Market Research
Main language of instruction: English
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish
Head instructor
Part I. General background: the company-consumer relationship
- Socio-cultural environment
- Key trends, emerging and residuals.
- The company-consumer relationship.
- The emotional link.
Part II. Basic notions of psychology
- Role and task of psychology
- Principal schools
-Psychology and company
- Psychology and consumption
Part III. The role of the "Institut de recerca"
- The role of the researcher.
- Types of business demand.
- Manifesto
- Latent
- Main tasks
- Preparation of project fieldwork and study.
Part IV. The survey process
1. Customer demand.
- Prepared briefing.
2. The research project.
- Realization of project.
- Objectives and methodology.
- Other aspects: timing, materials, budget, etc..
3. The survey.
- Fieldwork.
Focus groups, interviews, mystery shopping, etc..
- Analysis of results.
- Development report for the client.
- Presentation of results.
Part V. Quantitative Market Research
- The process of Market Research
- Types of Market Research
- Exploratory, Descriptive and Causal Research
- Ethics in market research
Part VI. Market Research Techniques
- Types of Data
- Questionnaire Design
- Population and sampling
Part VII. Advanced Methods
- Regression
- Factor analysis
Part VIII. Report preparation and presentation
- Report preparation
- Structure of research report
- Presentation process
The following evaluation system will be applied for the First and the Second sitting.
Attitude and class participation |
20% |
Continuous evaluation (assignments, exercises, etc.) |
30% |
*Final exam (composed of two midterm exams) |
50% |
* The final exam grade will be calculated as follows:
The point values obtained in the mid-course exam of Qualitative Research (Topics I-IV) and the mid-course exam of Quantitative Research (Topics V-VIII).
** In the second sitting the marks obtained in Attitude and class participation (20%), and Continuous evaluation (30%) will be maintained. A new final exam equivalent to 50% will be taken.
To pass the course the student must get at least a 5 in the final exam.
Main Textbook:
- Gilbert A. Churchill and Dawn Iacobucci (2010), 10th Edition: Marketing Research Methodological Foundations. South-Western Publishing Co. (ISBN-10: 1439081018).
Other References:
- Naresh K Malhotra (2008), 5th Edición: Investigación de Mercados. Pearson/Prentice Hall. (ISBN 10: 970-26-1185-7). Spanish version of the 5th Edition: Marketing research. An applied orientation (2007). Pearson/Prentice Hall. (ISBN 10: 970-26-1185-7).