51369 MARKETING RESEARCH PROJECT

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
01	51369 	S2  	X 	MARKETING RESEARCH PROJECT	1.00

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: M. GARDINER
Moderator: J. SUMMERS
Instructional design: C. COTTMAN

PRE-REQUISITE(S)

51368+51110


RATIONALE:

Marketing professionals are required to contribute to the total organisational effort through the development, implementation and evaluation of marketing strategies. In this process, the key functional area is decision-making, and decisions must be based on the best information available. Students wishing to be effective marketing managers must have the ability to plan and carry through research projects to generate the required information. This unit applies the skills developed in the subject "Marketing Research Methods" and "Business Strategy" to a real world marketing problem.


SYNOPSIS:

This unit is based on participation in a major marketing project. Students will be expected to apply their marketing skills to a particular problem by developing a research proposal, planning the research, undertaking the research, analysing and interpreting the results, and presenting the findings. The findings from the research will be used to prepare for the firm an appropriate strategic plan in the area that the research was undertaken. A major professional report suitable for management will be presented at the end of the semester. Students should note that although this unit is a single credit point unit it runs from the unit 51110 Business Strategy offered in Semester One. Please note that this unit will {only }be available to students who have completed 51110 Business Strategy.


OBJECTIVES:

Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able
to:

  1. apply appropriate analytical (both quantitative and
    qualitative) and research techniques to a marketing problem;
  2. coordinate the activities of specialist contributors to the
    planning and implementation of a marketing research project;
  3. demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between
    marketing research and other discipline areas included in the
    Bachelor of Business;
  4. demonstrate a working knowledge of the major management skills
    as they apply to marketing.
  5. demonstrate an ability to devise creative solutions to the
    marketing needs of organisations.
  6. present a research report containing solution(s) to a
    marketing problem.
  7. integrate the solution(s) into a strategic plan.

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)
  1. Applications of research methodology to marketing 10.00 problems

  2. Applications of quantitative and qualitative analysis 20.00 techniques

  3. Problem identification and setting of research objectives 10.00

  4. Development of the Research Plan 10.00

  5. Undertaking exploratory research and subsequent field 15.00 work-material of personnel, resources, budgets

  6. Data analysis and interpretation 15.00

  7. Preparation and presentation of the completed report 10.00

  8. Formulation of a Strategic Plan 10.00


TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

Nil. (Students will draw on texts used in units 51368 and 51110)


REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the unit and enrich their learning experience.

Aaker, D.A., Day, G.S.and Kumar, V. 1995, Marketing Research, 5th
edn, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Luck, D.J. and Rubin, R.S. 1987, Marketing Research, 7th edn,
Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Churchill, G.A. 1995, Marketing Research: Methodological
Foundations
, 6th ed, Dryden Press, USA.

Tull, D.S. & Hawkins D.I. 1993, Marketing Research: Measurement and
Method
, 6th ed, Macmillan, New York.

Zikmund W.G. 1994, Exploring Marketing Research, 5th ed, Dryden
Press, USA.

Burns, A.C. and Bush, R.F. 2000, Marketing Research, McGraw-
International Editions, USA.


STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Directed Study                                	35
Private Study                                 	60
Assessments                                   	70

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   F    100.00    03/08/01  RESEARCH PROPOSAL                                   Y   N
2   F              28/08/01  PROGRESS REPORT                                     Y   N
3   S    70.00     23/11/01  RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT (WRITTEN)         70.00     Y   N
4   S    30.00               RESEARCH PROJECT PRESENTATION             30.00     Y   N

*F=Formative, S=Summative

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    1     To  obtain  a  passing  mark in  this  unit  students  must
     satisfactory  return for the formative assessment  and  obtain  a
     passing   mark   for   the  assignments  in  aggregate.   Further
     information regarding assessment of the unit may be found in  the
     Introductory Book.
2    The  due  date for an assignment is the date by which  a  student
     must  dispatch the assignment to the University, and is  normally
     that  defined in the relevant unit specification. The onus is  on
     the student to provide, if requested, proof of date of dispatch.
3    Students  may  apply  for  an  assignment  extension  either   by
     application  through the Unit Leader before  the  due  date.  The
     authority  for  granting extensions rests with the relevant  Unit
     Coordinator. The extension policy for this unit tries to be  fair
     to all students who organise their work and family commitments to
     submit  their assignments by the due date, and those few students
     who   cannot   do   so  through  unforeseen  and   uncontrollable
     circumstances.  If  an  assignment is  late,  up  to  one  week's
     extension  may  be granted if a signed statement with  supporting
     documentation  is provided.  If this statement and  documentation
     does  not  show  that  unforeseen and uncontrollable  extenuating
     circumstance were present for the days claimed, then  the  normal
     reduction in marks for a late assignment of 20 percent  per  day,
     will apply. Extensions beyond one week will not be allowed unless
     express  permission is obtained from the Unit Leader  before  the
     date  that the assignment is due. Extensions beyond one week  are
     extremely  rare.  The Unit Leader shall consider all  documentary
     evidence (including statement from a doctor, employer, counsellor
     or   independent   member  of  the  community   as   appropriate)
     accompanying  an  application for extension  and  decide  on  the
     outcome.
     In  the case of an application for extension for medical reasons,
     the  documentation  should  include a  statement  from  a  doctor
     stating:
     - the date the medical condition began or changed;
     - how the condition affected the student's ability to study;
     -  when it became apparent that the student could not submit  the
     assignment.
     In  the  case if an application for extension for family/personal
     reasons,  the  documentation should include a  statement  from  a
     doctor,   counsellor  or  independent  member  of  the  community
     stating:
     - the date the student's personal circumstances began or changed;
     -  how  the  circumstances  affected  the  student's  ability  to
     complete the assignment;
     - when it became apparent that the student could not complete the
     assignment.
     In  the  case  of  an application for extension  for  employment-
     related  reasons,  the documentation should include  a  statement
     from the student's employer stating:
     -  the  date the student's employment began or the conditions  of
     employment changed;
     - how this prevents the student from completing the assignment
4    Students  must  retain a copy of all assignments, which  must  be
     provided if/when required by the Unit Leader.
5    Unit  weightings of topics should not be interpreted as  applying
     to  the  number  of  marks allocated to questions  testing  those
     topics in an examination paper.
6    Students  must put the `word count' for their assignment  on  the
     front  page  of the assignment. The word count is the  number  of
     words  in the body of the assignment report and does not  include
     the  title,  executive summary, list of references or appendices.
     To  grade an assignment a marker does not need to read more words
     than the word limit of the assignment.

This information is accurate as at 15/01/02