24908 Research Design and Data Collection Techniques

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject covers an advanced consideration of the management of the marketing research process, research designs, sources of marketing data, qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures, measurement, scaling and questionnaire design. It helps students develop advanced research skills that are critical to both knowledge generation in marketing theory and problem solving in marketing practice.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. develop and implement research designs
2. develop and implement data collection approaches
3. work more effectively in teams to develop interpersonal, leadership and communication skills
4. present more effectively in an informal and formal manner the findings of the group work components.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject covers an advanced consideration of the management of the marketing research process, research designs, sources of marketing data, qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures, measurement, scaling, questionnaire design. It helps students develop advanced research skills that are critical to both knowledge generation in marketing theory and problem solving in marketing practice.

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject is based on dynamic and interactive lecture and workshop sessions. It is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops. The lectures involve critical debate; and the workshops are built around in-class exercises and presentations. These classes will be supplemented with both printed and electronic learning materials and resources. The UTS web-based communication tool (UTSOnline Course Information) will be used to share information and encourage interaction between staff and students. Students will also use appropriate computer software such as spreadsheets and word processors to complete assigned tasks.

Content

The subject will address the following topics:

• research designs
• qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures
• measurement and scaling
• questionnaire design

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Mid-semester exam (Individual)

Assessment item 2: Project Report (Group)

Assessment item 3: Final exam (Individual)

Recommended text(s)

Hair, Joseph F Jr, William C Black, Barry J Babin, Rolph E Anderson and Ronald L Tatham (2006), Multivariate Data Analysis, 6th edn, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Faculty of Business (2006), Guide to Writing Assignments, Faculty of Business, University of Technology, Sydney.

Indicative references

Coakes, Sheridan J, Lyndall G Steed, and Clara Ong (2009), SPSS: Analysis without Anguish (Version 16 for Windows), Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

Flick, Uwe (2006), An Introduction to Qualitative Research, 3rd edn, London: Sage Publications

Moisander, Johanna and Anu Valtonen (2006), Qualitative Marketing Research Methods: A Cultural Approach, London: Sage Publications

Sharma, Subhash (1996), Applied Multivariate Techniques, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Additional sources of information

Amir, Y. and Sharon, I. (1991) 'Replication Research: A Must for the Social Scientific Advancement of Psychology', in Neuliep, J.W. (ed.), Replication Research in the Social Sciences, Sage Publications: Newbury Park, CA

Bagozzi, R.P. and Phillips, L.W. (1991) 'Assessing Construct Validity in Organisational Research', Administrative Science Quarterly, 36, pp 421–458

Berry, J.W. (1969) 'On Cross-Cultural Comparability', International Journal of Psychology, 4, pp 119–128

Booth, W.C., Colomb, W.C. and Williams, J.M (2003) 'The craft of research', 2nd edn, The University of Chicago Press

Bryman, A. (1999) 'Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS Release 8 for Windows; For Social Scientists' Routledge Publications

Calder, B.J. et al. (1982) 'The Concept of External Validity', Journal of Consumer Research, 9 (December), pp 240–244

Cook, T. and Campbell, D. (1976) 'The Design and Conduct of Quasi-Experiments and True Experiments in Field Setting', in Handbook of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, M. Dunnette (ed.), Rand McNally: Chicago, pp 223–326

Churchill, G.A. (1979) 'A Paradigm for Developing Better Measures in Marketing Constructs', Journal of Marketing Research, 10 (June), pp 115–124

Diamantopoulos, A. and Schlegmilch, B.B. (1997) 'Taking the fear out of data analysis', The Dryden Press

Eisenhardt, K.M. (1989) 'Building Theories from Case Study', Academy of Management Review, 14 (4), pp 532–550

Ericsson, K. and Simon, H.A. (1980) 'Verbal Reports as Data', Psychological Review, 67 (3), pp 215–251

Frankfort-Nachmias, C. and Nachmias, D. (1999) 'Research Methods in the Social Sciences', Edward Arnold

Gummesson, E. (1999) 'Qualitative methods in management research', 2nd edn, Sage Publications

Hart, C. (1998) 'Doing a literature review', Sage Publishers in association with the Open University

Kvale, S. (1996) 'Interviews. An introduction to qualitative research interviewing', Sage Publications

Lee, A.S. (1989) 'Case Studies as Natural Experiments', Human Relations, 42 (2), pp 117–137

Miller, D.C. (2002) 'Handbook of research design and social measurement', 6th edn, Sage Publications

Weber, R.P. (1990) 'Basic Content Analysis', Sage Publications

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