Issues Faced By Bike Riding Clubs Like Ulysses Club In Australia And Possible Solutions

What Are The Issues That Are Being Faced By Bike Riding Clubs Like Ulysses Club In Australia?

How Can The Issues Faced By Ulysses Club Be Minimized For It To Stay Ahead Of The Competition?

What Are The Possible Recommendations Through Which New Members Can Be Attracted By Bike Riding Clubs Like Ulysses In Australia?

Branding is one of the most fruitful strategies for spreading the product or service awareness among the customers. Previously, the brand was defined by recognizing the slogan, name, design, signs or symbols of the company. Moreover, branding was conceptualized as the fruitful techniques that differentiate the products or the services of the companies from their competitors. Currently, the branding process is quite complex due to the emerging competition in the business world (Keller, Dekimpe & Geyskens, 2016). It is even necessary to develop the ideas about the different types of the branding strategies that are useful for establishing the brand image. This chapter of the study would concentrate on the brand positioning method for Ulysses Club to make the customers aware of the usefulness recreational factors for the middle age people. The club offers the motorcycle ride to the people belong to the age group of 40. The usefulness of the recreational activities for the middle age people will be specified in this study. The chapter would also provide the rationale for discussing this research subject. The further research would include the relevant secondary information and the justified methodologies.

The Ulysses Club is situated in both Australia and New Zealand, formed for the motorcyclists over and above the age of forty. This club cropped up in Australia in December 1983, in response to a letter from the present day redundant magazine of Bike Australia editor, Peter Thoeming (Morandin, Bagozzi & Bergami, 2013). The name ‘Ulysses Club’ was the proposal of Rob Hall, while Pat Lynch, Rob’s then girlfriend, initiated the motto of the club, “Grow Old Disgracefully”. Peter Thoeming sketched the “old man” logo that is being still used as the emblem of the club. The club has made use of the original hand-sketched form of the logo that was made by Peter. The club’s introductory meeting was apprehended in Sydney on December 6^th, 1983, when five people who were present in the meeting permitted of the draft constitution and the Ulysses Club was duly created. This meeting gave birth to a draft constitution along with the formation of the three primary purposes of the club:

1. In providing ways where the old motorcyclists can get along together for camaraderie and shared support.
2. In showing through example that motor cycling can be pleasurable and a practical movement for the riders of all ages.
3. In drawing attention of the private and public institutions to the requirements and opinions of the older riders.

Research Rationale

These unique purposes are being entrenched in the constitution of the club and have till date remained unaffected. This motor cycling club has been the biggest organization of its kind having 138 branches within Australia and existing globally in places like Italy, Germany, Austria, Vietnam and Norway. Furthermore, the partner of the member, who has conquered the age of forty, may also be divulged as a club member on prior application. Till a member achieves the 50 age level, he or she is considered to be a junior member of the club, however having full membership rights along with privileges.

This research would take into account the issue of declining membership of Ulysses Club in Australia and the reasons on why the club is not being able to attract any new members. The club states it is under no pressure and is in competition with none to increase the members. The club has been able to recognize that a few more of the existing clubs have been able to offer diversified experiences for the riders to select. The closer observation to the current scenario specifies that the issues are emerging due to the insignificant brand promotions. The service users requires having the adequate knowledge about the brand and the functionalities of the services provided by the club. The recreational rides for the middle age people have numerous advantages. However, if the specifications are not clear the service users, they tend to avoid such service.  The best way of communicating is to put together a newsletter that would be letting the people know when the organization is planning its next rides, events and other meetings. The website of the bike clubs needs to be maintained in the best possible way as a mean of communicating with others. According to Oeppen & Jamal (2014), the success of the motorcycle clubs is primarily based on attitude. In order to take the member in serious manner, especially the one at the top, he should prepare himself with a sneer instead of a smile on his face. It is the attitude and the demeanor that attracts others towards the motorcycle clubs where associating with one particular group might augment the social status. The lack of effective strategy for branding is the major determinants that the club has been facing currently. It is essential for the company to adopt the suitable branding strategy to attract the target customers towards the service or products (Biedenbach, 2017). It is also necessary to pay attention towards the major issues that are creating the negative impacts on sales ratio. Accordingly, the relevant strategy would be selected. The following issues are the probable determinants for the decreasing level in sales.

