Business
Administration Department
Fall
2007
BA341 MARKETING RESEARCH
Sec.
A: Tues, Thurs. 1:00-2:15 p.m.
Sec. B: Tues., Thurs. 2:30-3:45 p.m.
Sec. C:
Weds. 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Dr.
Geoffrey P. Lantos
Office Hours:
Office: 219D
Office Phone:
508.565.1205 Tues.
1:30-3:30 p.m.
Cell phone:
508.369.4324 Weds. 10-11:30 a.m.; 1:30-3:30 p.m.
E-mail: glantos@stonehill.edu Thurs.
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Fax: 508-565-1444 Fri.
10-11:30 a.m.
Campus Mail: Box D-55 Other times by appointment or
informal drop-in
Web Site: http://faculty.stonehill.edu/glantos/index.htm E-mail and voicemail messages 24/7
Business
Administration Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Julie Pick, Duffy 217, 565-1463, jpick@stonehill.edu
TEXTBOOK: Zikmund, William G., and Babin, Barry J., Exploring
Marketing Research, ninth edition, Mason, Ohio: South-Western, 2007.
READING BOOK:
Fortini-Campbell, Lisa, Hitting the Sweet Spot,
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
"Discusses and uses the tools and techniques available for gathering and analyzing, information to aid marketing decision making. Covers topics such as problem definition, research design formulation, measurement, research instrument development, sampling techniques, data collection, data interpretation and analysis, and presentation of research findings. Skills acquired are used in a survey research project.
Prerequisites: BA206, BA340” -
This intermediate-level required
marketing course studies the scientific method known as marketing research (MR)
to aid managerial decision making.
Accordingly, BA 341 is primarily intended for prospective users of research results—aspiring marketing
managers—rather than for the doers or specialists in MR. A fundamental skill possessed by successful
managers is the ability to define information needs and then to obtain and use
that information to make effective and efficient decisions. This course trains you (1) to ask the right
questions, so that marketing research specialists can generate that
information, and (2) to appropriately use research findings, rather than to be
actual marketing researchers.
The course focuses on the practical
application of MR theories, principles, and techniques in real-life situations
concerning marketing research. It exposes
you to basic terminology and techniques, a variety of various occupations in MR
(on both the user and doer sides), and an assortment of practical exercises and
activities to aid in understanding the subject matter.
BA 341 provides a methodology
marketing managers use to attack problems and evaluate researchers'
recommendations for marketing decision making, no matter what the specific
application might be (e.g., advertising copy testing, new product evaluation,
retail merchandising strategies, etc.).
After taking this course, you should be an intelligent, effective
marketing manager in using MR services.
For those who want to become specialists in the subject, this course
provides a framework for future study, either in graduate school or on the job.
The focus of BA 341 is: 1) descriptive, providing you with a basic
grounding in and working knowledge of the language and methodologies/techniques
of MR; and 2) applications-oriented, offering
a variety of practical applications that portray a full range of research, with
the emphasis on survey research.
PREREQUISITES
MR assumes a basic familiarity with
the principles of marketing (BA340 or an equivalent course, which may be taken
concurrently with this course) and of the fundamentals of descriptive and
inferential statistics (BA206 or equivalent, which may also be taken
simultaneously with this course). I realize
that statistical knowledge decays rapidly, and so much this material will be
reviewed to assure that you have a working knowledge of it prior to applying it
to MR.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The general purpose of the course is
to provide you with a basic understanding of and involvement in the
problem-solving process consisting of a series of interrelated steps known as the
MR process.
The specific goals of this course are
that you:
1. Develop
an awareness of the value and limitations of MR, being sensitive to the biases
and shortcomings of typical kinds of research data and techniques.
2. Gain
an understanding of and appreciation for the role of MR within an organization.
3. Acquire
a basic understanding of MR concepts, theory, and issues.
4. Obtain a working knowledge of MR methodology and applications. This includes understanding, being able to develop, and being able to critically evaluate research designs (problem formulation, questionnaire design, measurement, and sampling). It also encompasses having a working knowledge of common descriptive and inferential statistical techniques for data analysis, understanding the conditions under which the various techniques are appropriate to use, and being able to interpret the results of such techniques. Finally, a working knowledge of MR includes being able to effectively present these research findings in a written report.
5. Develop
an understanding of the interrelationships among the various stages in the MR
process.
6. Improve
your written and oral communication skills and ability to think and write
critically and creatively.
7. Learn
to work effectively and efficiently in a team situation.
8. Integrate
your Christian faith with learning (optional but encouraged).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The
first five objectives are to be achieved when you:
1. Carefully
read and study the textbook and work on textbook discussion questions and case
studies.
