|
West
Texas A&M University
College
of Business
MKT 3348 Course
Syllabus
Course Number/Section/Name:MKT3348_70_Marketing
Research. Theories, concepts and methodology in
applying research to market problems. Attention toward the
application of sampling, sample design, data analysis of
marketing problems and how findings are used in formulating
marketing policies; prerequisites: MKT3340, IDM2342, IDM3330.
Class Days/Times/Location or Other Format:
Online and/or Hybrid
Professor: Dr. De'Arno De'Armond
Office Location: Classroom Center 214C
Office Hours: I will be available before and after class,
during normal office hours, and by appointment, schedule
permitting
Office Phone: 806.651.2490
E-Mail: ddearmond@wtamu.edu and via WTClass email (preferred
method of contact)
Faculty Homepage: Click
here.
Blog: http://www.drdearmond.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DrDeArmond
Last Updated: 24 June 2009.
This syllabus is a dynamic document. Elements of the course
structure (e.g., dates and topics covered, but not policies)
may be changed at the discretion of the professor.
Important
Notice
This syllabus is an integral component of
the course. It is very important that you read it in its
entirety. All material that you will need for this class,
including lectures, exams and project material are only
accessible via WTClass. Thank you for your attention and
cooperation in this matter.
COB Mission
Statement
The mission of the College of Business is
to provide high quality undergraduate and graduate business
education with a global perspective and ethical awareness.
We accomplish this through emphasis on excellence in teaching,
which is strengthened by faculty scholarship and supported
by professional service.
COB Learning Goals
Learning Goals of the BBA Program
The College of Business at West Texas A&M University
seeks to prepare students in the BBA degree program
for careers in business and to foster their professional
growth and advancement via the key learning goals. Each
learning goal is accompanied by an operational definition
for the goal.
-
Goal 1: Communication: Graduates of
the BBA program will be effective communicators.
-
Goal 2: Critical Thinking: Graduates
of the BBA program will be critical thinkers.
-
Goal 3: Business Environment: Graduates
of the BBA program will be knowledgeable of ethical,
global, and social environmental factors and how they
relate to business decisions.
-
Goal 4: Functional Business Analyses
and Applications: Graduates of the BBA program will
be knowledgeable in the functional areas of business
and their integration.
Learning Goals for the MBA Program
The College of Business at West Texas A&M University
seeks to prepare students in the MBA degree program
for careers in business and to foster their professional
growth and advancement via the key learning goals. The
key learning goals for the MBA are as follows:
-
Goal 1: Professional Communication:
Graduates of the MBA program will communicate effectively
as managers.
-
Goal 2: Leadership: Graduates of the
MBA program will be leaders.
-
Goal 3: Business Environment: Graduates
of the MBA program will be knowledgeable of ethical,
global, and social trends affecting business decisions.
-
Goal 4: Business Integration: Graduates
of the MBA program will be able to integrate quantitative
and qualitative techniques from business functional
areas.
Course Description:
Marketing research examines the nature of
the consumer environment and its applicable uses as a decision
making tool for management. This course seeks to provide
the vehicle to help students become more informed, effective
managers.
Text:
|
Marketing
Research Within a Changing Information Environment,
2e, by Hair, Bush, and Ortinau. McGraw-Hill Irwin.
ISBN:0-07-246757-6.
A primary reason I chose
the book mentioned above is the wealth of online supplements
contained in the text's web site. You can visit the
book online for extra supplements, ideas, quizzes,
etc. at http://mhhe.com/hair.
|
Other Texts you may find helpful in
this course:
Statistics for People who think they Hate
Statistics, by Neil Salkind. Published by SAGE, this
book is a really good read, especially if you are needing
to further your understanding of statistics in easy to understand
terms.
The Survey Research Handbook, by
Alreck and Settle. Published by McGraw-Hill Irwin, this
book is a great introduction to real world use of surveys
in the marketplace. The book basically takes you step by
step on how to do survey research effectively and efficiently--something
your company and administrators will love you for!
