MARKETING RESEARCH

MARKETING RESEARCH Semester 1 – 2019/2020

5MARK012W MARKETING RESEARCH

SEMESTER 1: Academic Year 2019/2020

BRIEF:

In-Course INDIVIDUAL Assignment

[weighted to 50% of Module grade]

Contents
Detailed Individual Assessment Outline

Contacts:

Module Leader Anna Zacharewicz

Office: Room M130: Westminster Business School

Email: zachara@wmin.ac.uk

Class/Seminar Leader: _____________________________________

Office: __________________________

Office Hours: ——————————————–

Email: _____________________________________

Westminster Business School

Completing the INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT

There are THREE Tasks / Sections to the Individual Assessment

(Weighted to 50% Module Marks)

Different mark allocations for each Task:

Task One = 20% (10% Module marks);

Task Two = 50% (25% Module Marks);

Task Three = 30% (15% Module Marks)

ONLINE SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Semester ONE = Monday November 11th, 2019

KEY POINTS:

· Each student must only complete their Individual Assignment according to the Brief and the statements for Task Three they have been individually allocated please refer to your seminar class tutor &/or the list on bb

· Each student must individually understand the brief the onus is on each student to query any issues with their class tutor.

· The word limit for the entire submission is 2000 words. It is recommended Task One be completed in 400 words, Task Two in 1000 words and Task Three in 600 words (300 words for each statement).

BRIEF for INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

Note:

Tasks One & Two are the same for each student

Task Three each student has different statements

(Allocated by seminar tutors – list in bb)

Context for Individual Assignment Brief

UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER

The University of Westminster / UoW has received many requests for expanding the range of branded promotional items that it has available for students to buy during and after their periods of study at the University. Initially, they are keen to understand the views of Undergraduates.

As a starting point, the University commissioned an exploratory project (based on secondary data collection / desk research) to produce an overview of the type of promotional items different universities were selling / students were buying.

Some new secondary data has just been made available and a query has arisen which you (as a research executive working for an Agency specialising in work with students in Central London) have been asked to answer Task One in the Individual Assessment (refer to Page 4).

The University is now planning the second phase of the project which will involve a series of Focus Groups among UoW undergraduates.

Please note there is no requirement to actually complete the Focus Group!!!!

The University wants to explore in detail the expectations UG students have and their specific requirements and preferences for branded promotional items to be made available by the University.

There will be two Focus Groups at each of the four campuses (Marylebone, Harrow, Cavendish Street, and Regent Street). Each focus group will have between 6-8 participants / Undergraduate students from a range of courses delivered at each campus.

Thus, for Task Two (detailed in the following section – Page 4), in your role as a research executive, you have been asked to:

· Outline the recruitment parameters for the focus groups

· Produce the discussion guide and some moderator instructions

· Provide some guidelines for analysis of the groups

Finally, there has been some discussion within the committee at the University of Westminster who will be evaluating the research findings. Statements have been made which are not clear to some members of the committee.

Thus, for Task Three (detailed in the following section page 4), each student will have two statements (allocated by seminar tutors / available in a list on bb) that they need to explain and critically evaluate.

INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT: Task One [worth 20%]

From the exploratory phase (referred to above), a data set (Tables 1, 2 & 3) was obtained (through secondary / desk research) that requires evaluation refer to the APPENDIX on Page 8.

You (in your role as a marketing research executive) are required to produce a summary (of no more than 400 words) which indicates what the data is saying / not saying i.e. isolate and interpret and summarise the key findings in the data.

The allocation of marks is as follows:

· Reworking / SUMMARISING data (6%)

· Key findings from each of three tables (6%)

· Overall summary (linked to acknowledging aim) (8%)

INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT: Task Two [worth 50%]

There are four components to this task: Recruitment parameters (worth 10%); Discussion / Topic Guide (worth 25%); Facilitator / Moderator Guidance (worth 10%); Analysis Guidelines (worth 5%)

Note: The maximum number of words for this Task is 1000 words

Recruitment parameters (worth 10%)

· Outline briefly who will be attending the focus groups and justify your selection of participants

· Provide a screener / short recruitment questionnaire that will ensure the right participants are attending each group

Discussion / Topic Guide (worth 25%)

· Include the discussion themes / topics (supported by Prompts and Probes) to be covered in a one-hour UG Focus Group

· You must use at LEAST ONE PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUE in the Discussion / Topic Guide.

Facilitator / Moderator Guidance (worth 10%)

· Explain the key issues that the moderator / facilitator should pay attention to (before, during and after the group).

