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Knowledge and Understanding

This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the market research process and the role of market research in strategic decision-making. There will be a focus on understanding the theoretical components of research design, as well as developing practical skills in data collection, analysis and interpretation.

Through practical application within a market research project, students will present a research proposal, design a sampling and research method, develop a survey instrument, manage data collection, conduct statistical analysis techniques, interpret results, and present research findings. Emphasis will be placed on developing written and oral communication skills for presentation to corporate clients. Ethical business frameworks will also be reiterated and required to be adopted.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course students should be able to:

1. Discuss the scope and managerial importance of market research and its role in the development of marketing strategy

2. Provide a detailed overview of the stages in the market research process

3. Develop research questions and objectives and write a research proposal

4. Develop a market research design; including:

5. Manage the data collection process

6. Use contemporary statistical packages to calculate and report descriptive statistics from quantitative data

7. Interpret data analysis in the context of the identified business problem

8. Communicate research results in written report and oral presentation formats

Marketing Research (3rd Asia-Pacific Edition) by Zikmund, D’Alessandro, Winzar, Lowe, B., and Babin. Published by Cengage Learning Australia, Melbourne, 2014. ISBN: 9780170236027

An e-book version may also be purchased ISBN: 0170236021

Please note the update to the 3rd edition of this textbook.

The following text is not required but may be useful in completing some of the course activities.

Field, A. (2009). Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (Introducing Statistical Methods) (3rd ed.). London, England: Sage Publications.
ISBN 9781847879073 (Paperback)
ISBN 9780857020963 (e-book)

MyUni

Both the MyUni course site and the textbook website are valuable resources for this course. MyUni will be the primary form of (non-class) lecturer-to-student contact. You will find all of the lecture and sessions recorded and uploaded to MyUni, as well as other tools which are extremely valuable for crystallising the concepts covered in lectures and tutorials

Qualtrics

The data collection software that we use can be found at . You can use your student ID to build a Qualtrics account.

This course entails weekly 2-hour face-to-face lectures and one tutorial. The audio of lectures will be uploaded weekly on MyUni.

Tutorial classes will be held weekly commencing the week beginning Monday March 3, for some students this will be prior to the first lecture. YOU MUST ATTEND THE FIRST TUTORIAL – we will allocate teams and discuss the clients in that tute. Students wishing to swap between tutorial classes after this time are required to present their case to the Lecturer-in-Charge, but should be aware that such a request may not be approved.

The University expects full-time students (i.e. those taking 12 units per semester) to devote a total of 48 hours per week to their studies. This means that you are expected to commit approximately 9 hours for a three-unit course of private study outside of your regular classes.

Students in this course are expected to attend all lectures throughout the semester plus one tutorial class each week.

Schedule

	Date	Lecture & Workshop Topics	Textbook Chapters	Tutorial Program	Small Group Discovery	Assessment
Week 1	3 March	The Role of Market Research and the Research Process	1 & 2	Krispy Kreme Video Case Study (p37) – via MyUni	Form Groups & Set Expectations (in tutorials)
Week 2	10 March	Public Holiday: On-line Lecture: Writing a Proposal		P60 Q5, 8 & 9 Evaluation of a Research Proposal
Week 3	17 March	Qualitative Research	3	Small Group Discovery	Project Briefing session with ‘client’
Week 4	24 March	Survey Research	5	Proposal Presentation		Research Proposal & Presentation (15%)
Week 5	31 March	Measurement and Survey Design	8 & 9	P282-3: Q2, Q6 & Q10 Survey Critique (in class)
Week 6	7 April	Experiments and Observations	6 & 7	Small Group Discovery	Questionnaire Design meeting with ‘client’	Client Meeting – Questionnaire Design (5%)
Week 7	28 April	Sampling and Data Collection	10 & 11	Discussion: Using Qualtrics		Mid Semester On-line Quiz (Optional - 10%)
Week 8	5 May	Data Analysis: Tests of Differences	12 & 13	See MyUni for Data Sets and analysis required each week (bring laptop, or equivalent, to class)
Week 9	12 May	Data Analysis: Tests of Association	14
Week 10	19 May	Data Analysis: Multivariate Analysis	15
Week 11	26 May	Interpretation and Report Writing	16	P 593-4: Q1, Q5 & Q6
Week 12	2 June	On-line Lecture: Recap of the Research Process		Final Presentation	Presentation of Findings	Written Report (30%) Presentation (10%)
Exam						Exam (30% or 40%)