2. Attend
class, participate in classroom discussions, and review and reflect on what you
learn from the textbook and classroom discussions.
These
first five objectives, along with the sixth and eighth goals, will be
accomplished when you:
3. Complete
a written team term paper project.
The
seventh objective will be realized when you:
4.
Participate in class discussions.
You will
attain the final goal if you elect to partake in opening class devotions and
participate with me in evaluating course material from a Christian worldview as
informed by the Scriptures.
CLASSROOM FORMAT
Class sessions will involve a variety
of teaching and learning techniques.
Much of this time will be devoted to lecture on and discussion of
material relating to the materials and concepts from the textbook and its
end-of-chapter discussion questions, cases, and videos. I will present the topics in a supplemental
(to the textbook) and illustrative manner (using transparencies, pass-arounds, videos, Website visitations, etc.), and
these presentations will be integrated with classroom discussions.
Just as you expect me to come to class
prepared to discuss the assigned topic(s) for the day, I expect you to come to
class prepared to participate in the discussion (active learning is more productive
than passive learning). The way to
success in this course is to be an active learner/participant, not a passive
lecture note-taker. My general
philosophy is that learning by doing is the best way to master MR principles,
concepts, and techniques. Class discussions will be
designed to allow you to practice the critical thinking, team interaction and
verbal argument skills necessary to succeed in real-life team situations in the
business world.
Regular assignments—readings, cases,
and discussion questions/exercises—are scheduled for each class session. Although you won’t hand these in to be graded,
it is very important to work through the assigned material prior to class. One recommended approach to completing the
regular assignments is to form an informal study group that meets and discusses
assignments prior to class.
The pace of the course will be brisk,
with new topics introduced in each class session that will build on previously-discussed
topics. Therefore, it is very important
to complete the assigned readings and exercises prior to each class
session.
Audiovisual presentations (DVDs, CDs, videotapes,
and audiotapes) will be used occasionally to illustrate applications of MR and
to further stimulate classroom discussions.
A guest speaker has been invited to make the theoretical materials
"come alive." Classroom
discussions of case studies will help strengthen your decision-making skills.
To assist you outside of class with
the more technical aspects of the course, there will be a peer tutor/teaching
assistant: Jenna Walsh, a senior marketing major. She will conduct review sessions before exams
whenever else students feel the need; be available to help you individually or
in small groups with statistical or any other material; and assist with any
other material with which you are encountering difficulties. You may make arrangements to meet with Jenna
at a mutually convenient time through the Center for Academic Achievement,
Duffy 109.
STUDENT EVALUATION
Student evaluation will be based on
performance on each of the following course requirements:
:
Requirement Dates
of Completion (Italicized Relative Importance*
dates are for evening section)
1.
Exams
Exam #1 October 3 (4) 10-20%
Exam
#2 November
8 (October 31) 10-20%
Final
Exam December ?? . 20-30%
December 12, 6:30 p.m.
2. Team
Term Paper Form
teams – 9/11 (9/5) 20-40%
Project Research
topic identification –) – – 9/20 (9/19)
Research
proposal – 10/2 (9/26)
First
progress report – 10/23 (10/17)
Interim
Peer Evaluations – 11/1 (10/24)
Second
progress report – 11/13 (11/7)
Third progress
report – 12/4 (11/28)
Peer
evaluation forms – 12/11 (12/5)
Finished paper –
(10:30 a.m.) 12/14 (12/14)
3. Classroom
participation Each class
session 0-30%
and
attendance 100%
*
This is “choose-your-weight” grading.
Each student will choose his or her own weight for each course
requirement within the ranges shown. For
instance, you can count the first exam as low as 10%, as high as 20%, or any
percentage point in between (e.g., 16%).
Percentages must add up to 100%. You must let me know your individualized
grading plan by September 14 (13). After that date you are locked in to your
plan—no changes permitted!
GRADING POLICY
The formal grading system serves two
purposes—motivation and evaluation.
General criteria used in grading performance on the above course
requirements include mastery of course material, oral and written expression
skills, problem-solving ability, and originality/creativity. Specific criteria for the term paper project
can be found in a separate handout describing the project.
Examinations
Material included in exams will be
based primarily on conceptual material covered in classroom lectures and
discussions and secondarily on assigned readings and discussion questions in
the textbook and reading book. This
includes class discussions of conceptual material from videos and from case
discussions (not factual information from these materials, such as names and
dates). Secondarily,
exams will cover assigned readings in the textbook. There is much more material in your textbook
and related assignments than is possible to cover and develop in detail in
class. Our class discussions will touch
on and further develop only the most important and conceptually difficult
issues. Although tests will place primary emphasis on those topics that are
covered in both the textbook and class, exams will also include core material
and key concepts from your assigned reading and end-of-chapter questions not reviewed in class. You should integrate the lectures, assigned
reading, and discussion assignments to best prepare for exams.
