PROJECT ASSIGNMENT MKTG 3342 – MARKETING RESEARCH 1. Overview 1.a. Assignment As a requirement of Marketing Research, MKTG3342, you must complete a project as a member of a research team. For this assignment, each team will research a marketing issue for our client, the SMU Athletic Department. The project will require analyzing secondary data as well as gathering and analyzing data using a questionnaire. Teams will then compile report their results in an MSPowerpoint presentation. 1.b. Objectives 1.b.1. Provide a “live” application of marketing research to improve your understanding of the marketing research process and your ability to use relevant techniques. 1.b.2. Evaluate your marketing research skills and knowledge. 2. Requirements 2.a. Overview The research project will done in the following steps: 2.a.1. Understand the managers’ issues – You need to learn what issues the manager faces. Obviously, this will require that you listen to the managers who visit the class to discuss their issues. Based on your understanding of these issues, your team will define objectives for the subsequent research. 2.a.2. Conduct background research – Gather relevant secondary data that bear on the research questions. The secondary data will come primarily from external information sources, but may also include internal data from the client. You may also want to interview a few customers to gather additional information. 1 2.a.3. Submit questions for a questionnaire – Each team will develop a questionnaire to administer to the client’s target customers. The questions should address the research objectives and follow from your background research. 2.a.4. Administer the survey – Administer the questionnaire to at least twenty customers per person on your team. In other words, if your team is comprised of five people, you should get at least one hundred responses. No sample sizes of less than eighty will be accepted. 2.a.5. Analyze the survey – Each team will analyze data from the questionnaire using appropriate statistical techniques. 2.a.6. Report research results – Report the results of your analysis and make recommendations relating to the management decision problem. The research report should be in the form of an MSPowerpoint presentation. You should provide one copy of the research report for the client and one for the professor. 2 2. Milestones Dates Sep 9 Requirement Introduction & Team Formation Task(s) The class will meet with management from the SMU Athletic Department to learn about their issues and ask questions. Also, submit names of team members, between four and six per team. Sep 23 Project Day Each team will meet with the professor to discuss the management decision problem and research questions. Sep 30 Problem Statement Hand in a statement which identifies the management decision problem and research questions. Due at the beginning of class. Oct 16 Project Day Each team will meet with the professor to discuss the survey; teams should bring proposed questions for the survey. Oct 21 Survey Submit a tentative questionnaire. Due at the beginning of class. Nov 13 Project Day Each team will meet with the professor to discuss the analysis of data from the survey. Dec 2, 5 Project Presentations Each team will do a twenty-minute presentation of its project using MSPowerpoint during the class period. Two copies of the presentation will be handed in before the presentation. 3 3. Miscellaneous 3.a. Grades 3.a.1. The project represents 25% to the students’ final grade for this course. It will be graded on a scale of 0 - 25. 3.a.2. Upon completion of the project, each team member must submit an evaluation of the contribution of all team members. Grades will be affected by individual contribution. 3.b. Rules 3.b.1. Collaboration within teams is obviously necessary. Collaboration between teams is not allowed. 3.b.2. As always, the honor code applies. You must observe intellectual property and copyright laws. No plagiarism is allowed. 4