Research Aim

A larger group of members of the club has in recent times expressed their concerns at the serious turn down in the membership of club over a period of three years. The recent official figures from the club management states that the use of the cycle has been falling as the percentage of the adults who ride at least once a month fell to 15 per cent the previous year. The decline of quite a larger section of the people was marked in Australia and New Zealand. The bike riding clubs or organizations have been blaming the government for failing to offer ample funding for the provision for bike riding transportation along with fears of safety on the part of would-be bikers. The membership of the club did manage to peak up in 2010, figures stating that 28,000 members were at the helm, though it declined in the next few years with figures suggesting the total under present circumstances is at 16,000 (Biezen, & Poguntke, (2014).

With due regards to the Ulysses club, the decline in the membership has been for reasons like the termination of the club Newsletter which has been one of the popular journal, predominantly enjoyed by many who have been the non-riding members. From the period from 2010 to 2015, the club did manage to generate fifty newsletters. However, with few of the important members leaving the club scene, only five newsletters have been produced in the last two years. Moreover, it was decided at the AGM that the generation of the Newsletter is not worth the exertion. Many of the club members on the sudden stop of the newsletters, which was once deemed popular, have ridiculed this fact. As suggested by some of the top members, one does not require articles, just the oddments and the one-off clipart that can easily be cut and pasted from the website of the club.

In every three month’s time, a run list is being shaped and propelled through posts to all the members of the club who are not having the broadband facilities. The only extra effort that is being required was in placing a piece of paper into the envelopes of the recipients. It took the club officials a maximum time of two hours in producing and posting the club newsletter to their members with the list of the run. At the time when the club was producing so many of the newsletters during the period of 2012-2013, the club comprised of 85 members who did not have the email amenities. It is of no coincidence that following the annihilation of the Newsletter, in the present scenario there is only less than half the figure of club members without facilities of email.

Another potential factor that might have resulted in the decline of the club membership is the decision in removing AUD $6 membership for the non-riders that was popular among many of the non-riding members (Berry & Wilcox, 2015). This is yet another of those reasons for those members who no longer are capable in riding with the club, not renewing their association with the club.

The aim of the research is to establish the effective brand image strategies to develop the proper brand image of motorcycle rides of Ulysses club. The study also attempts to understand the usefulness of the recreational activities for the middle aged people.

The information that is being required for addressing the issues that Ulysses Club is facing would require extensive analysis of both the primary and the secondary sources. The primary sources would be dealing with the members of the club through one-on-one interviews and questionnaires containing questions that would be based on the issues and challenges the club is facing. The secondary source of information would be gathered through club websites and other related articles over the database.

The chapter discusses the background of the research issues that have the clear impact on the business sustainability. The entire research will be conducted by concentrating on the formulated research objectives and questions. The identification of the research problem would be analyzed further by collecting the literature-based information in the next chapter. The further section would discuss the conceptual ideas and theoretical background of the subject matter

The literature study provides the analysis of the theoretical background related to the subject matter. The study is focusing on the development of the brand image of motorcycle rides services offered by Ulysses Club for the people belong to the age group of 40. The current situation reflects that the company has been facing the considerable declines in the sales parameter due to the ineffective branding. The branding process suggests the development of the recognizable brand image that can attract more customers and increase the sale ratio Leekha (Chhabra & Sharma, 2014). The literature study would provide the conceptual analysis of the branding process.  The theoretical background would specify the relevant branding strategies to develop the image of the product or services. In this section of the study, the theoretical evaluation related to the branding process would be discussed.  

According to Biezen, & Poguntke, (2014), one of the major challenges that are being encountered by this motorcycle clubs is the age of the members. In most of the motorcycle clubs, the average ages of the members has been fifty, and under certain circumstances even sixty. In the coming twenty years, this clubs would not be having a lot of the members. As per Hung, et al., (2017), the largest factor of declining of motorcycle membership has been related to the demographic factor. In this research, a survey was conducted where it was found that the average age fifteen months ago was stated to be sixty-seven, with over 25 per cent of that population being over the age of seventy-five.

