Case Study: Hero Builders Assignment
Case Study: Hero Builders Assignment
Q1. Which of the four types of studies are presented in this case?
The overall study performed by Vicale includes multiple types of study approaches including
descriptive and observation studies. A descriptive study answers the basic questions about a
situation – who, what, where, when and/or how much (Schindler, 2022, p.79). In the case of
HeroBuilders.com, Vicale utilized a descriptive study as his first step to collect information to
answer these questions as part of his due diligence. Preliminary due diligence aids researchers
in gaining control and understanding of available research methods, specifically in regards to
what will and will not work best in the given study (Eden & Nielsen, 2020, p.1619). As part of his
due diligence, Vicale examined that market trends showed that girls were also a viable target for
action figures. In addition, he obtained competitive intelligence, showing that there were
several competitors, specifically the toy “mega-producer”, Hasbro, currently operating in the
action figure market. It can be inferred based on the uniqueness of Vicale’s idea that few, if any,
of these competitors were actively operating in the niche market of political action heroes or
customization. His study also includes a legal aspect to ensure that his usage of a person’s
likeness (such as President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair) would not
cause legal issues by researching that aspect with a lawyer. In addition, Vicale utilized an
observation study when he took a look at the retail space to observe how toy aisles were
aligned and gather additional data points on the buying habits of potential customers.
Q2. Using the criteria in Exhibit 2-1, evaluate the research that HeroBuilders.com conducted
prior to launching its hero and villain action figure business.
Case Study: Hero Builders Assignment
In the text, Schindler presents six standards that define a researcher’s responsibilities – clearly
defined purpose, research design thoroughly planned and executed, high ethical standards
applied, adequate analysis for decision maker’s needs, limitations frankly revealed and findings
reported unambiguously; insights and conclusions justified (2022).
