Introductory description

This module is taking an applied and practical approach. Students will learn about the marketing research process and its role and importance in helping managers make marketing decisions. Content being covered includes: identifying research problem, creating accuate research objective and questions, desreach resign, and lastly, learning techniques which would allow students conduct qualitative and quantitative data and analysis.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Indicative syllabus:

• Moving toward evidence-based marketing management
• Defining the problem and choosing research objectives
• Developing a research plan (hypotheses, analyses, data)
• Reporting results and taking actions
• Key market research approaches to take decisions across the marketing mix
• Fields, approaches, and current discussions in academic marketing research

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of market research to make evidence-based decisions
• Demonstrate understanding of what constitutes good and bad evidence as a basis for decision making
• Demonstrate understanding of the process steps and decision areas of market research and understand trade-offs involved
• Demonstrate understanding of current questions and trends in market research practice
• Define and critically evaluate evidence based on which to take marketing decisions
• Identify the opportunities and risks of alternative market research approaches
• Identify and grasp the limitations of analytical results and draw implications

Indicative reading list

The course will not follow one specific textbook.
Book Recommendation:
Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation, Global Edition (7th Ed), Naresh K. Malhotra, Pearson (2020)
Marketing Research, Global Edition (8th Ed), Alvin C. Burns, Ronald F. Bush, Pearson (2017)
Suggested readings may be selected from the following texts:
Aaker, David A., V. Kumar, Robert Leone, and George S. Day, Marketing Research (11th Edition)
Brown, Tom J., Tracy A. Suter, and Gilbert A. Churchill, Basic Marketing Research (9th Edition) Feinberg, Fred M., Thomas Kinnear, and James R. Taylor, Modern Marketing Research: Concepts, Methods, and Cases (2nd Edition)
Hair, Joseph, Mary Celsi, Robert Bush, and David Ortinau, Essentials of Marketing Research (3rd Edition)
McDaniel Jr., Carl, Roger Gates, Subramanian Sivaramakrishnan, and Kelley Main (2nd Edition) - Zikmund, William G. and Barry J. Babin, Essentials of Marketing Research (5th Edition)
In addition, selected articles from leading marketing journals such as Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Marketing Science, and Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science may be used to illustrate state of the art academic research.

Research element

Students learn to conduct and analyse their qualitative and quantitative research mini projects. The core focus will be on focus group, interview, and online surveys using Qualtrics.

International

Through case studies and group activities which allows students to create their own content.

Subject specific skills

Design a research project including the formulation of hypotheses, the definition of the analyses to be run, and the data to be collected
Run and critically evaluate qualitative and quantitative analyses based on empirical data
Demonstrate understanding of the fundamentals of academic marketing research communicate research findings and recommend decisions
Develop alternative market research approaches to answer a question

Transferable skills

Demonstrate written communication skills
Demonstrate effective problem solving skills