As per Everett, (2015), even though the hobbyists pass on, their bikes linger. On previous occasions, the successive owners have joined the club, substituting the previous owner of the bike. However, regrettably this tradition is getting lost somewhere. One of the members of a motorcycle riding club stated that previously the turnover used to be same for the membership, with some of the new members joining in at the same time or at the augmented rate. However, in the present scenario, the rates of new members have gone down or are not increasing the way it used to at one time. According to Berry, (2015), the clubs are keen in finding the source of such issues and understand the obstacle that lies ahead, taking important steps in combating the membership issue that is on the decline. This research did take into account the method of increasing the membership through the benefit of modern technology and the ways of delivering information in cost-effective ways.

As per Launay & Dunbar, (2015), the Southern Cross Association has been offering technical resources on the website of its that has been saving their members quite a few dollars, adding the much required value to the membership due prices. The workshop manuals generally run upto 1000 pages and for obvious reasons it is costly in printing and mailing of the same, so the club shifted the whole process online where the members can download it for free. The internet has been able to bring in the diversion into the households of the potential members; many such clubs have been seeing this as the value of bringing the hobby off the computer monitor and onto the streets. According to Fishman, Washington & Haworth, (2014), several biker association have taken up the initiative in having a youth program. One of the things that they have been trying to perform is working with the trade schools for introducing antique bikes and relevant information about them into the prospectus.

According to Fishman et al., (2015), attracting new members in the club has become one of the broader initiatives. In one of the surveys conducted within this research, members are of the opinion that when they joined these motorcycle clubs around forty years ago, it was much bunged society. However, in the present scenario, a particular motorcycle club is inviting the members of the other bike clubs to come in, visit them and have an experience. As per Hardiman & Burgin, (2013), several of the motorcycle clubs have been parking their Ducati sand Ninjas in the parking lot for the people to see and have a discussion with the owners. According to Bachand-Marleau, Lee & El-Geneidy, (2012), the bottom line for such an issue and to better the health of the club is to acclimatize with the needs of the members, through either socializing at the shows and events and on tours, for attracting new members to the club. As per Ricci, (2015), social media has been another reason for which the motorcycle clubs operations are being jeopardized. With the taking over of the social media, people are just going about posting, “I am riding tomorrow, want to go?” This fact has taken away the requirement and significance of the pre-planned group rides. People are not showing up for the rides they used to on previous occasions. As per McKee, (2015), taking up the role of the leaders in this motorcycle clubs are becoming a hazardous jobs and not much members are showing interest is such factors.

According to Morandin, Bagozzi & Bergami, (2013), the word-of-mouth is not the best way of communicating the news of the club to its members and to the candidates who are interested. Therefore the best way of communicating is to put together a newsletter that would be letting the people know when the organization is planning its next rides, events and other meetings. The website of the bike clubs needs to be maintained in the best possible way as a mean of communicating with others. According to Andrews and Shimp (2017), the success of the motorcycle clubs is primarily based on attitude. In order to take the member in serious manner, especially the one at the top, he should prepare himself with a sneer instead of a smile on his face. It is the attitude and the demeanor that attracts others towards the motorcycle clubs where associating with one particular group might augment the social status.

Branding is the integral part of the marketing that helps in enhancing profitability parameter of the company. The effective branding process is the major marketing or selling tool that creates the total product personality. According to Chovanová, Korshunov and Bab?anová (2017), branding is the conceptual idea that helps in enhancing the service or product image for making it readily recollected by the customers. Branding creates the significant impact on the target customers and determines the outlining guidelines to be followed. It is necessary to follow some of the constant practices to create a long term branding. While spreading the brand awareness, it is necessary to take some of the concerns into consideration. These concerns are described further:

• The branding logos should be simple to remember for the customers. People tend to identify the simple logos that can be easily recognized and eliminate the complex ideas.
• The maintenance of the individuality during the branding process is essential for each brand. The branding process should consider the individuality that would be helpful enough in differentiate from the other brands. Keller (2016) implied that the individualistic brand makes the considerable marks on the psyche of the target customers. It even influences the purchasing decisions of the customers. Due to such concerns, many of the MNCs undertake serious action in case of the trademark violations.
• The safe branding creates the significant impacts on the consumer behaviour. In case of catering the international audience, it is essential to create the safe brand image before selling any product. With the help of the safe branding process, the customers become well aware of the product or service specifications (Aaker & Biel, 2013). In addition to this, it is also necessary to be cautious about the cultural and regional sensibilities while developing the effective branding process.

