Marketing Research

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this course we will explore the scope, history and ethics of Marketing Research. Particular attention will be paid to methods of research design, the use of secondary data from Marketing decisions and the distinction between qualitative and quantitative techniques. Moreover, students will be introduced to techniques of questionnaire design as well as basic statistics for the social sciences. Wherever appropriate, dedicated software for Marketing Research (SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences)) will be utilized.

COURSE/ DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES:
Upon completing this course students should be able to
·    appreciate the scope of Marketing Research
·    identify some major ethical concerns associated with the practice of Marketing Research
·    understand how Marketing Research problems are defined
·    consider appropriate use of secondary and syndicated data for Marketing Research
·    appreciate appropriate use of qualitative Marketing Research techniques
·    be acquainted principal methods of data collection used in Marketing Research
·    evaluate and identify some of the issues affecting design of Marketing Research scales
·    evaluate methods of questionnaire design
·    develop a sample plan for Marketing Research surveys and to evaluate issues of sample size
·    be aware of appropriate field collection methods with particular attention to minimizing non-response errors
·    become familiar with and appreciate basic statistical techniques for Social Sciences and especially Marketing Research
·    become familiar with standard software for Marketing Research especially SPSS
·    feel comfortable presenting Marketing Research data both in written and oral form
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
·    Written answers to questions tied to chapters
·    Participation in and evaluation of 4 online marketing surveys
·    Executive summary for The Santa Fe Grill Restaurant case

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The midterm consists of a series of questions, assigned in preparation of the week’s class. The total score for all answers will be your midterm grade. Handing in the answer to the week’s questions on the day due qualifies for full credit. Late answers are subject to partial credit only. Questions will be distributed in class the week before they are due and also posted to the course website.
Recommendation: Since each quiz tests your understanding of the lecture and readings from the week before, make sure that you do not leave class without understanding what you need to know to answer the question(s) successfully. There will be a total of 25 questions. This is the equivalent of a 25 question midterm. Each question is worth 4 points. Late submission of any week’s assignment will result in a reduction of the total maximum points available for the question by 1 point. Therefore, a question handed in 4 weeks late would receive a grade of 0 regardless of the merits of the answer. This cumulative midterm represents 30% of your grade.

Participation in and evaluation of 4 online marketing surveys (sign up at www.npdor.com )

Final examination

GRADING GUIDELINES
Questions tied to chapters (see below) (20%)
Participation in and evaluation of 4 online marketing surveys (20%)
Executive summary for The Santa Fe Grill Restaurant case (30%)
Final examination (30%)

COURSE CALENDAR
Note: Students are expected to come to class having read the chapter(s) to be covered, and with notes from articles/ books read and/or broadcast reports related to the topic(s) to be discussed. The classroom will be run based on the Socratic method, meaning that the instructor will be asking questions to spark student discussion. Preparedness for class is important to the success of the course, and will be evaluated and included in the course grade.

Date    Chapter    Midterm Questions Due Each Week
2/6/2012    1 Marketing Research and Managerial Decision Making
18 Preparing and Presenting Marketing Research Reports    1,2,3
2/12/2012    2 Overview of the Research Process and Research Proposals    4,5
2/27/2012    3 Information -Driven Technology and the Research Process    6
3/5/2012    4 Market Intelligence and Database Research    7
3/12/2012    5 Marketing Decision Support Systems     8,9
3/19/2012     6 Exploratory Research Using Qualitative and Observation Methods    10, 11
3/26/2012    7 Analyzing and Reporting Qualitative Research    12
4/2/2012    8 Descriptive Research Designs Using Surveys     13
4/16/2012    9 Casual Research Designs and Test Markets
10 Sampling: Theories, Designs, and Plans     14, 15
4/23/2012    11 Overview of Measurement: Construct Development and Scaling
12 Advanced Measurement Designs for Survey Research Research     16, 17
04/30/12    13 Questionnaire Design: Concepts and Issues     18
5/7/2012    14 Preparing Survey Data for Analysis     19
5/14/2012    15 Data Analysis: Testing for Significant Differences
16 Data Analysis: Testing for Associations
17 Overview of Multivariate Analysis Methods    20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
5/21/2012    FINAL EXAM
5/30/2012

ATTENDANCE
Touro College attendance policies will be enforced. The class is scheduled to meet weekly MONDAY, 6-8:30 PM. Students are expected to attend all classes, arriving on time and staying to the end. Regulations of the NY State Department of Education and the regional accreditation agency require that each session run for the full time for which it is scheduled, regardless of students' personal transportation or social calendar conflicts. Participation represents 15% of the course grade. Each absence cuts into your ability to earn points for participation. Lack of preparation will also affect your participation grade. It is impossible to earn an A in the course if you are absent excessively. Please see the course website for a complete grading rubric for attendance and participation.
Regardless of attendance, each student is responsible for a written response to the quiz from the previous week and will be required to take the current week’s quiz.

HARDWARE/SOFTWARE/ MATERIALS
SPSS and any additional appropriate software that may be introduced for each topic (e.g. focus groups, data collection)
This software is available at the Touro College computer lab and a student version is included with every new copy of the textbook.
Note: Work submitted online must be in .doc or .rtf format. Please convert your files to one of these from the native format of your word processor.

COURSE TEXT
Essentials of Marketing Research , 2nd edition Hair, Wolfinbarger, Ortinau and Bush ISBN 0-07-340482-9

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Guerrilla marketing research : marketing research techniques that can help any business make more money / Robert J Kaden. London ; Philadelphia : Kogan Page ISBN: 0-749-44574-2
©, 2006.

Start and run a restaurant business / Brian Cooper, Brian Floody, and Gina McNeil.
Bellingham, Wash. ; North Vancouver, B.C. : Self-Counsel Press, ©,2005, ISBN: 1551806320

Marketing Research, 6th Edition
Carl McDaniel, Jr., Univ. of Texas at Arlington
Roger Gates, DSS Research
ISBN: 0-471-45519-9
©2005

Title: Business to Business Marketing Research
Author: Block, Martin et al.
Pub. Date: 2004
Publisher: South Western
ISBN#:0-324-22230-0

Title: Statistics in Market Research
Author: Chakrapani
Pub. Date: 2004
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN#0-340-76397-3

Title: Applying Qualitative Methods to Marketing Management Research
Author: Buber, Renate et al
Pub. Date; 2003
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN#:1-4039-1660-8

Title: Doing Research Projects in Marketing, Management and Consumer Research
Author: Hackley
Pub. Date: 2003
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN#:0-415-26894-x

Title: Handbook of Research in International Marketing
AUTHOR: Jain
Pub. Date: 2003
Publisher: Edward Elgar
ISBN#:1-84064-946