The first two exams will focus on
material from the particular one-third of the course just covered. The third exam will primarily concentrate on
material covered in the third section of the course (approximately two-thirds)
but will also cover the first two sections of the course (about one-third).
Each exam will consist of a format
emphasizing application of concepts learned and will include the following types
of questions: concepts
(definitions/explanations and examples),
descriptive/conceptual short answer questions, and situational problem-solving
applied short answer questions (see exam template handout and practice exams from a
previous semester on my website).
During the third exam you will be permitted to
use a legal crib sheet, i.e., a single sheet (8½ by 11 inches) of statistical
formulae. Only one side may be used, and
this sheet may contain any formulas that you wish (but nothing else) so that
you need not memorize statistical formulas.
Any necessary statistical tables will be attached to the exam.
Practice exams from a previous
semester available on my website will be discussed during peer tutor-led review
sessions held outside of normal class hours to help you review the material,
answer your questions, and master my exam style. All examinations from this semester remain in
my office after being graded and reviewed in class; feel free to stop by and
review/discuss them with me.
No make-up examinations will be
administered except under unusual circumstances. If something prevents you from attending an
exam or from turning in an assignment on time, please notify me, and we can
make alternative arrangements BEFORE
the exam or class period during which the assignment is due. I will accept a written medical excuse or
compelling reasons, such as illness or death in the immediate family, as
legitimate reasons for missing an exam or assignment, and I will then allow you
to take a makeup exam or turn in a paper late.
However, outside activities or more than one exam in a day are not
acceptable excuses for missing an exam or turning in an assignment late. (Please plan accordingly.) If I am not contacted in advance, where
possible, I will reserve the right to assign a failing grade for the exam
missed.
If class is cancelled on a scheduled exam
day, I will give the exam the next scheduled class day.
I strongly recommend that if you earn a
test score below 75 (or below a satisfactory score for you, if higher than 75) on
the first (or any other) exam see me within a week of getting that test back
for a private tutorial session. This will help us diagnose why you did poorly,
set goals for the next exam, and determine study strategies to help you improve
your grade for that following exam.
Team Term Paper
In order to develop your research skills, teamwork skills, written communication skills, and critical reasoning skills, you will be completing a major team research term paper. This will be graded on the criteria spelled out on the separate handout for this assignment. Some general requirements for the paper:
1. Papers received after the due date will be penalized 5 points (out of 100 points) for each weekday that they are late, unless (a) prior arrangements have been made with me (including taking an incomplete for the semester) or (b) unusual circumstances arise. In such situations, the grade on the late assignment might be adjusted downward, depending on the circumstances. Late papers may be faxed or e-mailed to me as Word attachments or else dropped off in my office or in the basket on my office door.
2. See your Holt Handbook for help with formats. You
may select any referencing format you wish, but be consistent in your usage of
a format.
3. Other more detailed
requirements are explained in a separate handout detailing the term paper
assignment.
Classroom Participation
Class sessions should be treated as
scheduled business meetings: Come prepared to participate in the class
activities. I will reserve the right to
hold pop quizzes any time that the class as a whole appears unprepared for
class. If you are attentive and appear
to be prepared and interested, pop quizzes will be unnecessary. Pop quiz grades, if necessary, will be
factored in as part of your three exam grades.
If you stay awake and act prepared for the day’s activities, no pop
quizzes will be necessary. Also, if the
class overall appears poorly prepared for class, I might warn you to be
prepared to turn in as homework answers to textbook end-of-chapter Questions
for Review and Critical Thinking.
It is vitally important that you play
an active role in the learning process.
As a result, your participation in class discussions will be encouraged,
expected, and rewarded (quality, not just quantity!). The "4 P’s" of student involvement
in class are: 1) preparation (read the assigned material), 2) presence (attend
class), 3) promptness (don't be late and thereby disrupt class), and 4)
participation (get actively involved).
Specifically,
classroom participation grading will be based upon:
a) Volunteering
answers to my questions, and/or being called upon by me to answer my questions;
b) Asking
questions of me that indicate awareness of and interest in the topic under
lecture/discussion and/or asking questions that challenge my and other
students’ thinking;
c) Participating
in discussions of lecture material, end-of-chapter questions, cases, and
videos;
d) Relating
your own relevant personal experiences, examples, and insights regarding the
discussion topic;
e) Being
able to spot an occasional "red flag", i.e., a statement or
conclusion presented by me that contradicts the assigned reading; and
f) Attendance.
In
addition to soliciting your voluntary participation, I will frequently
"cold call" on quiet students, even those who opt not to be graded on
class participation. Please keep in mind
there is a difference between not being prepared to respond and simply wishing
to be less verbal. Students who show a
pattern of not being prepared will be downgraded.
After each class period I will grade
you on a one-to-six scale for your daily participation: 1=100, 2=90, 3=80,
4=70, 5=60, 6=50. Criteria I will
consider in evaluating your classroom performance include: preparation (content
mastery), oral communication skills (be articulate, confident, and persuasive),
interaction (constructive criticism and building on and reacting to others'
ideas), creativity (generation of insights and applications), and attitude
(enthusiasm and interest). And always
remember: It is okay to be wrong when you participate, but it is not okay
to not participate. I value your efforts
equally with the "correctness" of your thoughts.
Although I recognize that some
students are naturally shy and/or reluctant to speak out in class, it is important
that quiet students overcome these characteristics and actively participate in
class since oral communication and ability and willingness to participate in
discussions and to respond extemporaneously to questions are vital in the
business world as well as in life. Thus,
shyness and/or reluctance to speak out will not
be accepted as excuses for poor oral classroom participation. If you are reserved and have trouble speaking
up in class, see me. We can develop some
ways for you to improve your class participation grade (e.g., for any given
assigned textbook chapter, turn in written answers for the review and/or
discussion questions, case questions, or questions from "Exploring the
Internet" exercises).
Since the success of the course
depends in part upon participation by class members and due to the volume and
complexity of the material in the course, it is important that you be regularly
present to participate in the classroom discussions. Attending classes reflects your personal
commitment to learning and your willingness to participate in and contribute to
your own and your classmates' development of good MR skills. Therefore, attendance will be taken. Two unexcused absences during the course of
the semester are reasonable and will not count against your classroom
participation grade. Each additional
unexcused missed class will lower your final classroom participation grade three
points. A medically excused absence, in
writing, does not count as a missed class.
You may miss a limited number of classes due to varsity sports
obligations. However, work-related
absences (e.g., business trips, working extra hours, etc.) do count as missed classes unless your supervisor provides me with
a compelling written reason. If you miss
a class, you are responsible to get notes (find an attentive and generous
classmate who will allow you to copy notes—mine are undecipherable), important
announcements, handouts, etc. If you are unavoidably late
to a class, you should notify me immediately after class so that you will be
marked late instead of absent. Chronic
tardiness will result in a lower class participation grade.
Course Grade
All work evaluated will receive a
numerical grade. Final course letter
grades will be assigned according to the following schedule:
Letter Letter
Grade Definition Percent Grade Definition
Percent
4.0 A
Outstanding 95-100 2.3 C+ 77-79
3.7 A- 90-94 2.0 C Satisfactory
73-76
3.3 B+ 87-89 1.7 C-
70-72
3.0 B
2.7 B- 80-82 Unsatisfactory
0.0 F
Failure <60
NB: The letter/definition column is defined in The Hill Book. For instance, a "B" is considered a
superior grade, not just a good
grade.
Final numerical grades will be a weighted
average of individual numerical grades.
There will be no curves on
individual course projects. At the
completion of the semester, the course average will be computed for the class
as a whole. If this average is less than
75, the difference between 75 and the class average will be added to each
student's course average. If this
average is greater than 75, no adjustment
will be made.
In fairness to all students, no individual will be allowed an
opportunity to do additional work for extra credit in the course to make up for
poor grades, missed exams, or other problems.
Consequently, you should plan your study needs and time well in advance
in order to earn the grade you wish when the standard opportunities are
available. There are a sufficient number
of requirements in this course for you to make up points should you do poorly
in a given area.