Analysis Guidelines (worth 5%)

· Recommend the best option for analyzing the groups

· Ensure you justify your choice based on an understanding of all the options available for analyzing the groups

INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT: Task Three [worth 30%]

Many points were raised during the discussions on the research process carried out by the University of Westminster.

You have been asked to provide a critical evaluation of two statements (allocated by seminar tutors / available listed in bb).

Note:

· The evaluation of each statement is worth 15%

· 6% is allocated to evidencing an understanding of the statement and the theoretical aspects embedded in the statement

· 6% is allocated to a critical evaluation (indicating the extent to which the statement is true and/or false)

· 3% is allocated for the use of sources (which should be acknowledged using Harvard referencing)

It is suggested that about 300 words are used to evaluate each of the two statements [i.e. 600 words in total for Task Three].

GUIDANCE NOTES FOR COMPLETING THE INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT

· Each Task has very specific requirements. Hence ensure you understand what is required and focus on what you have been asked to do.

· Each Task has a different maximum number of words (Task One = 400 words; Task Two = 1000 words; Task Three = 600 words). Please include a word count at the end of each Task

· You can use diagrams, tables, visual representations (which are not part of the word count but must be labelled sourced and used) for each Task.

· It is useful to start each task on a new page / sheet of A4

· Create a professional document for this submission using a reporting format

Further guidance will be given during the Module

· in lectures and during seminars.

Students are also strongly urged to use the CW1 Guidance available in bb.

ONLINE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Coursework Project Deadline

The Individual Assignment report (covering THREE tasks) should be submitted online on Blackboard by 1.00pm:

Semester One = Monday November 11th, 2019

THIS DEADLINE IS FINAL.

All assignments submitted, and date marked later than this deadline will normally be penalized in terms of marks according to University regulations on late submission. Any appeal against this must go through the University’s Mitigating Circumstances procedure.

Please note that Course Leaders, Module Leaders and Seminar Tutors do not have any discretion to offer extensions to deadlines.

Submission of Coursework

All coursework on this module should be submitted via Blackboard. On Blackboard it will automatically be scanned through a text matching system (designed to check for possible plagiarism).

For the Blackboard submission:

· DO NOT attach a CA1 form or any other form of cover sheet;

· YOU MUST NOT include your student ID as the document header and also on the first page of your assignment as the University adheres to a policy of anonymous marking!

To submit your assignment:

· Log on to Blackboard at http://learning.westminster.ac.uk;

· Go to the relevant module Blackboard site;

· Click on the Submit Coursework link in the navigation menu on the left-hand side, as advised by the module teaching group;

· Click on the link for the relevant assignment;

· Follow the instructions.

You will be given details by the Module teaching group about how and when you will receive your marks and feedback on your work.

REMEMBER:

It is a requirement that you submit your work in this way. All coursework must be submitted by 1.00pm on the due date.

If you submit your coursework late but within 24 hours or one working day of the specified deadline, 10% of the overall marks available for that element of assessment will be deducted, as a penalty for late submission, except for work which is marked in the range 40 49%, in which case the mark will be capped at the pass mark (40%).

If you submit your coursework more than 24 hours or more than one working day after the specified deadline you will be given a mark of zero for the work in question.

The Universitys mitigating circumstances procedures relating to the non-submission or late submission of coursework apply to all coursework.

General Guidance:

Each student will use the same brief for Tasks One and Two.

Please refer to your Seminar Class Tutor to find out which two statements you have been allocated for Task Three

· A list of statements allocated to each student is available in bb

Advice:

· Ensure you have all the contact details for your seminar class leader / tutor as they are the first contact point for any queries.

· You must abide by the MRS Code of Practice / adhere to ethics in research practice throughout this Module.

· You will be designing and executing a Focus Group Discussion during the seminar classes in Week 5 (although you are not required to carry out a focus group for completion of the Individual Assessment).

Appendix:

Data Sets for PROMOTIONAL ITEMS

PLEASE NOTE:

THIS IS FICTIONAL DATA DEVELOPED FOR USE IN THIS INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT AND AS SUCH THE SOURCES GIVEN ARE ALSO FICTIONAL

Table 1:

Most popular promotional items among college students studying in US

Customized Products

NUMBER OF STUDENTS BUYING

Promotional drinkware (including water bottles, ceramic mugs, glasses

Custom tote bags

Logo writing instruments

Promotional USB drives

Custom desk accessories (including pens, calendars, notepads)

Health promotional items (such as sanitisers)

Custom calendars

Promotional power banks

Round ball stress relievers

Rubberized sunglasses

[Base: 620 US respondents / December 2018]

Table 2:

Top Ten New Promotional Items in 2018 as voted for by students

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