PROJECT FOUR PROMPT

FINAL GROUNDED RESEARCH ESSAY

INVESTIGATING AN ISSUE RELATED TO PLACE

Overview

This project will be less prescribed than our previous ones this semester.  You will research and compose an essay of moderate length (6-8 pages double-spaced) based upon an issue related to our theme of place.  It will be up to you to identify and focus this issue, and it is hoped this decision will take into consideration interests sparked by this semester’s readings and work.  Your paper will need to thoroughly incorporate at least four (4) sources considered credible for an academic essay (we will discuss this in-depth over the next few weeks).  One of these sources can be a reading from class; you need to complete research to locate three others.

We will be taking a specific approach to choosing a topic and then researching and composing this paper.  This approach is called grounded research and it might feel somewhat different from approaches you’ve taken in the past.  Rather than constructing a thesis statement early in the paper-writing process and then finding sources to support this thesis, we will instead focus on gaining a deeper understanding of a topic through research and research questions.  Eventually we will narrow the topic down into a compelling, more specific angle.  To do so, we will complete the following steps:

1)  Choose a topic, either from course readings or your own personal interests

2)  Perform introductory research to gain a better understanding of conversations related to this topic

3)  Pose several questions that might guide further, more academic research

4)  Gather sources that inform specific angles related to your topic

5)  Return to your research questions in order to narrow your paper’s focus

6)  Turn a revised research question into a statement that guides the composition of your paper

We will not worry about a thesis or position statement until we’re well into the research and writing process. However, when it comes time to compose the first draft, the purpose of your paper will be to assertively explain why this issue is important or worth thinking about today.

Choosing an Effective Topic

You are encouraged to return to the many texts we have read this semester in order to identify a specific topic or issue.  You might also consider revisiting your weekly blog posts as well as your second paper, “Analyzing and Responding to Readings on Place.”  It is okay to build off of ideas you’ve already developed this semester. Think of our readings as the tip of an iceberg—most introduce issues that can be explored on a deeper level through additional research.  In your essay, you can absolutely use the texts we’ve read for class, but remember you will still need to locate at least three additional sources.

This paper will not be a response to the essays and articles we’ve read this semester. Instead, you should use them to identify a topic and then explore this topic through research.  For example, if you enjoyed Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Science of Shopping,” you might consider conducting research to learn more about consumer

environments.  Or if our readings on gender separation in the workplace caught your attention, you might further explore this topic.  Perhaps you’re curious to learn more about the consequences of tourism, or how place is used in advertising.  We’ve briefly visited a wide variety of topics and issues—you should choose something that is genuinely interesting to you.  It is okay to begin with a broad topic, or a topic you know very little about. Through research, you will be gaining a more extensive understanding of this topic, and will be finding a

specific angle with which to approach your paper.

An important note: you might think of some other issue or topic not explored in our readings.  You can choose something unrelated to our readings as long as it is related to the theme of place in some way.  I’m open to a loose interpretation of this theme—in fact, I would be excited if you want to pursue a topic you’ve thought of on

your own.  I will be checking in with you early and often to make sure that your topic can encourage a successful paper.

Finding Your Angle

During class and one-on-one conferences, we will work on identifying a specific angle related to your topic.  In general, once you have chosen a topic, which might be quite broad, you will use your research to develop an approach to this topic that is relevant to our understanding of it today.  For example, many people might know that, in general, consequences of tourism do exist; a paper on this topic would need to choose a more specific issue related to the topic of “consequences of tourism.” This issue should be something people are talking and thinking about now.  This is where your paper will become “fresh” as well as assertive.

You may take a few different approaches to finding your angle, depending on your topic and what your research uncovers.  You might consider shedding light on a lesser-known sub-issue related to your topic and explaining why this sub-issue is important to know about, or why it shouldn’t be overlooked.  You might look at how an issue has changed over time and whether or not this change can be considered satisfactory.  Or you might present what people are saying about an issue today before explaining what has been left out of the conversation.  While challenging to identify, this specific angle will be crucial to making your project unique and compelling.  In-

class work will help to make more sense of this stage of the process.

An important note: you will not merely be presenting your research to your reader; instead, you will be offering an assertion based upon your research.  In general, this assertion will explain to your reader why this issue is relevant and important.

Necessary Parts of Your Paper

So that your reader better understands the issue and the specific focus of your paper, you will need to offer some historical context.  You will also need to shift to a focus that is relevant today.  Your paper will need to include an assertive statement that explains why this issue is important to think about.  And you will need to continue to practice good synthesis of your ideas with your sources’ ideas throughout your paper.  Beyond these general guidelines, all of which we’ll develop and work on, you will need to make important choices about how to structure and focus your paper.  Of course, this we’ll also work on, and I am always available as a resource

during any stages of this project.

