Research Methodology Class Assignment

Q1. Sridhar should undertake a quantitative research primarily but there are some aspects in which he can
perform the qualitative research.

In quantitative research, Sridhar can opt for a survey method to gather primary data from the people and he can
also perform quasi-experiment with groups to assess the needs and wants of the customers and it will also help
him to segment and target the market in a better way.

Q2. Research problem: To formulate a repositioning strategy to increase the sales of the electric vehicle.

Research objective:

1. To identify the target audience of the electric vehicle.

2. To determine the positioning stance for the EV.
3. To determine marketing strategies to undertake, such as branding, advertising, etc.

Q3. The objectives do have a scope for qualitative research. To perform market segmentation based on various
parameters and factors such as demographics or psychological values, Sridhar needs to perform qualitative
research to understand the mindset of the customer and gather insights from their behavior and usage behavior.
To develop a marketing strategy, it is important to know the perception of the customer towards the product and
how they want to use it. Hence, for that, qualitative research becomes an important tool to perform.

Q4. In quantitative research, Sridhar can opt for survey by rolling out questionnaires. He can collect information
on various variables, which can help him to understand the market behavior and in segmentation as well.

Along with that, Sridhar can opt for a causal-comparative study in which the statistical analysis of two variables
extends to analyzing how various variables or groups change under the influence of the same changes.

For qualitative research, Sridhar can opt for a Focus Group Discussion, which can yield fruitful insights for the
development and improvement of the EV.

Q5. The Focus Group would comprise of equal representation for all the following: Young adults, adults,
seniors, and across both the gender. A total of maximum 10 people will be selected for the focus group
discussion.

The questions for the moderator are as follows:

 Why is an electric vehicle appealing to you?

 What benefits do you see or get by using an electric vehicle?
 Do you think whether electric vehicles are superior in performance compared to traditional petrol or
diesel cars? Why?
 What are the important factors or considerations driving an EV purchase decision which are required
for uptake modeling?
 How would you react to the concept of an electric vehicle with integrated vehicle and home energy
management?
 What misconceptions and unresolved questions do people have about how an electric driveway would
work?
 Will you be ready to buy an EV if we tell you that you will have to replace the battery in every 5 years
and it will cost 20% of the price of the vehicle?
 What additional features you want in the EV?
Q6. Sridhar has to keep in mind the following:

 Changing perception of the customers and the market sentiment

 Government regulations and policies which can impact his business
 Cost incurred by Sridhar and whether he will pass the cost burden to customers
 Peak electricity load demand and power network related issues
 Degradation of the batteries which can result in lowering of vehicle range.
 Availability of charging stations to charge the EV.