netrashetty
Netra Shetty
Briggs & Stratton is the world's largest manufacturer of air-cooled gasoline engines for primarily outdoor power equipment. Current production averages 11 million engines per year.
Research design
A conclusive research design is suitable for this market research using a cross-sectional approach. Since the focus of the research is the perception of the public, it is suggested that the perceptions of the people will be studied at a particular time, and the closest time possible on the alleged occurrence of the controversies. In this way, the perceptions of the people are shaped by their knowledge of these controversies.
A survey strategy will be used and questionnaire will be developed. It is suggested that the questionnaire will have two parts: demographic and perceptions-related questions. Further, the questionnaire itself will be bilingual hence with interpretations in English and Mandarin. This was chosen since the questionnaire method can generate a large amount of data in an economical way. Ranking, close- and open-ended questions will be likely used in the questionnaire. Questionnaires will be number coded since names of the respondents will not be collected.
The study will target at least 1% of the total population to reflect the diversity in perceptions on the corporate image of REDA. Non-probability sampling technique will be used. Specifically, convenience sampling will be employed since it can make the survey faster and easier. This is critical because there is a need to avoid time bias wherein the public can instantly change their perceptions about the organisation through the mediation of the local media.
Data collection
Primary and secondary data will be collected. In primary research, Hong Kong residents will be surveyed. Survey of the respondents will be conducted in places with high human traffic such as in the business district. The survey will be self-administered so that if the respondent decided to accomplish the questionnaire at a later time s/he can do so.
Secondary data, on the other hand, will be collected from previous research reports, company reports, newspaper editorials and journal articles. Collected information from these sources will be treated as primer or backgrounders.
Data analysis
Results will be tabulated using the SPSS software. Aside from descriptive statistics of weighted mean and percentage, data will be compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). For the open-ended questions, qualitative data analysis will be used for the purpose of extracting the most relevant themes from the analysed data and then categorised them accordingly. As such, thematic content and comparative analysis will be used.
Reporting
Results of the market research will be reported via written reports including a newsletter that will be prepared by REDA. This newsletter will be disseminated for public readership free of charge. Such a newsletter will feature the results as well as how REDA could likely do to address the different perceptions of the public.
Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information. This information is used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; to generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; to monitor marketing performance; and to improve understanding of the marketing process. Marketing research specifies the information, manages and implements the data-collection process, analyzes the results, and communicates the findings and their implications. Marketing research is concerned with the application of theories, problem-solving methods, and techniques to identify and solve problems in marketing. In order to offset unpredictable consumer behavior, companies invest in market research.
Increased customer focus, demands for resource productivity, and increased domestic and international competition has prompted an increased emphasis on marketing research. Managers cannot always wait for information to arrive in bits and pieces from marketing departments. They often require formal studies of specific situations. For example, Dell Computer might want to know a demographic breakdown of how many and what kinds of people or companies will purchase a new model in its personal computer line. In such situations, the marketing department may not be able to provide from existing knowledge the detailed information needed, and managers normally do not have the skill or time to obtain the information on their own. This formal study, whether performed internally or externally, is called marketing research.
The marketing research process consists of four steps: defining the problem and research objectives, developing the research plan, implementing the research plan, and interpreting and reporting the findings.
DEFINING THE OBJECTIVES
The marketing manager and the researcher must work closely together to define the problem carefully and agree on the research objectives. The manager best understands the decision for which information is needed; the researcher best understands marketing research and how to obtain the information.
Managers must know enough about marketing research to help in the planning and to interpret research results. Managers who know little about the importance of research may obtain irrelevant information or accept inaccurate conclusions. Experienced marketing researchers who understand the manager's problem should also be involved at this stage. The researcher must be able to help the manager define the problem and to suggest ways that research can help the manager make better decisions.
Defining the problem and research objectives is often the hardest step in the research process. The manager may know that something is wrong without knowing the specific causes. For example, managers of a retail clothing store chain decided that falling sales were caused by poor floor set-up and incorrect product positioning. However, research concluded that neither problem was the cause. It turned out that the store had hired sales persons who weren't properly trained in providing good customer service. Careful problem definition would have avoided the cost and delay of research and would have suggested research on the real problem.
When the problem has been defined, the manager and researcher must set the research objectives. A marketing research project might have one of three types of objectives. Sometimes the objective is exploratory—to gather preliminary information that will help define the problem and suggest hypotheses. Sometimes the objective is descriptive—to describe things such as the market potential for a product or the demographics and attitudes of consumers who buy the product. Sometimes the objective is casual—to test hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships.
