Study Programmes 2015-2016
MARK0793-1  
Consumer Intelligence and Marketing Research
Duration :
30h Th
Number of credits :
Master in management (120 ECTS)5
Lecturer :
Zelal Ates
Language(s) of instruction :
English language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the second semester
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Course contents :
Information is regarded as the essential raw material in today's business. In contexts of uncertainty and constant change, companies which know how to collect, to organize, to analyze and to interpret relevant information effectively are said to have a competitive advantage in the market. Therefore, making effective use of consumer intelligence is one of the most important challenges facing professionals today. Managers all over the world have to decide every day how to collect and process information about market developments, how to transform this information into insight, and how to incorporate the insight into their strategic marketing decisions. This is a basic course giving an overview of consumer intelligence in marketing. In line with the ILO of the Master's program, Consumer Intelligence follows a three-pronged approach combining: (1) a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary orientation; (2) an international scope; and (3) a practical perspective.
Learning outcomes of the course :
Having successfully completed this course, students should be able to
-       Understand the benefits of an effective consumer intelligence, i.e. early warning system, analysis support, forecasting, generation of alternatives, well-founded decision making;
-       Use and critically evaluate the toolset for strategic watch and data collection:
  • Diagnose gaps in marketing decision-makers' knowledge;
  • Be aware of the many sources of primary and secondary marketing data;
  • Utilize various procedures for the acquisition of information linking qualitative and quantitative research designs;
  • Know how technology and software can enhance the efficiency and quality of the data collection process;
  • Assess the biases and limitations of alternative means for gathering and analyzing such information;
  • Be able to interpret, communicate, and impart research results to marketing management;
  • Appreciate the contextual constraints of conducting marketing research in international markets;
-       Recognize ethical issues in consumer intelligence.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
This course will employ a seminar format with students expected to take a very active role in their learning: Consumer Intelligence & Market Research relies on interactive lessons, aiming both on the development of intellectual understanding and on the development of communication skills. The course includes transmitting problem-centered information, especially the clarification of alternative concepts, collaborative learning in groups, and outside speakers. Participants are strongly invited to present their own examples or experiences to enrich discussion.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Recommended or required readings :
Required
Sarstedt Marko and Mooi, Erik (2014): A Concise Guide to Market Research: The Process, Data, and Methods Using IBM SPSS Statistics, 2nd ed., Springer. Free download possible at ULg Library (http://lib.ulg.ac.be/).
Optional
Aaker, David A., V. Kumar, and George S. Day (2007): Marketing Research, 9th ed., John Wiley & Sons.
Belk, Russell, Fischer, Eileen and Kozinets, Robert V. (2013), Qualitative Consumer & Marketing Research, London.
Cooper, Donald R., and Schindler, Pamela S. (2003) Business Research Methods, 8th ed., McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Hair, Joseph F., Rolph E. Anderson, Ronald L. Tatham, and William C. Black (1998), Multivariate Data Analysis, 5th ed., MacMillan Publishing Co.
Hauschild, Susanne, Licht, Thomas and Stein, Wolfram (2001), Creating a knowledge culture, The McKinsey Quarterly, No.1, p. 74-81.
Huff, Darrell (1993): How to lie with Statistics, W.W. Norton & Comp, London.
ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market and Social Research: http://www.esomar.org/uploads/public/knowledge-and-standards/codes-and-guidelines/ESOMAR_ICC-ESOMAR_Code_English.pdf.
Jacobson, Al and Prusak, Laurence (2006), The cost of knowledge, in: Harvard Business Review, November 2006, Vol. 84, Issue 11, p. 34.
Liebowitz, Jay (2006), Strategic Intelligence: Business Intelligence, Competitive Intelligence, and Knowledge Management, Boca Raton.
Lilien, Gary L., and Arvind Rangaswamy (2004), Marketing Engineering: Computer Assisted Marketing Analysis and Planning, Trafford Publishing.
Malhotra, Naresh K., Birks, David F. and Wills, Peter (2012), Marketing Research: An Applied Approach, 4th Edition, Harlow. 
Nakata, Cheryl and Zhu, Zhen (2006): Information Technology and Customer Orientation: A Study of Direct, Mediated, and Interactive Linkages, in: Journal of Marketing Management, April 2006, Vol. 22, Issue 3/4, p. 319-354.
Sarstedt, Marko, Fabian Festge, and Manfred Schwaiger (2006). ,,Packing the Black Gold: Haver & Boecker and the Chinese Bitumen Market," Management Case Study Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2, 34-45.
Schwaiger, Manfred and Matthias Meyer (2002). "The Estimation of Market Volumes," in: Chamoni, P.; Leisten, R.; Martin, A.; Minnemann, J.; Stadtler, H. [Eds.]: Operations Research Proceedings 2001, Selected Papers of the International Conference on Operations Research (OR 2001), Berlin et. al, 109-116.
Solomon, Michael R., Greg W. Marshall, and Elnora W. Stuart (2008), Marketing. Real People, Real Choices, 5th ed., Upper Saddle River: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Trim, Peter R. J. and Lee, Yang-Im (2008), A strategic marketing intelligence and multi-organizational resilience framework, in: European Journal of Marketing, 2008, Vol. 42, Issue 7/8, p. 731-745.
Assessment methods and criteria :
Consumer Research Project (group): 20% The goal of this assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of key terms and concepts from the Consumer Intelligence & Market Research course. Part of the assignment will be to collect and analyze qualitative data. The consumer research project, which involves a series of steps of work, runs throughout the whole semester. The presentations of the consumer research project will be scheduled on the last session(s). Additional details will be provided in the first session.
SPSS Case Study Assignments (individual): 20% These assignments require students to demonstrate the application of a quantitative method, executed in IBM SPSS Statistics, with an illustrated real-life case.
Final Exam (individual): 60% The final exam will consist of multiple choice and/or short essay questions.
Class Participation (individual): +/- 2 Points (Bonus/Malus) Class participation is evaluated not only on the basis of volume or extent of participation, but also on the basis of quality. To participate effectively it is essential to read the assigned materials prior to class.
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
-       Students are expected to attend class, have read the assignment for the session and participate in the discussions.
-       Missed deadlines may not be made up except for verified illness or family emergency.
Contacts :
For lecture content, please contact Dr Zelal Ates (Zelal.Ates@ulg.ac.be; 04 366 46 95);
for SPSS exercises, please contact  Marta Lara Quintanilla (Marta.LaraQuintanilla@ulg.ac.be) or Simon Hazée (Simon.Hazee@ulg.ac.be);
for administrative questions (deadlines, sick leave, submission of assignments etc.), please contact Simon Hazée (Simon.Hazee@ulg.ac.be; 04 232 72 25).