Instructions:
There are two parts to this assessment. No executive summary, introduction or summary sections are required.
PART A
This assessment requires a mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) research design to address the case, which will be uploaded to Blackboard by Wednesday in Week 7.
Your research design should not be written as an academic essay, but in a business style as if you were a marketing research firm pitching for this contract. However, you must still reference the sources used to justify your assertions. Another researcher should be able to follow quite specific steps in your research plan to collect the required data to address the research question. Use 1.5 line spacing, and either ARIAL or TIMES NEW ROMAN 12 point font.
Provide a title page including your name and student number. Your research design should be structured as follows:
1. In your own words, outline the management decision problem (MDP) in one sentence, and provide a one paragraph rationale using only the information provided in the case. Outline the market research question (MRQ), and provide a brief rationale. Reference the definition for any construct included in the MRQ. List two research objectives that address the construct of interest in the MRQ.
2. Describe your proposed research methodology, utilising mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative), to address the research objectives. Be clear about how each objective is being addressed by each method. Describe your proposed sampling and data collection procedures. Indicate the data analysis techniques, for both your qualitative and quantitative stages.
3. Provide a one-page sample of your questionnaire items. You do not need to prepare an entire questionnaire. The questions recommended should clearly address a research objective.
4. Briefly acknowledge any limitations of your research design.
To reiterate, another researcher should be able to easily follow the specific steps in your research design to obtain the necessary information to address the MDP/MRQ. For example, please don’t provide a discussion about the purpose of sampling, qualitative methods etc.
PART B
This section of your report is not related to the case study information in Part A. Rather, it has been included to enable you to demonstrate your ability as a market researcher to undertake data analysis. From the SPSS data file AMN403 Assessment 2 data set, which will be uploaded to Blackboard by Wednesday in Week 7, undertake and report the following data analyses:
• Independent-samples t-test to determine any significant statistical differences between full-time and part-time students for Question 5 scale items: 1 to 20. List the item names, the two means and the sig. for each of these.
• Analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine any significant statistical differences by YEAR STARTED DEGREE for Question 5 scale items: 1 to 20. List the scale item names and the sig. for each of the group differences.
• Bivariate correlation matrix to identify any STRONG and significant associations between scale item 20 and scale items 1 to 19 in Question 5. List the scale item name, the p-value and the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (Pearson’s r) for each of these.
Please note Question 5 starts with: “Using these numbers as a guide, please circle one number for every one of the following statements…..” This question then contains 20 scale items.
Please round numbers to TWO decimal places.
There are no marks for undertaking the data analysis. The marks are for interpreting the data analysis output. Therefore please do not attach the entire SPSS data analysis output, as we only want you to report the information as instructed above. Please do not cut and paste any of the data output into your assignment. No introduction is required. Also, you do not need to discuss the reasons for using each technique and you do not need to make any recommendation about the results. This is a fictitious data set, based on the questionnaire to be uploaded to Blackboard as ‘AMN403 Assessment 2 – Part B data set questionnaire.pdf’.
References
While this assessment is to be written in a business report style rather than a theoretical academic essay, you must acknowledge any sources of information used. For example, references to academic papers should be used to support assertions about the merits of a particular survey method or data analysis procedure.
Academic Honesty
QUT expects students to act honestly in assessments. The issue of plagiarism is taken seriously and students are reminded to ensure that assessments submitted represent their own work.
Late submission policy
It is QUT policy that assessments submitted after the due date will not be marked, and therefore receive a mark of zero.
Marking criteria
The attached marking criteria will be used for this assessment. Each of the eight criteria are weighted equally. The maximum mark for each criteria is 12.5/100.
AMN403 Marketing and Survey Research Marking Criteria – Assessment 3
7 6 5 4 3 2-1
MARK 12.5 or 10.6
(100% or 85%) 10.5 or 9.4
(84% or 75%) 9.3 or 8.1
(74% or 65%) 8 or 6.3
(64% or 50%) 5.8 or 3 or 0
(46% or 24% or 0%)
Problem Identification, Research and Decision-Making
Problem statements You succinctly define the MDP. You succinctly define the MRQ, which is explicitly related to the managerial problem, and clearly indicate in your rationale a relevant construct from the literature. Clear and logical research objectives that address the MRQ. You define the MDP. You define the MRQ, which is related to the managerial problem statement, and indicates how the research will enable decision making. Your MRQ is either not succinct or it is unclear what the key construct of interest is. Generally clear and logical research objectives that address the MRQ. You define the MDP. You define the MRQ, which is related to the managerial problem. This section could be written more clearly and succinctly. It is either unclear what the key construct of interest is, or lacks appropriate referencing. Generally clear and logical research objectives that address the MRQ. You attempt to define the MDP. You discuss an MRQ in a manner that could be more succinct and more explicitly related to the problem statement. It is unclear what the key construct of interest is and is not well referenced. Unclear research objective(s). You fail to capture the management problem clearly, and/or you fail to capture the research question clearly. It is unclear what the key construct of interest is and is not well referenced. Unclear research objective(s) in relation to the MRQ and/or MDP.
Application and Evaluation
Qualitative research design
You describe in detail the recommended research design, with appropriate data analysis. Clear justification provided. Logical approach relative to the problem. Clear understanding of research limitations and how they apply to the strategy. You describe in detail the recommended research design, most aspects of which feature a logical and justified approach relative to the problem and research objectives. Few errors. Generally good understanding or research limitations and how they apply to the strategy. You describe the recommended research design, some aspects of which feature a logical and justified approach relative to the problem and research objectives. Some may not be steps not justified. Some limitations may not be adequately acknowledged. Your attempt to describe the recommended research design lack a depth of discussion to demonstrate a logical and justified approach relative to the problem and research objectives. Confusion about some concepts/limitations. May be difficult to follow at times. You fail to describe a research strategy that addresses the managerial problem. Your report fails to demonstrate an understanding of the market research process, and/or you provide a general discussion without describing specific steps.
Quantitative research design You describe in detail the recommended research design, with appropriate data analysis. Clear justification provided. Logical approach relative to the problem. Clear understanding of research limitations and how they apply to the strategy. You describe in detail the recommended research design, most aspects of which feature a logical and justified approach relative to the problem and research objectives. Few errors. Generally good understanding or research limitations and how they apply to the strategy. You describe the recommended research design, some aspects of which feature a logical and justified approach relative to the problem and research objectives. Some may not be steps not justified. Some limitations may not be adequately acknowledged. Your attempt to describe the recommended research design lack a depth of discussion to demonstrate a logical and justified approach relative to the problem and research objectives. Confusion about some concepts/limitations. May be difficult to follow at times. You fail to describe a research strategy that addresses the managerial problem. Your report fails to demonstrate an understanding of the market research process, and/or you provide a general discussion without describing specific steps.
Sampling
You demonstrate an excellent understanding of sampling plan selection and implementation through a detailed and logical approach relative to the proposed research design. Ethical approach. You describe in detail a logical sampling approach to address the research problem, with few technical errors. Ethical approach. You describe a logical sampling plan to address the research problem, with some technical errors. Ethical approach. You describe a sampling plan to address the research problem, but make a number of technical errors and/or lack a depth of discussion to demonstrate understanding. You fail to describe a sampling plan of relevance to the research problem.
Questionnaire Sample of primary data collection instrument is well prepared and clearly linked to the research objectives. Logical data analysis recommendations relative to the research design and sampling plan. Sample of primary data collection instrument is well prepared with few errors and clearly linked to the research objectives. Logical data analysis recommendations relative to the research design and sampling plan. Sample of primary data collection instrument is well prepared, with some errors, and is generally well linked to the research objectives. Logical data analysis recommendations relative to the research design and sampling plan. Sample of primary data collection instrument is prepared with a number of errors. Eg Links to the research objectives may not be easy to follow. Some data analysis recommendations relative to the research design and sampling plan. You fail to demonstrate an understanding of the requirements for a data collection instrument, and data analysis techniques, to address the research objectives. Lacks professional quality.
Extent to which another researcher could follow your plan At each stage of the research design there are very specific steps that would enable another research to generate the information required. At most stages of the research design there are very specific steps that would enable another research to generate the information required. At some stages of the research design there are very specific steps that would enable another research to generate the information required. At a few stages of the research design there are very specific steps that would enable another research to generate the information required. You fail to provide much in the way of specific actionable steps that another research could follow, to collect and analyse data to address the research objectives.
Data analysis application (Part B)
You demonstrate an excellent understanding of the data analysis techniques, by providing all the correct outputs with no technical errors. You provide most of the required outputs and with few technical errors. You provide some of the required outputs with few technical errors. You attempt to analyse the data, but either make a number of errors in the outputs, or you do not provide clear explanations. You fail to correctly interpret the most or all of the data output. Or you only provide a copy of the data output without answering the questions.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Presentation You organise content clearly and make no technical errors. Appropriate referencing. Follows suggested format precisely. Free of grammatical errors. Word limit adhered to. You organise content clearly and make few technical errors. Generally appropriate referencing. Follows suggested format. Few grammatical errors. Word limit adhered to. You generally organise content well but make some technical and grammatical errors, such as spelling, referencing and/or layout. Word limit adhered to. You organise content in a manner that may be difficult for the reader to follow at times. A number of technical and grammatical errors throughout. Word limit not adhered to. You present content in an incoherent way and make frequent technical errors throughout paper. Word limit not adhered to.
