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Gold Coast Session 1 Session 1
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Online Session 1 Session 1
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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Former School/College

Former School of Business and Tourism

Co-requisites

MKT00102 - Consumer Behaviour MAT10251 - Statistical Analysis

Anti-requisites

MAT00400 Research Methods

Unit aim

Aims to cover all aspects of the marketing research process as an aid to improved decision making within the organisation. Topics covered include the requirements of scientific method, sources of data, data collection methods and techniques, analysis and presentation of data and results; with careful consideration of the limitations of different methods and techniques. Emphasis is on practical application to “real life” situations.

Unit content

This unit presents the marketing research process for exploratory and descriptive research. This is to guide you through your survey-based research project. The last topic considers an additional research area - causal research (experimentation, including test marketing).
 
Topic 1 Introduction to marketing research, the research process and problem definition
Topic 2 Exploratory research: Qualitative and secondary data
Topic 3 Descriptive research: Survey and observation
Topic 4 Measurement concepts and questionnaire design
Topic 5 Sampling
Topic 6 Fieldwork
Topic 7 Data preparation and hypothesis testing
Topic 8 Basic data analysis
Topic 9 Advanced data analysis
Topic 10 Communicating research results

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 demonstrate understanding of key concepts used in marketing research
2 translate managerial research problems into marketing research questions and design an appropriate survey-based marketing research plan
3 present and defend the marketing research plan orally
4 implement the marketing research plan — collect data, undertake basic data analysis using appropriate software, interpret results, draw meaningful conclusions and report
5 critically reflect on the marketing research plan and its implementation.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate understanding of key concepts used in marketing research
    • GA4:
  2. translate managerial research problems into marketing research questions and design an appropriate survey-based marketing research plan
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  3. present and defend the marketing research plan orally
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  4. implement the marketing research plan — collect data, undertake basic data analysis using appropriate software, interpret results, draw meaningful conclusions and report
    • GA1:
    • GA3:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  5. critically reflect on the marketing research plan and its implementation.
    • GA5:

Prescribed texts

  • This following International Edition (IE) is an ALTERNATIVE to the US book. The IE is much more affordable ($140 vs $220), more up-to-date (2014 vs 2012) and very similar in content. It also comes with access to downloadable SPSS (while the US book uses Excel). The downside is that the Study Guide refers to the US (not the IE) text.: Burns, AC and Bush, RF, 2014, Marketing Research (International Edition), 7th, Pearson Education, Edinburgh Gate (England). ISBN: 13-978-0-273-76851-7.
  • This following US text is the original text for which the current Study Guide is written. Because its price has substantially increased in 2014, you may prefer to buy the cheaper International Edition (see next). Choose one OR the other text. For more details on these textbook options, please refer to the Blackboard unit announcement on textbooks.: Burns, AC & Bush, RF, 2012, Basic Marketing Research, 3rd edn, Pearson Education-Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ (USA). ISBN: 13:978-0-13-507822-8.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.