Course Title: Manage market research

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

Course Code: MKTG7913C

Course Title: Manage market research

School: 650T Vocational Business Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6145 - Advanced Diploma of Marketing

Course Contact : Tim Wallis

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5423

Course Contact Email:timothy.wallis@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Claire Gourlay

Email:  claire.gourlay@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for, manage and evaluate market research projects across an organisation.

It applies to senior marketing professionals who are responsible for preparing market research plans for implementation, engaging external consultants, managing market research activity, and evaluating research processes and findings across an organisation.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBMKG607 Manage market research

Element:

4. Evaluate research processes and findings

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Confirm validity of information and data obtained by market research
4.2 Review relevance and usefulness of findings against research objectives outlined in market research project plan
4.3 Assess performance of project against all relevant elements of market research project plan and work plans
4.4 Measure stakeholder satisfaction with research process and findings
4.5 Prepare reports for future improvements to research process
4.6 Implement revised policy and practices in accordance with organisational requirements
 

Element:

1. Prepare market research plans for implementation

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Determine research policies and procedures
1.2 Develop or commission and review market research project plan and detailed work plans to point of finalisation
1.3 Execute processes to obtain required resources to implement market research project plan and work plans
 

Element:

2. Engage external consultants or service providers

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify requirements for external consultants from market research project plan
2.2 Specify goods and services required to implement plans, and detail criteria for selection
2.3 Identify, evaluate and select potential consultants or other providers of required goods and services
2.4 Contract selected consultants or providers of goods and services
 

Element:

3. Manage market research activity

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Monitor work plan activity to ensure adherence to market research project plan and work plans, and consistency with organisational market research policy and procedures
3.2 Manage external consultants or service providers to ensure performance is in line with expectations and contractual requirements
 


Learning Outcomes


This course is structured to provide students with the optimum learning experience in order to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to prepare for, manage and evaluate market research projects across an organisation.


Details of Learning Activities

In class discussion and debate, research case study activities and relevant work related assessments


Teaching Schedule

Week Week Commencing Topic
1  8th Feb Course Induction
• Course delivery and assessment details
• Grading
• Plagiarism
• Appeals, Extensions, Feedback
• Privacy
• Submission requirements, Resubmission policy
• Student responsibilities
Pre-Training Review
• Includes skills analysis and Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
 
2  15th Feb Market research planning – Review Research brief - Stakeholder Briefing and involvement
 
3  22nd Feb  Market Proposals/Plans – Secondary Research analysis and sources
4  29th Feb Market research Qualitative techniques
 
5  7th Mar Market research Quantitive and sampling - Project Management –budgets
 
6  14th Mar Market research Quantitive and sampling - Survey Techniques – Questionnaire Design 
 
7  21st Mar  Project Management – timelines ( self guided) notes on Blackboard
  Mid Semester Break  
8  4th April In class Assessment – Research Plan 1.5 hours

 
9  11th April Qualitative Research - Focus Groups, depth Interviews – Discussion guides
 
10  18th April Submit discussion guide and in class focus group - Conduct focus groups in class
 
11  25th April Conducting research – ethical and legal requirements
12  2nd May  
Results and data processing methods and data analysis techniques
13  9th May  
Market Research Report - Conclusions and recommendations
 
14  16th May  Evaluation Research Processes and findings and limitations - presentation workshop
 
15  23rd May  Assessment 3 Presentations
16  1st June  Resubmissions and consultations


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

No formal texbook is required.  Texts will be provided by RMIT


References


Other Resources

NA


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Methods

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of the requirements in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks, for example:

  • direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
  • review of final printed documents
  • demonstration of techniques
  • observation of presentations
  • oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of software applications

You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Performance Evidence

You must provide evidence of the ability to:

  • prepare a market research plan
  • develop specifications for research components, outsourced to external consultants as appropriate
  • manage market research activities in accordance with organisational market research policy and procedures
  • evaluate research processes and findings against relevant market research project plan and work plans
  • prepare and present a report on market research findings.

Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, you must:

  • outline principles and practices of market research including:
    - data processing methods and data analysis techniques
    - project design to meet given budgets and other resource constraints
    - qualitative and quantitative research
    - design of samples
    - development and application of hypotheses
    - role of research in enterprise development
    - use of survey instruments
  • compare and contrast project management principles and practices, including:
    - consultation and stakeholder involvement
    - development of policies and procedures
    - methods of action to ensure performance
    - monitoring of timelines, budgets and other implementation plans
    - organisational procedures for engagement of consultants
  • provide an overview of key provisions of relevant legislation, codes of practice and national standards affecting marketing operations
  • discuss the impact of economic, social and industry directions, trends, and practices on marketing functions.

Feedback

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.

You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.


Assessment Tasks

 This course has 3 assessment tasks. Students must be competent in all assessments to pass this course.

Assessment Task 1 – In class case study  -  Write a Market Research Plan
Date handed out: Week 8
Date and time due: Week 8 (in class)
Group or Individual: This is an individual assessment.
Submission: In class activity    (40% of grade)

Purpose:
The purpose of this assessment is to demonstrate an understanding of how you plan a market research project. How you decide the tools and techniques to best answer the research objectives

Requirements:
This is an in class task, where students are required to develop a research plan based on the case study provided. Sample questions will be available and discussed in class in Week 6. Students will have 1.5 hours to complete this task.


Assessment Task 2 - Major Research Project - Written Report
Date handed out: Week 5
Date and time due: Week 13 Sunday May 15 Midnight (note there are earlier checkpoints see below)
Group or Individual: This is a group assessment groups of 3 or 4 no variance without teacher’s approval
Submission: This assessment is to be submitted on Blackboard on or prior to submission date.

This assessment represents 40% of your grade
Checkpoints: These are not graded, however individuals who are not active in this will lose up to 10% of group mark for each non participation. There are 3 in total. .

  • Check point 1 (Week 6)
  • Check point 2 (Week 7)
  • Check point 3 (Week 10)

Purpose:
The purpose of this assessment is to demonstrate that you can develop and manage a research project including different research techniques. To demonstrate that you can report key findings relevant to the objectives.
 

Requirements:

Students are to conduct, management and write a research report on a live market research project. The written report (approx. 3000 words in ‘report format’) that covers all sections outlined in the assessment sheet,  with special emphasis on the Results, Conclusions, recommendations. The report will need to include title page, TOC, header/footers and appendix.

Further details on these assessments will be provided in class and on the assessment guide and coversheet.

Assessment Task 3 – [In class evaluation presentation]
Date handed out: Week 5
Date and time due: Week 15 in class (WC Monday 23rd May)
Group or Individual: Individual (you will present in your group for Assess 2, however will be graded individually)
This assessment represents 20% of your grade


Purpose:
To demonstrate your ability to review the relevance and usefulness of findings against research objectives outlined in market research project plan. Assess performance of project against all relevant elements of market research project plan and work plans. Ability to communicate via presentation.

Requirements:
Students are required to present the key findings and evaluations and limitations of the research report.
All students must participate equally in this presentation
Presentation timing: 7-10 mins (not meeting timings will lower grade)
 

 Further details of all assessments will be available in the Assessment overview document in the Blackboard shell and discussed in class.


Assessment Matrix

Other Information

Submission Requirements

You should:

• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of each assessment task is available on blackboard.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.

 

Late Submission Procedures

You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates.
If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days. More Information:http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf
Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.

More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/8a5dgcaqvaes1.pdf
 

Resubmissions (VET Programs):
If you are found to be unsuccessful in a Course Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission. The highest grade you will receive if your resubmission is successful is “CAG”.
If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.
Adjustments to Assessment
In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website:

More Information: http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=7usdbki1fjf31

Marking Guide (Competency):

You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying.  

You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing.


Marking Guide (Grading): After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit and you will achieve one of the following grades:

Final Grades table:
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment


Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview