07 Written Case Discussion Guides

Written and Video Cases
WRITTEN CASE DISCUSSION GUIDES

Cases can be an asset in teaching marketing research methods as they involve the student in the decision making and analysis processes. High levels of student involvement are positively correlated with student learning and concept retention. Some instructors prepare for case discussion by developing detailed answers for case questions. In this section, we have provided you with answers to the questions that conclude each case. Other instructors prefer to prepare lists of questions rather than answers, with the order of the questions designed to build the student's understanding of the complex issues revealed by the case. As the students answer the questions the class delves more deeply into text concepts. Still other instructors prepare anticipated student answers and plan the tangents to which those answers will lead. Lecture material is planned for the tangents. One guideline has served case users well: be prepared to take advantage of student learning opportunities to which an unexpected student answer may quite naturally lead.
Case: AgriComp Abstract: AgriComp, a supplier of computer systems for farmers, has surveyed it dealers on whether to change its procedure for settling warranty claim disputes. Currently local dealers handle warranty services for customers via local repair followed by a reimbursement claim to Agri Comp. Denied claims follow an internal company appeal process. Dealers have been complaining about the fairness of the appeal process and in a recent survey were asked to respond to an alternative process, an impartial mediator. The student is asked to review survey results and determine whether the costly external mediator process would be worth implementing to keep the dealers happy. This case offers a chance for students to deal with the data before it's crosstabulated. Nothing very fancy is required, but the students will need to recognize that a crosstabulation is in order (or at the very least that some separate tabulations are needed). The dealer preferences are different for those who have used the existing appeals process than for those who haven't. The more they've used the process, the less they perceive a need for change. If the data are tabulated in the aggregate, this trend is not apparent.
1. Jody wonders just how important the process is to the dealers? Was there widespread discontent or had he just heard from a few malcontents at the dealers' meeting?
You can start with a question like "How do the dealers feel?" and follow it up with "Do all of the dealers feel that way?" This will normally bring out a cross tabulation or something like the series of MINITAB dotplots given below. Then you should turn the discussion to how best to summarize or display the conclusions. Either some sort of crosstabulation (using appropriate percentages instead of counts) or plots like those below will work. The main point is to be sure students don't simply declare a "significant" lack of independence and let it go at that. They
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should have to say something about what kind of dependence they find, not just assert the absence of independence. The more the dealers have used the existing appeals process, the less they agree with the statement that it should be replaced, so it appears that Jody was hearing from some malcontents. The cross-tabulation of responses by number of uses is given on the next page. The corresponding chi-squared is 82.16 on 12 degrees of freedom, so something is clearly going on. Students may offer a variety of summaries of just what is going on, and you should prompt them for such summaries if all they offer is chi-squared. The general trend is illustrated by such diagrams as the dotplots given on the page following the crosstabulation.
Crosstabulation (count) of REP by USE REP 1 2 3 4 5 USE 0 1 2 3 +------+------+------+------+ | 12 | 12 | 4 | 6 |34 +------+------+------+------+ | 6 | 27 | 18 | 12 |63 +------+------+------+------+ | 8 | 18 | 16 | 18 |60 +------+------+------+------+ | 4 | 9 | 8 | 52 |73 +------+------+------+------+ | 1 | 12 | 12 | 37 |62 +------+------+------+------+ 31 78 58 125 292 USE (percent) 0 1 2 3 +------+------+------+------+ | 38.7 | 15.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 |34 +------+------+------+------+ | 19.4 | 34.6 | 31.0 | 9.6 |63 +------+------+------+------+ | 25.8 | 23.1 | 27.6 | 14.4 |60 +------+------+------+------+ | 12.9 | 11.5 | 13.8 | 41.6 |73 +------+------+------+------+ | 3.2 | 15.5 | 20.7 | 29.6 |62 +------+------+------+------+ 31 78 58 125 292 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
REP 1 2 3 4 5
11.6% 21.6% 20.5% 25.0% 21.2%
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Dotplot of REP by USE
USE 0
: : : : : 1 USE 1 . : : : : : : : : : : : : : 2 : : : : : : : : : 2 : : : : 3
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USE 3 (Each dot represents 3 points) . : : : : : : 5
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Case: BBQ Products Cross Over the Lines of Varied Tastes

Abstract: This case asks students to assess measurement and scaling issues in the context of the introduction of a frozen, microwaveable BBQ product line into the southeast by Rich Products, Buffalo, NY. The new line is being introduced with commercials depicting Ruby, a fictitious waitress at Pork-O-Rama who prefers the taste of the new frozen line. This case deals with measurement and scaling issues. The student must select a method to measure attitudes toward the product category and the specific brand. In addition, the student must decide on a measurement method to measure preference among a number of brands in the product category. Student may attack issues such as validity and reliability of the measures. 1. What measurement and scaling issues should be considered when developing a study to measure consumers attitudes toward barbecue in general and specifically Rich Products Barbeque? Chapter 14 presents difference methods for measuring attitudes. The student should select a method and defend why they chose that method. Their defense should rest on the issues of validity and reliability. Some additional issues that may be addressed are: A. How will the marketing managers use the attitude measures? If they simply want to determine the overall attitude toward Richs barbecues then different approaches are available. However, if they are interested in developing advertising copy, employing segmentation, or altering the product, then the measurement device must collect information on the salient attributes. In essence, the student must decide whether they want to collect formative or reflective indicators of the attitude. B. A fundamental issue for the collection of attitudes for Richs product is consumer awareness of the brand. The brand is new; consequently, will people have an attitude toward it? Will the company need to develop concept storyboards, allow consumers to try the product, etc.? C. Another issue is the target market. It would appear that some consumers will have well developed attitudes toward barbecue, but others will not. The question is: Can the same instrument or measurement device be used for both types of consumers? 2. Assume Richs wanted to test peoples preferences for their barbecue versus the other leading brands (of which there are five). What would you recommend to measure these preferences? A. The first choice the student will have to make is whether to use a comparative or noncomparative methods. Comparative scaling results in data that must be interpreted in relative terms and has ordinal data properties. An attractive feature of comparative scaling is that relatively small differences among objects being compared can be detected. It must be remembered that the respondent is instructed to directly compare objects; consequently, differences are forced to surface. Comparative scales are, in general, easily understood by respondents but can become time consuming as the number of objects to rate increases leading to respondent fatigue.
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B. With noncomparative scaling the respondent is not instructed to compare the object being rated against either another object or some specified standard. Hence, small differences among objects may not surface. C. Once students have discussed these issues they should choose a particular method and defend their choice. The advanced student may want to discuss other potential analysis for the data such as multidimensional scaling approaches.
Case: Calling Up Attendance

Abstract: A study by Prince Marketing for TCS Management Group, which markets TeleCenter System software, measures customer satisfaction with the current edition of the software and aims to predict attendance at a two-day educational event, Users Forum. This case has numerous tie-ins to various chapters. Used with Chapters 4 and 5, you can build the management-research question hierarchy. Used with Chapter 8, your students can build the research process model up through data collection. Used with Chapter 16 and 17, you can discuss sample frames, and screening for qualified respondents, as well as various methods for drawing a sample from a sample frame (customer list). Used with Chapter 13, you can discuss the types of data being collected as well as reliability and validity issues. Used with Chapter 14, you could discuss why a rating scale is appropriate to evaluate customer service and likely attendance. Used with Chapter 11, you can discuss the appropriate communication methods. Used with Chapter 15, you could discuss preliminary analysis planning. Used with Chapter 18, you could discuss what to do with the 16% of the sample that felt ill-equipped to answer the issue questions and what preliminary analysis would be appropriate to answer the management questions.
1. This question gets the student in the habit of formulating the management-research question hierarchy (Chapter 4) as the beginning step of a research project. The management dilemma facing TCS is how to prepare for the scheduled Users Forum when it doesn't know what specific presentations to build into the program, nor how many people to expect at the Opryland Hotel event.
Management questions: What topics should be addressed in the presentations or materials distributed at the Users Forum? How should solutions be delivered, given the attendance expected (written materials? whole session devoted to the issue?)? Research questions: What issues cause the most concern among the current users of the TeleCenter System software? How many current users see attendance at Users Forum as a viable means to address troublesome issues, such as ease of use, technical support access and responsiveness? Investigative questions: What is the current users' evaluation of customer service, especially on ease of use, software-generated reports, technical support service, and effectiveness of software for its intended purpose? Who, if anyone, from a current user's company will attend the Users Forum? Do new users of the software have different concerns than more established users? How many representatives from a single company may come to the Users Forum? What type of respondent (user or manager) is most likely to attend the Forum? Do the different types of respondents have different concerns with TeleCenter System software?
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Measurement questions: We don't have the actual instrument, but we know that Prince Marketing collected information relative to investigative questions using a 7point rating scale, where "7" was the most positive on the scale. We also know they were able to classify the respondent as a software user or call center manager.
2. The obvious choice, as indicated by Exhibit 11-1, is the telephone interview. Because TCS needs the information is a relatively short amount of time, one must exclude personal interviewing as a collection method. Given the technical skills of the respondents, selfadministered via computer was a possibility, if TCS had e-mail addresses or Prince felt the response timeframe would be met. Prince Marketing chose a phone interview because of the ability to control the process and meet their three-week promise, but also because of the limited number of data variables they were collecting. They could choose any of the three methods (human, CATI, or computer-delivered), but human-administered definitely gives Prince and TCS the most control. CATI, however, gives the telephone interviewer the ability to enter the responses in process, permitting Prince to tally the results more quickly, possibly making them available to TCS in real time, so they could prepare for presentations without waiting for the formal estimate of attendance. 3. The request for a preliminary analysis plan relates well to Exhibits 15-2 (and 15-1) and would be fairly simple for this study. TCS would want to frequencies on the attitudinal-scale variables. And we would want to cross-tabulate such variables by whether the respondent definitely would be, might be, or definitely would not be in attendance at the Users Forum. Frequencies (or cross-tabulated frequencies) would tell us the most pressing issues, assuming Prince has done a good job of anticipating issues in the design of the data collection instrument or was able to transform the data during data preparation into homogenous groups of responses on issues. We also want to be able to predict attendance, so we would want frequencies on the attendance variable, as well as their interest in more information about attending the Users Forum. Hopefully we can cross-tabulate this information against classification variables such as industry of the firm and years of software use that would be readily available from the customer database the TCS provided to Prince Marketing. 4. In data analysis, the new users who felt ill-equipped to evaluate the software ease of use question (16% of the sample), would likely not be included (counted as missing cases) in the analysis of this issue. However, their likely attendance could still be important to the prediction of attendees overall. If some of these new users did identify software installation, technical support, or use concerns, you could cross-tabulate a status variable (new user vs. established user) against the various issues variables. Such data exploration actions may very well lead to Users Forum sessions exclusively designed for new users. 5. You can use this question to discuss the practice of sugging (sales under the guise of research).You could also tie this question back to Chapter 7 and the subject's right to privacy. The issue of incorporating marketing promotion within the context of customer satisfaction research is commonly done, although it can be a two-edged sword. From a marketer's perspective, you have a potential attendee on the phone and you could efficiently use his or her time by telling them about the Users Forum. From a professional researcher's perspective, such a combination use of the survey is totally inappropriate and contributes to
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the growing refusal rate among potential respondents. If research is accompanied by a sales presentation, potential respondents have the right to be angry when they agreed to participate only in a survey. Such a change in orientation and purpose is a violation of the subject's right to privacy.
Case: Campbell-Ewald Pumps Awareness into the American Heart Association Abstract: You wouldnt think that an organization that does as much good as the American Heart Association would have low awareness, but at the start of the described research program its unaided awareness level was just 16 percent. For a company reliant on contributions, low awareness is a major problem. This case profiles the research behind the American Heart Associations first-ever paid advertising campaign. www.campbellewald.com; www.americanheart.org
1. After watching the ads on your text DVD, take the Learn and Live quiz. Take a position on the tracking of individuals taking the quiz as a measure of direct response of the ads effectiveness; defend your position. (http://www.americanheart.org) You might find it useful to use this discussion question as a class exercise. You can divide your class into pro/con teams and have each come up with the arguments for that position. Arguments for using involvement with the online quiz as a means of ad tracking might include: That getting audience members to the Web site was clearly an important action objective of the ad. Engaging visitors by involving them in the taking of a quiz is more likely to reveal their understanding of the underlying message of the ad campaign. Arguments for not using involvement with the online quiz as a means of ad tracking might include: That many individuals that see/hear and understand the message may not be encouraged to visit the Web siteso the communication objective may be met while the action objective may not. Individuals that see/hear the ad and understand the message may not have access to a computer. Since computer access was not a variable in choosing the media for the campaign to exclude this portion of the relevant population when tracking ad results creates error. 2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data in this particular case? The primary reason Campbell-Ewald (C-E) used secondary data during their preparation of the AHAs pitch for the advertising account was to gain a better understanding of the organization and of heart disease, as well as understand what motivated giving to a non-profit organization. Using secondary data shortened the time they would spend on research. Also, they quickly discovered the scope of the potential problem facing AHA. While they wouldnt have wanted to craft a creative strategy based solely on secondary data, effective use of secondary data collected during exploration is actually expected in marketing research. It was the interview of John
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Paling (primary data) about how people perceived risk, however, that gave them the insight to develop the approach that won C-E the AHA business. 3. Discuss the role of Diagnostic Research in the American Heart Associations selection of the personal stories creative approach. Diagnostic Research was hired to pretest the various creative approaches that evolved from the focus group discussions, the interview with John Paling, and the secondary data search. DR showed the animatic prepared by C-E to a sample of 1000 adults in a mall setting. The AHA animatic was positioned within a pod of animatics for other products and services, similar to the way the audience would see the real AHA commercial. Interviews that followed measured brand recall and the main idea that the audience got from the ad. The DR methodology indicated that all three creative approaches tested would generate appropriate brand recall and message capture. That meant the C-E might need additional research to correctly select the best creative approach or they would need to use their vast experience to recommend the better approach for AHA to take at this particular time in AHA history. This is good time to mention that even great research doesnt make the decision for the manager. Rather, research provides the undecided manager with evidence to sway his judgment in one direction or another, or it substantiates a direction in which the decision-maker might be leaning. 4. Explain why both qualitative and quantitative research techniques were used to develop the personal stories campaign?