Tutorials are an important component of your learning in this course. The communication skills developed in tutorials by regularly and actively participating in discussions are considered to be most important by the School and are highly regarded by employers and professional bodies.

Online Quizzes are an optional component of the course. There will be an online quiz available for you to complete each week. They consist of 25 multiple choice questions, can be done as many times as you like, and do not count for your assessment. The questions themselves test the theoretical components of the course. These self-check tests give you a great foundation for the optional Mid-Semester Online Quiz (10%).

Assessment	Due Date and time	Weighting	Related Learning Outcome
Assessment 1 Research Proposal and Presentation (Individual Assessment)	In tutorial week beginning 24 March Written component by  Thursday 27 March	15%	2, 3, & 4
Assessment 2 Client Meeting – Questionnaire Design (Individual Assessment)	In tutorial week beginning 7 April*	5%	2, 4, & 5
Assessment 3 (Optional) Mid Year Online Quiz (Individual Assessment)	Friday 2 May (before 12pm)	10% optional	1 & 2
Assessment 4a Research Report - Written (Group Assessment)	Submitted online by Thursday 5 June (before 12pm)	30%	2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Assessment 4b Research Report - Presentation (Individual Assessment)	In tutorial week beginning 2 June*	10%	2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Final Exam 3 hours; closed book (Individual Assessment)	TBA	40% (or 30% if optional assessment taken)	1, 2, 4, 7, & 8
Total		100%

* Some groups may be asked to schedule time outside of their assigned tutorial.

1. To gain a pass for this course, a mark of at least 45% must be obtained on the examination as well as a total of at least 50% overall. Students not achieving the minimum exam mark will be awarded no more than 49%.
   
   o Supplementary exams will be offered to students who achieve 45-49% in the exam in accordance with University policy.
   
   o Students achieving less than 45% for the exam – regardless of overall course mark – will receive a fail. This is when the student has shown nowhere near enough understanding of the course in the exam.
   
   
2. All assignments are to be lodged prior to the due date and time. A late assignment where no extension has been granted will be penalised by a reduction of 5% of the mark given for each day, or part of a day, that it is late.
   
   
3. Extensions to the due date of individual assessment may be granted under special circumstances. An extension request or application for supplementary exam based on illness or compassionate grounds must include the "Supporting Statement / Certification Form" that is page 4 of the Supplementary Assessment application available at: www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/pdfs/supp_applic.pdf Students applying for an extension based on medical reasons must visit their medical practitioner, with that approved University form, and have the medical practitioner complete it. A normal doctor's certificate will not be accepted.
   
   
4. Legible hand-writing and the quality of English expression are considered to be integral parts of the assessment process. Marks may be deducted for poor hand-writing and grammatical expression.
   
   
5. Students in this course are not permitted to take a DICTIONARY (English or English-Foreign) into the examination. In this course, the use of calculators in the examination is not permitted. Also, students are not permitted to bring mobile phones into the examination.
   
   
6. Assessment rubrics will be provided in the tutorials and posted on MyUni.

Client Meeting – Project Briefing – Not Assessed
Tutorial Class week beginning 17 March

The purpose of this session is to expose students to practical aspects of the market research process, such as client meetings. In this scenario, the ‘client’ will be the lecturer-in-charge and hence students will be able to ask questions one-on-one with the lecturer regardless of their tutorial.

At the beginning of any research project, there is often a Client Briefing meeting. This meeting provides the research supplier with the opportunity to clarify any aspects of the research brief and ensure that they have interpreted the client’s research problem appropriately. This is your opportunity to ask any further questions that may help to clarify your research design, sampling approach, and general research objectives.