The customer experience depends on the significant branding process in which the company could decide the future moves (Dergipark.gov.tr. 2017). In usual cases, it is noted that the brand image is the major focus that the consumers are concerned about while making any purchase of the product or service. The brand perception influences the purchasing decision making process. The marketing and advertisement process are the most preferable tools to create the brand perceptions. The theoretical ideas obtained from the branding process signify several necessary components. The further study would develop the ideas about the different components associated with the branding process.

The brand perception clearly influences the minds of the purchasers. The branding process thus depends on some of the specific components that are needed to be taken into consideration. These components are discussed further:

In the business world of competition, the brands vary the value and power they command. Some of the specific brands have the strong level of awareness in terms of maintaining the appreciable recognitions. On the contrary, many of the brands are not much known to people due to the insignificant focus. O'guinn et al., (2014) defined that brand identity is conceptualized as the unique set of brand association that are aspired to become one of the necessary components of brand strategies. The effective brand identity depends on the authentic quality that includes the real value and sustainable characteristics for the long run (Knoji.com, 2017). It is thus considered as the insider’s concept of reflecting the decisions made by the management to define the particular brand.

The brand identity provides the specifications about the brand by including the inherent features. Moreover, it represents the differentiating values for participating in the competitive business scenario. The brand image, on the other hand, represents the perspective values of the customers related to the brand specifications (Huang & Sarigöllü, 2014). The brand image determines the total sum count of the impressions created for a particular brand on the minds of the consumers. Brand image specifies the conceptual ideas in which the consumers not only determines the product specification, they recognizes the bundle of associations, such as sophistications, wealth, and power (File.scirp.org. 2017). The brand communication can influence the brand image through ensuring the effective packaging, promotions, advertising, customer services, and word of mouth. The brand image leads the brand value either upwards or downwards. The branding process suggests the development of the recognizable brand image that can attract more customers and increase the sale ratio. While structuring the brand image, some of the visual and verbal dimensions are added to create a significant impact on consumers’ minds (Luo, Raithel & Wiles, 2013). Accordingly, the customers describe their perception by understanding the specifications and the benefits availed from the brand. The quick response of the customers while asked about any specific brand determines whether the brand image has the positive or negative outcomes.

Brand is generally a part of the value propositions and brand identity. This brand identity is necessarily needed to be communicated to the target customer. The establishment of the customer base helps in adjusting the position and participating in the competitive landscape. It is essential for a brand manager to improve the communicational aspects to create the efficient execution strategy. The brand positioning statement is the basic beginner of the execution strategy. This statement generally refers to the exact ‘place’, which is occupied by the brand in terms of creating impact on customers’ minds. For instance, brand market determines the unique value of the brand. However, Andrews and Shimp. (2017) explained that it is necessary to select the target customers at the initial stage before understanding or creating the unique brand position. The observation of the advantages and benefits of the customers would be much helpful in structuring the brand strategy and creating the secure and unique position. The exclusive brand service, brand image, warrantee, and guarantee would be preferable in terms of developing the effective and unique delivery and brand packaging. While developing the brand position, it is essential to pay the focus on the following aspects.

• Expectations of the consumers is necessary to be determines to understand the value of the brand. The brand positioning would be depending on the needs and demands of the customers (Malik et al., 2013). It is necessary to observe whether the customers are happy with the brand specifications.
• The price of the product also depends on the brand image. The highly promoted brands have the significant influence on consumers’ minds. The comparison of the product prices among the competitors is signified through the branding process.
• The competitive factor is also a significant part of branding that indicates the benefits and features of the products that are needed to be offered to the target consumers.
• The analysis of the consumers’ perception is also necessary for ensuring the value of the products. Establishment of the brand image helps in understanding the needs of the customers regarding any specific brand value (Keller et al., 2017). The brand positioning is even concentrating on the unique values of the product or services.

These specific characteristics are the major considerations to be noticed while structuring the brand position in an efficient way. The brand positioning would be more specific if it satisfies the needs of the target consumers.