The use of more than one research technique in building an advertising campaign is fairly common in marketing research. The quantitative data derived from previous AHA surveys and from the DR animatic testing allowed C-E to quantify the risk of each campaign. It was the qualitative research, first the interview with John Paling that gave C-E its understanding of personal risk, as well as the focus groups that put a face to real, heart-disease stories that gave C-E their strategic approach to the problem of raising AHA awareness and that, ultimately, provided the winning campaign creative approach. You might want to discuss whether the mall setting was conducive to either the viewing of the animatic or whether patrons of malls represent an appropriate group from which to draw a sample. If DR has facilities in the mall, as many such firms do, then the group from which it draws its sample might suffer from over-testing and thus inject error into the process.
Depending on how much you wish to discuss advertising, other discussion opportunities include: Discuss how students would test which of the personal stories ads was most effective. Discuss whether the appropriate sample should have been weighted more toward females than males. Discuss what research could be used to determine whether an ad campaign would be more effective in raising awareness and understanding of the AHA, compared with other promotional methods.
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Case: Campbell-Ewald: R-E-S-P-E-C-T Spells Loyalty Abstract: The case describes a detailed study conducted by Campbell-Ewald, who sought to substantiate the importance of respect when dealing with customers in different business related sectors. This agency, steadfast in its success through customer satisfaction principles, establishes through its research that the construct of respect is held in high regard by customers and therefore plays a significant role, when determining, among other things, the longevity of client relationships. 1. How would you operationally define the construct of respect? Take the perspective of each of the three client sectors: insurance, air travel, and retail. This question is fitting for discussions concerning concepts and constructs. It prepares students to identify the similarities and differences involved with the use of both scientific terms (Chapter 3) and how dictionary meanings differ from those used in testing. Both terms are inherently similar yet the construct has specificity necessary for measurement and replication of a study. Constructs are not easily observable, created for the express purpose of testing, and generally more complex. The construct of respect though similar in various theories, assumes variations when operationally defined in the research literature and when viewed from the perspective of these three client sectors. The term respect as used in conversation has more individualized experiences attached to it and is idiosyncratic to individual speakers. Thus it is difficult to find agreement among students in this definition during a discussion. You will find that through brainstorming, students may indicate that the definitions overlap and they may point out difficulties while trying to operationally define them. When such constructs are used in pure research, measurement scales are essential to further specify meanings. The important thing for students to grasp is that through operational definitions, a person should be able to measure or conceptualize the construct, given the specific purpose of the research. Advise students that operational definitions often serve the same purpose for researchers, as common jargon does for narrow language groups. Here are some student definitions of respect after reading the case: Insurance: tailor products for specific customer needs; maintain the individuals right to privacy when dealing with client information; show concern for unfortunate mishaps; provide contractually correct compensation in a timely fashion, refraining from unethical and dishonest conduct. Air Travel: strive to meet expectations in check-in, boarding, onboard services, debarking, and luggage handling; provide appropriate reimbursements or compensation to customers when necessary; show concern for safety and on-time schedules. Retail: maintain a polite and cordial demeanor when dealing with the public; listen to customers specific needs and match your product accordingly; remain professional when faced with unpleasant circumstances, regardless of who is at fault. 2. Map the overall design of the research described here. The nature of this question gets students into the habit of identifying the different types of designs and the steps involved when conducting research. It allows students to become more familiar with the various methodologies utilized and is an opportune time to explore data
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collection techniques and the constraints researchers sometimes encounter when utilizing such techniques. As such, this question is quite applicable to Chapter 8, which discusses design strategies as well as 11, which explores data collection methods. The first step involved Campbell-Ewalds exploratory attempts to discover the reasons for the disconnect between respect bonds and its customers. Campbell-Ewald discovered firms were accustomed to using Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, as a mechanism for tracking satisfaction behavior among customers. However, research revealed that investment in technology and software to model likely behavior was not achieving its desired goal. Among the reasons for CampbellEwald interest was the apparent connection between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty and purchase behavior. This stage also tapped into feedback from Gartner Group and Accenture, relationship experts such as Dr. Phil and Steven Covey; and information garnered from existing literature on the dynamics of people relationships. o This is an opportunity to ask students what other exploratory avenues that Campbell-Ewald might have pursued. o This is also an opportunity to discuss the difference between pure and applied research. The Campbell-Ewald clients in the three sectors did not have specific relationship management issues they were researching when they signed on as part of the respect research initiative. The second stage of the researchdata collectionrevealed the use of two levels of primary data. Through partnership with Synovate, Campbell-Ewald first utilized Synovates omnibus Telenation (nationally representative telephone survey) to ascertain whether the public viewed respect as an issue when they dealt with companies. This data was used to justify Campbell-Ewalds belief that respect was a salient issue to customers. Here you can discuss the implications involved with using an omnibus study and how the process of asking a few questions to a national probability study can prove helpful to a researcher. Campbell-Ewalds decision to explore this data may have yielded significant findings, which further validated their conclusion that respect truly matters. You can ask students their view of how credible the use of an omnibus study data is and why. To establish the varying perspectives of respect concerning the different sectors (insurance, airline and retail) Synovate utilized a sample of 12 focus groups, four each in the above named sectors. This stage explored the scope of the research question and seeded the subsequent 4-page questionnaire. To better allow for a representative sample, the focus groups included men and women from both Chicago and Detroit. This is an apt time to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using focus groups. Considering the sample usedfour each in three sectorsraises questions about accuracy and representative results from two market areas. Feedback from the focus groups was used to design measurement questions for the mail survey sent to Campbell-Ewalds clients customer lists from each sector. The focus groups were used fairly traditionally in this case to see a more detailed quantitative study.
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The final data collection phase of the research was a national probability mail survey conducted by Synovate. One possible discussion question is: Why did CampbellEwald choose NOT to use the Synovate panel to increase the response rate to the survey. [Campbell-Ewald feared it wouldnt be representative of the three sectors.] Another might relate to the non-response error inherent in a mail study and how it is handled. With only a small response rate (less than 9%) could Campbell-Ewald have concluded that respect matters to only a small portion of the relevant population and the remainder simply didnt care? Generally this is a good time to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of mail surveys.
A. What types of studies were involved in Campbell-Ewalds respect initiative? There were three study types involved in Campbell-Ewalds respect initiative. You can use this time to ask students how they would relate the case to other types of studies. You can also discuss the characteristics of these studies and the purposes each serve in research. Given the outlines of each study, you can ask the students to indicate its strengths and weaknesses. Exploratory study. Campbell-Ewald used secondary data searches to define the construct (including studies published by Gartner Group and Accenture, books by authors such as Dr. Phil and Steven Covey, and information from other existing literature), and focus groups to help refine attitudinal statements to be used in later quantitative research. The twelve focus groups study completed the exploratory phase of the research and segued into the survey. Descriptive Study. Campbell-Ewald utilized data from Synovates Telenation telephone survey, which served as a preliminary step in the large quantitative study which followed. Explanatory study. Here Campbell-Ewalds research team attempted to isolate the components of respect and examine its relationship to satisfaction and loyalty. They were interested in discovering how customers viewed the issue of respect when dealing with companies. They aimed to ascertain what caused customers to remain loyal to businesses and in so doing "identify the tenets of strong personal relationships." This effort aided in the creation of its five "People Principles." With its extensive clientele, which included customers in different sectors (insurance, travel, retail and government) Campbell-Ewald sought to discover, based on their five principles, how respect was viewed in each sector. To build on this, CampbellEwald capitalized on Synovates experience in conducting large scale mail surveys, which was a significant source in the data collection process. Its sophisticated analytical techniques, namely its proprietary brand propensity model called The Momentum Engine aided in providing more detailed information in analyzing relationships with sales growth. Given its varying client list, therefore its sample size, Campbell-Ewald desired a more comprehensive feedback.
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B. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various methodologies?

This question is applicable to Parts 2 and 3 of the text where the methods of primary data collection are presented. Mail Surveys (Self Administered Surveys): The use of this methodology, though often cost effective in research, can be problematic when it comes to response rates. Mail surveys are typically inexpensive, however it is not always a guarantee that responses will be substantial. Five thousand surveys were distributed, and the amount returned (5% 9 %) opens the discussion to nonresponse bias. Response rates for mail surveys are typically low, but steps can be taken to adjust this. This is an apt time to discuss the pros and cons of using different survey methods and the challenges researchers sometimes encounter. Was the survey too lengthy at four pages? Did that contribute to the low response rate. Were participants just not interested in the whole issue of respect from the companies they dealt with? The size of the dataset for each sector (200-500 cases) obscures the fact that while the data are sufficient for statistical analysis, representativeness is in question. You can ask the student: What steps could Synovate take to increase response rates? How can a researcher minimize nonresponse error? How effective would incentives be given sample size and cost? Campbell-Ewalds decision to disguise their clients, by sending surveys under Synovates letterhead could have increased or decreased response rates. By disguising the surveys sponsor participants may be less inclined to complete the survey. Many might have been unfamiliar with Synovate, further reducing their likelihood of response. Some participation in any survey is dependent on participants recognizing the value they bring and on the rapport between participant and researcher; participants may be more likely to participate in the survey when they are familiar with the organization or feel some sense of loyalty to it. At the same time, disguising the name may have proven helpful, as this would give respondents the opportunity to give an honest opinion of how they felt Campbell-Ewalds clients treated them, or how they viewed the issue of respect. Focus Groups: The use of focus groups as a way of developing measurement questions that would clarify the core motivational drivers in categories being studied was a useful way of defining the parameters of respect. However, clients being actively involved in this process of creating the measures and the subsequent development of the survey could potentially create some bias. As such, measurement questions could be created that only define how specific clients may conceptualize respect and not necessarily be applicable to all member firms in a sector. Since a communication agency rarely represents more than one firm in a category, having the measurement questions apply more to one firm (e.g., Continental) in a category rather than all other firms in the sector is really not problematic. The use of mainly top customers as the sample frame, begs the question as to how representative that sample may be for pure research.
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Telephone Omnibus Survey: An omnibus survey has a very short turn-around while it limits the number of questions contributed by any one sponsor. Therefore, the omnibus can sometimes represent a bundle of questions that have little direct connection. This leap from topic to topic can sometimes confuse a participant and, as a result, the sponsor may get less than the clarity hoped for. For an undefined construct like respect, the omnibus survey should have been a comfortable respite from more product/store/issue specific questions. The lower cost and shorter turn-around would have prevented the larger study from being slowed. C. How do the methodologies complement each other? The use of the focus groups for ideation and creating measurement questions is a useful way of getting first hand knowledge as to the type of issues that customers were most concerned about in each sector when it came to respect. Using feedback from the focus groups, Synovate was able to create and appropriately tailor the measurement questions that participants could relate to. Campbell-Ewalds decision to actively engage its clients in this process further enabled them to seed the survey questions. Additionally, the incorporation of a 5-point scale complements the attitudinal nature of the investigation. 3. Analyze the use of the 5-point scale for measurement of respect dimensions. What other statements would you add to the sample provided in Exhibit C-E-1. This type scale as a measurement tool is a simple and useful way of recording responses. With the attitude statements connected to a five-point strongly agree to strongly disagree scale, comparisons between sectors is more efficient for data analysis of attitudes. Given the length of survey, this is an easy way to allow participants to indicate their opinion, while providing them with a middle ground, in the event they neither agree or disagree.
Though the scale channels a response within a specific context, participants responding to a complex construct such as respect may either add to measurement error by responding to statements with which they have no experience or desire to make additional written clarification. Using some open-ended questions could have been advantageous. A useful comparison is the evaluation surveys that students complete at the close of each semester, where they rate their professors and the course. To generate a discussion you can ask students how likely they are to complete open-ended questions on such surveys, and why? You can also ask students to suggest statements they would include in the Campbell-Ewald study as opened-ended questions.
Campbell-Ewald and its partners used correlation, multiple regressions, and other multivariate analyses in an effort to identify customers with the greatest potential to drive sales growth. Nonmetric scales would have presented severe data analysis problems since they lack the power to extract the information required by the research question.
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Exhibit C-E-1 Sample of Attitudinal Statements Researchers asked participants their degree of agreement with several respect validation statements. A sample of these statements, developed from focus group discussions, appears below.
Strongly Agree General Respect Initiatives, across categories Agree Neither Agree nor Strongly Disagree Disagree
Is interested in listening to what is important to me as a customer Places their own interests above those of the customer Notifies me in advance of sales and special promotions Rewards me for repeat business Honor commitments/promises theyve made to me
Specific Respect Initiatives, with category
Accepts returns without a hassle (retail) Flights take off and land on schedule (airline travel) Handles claims in a timely manner (insurance)
4. Discuss the pros and cons of the sampling plan for the mail survey. Campbell-Ewald received names of customers from their clients. These clients provided names mostly from their top customers. Synovate distributed five thousand surveys to each sector: insurance, air travel and retail. However, the case did not indicate as to how customers were chosen as part of the sample to determine if this was done in a randomized manner. It also did not indicate if criteria were set to choose customers, such as length of time with a particular client or company, their gender, or age groups. Considering that clients provided names mostly from their top customers, establishing whether or not this is a representative sample of their customer population is pertinent information. Subsequently, with the target population being mostly top customers, this potentially limits the ability to make inferences about the general population, and inevitably raises questions as to the accuracy of the findings. Given the nature of the research, and the fact that five thousand surveys were sent out to each sector with a small return, it is safe to assume that not every customer relevant sampling element is represented. This is a good time to discuss with students, the pros and cons of using probability versus nonprobability sampling. Students may argue that this was the most cost effective method to take, while others may argue that the sample produces much bias and therefore questions the accuracy of the results.
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Case: Can Research Rescue the Red Cross?

