Assessment Instructions Individual Proposal Learning Outcomes This assessment enables you to partially demonstrate the learning outcomes required for the successful completion of the module, specifically: To demonstrate an understanding of how to identify the information requirements of an organisation and design an effective and appropriate Marketing Research project to meet those requirements including: • Developing effectively worded research aims-and objectives • Developing appropriate and justified research and analysis methodology to achieve those aims and objectives • Identifying and addressing ethical issues and considerations associated with the proposal • Developing an appropriate research instrument for the proposal • Developing an appropriate timetable for the proposal • Identifying and addressing limitations associated with the proposal • Communicating this information clearly and effectively in a written report The Individual Proposal This individual proposal will build upon Assessment A where working in a group you designed and presented a research proposal based upon the information needs of a business presented in your allocated scenario where you represent a marketing research agency ‘pitching’ to win a research contract from that organisation. The Individual Proposal is an individually-produced 3000 word research proposal that explores the research problem contained in the allocated scenario. You will write a fully considered, justified and feasible research proposal for the key decision maker in the organisation that has written the brief. The intention is to plan a piece of applied research which will meet the organisation’s information requirements. It is up to you how to go about achieving this, drawing on your learning from the module. Your proposal needs to contain at least one example research instrument (e.g. survey, moderator’s guide), to be included as an appendix. It is important that you work independently on your proposal to avoid leaving yourself open to charges of academic misconduct such as collusion or plagiarism. 2 Scenarios Primark and Consumer Responses to Ethical Fashion Retailing A recent Mintel analysis has highlighted the negative environmental and social effects of the fastfashion industry which is responsible for higher annual carbon emissions than international flights and shipping combined. A number of fashion retailers (e.g. Asos, Adidas, Hugo Boss, H&M and Zara) have recently pledged to join the ‘circular fashion economy’ which involves sustainable practice at each stage of the product life cycle, including sourcing, producing, selling and extending or repurposing products at the end of their life cycles. Fast-fashion retailer Primark are perhaps unique amongst fashion retailers in that they do not have an online presence and until very recently have not taken any steps towards addressing consumer concerns and desires over ethical and sustainability issues. Primark are concerned about reports that consumers are unwilling to pay higher prices but have trialled a range of more ethical and sustainable products at their Pop-up store in Shoreditch. This trial has gone well, and the new range has proved successful. Primark have asked you to create a research proposal investigating consumer concerns, expectations and purchasing intentions around ethical retailing practice. The research will be used to inform a decision on whether Primark should extend this new range of products to its stores across the UK . Starter reference: Carrigan, M. and Attalla, A (2001) The myth of the ethical consumer – do ethics matter in purchase behaviour? Journal of Consumer Marketing. 18(7), pp. 560-578 Travelling with Pets In the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the restrictions placed on travel, most Britons are expected to stay in the UK rather than venture abroad for their annual holidays next year. Premier Inn, one of the largest UK hotel chains is keen to exploit this opportunity but have identified that many British people often travel with their dogs as they often feel guilty about leaving their pet behind when they go on holiday but find the idea of traveling with their pets stressful because of the lack of services catering for them. Premier Inn do not currently allow customers to bring their pets into their hotels and are aware that this would not be universally popular as around 20% of the UK population are allergic to dogs. They have asked you to develop a research proposal that investigates consumer demand for travelling with pets. In addition to overall demand, the research will be used to inform Premier Inn about the specific preferences, needs and expectations of pet owners and the concerns of existing customers. Starter reference: Dotson, M. J., Hyatt, E. M. and Clark, J. D. (2010) Traveling with the Family Dog: Targeting an Emerging Segment. Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management. 20(1), pp. 1-23. Vaccination Hesitancy Despite the largely successful rollout of the UK National Health Service (NHS) program of Covid 19 vaccination in early 2021 with around 90% of UK adults receiving a vaccine, uptake rates in certain communities such as the Black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities were markedly lower than in the White community. This hesitancy has also been apparent in some section of the White Community driven by issues such as political beliefs, false rumours on social media and concerns over allergies. The NHS wishes to better understand the reason behind this hesitancy so that it may improve vaccine uptake in the future and has commissioned you to undertake a study examining the issue. Starter reference: Razai, M.S., Osama, T., McKechnie, D.G. and Majeed, A., (2021) Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minority groups. British Medical Journal. 