Hipótesis de trabajo

The purpose of developing questions and use it in interviews is to gather enough important and relevant data for the research. These data will help to achieve the research aim and objectives. The literature review is the main source of developing research topic, objectives, and research questions. For the interest of research the researcher developed and generated discussion on some relevant issues of that particular topic like RM, CRM, Islamic view on CRM, factors of CRM both from the light of conventional marketing and Islamic values, and the present condition and

future of UK SMEs. Moreover, along with the literature review research aim, research objectives, and research questions are also studied as the fundamental tools of generating interview questions.

Furthermore, the researcher’s supervisor reviewed the interview questions and his comments were taken into consideration while finalizing the interview questions that enhance the validity and reliability of the questions. In addition, pilot study feedback also considered for further refinement of interview questions, which also support the validity and reliability issues of interview questions.

In order to develop interview questions with the help of literature review few tables were developed to justify the questions along with the area of literature that was reviewed for this research. The tables (4.9a, 4.9b, 4.9c, 4.9d; and 4.10) are presented below:

Table 4.9a: Linkage between Research Aim, Research Questions, Research Objectives, and Interview Questions along with Proposed Methods

Research Aim: To investigate the influence of Islam on the practice of customer relationship marketing (CRM) in the UK Muslim SMEs.

Research Questions

Research Objectives Method Semi-structured Interview Questions What is the understanding of CRM from the Islamic perspective? To review and critically analyze the literature on CRM from the perspective of Islam

Literature and Interview

Question: 1

What is your understanding of customer relationship marketing? Question: 2

How would you describe your relationship with your customers? Please explain.

Question: 3

In your opinion is it important to enhance relationship with customers? If Yes, why? If No, why Not?

Question: 4

Could you please express your opinion about application of Islamic teachings and values in business (unconsciously, subconsciously, or consciously)?

Table 4.9b: Linkage between Research Aim, Research Questions, Research Objectives, and Interview Questions along with Proposed Methods

Research Aim: To investigate the influence of Islam on the practice of customer relationship marketing (CRM) in the UK Muslim SMEs.

Research

Questions Research Objectives Method Interview Questions How Islamic teaching influences the practice of CRM amongst the UK Muslim SMEs? To investigate the behavior and expectations of the UK Muslim SMEs regarding CRM. Literature and Interview Question: 4

Could you please express your opinion about application of Islamic teachings and values in business (unconsciously, subconsciously, or consciously)?

Question: 5

How do Islam influences your business practice?

Question: 7

Do you believe religion has influence on how you develop and maintain relationship with your customers? If Yes, How?

Question: 8

What are the things that basically driving you to follow Islamic concepts in building customer relationship? Question: 9

Could you explain how your non- Muslim customers react when you treat them with Islamic values?

Question: 10

Have you faced any difficulties in applying the teaching of Islam in developing relationship with customers?

Table 4.9c: Linkage between Research Aim, Research Questions, Research Objectives, and Interview Questions along with Proposed Methods

Research Aim: To investigate the influence of Islam on the practice of customer relationship marketing (CRM) in the UK Muslim SMEs.

Research Questions

Research Objectives Method Interview Questions

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam?

To identify the factors required developing CRM in UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam.

Literature and Interview

Question: 12

What is your understanding of trust and how does it influence your relationship with your customers? Question: 13

What is your understanding of brotherhood and how does it influence your relationship with your customers?

Question: 14

What is your understanding of honesty and how does this influence your relationship with your customers? Question: 15

What is your understanding of ethics (difference between right or wrong) and how does this influence your relationship with your customers?

Question: 16

What is your understanding of justice and how does this influence your relationship with your customers? Question: 17

What is your understanding of greetings and how does this influence your relationship with your customers?

Question: 18

In your opinion can non-Muslim business owners learn from Islamic teachings when dealing with customers? If Yes How?

Table 4.9d: Linkage between Research Aim, Research Questions, Research Objectives, and Interview Questions along with Proposed Methods

Research Aim: To investigate the influence of Islam on the practice of customer relationship marketing (CRM) in the UK Muslim SMEs.

Research Questions

Research Objectives Method Interview Questions What could be the contextually appropriate framework to practice CRM for the UK Muslim SMEs? To develop a conceptual framework for the UK Muslim SMEs regarding CRM.

Literature and Interview

Conceptual model will be developed after analysis and discussions.