Abstract: The American Red Cross, known for its worldwide efforts in providing disaster relief and assistance to the sick and needy, comes under intense scrutiny and attack for the misappropriation of post September 11 donations. The case describes the concerns expressed by board members of the Red Cross with regard to how such problems could be prevented in future fundraising efforts. It also outlines how this organization sought to address its existing dilemma of changing the publics perception of the way in which funds are managed and whether public donations were being used appropriately. This case is quite applicable to Chapters 1 through 4, where students are introduced to the research process and the different types of studies that the Red Cross could have undertaken to avoid their existing dilemma. The case also ties in to Chapter 5 and prepares students for the creation of the managementresearch question hierarchy (Exhibit 5-4, Management-Research Question Hierarchy). Additionally, it allows for discussions on the decisions made by researchers when designing samples (Chapters 16 and 17). By describing and discussing the dilemma faced by the Red Cross, students will be able to use Exhibit 5-6, Formulating the Research Question, to identify management dilemmas and, in so doing, formulate appropriate research questions that the Red Cross could consider for discovering better ways of funds management. Used with Chapters 13 and 14, students can discuss the types of measurement scales. In addition, the case ties into the data collection methods described in Chapters 11 and 15).
1. If you had been McLaughlin or Decker, what research would you want done? You can begin discussions of this question by having students suggest how McLaughlin or Decker might define the dilemma. Some may suggest that the dilemma faced by the Red Cross lies in how to better manage and appropriately make use of public donations. Others may see the dilemma as how to overcome the negative perception that donors may have of the Red Crosss fund raising activities and regaining public trust. Others might see the dilemma as one of education of the public and how best to do such activities. Students may also suggest that the Red Cross needs to find ways to reassure donors that their donations will be distributed appropriately. Both McLaughlin and Decker could benefit from exploring how current funds are pooled and distributed, how informed donors are of the ways in which the Red Cross manages and distributes donations. Management could also explore if its decision to use a portion of the Liberty Fund as reserve for future disaster was consistent with its mission and previous fundraising strategies. 2. Create the Management-Research Question hierarchy for the research you think might help the Red Cross make decisions related to public relations efforts and future advertising soliciting donations. Exhibit 5-4 and 5-5 are useful as a guide for this discussion: We suggest using the management dilemma facing the Red Cross as the publics perception of its mismanagement of donations. The Red Cross must change how it is perceived by donors who may question whether their donations are being used for the causes for which the Red Cross was perceived to be soliciting funds. The Red Cross must be able to provide
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services based on the contributions it receives from public donors. If it were to continue to be seen as engaging in activities inconsistent with its mission, the Red Cross could face a significant decrease in its funding sources. This may also place a negative stigma on the nonprofit charitable sector and its future fundraising activities. Therefore, the Red Cross must regain and maintain its credibility in the publics eyes, so as to be able to ensure the continued receipt of donations. Some of the options students might generate are:
Management Questions Research Questions Investigative Questions
All management questions are not equally addressed by research. However, considering the gravity of the existing dilemma, how should the Red Cross make donors clearly aware of their policies with regard to how contributions are expended? Should the Red Cross consider revising its policies relating to how donors contributions are pooled and distributed?
How should the Red Cross change the way it advertises its policies with respect to donation allocation?
What is donor understanding of the existing policies relating to how donations are raised and spent?
Should the Red Cross use separate fund-raising activities for each disaster, or should it solicit funds only for the general fund that may be allocated to any disaster where needed?
How can the Red Cross better manage the funds it receives from fundraising activities, specifically funds raised in excess of the amount needed for a specific disaster?
Should the Red Cross utilize a predetermined donation goal, redirecting funds to the general fund after that goal for donations is received, and communicate this goal to the potential donors?
What practice (specific fund or general fund) is more likely to generate more largesse among donors? What level of trust do donors have that the Red Cross will spend its donations wisely? What are the donation patterns: primarily to specific pleas for help or have donors simply donated to further the general mission of the organization? How is a dollar estimate of a donation need level determined? What is the potential donors understanding of this estimation process? Will a dollar donation goal for a particular disaster relief fund discourage donations once that goal is reached? How would potential donors want to learn about progress toward goal achievement?
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3.
If you created a RFP, what would it contain?

Chapter 6 introduces the RFP, which is supplemented by the sample on your text DVD, and provides additional insight as to the contents and assessment of a Request for Proposal. The proposal would contain:
Definition of the problem facing the Red Cross (the management dilemma) Identifying the limitations involved Providing a description of the policies relating to Red Crosss fundraising Guidelines 4. What considerations should influence sampling decisions in any research the Red Cross would do on this issue?
Given that the American Red Cross is a national organization and its reputation was at stake, the selection of an appropriate probability sampling technique is indicated. The larger question is whether sample units should be stratified in some way. Students should be encouraged to brainstorm all the possible subgroups within the donor population. Many donors may have made contributions to the Red Cross via its Web site, where they were given the option of contributing to a particular cause. To allow for accuracy and effectively address the issue of the existing policies relating to how donations are raised and spent, a sample could be drawn from persons who have been previous donors to a particular fund. Persons who visit the Web site for general information and not for donation purposes could also be targeted as possible sampling units. Students should also be encouraged to identify the sample frames available to the Red Cross due to its past fundraising practices. Make sure that students dont just focus on Web site contributors as a sample frame when making sampling decisions, as the Red Crosss population of donors extends beyond Web site contributors. Once students have focused on a type of probability sample, they should also consider sampling procedures for drawing that sample. For example, if they have decided that a stratified sample is appropriate, and that the larger "former non-profit donor population" is the basis for sample unit selection, how might such donors be screened to determine whether they have donated previously to the Red Cross general or disaster-specific funds. 5. If a survey is used, what scales would be most appropriate? You can use this question as a group activity where students can formulate or use the class-generated investigative questions to argue for specific types of measurement questions. One debate to expect is the use of ranking versus rating scales, or for specific types of ranking or rating scales, for example Likert versus paired comparison scale. In Chapter 14, the section on Selecting a Measurement Scale along with Exhibits 14-2 and 14-9 provides the context for decision making. Students should also be challenged to ask for the appropriate type of survey. Whether the students choose phone, intercept, or Web survey should influence the types of scales used. Also, given the large size of a national probability sample of donors, simplicity and practicality should be considerations in selecting appropriate scales. Students will likely offer that numerical and Likert scales meet such criteria. And both also allow for the production of ordinal and interval data,
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suitable for extensive analysis. With respect to the likelihood of donors making donations to a particular cause or a general fund, or having them indicate their preference to where their funds should be spent, the Constant Sum or Forced Ranking scales may also be offered and would be appropriate.
Case: Donatos: Finding the New Pizza Abstract: The case describes a multi-stage study conducted by Donatos, an independent, premium pizza restaurant chain, aimed at tracking interest and response rates to a newly introduced NO DOUGH pizza concept. The research conducted by Donatos is an attempt to test and subsequently meet the needs of its low-carb diet market. In so doing, it also aims to measure customer satisfaction with the new pizza concept.
1. Map the research design used by Donatos for new product development. This question provides an appropriate introduction for students to the various descriptors of research design discussed in Chapter 8, Exhibit 8-2 Descriptors of Research Design. Here the framework and procedures for research activity are outlined. Students will be able to discuss the exploratory steps taken by Donatos, such as their monthly WASSUP Meetings, e-mail comments from customers and monitoring of eating trends from different sources. The case also allows students to distinguish between different data collection methods, such as the self-administered intercept survey and callback phone survey employed by Donatos. Secondary data was also used during the exploratory stages from sources that documented and monitored eating trends. Therefore, students can discuss the pros and cons of using this type of data. The experimental design also utilized will allow for discussions relating to the taste tests conducted among employees and how Donatos decision to exclude its "special ingredients" from the Web site may have affected the yielded responses. The case indicates that Donatos has monitored different sources, such as the syndicated data, NPD Eating Trends, which provides indications of changes in eating habits. They have also garnered feedback from comments customers send via e-mail from their Web site, in addition to the WASSUP meetings held on a monthly basis, where employees were asked to provide feedback on existing social and cultural trends. These steps then establish the exploratory stages of their research. Through this stage, Donatos was able to discover that there was an existing interest in low-carb eating plans. Stage 2 of the study, the research-based product development phase, involved development of the product prototype. Here data was collected from employee taste testing; in restaurant tests, where participants would complete self-administered intercept surveys; call-back phone surveys for customers who were serviced through delivery and concept screen activities where participants were shown photographs of food products and then questioned. You can use this time to discuss: Why a phone survey and self-administered intercept survey were used. The pros and cons of using the self-administered intercept and phone survey using Exhibit 11-5, Comparison of Communication Approaches as a guide. How reliable would the feedback be from employee taste testing activities? Stage 3 involved choosing a marketable name for the new pizza concept, here Donatos tested three different names using a weekend omnibus phone survey. The case indicates that their typical new-product development research would routinely take 12-14 months to complete. Given
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the time constraints that Donatos faced (the possible short-term nature of the low-carb trend), you can ask students to discuss the implications of the findings yielded from the phone survey completed over a weekend period. Stage 4, the final stages of the design, addressed the tracking of response rates where Donatos employed ongoing telephone tracking studies, in restaurant comment cards and e-mails from customers through its Web site. You can ask students to discuss the usefulness of this stage of the research. Some may indicate that for the purposes of future research, Donatos can benefit from the findings in terms of strategies that were or were not employed or other data collection techniques (personal interviews or mail surveys) and sampling methods.
2.
Evaluate the WASSUP meetings as an exploratory methodology to help define the research question. The WASSUP meetings undertaken by Donatos served as an exploratory step to further identifying the dilemma faced, that being how to address increasing interest in low-carb diets. These meetings not only supplemented reviews done of other sources, namely the feedback via e-mails and monitoring of eating trends, but it provided additional insight into the dynamics of other social and cultural trends. The WASSUP meeting is essential to Donatos, as it is able to gather useful information about the market from employees, and create a synthesis of this information to best determine how its decision will affect not only the general public, but also persons of different cultures. This feedback from the meeting will also be helpful when tailoring research questions, as through exploring knowledge from different cultures (likes and dislikes). Donatos can then establish a central focus and design specific research questions. You can have students suggest possible research questions that would be applicable to the study, which Donatos could take to solve the existing problem or address concerns about the low-carb diet market. Chapter 4 (Exhibit 4-2, Formulating the Research Question for MindWriter) can be used as a guide. Donatos may suggest the following examples as research questions: Should we introduce a new pizza concept to satisfy the low-carb diet market? Should the crust-free pizza concept be modified? Should the soy crisp recipe be used or should we introduce another protein rich alternative?
3. Evaluate the test market Donatos used. What were its pros and cons?
Evaluation of the test market relates well to Chapters 16 and 17, when discussing the intricacies of sampling and Chapter 12 on Experiments and Test Markets. This question also becomes useful when preparing students for data collection in research (Part 4) and discussing ethical implications involved when dealing with participants (Chapter 7). The test market (customer reactions to the product in two stores in one market) used by Donatos raises important reliability questions. First, one city is rarely used in a test market as researchers have found distinct eating preferences by geography. Second, while the test was conducted over several days in the two stores, unlike the introduction of many new food products, no promotion was done to attract customers to the restaurant for the
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purpose of purchasing the NO DOUGH pizza. This might be indicative of a sample of customers who did not match the profile of the potential customer: those individuals following a low-carb diet. As the test market continued over time, a screening question about whether a customer came to Donatos specifically to purchase the NO DOUGH pizza could have been used to distinguish these desired sample units from those who were likely not the primary target market segment for the low-carb pizza. Third, the ideal situation for a true experiment would be test products prepared under controlled conditions. Most test markets, however, use actual market conditions which limits the availability of control. The case indicates that 16-17 year old employees were preparing the NO DOUGH pizzas that were used during the test market; this would be typical in most Donatos restaurants. A discussion of the type of experiment being conducted is appropriate here. There are some advantages as well as disadvantages that this test market brings to the study. As a class activity, you can ask students to suggest possible pros and cons of the test market and instrument used; these may include the following: In restaurant testsPros: Cons: Reduced research cost by virtue of having its own current customers as testers. The ability to capitalize on a greater speed of data collection. Requires less supervision and manpower as test was conducted on site. Eliminates the need for higher-cost product-testing facilities. Walk-in customers may not be representative of the target market for low-carb pizza as pizza was not at the time considered a low-carb option.
Call-back phone surveyPros: Cons: Donatos cannot guarantee that customers will be willing to take the time to participate in a call-back phone survey, thus non-response error could be very large. The study did not indicate some form of incentive for customers upon making the call. Failure to do this may not encourage customers to want to participate. Customer-initiated calls creates a self-selection sample which might not be indicative of the desired sample unit. Given that interviewers are needed to facilitate the survey, Donatos may incur additional costs with this type of instrument. Allows for feedback from a wide range of customers. Delivery customers may provide useful responses, given that the call must be initiated by them. Ability to reach customers who otherwise would be inaccessible. Customers can remain anonymous if they choose to express negative views about the taste of the pizza.
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4. What measurement scales would you have used on the survey used as part of the inrestaurant product tests?
You can begin by discussing the different types of rating and ranking scales that may be appropriate for the in-restaurant tests, using Exhibit 14-2, Sample Rating Scales, as an initial guide. You can have students debate the usefulness of rating scales, such as the Likert or Numerical scales, where the likes and dislikes of a product can be easily rated. Some may argue that utilizing ranking or pairedcomparison scales would be most effective, as Donatos could provide other types of pizzas or different low-carb ingredients and ask customers to make comparisons and choose their preferences. To begin the discussion you can have students brainstorm the different types of pizzas Donatos would sell and have them compare the types of ingredients/toppings that would most appeal to low-carb eaters. You can also have them rate and/or rank their suggestions. This can serve as a preface to discussions relating to ranking and rating scales. For the in-restaurant tests, a numerical scale or Likert scale would be the most appropriate measurement scales. Both would allow participants the opportunity to indicate their liking or preference attitude toward the product. The Likert scale would allow Donatos to compare a customers preference to others, while the numerical scale provides the flexibility of using both ordinal and interval data for the purposes of analysis. Intention to purchase is another dimension that can be easily measured by the Likert or numerical scale. Another important advantage to the use of these scales, is the simplicity involved in administering them.
Case: HeroBuilders.com Abstract: This case describes a study conducted by the president of HeroBuilders.com, whose entrepreneurial zeal led to the creation of an e-commerce toy company. Owing to the increased demands for the creation of hero dolls, research was conducted to ascertain the viability of marketing action figure dolls to the then competitive commercial environment. This case relates well to Chapter 1, where students will be introduced to the role of research in marketing, and how the application of different types of studies aids in furthering effective research strategies. It also exposes students to the mechanisms involved in exploratory studies and the benefits associated with its use (Chapters 5 & 9). 1. Which of the four types of studies are presented in this case. You can begin by discussing the usefulness of Vicales exploratory findings and ask students to suggest other types of exploration they would pursue before launching such a business; and, how he benefited from completing this stage of his research. You can ask students to create a list of the information needs they would prepare before starting an e-commerce business to sell dolls made in the image of modern day heroes. The most appropriate study, as presented in this case, is an exploratory one. Here the researcher attempts to gain additional insight as to the viability of marketing an action figure. This type of study gives the researcher the opportunity to explore the commercial market of action figure dolls to determine the pros and cons of such a venture. It also presents other prospects where Vicale
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chose to conduct qualitative research, where he consulted with a lawyer to determine the legal implications involved with marketing dolls in the image of living heroes or political figures. Uncertain of the potential of starting an action figure business, Vicale also explored retail stores that marketed action figure dolls, to further determine the possibility of products gaining distribution. Here he benefited from knowing that an extensive action figure market did exist, and identifying the companies involved in the production of action figure dolls. If you use this case during discussions of Chapters 5 and 9, you can also use this question as a preface to discussions of other data collection methods.
2. Evaluate the research that HeroBuilders.com conducted prior to launching its hero and villain action figures using the criteria in Exhibit 1-6.
The research conducted by HeroBuilders.com prior to launching its hero and villain action figures presents some limitations based on the criteria listed in the Exhibit. Purpose clearly defined: The purpose of the research was clearly defined. Here Vicale aimed to explore the potential of the action figure business. However, he failed to indicate the scope of the research with regard to the creation of villain action figures. The case indicates that his initial survey of the market primarily involved only hero action figures. Research process detailed: The case indicates that Vicale explored the e-commerce business to sell dolls by reviewing the Internet sites of other companies involved in the marketing of action figure dolls; he also looked at the retail environment, where he further discovered the extent of the action figure market. In addition, he sought legal advice to determine the implications of creating prototypes of political figures. There was no indication of an interview guide or a questionnaire used to guide data collection, nor was there evidence of an observation checklist used in his discovery trips to retail toy stores. This is a good time to discuss the inconsistencies that might be introduced in research studieseven exploratory onesif the researcher doesnt have a mechanism for collecting comparable data. You might ask students to develop a list of questions that Vicale might have used when, for example, he visited the action figure sections of toy or general merchandise stores. Research design thoroughly planned:
The research designs plan also lacked important detail. It was not clear if considerable thought was given to how the research would be executed. Vicale conducted the research himself, which raises questions as to the objectivity of his results and whether his personal bias did not play a role in its reliability. The assessment of the retail environment (toy stores) that he explored did not make clear how he chose the types of stores visited, what process was used, or if location was a factor in his consideration.
High ethical standards applied:

Given that Vicale conducted his research independently provided him much flexibility in executing this study, it would therefore be difficult to determine if high standards of ethics were applied.
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The case did not indicate whether Vicale encountered limitations during his exploratory research. Students should be asked to detail what limitations Vicale might have encountered. They should be able to list such limitations as a limited sample of stores that this busy executive might have visited, or the failure to check out different types of stores that also might be used for distribution, other than toy stores, or his obvious potential bias toward the idea of producing such dolls. HeroBuilders.com proceeded with the e-commerce business of making action figure dolls, which indicates that the mode of analysis (not revealed) applied to the data received may have been favorable. However, given that the research process was highly subjective as it was carried out by the owner of the company, coupled with the limitations evident in the research process and design, one may question the conclusions drawn from this study. Some students know instinctively that not all research employs every criteria listed, and many studies possess flaws, although not crippling to the result. Moreover, some researchers may be limited by cost and time factors that consequently affect the usefulness of their research.
3. What issues other than those Vicale chose to evaluate, would you have included in your research plan for HeroBuilders.com?
The decision made by Vicale, to capitalize on the action figure business with the incorporation of his modern day hero concept, was apparently given much thought. However, an across-the-board study of the costs involved in such a venture could have been beneficial, considering the competitive nature of the existing market. In addition to conducting research on the marketability of dolls in the image of heroes, it may also prove helpful to explore how the general market would respond to dolls patterned after villains such as Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Despite the numerous requests for villain dolls, this introduction could be damaging to the sale of dolls depicted in a hero like image. Considering the delicate nature of 911 issues, patriotic Americans may find it distasteful that villain images such as those introduced by HeroBuilders.com are marketed. Despite the apparent profit motive involved, this market should be further explored prior to the introduction of such dolls, to evaluate long-term implications. As outlined, a majority of the responses that Vicale received regarding the creation of the product came from friends and acquaintances. As such, it may have been worthwhile to perform a broader survey to establish other marketing factors (e.g., how much persons would be willing to pay for a such a doll, their primary motivation for purchasing such a figure and for whom they would be purchasing the doll, or how they would like to learn about the doll), but also how the general market of doll buyers felt about villain dolls. Vicale could have also taken his research of the retail market a step further by exploring the cost/profit factors with individual stores and Web sites that marketed action figures and toys.
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Case: Inquiring Minds Want to KnowNow! Abstract: This case describes a multi-stage, communication study undertaken by the research department of Penton Media, a publisher of business trade magazines, to determine the long-term viability of a reader and advertiser service, the reader service card, a post-card sized device used by readers to request additional information from a particular advertiser. The discussion questions guide the student through the research process. As such, the case may be used throughout the courseespecially through Chapter 15simply by assigning different discussion questions as exercises during different points in the course. 1. We suggest using Exhibit 5-4 for this discussion; it is helpful if you can project the graphic on the screen in front of the class. A. The management dilemma is a declining number of reader service cards returned, which is causing a smaller number of inquiries and thus a smaller number of sales leads for Penton advertisers. Students won't have too much difficulty in identifying the management dilemma, but you might use this opportunity to discuss that research can be proactiveactually preceding the development of a problem. If Penton saw this as a value enhancing service for advertisers, shouldn't they have been tracking the change in rate of response card return at the very least? Penton also should have been tracking advertisers' continued interest in the reader service card program--after all, the reader service card program has a cost associated with each issue (card printing, return postage, and card handling and forwarding) that needs to be offset by perceived value on the part of the advertiser. Students are usually quick to point out that advertisers don't always track the success of their advertising (not as true an observation for business-to-business advertising as it is for consumer advertising) because not all advertising asks for a specific action. But in the case of advertising designed to generate leads, Penton clearly had the ability to track reader service card activity (a research activity in its own right). B. Management question: What should be done to ensure that advertisers and readers alike are getting the information they need and want? C. Research Question: Should the reader service card program be maintained, discontinued or modified? Rather than three alternatives, Penton may have only looked at maintaining or discontinuing the reader service card. Nothing in the questionnaire indicates that they were exploring other unspecified options. D. Investigative questions: What means do advertisers offer to obtain information about advertisers' products and services? What influences a trade magazine reader in their choice of response method? What types of information are most frequently sought? What is the time frame in which information is needed? Do purchasing agents have different needs than supervisors? How many advertisers offer Web access to information? How many readers use company Web sites for information? Are readers changing their methods of response in the last 5 years? 5-10 years? Do shifts in response methods parallel the decline in reader service card returns? Does a reader's
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E.
gender, age, or job experience affect their choice of information retrieval method? To what degree do advertisers value the reader service card program? Measurement questions: see instrument in text.
2. Using Exhibit 7-1 is appropriate for this exercise. Since Penton is conducting this research internally, most of the sponsor's rights are covered. Subject's rights are much bigger issues here. Avoiding Subject Deception: Subjects are all subscribers to Penton's trade magazines, and the names are drawn from the magazine's subscriber lists (the sample frame). The cover letter states that the study is being conducted to help "companies better understand and respond to your request for information." While it doesn't clearly state the reader service card is being considered for elimination, modification or replacement, any reader who has been reading the magazine for any length of time will know that the reader service card is one response option likely to be evaluated. This small deception is unlikely to offend or distort data from a reader responding to the survey. Subject's right of informed consent (implied): The cover letter invites readers to participate, so they have the right to choose. Students may want to discuss the right of privacy, believing that the magazine has used information extracted from reader service cards and subscriber records in ways that the reader never intended. Subject's right to confidentiality. Penton offered an inducement--a drawing for a handheld color TVto participate, but that is not likely to alter the information that respondents are willing to share. But to obtain that entry right, the respondent must provide their contact information ("To ensure a correct entry in the random drawing for the held-held color TV, please make any necessary changes to your mailing label."), which affects their right of confidentiality. 3. The sampling plan called for using the subscriber database (1.7 million) as the sample frame. The case clearly specifies that they used a stratified disproportionate random sample, sending out 4000 surveys to obtain the 710 completed surveys of which 676 were considered useable (came from purchasing decision-makers). You can also discuss the sampling plan for the stage 2 study of ad content. And students might want to discuss why they didn't draw a sample of advertisers to participate in a parallel study. In terms of sample size, Penton mailed 4000 magazine subscribers and received 676 usable out of 710 completed surveys. Penton chose a stratified sample in order to check response patterns in different subsets (42 in all) of the business-to-business market. You can use this opportunity to discuss several sampling issues: The effect of such stratification on sample size. The effects of self-selection within a mail survey on the quality of the data (and non-response error). The importance of data preparation and why certain returned surveys may not be used. In Penton's case, the discarded instruments were not completed by purchase decision-makers, the only qualified respondent from the viewpoint of the advertisers. The effect of error as it is introduced by the quality of the sample frame.
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4. Penton had started their project with exploratory research that revealed that advertisers perceived they were getting fewer viable sales leads with the advertising in 1998 than they were in earlier years. Penton could have been conducting monitoring research with their advertisers or might have been receiving increasing complaints or comments in normal dealings with them.
Stage 2 involved an observation study of 1330 past advertising placed in Penton magazines in two years, 1992 (648) and 1997 (690). This did show a change in advertiser behavior. What was missing at this stage was an indication of change in respondent inquiry behavior. This would lead us to believe that as Penton did not data mine for this information, that it was not tracking the ads that generated response card inquiries. Having the response cards in their possession, it would have been quite easy to do a tally on a periodic basis for each issue's reader service cards. Stage 3 involved a mail survey of subscribers, which involved an inducement to participatea hand-held, color television giveaway. The mail survey was pretested in two ways: by phone, and then by mail. This is a perfect time to discuss: Various types of pretesting using Appendix 15b on pretesting. Why the mail survey was tested twice. Why a mail survey was preliminarily tested by a means other than that chosen for the survey itself. When such inducements might cause error, when they might inject ethical issues, and what typical inducements are used: money, merchandise, and coupons for discounts are common. Stage 4 involved 40 personal interviews "to gain a deeper understanding of their behavior and attitudes." This is the perfect time to discuss the limitations of a survey for collecting the nuances of attitudes, and the strengths of the personal interview communication methodology. The easiest way to conduct this exercise is for the students, armed with the issues list from their text, to critique the data collection instrument as an out-of-class assignment. You could have them critique the whole instrument, or you might divide the class up into teams, with several teams dealing with a question-level critique and others dealing with the instrument as a whole. The following checklist might be used for such a critique.
5.
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Question Level Critique Should this question be asked? Issue 1: Purposeful vs. Interesting Is the question of proper scope and coverage? Issue 2: Incomplete or unfocused Issue 3: Multiple Questions Issue 4: Precision Can the respondent answer adequately? Issue 5: Time for thought Issue 6: Participation at expense of accuracy Issue 7: Presumed knowledge Issue 8: Recall and memory decay Issue 9: Balance (general vs. specific) Issue 10: Objectivity Will the respondents answer willingly? Issue 11: Sensitive information Issue 12: Shared vocabulary Issue 13: Unsupported Assumptions Issue 14: Frame of Reference Issue 15: Biased Wording Issue 16: Personalization Issue 17: Adequate Answers Issue 18: Objective of the Study Issue 19: Thoroughness of Prior Thought Issue 20: Communication Skill Issue 21: Respondent Motivation Instrument Level Critique Introduction and screening Instructions Order/question sequencing Transitions between sections Conclusion and disposition of instrument
On an instrument level, students should compare their investigative questions developed in Discussion Question 1 to identify whether the boundaries of information request methodologies have been adequately covered. It appears the researcher was very thorough in this regard. Although the layout has been modified to fit the page format of the text, students should look at the layout of the instrument in terms of structure. The layout of the scaled response strategy is clear, and questions clearly delineate (bold text) the time frame of the intention or actual behavior.
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Students should be asked to address the instrument's scope: Does it include all necessary questions? Are questions included that seem extraneous? Students might observe that the instrument scope goes farther than might be technically necessary by asking the desired information response that advertiser's could provide. This question (3) fulfills the "what's in it for me?" query that most respondents ask prior to participating in a survey. As a result, it might be better placed earlier in the instrument. Others might ask why the respondent is not asked directly how they would feel about eliminating the reader service card. This is the opportune time to ask whether the communication method (mail) would have required a different order or instructions if the survey had been done by phone. While early placement of the screening question (1) would serve a purpose in a telephone survey, in this instrument it serves as classification data and could better be placed in the end. Also, an interviewer instruction sheet, for repeating response scales, offering skip directions, probing for reasons for chosen method of response would be necessary if the survey was done by phone. Concerning instructions and transitions, if a respondent were to check the 4th column in question 4 for every option, it doesn't tell them to discontinue. Skip directions also could have been offered in question 6a, to allow the respondent to skip question 6b. Students should be asked about the abrupt change between the core target questions and the classification questions. The purpose of a better transition between the target questions and the classification questions is to indicate why or how the personal information will be used, in order to gain full participation in these questions used for measuring association. This instrument loses that opportunity by its abrupt transition. Finally, the students should discuss the end of the survey. Both a conclusion and disposition instructions should follow the last question, telling the respondent, again, to return the completed survey in the postage-paid envelope and thanking them for their participation. It wouldn't hurt to repeat the request to correct the address label to insure an adequate entry for the television drawing. The information that is captured with the respondent's identity will provide other crucial association variables. At the question level, ask your students if they feel the chosen response strategies (multiple choice-single response, checklist, free-response) are appropriate, and why or why not. Additionally, ask your students if any operational definitions are missing. Some students, for example, may not know what "fax-on-demand" is. You might ask them to come up with operational definitions for those terms they feel the respondent might not know or which might cause confusion. Students should be able to determine if the correct concept and construct has been measured in each question (increase/decrease in activity for question 4, use/expected use of Internet in question 7, etc.).