According to Oeppen and Jamal (2014), brand equity is another integral part of the marketing that is used widely and much necessarily. However, it is notable that in last three decades, brand equity did not get any popularity for establishing the brand image in a specific way. Several marketing researchers identified that the concept is one of the most valuable assets that can be used for increasing the sales and benefits. It is notable that the brands usually gain the equity due to the high awareness, high reputation, and the perceived quality of the products or services (Biedenbach, 2017). The proper access to the distribution channel is also quite effective in such case. Brand equity is the intangible asset, which is completely based on the consumers’ associations. The conceptual ideas of brand equity are associated with three major perspectives that are as follows:

One of the most widely used measures of the brand equity is the premium price of the product that signifies the specific brand. For instance, if any customer were willing to pay a huge price for any product, it would be considered as the brand value of the premium product. However, it is necessary to pay attention towards the marketing expenses for determining the measurement of the brand equity in a specific way

The highly recognized and demanding brand can use the platform for launching any new product. The company can introduce a new product under a specific platform, which is already known to the customers. The reputed brand positioning would be much helpful in drawing the attention of the customers (Leekha Chhabra & Sharma, 2014). The most beneficial aspect of the brand extension is it reduces the advertising expenditures and the probable risks associated with the launch of the new products. The company can adjust the costs of the expenditure accordingly and make profits. It is important to state that brand extension is much difficult to quantify if it is compared to the financial measurement of the brand equity.

The strengthened brand positioning helps in influencing the consumers’ attitude towards the products related to the brand specifications. The consumer attitude is developed if the products create the positive impact on customers’ experiences. It is notable that the trial samples signify more effectiveness that the advertisements costs invested during the launch of the new products (Dergipark.gov.tr. 2017). The higher brand loyalty depends on the higher measurement of the consumer association. Effective brand equity reduces the promotional expenses and increases the market share. According to Chovanová, Korshunov and Bab?anová (2017), the strengthened brand loyalty helps in allowing the charges associated with the premium pricing. It also facilitates the general income stream that would be useful enough in managing the operational aspects. The development of the efficient brand equity would ensure the establishment of the strengthened brand image and the reputed positioning of the company.

It is notable that many of the uncontrollable factors have the significant impact on the consumer behaviour. Firstly, the cultural difference is the considerable factor that creates impact on the consumers’ minds in a significant way. While structuring the brand position, it is necessary to develop the ideas about the cultural demands that will be effective enough in attracting the customers towards the products of their choice (Keller, 2016). The consumer behaviour model is much significant in determining the perspective values of the customers while making any purchase of products or service. The Consumer Behaviour Model is discussed further.

Various types of models are developed to judge the behaviour of the consumers while purchasing the products or services of any particular brand. The models are discussed further:

The economic model of consumer behaviour determines the rational perspectives based on the utility concept of the products. It is necessary for the customers to determine the needs at the first place before making any purchase (Aaker & Biel, 2013). The customers always have the power to purchase any specific product or service. It is necessary to ensure that the product or service is useful to the customers. Accordingly, the brand would create the necessary impact on their buying decision. The rational decision of the customers is thus needed to be taken into considerations.

The learning model of consumer behaviour is signifying the manipulative perspective of the customers. Few of the benefits or product specifications manipulate the customers to make a purchase. In such cases, it is essential to identify the priority of the consumers at the first place (O'guinn et al., 2014). Accordingly, the products or services would be presented to manipulate the consumers. The model is also specifying the ability of forgetting, learning, and discriminating the ability of the consumers.

The psychoanalytical model of consumer behaviour specifies the influence of the complex state of mind while making any purchase of the product (Huan & Sarigöllü, 2014). The customers usually have the sense of longings before they make any decision regarding the product or service purchases. Hence, the complex mindset may affect the decision-making behaviour of the consumers.

The sociological model of consumer behaviour determines the influence of the society. In such cases, the purchasing decision does not depend on the utility, rather on the desires to follow, emulate or fit in the current environment (Luo, Raithel & Wiles, 2013). The societal compulsion has the significant impact on the consumers’ purchasing decision-making process.

The Nicosia Model judges the point of view of a man in terms of making any purchase of the desired products or services. The consumers gather adequate information regarding the product or services as well as the brand (Andrews & Shimp, 2017). The specifications recognize the motives, attitudes, and needs of the customers to understand the desired state. It is a motivational method to instigate the experience of the customers.

