Course Information - University of Alberta

(1)

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING, BUSINESS ECONOMICS, AND LAW FALL 2017 COURSE SYLLABUS – MARKETING 312/A1

Instructor: Webb Dussome, CMRP Class Time: MWF 10:00 – 10:50 Class Location: BUS B-05 Office: BUS 1-29A

Business Phone: (780) 492-0675 Fax: (780) 492-3325

U of A Website: https://ulearn.ualberta.ca/webapps/login Office Hours: W 12:00-13:00, TR 11-12:30, or by appointment

Course Content and Objectives

In today’s competitive business environment, organizations are expected to make good decisions that are often based on incomplete information or uncertainty about future demand. Many organizations have also adopted the marketing orientation, where they want to understand consumer preferences before, and hopefully not after, products and services are brought to market. These realities of organizational life make a good case for the need for quality information, which marketing research can provide.

This course incorporates the Learning Goals of the BCom Program, in particular Critical Thinking, Quantitative (and Qualitative) Analysis, and Written Communication. Our objectives in this course will focus on developing an understanding of the tools that marketing researchers use to assist management in making decisions in business organizations. Beyond gaining an understanding of marketing research methodologies this course, through the completion of a marketing research project for a local

organization, will provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills required to actually perform marketing research. These skills will include the development of a research proposal and questionnaire, the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, and the construction of a research report. Other important course goals are to have students gain an understanding of the key skills required to be an informed research buyer, and to ensure they understand the ethics and data privacy issues that affect the industry.

(2)

Textbook

Recommended:

Marketing Research Essentials (Second Canadian Edition) by McDaniel, Gates, Sivaramakrishnan, and Main. John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd., 2014

This book is available for purchase from the bookstore.

Optional:

Modern Marketing Research Step-by-Step by Chuck Chakrapani and Ken Deal (2011), available from http://www.chuckchakrapani.com/StepByStep/default.asp

Students are not expected to purchase this book.

Evaluation

Midterm 1 25% October 4, 2017

Midterm 2 25% December 1, 2017

Group Project 50% see ‘Group Project’ section for due dates

Each of these assessment tools measure students: critical thinking ability, ability to understand and apply key concepts relating to marketing research, ability to perform quantitative and/or qualitative analyses, and to utilize written communications skills.

Students who are absent for either midterm will write a final exam that will cover the material from the exam(s) they missed. Each phase of the group project will not be accepted after the due dates, unless prior approval has been granted by the instructor.

In determining the student’s final grade, the instructor will consider the student’s overall individual course performance in an absolute sense, and also each student’s performance relative to his/her peer’s performance. Final grades are assigned based on grouping students with similar grades.

(3)

Groups/Participation

A significant component of the course evaluation (50%) is based on a group project.

Students will be expected to form groups (maximum of 4 members), and to provide the instructor with a list of their group members by September 15. If students are not in a group by September 15, the instructor will assign them to a group.

Important: A final student evaluation will be conducted at the end of the term by each group member. This evaluation will be based on a charter that each group member will agree to and sign when the group has its initial meeting. A sample copy of a group charter is available on the course web site.

These evaluations are an important component in assessing each student’s final project mark. For example, if a group receives a final project mark of 80% (or 40 of the possible 50 marks), and group members (based on the agreed to components of the group charter), assign a group member a score of 70 out of 100 for their participation, then that student’s final mark for the project would be 56% (or 28 out of the possible 50 marks). So the student’s final project mark is based on the quality of the group’s project and their peers’ assessment of their performance in the group.

Because these evaluations are an important part of each student’s final grade, it is important that each group member maintains copies of meeting agendas and group minutes throughout the term. Sample copies of agenda and minute formats are available on the course web site.

Note: Should a student feel the evaluation given by their other group members is incorrect, it is the affected student’s responsibility to provide the instructor with: a written statement of how they contributed to the project, original copies of their project contributions, plus group meeting agendas and minutes that clearly show they attended meetings and completed the work that was assigned to them. Without these

documents, the instructor will be unable to entertain an appeal, and the evaluation provided by the other group members will be considered correct.

Research Project

Students will be expected to complete a marketing research project for a local

organization. This project is meant to be practical in nature, and will require students to collect primary and secondary marketing research data, perform statistical data analysis, and write a comprehensive research report. A rubric for each phase of the project is available on the class web site. To complete this project, students will need to complete the following phases:

(4)

Phase 1 (5%) – students will be required to write a short research proposal. The format and contents will be discussed in class early in the term. This proposal should not exceed 3 double spaced pages (12 point font, 1 inch margins). The due date for this assignment is September 29, 2017. Please include a signed copy of the Manager’s Informed Consent Letter with your assignment.