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6.
Have your students code the survey for analysis, identifying the number of variables, the numerical codes for each likely response, and the variable labels. This is also a great opportunity for discussing the coding of free response questions as questions 2, 4b, 5a, 5b, 7b, 10, and 11 use the free response strategy. Q 1 2 3 4a #V 7 45 16 15 Data Nominal Nominal Ordinal Ordinal Q 4b 5a 5b 6a 1 #V 15 1 Data Ordina l Nomin al Nomin al Nomin al Q 6b 7a 7b 8 #V 1 8 8 1 Data Nominal Nominal Nominal Nominal Q 9 10 11 #V 1 1 1 Data Nominal Ratio Ratio
7.
This question asks the student to build a preliminary analysis plan then fulfill it. It also allows you to discuss whether it is the researcher's role to provide a recommendation or merely to report the findings. You can also use this question to compare textual presentation (as is used by the case) with tabular and graphical formats. Finally, ask this question to determine what should be done with those original 42 subsets of interest, and what might have been used as the factor of incidence for this study. You might want to ask students to prepare both tabular and graphic depictions of the data and compare the results. Without a direct question about eliminating the reader service card any recommendation is problematic given the data presented. However, one statistic will stand out as revealing to the student: between 69-71% responded by mail during the last year when they didn't have an immediate need. This might explain why advertisers don't perceive reader service card respondents as good sales leadsthese inquires may be primarily from potential purchasers whose need is not clearly defined or whose purchase is too far into the future to connect with that early reader service card inquiry. Is this enough to make a "continue the reader service card' recommendation? See below. Every survey has limitations based on scope and methodology. This is a perfect time to discuss sources of error in this survey. The limitation of most concern is the non-response error. That same 71% who had used a reader service card in the past year looks very different when you look at the total original mailing. The 494 respondents translates to only 12.3% of the original sample. 710 of the original 4000 responded, 17.75%. One could hypothesize that those who did not respond feel that they have sufficient ways to reach advertisers about their products or services, therefore they are not interested in preserving one method vs. another. Could those who responded have some ulterior motive for wanting to keep the reader service card? You should also raise the concern about weighting the responses based on the disproportionate stratified sample that was drawn. Does this create or solve a limitation?
8.
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9.
Ask your students if a decision could be made based on the information provided. This is an opportunity to discuss the risk associated with decision making in the absence of perfect information and the value of a decision. Penton obviously thought there was some risk to this decision or they wouldn't have undertaken such a comprehensive study. Some students might suggest an experiment at this point. Create a split run of an upcoming issue, one group gets ads tied to a reader service card while a second group gets ads not tied to a reader service card. Be sure to bring out additional cost (two different ads created for each advertiser, shorter production runs, more time before making a decision on the issue at hand) of this experiment during the discussion. Other students might suggest tracking the returned reader service card use during the next several months (another descriptive study). Others could argue that the appropriate sample for the original study was incorrect, that it should have been advertisers; if advertisers thought the reader service card was no longer of value, then, and only then, should the device be eliminated.
Case: Mastering Teacher Leadership Abstract: A multi-stage, communication study of teachers by Wittenberg University's Department of Education to determine the viability of starting a Master of Education program for Ohio-certified teachers working within school districts serving a five-county area. The discussion questions guide the student through the research process. As such, the case may be used throughout the courseespecially through Case 15simply by assigning different discussion questions as exercises during different points in the course. With the comprehensive data set available on the DVD, this case can also be used for the data analysis chapters. Not all research projects are well designed, and this one has some very obvious flaws that will be revealed during the discussion of the seven discussion questions. This is a good case to use to discuss whether questionable data helps reduce the risk of poor decision making. You can also tie this case back to the concerns in Chapter 1 about research being done by those untrained in research. Those in charge of this project were all highly educated, and they had been schooled in their doctoral programs to do research for their dissertations. But they were clearly not trained in marketing research methods as the research design, sampling and survey instrument demonstrate. 1. We suggest using Exhibit 5-4 for this discussion, by projecting the graphic on the screen in front of the class. Management dilemma: This is research based on an opportunity rather than a problem, so the symptom which starts this research is the passage of a law by the State of Ohio that requires teachers to obtain a Master of Education degree prior to their second licensure renewal between years 5 and 7. Management question: What should be Wittenberg's role in meeting teacher certification requirements? The survey straddles the issue of professional development coursework vs. Master of Education degree coursework. Research question: Should Wittenberg offer a Master of Arts degree in Education?
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Investigative questions: Here are some questions your students should generate. How many teachers will need to obtain a Master of Arts degree to become re-certified within the next five years? What do teachers seek in professional development programs in general and what would they seek in a masters program? How many teachers will pursue a Masters degree? How likely would these teachers be to attend Wittenberg? How many teachers are currently enrolled in Masters programs? Why did they choose the programs they did? How many teachers are in the market area, especially Clark County? When would teachers be likely to take courses? How far will they drive to take courses? What is the price, structure, and content of competitive schools' Master of Arts in Education programs? How many teachers might leave the profession (or Ohio) rather than comply with the new standards? Measurement questions: see survey.
2.
This question is designed to reveal the purpose and methodology for the exploratory data stage of most research projects. This question can be used with material from Chapter 5, especially Exhibits 5-1 and 5-2. You might first ask students to detail which information from their list of investigative questions (Q 1 above) might be extracted from a secondary source. Then you might ask what information drawn from a secondary source is profiled within the case, and how and where/from whom might that information have been collected. You also might ask students to apply the five criteria for evaluation (purpose, scope, authority, audience and format) to each element of secondary data and its source. And you could ask students to construct query statements to do an electronic search for likely secondary data during this exploratory phase of research. Finally, you can ask students to summarize the exploratory findings. Information WittCPD collected and profiled in the case came from the following sources: Web sites and catalogs provided competitor information on number, structure, format, and content of Master of Arts Programs in Education. The school boards representing the various school districts in the market area provided turnover and hiring information. The Ohio Board of Regents and the Ohio Department of Education provided documents detailing the new teacher certification standards. Student teacher evaluation forms collected during the 1990s provided teacher attitudes about quality of Wittenberg's undergraduate teacher preparation.
3.
WittCPD obtained a mailing list of all 1600 teachers in the county likely from the various school boards. First, students should evaluate the sample frame. There is no mention in the case that this sample frame grouped the teachers by age, years of teaching experience, area of expertise, or any other classification variable that was pertinent to the study based on the new teacher certification standards. You may use the tabular Exhibit 16-1 for this discussion. Each teacher received a survey, so in essence WittCPD allowed each teacher to self-select themselves into the sample rather than designing a sampling plan. This is a good place to discuss census vs. sample. Students should then be asked to define the type of sample WittCPD obtained. Some will argue that the results are a simple random probability sample because every teacher had an equal chance of being
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included in the sample. Others will argue that WittCPD started out taking a census but didn't follow through, and what is left is no better than a non-probability convenience sample at worst, or a purposive judgment sample at best. If we look at one measure of sample quality, accuracy, the very large non-response error makes us question this sample's accuracy. Some students may argue that WittCPD used "current teachers" as a surrogate for teachers who will really be affected by the new standards. Teachers who will be affected will be first certified in or after 2002. Most of those plan-to-be teachers would have not yet enrolled in an undergraduate program. 4. This question uses the chapters on measurement, scaling, and instrument structure. A. The cover letter clearly states the two-fold purpose of the study, but it could have been written from a different perspectivethe teachers'. If so, the letter could have alluded to the new state requirements and Wittenberg's assessing their role in helping area teachers comply. Several of the students will challenge the use of classification data at the beginning of the instrument, especially if one purpose of the early questions is to build interest and motivation to respond to the target questions. If WittCPD had used Question 3 to screen respondents that would have no interest in a Masters because they already possessed one, it would make sense to have classification questions early. But, as the absence of branching or skip directions indicates, this was not done. Students should assess the length of the instrument. The actual layout of the instrument took 3 pages, which on receipt might have appeared excessive. Ask your students to "pretest" the length of the instrument and determine whether the cover letter was sufficient to encourage participation in an instrument of that length. No transition appears between classification and target questions, but the survey does have a conclusion and disposition directions. The ranking questions do possess sufficient directions. B. With reference to response strategy appropriateness, numerical ranking, multiple choicesingle response, and checklist strategies are all appropriate for the data they wanted. But clearer instructions (check one only) could have been provided for Question 13. Changing constructs within a question are troublesome (e.g. Question 6 asks about enroll, but responses offer the construct apply). Clearly WittCPD is concerned about the market's perception of price as being too expensive. Students might raise the issue of whether discounting cost as an issue (Questions 5 and 6) the designer further elevated the issue. In ranking questions, three is an acceptable level. It might have helped if the teacher had been asked to put all 7 elements on a ranking question without including the other to muddy the understanding. Given the space, Question 9 would be more informative as a rating scale than a checklist. We don't know how troublesome each checked item might be.
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5. Data coding can be part of this exercise, at least to the point of identifying the number of variables related to each question in the instrument. Of course, savvy students could go to the data set and count the number of variables (76, ignoring CASE). Exhibit C-WittCPD-1 provides the actual code sheet for the survey. Without this your students must guess at the variables in the dataset. The preliminary analysis plan should start with descriptive statistics: frequencies with crosstabluations against the variables in Questions 1-3, as most of the data is nominal or ordinal. There might be enough information from the various school boards to determine if the sample is representative or if the frequencies of some subgroups need to be weighted more than others in looking at the total data set. The student's preliminary plan should detail how missing data will be handled with internal coding. Obviously some subsets of the sample (those without Masters degree, those with few years of service) would be of more interest than others. 6. Students will see the real-life application when analyzing a real data set, even one with some questionable data. This is good preparation for analysis of their own data, and will point out the problems with preliminary analysis plans. This is a good exercise for interpreting hypothesis statistics, too, and to demonstrate that a researcher can crank out any statistic they desire, but that some are not relevant to the data type provided. 7. Because they started with a geographic variable (address), and because respondents have been asked to provide their names and addresses if they want more information, mapping data using Geographic Information System (GIS) software is possible. Because various service divisions of the City of Springfield have done several GIS projects with the University, GIS codes for every address in the county are readily available. So a plot of those who have no degree and show a high level of interest by giving they name and address would be possible. Using the GIS block codes for those people, and referencing it with the location of teachers with similar patterns, might give WittCPD information that could be used for promoting the new program, if they decide to move forward. You might assign students to check for current status of the project at:
http://www5.wittenberg.edu/academics/educ/masters.html.
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Exhibit C-WittCPD-1: Variable and Value Codes for WittMasters.xls 1. Counting this year, how many years have you taught? (V=Q1)
=1 0-5 years =2 6-10 years =3 11-15 years =4 16-19 years =5 20 or more years
2. Professional Responsibility and Subject Field. Check all that apply. Grade Level (V=Q2GRADE)
Preschool to Grade three Grade four to Grade eight Grade nine to 12 Special Education Administration Other: =1 =2
Subject Area (internal code 1=checked, 2=no checked)

Art (V=Q2_1SUB) Business/Economics (V=Q2_2SUB) English (V=Q2_3UB)
Music (V=Q2_6UB) PE/Health (V=Q2_7UB) =3 Social Studies(V=Q2_8SUB) =4 Languages (V=Q2_4UB) Science (V=Q2_9SUB) =5 Mathematics (V=Q2_5UB) Other __________________ =6__________________________________________
3. Highest level of education obtained. Please select one from the list below. (V=Q3, internal code: 1=checked, 2=not checked) Less than a B.A./B.S. B.A./B.S. plus graduate work M.A./M.S. M.A./M.S. plus additional graduate work If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program, which college or university are you attending? __________________________________________________________________________ 4. Which of the following qualities are most important to you in a graduate program? (Please rank the top three qualities with "1" being of most importance, and"2" being of next most importance, etc.) (Value codes internal code: 1=checked, 2=not checked)
____ Reputation (V=Q4_1) ____ Schedule Flexibility (V=Q4_2) ____ Cost (V=Q4_3) ____ Quality of Instruction (V=Q4_4) ____ Closeness to home (V=Q4_5) ____ Other (V=Q4_8) ____ Class Size (V=Q4_6) ____ Individual Attention (V=Q4_7)
B.A./B.S. Currently in M.A./M.S. program Ph.D. or currently enrolled in Ph.D. program.