Each group will have 10 minutes to meet with the ‘client’

Consideration should be given to the following:
• What is the general business problem and how did it come about?
• Who are the users of the research findings?
• Who is the appropriate target market(s)?
• Are there any sub-segments that need to be considered?
• What type of research methodology do you think would be required?
• What is the timeframe and budget?

Assessment 1: Research Proposal & Presentation (Individual) - 15%

Due: Presentation in Tutorial Class week beginning 24 March &
Written submission by Thursday 27 March (11.59pm via turnitin on MyUni)

The purpose of this assignment is to prepare a research proposal in response to the client brief provided in Week 1. You will be provided with some examples of what a research brief entails (see textbook chapter 2 and online lecture in week 2), however, this task will be a challenge as you will be exposed to issues such as sampling approach and research methodology that we will not cover in detail until much later in the course. The most important aspect to consider is the client’s business problem and how well your research objectives and research design address it.

Consideration should be given to the following:
• Defining the business problem and research objectives
• Selection of a research design
• Sampling approach
• Data gathering and analysis
• Final reports

Written Reports must be no more than 3 pages & presentations no longer than 10 mins

Although one report will be submitted as a group, each group will be able to nominate if they wish for sections to be marked individually. Consideration will be given to the cohesion of the report and sections penalised appropriately if this is not the case.

Group presentations will have a component to examine the quality of an individual’s presentation skills. Please see the Rubric on MyUni for further detail.

Assessment 2: Client Meeting – Questionnaire Design (Individual) - 5%
Due: Tutorial Class week beginning 7 April

The purpose of this assignment is to expose students to practical aspects of the market research process, such as client meetings. In this scenario, the ‘client’ will be the lecturer-in-charge and students will be able to present their data collection instrument for feedback.

Groups may choose to send their questionnaire (or other data collection instrument) to the lecturer-in-charge at least 24 hours before their meeting. Please clearly indicate the date and time of your tutorial as well as the names of the student’s in the group.

Each group will have 10 minutes to meet with the ‘client’

Consideration should be given to the following:
• Does the questionnaire design meet the research objectives?
• Are the questions worded appropriately?
• Does the questionnaire flow and easy to understand)?
• Will the response form allow facilitate your data analysis?
• What is the length of the questionnaire?

Although this meeting will be conducted as a group, assessment will be awarded at an individual level. Consideration given to the overall professionalism of the student and the insight and understanding provided during the session. Please see the Rubric on MyUni for further detail.

Optional Assessment 3: Mid-Year Online Quiz (Individual) - 10%
Due: Friday 2 May (before midnight)

The purpose of this assignment is to test the conceptual understanding of the theoretical topics covered in this course.

Each week there will be formative on-line quizzes that you can undertake for your own feedback on your performance (20 questions per week). At the end of week 7 there will be an optional on-line assessment with 50 multiple-choice questions of a similar nature to the questions asked throughout the previous weeks. Students will be given one hour to complete this test from when they start the test. The on-line quiz must be conducted on Friday 2 May between the hours of 9am and 11.59pm. The quiz will be generated from a bank of questions, with a random order generator and a random response code for each question – therefore, no two quizzes will be the same.

Once a student has started this quiz it will contribute to their final assessment.

Assessment 4a: Research Report - Written (Group) - 30%
Due: Thursday 5 June (before midnight)

The purpose of this assignment is to prepare a research report that summarises the findings from the research project you have conducted. Having defined your research problem, collected data and analysed it, this report allows you to bring it all together to demonstrate the market research process in action. You are expected to provide an overview of the aims and research method used, but primarily focus on the research findings and what that means for the business.

Consideration should be given to the following:
• An executive summary
• An overview of the business problem and research objectives
• An outline of the research methodology
• Presentation of the Results
• Conclusion and Recommendations

Written Reports should be no more than 25 pages (including appendices) and must be submitted via Turnitin on MyUni.

