assignment 1

Unit 4

GB500 | Business Perspectives

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Unit 4 Assignment: Learning From the Experts-The Importance of Market Research In your Marketplace Simulation game play today, you will be concentrating on growth options and using market research to help you in your decision making. Bont and Hamersveld (2007) tell us “Today, organisations, when making key decisions, are mindful of the importance of ensuring that they understand the views and opinions of current and potential customers and know what competitors are doing in the marketplace” (p.3). Understanding the role of market research and the many methods for conducting market research will be valuable for your work in this class and others in your program. Learning from Subject Matter Experts (SME) in market research is the focus of this week’s Assignment and Discussion. For this Assignment you will be:

 Reviewing the information in this week’s readings and sources you identify in your own research.

 Identifying areas about market research that are particularly interesting to you or that you would like to know more about.

 Creating a set of 3-6 questions using the information you have gained in your readings and research that will help you gain a greater understanding of these areas.

 Identifying a market research professional or a company where a representative can talk to you in more detail about the market research process. For some ideas on how you can identify a market research professional or company view the short video: http://extmedia.kaplan.edu/business/Media/GB500/u4/GB500_u4assignment.html

 Talk with your current employer and see if there is a department in your company that

performs this function.  Talk with family and friends  Use the social media and networking sites, i.e., Facebook and LinkedIn, etc.  Look for companies that conduct market research and contact them  Contact your local Chamber of Commerce and get referrals

 Conducting an interview with a market research professional or a company representative.  Using the results of this research to determine how it can be applied to the Marketplace

Simulation. You will post the results of your work in a 3-4 page APA formatted paper, not including cover and reference page, to your Unit 4 Discussion Board by Saturday night.

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Your peers will be commenting on your work and you should use this feedback to improve your paper in anticipation its final submission to the Unit 4 Assignment Dropbox- Learning From the Experts on Tuesday night. Grading Rubric

Criteria

Maximum Points

1. Provide an overview of Market Research using this

week’s readings and at least two other academically credible sources you identify in your own research

15

2. Identify at least two areas of market research and/or data gathering/analysis techniques that you want to learn more about. Describe why these are of interest to you

15

3. Create a set of questions to use in an interview using the results of your research and readings

15

4. Identify a market research professional or a company where a representative can talk to you in more detail about the market research process

10

5. Complete the interview and write up the results

15

6. Conclude by explaining how you can apply this information to increase your success in the Marketplace Simulation

10

7. Writing style, grammar, APA format, and citation style compliance

20

Total

100