372 p. 513 The BBC and the Licence fee Britain’s state-run broadcaster was started in 1927 and has been funded by a system of annual ‘licences’ currently costing £157.50 that each household possessing a TV is required to purchase by law. Whilst the BBC is appreciated by the British Public who have endeared it with nicknames including ‘the Beeb’ and ‘Auntie’, this annual licence fee has become controversial in recent years as the number of TV channels available in the UK has proliferated as it is still payable by households that watch any live TV, irrespective of whether or not they watch BBC channels. This controversy reached new heights last year when the concessionary free TV licences for those aged 75 plus were largely withdrawn. The Licence fee is now classed as a tax and failure to pay is a criminal offence. The BBC trust is concerned about the declining support for the licence fee and has commissioned you to conduct research into suitable alternative systems of funding such as advertising, pay as you view and monthly subscription in order to inform a decision about possible replacement of the licence fee. 3 Starter reference: Weeds, H., (2016) Is The Television Licence fee fit for Purpose in the Digital Era?. Economic Affairs. 36(1), pp.2-20. The Social Impact of St Pauls Carnival Events such as the annual St Pauls Carnival have a long history and are deeply embedded in their communities. The carnival first took place in 1968 as an attempt to bring together the European, African-Caribbean and Asian communities in the area and challenge negative stereotypes. The carnival has at times been contentious but continues to grow and in recent years has attracted tens of thousands of people from all over the UK. With the narrow streets of St Pauls this growth has been challenging and the Carnival had to be cancelled in 2015 and 2017 over safety concerns. People are also concerned that the carnival has become to commercialised and controlled and want a return to its community roots. Ahead of the 2022 carnival, the carnival committee have asked you to create a proposal that explores what the most important aspects of the event are for carnival-goers, how they understand the social and cultural role of the carnival, and how this might differ for different types of attendees. Starter reference: Arcodia, C. & Whitford, M. (2006) Festival Attendance and the Development of Social Capital. Journal of Convention and Event Tourism. 8 (2), pp. 1-18. Resurrecting Glastonbury Festival after Covid Festivals are one of the UK tourism industry’s biggest successes but in common with most events attracting large numbers of people, almost all were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid19 Pandemic. Festival organisers worry about how to convince festival goers that it will be safe to attend once they are allowed to restart. Glastonbury Festival is thought by many to be the largest festival in the world with 200,000 attendees in 2019 and after 50 years of success, organisers wish to restart the festival next year and wish to ensure that it remains just as popular and successful as it has always been. The organisers have therefore asked you to develop a research proposal that identifies the factors that impact on the success and failures of this kind of event and what they need to do to ensure festival goers will feel safe enough to return. Starter reference: Kinnunen, M. and Haahti, A. (2015) Visitor discourses on experiences: reasons for festival success and failure. International Journal of Event and Festival Management. 6 (3), pp. 251-268. Suggested Structure: A detailed suggested template for your proposal is provided on Blackboard with the following suggested structure. The word counts given are indicative only and approximate: • An Executive Summary (100 words): This should act as a standalone piece that the client could read separately to the rest of the report and should include your findings and recommendations. • Contents Table: Using the automatic features of Word • Introduction/background (300 words): This should demonstrate a clear understanding of the scenario and set out the broad context for the proposed research using relevant market data to provide context. • Aim and Objectives (100 words): We are looking for a clearly defined overall research aim and appropriately worded objectives which are derived from the academic literature discussed in your introduction • Research Strategy, Design and Data Analysis Strategy (2,000 words): To include your chosen research strategy and design, data collection and analysis methods and sampling including justification for all decisions made and appropriate support from academic and practitioner references. • Limitations (200 words): a description of the limitation(s) of the research that potentially threaten the robustness of the study (e.g. methodological limitations, not poor research design), and the measures proposed to address them. • Ethical considerations (200 words): A consideration of ethical issues with clear proposals to address all issues to minimise harm to research participants including details of codes of conduct. 4 • Conclusion (100 Words): A closing summary of approximately which briefly reviews the content of the proposal • Research instrument(s): Discuss your research instrument(s) and include an example as an appendix. • Timings: A Gannt Chart which includes realistic timings with an appropriate level of detail should be placed in the appendix. Your proposal needs to contain at least one example research instrument (e.g. survey, moderator’s guide), to be included as an appendix together with the research matrix.