Research design
A conclusive research design is suitable for this market research using a cross-sectional approach. Since the focus of the research is the perception of the public, it is suggested that the perceptions of the people will be studied at a particular time, and the closest time possible on the alleged occurrence of the controversies. In this way, the perceptions of the people are shaped by their knowledge of these controversies.
A survey strategy will be used and questionnaire will be developed. It is suggested that the questionnaire will have two parts: demographic and perceptions-related questions. Further, the questionnaire itself will be bilingual hence with interpretations in English and Mandarin. This was chosen since the questionnaire method can generate a large amount of data in an economical way. Ranking, close- and open-ended questions will be likely used in the questionnaire. Questionnaires will be number coded since names of the respondents will not be collected.
The study will target at least 1% of the total population to reflect the diversity in perceptions on the corporate image of REDA. Non-probability sampling technique will be used. Specifically, convenience sampling will be employed since it can make the survey faster and easier. This is critical because there is a need to avoid time bias wherein the public can instantly change their perceptions about the organisation through the mediation of the local media.
Data collection
Primary and secondary data will be collected. In primary research, Hong Kong residents will be surveyed. Survey of the respondents will be conducted in places with high human traffic such as in the business district. The survey will be self-administered so that if the respondent decided to accomplish the questionnaire at a later time s/he can do so.
Secondary data, on the other hand, will be collected from previous research reports, company reports, newspaper editorials and journal articles. Collected information from these sources will be treated as primer or backgrounders.
Data analysis
Results will be tabulated using the SPSS software. Aside from descriptive statistics of weighted mean and percentage, data will be compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). For the open-ended questions, qualitative data analysis will be used for the purpose of extracting the most relevant themes from the analysed data and then categorised them accordingly. As such, thematic content and comparative analysis will be used.
Reporting
Results of the market research will be reported via written reports including a newsletter that will be prepared by REDA. This newsletter will be disseminated for public readership free of charge. Such a newsletter will feature the results as well as how REDA could likely do to address the different perceptions of the public.
Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information. This information is used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; to generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; to monitor marketing performance; and to improve understanding of the marketing process. Marketing research specifies the information, manages and implements the data-collection process, analyzes the results, and communicates the findings and their implications. Marketing research is concerned with the application of theories, problem-solving methods, and techniques to identify and solve problems in marketing. In order to offset unpredictable consumer behavior, companies invest in market research.
Increased customer focus, demands for resource productivity, and increased domestic and international competition has prompted an increased emphasis on marketing research. Managers cannot always wait for information to arrive in bits and pieces from marketing departments. They often require formal studies of specific situations. For example, Dell Computer might want to know a demographic breakdown of how many and what kinds of people or companies will purchase a new model in its personal computer line. In such situations, the marketing department may not be able to provide from existing knowledge the detailed information needed, and managers normally do not have the skill or time to obtain the information on their own. This formal study, whether performed internally or externally, is called marketing research.
The marketing research process consists of four steps: defining the problem and research objectives, developing the research plan, implementing the research plan, and interpreting and reporting the findings.
DEFINING THE OBJECTIVES
The marketing manager and the researcher must work closely together to define the problem carefully and agree on the research objectives. The manager best understands the decision for which information is needed; the researcher best understands marketing research and how to obtain the information.
Managers must know enough about marketing research to help in the planning and to interpret research results. Managers who know little about the importance of research may obtain irrelevant information or accept inaccurate conclusions. Experienced marketing researchers who understand the manager's problem should also be involved at this stage. The researcher must be able to help the manager define the problem and to suggest ways that research can help the manager make better decisions.
Defining the problem and research objectives is often the hardest step in the research process. The manager may know that something is wrong without knowing the specific causes. For example, managers of a retail clothing store chain decided that falling sales were caused by poor floor set-up and incorrect product positioning. However, research concluded that neither problem was the cause. It turned out that the store had hired sales persons who weren't properly trained in providing good customer service. Careful problem definition would have avoided the cost and delay of research and would have suggested research on the real problem.
When the problem has been defined, the manager and researcher must set the research objectives. A marketing research project might have one of three types of objectives. Sometimes the objective is exploratory—to gather preliminary information that will help define the problem and suggest hypotheses. Sometimes the objective is descriptive—to describe things such as the market potential for a product or the demographics and attitudes of consumers who buy the product. Sometimes the objective is casual—to test hypotheses about cause-and-effect relationships.