This module aims to provide students with the ability to design and justify appropriate marketing research programmes, to choose and carry out appropriate research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative, and to analyse and interpret the results of such programmes.

A.   Knowledge and Understanding

• Describe and understand the key stages of the marketing research process.
• Comprehend the range of marketing research methods available to marketing managers.
• Adopt a critical perspective on marketing research issues.

B.   Intellectual Skills:

• Choose appropriate marketing research methodologies to address specific decision needs in marketing.
• Evaluate different sources of secondary data.
• Analyse and evaluate the role, nature and contributions within marketing research, of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
• Choose appropriate statistical tests and/or analyses for a given situation.
• Interpret results of selected analyses in a marketing context.
• Apply research techniques within a variety of marketing-related contexts.

C.   Discipline Specific Skills:

• Design, implement and evaluate marketing research programmes.

D    Transferable Skills: 

• Develop practical skills and techniques to conduct and manage research projects
• Conduct secondary and primary data research.
• Design a questionnaire using Qualtrics and a sampling plan for survey research.
• Use SPSS to perform selected statistical analyses.

The module will be delivered through a mix of large & small group face-to-face sessions, including, where relevant, supporting digital learning activities and/or recordings.’

This module comprises a combination of lectures, tutorials and computer labs.  Lectures are aimed at demonstrating a link between academic theory and practical application. To enhance student problem-solving and team working skills, tutorials will be used, facilitating interaction and application of key concepts to specific case contexts. Computer labs will also be used to facilitate student learning and use SPSS to carry out particular analyses, following lecturer demonstration and instruction.

The Autumn term will be assessed with a 2000 words individual market research proposal which is designed to test understanding of the marketing research process, research designs and methodologies applied to a specific marketing context. Students are required to conduct secondary data research on specific research problems or marketing opportunities for a selected company and develop a market research proposal.  A self-reflective report is also included in this assessment for the students to evaluate their learning and performance in this module.   

For the Spring term, the assignment requires students to conduct a primary data research project (1500 words). Students will work in groups to design the research, collect and analyse primary data, and interpret the findings, thus enhancing skills in teamworking and negotiation. Students will also be assessed with a class test which focuses on materials covered in the term.

The marketing research process

Ethics in marketing research

Sources of marketing information

Secondary data research

Developing a market research proposal

Methods of data collection – qualitative and quantitative methods

Developing research instruments

Sampling techniques

Data preparation and coding

Qualitative data analysis

Statistical analysis and its interpretation – frequency distribution, cross-tabulation, hypothesis testing, tests of difference, analysis of variance, correlation, regression, techniques of multivariate analysis

Interpretation of results within marketing decision-making contexts