Course Objectives
and Map from COB Learning Goals to Objectives for this course:
This course provides an overview of the basic
marketing research principles. Upon completing this course,
students should be able to design and conduct several types
of marketing research projects. This requires the student
to perform specific tasks including:
-
Identifying a marketing problem or opportunity
(domestically and/or globally) and determining whether
marketing research can contribute to solving the problem
or taking advantage of the opportunity.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment, Functional
Business Knowledge
-
Developing a list of research objectives.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment
-
Deciding upon which research technique
would be most useful: conducting a search of secondary
data, or developing primary data by using an observational
study, marketing survey, or experimental design study.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment
-
Conducting a search of secondary data
sources for specific information.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking
-
Designing questionnaires and observation
forms. Selecting the most appropriate interviewing method.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment
-
Designing a sampling process for selecting
potential survey respondents.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking
-
Effectively understanding/conducting
personal and telephone interviews.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment
-
Editing, coding, tabulating, analyzing
and interpreting study results.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment
-
Preparing a report of research results
within an ethical framework.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment
-
Making recommendations for improving
marketing strategy based on research findings.
- COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking,
Communication, The Business Environment
Top of Page
Course Flow and
Method:
This course is being taught either online or as a hybrid
course, meaning the student should utilize a program of self
study and self discipline to be successful within the course,
whether taking online or in class. Not every concept can be
covered within the time allotted for regular lecture. The
student is expected to spend time outside of the course reviewing
course content and materials provided within the online format
and other sources to gain mastery of the subject. It is expected
that each student of Marketing Research have a solid understanding
of statistics and the application of statistical software,
as such covered in the pre-requisites IDM 3330 and IDM 2342
respectively.
WTClass is a working environment that you should become familiar
with. Of particular importance to this course are the Lesson,
Calendar, and Communicate tabs found within WTClass. Each
Lesson (found in the "Lessons" area of WTClass)
of this course contains at least one chapter and will be activated
in a timely manner with the flow of content respectively.
Each lesson content area consists of four distinct areas,
Launch-Intro, Lecture, Learning Activities and Wrap-Up.
Additionally, the site contains a wealth of tools (Communication,
Calendar) made available from the WTClass Class Container.
You should familiarize yourself with the WTClass environment
relative to this course. If you happen to find a broken link
or an error, do not panic, just let me know via course mail
and I will repair it ASAP!
Each Lesson area contains the following:
News: This general page area will serve
to provide you with up to the minute 'real world' news about
marketing, marketing research and business. One of the principle
foundations a marketing research student needs is access to
news feeds. In an effort to save your time, I have tailored
this page to provide a news-feed directly to this site regarding
marketing topics.
Launch-Intro: This area will introduce the
chapter material of the lesson as well as provide an interlude
into lecture. Basically this area will serve as a synopsis
of the chapter.
Lecture: This area discusses some of the
salient points of the lesson material, it may include notes,
presentations or other material that will aide in your understanding
of the content. Lecture in no way is intended
to be the only source of material you should utilize for an
exam, but, used in conjunction with the text
and other supplements can increase your overall understanding
of the material and it's applied practicality. I have worked
very hard to "tool" this area with my lecture notes,
reinforcing text material via incorporation of practical examples,
discussion questions, and presentations. Basically, at your
disposal, you have the actual notes I use in class, in Adobe
PDF format, and the Power point presentation I would give
in a "classroom" setting that coincides with the
notes. It is a good idea to make sure your computer is loaded
with Adobe Acrobat's Free Reader Program, as well as at least
the Power point viewer. Both are free downloads available
at the following links:
Learning Activities: This section will contain
assignments and activities throughout the lessons requiring
your involvement. The appropriate due dates of each Learning
Activity are posted within the Calendar area of WTClass for
this course. The purpose of this area is to provide you an
opportunity to interact with the material, your classmates,
or your instructor, in the form of an activity or apply and
integrate the material at a higher level in an assignment.