5. If costs were kept competitive, how likely would you be to apply to a Masters degree program in education at Wittenberg. ____ Other (V=Q5) =1 definitely would apply =2 might apply =3 would not apply
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6. If costs were kept competitive, how likely would you be to enroll in graduate courses at Wittenberg to enhance skills without pursuing a Masters degree? (V=Q6) =1 definitely would apply =2 might apply =3 would not apply
7. Please indicate the three most important reasons for your interest in graduate education at Wittenberg, with "1" being your most important reason, "2" your next most important reason, etc. (Value code is actual rank)
__Professional requirements (V=Q7_1) __Professional advancement (V=Q7_2) __Personal satisfaction (V=Q7_3) __ Future requirement (V=Q7_4) __ Career change (V=Q7_5) ____ Increased employability (V=Q7_6) ____ Additional money (V=Q7_7) ____ Keep certification (V=Q7_8) ____ Upgrade certification (V=Q7_9) ____ Improving skills (V=Q7_10)
Other: (V=Q7_11)________________________________________________________________
8. Please check the two most important reasons for your lack of interest in graduate education at Wittenberg? (Value code is actual rank)
____ Cost (V=Q8_1) ____ Family Responsibilities (V=Q8_2) ____ Time to complete the degree (V=Q8_3) ____ Professional Commitments (V=Q8_4) ____ Live too far away (V=Q8_5) ____ Too near retirement (V=Q8_6) ____ Lack of information (V=Q8_7) ____ Already have a master's degree (V=Q8_8) ____ Enrolled in master's program (V=Q8_9) Other: (V=Q8_10)_______________________________________________________________
9. Please indicate from the list below which of the following might be anticipated as an obstacle to your enrolling in a masters level or graduate classes at Wittenberg? (Value code: 1=checked, 2=not checked)
____ Child/Elder Care (V=Q9_1) ____ Financial Need (V=Q9_2) ____ Family Commitments (V=Q9_3) ____ Travel (V=Q9_4) ____ Employment Schedule (V=Q9_5)
Other: (V=Q9_1)_______________________________________________________________
10. What professional development areas most interest you? Please rank the top three professional development areas that interest you, with "1" being your are of strongest interest, "2" being your area of next strongest interest, etc. (Value code: 1=checked, 2=not checked)
__ Enhancing subject matter knowledge (V=Q10_1) __ Teaching Arts (V=Q10_8) __ Using Technology in the classroom (V=Q10_2) __ Teaching Social Studies (V=Q10_9) __ Child development (V=Q10_3) __ Teaching English/Language Arts (V=Q10_10) __ Teaching reading/writing (V=Q10_4) __ Teaching Math (V=Q10_11) __ Specific learning disabilities (V=Q10_5) __ Teaching Science (V=Q10_12) __ Teacher Leadership Development (V=Q10_6) __ Urban Social Backgrounds (V=Q10_13) __ Developing social skills in students (V=Q10_7) __ Moral and Character Development (V=Q10_14) Other: (V=Q10_15)_______________________________________________________________
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11. How far would you have to drive to attend TC? (V=Q11) =1 under 10 minutes =4 31-45 minutes =2 10-20 minutes =5 46-60 minutes =3 21-30 minutes =6 more than 60 minutes
12. When during the year would you be able to take graduate courses (Check all that apply.)
Fall (Aug. - Dec.) (V=Q12_1) Spring (Jan. - April) (V=Q12_2) Summer (May - July) (V=Q12_3)
13. Which day and time scheduling option below most appeals to you? (Value codes: 1=checked, 2=not checked)
(V=Q13_1) (V=Q13_2) (V=Q13_3) (V=Q13_4) (V=Q13_5) (V=Q13_6) Fall through Spring: Day (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) Fall through Spring: Late Afternoon (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) Fall through Spring: Evening (6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.) Fall through Spring: Saturday Summer Day (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) Summer Evening: (6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.)
If you would like to receive more information about graduate programming in education at TC, please put your name and mailing address below. Name: __________________________________________________________________________ _ Address: __________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your time and assistance, Please return the survey in the postage-paid envelope by March 20.
Case: McDonalds Tests Catfish Sandwich Abstract: This case describes the test marketing for McDonald's catfish sandwich in the Southeastern USA. It asks the student to assume they are the new-product development team and assesses the research design described. This case requires the student to assess the representativeness of the ten test cities in which the new catfish sandwich is being served in relation to three states in which this product will be rolled out. To assess the representativeness of the test cities in relation to the rollout plan, the student will have to collect secondary data on each of the test cities and the three states. There are a wide variety of sources that students can make use of. We have compiled some preliminary data on each of the test cities as shown in the accompanying table. This was abstracted from the 1992 Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide.
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City/State
Population
Per Capita Income 10,992 12,111 12,029 12,178 16,588 12,261 10,284 12,298 8,291 8,742
No. of H.H 16,000 231,300 62,400 19,200 64,000 18,100 9,100 11,800 15,200 7,000
Median H.H. Income 18,096 23,229 21,323 22,906 32,070 21,824 18,387 24,526 16,669 14,826
Food Store Sales 105,350 617,069 285,222 109,959 265,205 81,390 56,989 66,172 70,902 38,894
Total Retail Sales 690,894 5,316,937 1,923,629 626,533 1,769,326 528,714 372,228 492,178 362,498 203,475
R.McNally City Rating 3A 2AA 2A 3A 3-AA 3A 3A 3A 3A 4B
Bowling Green, KY Memphis, TN Chattanooga, TN Jackson, TN Huntsville, AL Jonesboro, AK Columbus, MS Tupelo, MS Greenville, MS Greenwood, MS
40,641 610,337 162,466 48,949 159,789 46,536 23,799 30,685 45,226 18,906
Case: NCRCC: Teeing Up a New Strategic Direction

Abstract: NCR Country Club offers 36 holes of world-class golf and dining in a newly built clubhouse. It faces a future with an aging membership and seeks direction for changing operations to attract younger members, especially young families. The case describes a largescale, multi-stage communication study of current members by McMahon Group, a golfcourse management specialist. This case has numerous tie-ins to various chapters. Used with Chapter 4, you can build the managementresearch question hierarchy. Used with Chapter 8, your students can construct the research process model up through data collection. Used with Chapters 16 and 17, you can discuss sample frames, and screening for qualified respondents, as well as various methods for drawing a sample from a sample frame (membership list). Used with Chapter 13, you can discuss the types of data being collected as well as reliability and validity issues. Used with Chapter 14, you could discuss why a rating scale is appropriate to evaluate membership attitudes, orientations, and preferences in facilities. Used with Chapter 11, you can discuss the appropriate communication methods. Used with Chapter 15, you could discuss preliminary analysis planning. Used with Chapter 18, you could discuss coding the instrument, what to do with spouses' responses when both complete a questionnaire and other issues related to preliminary analysis planning. Given the extensive data set provided on your DVD, with Chapters 19-22 you discuss appropriate analytical techniques and interpretation of data. This is also a perfect case to discuss reporting
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results, as the case provides a typical data table presented in the client report. A sample findings page and the codebook are included here. A PDF of the NCR Study Codebook is also available from our Website.
1. This question gets the student in the habit of formulating the management-research question hierarchy (Chapter 3) as the beginning step of a research project. The management dilemma facing NCR was an aging membership and a membership campaign that failed to attract younger members. While they had experienced success with attracting associate social membersthose using the dining facilities only they had not been successful attracting younger members with children, either as social or golf members.
Management questions: What facilities and services must we offer to attract younger full members, especially those with children? Research question: Which new facilities (spa, fitness, pool, tennis, paddle tennis, bowling) or changes to existing golf facilities (driving, short-game, restrooms, irrigation & draining) and dining facilities (enlarge bar; enlarge banquet room; add more social activities for adults, families, or children) should the club pursue in order to attract new, younger members with children and serve existing members more effectively? Investigative questions:
Your students should come up with some of the following related to current members: How do members perceive the image and personality of the club? What is the current members' evaluation of member service, especially related to golf and dining facilities? Would current social members (users of only the dining facilities) change their current status (pay more) to have fitness, pool or tennis facilities? What facilities or services do younger members want? How often and which facilities do current members use? How satisfied are current members? Your students should come up with some of the following related to prospective members: How do non-members perceive the image and personality of the club? What facilities or services do prospective members want? Among "lost prospective members", what were their reasons for not joining? Do younger lost prospects' reasons for not joining differ from older lost prospects' reasons? Do the reasons of younger lost prospects without children differ from the reasons of those with children?
2. As the students develop the investigative question list, it should become increasingly obvious that by collecting information only from current members, many of the items included in their list cannot be answered with the current research design. Depending on where you use this case within the course, you could have a discussion about why NCRCC management proceeded with the study given this flaw. The research design does address the current members' likes, dislikes, wishes, and level of satisfaction. So student effort is not deflected by a questionable research design, students
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should be focused on whether the measurement questions adequately address the scope of the information needed to make the change/build decision facing club management. The discussion should focus on the scope of questions. Students should readily generate the following list: costand its impact on annual dues and monthly fees; location of facilities on club groundswhat will members have to give up/be willing to give up; operating hours/days/months of new facilities; types of disruptions to current operations to be expected; timeframe of disruption to current operations caused by construction; timeframe members might need to make a membership status change decision; and whether membership could include a bundle of several but not all facilities at different membership dues rates. You might find it valuable to remind your students that southwestern Ohio has an optimal golfing season of April through early November. While the club's dining (37 th Hole and Member Dining Room) and banquet facilities are open year round, the golf courses are not. 3. Sampling strategy should generate some lively discussion. First is the issue of not including any prospective members in the sampling design. Respondents were chosen only from the membership list (sampling frame). It is appropriate to ask the students to debate using only current membersand paying attention to the opinions expressed by those current members with childrenor doing a companion study among nonmembers within the geographic market area that met a desired profile (e.g. under 46 year old professionals with children). Some students will argue that by hiring McMahon Group that NCRCC did have access to the attitudes of those who joined other country clubs, so a separate sample of non-members/prospective members was not needed. They may also argue that McMahon Group did a focus group with nonmembers and the results may have indicated some similar concerns and attitudes between non-members and the under-46 members. The case does not provide information about the process of pulling the sample from the membership list. The fact that the case gives the confidence level and confidence interval for data interpretation clearly implies a probability sample. Your students should be encouraged to discuss which of the different probability samples would have been appropriate for McMahon to use. Given management's interest in the under-46-with-children subset, a strong case can be made for a disproportionate, stratified, probability sample. The data in the case suggests that they did not take this approach, and students should be asked to offer reasons why. Some will suggest that, as the decision would affect all members, that a census was the appropriate approach. Their largest concern will be with the non-response error. Others will be concerned with duplication. If both members and their spouses were sent questionnaires and both responded, then one household's opinion could be double-counted. This actually makes the non-response error larger than it might originally appear. 4. Students should positively evaluate the instructions, the transitions, the clean appearance, and the consistency of scaling design. Some observant students will note that the questionnaire is designed to be scanned as a means of data entry. Others will note the opportunity for members to voice opinions not specifically requested by the core target questions and bemoan the coding problems associated with tallying such responses. Others will wonder why a pretest wasn't done to generate likely answers to the third of these free-response questions, so that the options might be included in the
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target questions. Students should be reminded that McMahon did do focus groups and that these, along with their extensive consulting experience with golf clubs, in all likelihood served the purpose of generating such ideas. The second of the free-response questions should generate some discussion of why no ranking scale relating to the considered changes/additions to facilities was used. Otherwise, in addressing question content, encourage your students to refer to their investigative questions to determine adequacy of scope and response strategy. Have your students give special attention to the classification questions. While they ask age and presence of children under 21, we have no way of knowing the number of children, their ages, or their fitness/activityrelated interests. 5. McMahon is a consulting company with years of experience working with golf courses around the country. As a result, NCRCC should have asked for a formal oral presentation of results plus an extensive report of written findings. This would give the Board of Directors, who must make the decision, not only a forum to discuss the findings, but the opportunity to actually get help arriving at a recommendation given those findings. The actual written report contains dozens of charts and data tables (tables are similar to the one provided with the case). It also contains frequency responses to every question. A sample findings page is provided in Exhibit C-NCR 1-1. Each frequency page refers to a particular data table in a separate section. The companion table to Exhibit C-NCR 1-1 is provided in Exhibit C-NCR 1-2. The McMahon Group NCRCC report gives no indication that subsets of specific groups are weighted when calculating overall percentages. 6. The full dataset is provided with this case to encourage the student to crunch numbers to their heart's content. This case is perfect for determining a preliminary data analysis plan, for determining what type of coding (and re-coding) is optimal, for doing statistical testing to determine patterns in the responses, etc. You may import this Excel97 file from your DVD into SPSS or other data analysis package. The codebook is located in Exhibit C-NCR 1-3. You will note that the value codes do not correspond to the numbers on the questionnaire scales. McMahon re-coded the values after data entry to work more effectively with the order approach of SPSS. After they reach their own conclusions, the students may be interested in what happened. They may find out by visiting the club's Web site, accessed from their DVD. The club did decide to build a fitness facility with an outdoor pool in an area where a grounds-keeper cottage was originally located. The fitness facility will be served by the existing parking facility. Current plans call for the fitness center's construction to move the putting practice area to the far side of the current driving range, across the parking lot from its current location and near the short-game practice area. Those holding social memberships may upgrade to an associate status (fitness & dining) for a one-time $2000 fee plus an increase in annual dues. Those currently holding a golf membership will experience only an increase in annual dues. The facility is expected to be open in summer of 2001.
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EXHIBIT C-NCRCC 1-1: Sample Frequency Findings Page Question 2: Which of the following best represents what you feel (1) is currently and (2) should be the primary purpose of NCR Country Club? Primary Purpose Family Oriented, Full Service Country Club with activities for children Adult Oriented, Full Service Country Club with limited activities for children Adult Golf and Dining Club Golf Club Primarily for Adults Current 6% 22% 63% 9% Should Be 22% 31% 39% 8%
The majority of respondents (63%) feel the club currently is a golf and dining club primarily for adults. Only 28% of the respondents perceive the current purpose of the club to be a fullservice country club, either adult or family oriented. In the future, however, 53% of the respondents feel the club should be a full-service country club, 39% feel it should be a golf and dining club, and 8% feel it should be just a golf club. Responses varied considerably by age group and membership status. Among respondents under age 46, only 5% feel the club currently is family oriented and full service, but 48% feel it should be. One third of respondents in this younger age group feel the club is currently a full service country club, yet 75% feel it should be. Among Associate members, 37% feel the club currently is a full service country club and 62% feel it should be full service. Among retired NCR employees, 27% feel the club is currently a full service country club and 42% feel it should be. Reference: Table 2
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EXHIBIT C-NCRCC 1-2: Sample Table Findings Page Table 2: GENERAL - Q2: Which of the following best represents what you feel concerning the primary purpose of NCR Country Club?