This assignment will be submitted and marked as a group assessment. If you are experiencing issues with the contribution of any group members please speak to your tutors and/or the lecturer-in-charge as early as possible – upon submission of the assignment is too late.

Please see the Rubric on MyUni for this assessment for further detail.

Assessment 4b: Research Report - Presentation (Individual) - 10%
Due: In tutorial week beginning 2 June

The purpose of this presentation is to provide students with an opportunity to present the key findings of their research project. In business, most research reports are presented to key stakeholder groups. It is up to the group to best determine the format and approach they wish to take for this presentation.

Consideration should be given to the following:
• The business problem to be addressed
• An outline of the research methodology and sampling approach
• An overview of key research findings
• Recommendations for business strategy

Presentations must be no longer than 10 minutes

Group presentations will have a component to examine the quality of an individual’s presentation skills. Please see the Rubric on MyUni for this assessment for further detail.

Assessment 5: Final Exam (Individual) - 40% (or 30% if Assessment 3 attempted)
During official exam period – Date TBA

There will be a 3-hour exam focussed on the theoretical components covered in this course. The content covered will include the topics addressed in the prescribed textbook and any material covered in lectures and tutorials.

Presentation of Assignments
• Please retain a copy of all assignments submitted.
• All group assignments must be attached to a ‘Group Assignment Cover Sheet’, which must be signed and dated by all group members before submission – even for electronic submissions. All team members are expected to contribute approximately equally to a group assignment.
• Hardcopy submission should be made to the ground floor level 10 assignment box, with a digital copy to Turnitin by Midnight of the same day.

Lecturers can refuse to accept assignments, which do not have a signed acknowledgement of the University’s policy on plagiarism. This is a legal document that must be included with every submission.

Assignment Guidelines including Referencing Details
A copy of the Postgraduate Programs: Communication Skills Guide will have been given to you at the beginning of your program. This guide will assist you structure your assignments. A copy of the guide can also be downloaded from http://www.business.adelaide.edu.au/current/mba/download/2009MBACommSkillsGuide.pdf

This publication also provides guidelines on a range of other important communication skills including writing essays and management reports, making oral presentations etc.
In preparing any written piece of assessment for your postgraduate studies it is important to draw on the relevant ‘literature’ to support critical analysis. Also essential is to reference the literature used. Correct referencing is important because it identifies the source of the ideas and arguments that you present, and sometimes the source of the actual words you use, and helps to avoid the problem of plagiarism. (Further information on plagiarism is provided later in this course outline.)

The Harvard system is widely used in the Business School. Guidelines for the use of this style of referencing can be found in the Communication Skills Guide. Further assistance with referencing is available from the Faculty’s Learning Support Advisors. The contact details are provided on page 6 of the Communication Skills Guide.

Late Assignment Submission
Students are expected to submit their work by the due date to maintain a fair and equitable system. Extensions will generally only be given for medical or other serious reasons. All requests for extensions must be emailed to the lecturer in charge of the course before the due date. Each request will be assessed on its merits. A late assignment (without prior arrangement) will be penalised at a rate of 5% per day (or part thereof). Submitting your assignment late (with or without an extension) also means you miss the primary marking cycle; it probably will get returned to you a lot later than your classmates get theirs.

Return of Assignments
Lecturers aim to mark and return assignments to students within two (2) weeks of the due date with written feedback. Students are responsible for collecting their marked assignments from either their tutorials or lectures. If assignments aren’t collected after two (2) weeks, the assignments will be available at the Student Hub for two (2) weeks. The remaining assignments will only be posted out to the students, if the correct mailing addresses are on the assignments.

Copies must also be submitted to Turnitin
Each assignment must also be submitted to www.turnitin.com by midnight that the assignment is due. Only one member of each group needs to do this, but you must put a copy into Turnitin. This is an academic integrity software that simply checks that you are the authentic owner of the report you submitted. Not doing this creates all the same risks for you as if you hadn’t put the hardcopy in at all; penalties and/or longer waits for your marked papers.