Any assignment is assumed to be of a critical
thinking nature, thus, serious time, thought, and effort should
be put into your response efforts. More on this below.
Wrap-Up: This section of the lesson site
serves as my final comments area on the topic, and any other
information I feel relevant to the lesson.
Top of Page
Course Structure and Weighting:
|
|
Major Exams |
60% |
Assignments (Extended Learning
Activities) |
30% |
Learning Activities (Discussion,
Active Class Participation) |
10% |
Total |
100% |
Top of Page
Course Element Descriptions:
Textbook material: The textbook is divided
into multiple chapter segments to be covered during the
semester. Students are expected to stay current on textbook
content. Lecture will focus on the more salient aspects
of the textbook material.
Major Exams: You will have the opportunity
to prove your competence of marketing research on three
individual examinations. The Major Exams will consist of
multiple choice questions, but are not limited to true false,
definition and essay. Exams will be administered via the
WTClass information portal and can be found within the lessons
tab. Exams will be available for a minimum of one entire
week, timed (you will have 1hr 30min) and tracked through
WTClass.
I understand what it is like to have test anxiety. For
this course, you will be allowed (not required)
to take each of the three major exams twice (different
exams each time of course), with the highest
score of the two exam attempts reporting to the grade book.
I am very flexible, however, NO Make-up exams will be allowed,
you will have until 11:59 PM to complete the exam on the
last day of the exam testing period displayed within the
course calendar. Please do not wait until the last
minute to take your exam.
MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE you are taking the
exam from a dedicated, uninterruptible Internet connection.
If you are in an area that has experienced connectivity
or technology problems, you may wish to take the exam from
a more secure location. Please note, if you are
timed out or disconnected from an exam, first of all, do
not panic, remember, you still have 2 attempts at each exam.
More than likely the error is something that can easily
be rectified. It is your responsibility to contact me via
email immediately to make record of this event.
I will not tolerate "restarts" on
exams. Please note, it is expected that each individual
will complete his or her examination without the aide of
outside individuals in an effort to maintain academic integrity.
Major Exam Dates |
Schedule |
| Exam I, lessons 1-5, Chapters 1-5 |
Refer to course calendar for exam dates. |
| Exam II, lessons 6-10, Chapters 6-10 |
Refer to course calendar for exam dates. |
| Final, lessons 11-16, Chapters 11-16 |
Refer to course calendar for exam dates. |
| Please note, exams are
live from 12:01 AM of the first day through 11:59
PM of the last day. Please plan accordingly. All times
Central. |
Top of Page
Additional Notes on Learning Activities:
At the end of selected lessons you will have an associated
learning activity. The learning activities serve to
enhance your interaction with the class, and are in
no way intended to serve as "busy work." Please
note, not every lesson contains a learning activity.
Learning Activities may be divided into the following:
- Assignment due dates will clearly be labeled,
if for example you have an assignment due on Thursday
September 2nd, that means you have until 11:59PM
on September 2nd to send it as called for in the
directions.
- Assignments must be sent via the Online Container
in the method specified with the assignment. You
must follow the assignment submission method requirements
for proper credit for your work.
- I will not accept assignments sent to my faculty
WTAMU FACULTY or WTClass Course email accounts,
unless I otherwise specify under certain conditions.
