DEPARTM

ENT OF PURPOSE

MARKETI Providing the learner with a comprehensive knowledge of the

nature, importance, and application of Marketing Research in
the marketing of goods and services
NG Assessments Date Contribution to year mark

MANAGE
Test One March 20%

Assignment June 30%

MENT Test Two/mini project August 50%

NB:

Year mark contributes 40% to the final mark and

Examination contributes 60% towards the final mark.

MARKETI A pass mark of 50% in the final mark must be attained to

pass, subject to the candidate obtaining a sub-minimum of

NG
40% in the examination.

THE COURSE CONSISTS OF 2 MODULES OVERALL

RESEARC OUTCOMES

By the end of the First Module learners should be able to:

H III  Understand the role of marketing research in a

marketing environment.
 Develop an understanding of marketing research as a
OUTCOM science.
 Develop an understanding of the various users and

ES suppliers of marketing research in the local and

foreign marketing research industry.
 Develop an understanding of the ethical

BASED considerations and implications in respect of

marketing research.
 Understand thoroughly the various organizational
COURSE structural positioning of marketing research and the
role of information systems in research.

OUTLINE  Understand the nature of marketing research process

and the logical steps involved.
 Understand the definition of secondary research data
AND types, evaluation of such data, and identification such
data sources.

SYLLABUS
 Develop a thorough understanding of interviewer-
administered and self-administered surveying based
on paper and electronic devices.
  Understand the concept of observation research, identifying the different objects of
observation and different methods of observation.
 Understand the principles of conducting research and various types of writing skills in
marketing research.

COURSE COMPONENTS

MODULE 1

Unit No. Unit Title Time Frame

Unit One Research in perspective & research industry 3 week

Unit Two Research process & management of research 4 week

Unit Three Questionnaire Design 3 weeks

Unit Four Secondary Research Data 3 weeks

Unit Five Interviewer, self and computer-aided data collection4 weeks

By the end of the Second Module learners should be able to:

 Comprehend the nature of sampling, types and methods of sampling.

 Understand the precision with which a questionnaire is designed.
 Appreciate the importance of fieldwork and administration management.
 Develop ability to edit, code, and capturing data from questionnaires.
 Understand and apply methods of secondary data analysis.
 Understand the purpose and types of descriptive analysis techniques.
 Learning the guidelines for reporting survey results.

MODULE 2

Unit No. Unit Title Time Frame

Unit One Sampling and Sampling Techniques 3 weeks

Unit Two Fieldwork Management and Administration 3 weeks

Unit Three Data Editing, Coding and Data Capturing 4 weeks

Unit Four Reporting survey results 3 weeks

Unit Five Revision 2 weeks

MODULE 1. UNIT OUTLINE

Unit One: The Nature of Marketing Research and its industry

Purpose: To equip the learner with an understanding of the nature of Marketing

Research and the industry thereof.

Specific Outcomes:

On conclusion of this unit the student should be able to

- Define marketing research

- Explain marketing research as a science.

- Describe the role of marketing research in a marketing environment.

- Distinguish between consumer and business marketing research.

- Distinguish between internal and external marketing research.

- Describe the objectives and activities of the Southern African Marketing Research
Association (SAMRA).

- Supply a broad overview of foreign marketing research organizations.

- Supply a broad overview of South African organizations that may impact on the
research environment.

Embedded Knowledge

The nature of marketing research and the environment in which it is practiced

Methodology

Core lectures linking theory with the functions of reputable research organizations locally
and abroad
Unit Two: Research Process and Management of Research

Purpose: To enable the learner to understand all logical followed in research and
the management of the process.

Specific Outcomes:

On conclusion of this unit the student should be able to

- Outline the steps followed in a marketing research project.

- Understand the components of the marketing research process.

- Understand the scheduling of activities of a research project.

Embedded Knowledge

- Logical approach to marketing research

- Project scheduling

- Management of research

Methodology

Core lectures based on theory

Practical scheduling of research projects

Unit Three: Questionnaire Design

Purpose: To enable the learner to construct a useful and practical questionnaire

that is suitable to optimally collect primary data under different circumstances.