Goals

To gain experience using readings to identify issues of relevance

To gain experience conducting academic research

To use research to deepen an understanding of an issue and to identify specific angles related to this issue

To use research to guide formulation of unique ideas

To integrate sources to support your ideas

To learn about resources offered by the Butler Library

To further develop ideas related to the course theme

To gain practice with the writing process

Important Dates

Project Introduction: Thurs. 11/1

Initial Topic Ideas (Blog Response #14): Tues. 11/6

Library Orientation: Tues. 11/6

Project Proposals: Tues. 11/13

Outline & Sources: Tues. 11/27

First Draft for Peer Feedback: Thurs. 11/29

Final Draft: Thurs. 12/6

In-Class Presentations on Essays: Thurs. 12/6

Format

MLA style

STAPLED (all drafts!)

Font: 12-point Times New Roman

Spacing: Double-spaced

Length: 6-8 pages

Grading

This project is worth 30% of your course grade.  A grading rubric will be handed out shortly.

FYS-095

Who’s Really in Control?

Retail is a highly competitive business, and stores are willing to do just about anything to attract customers and lead them to buy their products. Although few realize it, shoppers are

under careful analysis while shopping. Behaviors are monitored in order to capitalize and create situations where consumers are most comfortable and compelled to buy. One way stores do this is through the design and layout of the retail spaces. The feeling a consumer gets when walking into a store greatly influences whether they will walk out empty-handed or with way more than they came for. While stores must stay competitive in the retail game, there are ethical implications to consider regarding how much control a store should have over their customers.

A shopper’s overall experience and impression of a store depend heavily upon the layout of the space. The design of a store is what makes it unique; this gives it the ability to attract customers and draw them in. Once they are in, the layout should serve as a pathway which the customer is subconsciously encouraged to follow.  The aisles, shelving, color, and displays are what guide customers through the store and lead them pass certain products. While the design does contribute to the aesthetic appeal, the main goal is to increase sales. Studies have shown that an effective floor plan can positively influence a consumer’s shopping time, behavior, and

price acceptability (Cil, 8611). This influence will directly impact the likeliness of a consumer to stay in a store longer, as well as purchase items not necessarily intended prior to entry.

The longer customers are in a store and the more items they are exposed to while in the store affects how many goods they walk out with (Gladwell, 761). For this reason, often times stores will separate their most basic and staple goods in different sections of the store. Spreading

out these core items prevents quick shopping trips, causing them to spend more time than they intended in the store. This layout plan forces customers to pass items they were not planning on buying, but may now purchase since they have seen them. So in a sense, the store layout is leading the customer throughout the store, past an array of unneeded products.

While the tactic of lengthening a customer’s visit is beneficial to the store, they must also consider the impact this has on the customer’s experience. If the layout of the store is too spread out, the customers may become frustrated and go elsewhere to find their needed products. This winding path past all the store has to offer must also be easily navigated and understood by both

a luxury shopper and one crunched for time. One strategy to achieve this balance is placing items that are similar next to each other. This relation is not only logical and convenient for shoppers, but also encourages the sale of a bundle of items which in many cases leads to impulse

purchases. Ibrahim Cil of Sakarya University explains, “the visual effect of adjacency can stimulate impulse purchases that account for 70% of buying decisions” (8612).

The floor plan of a store can be put into one of these categories: grid, racetrack, freeform, or circulation spine. The grid layout is commonly seen in grocery stores. This rectangular design features long, parallel aisles that provide a shopper who is buying multiple, unrelated products an easy and efficient way to these items. The racetrack layout guides shoppers along a route that passes various sections of the store in order to arrive at the item they came in for. Most department stores choose a different floor plan to optimize browsing space. This format is called the freeform layout. Merchandise is presented in a variety of forms with shelves, racks, and displays. While there are aisles to direct customers through the different departments of the store, this layout encourages shoppers to spend more time walking among the products, taking their time to peruse the items. The final layout type is circulation spine. A retail space designed this

way includes a path through the middle of the store as well as a full lap around all of the store’s merchandise. This floor plan gives the shopper the choice between casually walking around the store to find the wanted products as well as the option of a direct path through the store (Cil,

8613).

When choosing the layout of a store, the motivation of the shoppers should have a great influence on this decision. Shoppers can be categorized as either task-oriented or recreational. Depending on how much time and effort a customer wants to spend in a store determines what they would prefer to see in the layout. For example, task-oriented consumers, those who know exactly what they came for and do not want to waste any extra time, desire spacious shopping environments. They do not notice ambience and might even become annoyed with aspects of a store that are more decorative than functional. Recreational shoppers require the opposite. A main reason they are in a store is for the experience; they want to be stimulated and entertained. The design and look of a store is more noticed and appreciated because this contributes to the overall experience (Rompay, Tanja-Dijkstra, Verhoeven, & van Es, 806).