Grading:
Grading Standards
for Assignments
Your work will
be assessed in the following manner:
A –Level Work
(Excellent)
|
(1) Responds fully to
what the assignment asks; (2) Presents a manifest
topic statement containing the issue to be analyzed
and the position to be taken; (3) Exercises good critical
thinking that is clear, logical (coherent & relevant),
deep, broad, and discriminating; (4) Expresses its
purpose clearly and persuasively; (5) Invokes and
uses disciplinary facts correctly; (6) Provides adequate
supporting arguments with reasons, evidence, and examples;
(7) Is focused, well organized, and unified; (8) Uses
direct language that is appropriate for the audience;
(9) Invokes discerning sources when appropriate; (10)
Correctly documents and cites sources via APA standards;
(11) Is free of errors in grammar, punctuation, word
choice, spelling, and format; and (12) Displays originality
and creativity in realizing items (1) through (9)
above. |
B—Level Work
(Very Good)
|
Realizes high quality in (1) through
(11) fully and completely ---but does not reveal originality
or creativity. |
C—Level Work
(Adequate)
|
Realizes adequacy in (1) through
(11) and demonstrates overall competence --- but contains
a few relatively minor errors or flaws. A “C”
paper may show great creativity and originality, but
those qualities don’t compensate for poor or
careless writing. A “C” paper is adequate
in all regards but could use polish and usually looks
and reads like a next-to-final draft. |
D—Level Work
(Weak)
|
Fails to recognize some elements
of (1) through (11) adequately and contains several
relatively serious errors or flaws or many minor ones.
A “D” paper is less than adequate for
public presentation and often looks and reads like
a first or second draft. |
F—Level Work
(Poor)
|
Fails to realize several elements
of (1) through (11) adequately and contains many serious
errors or flaws as well as many minor ones. An “F”
paper usually contains fatal errors of thought or
execution and usually looks and reads like a private
writing. |
Grading scale utilized within the assessment
process:
| A |
90-100 |
| B |
80-89 |
| C |
70-79 |
| D |
60-69 |
| F |
X-59 |
Top of Page
Special Notes:
WTClass Environment Support: Please note
that it is your responsibility to have in place at least
the minimum technology required to actively participate
in this course. You should spend some time familiarizing
yourself with WTClass. There are tutorials available to
you and if you encounter problems the WTClass support staff
is available to answer your questions. The WT Information
Technology Technical Support Center (WT ITSC) is available
to you in the event critical after-hours support is needed.
You may contact them via email ITSC@wtamu.edu, or at 806-651-4357
and your issue will be handled in a very timely fashion.
In the event of a major snafu, please inform me as well.
Please use discretion when using WT ITSC Support.
Overall...I want an open, fun, learning
environment for you. Get to know the WTClass container and
what it can and what it can not do. If technology presents
a challenge for you, then you have two options: 1.) Drop
now and wait for this course to be offered on campus, or
2.) Step up to the plate and make this a fun experience.
You will get out of this course what you put into it!
Email Policy: I PREFER YOU CONTACT ME
VIA EMAIL as this is the fastest way to reach me. Email
will receive an immediate, timely response, whereas my office
phone may not. In an effort to actively manage my courses,
and remain engaged with you, my students, email sent to
me via WTClass will be forwarded and monitored via my iPhone
when inside or away from the office. In this way, I do my
best to ensure that no matter where I am, or what meetings
I might be involved with, I can respond to your questions
and concerns ASAP!
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO USE AN IDENTIFYABLE
SUBJECT LINE (MKT3348 Question) AND CLOSE YOUR EMAIL WITH
YOUR NAME to ensure a proper receipt and response.
Spam filters kill blank subject lines and WTClass does not
automatically know your name, just a string of code. Help
me out with this!
Responses to your WTClass email received on my iPhone will
be sent to your "Buffs" email account, and not
the WTClass container (this is currently a limitation of
the WTClass security environment). To ensure you will receive
your email in a timely fashion, here is a suggestion:
As an alternative to checking WTClass email
all the time, you can have all email generated through
WTClass automatically forwarded to your 'BUFFS' account.
To do this click on the bottom icon on the left side of
the screen (it looks like a wrench). Select system settings.
Near the bottom of that page fill in the section designated
for forwarding address. Below that in the drop down box
for “Forwarding Mode” select “Forward
my course mail and mark as read in course.” Then save
it.
NOTE: Again, should you send an email to me through WT
Class my response may come back to your regular “Buffs”
email address. I will keep a copy of all correspondence
in a local folder for verification.
