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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "MKT 305-2"
COURSE NAME: "Market and Marketing Research"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2017
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Ian Roberts
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 8:30 AM 9:45 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS:
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: MKT 301; Recommended: MA 209
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course covers the basic methods and techniques of marketing research. Discusses the tools and techniques for gathering, analyzing, and using information to aid marketing decision- making. Covers topics such as problem definition, research design formulation, measurement, research instrument development, sampling techniques, data collection, data interpretation and analysis, and presentation of research findings. Students choose a marketing research project, formulate research hypotheses, collect primary and secondary data, develop a database, analyze data, write a report, and present results and recommendations.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course addresses the questions of when and how organizations should gather marketing intelligence for marketing decision making and covers topics such as problem definition, research design formulation, measurement, research instrument development, sampling techniques, data collection, data interpretation and analysis, and presentation of research findings.

 

The course is a comprehensive, practical presentation of the field of marketing research as an aid to managerial decision making. Accordingly, it is designed for prospective users of research results (i.e. aspiring marketing managers) rather than for specialists in marketing research. The rationale for potential users to study the "how" of marketing research is twofold. Firstly, the more one is aware of the tools of marketing research and their strengths and limitations, the more realistic will be the demands placed upon those responsible for the marketing research function. Secondly, the more one knows of proper marketing research procedure, the better one will be able to judge the quality of the performance of the marketing research specialist(s), and thereby, the degree to which one may rely on the results.

 

Following an introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methods, students form teams and choose a marketing research project, formulate research hypotheses, collect secondary and primary data, develop a database, analyze data, write a report, and present findings and recommendations.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

In this course students will learn to: 

  • Translate a marketing problem into a feasible research question

  • Design and execute a basic survey research project

  • Develop skills in focus group interviewing

  • Design questionnaires

  • Using appropriate qualitative and quantitative market research techniques

  • Use the business world's most ubiquitous spreadsheet package, Excel, to build, analyse and present a set of data

  • Write an critical assessment report on research findings using cross-tabulated data

  • Present research results

TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Exploring Marketing Research (International Student Edition)William G. Zikmund and Barry J. BabinSouth Western Cengage10-0-324-78861-4     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Class participation 10%
Quiz 1 10%
Quiz 2 10%
Final exam 20%
Group project 50%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cours
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material. Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included. In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Students are allowed three absences during the semester for whatever reason. There is no need to justify these three absences and they will have no effect on the final grade. Every additional absence after that, for whatever reason, will lower the student’s final grade by one grade level (e.g., a final grade of a B+ would be lowered to a B and so on).

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Week  Day Topics  Assignments  Reading
1 Monday Data and Intelligence Q 10 & research activity 1 Ch. 1
Wednesday The Marketing Research Process Qs 1, 4, 6, 12; Case 3.1 Ch. 3
2 Monday Research Proposal Qs 5, 6,10 Ch. 5
Wednesday Assessing Research Tools   10, 11, 12
3 Monday Qualitative Research Tools Qs 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 14 Ch. 6
Wednesday Secondary Data Qs 1, 4  Ch. 7
4 Monday Surveys Ch. 8: Qs 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11. Ch 9: Qs 1, 2, 3, 4, 12 Ch. 8 & 9
Wednesday Quiz 1    
5 Monday Ethical Issues in Marketing Research Qs 2, 4, 13, 17, 20 Ch. 4
Wednesday Measurement Scales Qs 1, 2, 6, 8 Ch. 13
6 Monday Attitude Measurement  Qs 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 13 Ch. 14
Wednesday Questionnaire Design Qs 2, 3, 4, 11, 19, 22. Research activity 1J Ch. 15
7 Monday Sampling and Sample Size Qs 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 Ch. 16
Wednesday Descriptive Statistics (Excel workshop)   Ch. 17
8 Monday Descriptive Statistics (Excel workshop)   Ch. 17
Wednesday Quiz 2    
9 Monday Fieldwork   Ch. 18
Wednesday Editing and Coding   Ch. 19
10 Monday Data Visualisation (Excel workshop)   Ch. 20
Wednesday Data Visualisation (Excel workshop)   Ch. 20
11 Monday Hypothesis Testing (also in Excel)   Ch. 21
Wednesday Difference Between Two Variables (also in Excel)   Ch. 22
12 Monday Measures of Association (also in Excel) Ch. 23
Wednesday Research Report (Written and Oral)   Ch. 25
13 Monday Team presentations    
Wednesday Team presentations    
14 Monday Team presentations Team Project due  
Wednesday Review    
  TBD FINAL EXAM