However, I will add points to your lowest-weighted
grading requirement for the following "extra credit" contributions to
classroom materials, if I consider
them useful:
·
A five-to-ten minute introductory office
visit
during the first two weeks of classes - 2 points
·
New product or package sample -
2 points
·
Interesting article on MR -
1 point
·
Very interesting examples of two concepts
discussed in class or the textbook -
1 or 2 points
·
MR videotape (e.g., segments
from"20/20," “Dateline,” -
Cost reimbursement
"60 Minutes “Dateline,” and other news
magazine TV shows) + 2 points
·
Sponsor ("Today's class is being
brought to you by ....") -
1 point
·
Corridor conversation question -
1 point
·
Great unanswered question (goofy or
serious) -
1 point
·
Test question and answer
- 1 point
·
Recommending a guest speaker (marketing
professional) who
agrees
to speak to a class or the Marketing/Management Association - 3 points
- Attending
an educational event on or off campus - 2 points
(Limit of one each of the above per
customer)
Some general hints on how to succeed
in this course according to former students: Do the required reading and work
through assigned material (discussion questions/cases/exercises) before each
class session (many students like to outline the reading and take notes),
regularly and actively participate in class, take good classroom notes and
review them regularly, using the class lecture/discussion outline and transparency packet as well as
your classroom notes and the textbook (i.e., don't cram for
exams at the last minute), ask questions when you don't understand, print out
last year’s exams from the course website and work on them throughout the
semester, attend optional review sessions, don't procrastinate on your term
paper project, and let me know ASAP if your group is having trouble working as
a team.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
You are expected to maintain the
highest standards of academic honesty in all aspects of your work.
The Hill Book defines academic dishonesty as follows:
a. Plagiarism: Presenting another's work as
if it were one's own, failing to acknowledge or
document the source. (This requires endnotes and being aware of
Internet plagiarism.)
b. Cheating:
Giving or receiving, or attempting to give or receive, unauthorized assistance
or
information in an assignment or
examination.
c. Fabricating data (e.g., phony MR data).
b.
Submitting the same assignment in two or
more courses without prior permission of the
respective instructors.
e. Employing another person to write a paper
or sit for an examination.
Cheating outside the classroom includes
sharing work of another student, copying words out of a book without proper
citation, doing less than one’s share in a team project without letting that be
acknowledged, using a single paper (or modification thereof) for more than one
class, falsifying a bibliography, writing a paper for someone else, borrowing
another student’s paper, turning in a paper purchased from a commercial firm or
website, and fabricating research data.
If you have any questions on such ethical issues, please see me.
I work under the assumption that my
students are honest. However, if you are
caught violating this academic honesty policy, I will give you a zero (not just
an F) for the assignment. This would significantly
lower your numerical course average. If
it happens a second time, you will fail the course. I don't anticipate any problems here. Honesty pays in the long run.
PROBLEMS
If you are having any difficulties, personal or academic that are interfering with your work in the course, please come see me. If we cannot work out a solution in terms of your performance in this course, I will assist you to see that you get whatever kind of assistance you may need. But, please, talk to me when the problem first starts affecting your work, not at the end of the course as an explanation for poor course performance. Please consider me as a resource and a mentor. I will be happy to meet with you at any time during office hours, by appointment, or on a casual drop-in basis (if I’m not tied up), to discuss career or personal goals, academic or personal issues, or anything else you want to talk about. Always feel free to “let me know if I can help you.” Also, remember that the student peer tutor, Jenna Walsh, is also at your service by request through the Center for Academic Achievement. Duffy 109.
You should also know that
FINAL NOTES
1. Remember that I work for you, not vice versa. You hired me to
help you get an education. This is good
news and bad news. The good news
is that I will be as responsive as I am able to your educational needs.
You hired me to create a
learning environment for you, to share my expertise, and
to evaluate your educational performance. I will do these things faithfully, as best I can. If you don’t like
your grades, if you think I’m asking too much of you, or if you don’t like any aspect of the way I’m
conducting this course, please let me know it. If you have suggestions, I’ll take them under consideration (see
point 3 below). The bad news
is that my job is not to teach you but to help you learn. You must take responsibility for your learning. If you are not learning, I will
try to help you figure out why, and I will do what I can to assist you. But, ultimately, you must fix the problem.
2 Current information on MR can be found
in the following periodicals:
International Journal of Market Research
International
Journal of Research in Marketing
Journal
of Advertising Research
Journal
of Consumer and Market Research
Journal
of Consumer Psychology
Journal of Consumer Research
Journal
of Marketing
Journal
of Marketing Research
Journal
of the Market Research Society
Journal of Research for Consumers
Marketing
News (special marketing research issues)
Marketing
Research: A Magazine of Management and Application
Public
Opinion Quarterly
Qualitative
Market Research: An International Journal
Research in
Marketing
Review
of Marketing Research
The following professional
associations are affiliated with marketing research:
Marketing Research Association
American Association for Public Opinion
Research
The following research industry
associations are affiliated with marketing research:
Council of American Survey Research
Organizations
Canadian Association of Marketing Research
Organizations
3. Student feedback is essential for course improvement. I encourage continuous teaching evaluation. At any time during the semester you may either verbally (via face-to-face discussion with me, written note, or e-mail message) or anonymously (via campus mail, Box D-55, or slip in metal basket on my office door) present me with an evaluation of my performance.