You should also check your email frequently as
this is my way to contact you and provide you up to the
minute information regarding this course.
Social Grid Policy: I am also putting
forth effort to engage my students via Facebook and Twitter.
Feel free to add me on Facebook, just let me know who you
are and what class you are coming from to ensure you will
be added. Feel free to follow me on Twitter, http://twitter.com/DrDeArmond.com.
This Twitter link is also found within the Communicate Tab
of WTClass.
You can also view the methods to my madness on my blog, http://www.drdearmond.blogspot.com.
I use this space to communicate thoughts I may have left our
lectures with, or just random things that occur, however,
I do my best to put a practical, business framework around
my threaded comments.
Please note, it is not my intention to utilize the Social
Grid in any negative way with respect to you as an individual.
This is merely another way of communicating quick messages
to individuals within my courses and engage my students
in a professional, social way. I feel it to be very important
that my students understand I am a real person just as I
understand you are a real person as well. The utilization
of the social grid allows for me to understand more about
you, and tailor content based on this understanding. This
is NOT a required component of the course.
Dropping the course: Should a student
decide to drop the course, it is the student's responsibility
to be aware of the final drop dates and adhere to the WTAMU
Ad/Drop policy. Any student participating in the course
after the WTAMU posted drop date, will be considered active
and a grade will be administered at the end of the course
for that student.
Other final notes: In the words of my
great friend, mentor, and colleague, Dr. R. Nicholas Gerlich,
I do not believe in "curving" grades. In other
words, you get what you deserve. I abide strictly by the
grade scale listed in the course syllabus. There will be
no free points, no free grade adjustments, no lenience.
Period.
I will not tolerate any form of cheating, which can take
the form of copying from others during exams, plagiarizing,
sharing, etc. For any assignment or exam for which you have
cheated you will receive the most severe penalty available
under university rules. This will be at minimum a score
of 0 for the said exam or assignment.
I will not respond to pleas at semester's end for additional
points, extra consideration, etc. If you feel there has
been a mistake on my behalf regarding the posting of your
grades, you may feel free to contact me, and I will investigate
the matter. Under no circumstances, however, will I make
adjustments simply for your benefit.
Finally, if you are having difficulty completing the course
because of health problems (yours or that of close family
members), or other personal matters, it is your responsibility
to meet with me to discuss your options.
Terms of Use
A student's continued enrollment in this course signifies
acknowledgment of and agreement with the statements, disclaimers,
policies, and procedures outlined below and elsewhere in
the WTClass container.
College of Business Writing Component
(as applicable)
Students earning a BBA degree must complete at least one
course with a writing component outside of their major as
part of the business core requirements. The College of Business
writing component is a requirement in the following courses:
ACCT 3311, ACCT 4315, IDM 2310, ECON 4321, ECON 4361, FIN
3350, FIN 4321, MGT 4333, MGT 4370, MKT 3342, MKT 3350.
Students in a writing component course are explicitly required
to demonstrate knowledge of communication skills. Specific
objectives may include but are not limited to the following
concepts put forth by the National Business Education Association:
(1) ability to organize a written and an oral message coherently
and effectively, (2) ability to use technology for communication,
(3) ability to research a topic, prepare a report, and present
the findings to all organizational levels, and (4) ability
to demonstrate critical-thinking skills. Specific course
requirements and the role of the writing component with
respect to student grading policy are at the discretion
of the course instructor of record.
Technology Requirements
All technological requirements for the successful completion
of this course are the responsibility of the student, including
access to a working computer with broadband internet connection
and state-of-the-art security. The student is responsible
for all technological problems not related to WTAMU, including
but not limited to equipment failures, power outages, and
internet breakdowns. Furthermore, students are responsible
for all necessary technical and operational skills for completing
this course, and for being familiar with WTClass (the Online
Learning System) both in a general sense and in a specific
sense as pertaining to this course and any materials stored
within. The professor is not responsible for any technical
matters related to WTClass. Students must contact WTClass
if they have problems accessing and/or using Angel.
