FACULTY OF COMMERCE DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING MARKETING RESEARCH (MM402) COURSE OUTLINE Course Description Today s marketing environment presents managers with increasingly complex problems and opportunities and the ongoing need for current, accurate and pertinent information about their customers, competitors and the markets in which they operate. This course introduces students to the field of marketing research and how managers can be assisted to make better marketing decisions. The course follows the logic of the logic of the marketing research process, specifically the planning, collection and analysis of data relevant to marketing decision making and communication of the results of this analysis to management. The goal of this course is to give students a basic understanding of the scope of marketing research so that they may become effective buyers and users of (rather than practitioners) marketing research. LECTURER AND CONTACT INFORMATION Mr. M Njovo Midlands State University Faculty of Commerce Department of Marketing P Bag 9055 Gweru, Zimbabwe Tel: +263 54 260 525 Mobile: +263 772 749 744 Email address: njovom@msu.ac.zw
Course Objectives This course aims to provide students with a background in research methods, issues related to conducting marketing research, data analysis and methods of evaluation related to marketing. Knowledge of these topics will enable students to both implement and evaluate marketing research during their professional careers. It is assumed that students registered for this course have a basic understanding of marketing terminology and concepts. Learning Outcomes Upon completion of this course, you will have had the opportunity and training to : Understand needs of marketing managers for marketing and marketing information. Take general marketing problems and opportunities Determine the specific objectives of the marketing research project Select the appropriate research design to address the research problem and best achieve the objectives. Understand and critique various sources of secondary data and be able to assess its quality and usefulness to management. Understand the stages of the market research process Learn how to design questionnaires Learn how to write reports and present findings and recommendations that convey marketing information simply and effectively and encourage marketing action Be aware of issues and understand the ethical issues related to marketing research Be aware of issues and concerns in undertaking marketing research in different cultures and countries. Methods of instruction Teaching shall be effected through lectures, class presentations, group case analysis and discussions.
Course outline Overview of marketing research Defining marketing research The marketing research process Role of marketing research in managerial decision making Factors affecting marketing research decisions Ethics in marketing research Research proposals and briefs Research design and implementation Research approach Measurement Sampling plan Errors in research design Designing international marketing research Issues in international research design Marketing research data Secondary sources of marketing data Standardized sources of marketing data Qualitative and observational methods Qualitative research methods Scaling and measurement Definitions Attitudes The concept of measurement scaling Scales of measurement Concepts and scales
The true score model Reliability and validity Questionnaire design Formulating the questionnaire Closed ended questions Principles of developing questions Principles of question wording Sequence and layout decisions Pretesting questionnaires Sampling methods and techniques Sample or census Sampling process Probability sampling Non-probability sampling Sample size determination Population characteristics/ parameters Data analysis Data analysis Preparing data for analysis Strategy for data analysis Factors influencing the choice of a statistical technique Hypothesis testing The logic of hypothesis testing Steps in hypothesis testing Basic concepts in hypothesis testing The null and alternative hypotheses Choosing the relevant statistical test and the appropriate probability Choosing the critical value Applications of marketing research Traditional applications Contemporary applications
Reading list Dillon W. R (1994) Marketing Research in a Marketing Environment, 3 rd Edition, Irwin Malhotra N.K 91993) Marketing Research, An Applied Orientation, 5 th Edition, Prentice Hall Kumar V, Aaaker A.D and Day S.G (1999) Essentials of Sons Marketing Research. John Wiley and Crawshaw J and Chamber J (1994) A Concise course in A Level Statistics, 3 rd Edition, Stanley Thorns Publishers Assessment Overall assessment shall be by 30% course work and70 % final examination. Course work will be but not limited to two individual written assignments, details of which shall be given during the course of the lectures, group discussions and presentations as well as group assignments. REQUIREMENTS TO PASS THE MODULE Students are required to attend all lectures Assignments must be submitted to the lecturer on or before due dates. No late submissions will be acceptable Assignments must be typed, font size 12, font type times new roman and 1.5 line spacing The Harvard System of referencing must be used Plagiarism being an academic offence/ crime, if detected, will be punished in accordance with the university regulations