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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "MKT 305-2"
COURSE NAME: "Market and Marketing Research"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2021
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Thomas Aichner
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS:
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: MKT 301; Recommended: MA 209
OFFICE HOURS: MW 13:00 – 14:00

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course covers the basic methods and techniques of marketing research. It discusses the tools and techniques for gathering, analyzing, and using data to aid marketing decision-making. The course covers topics such as problem definition, research design formulation, measurement, research instrument development, sampling techniques, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, and presentation of research findings. Students learn how to develop 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:

Managers have different philosophies when it comes to marketing a product or service. The so-called product orientation (“we make and sell product X”), the sales orientation (“we must set high sales quotas and sell, sell, sell”), and the marketing concept, which is also called customer orientation or market-driven. According to Kotler (2003), “the marketing concept is a business philosophy that holds that the key to achieving organizational goals consists of the company being more effective than competitors in creating, delivering, and communicating customer value to its chosen target markets.” The key is that this philosophy puts the consumer first, and many business leaders have recognized this as the “right” philosophy.

To develop the “right” marketing strategy (which is another word for planning), companies need to select a segment of the market as the company’s target market and design the proper marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) to meet the wants and needs of the consumers within the target market. However, to make the right decisions, managers must have objective and accurate information. In other words, they need to understand the wants and needs of the consumers, i.e. generate consumer insights. These information, or consumer insights, are generated through marketing research, which “is the process of designing, gathering, analyzing, and reporting information that may be used to solve a specific marketing problem.” (Burns/Veek/Bush 2017)

In this course, students will understand the uses of marketing research and learn how to design the process from defining the problem and establishing research objectives to analyzing and interpreting data and information about the needs, wants, preferences, and behavior of consumers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Define marketing research and the three major types of research design: exploratory, descriptive, and casual
• Describe a marketing information system and understand why marketing research occupies a place in an marketing information system
• Recognize the benefits of adopting qualitative vs. quantitative marketing research and primary vs. secondary data
• Apply the 11-step process of marketing research, including defining the problem, establishing research objectives, determining research design and methods of assessing data, designing data collection, and analyzing data
• Design a marketing research project and final research report
• Improve both interpersonal skills and responsibility as a team member by agreeing on individual deadlines, sharing work equally within the group, and cooperating respectfully
• Develop stronger people skills through data collection and interaction with both student and non-student respondents
• Conduct descriptive analyses, hypotheses tests, chi-square analyses, etc. with suitable software
• Report results, confidence intervals, hypothesis tests, and group differences tests to clients
• Clearly and unambiguously communicate information, ideas, problems, solutions and conclusions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Marketing ResearchBurns, A.C. and Veeck, A. (2020)Pearson9780135636503     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Group project3 students per team, marketing research project20
Midterm 11 hour, multiple-choice questions, one essay question20
Midterm 275 minutes, calculations and statistical analysis (open book)20
Final Exam2 hours, multiple-choice questions, essay questions40

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
A Work 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 course.
B This is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
C This is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
D This 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.
F This 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:
Attendance is required and checked.
 
Students with absence exceeding 20% should withdraw from the course, or risk having an "F" grade in the course.
 
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.
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

Assessment

List of topics covered

1


Introduction to marketing research

·         Marketing research as part of marketing

·         What is marketing research?

·         The marketing information system

·         The marketing research industry

2


The marketing research process and defining the problem and research objectives

·         The 11-step process of marketing research

·         Defining the problem

·         Research objectives

3


Research design

·         Exploratory research

·         Descriptive research

·         Casual research

4


Secondary data and packaged information

·         Primary versus secondary data

·         Classification of secondary data

·         Advantages and disadvantages of secondary data

·         Evaluating secondary data

Packaged information

5


Qualitative research techniques

·         Observation techniques

·         Focus groups

·         Other qualitative research techniques

6


Qualitative research techniques

·         Observation techniques

·         Focus groups

·         Other qualitative research techniques

Evaluating survey data collection methods

·         Methods of data collection

·         Descriptions of data collection methods

·         Choice of the survey method

7

1st midterm exam:

Wednesday

Content:
Everything discussed
in weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

8


Questionnaire design

·         Types of Measures

·         Scales

·         Developing questions

·         Questionnaire organization

·         Computer-assisted questionnaire design

9


Sample

·         Selecting the sample

o   Probability sampling methods

o   Nonprobability sampling methods

o   Online sampling techniques

·         Determining the size of a sample

o   The confidence interval method of determining sample size

o   The sample size formula

·         Other methods of sample size determination

10


Sample

·         Selecting the sample

o   Probability sampling methods

o   Nonprobability sampling methods

o   Online sampling techniques

·         Determining the size of a sample

o   The confidence interval method of determining sample size

o   The sample size formula

o   Other methods of sample size determination

Dealing with fieldwork and data quality issues

·         Possible Errors in Field Data Collection

·         Field Data Collection Quality Controls

·         Nonresponse Error

o   Data Quality Issues

11


12

Deadline for submitting the complete marketing research project
(group work):
Thursday

Descriptive analysis, population estimates, hypotheses

·         Types of statistical analyses used in marketing research

·         Descriptive analysis

·         Statistical inference, parameter estimation, and confidence intervals

·         Hypothesis tests

13

Implementing basic differences tests

·         Testing for significant differences between two groups

·         Testing for significant differences in means among more than two groups: Analysis of variance

·         Differences between two means within the same sample: Paired sample

14

2nd midterm exam:
Monday

Content:
Everything discussed
in weeks 12, 13

The research report

·         Elements of the report

·         Using visuals: Tables and figures

·         Citing correctly to avoid plagiarism