Specific Outcomes:

On conclusion of this unit the student should be able to:

- To highlight the precision with which a questionnaire should be constructed

- To explore the link between the survey objectives and the questionnaire

- To identify the aspects of question content and phrasing

- To highlight the rules for question sequence

- To identify and discuss various question/response formats

- To identify and discuss response scales used to measure respondent attitudes

- To identify the factors governing the physical outlay of questionnaires

- To explore the importance of pre-testing

Embedded knowledge

Fundamental skills in construction of a questionnaire

Methodology

Core lecture

Practical construction of a questionnaire based on a case study

Unit Four: Secondary Research Data

Purpose: To equip the learner with an understanding of the nature of secondary data,
the difference between secondary and primary data, and the use and
evaluation of secondary data.

Specific Outcomes:

On conclusion of this unit the student should be able to:

- Distinguish between primary and secondary data.

- Understand the various secondary data types and formats.

- Evaluate the quality of external secondary data.

- Identify the available secondary data sources.

Embedded Knowledge

- The nature of both secondary data and primary data

- The order in which secondary and primary data are collected and used in research

- Sources of secondary data

Methodology

Core lectures on theory

Case studies with discussions

Unit Five: Interviewer, self and computer-aided administered data collection

Purpose: To enable the learner to understand the different types of methods and tools
used in data collection.
Specific Outcomes

On conclusion of this unit the student should be able to:

- Understand the different types of questionnaires and their different purposes.

- Design an appropriate questionnaire for any given research problem.

- Collect data using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.

- Understand landline and cellular telephone surveys.

- Understand the nature and use of in-depth interviews, focus groups and projective
techniques.

- Understand how self-administered questionnaires are used and in what situations.

- Appreciate the use of warranty card and panel surveys.

- Understand the use of computer-aided data collection methods.

- Outline advantages and disadvantages of each method of data collection.

- Rewards and incentives normally used in data collection.

Embedded knowledge

Different types of primary data collection methods.

Discrete usage of rewards and incentives

Methodology

Core lectures and examples of questionnaires

Practical collection of primary data

MODULE 2. UNIT OUTLINE

Unit One: Sampling and Sampling Techniques

Purpose: To equip student with the knowledge of sampling and techniques involved in
sampling design.

Specific Outcomes:

On conclusion of this unit the student should be able to:

- Understand the concept of sampling

- Distinguish between a census and a sample

- Learn the steps in developing a sampling plan

- Distinguish between probability and non-probability sampling

- Specify the types or errors common in each stage of the sampling process

- Calculate the sample size for probability samples

- Understand population and sample distributions

Embedded knowledge

Core lectures

Unit Two: Fieldwork management and administration

Purpose: To introduce the student to the functions performed when supervising and
monitoring the adherence to procedures and processes in the collection of primary data.

Specific Outcomes:

On completion of this unit, the learner should be able:

- To explore fieldwork management and administration functions for interviewer-

administered surveys

- To explore fieldwork management and administration functions for elf-administered

surveys

- To explore fieldwork management and administration functions for observation

- To explore fieldwork management and administration functions for experimental

designs

Embedded knowledge

Understanding of how and why the collection of primary data has to be managed.

Methodology

Core lecture

Unit Three: Data editing, coding, and capturing

Purpose: To enable the learner to appreciate the procedures and processes that must
be followed when data is processed for analysis and interpretation.

Specific Outcomes:

At the end of this unit, the learner must be able:

- To understand the steps taken from receiving a completed questionnaire to storing
the information for data analysis

- To understand the concept of editing

- To know what the coding process consists of

- To understand what is meant by data capturing

- To know how a dataset is cleaned

- To know how new variables can be added to a dataset

- To weigh data obtained from disproportionate stratified samples

Embedded knowledge

Understanding the different methods used in data processing in preparation for data analysis

Methodology

Core lecture

Case studies

Unit Four: Reporting Survey Results

Purpose: To enable learners to appreciate the benefits of professionalism in the

process of marketing research which culminates in a report and presentation of such report?

Specific Outcomes:

After learning how important the report of the findings is, the learner must be able to take
note of the guidelines regarding:

- The interpretation of results

- The issue of recommendations in reporting

- The principles of writing a report

- The contents and structure of the report

- Oral and visual reporting

Embedded knowledge

Professionalism in compiling and presenting research results

Methodology

Core lecture

PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOKS
Marketing Research. Juta & Co.

RECOMMENDED BOOK

Marketing Research in practice. South Africa: Unisa Press.

Marketing Research in a Digital information Environment. McGraw-Hill.

and

ANY OTHER BOOKS RELATED TO MARKETING RESEARCH CAN HELP THE

STUDENTS TO PASS THE CURSE.