MSc Marketing 2018-19

Research Methods for Marketing

MN50358
Unit Handbook

Dr. Lorna Stevens

Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor of Marketing
Office: 8W 4.50
l.m.r.stevens@bath.ac.uk

Learning Outcomes:
The aims of this module are to help students to understand the importance of research as an aid to management decision making and as a means
of gaining insights into marketing phenomena and practices. The module also enables students to evaluate the relative merits of different types
of research. More specifically this module underpins and prepares students to plan, design and conduct their own independent research based
project.

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

• Conduct a critical literature review
• Write actionable research questions
 • Design a research programme
• Understand the strengths and weaknesses of different methods of data collection and analysis

Lecture Schedule:
Week Readings from
Class Lecture Topic
Commencing Saunders et al (2016)
5-Feb 1 Introduction + Research Philosophies Chapter 1

Chapter 3
12-Feb 2 Literature Reviews and Sources
Identifying a research topic and question; research aims & Chapters 2 & 5
19-Feb 3
objectives;
Quantitative Methods (1) Questionnaire design, variable types Chapters 7 & 11
26-Feb 4
and measurements, sampling and Variables
Quantitative Methods(2)Descriptive statistics, hypothesis Chapter 12
5-Mar 5
testing and presenting findings
Qualitative Methods (1) – Research Design, qualitative data Chapters 9 & 10
12-Mar 6
collection, interviews and focus groups, etc
Qualitative Methods (2) – Qualitative Data Analysis Chapter 13
19-Mar 7
techniques and presenting findings

26-Mar Easter Vacation – No Lecture

2-Apr

9-Apr 8 Creating a Poster

16-Apr 9 Poster Presentations – 3 themes

23-Apr 10 Consultation week – no lecture

30 Apr 11 Writing up Chapter 14

7 May 12 Consultation week – no lecture

Recommended text:
• Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2016 edition). Research methods for business students, 6/e. Harlow, Essex: Pearson.
Assessment
Evaluation is fully based on your coursework. 20% of your final mark comes from your team research poster design. From this there should be
5-6 research questions generated, one for each person on the team. Each individual research question should be supported by its own relevant
literature and a suggested methodology. This will culminate in a team poster presentation session in week 9. 80% of your final mark comes from
an individual research proposal. Both shall reflect the full scope of learning over the term. However, the poster session presentation aims to
provide an opportunity for formative feedback on the student’s research ideas. The individual proposal will provide an opportunity for evaluative
feedback.

Please note that a ten percent penalty applies to any work handed in late. Any work handed in later than one week after the deadline will not be
marked. Any requests for coursework extensions should first be made to the course convenor and then (as appropriate) to the Departmental
Director for Teaching and Learning. The course work must show evidence of individual research.

Any evidence of plagiarism will result in a mark of zero.

Course Outlines:

Session 1: Introduction + Research Philosophies

​Lecture Contents:
 • Introduction to the programme
• Research Philosophies

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016 – Chapter 1, and 4

Session 2: Literature Reviews & Sources

​Lecture Contents:
• Critically reviewing the literature
• Theoretical frameworks and arguments
• Research question development

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016 – Chapter 2, 3, and 5

Session 3: Identifying a research topic and question; research aims and objectives

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016 – Chapter 2 and 5

Session 4: Quantitative Methods (1) – Questionnaire Design, Variable types and measurements, sampling

​Lecture Contents:
• Questionnaire design
• Variables types and measurements
• Sampling

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016 – Chapter 7, and 11

Session 5: Quantitative Studies (2) – Data Analysis and Findings Presentation

​Lecture Contents:
• Descriptive statistics
• Hypothesis testing statistics
• Presenting Findings

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016 – Chapter 12

Session 6: Qualitative Methods [1]

Lecture Contents:
Research design, qualitative data collection, interviews, small group discussions and focus groups

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016– Chapters 9 and 10

Session 7: Qualitative Methods (2) – Data Analysis techniques and presenting findings
 ​Lecture Contents:
• Qualitative data analysis techniques
• Qualitative findings presentation

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016 – Chapter 13

Session 8: Creating a Poster

Session 9: Poster Presentations – 3 Themes

Session 10: Consultation week – No Lecture

Session 11: Writing up

​Lecture Contents:
• Framing arguments, positioning your research
• Write-up techniques

​Required Pre-Session Reading:

• Saunders et al. 2016 – Chapter 14

Session 12: Consultation week – No lecture

Course Project

Date and Format to Submit

th
● E-Copy of the Poster (PDF file): 12:00 noon on Friday 20 April 2018 – Moodle Online Submission Box
● E-Copy of the Research Proposal (PDF file): 12:00 noon on Friday11th May 2018 – Moodle Online Submission Box

Late submission
Any report submitted late without prior approval will normally receive a maximum mark of 40%. This is a cap, i.e. if you achieve 39 out of 100
you will receive 39%, if you receive 59 out of 100 your mark will be recorded as 40%.If the case work or individual report is submitted after 5
working days, without prior approval, it will normally receive a mark of 0.