Marketing and the promotion is depended on each other and internally connected. In fact, the promotion is one of the major variables in marketing. The marketing of the product is influenced majorly by the promotion. The promotion can be of the product, service or the brand. All the promotion determines the sales and customers’ behaviors for the company (Malik et al., 2013). However, unlike the product of service promotion, the brand promotion creates a permanent impact on the mind of the people of the company, whereas, the product or service promotion only create specific influence on the customers (Luo, Raithel & Wiles, 2013). In short, the product of service promotion make people aware of the uniqueness of the product or the service provided by the company, but the brand promotion of the company makes greater impact on the consumers of the company itself (Huang & Sarigöllü, 2014).

Most of the major and global company focuses on the brand promotion more than on the individual product or service promotion. Brand is the name of the company by which the product or the service will be recognized by the customers. Promoting the brand not only makes the consumer aware of the product or the service of the company but also strengthen the company image in the consumers as well as in the competitors company (Malik et al., 2013). In addition, the brand promotion creates a permanent position of the company both in the local and global market.

Brand promotion is one of the components of the marketing mix that aims to influence the customers’ purchasing behaviors (O'guinn et al., 2014). The prime objectives of the brand promotion apart from making strong image are to promote information about the products, service as well as the brand, differentiate the brand from other existing brand, increase the demand of product or the service, build brand equity in order to add values and power to the product or the service and stabilize the sales in the business (What is Brand Promotion, 2017).

The brand image and the brand promotion has been one of the extensive studies of since 20th century as it is important in building the brand equity (Aaker & Biel, 2013). The companies must have clear and excellent knowledge of the consumer behavior and accordingly plan effective brand promotion strategies (Keller, Dekimpe & Geyskens, 2016). The consumer behavior is one of the major variables that determine the strengthening of the brand image through brand promotion. Hence, the brand promotion to certain extent is based on the consumers’ behaviors.

The consumers behaviors on the brand promotion and consequently on the brand image is divided in two section, one is indicated by the consumers who is aware of the brand and the others who is not familiar with the brand (Huang & Sarigöllü, 2014). The promotion of the brand can strengthen the brand image and of the company on the consumer who have knowledge of the brand and thus can create brand loyalty in the customers. In other hand, the brand promotion can create a mark of recognition in the consumers who are new to the brand (Luo, Raithel & Wiles, 2013). Considering this particular fact about the consumers’ knowledge about the brand the concept of customer-based equity can b mentioned (Keller, 2016). According to the concept, the brand image and the brand awareness are both basis and the sources of the brand equity.

Countering this concept the brand equity emerges from the confidence of the customer on the brand. The stronger the brand image is on the consumers, the more they are willing to pay for the products or the service provided by the company (Malik et al., 2013). Hence, the brand promotion must consider these facts – the performance of the brand-designed function.  The social image association with the purchase of the brand, recognition and the sentimental attachment of the consumers with the brand, balance between the values of the brand and the functionalities of the same and lastly the trust of the consumers on the brand (file.scirp.org., 2017). It is evident that the behaviors of the consumers to some extent dominate the brand image, and accordingly the purchasing behavior of the customers is dominated by the effective promotion of the brand. This is because most of the consumers choose their purchasing depending on the brand and not on the product. The trust and confidence on the brand drives the customers to purchase the service or products from certain brands.

It is evident from the above discussion that the brand image is major variables that indicates the necessity of the brand promotion. The trust and confidence on the brand of the consumers can only be determined by effective brand promotion. The brand promotion is thus an important tool to create and strengthen the brand in the existing as well as in the current new customers of the company (Oeppen & Jamal, 2014). The companies must ensure an effective and wider brand position in order to attract more new customers for their products or service. In addition, to the wider aspect the brand promotion is one of the key determinates that ensue the long-term success of the company in the competitive market (Andrews & Shimp, 2017).

In the competitive market of today’s era, the perceptions of the consumers are different from one another regarding a specific brand and its product or the service. Moreover, as discussed above the consumer behaviors determines the brand image in the competitive market (Chovanová, Korshunov & Bab?anová, 2017). Therefore, the brand promotion must follow effective and unique branding and marketing strategies to ensure the existence of the brand image in the consumers’ mind. The consumers are moved and driven by an effective brand promotion to purchase the products or service of the company. In addition, the effective and proper brand promotion impacts on the customers’ choice of brand in a long-term and creates a strong relationship between the customers and the company (dergipark.gov.tr., 2017).

