Marketing Research Group Project Summer 2011 Purpose: To help students become familiar with the marketing research

process and associated techniques by conducting a real life marketing research study. Deliverable Group Project Preliminary Topic Selection Group Charter Weighting N/A N/A Description We will go through a brainstorming that will help form preliminary project groups and marketing research project topics. A 1-2 page document that lists group name, group members contact info, agreed meeting times and working approaches, conflict resolution methods, group expectations, etc. A research proposal is a written statement of the research design that includes a statement of the purpose of the study and a detailed, systematic outline of procedures associated with a particular research methodology. This document often has a marketing angle as it is often used to bid on or secure a marketing research contract. It should be 1-2 pages. You can then approach your potential client to see if your research proposal is of interest to them. In most cases, you will have to make significant changes to your original client research proposal since the research topic should be an issue of importance to your client (the purpose of the research should ideally come from your client your job is to help your client focus the research question and provide them with some of the opportunities that different types of research might bring in helping address the problem). This document will articulate what deliverables you will be working on for your client, what areas might be excluded from your project, project timelines, primary point of contact info, identification or potential problems and constraints. While the research proposal might indicate several phases of research and should be designed as though it were a real life project (with real life time estimates and budgets), your Terms of Reference will be your working document of the scope of your project. It is what the client will judge the success of your project against. Your Terms of Reference will be signed by your group members, your client and by myself. Once everyone has signed off, your tentative topic will become your actual topic. In very rare cases, you may need to switch topics/clients midway through your project after the Terms of Reference has been signed (this has only happened with one group in five semesters of this class) Your client may wish you to sign a non-disclosure agreement indicating that you will not share confidential information. You should discuss with

Research Proposal (due May 24th)

5%

Terms of Reference (we will work on this during our May 24th class)

N/A

Non-disclosure Agreement

0%

Research Design (June 2nd )

5%

Final Presentation & Report (June 21st)

25%

your client if it is okay to: 1) Disclose that you are even doing the research project for them (if this is confidential, you can use a generic term to describe your client e.g. a telecommunications company) 2) Present your research findings to the instructor 3) Present your research findings to the class This 2 page document describes the research approach you will take (in more detail than the research proposal which is primarily for securing a contract). A research design is a master plan that specifies the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing needed information. This normally would not be provided to your client until after a contract has been signed. You will present your research findings in an oral presentation format before the client and/or your instructor. You should present as though the audience is your client (i.e. the decision maker). You will receive feedback from the instructor on how you could improve your research project. This feedback can be integrated into your final report. A marketing research handout should accompany your presentation that summarizes your research findings. The intended audience for the report is your client. A couple of sample marketing research reports will be distributed in the class for viewing. There are many different ways of structuring your final report depending on factors such as the type of client (sector, company culture, etc.) and the topic being researched. Summary handouts should be between 10-15 pages (not including Appendices). Teams need to email me their presentation slides and their summary handout (more details will be provided in class and on the course website). Generally, student groups provide a copy of their final presentation and summary handout (after receiving feedback from client/Instructor and modifying) to their client. You should ask your client if they are okay with you using all or part of the report for your personal portfolio.

Explaining this project to a potential client: You can provide a copy of this assignment overview to your potential clients so they better understand the context of the project and deliverables you are doing for the class. The Terms of Reference should be the primary place articulating what benefit the client will receive from the project. Primary benefit to clients

Help in addressing a real life business problem by a dedicated, bright and enthusiastic group of senior Capilano University School of Business Students. Potential for new perspectives on their business problem Low cost or no cost support for a marketing research project

Feelings of goodwill in supporting and mentoring business students

Primary benefits to students Exposure to a real life business problem where new marketing research skills can be applied. Some support and mentoring from client contacts Ability to develop an item for your personal portfolio (in some cases the NDA will preclude this) Useful job ready skills (e.g. ability to create a research proposal, research design, and marketing research report)

Payment for work Generally, student groups are not paid for conducting the marketing research project for the client since they are still learning the marketing research techniques and they are also benefiting from the client from the experience gained. However, this is something that can be discussed, negotiated diplomatically with your client. In some cases, clients provide a small in-kind contribution (e.g. lunch) and/or out-of-pocket expenses (e.g. printing, report binding, etc.). In some cases where there is an especially large workload and high quality work, clients may wish to provide a small honorarium to help cover part of the tuition for this course.