Task 1: Brand Loyalty Among Millennials (Generation Y) and Generation Z

Researchers have known for quite some time that attitudes and behaviors differ from generation to generation. For example, a recent survey by the PEW Research Center in the U.S.A. found substantial generational differences in the job approval ratings of American presidents. Some marketing researchers have the view that Millennials (Generation Y, born in 1981 to 1996) and Generation Z (born in 1997 to 2012) have different attitudes towards brand loyalty. Their assumption is that Generation Z is less loyal due to the fast-pacing nature of modern media such as social media. Others argue that there are no differences in loyalty, just the communication channels and the type of products and services Generation Z are loyal to differ.

• Based on secondary research, provide arguments and counterarguments for both views.
• Based on (1), develop a quantitative survey research design that could assess the relative merit of each view empirically.
• Conduct the research designed in (2) based on a convenience sample of your choosing and provide an empirically grounded answer to the central question: “Are Gen Z less loyal?”.

Task 2: Case Study Research:

The current global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in December 2019 in China, has to date resulted in an estimated 3,000,000 deaths worldwide. The impact of the virus on human and economic life has been so significant that people have started to refer to a ‘new normal’. The case study research approach, which you have learned about, lends itself nicely to investigate the complexities of the pandemic’s impact on human and economic life.

• Briefly explain why the case study research approach can be suitable to investigate the pandemic’s impact on human and economic life. Which specific type of case study design is more, and which is less suitable? Include the advantages of the approach as well as possible disadvantages in your discussion. Seite 3 von 3 EXAMINATION OFFICE IU.ORG
• Apply the case study approach and pick two maximally different for-profit-organizations to explore the impact of the pandemic on employees’ work life (e.g., tasks, context, mindset, daily routines) by considering organization-level factors (e.g., structure, culture, technology) and employee-level factors. Compare and contrast the two organizations in order to arrive at stylized impact categories, contingencies, and coping mechanisms at the organization and employee levels. For each organization, conduct a minimum of two indepth interviews with key informants.