There have been few gaps within these research studies that have been identified in the research work. Most of the scholars failed to mention the ways the new members would be attracted and the ways technology can be playing a vital role in bettering the overall situation. It is important to understand the way digitalization would be helping in enhancing the situation of these clubs that have been facing the ire of declining membership. The scholars have mainly discussed on the issues but not the solutions that might be followed by this clubs to gain more membership and tackling the issues.

This literature review part took into account the issues that have been mentioned in the articles of eminent scholars like losing out on the conventional ways of hobbying, social media playing a role in disrupting the process that used to happen previously, not letting people know through the newsletter what has been planned. Another way has been showcasing the bikes during the meeting and making people interested about the bikes on offer and the motorcycles they can experience if they become the members of a particular club.

Research method is the structured and systematic approach to conduct any particular research process (Flick, 2015). The study would concentrate on the brand positioning method for Ulysses Club to make the customers aware of the usefulness recreational factors for the middle age people. The research depends on the mixed method research in which both the secondary and the primary data would be collected to gather the adequate knowledge about the consumers’’ perceptions to avail the motorcycle riding services offered by Ulysses Club. The research methodology is associated with the proper research philosophy, approaches, designs and the data collection process. It is necessary to develop the ideas about the effective data collection process related to the research subject.

Research paradigms concentrate on the collection of the exact data related to the subject matter. The research paradigm is often considered as research philosophy that recognizes the underlying research issues. The research philosophies are categorized into three typologies, such as positivism, realism, and interpretivism (Flick, 2015). The positivism and realism philosophy deals with the extraction of the hidden truth from the sources that have been experienced the scenario in real life. On the other hand, the interpretivism philosophy deals with the human interpretation and manipulative description (Gast & Ledford, 2014). The research study requires developing adequate knowledge regarding the consumers’ perception for riding the bike offered by Ulysses Club. The real life scenario would be much preferable for the study due to which undertaking positivism philosophy would be appropriate.                        

A design of the research can be stated as the complete draft of the research work. The design of the research takes in the questions of the research, research issues, identification of the variables, data gathering method and the plan related to breakdown of data. Among the several research issues, this particular paper would take in the experimental study. For the purpose of the explanatory research, the research issues are being monitored taking in the data collected over time. Five of the independent variables are being taken in as reliability, empathy, responsiveness, assurance and tangibility (Flick, 2015). The questionnaire of self-completed nature would be dispersed making use of the feasibility practice of sampling to the members of the Ulysses Club for evaluating the membership decline in the club within Australia.

The approach of the research can be mainly divided into three sorts that are deductive, abductive and inductive. In case of deductive approach, the validity of the gathered data tests the validity of the assumption. On certain other occasions, the inductive approach takes in the new theories that would be developed (Panneerselvam, 2014). The abductive approach clarifies some of the other surprising specifics and sequences and with the subject for evaluation of the facts. 

This would witness the use of the deductive approach. It has cropped up with a research issue for monitoring the declining factor in membership of Ulysses Club and the ways of attracting new members. For doing the research work, the researcher would be performing the study based on drawn conclusions on certain specific facts and coherent base. Therefore, the deductive approach would be the best way of dealing with this topic.

There are generally two ways of gathering data which the researcher needs to taken in honestly. The survey method is being selected as the primary research principle whereas for the secondary research the data that is generated through other sources has been chosen. A researcher can take into account any sort of methods for the purpose of primary analysis of the data like questionnaire and interviews. The two types of primary data collection would be conducted for the study.  The first one is quantitative data collection process, in which the survey would be conducted among a large number of populations (Panneerselvam, 2014). Another one is qualitative data collection process that would include the telephonic interview with the managers of Ulysses Club. Secondary sources take in the relevant journals and articles along with magazines where the researchers present those data with their own perceptions.

The collected data is needed to be analyzed in a systematic way. The collected information from the primary research would be analyzed through using the software tools like MS Excel. The responses gathered from the respondents would be presented in the tabular and diagrammatical form to explore the information in an attractive way.  The conversation with the managers in the qualitative research process would be recorded for memorizing it.

The chapter discloses the use of the relevant methodology to conduct the entire research study. The use of the proper research philosophy, approach and design would be applied to the study while analyzing the collected information. On the other hand, the suitable data collection process is undertaken for collecting the necessary information. Based on these methodologies, the entire research would be conducted.

Reference:

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