24720 Marketing Research
UTS: Business: MarketingCredit points: 6 cp
Subject level: Postgraduate
Result Type: Grade and marksHandbook description
This subject provides a comprehensive account of the marketing research process, from problem recognition and definition through all the procedural steps of findings and recommendations for marketing decision making. Specific treatment of the nature, role and management of marketing information in a corporate setting provides a basis for discussion and development of research methodology.
Topics covered include a fundamental component of the marketing process – the generation and management of the marketing information resources of an organisation. In this sense, the subject is critical to discussion of specific, functional decision areas of marketing in other subjects in the course. The practical emphasis further contributes to the student's understanding of the problems and potentials inherent in the collection and analysis of marketing data.
Subject objectives/outcomes
On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
- Apply marketing research knowledge and skills to assist managerial decision-making.
- Understand the main areas in which the validity of marketing research projects may be reduced, and take appropriate corrective action.
- Personally conduct an important marketing research project, or direct others in the appropriate methods to conduct valid marketing research on an issue of managerial importance.
- Critique research conducted by others, and offer informed opinion on the validity of that research, and whether the managerial recommendations flowing from that research are justified.
- Use appropriate statistical procedures, be able to correctly interpret the output, and clearly communicate the implications of the findings to decision-makers.
- Competently use appropriate statistical software to conduct data analysis.
- Behave ethically when conducting marketing research, and when presenting the findings to decision-makers.
Contribution to graduate profile
The basis for effective decision-making is clear, concise and accurate information. Marketing Research introduces students to the key concepts and methods of conducting valid, actionable research to obtain information to aid marketing decision-making. This subject provides a basis for understanding the theory and practice of marketing research, to achieve this end.
Content
Emphasis will be placed on the practise of conducting marketing research:
- selecting an appropriate research design
- good sampling practice
- sound questionnaire design
- the use of appropriate data collection techniques
- the selection of appropriate statistical tests
- interpretation of the output.
The material in this subject will range from problem definition, through to interpretation of research results and presentation of the findings.
A solid grounding in statistical procedures will be provided to students as they explore in detail how to conduct valid, actionable research using computers to facilitate the research process, specifically SPSS for Windows.
The subject covers important theoretical knowledge necessary to conduct valid marketing research, but is also highly practical in its content and approach.
Assessment
Assessment item 1: Research Proposal (Group)
| Objective(s): | 1-3, 5, 7 |
| Weighting: | 20% |
| Task: | Conducting quality research requires careful thought and planning, and this is one of the key benefits of preparing a detailed 'research proposal.' The research proposal has been called a 'blueprint for research activity,' i.e. it specifies exactly what is to be done to answer the research problem. As such, the better the research proposal, the easier it will be for students to conduct their research. This addresses objectives 1-3, 5 and 7. |
Assessment item 2: Data Analysis and Interpretation (Individual)
| Objective(s): | 4, 6 |
| Weighting: | 30% |
| Task: | Groups will receive comprehensive feedback from the marker on their Research Proposal, which will identify areas in which the project as conceived, may be deficient and require modification. Students should therefore carefully read and consider all comments by the marker, and address each of the issues raised. The remainder of the project will consist of presentation of the results of the analysis, interpretation and reporting of the findings, with recommendations to management. NB: All relevant SPSS output should be cut and pasted into the body of the document itself, and discussed there, and not placed in an Appendix. Also, all groups must submit a floppy disk with the hard copy of the final report. This disk should contain all SPSS data files used, and all relevant SPSS output files, plus a Word file containing a presentation of the analysis, interpretation, and recommendations to management. Groups will not have their assignment marked until this disk is received, and if no disk is received, the group will receive zero for the Data Analysis and Interpretation. This assessment addresses objectives 4 and 6. |
Assessment item 3: Final Examination (Individual)
| Objective(s): | 1-7 |
| Weighting: | 50% |
| Task: | The final examination is of 3 hours duration and will be held during the formal examination period. The examination will evaluate your knowledge and understanding of marketing research, with a strong emphasis on core theory, but it will also be highly practical. In order to prepare yourself for the examination it is strongly recommended that you read the textbook, attend lectures, complete all of the exercises, and have a good understanding of each and every component of the research process, by being heavily involved in the group research work. You should check UTS Online and the Faculty noticeboard and examination timetable for the date and time of the examination. Note: This is a closed book examination. This assessment addresses all objectives. |
Required text(s)
Joseph Hair, Bryan Lukas and Kenneth Miller, Marketing Research, 2nd edn, McGraw-Hill, Sydney, 2008.
Recommended text(s)
Andy Field, Discovering Statistics Using SPSS, 3rd edn, Sage Publications, 2009.
Indicative references
Many journals are available electronically through the UTS library. The following provides a brief guide to databases that are particularly recommended for marketing students and which provide a good proportion of full text articles. Business databases are available through the UTS Library homepage (www.lib.uts.edu.au)
ABI/INFORM Global — (Proquest) Business, Management Full text in pdf files, 1985+
Academic Search Elite — Full text for over 1,200 journals covering the social sciences, humanities, general science, multicultural studies and education. 1990+
Business Source Premier — Full text access to over 2,270 business journals covering accounting, finance, economics, international business, marketing, management & property studies. (This is a key international business database)
Business Wire News [EBSCOHost] —Full text newswire incorporating international business wires
Dow Jones Interactive — Dow Jones Interactive is a customisable, enterprise-wide business news and research solution. It integrates content from top national newspapers, Dow Jones & Reuters newswires, business journals, market research reports, analyst reports and websites.
EBSCO Online — Journal aggregating service providing full text access [Acrobat .pdf] to a range of UTS electronic journal subscriptions. Subject areas covered include information, human resources, property, quality, education and training, engineering, marketing and management. EBSCO Online also provides citations for over 3000 journals.
Econlit [EBSCOHost] — Indexes and abstracts more than 450 international economic journals. Its source material includes journal articles, essays, research papers, books, dissertations, book reviews and working papers. The database contains more than 350,000 records covering 1969 to present.
Econlit (Ovid) — Indexes and abstracts more than 450 international economic journals. Its source material includes journal articles, essays, research papers, books, dissertations, book reviews and working papers. The database contains more than 350,000 records covering 1969 to present.
Global Market Information Database — Key business intelligence on countries, markets and companies. Includes demographic, economic and country data, retail sales data, consumer market size and product information.
OVUM — Ovum is a research and consulting company offering advice on information technology and telecommunications
Periodical Abstracts — Current affairs, business, leisure, tourism, social sciences, languages; includes approximately 50% full text, 1986+.
Psychinfo — Indexes international professional and academic literature in psychology and related disciplines including medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, physiology and linguistics.
