marketing homework

Faculty of Business and Law

Assignment Brief

Assessment Information

This assignment is designed to assess learning outcomes:

1. Develop and design a research proposal to address a given business scenario

2. Design quantitative and qualitative research instruments to address a given business scenario

This assignment is an individual assignment.

This assignment requires you to

Design an A3 size (29.7 x 42.0cm) poster using a software package, such as PowerPoint, that includes

• A brief statement summarizing a research problem (100-200 words)

• An outline of: the research to be conducted; its aims and objectives; and the sample. You are requested to describe both quantitative and qualitative research that is to be undertaken. If you choose only one of these methods you must explain why you are not using the other. (400-500 words)

In addition to the poster you are to write a justification of the research you propose. This explains the value of the research and the information it will provide (500 words). Please do this on a second PowerPoint slide and submit both the poster and the research justification within the same file on Moodle – please include references on both.

Background

In year one module 100MKT you mainly examined secondary research. This module, 200MKT, follows on from that by designing primary research in this assignment and analysing data in coursework two. In the final year

you undertake a dissertation, 300MKT that allows you to examine a marketing issue of your choice in detail. This coursework can act as the basis for that module.

What we are attempting to do in this assignment is to write a market research brief that outlines a problem faced by an organization. You then design the research proposal to investigate this problem.

You can choose the business issue yourself, so make it something you are interested in, or if you are working at a company or on placement next year base it on them. Examples can be seen in the ten cases, p250-287 in the textbook, Wilson, A. (2012) Marketing Research: An integrated approach (3rd Ed), FT Prentice Hall.

The submission takes the form of an A3 poster together with a 500 word written piece justifying your choice of research. You will need to submit a paper version of your poster only, as it will be displayed at the Faculty research conference week commencing 3 April 2017. You might also wish to refer back to it for 300MKT in 2017-18.

You also need to submit your A3 posters on Friday 31 March for the SMM student conference, rooms for submission are as follows (note that you will need to print your poster using your printing credits and physically hand it in one of these rooms between either 9-11am or 1-4pm):

9am-11am: WM331

1pm-4pm: WM330

Remember attendance at the conference is an essential part of your assessment.

Criteria for Assessment

Explanation of qualitative research 1 2 3 4 5

Explanation of quantitative research 1 2 3 4 5

Sampling details 1 2 3 4 5

Context of research 1 2 3 4 5

Research justification 1 2 3 4 5

Standard of written work 1 2 3 4 5

Use of secondary sources 1 2 3 4 5

Poster design 1 2 3 4 5

Referencing 1 2 3 4 5

1 Poor 2 Satisfactory 3 Good 4 Very good 5 Excellent

Word Count

The word count is A0 poster plus a 500 word article

There will be a penalty of a deduction of 10% of the mark (after internal moderation) for work exceeding the word limit by 10% or more.

The word limit includes quotations, but excludes the bibliography.

How to submit your assessment

The assessment must be submitted by 23.55:00 on 03/04/2017. You can access the submission link through the module web.

• Your coursework will be given a zero mark if you do not submit a copy through Turnitin. Please take care to ensure that you have fully submitted your work.

• All work submitted after the submission deadline without a valid and approved reason (see below) will be given a mark of zero.

• Extensions of up to two calendar weeks can only be given for genuine "force majeure" and medical reasons, not for bad planning of your time. Please note that theft, loss, or failure to keep a back-up file, are not valid reasons. The extension must be applied for on or before the submission date. You can apply for an extension by submitting an Examination/ Coursework Deferral/Extension Application Form. Application Forms along with the supporting evidence should go to the relevant Student Support Office. For a longer delay in submission a student may apply for a deferral.

• Students MUST keep a copy and/or an electronic file of their assignment.

• Checks will be made on your work using anti-plagiarism software and approved plagiarism checking websites.

GUIDELINES AND BACKGROUND TO THIS ASSIGNMENT

Plagiarism

As part of your study you will be involved in carrying out research and using this when writing up your coursework. It is important that you correctly acknowledge someone else’s writing, thoughts or ideas and that you do not attempt to pass this off as your own work. Doing so is known as plagiarism. It is not acceptable to copy from another source without acknowledging that it is someone else’s writing or thinking. This includes using paraphrasing as well as direct quotations. You are expected to correctly cite and reference the works of others. The Centre for Academic Writing provides documents to help you get this right. If you are unsure, please visit www.coventry.ac.uk/caw. You can also check your understanding of academic conduct by completing the Good Academic Practice quiz available on Moodle.

Moodle includes a plagiarism detection system and assessors are experienced enough to recognise plagiarism when it occurs. Copying another student’s work, using previous work of your own or copying large sections from a book or the internet are examples of plagiarism and carry serious consequences. Please familiarise yourself with the CU Harvard Reference Style (on Moodle) and use it correctly to avoid a case of plagiarism or cheating being brought. Again, if you are unsure, please contact the Centre for Academic Writing, your Academic Personal Tutor or a member of the course team.

Return of Marked Work

You can expect to have marked work returned to you by 28 April 2017. If for any reason there is a delay you will be kept informed. Marks and feedback will be provided online and face to face. As always, marks will have been internally moderated only, and will therefore be provisional; your mark will be formally agreed later in the year once the external examiner has completed his / her review.

Tips-background reading

Writing the brief

Course text p22-24 & Malta tourist case p275

Writing a market research brief (DOCX) The University of Edinburgh www.ed.ac.uk/files/polopoly/fileManager/how-to-write-a-research-brief.docx

How do you write a research brief? – Research Insight (MR Consultancy)

http://research-insight.com/write-research-brief/

Examples of briefs

http://culturehive.co.uk/resources/research-brief-samples

Writing the proposal

Course text 27-33

Market research proposal template

https://www.pandadoc.com/market-research-proposal-template

How to write a marketing research proposal

http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/write-marketing-research-proposal-12852.html

Designing a poster

You can use PowerPoint or any other software package. However, you need to make sure you can get it printed

For tips on design, see University of Leicester tutorial

http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/presentations/designing-poster/designing-poster

How to create a research poster

http://guides.nyu.edu/posters

General tips

• Read the marking scheme carefully

• Proof read your work (spell check AND read it!)

• Clearly identify the sources of information you use, so the reader can check them if they wish

• Reference it carefully using both in text citations and a list of references at the end

• You need to justify/ explain your use of the themes suggested in the focus group and on the questionnaire, this need not be lengthy but make sure you give a reason

• You are asked for a minimum of three different sources. A Mintel report counts as one as does the text book

• You are marked on how well you use the sources. So make sure you relate the secondary sources to the case, explaining why it is relevant

• For referencing see university guidelines

Assignment Brief Template

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