AGE Tota l % 6 22 63 9 779 % 22 31 39 8 753 Under 46 % 5 28 57 10 146 % 48 27 17 8 144 46-55 % 6 22 57 16 180 % 18 36 39 6 171 56-65 % 7 22 65 6 199 % 12 32 49 7 198 over 65 % 6 19 70 5 233 % 14 28 46 11 219 GENDER male % 7 20 64 10 407 % 21 27 42 9 387 fem ale % 6 24 62 7 311 % 21 36 37 6 302 MEMBER MBR % 6 21 62 10 468 % 21 27 43 9 458 SPO % 6 24 63 6 311 % 22 36 35 7 295 CHILDREN at home yes no % 5 29 53 13 175 % 49 27 15 8 168 % 6 20 66 8 566 % 13 31 47 9 553 MEMBER TENURE 1990prior % 6 22 64 8 462 % 15 28 46 11 441 19911994 % 7 22 56 15 89 % 28 32 31 9 87 1995now % 6 22 63 8 203 % 32 38 28 3 199 MEMBERSHIP STATUS NCR empl % 3 24 60 13 181 % 26 29 34 11 174 RET/ RIFd % 5 18 69 8 308 % 14 28 47 10 287 Assoc MBR % 10 27 57 6 237 % 26 36 34 5 239 MEMBERSHIP CLASS Fam Sing Oth ily le er % % % 4 8 8 22 23 23 64 61 62 9 9 8 371 % 23 27 42 7 354 208 % 16 22 46 16 198 183 % 24 44 29 3 185
Currently Family-Full Ser Adult-Full Serv Golf & Dining Golf TOTAL COUNT Should Be Family-Full Ser Adult-Full Serv Golf & Dining Golf TOTAL COUNT
Exhibit C-NCRCC 1-3: NCRCC Study Codebook

Q# 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Variable X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 X10 Variable Label Overall satisfaction currently should be meet new friends location-home location-work club social functions friend members parents members exclusivity Value Codes very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, dissatisfied=5, missing=99 family-full=1, adult-full=2, golf and dining=3, golf=4 family-full=1, adult-full=2, golf and dining=3, golf=5 very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99,
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Q# 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 7 8A 8B 8C 9 9 9 Variable X11 X12 X13 X14 X15 X16 X17 X18 X19 X20 X21 X22 X23 X24 X25 X26 X27 X28 X29 X30 X31 X32 X33 X34 X35 X36 X37 X38 X39 X40 X41 X42 X43 X44 Variable Label NCR affiliation competitive initiation fee private parties reputation of club dining golf 36 holes of golf top 100 course board communication board representativeness club committee effectiveness management effectiveness management responsiveness service level golf dining club social functions private parties childrens activities family activities golf dining club social functions private parties childrens activities family activities good value sufficient activities internet access Web site awareness email notification upcoming events activities and stories club business Value Codes very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99,
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Q# 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 Variable X45 X46 X47 X48 X49 X50 X51 X52 X53 X54 X55 X56 X57 X58 X59 X60 X61 X62 X63 X64 X65 X66 X67 X68 X69 X70 X71 X72 X73 X74 X75 X76 X77 X78 Variable Label newsletter appearance newsletter timeliness club communication in general course layout overall course condition course landscaping condition of tees condition of fairways condition of greens condition of bunkers irrigation drainage cart paths restrooms availability restrooms condition drinking water availability beverage card availability course layout overall course condition course landscaping condition of tees condition of fairways condition of greens condition of bunkers irrigation drainage cart paths restrooms availability restrooms condition drinking water availability beverage card availability interior appearance shop cleanliness merchandise selection Value Codes very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99,
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Q# 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 Variable X79 X80 X81 X82 X83 X84 X85 X86 X87 X88 X89 X90 X91 X92 X93 X94 X95 X96 X97 X98 X99 X100 X101 X102 X103 X104 X105 X106 X107 X108 X109 X110 X111 X112 Variable Label pro shop service pro shop prices pro lessons bag drop service bag storage and club cleaning cart service cart cleanliness practice range-condition practice range-size range ball condition speed of play tournaments-quality tournaments-value for price tournament format adult golf programs junior golf programs reservation system halfway house-hours of operation halfway house-service halfway house-menu variety open member play guest use junior play scheduled events non-member outings-Mondays non-member outings-other support caddy program staff appearance-37th speed of service-37th friendliness of wait staff-37th professionalism of wait staff-37th staff appearance-DR speed of service-DR friendliness of wait staff-DR Value Codes very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, excessive=1, somewhat excessive=2, fine as is=3, not quite enough=4, not enough=5, missing=99 excessive=1, somewhat excessive=2, fine as is=3, not quite enough=4, not enough=5, missing=1 excessive=1, somewhat excessive=2, fine as is=3, not quite enough=4, not enough=5, missing=2 excessive=1, somewhat excessive=2, fine as is=3, not quite enough=4, not enough=5, missing=3 excessive=1, somewhat excessive=2, fine as is=3, not quite enough=4, not enough=5, missing=4 excessive=1, somewhat excessive=2, fine as is=3, not quite enough=4, not enough=5, missing=5 strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99,
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Q# 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 Variable X113 X114 X115 X116 X117 X118 X119 X120 X121 X122 X123 X124 X125 X126 X127 X128 X129 X130 X131 X132 X133 X134 X135 X136 X137 X138 X139 X140 X141 X142 X143 X144 X145 X146 Variable Label professionalism of wait staff-DR staff appearance-PP speed of service-PP friendliness of wait staff-PP professionalism of wait staff-PP food quality-37th food quality-37th menu to meal consistency-37th menu variety-37th ambiance-37th wine list-37th value for price-37th food quality-DR food presentation-DR meal to meal consistency-DR menu variety-DR ambiance-DR wine list-DR value for price-DR food quality-PP food presentation-PP meal to meal consistency-PP menu variety-PP ambiance-PP wine list-PP value for price-PP party planning assistance-PP party follow-up-PP casual adult dining casual family dining formal dining outdoor dining mens grill womens grill Value Codes very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very satisfied=1, satisfied=2, neutral=3, dissatisfied=4, very dissatisfied=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99,
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Q# 16 16 16 16 16 16 Variable X147 X148 X149 X150 X151 X152 Variable Label lunch dinner private parties social events wine cocktails non-smoking members dining room 37th hole members bar/lounge private function rooms locker rooms add a swimming pool add tennis courts add health/fitness facility add paddle tennis courts add bowling alley add spa facilities provide more social activities provide more family activities provide more childrens activities add year-round driving range enlarge bar/lounge area enlarge banquet room provide better pedestrian access improve golf driving range improve golf short game practice area modify north course modify south course higher dues dues increase eliminate outings-other days half Monday and all other days eliminate all outings Value Codes much lower=1, somewhat lower=2, about the same=3, somewhat higher=4, much higher=5, missing=99, much lower=1, somewhat lower=2, about the same=3, somewhat higher=4, much higher=5, missing=99, much lower=1, somewhat lower=2, about the same=3, somewhat higher=4, much higher=5, missing=99, much lower=1, somewhat lower=2, about the same=3, somewhat higher=4, much higher=5, missing=99, much lower=1, somewhat lower=2, about the same=3, somewhat higher=4, much higher=5, missing=99, much lower=1, somewhat lower=2, about the same=3, somewhat higher=4, much higher=5, missing=99, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=1, missing=99, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, very important=1important=2, neutral=3, unimportant=4, very unimportant=5, missing=99, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, nothing=1, 5%=2, 10%=3, 15%=4, 20%=5,30%=6, 40%=7, 50% or more=8, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99,
17A X153 17B X154 17B X155 17B X156 17B X157 17B X158 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 X159 X160 X161 X162 X163 X164 X165 X166 X167 X168 X169 X170 X171 X172 X173 X174 X175
20A X176 20B X177 21A X178 21B X179 21C X180
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Q# 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 32 32 32 32 32 33 Variable X181 X182 X183 X184 X185 X186 X187 X188 X189 X190 X191 X192 X193 X194 X195 X196 X197 member dummy status age gender Variable Label one course always open bundle all fees and charges membership class membership status gender age home from club business from club membership tenure children in home another golf/country club membership swim/tennis club membership fitness/health club membership city/dining club membership fraternal club membership none reside in area Value Codes strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, strongly agree=1, agree=2, neutral=3, disgree=4, strongly disagree=5, missing=99, family golf=1, single golf=2, social=3, 4=corporate, 5=non-resident NCR-employee=1, NCR-ret/RIFd=2, Associate member=3, male=1, female=2 under 46=2, 46=55=3, 56-65=4, over 65=5, 0-3 miles=1, 4-7 miles=2, 8-15 miles=3, more than 15 miles=4 0-3 miles=1, 4-7 miles=2, 8-15 miles=3, more than 15 miles, Not applicable-retired=5, 1970 or before=1, 1971-1980=2, 1981-1985=3, 1986-1990=4, 1991-1994=5, 1995-present=6 yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, yes=1, no=2, year round=1, 9-11 mo=2, 6-8 mo=3, less than 6 mo=4 MBR=1, spouse=2 COMPUTE; total=1 if x183=1,2,3,4,5 then 1=family golf, 2=single golf, 3=social, 4=corporate, 5=nonresident if x186=1,2,3,4,5 then 1=under 36, 2=36-45, 3=46-55, 4=56-65, 5=66-75, 6=over 75 if x185=1,2,9 then 1=male, 2=female
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Case: NetConversions Influences Kelley Blue Book

Abstract: The case describes a study conducted by NetConversions for Kelley Blue Book (KBB), a publisher of detailed costs as well as other data on cars. Employing NetConversions TrueUsability assessment methodology, KBB aims at enhancing its Web site in an effort to encourage car buyers to return to the site and generate revenue. This case can serve as a preface for students as a preliminary step to starting a research project. It prepares them to build the management-research question hierarchy (Chapter 4) and Exhibit 4-1 can be used as a guide throughout this process. This case also ties in to Chapter 8, where students will begin to identify the make up of a research design from the data collection stages through to the analysis. You can also use Chapter 16 to discuss the sampling method used by NetC throughout its Hill Climbing mode of analysis.
1. Develop the Management Research Question hierarchy through investigative questions for this project. The management dilemma facing KBB is how to redesign its Web site so as to encourage continued use of the site by car buyers. Increased traffic to its Web site, as stated, is a major source of revenue for KBB. Therefore making changes to their site as effective as possible for users is another dilemma faced.
Management questions: What should be done to improve the overall appeal and effectiveness of the Web site to frequent users? How can KBB encourage car shoppers and car buyers to continuously return to the site? What steps can KBB take to ensure continued increases in revenue? Research questions: Should the design of the Web site be modified to include more available hot-links to users? Should the current KBB logo be changed to a hot-link, taking users to the home page or should it remain as a graphic on each page? Should KBB shorten the length of its pages and increase partner links? Investigative questions: How effective are the available partner links in assisting customers? in generating revenue? How do current customers view the available hotlinks in terms of ease of use and user friendliness? How long must customers wait before each hot-link loads? How likely are customers to scroll through a page to find the information they seek regardless of the page length? Are customers not returning to the site because of information that the site fails to provide? What aspects of the site encourage users to return? What is the overall satisfaction with the KBB Website?
2. Using the research process model (Exhibit 4-1), describe and evaluate the research design of this project. This question can be used as a group exercise where students take segments of the model and relate them to the design of the case. For example, you can assign a group to look at data collection method used by NetC and another to look at sampling from the script overlay technique used. You can also have students review the research process stages and compare them to the steps taken by NetC. Not all research will incorporate every step listed in the
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research process model in Exhibit 4-1. Some studies will incorporate activities such as pilot testing to test weaknesses in a studys design. You can also ask students to identify some of the weaknesses in the design of the study, and how NetC could have benefited from employing different methods. Identifying the need to make changes to its Web site to encourage customers to return commenced the exploratory stages of the KBB project. Though students may question this stage of the research, KBB could have been conducting internal research that may have pointed to decreased revenue due to reduced traffic to its Web site. KBB may have also been receiving complaints from its partners that customers experienced difficulty using the site or that the site was not effective. NetConverions utilized its TrueUsability methodology, which involved different subsets of analysis as a way of tracking how visitors used the site. This included a click density analysis, which tracked the movement of each visitor to the site. A scrolling analysis was another tool used by NetC, where the usefulness of a shorter page rather than a longer page was determined based on the visitors scroll through screens on the site. Both True Usability and Hill Climbing used probability sampling. The first used time sampling; the latter, an algorithm to randomly select site visitors. The Hill Climbing process, used for testing individual changes to a Web site, did however utilize a more structured form of sampling technique. Here NetC generated a random sample of visitors, where a script overlay technique was used as a way of comparing page designs with a test group. The results from Hill Climbing indicated significant changes for KBB to make. You can discuss the reasons why many of the recommended changes from the Hill Climbing method were utilized. Based on NetCs findings KBB implemented changes to its Web site (including additional drop down boxes, the shortening of several pages as well as the creation of pop-up windows), KBB saw an increase in its revenue.
3. Describe and evaluate the sampling design for this project With both True Usability and Hill Climbing, NetConversions used probability sampling. For the first phase, True Usability, time sampling was used. Having set a desired sample size, Net Conversions randomly chose specific time blocks (either hours or days depending on the history of visitors to site being evaluatedfor the KKB site, hours were used as the time block). Every visitor during the randomly chosen time blocks became part of the sample and page-views, scrolling and clicking behaviors of those visitors were tracked. You can ask students what other options NetC might have used other than time sampling to generate a probability sample. The second phase of the study, Hill Climbing, NetC uses an algorithm to generate a random sample of visitors to the tested Web site. For the Kelley Blue Book Web site test, the algorithm selected one of approximately every 1000 visitors and exposed them to the Web
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site design change. Ask students whether or not a random sample was the best sample methodology or if stratified sampling might have been advantageous given different reasons for visiting the KBB site.
Case: Open Doors: Extending Hospitality to Travelers with Disabilities

Abstract: This case describes a multistage study conducted by Open Doors Organization (ODO), an advocacy group that addresses disability related issues and challenges. The driving force behind this research was the apprehension that the hospitality industry (airlines, hotels, cruise lines and restaurants) failed to acknowledge and fully accommodate the disability travel market. Their aim through this research is to show that the disability travel market has not been entirely explored and that it is financially viable. This case is applicable to various chapters, rich with discussions and will get students in the habit of thinking like researchers, as they operationally define concepts (Chapter 3), critically analyze various aspects of a research design (Chapter 8), while exploring varying data collection methodologies such as on-line surveys and phone interviews (Chapter 11). Based on the study, students will be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different data collection mechanisms given the nature and purpose of the research, and why the ODO study chose a hybrid method to allow for a representative sample. Additionally, through exploration of the different stages of the study, students will be able to formulate management, research and investigative questions.