Table 4.10: Linkage between research questions, Literature, and interview questions Research Questions Key References Interview Questions No. What is the

understanding of CRM from the Islamic perspective?

Alserhan, 2010 cited in Adolphus, 2010; Arham, 2010; Hanafy and Salam, 1988 cited in Abdullah and Ahmad, 2010; Hussnain, 2011; Keller, 1994 cited in Rice, 1999; Rashid, 2003, 2006a; Rashid et al., 2013; Sandikci, 2011.

1/2/3/4

How Islamic teaching influences the practice of CRM amongst the UK Muslim SMEs?

Ahmed, 2008; Arrighetti et al. (2001) cited in Abdullah and Hoetoro (2011); Mohtsham’s (2007) cited in Abdullah and Hoetoro (2011); Harwood and Garry (2006);

4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam?

Abdullah and Ahmad, 2010; Abuznaid, 2009; Arham, 2010; Branine and Pollard, 2010; Dewi and Dhewanto, 2012; Hoq et al., 2010; Hussnain, 2011; Iqbal and Mirakhor, 2007; Rashid et al., 2013; Rice, 1999; Sandikci, 2011; Wilson, 1997; Zainul et al., 2004;

4/5/7/8/11/18

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam? Example: Trust

Conway and Swift, 2000; Dwyer et al., 1987; Hoq et al., 2010; Iqbal and

Mirakhor, 2007; Mousa and Zoubi, 2011; Morgan and Hunt, 1994; Oliver et al., 2002; 2004; Palmatier et al, 2006; Rashid 2003, 2006a, 2006b; Siddiqui, 1992 cited in Hoq et al., 2010; Sividas and Dwyer, 2000; Smith and Barclay, 1997; Wilson, 1995; Wilson, 1997; Cruceru and Moise, 2014.

1/2/5/7/8/11/12/18

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam? Example: Brotherhood

Abdullah and Ahmad, 2010; Arham, 2010; Hassan, 2013; Hassan and Latiff, 2009; Khan,1996; Richardson, 2013;

1/2/5/7/8/11/13/18

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam? Example: Honesty

Abuznaid, 2009; Arham (2010); Dewi and Dhewanto, 2012; Hassan et al., 2008; Ibn al-Ukhuwwah, 1938 cited in Hassan et al., 2008; Oliver, 2004; Rashid et al., 2013;

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam? Example: Ethics

Abuznaid, 2009; Alhabshi, 1993 cited in Abuznaid, 2009; Gundlach and

Murphy,1993; Hassan et al., 2008; Ibn Al-Ukhuwwah, 1938 cited in Hassan et al., 2008; Murphy et al., 2007; Perret and Holmlund, 2013; Rice, 1999; Siems et al., 2010;

1/2/5/7/8/11/15/18

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam? Example: Justice

Arham, 2010; Branine and Pollard, 2010; Garah et al., 2012; Greenberg (1993); Lind and Tyler (1988); Liu et al., 2012; Santos and Laczniak, 2009; Thibaut and Walker (1975); Zainul, et al., 2004;

1/2/5/7/8/11/16/18

Which factors are needed for developing CRM for UK Muslim SMEs from the perspective of Islam? Example: Greetings

1/2/5/7/8/11/17/18

4.12 PILOT STUDY

Saunders et al. (2012, p. 677) define a pilot study as “a small-scale study to test a questionnaire, interview checklist or direct observation schedule, to minimize the likelihood of respondents having problems in answering the questions and of data recording problems as well as to allow some assessment of the questions’ validity and the reliability of the data that will be collected”.

Mason (2004) recommends that a pilot study case be conducted before the real one, and that the findings of the pilot study are subsequently analysed and reviewed in order to make forward decisions about the subsequent study.

A pilot study will be conducted to validate and improve the interview patterns, in terms of its format and layout, the wording of the statement and also the overall content (Yusof and Aspinwall, 2009)

The researcher will conduct a pilot interview in order to ensure that the questions are understandable to the interviewees and comprehensive enough to cover the research

issues. The pilot study will also be conducted to enable an estimation of the interview durations for the real case scenarios. Three interviews have been conducted as pilot interview. Moreover, the researcher has modified the interview protocol based on the comments.

Both pilot and final interview transcripts are available in appendices (B and C) sequentially) and appendix ‘D’ along with answers.