Viewpoints Disclaimer
The views expressed in this document, web-based course materials,
and/or classroom presentations are those of the professor
and do not necessarily represent the views of West Texas
A&M University, its faculty and staff, or its students.
Views expressed by students are likewise those of the person
making such statements.
External Web sites Disclaimer
Neither the professor, the College of Business, nor WTAMU
are responsible for the content of external web sites discussed
in the classroom and/or linked to via online course materials,
emails, message boards, or other means. Referred web sites
are for illustrative purposes only, and are neither warranted
nor endorsed by the professor, College of Business, or WTAMU.
Web pages change frequently, as does domain name ownership.
While every effort is made to ensure proper referencing,
it is possible that students may on occasion find materials
to be objectionable for reasons beyond our control.
Copyright
All original content in this document, all web-based course
materials (be they text, audio, and/or video), and/or classroom
presentations are © by Dr. De'Arno De'Armond. No distribution
without the express written consent of the author. Students
are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes
during this course to or by any person or commercial firm
without the express written permission of the professor.
Repeating Course Work
Students are charged a fee for any course attempted for
a third or subsequent time at WTAMU other than a non-degree
credit developmental course or exempted courses.
Disabilities
West Texas A&M University seeks to provide reasonable
accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities.
This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state,
and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect
to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford
equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility
to register with Disability Support Services and to contact
the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable
accommodations.
Scholastic Dishonesty
It is the responsibility of students and instructors to
help maintain scholastic integrity at the University by
refusing to participate in or tolerate scholastic dishonesty.
Commission of any of the following acts shall constitute
scholastic dishonesty. This listing is not exclusive of
any other acts that may reasonably be said to constitute
scholastic dishonesty: acquiring or providing information
for any assigned work or examination from any unauthorized
source; informing any person or persons of the contents
of any examination prior to the time the examination is
given in subsequent sections of the course or as a makeup;
plagiarism; submission of a paper or project that is substantially
the same for two courses unless expressly authorized by
the instructor to do so; submission of a paper or project
prepared by another student as your own. You are responsible
for being familiar with the university's Academic Integrity
Code.
Physical or Educational Access
West Texas A&M University seeks to provide reasonable
accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities.
This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state
and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect
to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford
equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility
to register with Disability Support Services and to contact
the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable
accommodations.
Evacuation Statement
If you receive notice to evacuate the building, please evacuate
promptly but in an orderly manner. Evacuation routes are
posted in various locations indicating all exits, outside
assemble area, location of fire extinguishers, fire alarm
pull stations and emergency telephone numbers (651.5000
or 911). In the event an evacuation is necessary: evacuate
immediately do not use elevators; take all personal belongings
with you; report to outside assembly area and wait for further
information; students needing assistance in the evacuation
process should bring this to the attention of the instructor
at the beginning of the semester.
Chemical and Equipment Safety Statement
Safety is everyone's responsibility. Material Safety Data
Sheets (MSDSs) are provided for all chemicals used in this
class. MSDSs provide information about physical properties,
health risks, fire explosion data, and other important information
associated with these chemicals. Before handling or using
a chemical, you should refer to the MSDS for that chemical.
It is your responsibility to inform the instructor in writing
of any health conditions that may prevent you from safely
using a chemical (pregnancy, auto immune deficiency, etc.).
It is also the responsibility of the student to report any
spill or problems found while storing or using a chemical.
If you are unsure about a chemical, always ask. If you see
any unsafe condition, notify your instructor immediately.
If you are unsure about the proper and safe operation of
any piece of equipment, ask your instructor for proper instruction.
All injuries, spill of materials and unsafe conditions must
be reported to the instructor immediately.
Syllabus Subject to Change without prior notice. In
the event of a major change I will notify you via course
mail or discussion forum as soon as possible. (C) 2009-2010
Dr. De'Arno De'Armond, WTAMU.
Top of Page
|
