Introduction:Apple came into existence in 1st April,1976 by Steve Woznaik, Ronald Wayne and Steve jobs

later it got incorporated as Apple Computers Inc. in 3rd January,1977 without Ronald Wayne
and after 30 years renamed as Apple Inc. in 9th January,2007. Apple is currently a
multinational company headquarter in Cupertino, California USA with 467 stores in 15
countries. They are into development, design, sell consumers products Macintosh line of
computers, iPod, iPhone, iPad, smart watch iWatch along with their other line of products like
softwares such as operating system like Mac OS X, iTunes media Player along with store and
cloud services, multimedia software iLife, productivity software such as iWork, professional
photography suite Aperture, professional audio and film-industry software like Final Cut
Studio, music production software like Logic Studio, Safari multi-platform web browser,
mobile operating system iOS The concept of marketing mix moreover referred as 4 Ps
which are Product, Price, Place and promotion. To meet customers need the product needs
to develop according to their needs, get the product at right price, and make it available at
right place and make the existence of product known through correct promotions.
Researcher will choose to do research on apple brand identity among the both internal and
external customers.

Research Design and Methodology:

Researcher main purpose of undertaking research objectives to analyze importance
of the marketing mix in brand identity how it helps building Apple brand. Why
branding helps to gain completive advantages over others and how it increases
loyalty and brand awareness among customers. To find out the apple brand related
to its price, promotion and placement.
Researcher under taken Descriptive survey type of research method. Its conducted
for the purpose of exploring answers to the structured questions like why they
prefer or purchase, who are the audience, when they did purchase, etc. It helps
clearing the distinctiveness of a population or observed fact. It mainly involves
methods like surveys, observation, secondary data, etc.
Type of investigation:
Researcher used Surveys and Secondary data to conduct research. Survey research
are very flexible in nature, it helped researcher to obtained many different kind of
informations in many aspect. In order to gather data regarding the marketing mix
strategies for Apple Inc., A survey questionnaire used to collect data due to its
property of flexibility fulfilling different kind of data both qualitative and
quantitative.
Data collection methods:
Researcher used the Primary data which are collected data by researcher for any
issues or specific information collected directly through thorough observation or
research. Researcher here using survey method to obtain primary data regarding
the respondents view about effectiveness of marketing mix used by Apple Inc. in
brand Identity.

Secondary Data which are called which are obtained from secondary resources
which are available such as articles, newspaper, economic websites, etc. Secondary
data was also collected through surveys questionnaire because of its readily
availability nature and supported to primary data. It provide convenience and save
money and time.

Sampling method:
As there are two types of sampling methods:
Probability sampling it is when sample has equally chance of getting selected and
Non- probability sampling where each member of the population has an equal
chance of getting selected. It constitute Random Sampling which also called as
purest form of probability sampling. There always a chance of each member in the
population to get selected. It gets difficult to identify the member of population, so
pool of current subject becomes biased. Stratified sampling which is commonly used
probability method that is superior to random sampling because it avoids sampling
error. A stratum is a subset of the population to share at least a common
characteristics. For example stratum of males and females or manager and nonmanagers, etc.
In non-probability convenience where most convenient sample get selected and
judgement sampling where sample are selected on based of experts judgment is
used to conduct the survey research. Judgement sampling is common
nonprobability method. Where researcher selects the sample based on judgement
which is usually and extension of convenience sampling. Quota sampling is
nonprobability equivalent and matches with the stratified sampling. Like stratified
sampling the researcher identifies their proportion as represented in population. The
convenience or judgment help to select the required number of subject from each
stratum. Snowball sampling is one of the special nonprobability method used when
the desired sample shows rare characteristic. It is merely difficult or cost prohibitive
to locate respondent in such scenario. It relies on referral from initial subjects to
generate additional subjects. While with use of this technique dramatically lower
search costs. As it comes at the expense of introducing bais because of the
technique itself which reduces the likelihood that the sample will represent a cross
section from the given population.

Accessibility issues:
Researcher likely to encounter language as a barrier as some respondents not able
to fill out questionnaire due to limited knowledge of English language which can be
overcome by translated version of questionnaire. Number of respondents chosen
less due to cost and time constraints large sample should have been taken to
compensate response errors. Receiving of duly filled questionnaire rate was high
when since questionnaire sent through email to the respondents by sending the
constant email reminders to fill out the questionnaire and revert back. Uneven

distribution of questionnaire as female more willing to answer the questionnaire

which may overcome by equally distribution of questionnaire among both male and
female
Ethical issues:
Reseacher may encounter ethical issue such as respondents information
confidentiality that will be sole responsibility of researcher to keep the data
confidential without consent of respondent it should not be disclose. Personal
perception or opinion of respondent questionnaire should be formulated so that it
should not be too personal or open. For few respondent previous research survey
may turned out to be an attempt to sell something so respondent will be reluctant
to go ahead with survey that need to clarify by researcher while starting with
survey. Researcher survey participation should be voluntary and do not pressurize
on individual to participate.
Data analysis plan:
Researcher did the Data analysis through statistical programs for example Excel,
SPSS, SAS and get the results in different types of calculation. Before data get
analyze through software researcher need to clean data such as missing value
which regards to skipped questions those value decided by the researcher
according to other respondents answers.
Research limitations:
Research had also limitation. In this research the effect of marketing mix
components including price, place, promotion, and product are only examined.
Other components such as quality of product, staffs and process management are
note examined as it play the role in establishing brand identity. The time constraint
in receiving the duly filled questionnaire were too long and less number of
respondent responded the survey. However, since the research is based on survey
method, which does not disclose the character of respondents. The information
obtained through questionnaire assumed to be factual. As other factors of the
marketing mix not taken consideration So, the generalizability of research finding is
limited.

Timetable:

ACTIVITY
RESEARCH PLANNING
INTRODUCTION
DRAFTING

Febuary,201
January,2015
5
March,2015
W W W W W W W W W W W
W
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

LITRETURE REVIEW
QUESTIONNAIRE
FORMULATION AND
DISPATCH TO
REPONDENTS
DATA COLLECTION
CALCULATION
PROJECT DRAFTING
First 2 weeks to time taken for researcher to plan for the research. In the 2 nd week
itself researcher drafted the Introduction for research about Apple Inc. Company. In
3rd and 4th Week Literature review drafting done. In 5th and 6th week questionnaire
formulation done with respect to the marketing mix of Apple Inc. in establishment to
Apple Brand Identity among customers. In 7th, 8th and 9th week data collection from
duly filled received respondent survey form and necessary sampling and data
cleaning done by the researcher. 10th week calculation of data done. In 11th and 12th
week whole [project drafting completed.