Markets Research

COMPETENCES AND SKILLS THAT WILL BE ACQUIRED AND LEARNING RESULTS.

Learning objectives:

- To become skilled at basic concepts and methodologies needed to perform a marketing research study (problem proposition, sampling, collecting and analysing data, reporting findings);
- To comprehend firms' problems in order to design proper marketing research studies;
- To apply marketing research processes to real market situations, which are relevant to the firm;
- To analyze outcomes of marketing research studies in order to suggest the most appropriate strategic orientation and operational actions.

Skills objectives:

- To become familiar with a wide range of marketing research methodologies;
- To prepare reports and communicate results to an audience of company executives;
- To make use of one of the mostly diffused software's programs for marketing research;
- To participate in working groups, whose aim is to stimulate creativity and accuracy.

Attitudinal objectives:

- Curiosity towards marketing and its challenges;
- Criticism and creativity to solve managerial problems;
- Interest in applying a portfolio of diversified tools needed to draw reliable conclusions;
- Ethics, according to the international code and guidelines on market and social research defined by
ICC/ESOMAR.

DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS: PROGRAMME

Topic 1. Introduction to Marketing Research
1.1. The process of Marketing Research
1.2. Classification of Marketing Research Studies
1.3. Problem definition
1.4. Preparing a marketing research report

Topic 2. Exploratory, descriptive and causal research techniques
2.1. Exploratory designs: In-depth interviews, Focus groups and observation
2.2. Descriptive designs: Surveys and panels
2.3. Explicative designs: Experiments and conjoint analysis techniques

Topic 3. Fieldwork and data preparation
3.1. The nature of fieldwork
3.2. Data coding
3.3. Computerized databases

Topic 4. Univariate hypotheses testing
4.1. Frequency
4.2. Tendency
4.3. Dispersion

Topic 5. Bivariate hypotheses testing
5.1. Testing for significant differences
5.2. Testing for association

Topic 6. Multivariate preferences analysis with SPSS
6.1. Multiple regression analysis
6.2. Analysis of variance and covariance (ANOVA, MANOVA, etc.)

Topic 7. Multivariate positioning analysis with SPSS
7.1. Principal components analysis
7.2. Perceptual maps

Topic 8. Multivariate segmentation analysis
8.1. Cluster analysis
8.2. Discriminant analysis

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY
During the course, students will participate to both theory lectures and practice sessions (based on case study discussions, problem sets solving and use of software packages at computer lab), whose aim is that of transferring conceptual and methodological knowledge. In order to improve their personal capabilities, students will participate in a teamwork experience (each team being composed by three to four members), by which all steps of a marketing research study are performed. At the beginning of the course, each team will receive a firm's marketing problem to face. Accordingly, students will have
to identify the objective of the marketing research study; analyse descriptive data, bivariate relationships and multivariate models in order to draw conclusions and present results of the study. For each step, a report has to be submitted to the course lecturer. Finally, at the beginning and at the end of the course, each team is expected to make a short presentation of expected and obtained results to a (theoretical) audience composed of corporate executives.

ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
The assessment system of this course is based on two main components: 1) an individual, written exam; and, 2) a practical activity. The final exam accounts for 60% of the course grade. Its objective is to assess whether and how much each student knows, understands and is able to put in practice the concepts and methodologies of marketing research. The practical activity accounts for the remaining 40% of the course grade. Students are expected to perform a marketing research study. Partial and final results of the study have to be disclosed by means of written reports and oral presentations. Both analytical capabilities and communication abilities will be subject to assessment and evaluation.

The minimum in the final exam is 3.5.
% end-of-term-examination: 60
% of continuous assessment (assigments, laboratory, practicals?): 40

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
- MALHOTRA, N. Marketing Research: An applied Orientation, Prentice Hall, 5ª Ed. 2006
- HAIR, J.F.; BUSH, R.P.; ORTINAU, D.J. Marketing Research: within a changing information environment, McGraw-Hill/ Irwin, 2003

ADITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
- DILLON, W. R.; MADDEN, T. J.; FIRTLE, N. Marketing Research Within a Changing Envioronment, McGraw Hill. 2004..
- PEÑA, D. "Análisis de Datos Multivariantes", McGraw Hill. 2002.