Marketing Research Manager Take Home Exam

Task

Your boss, Mr. Carrigan, is looking to promote one individual to Marketing Research Manager.
He has asked all candidates to complete the following Take Home Exam.

1. Create a Marketing Scenario - Choose an existing brand and create a new product or service for that brand. For instance, a new line of energy drink for Red Bull (you can’t use this example). In a single paragraph (200 words max) describe the new product or service (i.e. features, advantages, benefits, etc.) Be sure to also identify the target market of your new product or service (i.e. persona of the typical buyer).

2. Develop a Research Brief to present to the client. Include the following:
a. Background (use your marketing scenario)
b. Management problem statement
c. Research problem statement
d. Research objectives (at least three)
e. Research design (justify)
f. Target audience (for the research)
g. Sampling method and frame (justify)
h. Timing (include time estimates for both data gathering and report writing)
i. Available budget (assume $50,000)
j. Contact details (use Mr. Carrigan)

3. Survey Design (targeting the audience described in your research brief)
a. State the objective of your survey (100 words max). connect it to the management decision problem and research problem statement
b. State your recommended Survey Method (i.e. mall intercepts, mail, online, telephone) and justify.
c. Create a survey composed of 10 questions (focus on structure and sequence, using a blend of question structures appropriate to each question)
d. Justify how each survey question will support the Research Objectives identified in #2(d) above (single statement in parenthesis).

4. Experiment Design – in addition to the survey (#3), Mr. Carrigan would like you to describe an experience that could also be run (based on your research problem statement and design in #2)
a. Describe an experiment to test the viability of your new product/service idea (150 words max)
b. Identify the independent variable
c. Identify the dependent variable
d. Identify at least one extraneous variable

The evaluation criteria for this assignment includes 8% for professionalism, which includes spelling, grammar, clarity and general presentation of the assignment, consistent with minimum business standards.
Late assignments will be subject to a 20% per day late penalty (including weekends), up to a maximum 3 days. Any assignment submitted after the 3 day maximum will receive a grade of zero. Students should communicate to the professor in advance for any request for a due date extension as a result of exceptional circumstances, which is at the professor's discretion.
Any previously submitted assessments will not be accepted and will be given a grade of zero (0). Note: This includes any assessments from any other Durham College course and/or Institutions.