B 6303
Marketing Research for Decision Making
Fall II 2007
INSTRUCTOR:
James Ramos
PHONE:
917.517.9501
EMAIL:
james@drjamesramos.net
FAX:
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Title
Author(s)
Copyright
Publisher
ISBN
Edition
Marketing research essential
McDaniel, C., & Gates, R.H.
(2007)
Fort Worth, TX: DSS Research
0-470-13198-5
(6th ed.)
This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet:
YES
NO
Argosy University
COURSE SYLLABUS
B6303
Marketing Research for Decision Making
Faculty Information
Faculty Name: James A. Ramos, Ph.D.
Campus: Chicago
Contact Information: james@drjamesramos.net or 917.517.9501
Office Hours: Immediately after class or by appointment
Short Faculty Bio:
Dr. Ramos began his career in advertising, planning the media and negotiating commercial space prices for clients, which included, Benetton,
Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Prudential Securities, Pedigree Dog Food, Sheba Cat Food, Roman Meal Bread, and Tanqueray Gin. He
also worked at NBC on projects to streamline communication with viewers, employees, and the press. Ramos has a keen interest in online
consumer behavior, product placement, and new media and marketing tactics. He is a firm believer in collaborative learning. Dr. Ramos earned
his Ph.D. in Mass Media from the department of Advertising at Michigan State University, his M.A. in Communication Management from the
Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California, and his B.A. in Communication from the Department of
Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University.
Course Pre-requisites: None
Required Textbook:
McDaniel, C., and Gates, R. H. (2007). Marketing Research Essentials, (6th Ed.). John Wiley & Sons, New York.
This book’s ISBN: 0-470-13198-5
Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office; Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0
(MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.
Course length: 7.5 Weeks
Contact Hours: 45 Hours
Credit Value: 3.0
Program Outcomes:
1. Communication
1.1. Oral/Written – Present business information orally and in writing using appropriate technology that is concise, clear, organized,
supported, and persuasive in a professional manner appropriate to the business context
2. Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
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3.
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5.
6.
2.1. Critical Thinking – Incorporate and synthesize information, theory, and practice in order to implement appropriate business actions
2.2. Problem Solving/Decision Making – Given a business situation, diagnose the underlying causes of the situation, evaluate possible
solutions, and determine and defend appropriate course of action
2.3. Information Literacy – Access information from a variety of sources, evaluate the credibility of the sources, and apply that information to
solve business problems
Team
3.1. Leadership – Describe the requirements of team members and leaders to work effectively and creatively in achieving team goals
3.2. Collaboration – Collect, categorize, and consider the views of all stakeholders
Ethics
4.1. Ethics – Identify the ethical principles related to personal and corporate behavior in specific business situations and explains the potential
consequences
Diversity
5.1. Diversity – Identify the impact of both cultural and economic factors on the modern enterprise and explain the potential consequences
Analysis/Application
6.1. Applied Technology – Select and defend business technology solutions to typical business problems
6.2. Integration – Describe the interrelationship of the functional business areas of statistics, accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and
strategy within the context of specific organizational goals
Course Objectives:
1. Analyze systems thinking in foundations of marketing research and the connection to theory development and science.
2. Synthesize research design and research problems in a marketing research problem.
3. Assess exploratory research designs using secondary and qualitative data.
4. Apply experimental research, measurement, and scaling to marketing research.
5. Identify the components of a questionnaire and apply the findings to develop marketing research.
6. Research and apply sampling procedures in marketing research.
7. Demonstrate a synthesis of data preparation and analysis enhancing critical thinking and analysis in marketing research.
8. Examine the legal, regulatory, ethical and social responsibilities of organizations involved in gathering, holding, and using information.
