is important to evaluate this industry.             The study also aims to determine about the relationship of consumption, lifestyle, image, and shopping culture in developing a new meaning for shopping malls as well as its prospective of HK shopping malls for future development as perceived by the respondents.  This is done by carefully examining the answers of the respondents chosen in this study. Data collected from the shoppers provided answers to the queries of the researcher. The primary source of data came from the survey questionnaire and interview done by the researcher to the respondents. Data was also collated from different documents about shopping malls, consumption, image, lifestyle, and shopping culture. A questionnaire was also used to get pertinent data from the respondents.  Their cooperation was fervently soughed after and its descriptive analysis was undertaken by the researcher through the descriptive research method that uses observation and interviews. 5.2 Conclusion about the research The shopping centres occupy a position of prominence in the Hong Kong economy in observation of its massive potential in terms of attracting more and more shoppers from all over the world. The HK shopping malls has gained drive in terms of its market share primarily due to the overwhelming support of their target market. The study highlighted the issue of having a new meaning for shopping malls in Hong Kong. The research conducted has been able to determine the major factors affecting or influencing the shoppers in terms of their shopping preferences. Concepts toward a new meaning for shopping malls were formulated from the data obtained through the use of qualitative and quantitative approach. The major concept of consumptions, image, lifestyle and shopping culture has been considered as the central variable determined to affect the new definition of shopping malls. The major construct of image and lifestyle has been considered as the most essential aspects for the HK shopping malls when making or conceptualizing new shopping malls ideas. In addition, the research shows that the shopping culture was also identifies as a major factor influencing the shoppers when conceptualizing new shopping mall meaning and ideas. Using these factors, it can be concluded that the customers perceived shopping malls nowadays as a place in which they can relax, enjoy and be entertained and a place in which everything they needed (commodities, goods, and services) can be found at a low and practical price.             This study assessed the role of consumption, image, lifestyle and shopping culture. The structure of these factors affecting the ideologies and beliefs of the shoppers have used it to create a new meaning for HK shopping malls. It shows that most of the shoppers are also influenced by different factors in terms of shopping preferences. The study reveals that most of the respondents are influenced by shopping budget, security of the shopping malls, prices of the commodities and goods, attitude of people, quality of services, variety of entertainment activities and quality of the shopping facilities. These factors affect the stay or shopping preferences of the shoppers.             Analysis also shows that with the growing potentials of the HK shopping malls, not only in the local market but in international or global market, HK shopping centres in general will be benefited, specifically in gaining good reputation in the market environment. Furthermore, the research also shows that shopping centres has a great prospective in terms of growth, development and shopper’s choice. These potentials may lead to a more competitive Hong Kong shopping centre in the future. In general, the underlying principle of shopping centres or shopping malls marketing strategy aims to determine the needs of the customers and how to meet them in the most effective yet least costly manner.  In order to adhere to the demand of the shoppers, it is also important to take note to that the shopping malls nowadays must be creative in terms of designs, facilities, marketing approaches and as well as entertaining.    5.3 Implications for further research Hong Kong as a shopping paradise is considered as one of the most important economic booster of the country. With continuous support of shoppers all over the globe, Hong Kong can be considered as the first shopping destination choice of many shoppers.  With the growing potentials of the new meaning of shopping malls in the global market, it is recommended that further research must be done in order to provide a more in-depth discussion regarding the topic.               Appendix 1   SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE (SHOPPERS)     You were chosen as a respondent to answer this survey – questionnaire on “Developing a New meaning of Shopping Malls in Hong Kong.” Your answers will provide the data needed in this study. Rest assured that your answers would be treated with utmost confidentiality.   CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION   The information requested here will be used only in grouping your responses with others who provided similar information so that further statistical analysis can be performed on the data.   Q1.      What is your gender?           Male                                               Female   Q2.      What is your age?  Below 18 years   18 - 25 years   26 - 30 years   31 - 35 years  36 - 40 years   41 - 45 years   46 - 50 years   Over  50 years   Q3.      You are:                                  Single                    Married       Q4.      If married, how many children do you have?       Q5.      Your nationality is:                Hong Kong                  Non-Hong Kong (Please indicate)         Q6.      Your monthly average income (HK$) is:  below $8,000    $8,001-$15,000    $15,001-$25,000    $25,001-$50000       Q7.      Your highest education is:    Elementary    Intermediate    High School    Diploma    University degree    Other ………   Q8.      Your occupation is:    Government sector employee    Private sector employee    Self-employed (Businessman)               Student    Other (Please specify)         Q9.      Where do shoppers usually go?    Shopping Malls in Hong Kong Island    Shopping Malls in       Kowloon    Shopping Malls in New Territories       PERCEPTION OF SHOPPERS   Q10. Relationship of Consumption, Image, lifestyle and shopping culture           Direction:       Check the number corresponding to your answer                         1          -           Strongly Agree                         2          -           Agree                         3          -           Neutral                         4          -           Disagree                         5          -           Strongly Disagree When you are going to a shopping centre, you are going there because of one of the following reasons:   Statements 1 2 3 4 5 Buying or shopping commodities and other need (consumption concepts)           To enhance their self-image within the society (image concept)           To show the social status of living (lifestyle concepts)           To be part of the social culture (Shopping Culture)             Q11: Factors Affecting Preferences for Shopping             Direction:       Check the number corresponding to your answer                         1          -           Very Important                         2          -           Mildly Important                         3          -           Neutral                         4          -           Mildly Unimportant                         5          -           Very Unimportant When you are going to a shopping centre, how important are the following statements in influencing your shopping destination choice? Statements 1 2 3 4 5 a)Your shopping budget           b)Length of your shopping           c)Prices of the commodities and goods           d)Quality of services in the shopping malls           e)Attitude of people in the shopping centre           f) Language spoken at the shopping centre           g)Security at the shopping malls           h)  Travel time to the shopping malls           i)    Variety of entertainment activities at the shopping centres.           j)    Recommendations of your friends or relatives           k)  Quality of shopping facilities at the destination           l)    Availability of some sporting events           m) Availability of cultural activities           n)  Availability of children-related activities             Q13: How Consumption, lifestyle, image, and shopping culture changed the meaning of shopping centre? Please provide your answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.   Q14)  The New Meaning for Shopping Malls Direction:       Check the number corresponding to your answer                         1          -           Very Important                         2          -           Mildly Important                         3          -           Neutral                         4          -           Mildly Unimportant                         5          -           Very Unimportant   When you are going to a shopping centre, how important are the following statements for having perfect shopping hours?   Statements 1 2 3 4 5 a)    Shopping/consumption           b)    Total relaxation           c)    Attending sporting events           d)    Watching movies           e)    Attending music concerts and other entertainments           f)     Attending cultural festivals           g)    Visiting amusement parks, etc.               Q15: Prospect of the Hong Kong Shopping malls What could you expect from the shopping malls of Hong Kong in the future? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.   Thank you very much for your help in completing this questionnaire!!!!!

A new meaning of shopping mall and its implicatiions to the future development

Table of contents Abstract .. 1 Chapter 1 . 2 1.1 Background of the study . 2 1.2 Aim and Objectives . 3 1.3 Research ...