Research Proposal

ASSESSMENT TASK 3 – DATA ANALYSIS REPORT BRIEF

Case: Case 1.1 Dell Direct

Format: Maximum of 1000 words (including tables reporting key findings in the main report, but excluding appendices of statistical outputs)

Issues to address:

Dell has commissioned a survey among consumers (see data file) that your marketing research firm has been asked to analyse. To survive and grow in a highly competitive market, Dell is keen on learning how to improve its segmentation and targeting strategies. To this end, your project leader has asked that you address the following questions (please see Page 3 for more information regarding variable transformation):

1. Is there a relationship between the recoded questions of Q4 (overall satisfaction with Dell), Q5 (would recommend Dell), Q6 (likelihood of choosing Dell) and the recoded demographic characteristics?

2. Is there a relationship between the recoded questions on price sensitivity [Q9_5per (Q9A) and Q9_10per (Q9B)] and the recoded demographic characteristics?

3. Are the two overall satisfaction groups derived based on the recoding of Q4 different in terms of each of the evaluations of Dell (Q8_1 to Q8_13)?

4. Are the two likelihood of choosing Dell groups derived based on the recoding of Q6 different in terms of each of the evaluations of Dell (Q8_1 to Q8_13)?

5. Is the mean of responses to Q8_1 (makes ordering a computer system easy) and Q8_2 (lets customers order computer systems customised to their specifications) different?

6. Is the mean responses to Q8_6 (has computers that run programs quickly) and Q8_7 (has high quality computers with no technical problems) different?

7. Can overall satisfaction (Q4) be explained in terms of all thirteen evaluations of Dell (Q8_1 to Q8_13) when the independent variables are considered simultaneously?

8. Can the likelihood of choosing Dell (Q6) be explained in terms of all thirteen evaluations of Dell (Q8_1 to Q8_13) when the independent variables are considered simultaneously?

Using the analysis techniques discussed in the textbook, undertake the analysis and write up the results in a report format. When performing the analysis and writing up your report, please ensure you address the following issues:

1. Formulate the relevant null and alternative hypotheses 2. Identify the appropriate test and justify accordingly

Your report should present meaningful findings and implications that will assist Dell in achieving its goals and objectives. Essentially, in summarising and reflecting on the results of your analyses, what recommendations do you have for Dell managers?

Your report could be structured as follows:

1. Introduction – provide a short overview of the case study and briefly outline the structure of the report. 2. Body (presentation of statistical findings) – address each question individually, reporting and discussing key findings using relevant statistical

information (customised tables could be used here instead of copying the entire output directly from SPSS). 3. Conclusion (discussion of qualitative insights) – summarise the key findings for each question (e.g., whether a relationship or difference

exists) and provide a managerial report based on those findings. 4. Appendices 5. References (if any)

Some of the questions you have been given may require that you create new variables in the data set, or recode existing variables. This type of activity does not always clearly show up on the SPSS output. To ensure you are awarded marks (as appropriate) for this section, please submit the output of your analysis as appendices, adding comments to your output if and where necessary (e.g., by highlighting it so that your commentary is clearly differentiated from the output itself). The questions within the data set that require transformation are:

1. Overall satisfaction (Q4) to be recoded into two groups: • Very satisfied (rating of 1), and • Somewhat satisfied or dissatisfied (ratings of 2, 3 and 4).

2. Recommendation likelihood (Q5) to be recoded into two groups: • Definitely would recommend (rating of 1), and • Probably would or less likely to recommend (ratings of 2, 3, 4 and 5).

3. Likelihood of choosing Dell (Q6) to be recoded into two groups: • Definitely would choose (rating of 1), and • Probably would or less likely to choose (ratings of 2, 3, 4 and 5).

4. Price sensitivity at 5% [Q9_5per (Q9A)] to be recoded into three groups: • Definitely or probably would have purchased (ratings of 1 and 2), • Might or might not have purchased (rating of 3), and • Probably or definitely would not have purchased (ratings of 4 and 5).

5. Price sensitivity at 10% [Q9_10per (Q9B)] to be recoded into three groups: • Definitely or probably would have purchased and might or might not have purchased (ratings of 1, 2 and 3), • Probably would not have purchased (rating of 4), and • Definitely would not have purchased (rating of 5).

6. Demographic characteristics: • The two lowest education (Q11) categories to be recoded into a single category. Thus, some high school or less and high school

graduate will be combined into a single category labelled “High school graduate or less”. • Age (Q12) to be recoded into four new categories: 18 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 or older. • The two lowest income (Q13) categories to be recoded into a single category labelled “Under $30,000”.