Along with the layout, the colors, music, and amount of clutter impact a buyer’s mood to shop. For example, stimulating colors such as red and yellow give a shopper a sense of excitement, promoting impulse buys. Upbeat music puts shoppers in a more charitable mood and emphasizes a store’s uniqueness. A spacious shopping environment promotes a sense of freedom and leisure making the consumer feel empowered in the situation (Rompay, Tanja-Dijkstra, Verhoeven, & van Es, 801). Among these factors, color is the most influential. In general, colors like red should be avoided because they produce tension in the customers, which delays or prevents the decision to buy. This is especially the case among task-oriented shoppers. Less stimulating colors like blue or green should be used to help shoppers focus and pay attention to

the products at hand. This is not the case with recreational shoppers. These shoppers are seeking entertainment and stimulus through their shopping experience. Because of this, more stimulating colors as well as a larger quantity of items is appropriate. Recreational shoppers intend to spend

a longer time in a store than the average task-oriented shopper. Therefore, they are willing to take the time to look at more products. The amount of racks or items on shelves does not overwhelm this type of shopper like it might with a task-oriented shopper. They welcome the extra quantity of items because it provides them with more to look at and enriches their overall experience (Rompay, Tanja-Dijkstra, Verhoeven, & van Es, 804).

While these techniques often go unnoticed, they are very real in retailers all around us. Take IKEA and Anthropologie for example, which use two very different strategies to influence shoppers to buy their merchandise. The furniture store, IKEA guides their shoppers in a winding maze around the entire store. Their complex layout almost guarantees that customers will at least pass if not browse all the departments of the store before they leave. Their inexpensive and unique products further encourage consumers to browse all the merchandise (Mangla, 1). On the other hand, Anthropologie which sells unique women’s apparel, uses the free form method. The lack of aisles or direction pushes the customers to explore the space and interact with the

product. It is supposed to inspire freedom and creativity simulating an art gallery or museum. The designers of the store aim to provide intrigue and enticement about the product, in the hope that the shopper will stay awhile, feeling empowered to buy what they want (Tell, 1).

With so much knowledge of the customers and analysis of their behaviors, one might question the ethical implications of designing a store in a way to exploit shopper tendencies and preferences. So much information is recorded and analyzed any time one goes shopping. The products bought are tracked. The time one spends in a store is recorded, and the behaviors of

individual shoppers are closely studied. All of this data is used in order to accommodate the shopper in a way that increases sales. As Malcolm Gladwell shares in his essay “The Science of Shopping,” “One of the fundamental anxieties of the American consumer, after all, has always been that beneath the pleasure and the frivolity of the shopping experience runs an undercurrent of manipulation” (Gladwell, 763).

While stores greatly impact their shoppers through factors like layout, color, and music, one must also keep in mind that they are not directly forcing any sort of purchase on the consumer. Yes, marketing techniques such as the ones mentioned already have proven effective and to have a profound influence on shopper tendencies. However, the decision whether to buy an item is ultimately up to the consumer.  Stores must remain competitive, or they will go out of

business. There is a continuous battle between stores to both attract new customers and retain old ones. A main factor in acquiring new customers is an attractive store design and layout. Without this initial interest, most people would walk right past a store without a second thought. An effective store design taps into the preferences of its shoppers. This approach may seem manipulative, but can be beneficial in catering to both the shoppers’ and store’s needs.

Achieving this balance between tailoring a store to the desires of its customers and taking advantage of them can be tricky. There is a fine line separating intelligent marketing strategies and consumer manipulation. The line is crossed when the store no longer provides shoppers with an alternative option to what the store wants of the shopper. These choices or lack of choices can be most tangibly seen in the aisles or pathways of a retail space. Consider again IKEA’s floor plan as an example, which tends to blur this line of customer control versus store control. The layout of their stores entangles shoppers in aisles that are more like winding loops around the store wrapping around every single department and every piece of merchandise. The store takes

away the option of going directly to a specific department, leaving the customer no choice but to pass by an array of unwanted products to get to what they came for. While this marketing

strategy has proven effective for IKEA, one must question the ethical implications of limiting the shoppers’ options to just the ones desired by the store.

As a consumer, one must be aware of the strategies retailers use to influence one’s buying habits. While most times these go unnoticed, one can be certain that every inch of a specific store has been analyzed and designed in a way to maximize sales. The layout, color, music, and

overall mood set in a space is targeted at drawing shoppers in and putting them in the situation where they are most likely to buy merchandise. Stores are in constant competition with other retailers and are always looking for ways to get ahead and stand out to potential as well as current customers. While this is needed to stay in business, these tactics become unethical when it comes to marketing products to customers despite their need for it and attempting to influence their thought process when shopping for a specific item. Shoppers should have the right to move as they please in a store. When a retailer takes away this option and replaces it with what the store wants, there is a problem.

Works Cited

Annemiek F. van Es, et al. “On Store Design And Consumer Motivation: Spatial Control And Arousal In The Retail Context.” Environment & Behavior 44.6 (2012): 800-820. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Dec. 2012.

Cil, Ibrahim. “Consumption Universes Based Supermarket Layout Through Association Rule

Mining And Multidimensional Scaling.” Expert Systems With Applications 39.10 (2012):

8611-8625. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 Dec. 2012.