Phase 2 (10%) – students will be required to develop a questionnaire and sampling plan.

This assignment should not exceed 5 doubled spaced pages (12 point font, 1 inch margins). The due date for this assignment is October 20, 2017.

Phase 3 (15%) – students will be required to perform an analysis of the data they have collected (both qualitative and quantitative). This analysis should include both software output and a written summary. This assignment should not exceed 5 doubled spaced pages (12 point font, 1 inch margins), plus any key related computer output. The due date for this assignment is November 10, 2017.

Phase 4 (20%) – students will be required to write a comprehensive report based on the sum of their research and analysis. This report should not exceed 15 double spaced pages (not including appendices), 12 point font, 1 inch margins. The due date for this assignment is December 8, 2017.

Groups will be penalized for completed work that exceeds the requested page length, is less than doubled spaced, and/or where the font is smaller than 12 point.

You will note in the course schedule that the instructor has reserved four ‘project days’

for students to work on their projects. On these days, the instructor will be available in class for consultation, but there will be no formal lectures.

Ethics

In completing this project, students will be expected to maintain the highest possible level of ethics and diligence. Students will be expected to download the ethics forms from the course web site, and then bring them to class on September 8. The instructor will explain the ethics procedure required for the course, and also explain how the forms are to be completed.

Academic Integrity From:

http://calendar.ualberta.ca/content.php?catoid=6&navoid=806#Evaluation_Procedures _and_Grading_System

(5)

and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at

http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandard s/CodeofStudentBehaviour.aspx) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

University Policy on Course Outlines From:

Policy about course outlines can be found in Section 23.4(2) of the University Calendar, at http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Regulations-and-Information/Academic- Regulation/23.4.html#23.4

Recording of Lectures From:

Audio or video recording, digital or otherwise, of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Student or instructor content, digital or otherwise, created and/or used within the context of the course is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the content author(s).

Attendance

From: http://calendar.ualberta.ca/content.php?catoid=6&navoid=806#Attendance Since presence at lectures, participation in classroom discussions and projects, and the completion of assignments are important components of most courses, students will serve their interests best by regular attendance. Those who choose not to attend must assume whatever risks are involved. In connection to this students should review the following sections.

(6)

The University recognizes that occasionally life events occur that require a student to miss term work, term examinations, or final examinations. However, excused absences are not granted automatically and will be considered only for acceptable reasons such as incapacitating mental and/or physical illness, severe domestic affliction, or for circumstances as described in the University's Discrimination, Harassment and Duty to Accommodate Policy (including religious belief). This policy is available on the University of Alberta Policies and Procedures Online (UAPPOL) website at

https://policiesonline.ualberta.ca. A multi-faith calendar is available at www.registrarsoffice.ualberta.ca/Calendar/Academic-Schedule.aspx.

Unacceptable reasons include, but are not limited to personal events such as vacations, weddings, or travel arrangements. When a student is absent without acceptable excuse, a final grade will be computed using a raw score of zero for the work missed. Any

student who applies for or obtains an excused absence by making false statements will be liable under the Code of Student Behaviour. Students should consult their Faculty for detailed information and requirements.

Course Schedule

The following schedule is provided as a general guideline. Depending on the flow of the course it could change slightly, so students should keep current on in class activities.

Date Topic

September 6/8 Course Introduction, Ethics/Project

Guidelines

September 11/13/15 Chapters 1 and 2

Teams selected (15^th)

September 18/20/22 Chapter 8 and Chapter 6 (start)

September 25 Project Day (proposal development)

September 27/29 Chapters 6 (finish) and 7 (start) Project Phase 1 Due (29th)

October 2 Chapter 7 (finish)

October 4 Midterm 1

October 6 Chapter 11 (start)

October 9 Thanksgiving Day, no class

October 11/13 Chapters 11 (finish) and 12

October 16 Project Day (questionnaire, sampling plan)

October 18/20 Chapters 13 and 14

Project Phase 2 Due (20th)

October 23/25 Ch. 5, Online Data Analysis Considerations

October 27 Guest Speaker

October 30 Chapter 4 (start)

(7)

November 3 Guest Speaker

November 6/8/10 Chapters 4 (finish) and 10

Project Phase 3 Due (10^th)

November 13/15/17 Fall Reading Week, no classes

November 20/22/24 Chapters 3 and 15

November 27/29 Research Standards*, Ethics, Privacy December 1 Midterm 2

December 4 Project Day (final report)

December 6 Guest Speaker

December 8 Project Phase 4 Due (8th)

*Skim read the MRIA Code of Conduct for Market and Social Research from:

http://mria-arim.ca/sites/default/uploads/files/MRIA%20ESOMAR%20CODE%20-

%20Introduction.pdf