More details on the regulations on late submission and penalties for late submission are given in the School of Management policy in your
student handbook.

Remember to allow generous time for making final corrections, printing and binding your work. Never leave printing or binding to the day of
submission. No extensions will be given due to poor time management.
 Poster Presentation

Submission Details:

Weighting: 20%
Format: 1 Page

Poster Evaluation Rubric

Component Percentage Comments Marks

Presentation 10%
• Visually engaging - legible and easy to scan at this
distance
• No spelling, grammar, punctuation errors
• Well laid out for easy reading & interpretation
• Citations and references provided, if needed

Literature Review 50%

• Good coverage of current state of knowledge
• Good critical evaluation of included research

Research Questions 40%

• One question per student on team
• Research questions clearly evolve from literature
review
• Proposed methodology included
Total

Mark Allocations 10% 50% 40%

Unacceptable < 4 < 20 < 16
Satisfactory 4 20 – 24 16 – 19
Good 5 25 – 29 20 – 23
Very Good 6 30 – 34 24 – 27
Excellent 7 35 – 39 28 – 31
Outstanding >7 > 40 > 32

The Research Proposal

Submission Details:

Weighting: 80%
Word limit: 3000 words
Spacing: 1.5
Font: 12 point, Times New Roman

Overview

The research proposal should reflect and be based upon the topic you are planning to investigate as part of your IRS. It is the principle
summative assessment for this unit an opportunity for you to demonstrate your understanding of the research process and your ability to
critically reflect on your proposed research design and epistemological approach. Fundamentally, the proposal is an explanation of your ideas
and how you wish to go about conducting your research. There are three main components to a research proposal:

1. Introduction & Overview

In this section you will be expected to explain the importance and implications of your chosen research topic. For example, if you are studying
the impact of brands on consumer choice then you should discuss why brands are an important area of study and how you feel your research can
improve our knowledge of consumer culture. Normally this section will be reasonably short.

2. Literature Review
Your literature review should build on the introduction to critically analyse what research currently exists about your topic. You also need to
discuss the theoretical foundation of your research. It should NOT just describe other research, but analyse and integrate theories together to help
you understand your research questions and help you develop your research questions and/or hypotheses. The literature review will be the
academic basis for the research and as such should make up a significant chunk of your proposal. Your IRS may then (if acceptable) build on
your proposal’s literature review and explain some of the concepts in more depth.

3. Philosophy of Science and Methodology

The methodology section discusses HOW you wish to answer your research questions and hypotheses if applicable. You should discuss and
justify the different methods you wish to employ for collecting and analysing data. Information about the sample being used and why you feel
this is a good sample should also be included. Additional marks are available for examples of research instruments such as a sample
questionnaire or set of interview questions, as well as some basic understanding of what analysis techniques may be useful. The key to this
section is an appreciation for how you wish to go about your research and why you feel this is the best approach.
NOTE: We do not expect you to collect any data as part of the research proposal.

Marking Criteria (Research Proposal)

The following table outlines the criteria your assignments will be marked against.

Research Proposal Evaluation Rubric

Component Percentage Comments Marks
Literature Review 20%
▪ Good coverage of relevant literature
▪ Good review of individual
component

Research Question 20%

▪ Well supported from literature
review
▪ Original and important

Suggested Methodology 40%

▪ Applies to research question
▪ Well-designed and feasible
▪ Options are well-supported

Contribution 10%
▪ To literature
▪ To Practice

Presentation 10%
▪ Professional
▪ Good grammar & spelling
▪ Good structure
▪ Clearly written

Total

Mark Allocations 10% 20% 40%

Unacceptable <4 <8 < 16
Satisfactory 4 8 – 9 16 – 19
Good 5 10 – 11 20 – 23
Very Good 6 12 – 13 24 – 27
Excellent 7 14 – 15 28 – 31
Outstanding > 7 > 16 > 32
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