FINAL GROUP PROJECT

What is an interesting consumer phenomena that your group notices and would like to understand more about? What are your theory and hypothesis that would explain such phenomena?

Your final project requires you to do some secondary research on the consumer phenomena of interest and at least two rounds of primary research, preferably employing research methods learned in this class. You get to choose, and you may repeat a primary research method in each round. Whatever you choose, you must clearly state your consumer research question of interest, state your objective(s), do your due diligence on secondary research, justify and explain your primary research. Further, you must report on your findings and describe insights you garner from them as well as their strategic implications. You will submit a brief written report and present your work.  There will be a peer evaluation component that will factor into this assessment.

For the qualitative method, should you decide on one-on-one interview for one round of primary research, then each group member must conduct 3 in-depth interviews. If you repeat a method, then the same requirement applies. For example, another round of one-on-one interviews means that each group member must conduct 3 additional in-depth interviews.

For the quantitative method route, you may choose between conduct a survey or an experiment. Create an online questionnaire on Qualtrics, collect data on your classmates and others (aim for N=50 total for survey or 25 per condition for experiment), analyze and interpret your results. Should you decide to repeat either survey or experiment methodology, then the same requirement holds where you aim for a new N=50 sample size total for survey or 25 per condition for experiment.

Your guiding framework for each required round of primary research will be the following:

Step 1: Choose a consumer phenomenon that you as a group would like to learn more about and turn it into a research problem or question (also known as the research objective).

By framing your curiosity into a consumer research question, i.e., a question that you can better answer with market intelligence, you are defining the problem you’d like to solve. Good research objectives are specific, precise, and well-defined.

Examples:

• How can we effectively encourage people to wear masks on their own volition?
• How can we get people to exercise during covid?

Your project can be one that you’re already working on, including one for an existing business or it could be a completely new problem that your group would like to explore.

Step 2: Determine the sources of information

Discuss the type of data you would need to collect to answer the market research question. Be sure to use secondary research to guide your decisions for your primary research. Since you have choices about primary research data collection method, discuss who you plan to collect data from and why. Consider research boundaries such as time, budget, etc.

Step 3: Choose the most appropriate primary data collection method

Refer to the readings provided on Canvas and coursepack as well as slides for an overview of the different research methods. Consider the pros and cons of each data collection method.

Next, choose from the following methods:

• In-depth interviews (for one round, each group member conducts 3)
• Survey (for one round, design one survey and collect at least 50 responses)
• Experiment (for one round, design one experiment with at least 25 responses per condition)

Step 4: Design Research Instrument, Collect the data

Prepare the following based on your choice of data collection methods:

• Interview protocol and interview guide
• Focus group discussion guide, which includes the focus group introduction (what you will tell participants before beginning the focus group), focus group questions
• Questionnaire (create a version in Word), programmed into online survey software such as Qualtrics
• Description of experiment factors, levels, response variable, experimental design, questionnaire

Step 5: Analyze and interpret the data

The analysis and interpretation will depend on the data collection method used.

• Interview: Discuss key themes that emerged, describe findings using quotes to illustrate, discuss limitations
• Focus group: Discuss key themes that emerged, describe findings using quotes to illustrate, discuss limitations
• Survey: Choose appropriate statistical analyses, run analyses, discuss findings, discuss limitations
• Experiment: Choose appropriate statistical analyses, run analyses, discuss findings, discuss limitations

Step 6: Present the results

Write your written report and prepare to present your findings. The report should include your overall research objective, your consumer research process, justification of your data collection methods, description of data collection, data collection tool (i.e., put all interview protocol and guide, questionnaire, experiment protocol in an appendix), data analysis (put in appendix), and interpretation of results. The written report should be a Word document between 3-5 pages in length (single-spaced, 1-inch margins, font size 12 pt), not including the appendix. The appendix should include your supporting materials, including your data collection tool and statistical analyses (quantitative method) and content analyses (qualitative method).

For the class recorded presentation, prepare a set of presentation slides. Your presentation should be 5 – 10 minutes long. Each group member must present.

Micro Deadlines Recommendations:  

By the end of Week 3

• Choose your consumer phenomenon of interest and turn it into a research problem or question

By the end of Week 4

• Determine and design your first round of primary research based on goal. Let your secondary research help inform your planning and decisions

By the end of Week 5

• Collect and analyze the data you have collected
• Determine next steps for your second round of primary research based on your findings

By the end of Week 7

• Collect and analyze data from your second round of primary research
• Determine next steps for your third round of primary research based on your findings

By end of Week 8

• Integrate and synthesize your findings
• Prepare your written report and presentation
• Prepare your appendix (include all supporting documentation, for example, references, interview plan, survey instruments, experimental stimuli, raw data, data analyses)

By Week 9

• Submit your written report on and recorded presentation Canvas