Assignment Table
This course begins Thursday 10/25 and ends on Saturday 12/15. It will be conducted 100% on-ground. The following is our schedule:
Module One = 10/25 – 10/31
Module Two = 11/1 – 11/7
Module Three = 11/8 – 11/14
Module Four = 11/15 – 11/21
Module Five = 11/22 – 11/28
Module Six = 11/29 – 12/5
Module Seven = 12/6 – 12/12
Module Eight = 12/13 – 12/15
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You may work on assignments ahead, but you are expected to submit them, per the instructions within the assignment list, IN THE
WEEK stated. The assignments for a particular week are due no later than Day 7 of that module. Any student needing an exception to
this policy, must request permission from the professor. The following are the deadlines:
Module One = 10/31
Module Two = 11/7
Module Three = 11/14
Module Four = 11/21
Module Five = 11/28
Module Six = 12/5
Module Seven = 12/12
Module Eight = 12/15
Do note that no work will be accepted for grading past the last day of the term (Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 11:59:59PM).
Late Policies:
Assignments
 Assignments may be up to one week late from their original deadline without penalty
 Assignments more than one week late from their original deadline will be penalized 10%
 Assignments more than two weeks late from their original deadline will be penalized 20%
 All assignments must be submitted before the close of the term (Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 11:59:59PM)
Final project
 All final projects must be submitted before the close of the term (Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 11:59:59PM)
For all assignments please note:
 Address all part of this assignment specifically and to present clear rationale in support of for your positions
 Feel free to base your rationale in supplemental information you obtain from sources other than the textbook (e.g., books, articles,
monographs, and/or web sites)
 Note all sources using APA citation format
Module
1
2
3
Module Topics
 Role of Marketing Research
 Problem Definition
 Exploratory Research Design
 The Research Process
 Secondary Data & Databases
 Qualitative Research
 Survey Research
 Primary Data Collection:
Observation
Readings
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Assignments
Please see detailed list below.
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Please see detailed list below.
Please see detailed list below.
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Primary Data Collection:
Experimentation
Measurement
Attitude scales
Questionnaire design
Basic sampling issues
Sample size determination
Data processing
Data Analysis
Statistical testing of differences
Bivariate correlation and
regression
Communicating research results
Putting it all together
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Please see detailed list below.
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Please see detailed list below.
Chapter 14
Please see detailed list below.
Please see detailed list below.
Please see detailed list below.
Assignment list
Module 1
Consideration assignment
1. Considering that the role of marketing is to create exchanges:
1.1. What role might marketing research play in facilitating the exchange process?
1.2. Further to this, please also explain, in detail, the relationship between marketing research and the marketing concept.
(Your responses should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Weekly assignment: Answer the following questions
1. Chapter 1:
1.1. Why is marketing research important to marketing executives? Give several reasons.
1.2. What is meant by “return on quality”? Why do you think that the concept evolved? Given an example.
1.3. Describe three situations in which marketing research should not be undertaken. Explain why this is true.
1.4. Offer an example of (a) the descriptive role of marketing research, (b) the diagnostic role of marketing research, and (c) the predictive
function of marketing research.
2. Chapter 2:
2.1. The definition of the research problem is one of the most critical steps in the research process. Why? Who should be involved in this
process?
2.2. What role does exploratory research play in the market research process? How does exploratory research differ from other forms of
marketing research?
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2.3. Give several examples of situations in which it would be better to take a census of the population rather than a sample.
2.4. Critique the following methodologies and suggest more appropriate alternatives:
2.4.1. A supermarket was interest in determining its image. Cashiers drop a short questionnaire into the grocery bag of each customer
prior to bagging the groceries.
2.4.2. To assess the extent of its trade area, a shopping mall stations interviewers in the parking lot every Monday and Friday evening.
After people park their cars, interviewers walk up to them for their Zip codes.
2.4.3. To assess the potential for new horror movies starring alien robots, a major studio invites people to call a 900 number and vote
yes if they would like to see such movies or no if they would not. Each caller was billed a $2 charge.
(Your response should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Module 2
Consideration assignment
As you have read this week, for any number of reasons, the internet is having profound impact on the design, execution, and analysis of marketing
research. While this is a subject that we will return to throughout the term, let’s use Module 2 to begin exploring the revolution that is changing
marketing at its core. Specifically I would like you all to consider the following questions:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of online focus groups? Should they really be considered focus groups at all?
2. Explain the three types of Internet samples and discuss why a researcher might choose one over the others.
3. What are various ways to obtain respondents for online surveys?
4. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of online surveys.
4.1. In general?
4.2. For email questionnaires?
4.3. For converted CATI systems?
4.4. For web survey systems?
4.5. For bulletin boards?
4.6. For downloadable survey?
(Your responses should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Weekly assignment: Answer the following questions
1. Chapter 3:
1.1. Why should companies consider creating an internal marketing database? Name some types of information that might be found in this
database and the sources of this information.
1.2. Why has data mining become so popular with firms like American Airlines, American Express, and Ford Motor Company?
1.3. In the absence of company problems, is there any need to conduct marketing research? Develop a decision support system.
2. Chapter 4:
2.1. What are some of the possible disadvantages of using focus groups?
2.2. What can the client do to get more out of focus groups?
3. Chapter 5:
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3.1. The owner of a hardware store in Eureka, California, is interested in determining the demographic characteristics of people who shop at
his store versus those of people who shop at competing stores. He also wants to know what his image is relative to the competition. He
would like to have the information within three weeks and is working on a limited budget. Which survey method would you recommend?
Why?
3.2. Discuss the various sources of sample design error and give examples of each.
3.3. Why is it important to consider measurement error in survey research? Why is this typically not discussed in professional market research
reports?
3.4. What types of error might be associated with the following situations?
3.4.1. Conducting a survey about attitudes toward city government using the telephone directory as a sample frame.
3.4.2. Interviewing respondents only between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on features they would like to see in a new condominium
development.
3.4.3. Asking people if they have visited the public library in the past two months.
3.4.4. Asking people how many tubes of toothpaste they used in the past year.
3.4.5. Telling interviewers they can probe using any particular example they wish to make up.
Module 3
Consideration assignment
1. Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of observation research with those of survey research.
2. Of the primary data collection techniques available to the researcher (survey, observation, experimentation), why is the experiment the only
one that can provide conclusive evidence of causal relationships? Of the various types of experiments, which type or type provides the best
evidence of causation or noncausation?
3. Why are quasi-experiments much more popular in marketing research than true experiments?
(Your responses should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Weekly assignment: Answer the following questions
1. Chapter 6:
1.1. It has been said that “people buy things not for what they will do, but for what they mean.” Discuss this statement in relation to
observation research.
1.2. You are a manufacturer of a premium brand of ice cream. You want to know more about your market share, competitors’ pricing, and
types of outlets where your product is selling best. What kind of observational research data would you purchase? Why?
1.3. Why has Project Apollo been seen as “the ultimate answer” for marketing researchers? Do you see any disadvantages of this
methodology?
2. Chapter 7:
2.1. How does the history effect differ from the maturation? What specific actions might you take to deal with each in an experiment?
2.2. Discuss the alternatives to traditional test marketing. Explain the advantages, disadvantages.
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Module 4
Consideration assignment
1. Develop a purchase intent scale for students eating at the university’s cafeteria.
2. How might the reliability and validity of this scale be measured?
3. Why do you think purchase intent scales are so popular in commercial marketing research?
(Your responses should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Weekly assignment: Answer the following questions
1. Chapter 8:
1.1. Differentiate between the four types of measurement scales, and discuss the types of information contained in each.
1.2. How does reliability differ from validity? Give examples of each.
1.3. Discuss some of the considerations in selecting a rating, ranking, or purchase intent scale.
2. Chapter 9:
2.1. What do you see as the major advantages of using a field management company? What about the drawbacks?
2.2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Web-based questionnaires.
Module 5
Consideration assignment:
1. Distinguish between probability and nonprobability samples. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Why are nonprobability
samples so popular in marketing research?
2. Name some possible sampling frames for the following:
2.1. Patrons of sushi bars
2.2. Smokers of high-priced cigars
2.3. Snowboarders
2.4. Owners of DVD players
2.5. People that have visited one or more countries in Europe in the last year.
2.6. People who emigrated to the United States within the last two years.
2.7. People with allergies
(Your responses should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Weekly assignment: Answer the following questions:
 Complete SPSS exercises #1 and #2 for Chapter 11
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Module 6
Consideration assignment:
1. Explain the differences among the mean, median, and mode. Give an example in which the researcher might be interested in each one of the
alternative measures of central tendency.
