Market Research Examination (T.Jolley element only)

December 2008

GUIDELINE ANSWERS

Time Allowed: 30 minutes.

Instructions Answer ONE question from a choice of two below: IN ENGLISH In the format of an ESSAY.

Both questions carry equal marks.

German/English and English /German Dictionaries are permitted.

Q1. "Many definitions of the term 'Market Research' seem to be desperately narrow in their scope, restricting themselves to little more than the activity of acquiring data. But unless such data be transformed into learning which, in turn, becomes the catalyst for organisational change, then it will have served little purpose indeed." Siggins (2008)

Discuss, making specific reference to definitions you may have analysed or indeed developed.

GUIDELINE ANSWER:

Students are invited to ‘attack’ the question by directly addressing the quotation itself which provides a number of key issues to be focused upon as the basic structure for an answer:

Returns not achieved because of: Lack of understanding of the nature and role of Market Research as the prime

agent of Learning Change

Concentration upon data collection Failure to translate the data into something useful

In addressing the above students are required to: Critique various definitions of Market Research Produce a more comprehensive definition

Students should draw upon professional and academic definitions of this function (9 were provided in class) and their own understanding of the nature and role of the function from a definition researched, created and enhanced in class which drew upon the strengths of the others in order to produce something far more comprehensive.

Students should also appreciate that there is a big difference between data acquisition and quality management decision-making, involving the transition of such data in two perspectives: User and Process:

USER: Data Information Communication Understanding Knowledge Learning Change

PROCESS: Data Definition Collection Presentation Analysis Interpretation Evaluation Synthesis Conclusions Recommendations

Students should be able to focus upon the above to demonstrate a clear understanding of what can happen to dilute the potential value of the data in the transition process to learning.

Q2. "Researching international Tourism markets can be costly indeed if one thinks only to use international consultancies. Managers therefore need to be highly proficient internet researchers skilled in defining and accessing critical and reliable data sources increasingly available online. Beyond this, they also need to be highly creative in finding alternative means of securing data not available online". Grimes (2007)

Discuss,

GUIDELINE ANSWER:

Students are invited to ‘attack’ the question by directly addressing the quotation itself which provides a number of key issues to be focused upon as the basic structure for an answer:

International consultancy research (in the region of 1000€ per man day) Highly proficient internet researchers:

o Defining and accessingo Critical and reliable data

Increasing online availability of datao Censuseso Government data (like UK Office of National Statistics)

Beyond the internet / alternative means

Students should demonstrate a sense of the enormity of research into an international market: the sheer wealth of information that exists, yet the difficulty in 'drilling down' sufficiently to access information critical to the market research project They should also not neglect the need to be highly specific in the determination of search targets and be acutely aware that they must always question the validity of material online before employing it. Many of the sources used by consultants are, in fact, freely available online and it is therefore wasteful to introduce a high-cost intermediary unnecessarily.

As to 'alternative means' in the context where large budgets are not available and internet research has not delivered, students undertook a realistic work environment project in class in which they had to become creative in this respect. Their (not at all unreasonable ideas) included, inter alia:

The use of ex-pats working for organisations in the target country Tourist boards at regional and national level who profile originator markets Government export agencies .......................................................... Using mid/low price consultancy means: perhaps a specialist Tourism

Lecturer in a University or a small independent consultancy in the target market country. This also has the advantage of avoiding inter-cultural problems in the primary research or the interpretation of the data.

Use of C2C sites like Tripadvisor etc Using Tourism students on placement as research generating resources Developing contacts with Tourism-teaching institutions in the target country

with a view to 'incentivising' some well-targeted student assignments / projects / theses etc concerning market research.

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T. Jolley 01.12.08