1

BRAC BUSINESS SCHOOL

MKT426: Basic Marketing Research

[Fall ‘ 2018]

Class Schedule: Monday & Wednesday

Instructor: Tofazzal Hossain

Office: UB 20711
Email: tofazzal.hossain@bracu.ac.bd

I. Rationale:
Students gain an understanding of marketing research and its value in analyzing consumers,
markets, and the environment. Topics include an overview of market research and research
design, exploratory research; descriptive research; scaling; sampling; and data analysis and
reporting.
II. Course Aims and Outcomes:
Aims
The purpose of this course is to explore research approaches and practical applications of
 2

marketing research concepts in identifying solutions for your problems related to marketing and
branding by keeping the consumer behavior in context within the real life commercial scenario.

III. Format and Procedures:

This course is structured in a manner where students will be learning the basic theoretical
aspects of marketing research and learning to apply them in an organizational setting. Students
need to participate in class room discussions, group debates and interact with each other so that
knowledge is shared.

IV. My Stance
Theoretical knowledge will be disseminated with the applications of case based learning method.

V. Course Requirements:

1. Class attendance and participation policy: Class attendance is mandatory.

2. Course readings:
(a) Malhotra & Dash. Marketing Research: An applied orientation (Sixth Edition).

Marks Distribution Weight

Class Attendance 5%
Quiz 10%
Midterm examination 20%
Term Paper & presentation 20%
Assignment 5%
Final Examination 40%
Total Marks 100%

VII. Academic Integrity

Each student in this course is expected to abide by the BRAC University Code of Academic
Integrity. Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic credit will be the
student's own work. Students are encouraged to study together and to discuss information and
concepts covered in lecture and the sections with other students. As a faculty I’ll be giving
"consulting" help to students. However, this permissible cooperation should never involve one
student having possession of a copy of all or part of work done by someone else, in the form of
an e-mail, an e-mail attachment file, a diskette, or a hard copy.

If copying occurs, both the student who copied work from another student and the student who
gave material to be copied will both automatically receive a zero for the assignment. Penalty for
the violation of this Code can also be extended to include failure of the course and face
University disciplinary action.

During examinations, you must do your own work. Talking or discussion is not permitted during
the examinations. You are not allowed to compare papers, copy from others, or collaborate in
any way. Any collaborative behavior during the examinations will result in failure of the exam,
 3

and may lead to failure of the course and University disciplinary action.

VIII. Accommodations for students with disabilities

I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for student
with disabilities. Requests for academic accommodations are to be made during the first three
weeks of the semester, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Students
are encouraged to register with Student Disability Services to verify their eligibility for
appropriate accommodations.

IX. 1. Quizzes and assignments will be given. There will be NO make-up for
missing quizzes.

2. You will be given assignment related to your course during the semester. Class
Assignments should be submitted timely. Delay in submission will result in
cancellation of the assignment.
3. Attendance, Mid-term exam and Final Exam will be as per University rules. Attendance in
the lectures is compulsory. Students are expected to attend in every class and late attendance
is highly discouraged. Midterm and final will consist of subjective questions.
4. While making assignments and group presentations, you should be careful about the
following issues:

No script reading.
Everyone must speak.
One slide should not have too many points.
Do not read the slides.
There should be consistency in font, heading, style etc.
Make strong eye contact with the audience.
Articulate your words clearly
Be formally dressed.
5. Students are expected to come to class on time and should pay attention
to what is covered in each class.
6. If I have any announcement to make, I will do so in the class or in the TSR server.
So please check the TSR server regularly and frequently for any announcements or
changes, etc.
7. Learning outcomes: The three following learning outcomes are expected from
the students:
(a)Basic Marketing research Knowledge and techniques developed by modern
day professional researchers and academicians which move beyond the previous
models and frameworks in use in light of new challenges faced by businesses,
will be oriented by the students.
(b) Thorough and detailed discussions on concepts and practical understanding
of basic marketing research concepts, explained with applications in case
studies will be done.
(c) Students are expected to do a basic research project based on a real life
problems related to general marketing and write marketing reports and
articulate them effectively and give verbal presentation.
 4

IX. Tentative course outline

Sessions Topics to be covered Project

activities
Session 1 Discussion regarding course outline and
Introductory Class course completion procedures
Session 2 An introduction to marketing research
Chapter 1
Session 3 Defining marketing research problem
Chapter 2 and developing an approach

Session 4 Research Design

Chapter:3
Session 5 Quiz 1

Session 6 Secondary data and Qualitative research Project assignment-1

Chapter: 4 & 5
Session 7 Survey and Observation
Chapter:6
Session 8 Experimentation
Chapter:7
Session 9 Midterm Exam

Session 10 Measurement and Scaling:

Chapter:8 Fundamentals and comparative scaling

Session 11 Measurement and Scaling: Non- Project assignment-2

Chapter:9 comparative scaling techniques

Session 12 Questionnaire and Form design

Chapter:10
Session 13 Questionnaire and Form design

Session 14 Quiz 2

Session 15 Sampling: design and procedures

Chapter:11
Session 16 Sampling: Final and initial sample size Project assignment-
Chapter:12 determination 3
Session 17 Field work
Chapter:13
Session 18 Quiz 3

Session 19 Data preparation and analysis(Lab

class)
Session 20 Data preparation and analysis (Lab
Chapter: 17 &18 class)
 5

Session 21 Report preparation and presentation

Chapter: 23
Session 22 Project work submission and
Presentation
Session 23 Project work submission and
Presentation
Session 24 Final Exam