2. Explain the notions of mathematical differences, managerially important differences, and statistical significance. Can results be statistically
significant and yet lack managerial importance. Explain your answer.
(Your responses should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Weekly assignment: Answer the following questions:
 Complete SPSS exercises #1, #2, and #3 for Chapter 12
Module 7
Consideration assignment:
1. Distinguish among findings, conclusions, and recommendations in a research report.
2. Describe four different ways a manager can help ensure high data quality.
(Your responses should be clearly linked to the module readings to support your answers though quotations and paraphrasing using APA style
citation format.)
Weekly assignment: Answer the following questions:
There is no weekly assignment for this week. During this final week you should concentrate on completing your final research project proposal.
Given that you are being granted this extra time to prepare, it will be expected that your final work be of highest caliber and reflect your critical
thinking. I will make myself especially available to you this week for consultation on your work. Projects ready before Week 7 Day 4 may be
submitted for a pre-review. Please contact me if you believe that there are areas within your proposal that may need some attention. I am
resource for you, and one that you should make use of to further your work.
Module 8
Final project
Please submit your research proposals at the end of M8
All final projects must be submitted before the close of the term (Saturday, December 15, 2007, at 11:59:59PM)
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GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH PROPOSAL PROJECT
The objective of this research project is to provide you with the opportunity to apply concepts and methods of marketing research to a real
marketing problem. The final product from this project will be a detailed marketing research proposal. This research will be conducted in three
phases over the seven and half week term. The full project is detailed below.
Phase 1: Select Brand and Topic (Module 1 and Module 2)
Select a brand and describe a research problem
In selecting the topic for research, the student should choose a specific brand (e.g., Diet Coke or Campbell’s Healthy Select Soups) that is widely
known, and for which the student has some practical experience with or interest in. In this way it will be easier to obtain the pertinent information.
A good topic should have a well-defined problem. The marketing research also should contribute to or enhance the present position of the product
or help to introduce it. This part of the project will require research be done of the chosen brand through interviews with managers and/or
published data on the company. It is only through this process will you be able to determine what challenges are faced by this brand and what
research might benefit it. Once this is done, the student should write a one page summary of your project. In it you need to discuss the:
 Specific brand and it company with background
 Related decision problems
 Research problems
 How the information obtained from research could help the company make better decisions
Deadlines:
 Submit a two page summary with the requested information by the end of Module 2
Phase 2: Conduct Exploratory Research (Module 3 and Module 4)
For your research project proposals, you are required to first conduct exploratory research, which can be secondary research, focus group studies,
in-depth interviews, or etc. The purpose of exploratory research is to gain insights into the research problem, which was defined in Phase 1 of the
project, help identify the key issues, and develop research hypothesis for the next stage, where you will start to design the study.
This phase of the project will occur over Module 3 and Module 4 of the course. At the end of Module 4, you should submit a four to five page
preliminary report on your exploratory efforts containing:
 Section 1: Description of the exploratory research that you are conducting
 Section 2: Summarize preliminary results from the exploratory research
 Section 3: Develop a list of preliminary research hypothesis for the proposal
Deadlines:
 Submit Draft 1 by the end of Module 4
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Phase 3: Research Proposal (Module 5 through Module 8)
You now will need to begin work on the final research proposal. In the proposal you should:
 Define the problems
 Summarize the results from exploratory research
 Propose a confirmatory study (a survey and/or experimental study).
The appropriate format and outline of the research study proposal is discussed below. You MUST use this format for your research study
proposal.
Deadlines:
 Submit a complete draft of the marketing study proposal (Draft 2) by the end of Module 6.
 Finalized proposals are due to me via email (james@drjamesramos.net) by the last day of the term (Saturday, December 15, 2007, at
11:59:59PM).
Notes on the appropriate format and outline for the research study proposal
In terms of your research proposal’s format, please note that in Module 7 there is no written assignment. During this last full week of class you are
asked to read Ch 14 and concentrate on your final projects. Chapter 14 specifically addresses how marketing research reports are presented to
audiences. There is a specific outline on page 468-472 in Chapter 14. Please use this outline for your reports, adapting it to a proposal format
rather than a real report with findings.
A few notes on specific parts of the report:
Part 3: Executive summary
I recommend that you wait to write this section until the entire project is complete and so it will flow as a single top-line description of the project,
its methods, and its expected results.
Part 4: Background:
You will have submitted extensive background material and therefore I suspect that the majority of the work for this section is done, but please be
sure to edit your previous work. You should treat this report as if it were going to top management, as this is the criteria against which it will be
evaluated, and so its language and structure should be as descriptive and cohesive as possible.
Part 5: Methodology
Please note that you are expected to design a complete confirmatory study (a survey and/or experimental study) that will address the specific
questions of your project. This includes data collection methods and statistical procedures to be used. (Hint…if you do not offer a statistical
procedure(s) for interpretation of the data, then you have not offered a complete research project, and you should expect that this will be reflected
in your final score.) Please note that it is not enough to merely propose methods, you MUST offer rationale as to why the methods and means
that you choose are best suited for the study’s purposes. Given that research is a game of options, I cannot emphasize enough how important
rationale is to lending your research credibility and validity. With much of the background work for this report completed by Module 6, I suspect
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that the majority of the mental work will lie in designing the study. Please take extra care in preparing this section at it is the largest indicator of
your developed critical skills in understanding marketing research. Therefore it will weigh heavily on your final scores.
Part 6: Findings
Rather than report actual findings, please be sure to describe expected results, and their relevance to the project’s overall objectives. In other
word, in addition to describing the expected results, explain what these expected results would mean for management and strategic decision
making. Of course one of the most interesting things about research is that even when things don’t turn out the way you want, you still learn
something. So please also be sure to discuss what unexpected results would mean for the project. What might this tell management?
I hope this offers you additional clarification on the timelines and outlines for the final project. Please contact me with any questions.
Grading Criteria
Grading Scale
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CF
Total points
1000 – 930
929 – 900
899 – 880
879 – 830
829 – 800
799 – 780
779 – 730
729 – 700
790 and below
ACADEMIC EVALUATION (COURSE GRADE)
1. Consideration assignments: - 7 at 40 points each (4% each)
2. Weekly assignments:
- 3 at 50 points each (5% each)
- 3 at 90 points each (9% each)
3. Final project:
- Summary of project (2.5%)
- First draft (2.5%)
- Second draft (5%)
- Final version at 200 points (20%)
280 points
150 points
270 points
25 points
25 points
50 points
200 points
1000 points
(28%)
(15%)
(27%)
(2.5%)
(2.5%)
(5%)
(20%)
(100%)
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Library:
All resources in Argosy University’s online collection are available through the Internet. The campus librarian will provide students with links, user
IDs, and passwords.
Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features nearly 21,000 full-text journals and 23,000 electronic books and other
content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied
Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences. Many titles are directly accessible through the Online
Public Access Catalog at http://library.argosy.edu. Detailed descriptions of online resources are located at
http://library.argosy.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html.
In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the
Online Public Access Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections. Alternatively, students can search combined
collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.
Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach students fundamental and transferable research
skills. The tutorial consists of five modules where students learn to select sources appropriate for academic-level research, search periodical
indexes and search engines, and evaluate and cite information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At
the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to
complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosy.edu/infolit/
Academic Policies
Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University requires that
the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal
scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5 th Edition
(2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses)
and become familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and
plagiarism.
Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free
from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your
course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and
detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison
report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.
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Americans with Disabilities Act Policy
It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Services.
Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.
Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a
designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the
instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student
with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.
The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity
Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic, and educational experiences. Both the academic
and training curricula are designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential to working with
people from a wide range of backgrounds.
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