Market Research Proposal

Cover

Executiv

e Summary (mention organization, key ‘out

-

takes’ from main sections in the Proposal)

Table

of

Contents

1.

Introductio

n

2.

The Research Issue & The Contex

t

3.

Justification for Conducting Research (why the research is important, what benefits does it

bring about for the organization

)

4.

Description of the Research Problem/Opportunity (define why there is an ‘information gap’,

put the Research Problem/Opportunity in

a 1

-

2 line statement

)

5.

Research Questions Emerging from the Problem/Opportunity (if there are sub

-

dimensions

to the Research Problem/Opportunity statement, design Research Questions (basically

broad research themes/topic areas around them. Suggest 2

-

3 Rese

arch Questions. Max of

4

6.

Information Needs under Each Research Question (for each Research Question, make a

listing of the types of information likely to be needed. Suggest 4

-

5 for each of the Research

Question

s

7.

Appropriate Research Approach (exploratory,

descriptive, correlation, causal) then decide

primary or secondary research, then decide (if primary) whether qualitative or quantitativ

e

8.

Data Collection Design Overview (if qualitative

–

focus groups or in

-

depth interviews, if

quantitative

–

surveys, or e

xperiments, then consider if any role for observation

)

9.

Proposed Data Collection Methodology (if focus groups, in

-

depth interviews, surveys,

experiments, observations, detail the approach to be taken e.g. for focus groups or in

-

depth

interviews

–

central lo

cation or elsewhere, unstructured or semi

-

structured, for surveys

–

interviewer or self

-

completion, where, any technology used, for experiments

–

in labs or ‘in

the field’, for observations

–

disguised or undisguised

)

10.

Proposed Sampling Design (if probabili

ty or non

-

probability, if probability which particular

sub

-

type e.g. simple random probability, if non

-

probability which particular sub

-

type e.g.

convenience, then consider sample size, and justify reason for chosen size

)

11.

Proposed Data Analysis Methodology

(if focus groups, or in

-

depth interviews

–

human

content or software based analysis, if surveys or experiments

–

univariate, bivariate or

multivariate analysis, reasons for choice of analysis metho

d

12.

Ethical Issues (identify any ethical issues associated,

with information collection, sample

design, data analysis

-

think anonymity, confidentiality, privacy, embarrassing questions

etc., solutions to overcome them

)

Cover

Executive Summary (mention organization, key ‘out-takes’ from main sections in the Proposal)

TableofContents

1. Introduction

2. The Research Issue & The Context

3. Justification for Conducting Research (why the research is important, what benefits does it

bring about for the organization)

4. Description of the Research Problem/Opportunity (define why there is an ‘information gap’,

put the Research Problem/Opportunity in a 1-2 line statement)

5. Research Questions Emerging from the Problem/Opportunity (if there are sub-dimensions

to the Research Problem/Opportunity statement, design Research Questions (basically

broad research themes/topic areas around them. Suggest 2-3 Research Questions. Max of

4

6. Information Needs under Each Research Question (for each Research Question, make a

listing of the types of information likely to be needed. Suggest 4-5 for each of the Research

Questions

7. Appropriate Research Approach (exploratory, descriptive, correlation, causal) then decide

primary or secondary research, then decide (if primary) whether qualitative or quantitative

8. Data Collection Design Overview (if qualitative – focus groups or in-depth interviews, if

quantitative – surveys, or experiments, then consider if any role for observation)

9. Proposed Data Collection Methodology (if focus groups, in-depth interviews, surveys,

experiments, observations, detail the approach to be taken e.g. for focus groups or in-depth

interviews – central location or elsewhere, unstructured or semi-structured, for surveys –

interviewer or self-completion, where, any technology used, for experiments – in labs or ‘in

the field’, for observations – disguised or undisguised)

10. Proposed Sampling Design (if probability or non-probability, if probability which particular

sub-type e.g. simple random probability, if non-probability which particular sub-type e.g.

convenience, then consider sample size, and justify reason for chosen size)

11. Proposed Data Analysis Methodology (if focus groups, or in-depth interviews – human

content or software based analysis, if surveys or experiments – univariate, bivariate or

multivariate analysis, reasons for choice of analysis method

12. Ethical Issues (identify any ethical issues associated, with information collection, sample

design, data analysis - think anonymity, confidentiality, privacy, embarrassing questions

etc., solutions to overcome them)