1. How did ODO operationalize the definition of an adult with a disability? What arguments could you make that the definition was too inclusive or too narrow? ODO narrowly defined the characteristics of a disability. This included permanence of the disability and exclusion of persons with mental or emotional disorders. The definition created by ODO was evidently geared towards disabilities that physically limited individuals. As such, for an adult to be categorized as being disabled that person must be blind, deaf or have a condition that prevented them from being able to walk, climb stairs, reach, lift or carry things. This definition was influenced by the 2000 US Census. You can use this question as an opportunity to ask students how they would define an adult with a disability. Students may debate the use of the characteristics ODO utilized to define a person with a disability. This definition excludes many individuals who are disabled and who travel on a regular basis. As such, it served to place considerable focus on persons with only physically limiting disabilities including those who are blind or deaf. It inevitably excludes persons with severe conditions where their disability may not be visible. Ask students to consider persons with mild to moderate symptoms of Parkinsons disease or those who may be autistic. Such individuals may be able to undertake some amount of physical activity. However, they are still classified as being disabled yet provide economic impact to the travel industry. You can ask students why ODO chose to limit persons with disabilities to these conditions (e.g., the purpose of the study and the assumption that persons who are physically impaired are less likely to travel due to the industrys failure to provide adequate accommodations). Ask students to discuss the implications of such a definition on the findings, and if this sample would be a true reflection of the disabled populations view of the travel industry.
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2. Analyze the research designs various components. Identify any potential problems and explain the ramifications of these design issues. Identify potential strengths of the design. This question prepares students to explore the various facets of the research design. You can use Chapter 6 as a guide to analyzing the steps ODO employed during its research. ODO performed an exploratory study starting with 13 participants in focus groups where their intent was to understand the language of disabled persons. Representative organizations were requested to augment questionnaire design, and teams finalized the questionnaire with a focus on airline and hotel operations. Their goal was to: Estimate the economic impact of the disability community on the travel industry. Measure the travel behaviors of adults with disabilities, such as how often they traveled, the amount of money they spent, who they traveled with, and the sources of information they relied on. Determine how well airlines, cruise lines, restaurants and hotels, met the needs of adults with disabilities. Quantify what services and products would encourage adults with disabilities to travel more. Their data collection method included a dual-modality survey (via telephone and online) conducted with 534 online participants completing surveys and 503 interviews carried out via telephone. This type of methodology allowed for a more representative sample, as it gave persons who are limited by sight, the ability to participate through phone interviews, while accommodating others with speech impediments through the online survey. This approach potentially excludes persons who are deaf and without access to a computer. There are also persons who are disabled who may be in assisted living or other residential location often not equipped with a computer. Though these persons may have some amount of supervision, due to their disability, they may travel on holidays to see family and would therefore be useful to this study. However, these persons may not be reached based on the chosen methodology. As such, the result may not be a true representation of how often this disabled population travel, with whom, as well as the sources of information they relied on. ODO conducted its own focus groups with the assistance of a consultant, using participants who were all disabled, so as to be able to appropriately identify the issues faced by disabled persons and create an understanding of the language common to this group. This research environment (lab conditions) strengthened the design of the study as it gave more credibility to studys methodology and research findings. The purpose of the study conducted by ODO is descriptive in nature, as they aimed to ascertain: What services and products would encourage adults with disabilities to travel How often they traveled How well their needs are met by airlines, cruise lines, hotels and restaurants Who they traveled with
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How much they spent when they traveled
For the purpose of this study, ODO chose to narrow the scope of the research. ODO chose to focus on the airline and hotel industry, giving less attention to restaurants and cruises. Students may argue that the decision to not focus on the cruise line industry creates the assumption that this may not be an economically viable arena, where disability issues are concerned. However, cruising may be a market that disabled persons would want to explore and could prove financially viable for persons interested in the studys findings. While students may comment that the narrowing of the scope of the study limited feedback from persons who visit restaurants regularly, and are less likely to fly (consider quadriplegics), you should point out that it is common practice in research to narrow a study depending on time and budget considerations. Students could be asked to hypothesize about a follow-up study for restaurants and cruises (in fact, ODO is currently studying those aspects of the hospitality industry that it could not include in its first round study).
3. What is a hybrid (dual-modality) methodology? What are the pros and cons of the hybrid methodology used in this study? A. A hybrid or dual-modality method is a technique used by researchers, where two data collection procedures are incorporated (in this case) to allow for more representative sampling. Here ODO utilized an online survey, which was supplemented by phone interviews. Ask students to consider persons with disabilities who may still be excluded from the sample drawn because of the methodology chosen and discuss the implications.
PROS:
The phone interviews and online survey allowed for a more representative sample. The method used accommodated persons with visual impairments via phone interviews as well as those with hearing or speech impediments via online surveys. The method allowed for more flexibility with different scaling methods, where Harris Interactive used both a proprietary and propensity weighting process. This gave them the ability to appropriately gauge questions given the method in which participants took part in the study. Attitudinal and behavioral questions were used to weight online participants, as they were thought to be better informed. The hybrid method used in this study would also provide a more comprehensive analysis of the research findings.
CONS: Given the varying details involved in the study, this can be a very costly and time consuming method Requires persons equipped with specialized experience and skill, particularly given the nature and sensitivity of the target group The dual method used may yield differential results as phone interviews allow the participant to clarify questions that are ambiguous as the questions are being administered. Online participants do not have this advantage, therefore they respond to the questions within a frame of reference that may include misunderstanding of the questions intent.
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4. Francie Turk had no prior experience with researching Americans with disabilities. Assume you have similar background, what would you have done in the exploratory phase of this project to become familiar with the frustrations and hurdles that adults with disabilities face when traveling? Compare your research process with what ODO did. What could ODO have gained from incorporating your methods? The case indicates that little research had been carried out by companies on the disability travel market. This suggests that only limited secondary data may have existed; however, the study did not make clear to what extent the available data was used. An exploration of prior studies done by companies is a good first step in providing further insight into the issues faced by disabled travelers. Travel industry lobbying organizations and member associations may have sponsored such studies. It may have been secondary data that encouraged ODO to focus first on the hotel and airline segments of the travel industry, or the existence of studies in these divisions of the industry might have led ODO to believe that these industries would initially be more receptive. To gain first hand knowledge of the hurdles faced by disabled travelers, a participant observation is an option. Here participants could be observed in the natural setting. The ODO study utilized focus groups made up of persons with disabilities in their own organization, which added realism to their initial efforts. Given their network, it would have been possible to extend this phase of the study to enhance the depth and richness of exploratory information. (Reference techniques in Chapter 9.) Unstructured personal interviews could also be used as a tool to understand and become more familiar with hurdles faced by disabled travelers. Though the focus groups did utilize actual disabled individuals, IDIs could reveal problems or issues persons would not feel comfortable revealing in a group setting. 5. Brainstorm lists of potential hotel, restaurant, and rental car accommodations to be evaluated for adults with disabilities and create your own paired comparison question. During a phone interview, how quickly could you cover this question? What are the pros and cons to using this measurement scale in the phone survey in comparison to using it in the online survey? This is an opportune time to discuss different ranking scales used in research. This can be done as a group exercise, where students can brainstorm potential accommodations and create paired comparison questions a group.
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Using accommodations that restaurants may provide, here is an example: For each pair of accommodation listed, place a check beside the one you would most prefer if you had to choose between the two, when visiting your favorite restaurant. ___ menu in brail ___ accessible lavatory ___convenient parking ___menu in brail ___server proficient in ASL ___menu in brail ___ accessible lavatory ___ convenient parking ___ server proficient in ASL ___ convenient parking ___accessible lavatory ___server proficient in ASL
During a phone interview, this question could be covered in a short period of time, but this would be dependent on the respondent, the amount of thought given to the question, and/or the relevance of each accommodation listed. There are disadvantages to using this measurement scale in a phone survey, compared to using it in an online survey: PROS: Interviewer is able to clarify questions that the respondent may have, or explain areas that may be confusing. Administering the survey online does not allow this. Paired-comparison scales have the potential of being lengthy. Participants who complete this online may loose interest and fail to complete but have visual cues. An interviewer is better able to gauge the time and detect when respondents are becoming restless and find ways to prevent this. CONS: This measurement scale in a phone survey may take a longer time to yield results, while if it were done online there would be a shorter turnaround of results Using this scale via the phone limits the ability to use graphics to enhance the survey's appeal. Using this measure online would allow for the use of graphical displays to further simplify the survey or entertain participants
6.
What are the management, research and investigative questions driving the next Adults with Disabilities: Travel and Hospitality Study? Using student teams to brainstorm these questions is a good way to familiarize the student with the management-research question hierarchy. Management question: How can ODO determine if a boost in customer satisfaction and travel business is as a result of improved training and accommodations made by firms?
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Research questions: Can increased online reservations made by disabled persons be used to gauge improvement in the travel business? Is improved training and accommodations provided by firms a useful link to customer relationship management? Is an increase in travel by the disabled population indicative of a boost in customer satisfaction with the travel business? Investigative questions: How significant are the existing improvements in the travel business? How does the growth in travel compare to prior changes made by firms? What types of accommodations and training have been made and are these changes significant? Is the increase in customer satisfaction as a result of enhanced training or the accommodations made by firms?
Case: Overdue Bills Abstract: A collection agency accountant is evaluating the time it takes to collect delinquent accounts so that an advertising slogan can be developed. He suspects that the amount of time is determined by the size of the delinquent account and draws a sample of accounts to determine if he is correct. The student is asked to recommend a slogan to the marketing department based on an analysis of the results. General Comments The key to this case is doing background graphical analysis of your data before performing summary statistics. The correlation between LATE and BILL is -0.04 and the simple regression model of LATE on BILL gives an estimated slope coefficient of -0.01 with a t ratio of -0.4. At first glance, there appears to be no relationship between the size of the bill and the number of days the payment is late. A simple scatterplot of LATE against BILL gives a completely different story. The case indicates that half of the bills are from residential customers and half are from commercial accounts; these two groups show up clearly on a scatterplot. The relationship between BILL and LATE is positive for residential accounts and negative for commercial accounts. This case can be a natural transition for regression models with dummy variables. Once the students see that two distinct lines need to be modeled, you can introduce the notion of dummy variables as intercept shifters and interactive terms as slope shifters. Some students will attempt to split the data into two samples, which can motivate a discussion of the gain in degrees of freedom resulting from using regression on the complete data set.
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To address the issue of the money-back guarantee, students can calculate regression lines of LATE on BILL and use the line to find the bill sizes that meet the 60-day guideline.
Discussion Questions 1. What recommendation do you have about the feasibility of the 60-day money-back guarantee? 2. Does the size of the bill somehow relate to the number of days the payment is late? If so, how? 3. Does your answer to either of the above questions depend upon whether the customer is a residential or commercial customer? If so, how?
Scatterplot of LATE versus BILL LATE 105+ * commercial - ** * * ** *** * * ** 70+ *** ** * * * ** *** * * * * * * * * * **** * * * * 35+ ** ** ***** ** * - * * *** * residential - --*-------**+---------+---------+---------+---------+ 50 100 150 200 250 300 BILL
Suggestions for Discussion It is probably best not to ask the last question above, since this leads directly to the answer. Rather, you might ask for a show of hands of who believes that the variables LATE and BILL are unrelated. Then ask who believes that they are related. Pick one person, or perhaps assemble a group of people, for each category and ask the groups to lead the class discussion for the day. Everyone in the class may discover the key. If this happens, there is still a good chance that different students took different approaches to solve the problem. You might just ask, "Well, what did you do to account for the differences in the residential and commercial customers?"
Typical Results and Approaches
The mean number of late days for the group as a whole is 50, but it is 31 for the residential customers, and 68.5 for the commercial customers. Your students may discover that the variable BILL is repeated and reordered for the residential and commercial groups; the mean and standard deviation for BILL are $174 and $78 for both
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the commercial and residential accounts. The regression equations for the overall sample and the residential and commercial subsamples are:
POOLED: LATE = 52 - 0.013 BILL RESIDENTIAL: LATE = 2.2 + 0.17 BILL COMMERCIAL: LATE = 102 - 0.19 BILL N 96 48 48 t-ratio -0.4 25.3 -31.8 R2 0.002 0.933 0.957 s 23.7 3.5 3.2
Case: Ramada Demonstrates its Personal Best

Abstract: This case describes syndicated research in the hospitality industry that revealed trends in customer satisfaction and Ramada's proprietary research leading to the development of the Personal Best employee hiring, training and motivation program. This case has numerous tie-ins to various chapters. Used with Chapter 4, you can build the managementresearch question hierarchy. Used with Chapter 6, you can have students develop an internal proposal for the study designed. Used with Chapter 8, your students can build the research process model up through data collection. This is also a perfect case to use to discuss multi-stage studies, as well as qualitative studies vs. quantitative ones. Used with Chapter 16 and 17, you can discuss the place of non-probability sampling in business research. Used with Chapter 13, you can discuss the types of data being collected as well as reliability and validity issues. Used with Chapter 14, you could discuss how an interview script might have been used, rather than the less formal method Ramada selected. Used with Chapters 5 and 9, you can discuss the types of exploratory and qualitative research used, as well as the use of syndicated D.K. Shifflet research and the data mining necessary to identify that the service problem surfacing in other mid-tier hotels had not yet affected Ramada. Used with Chapter 11, you can discuss the appropriate communication methods, and why the personal, face-to-face interview was selected.
1. This question gets the student in the habit of formulating the management-research question hierarchy (Chapter 5) as the beginning step of a research project.
Management dilemma: Customers frequenting mid-tier hotels noted declining service levels. RFS needed to prevent this industry trend in declining service among mid-tier hotels from influencing Ramada customers' perceived and actual service level. Management questions: What programs in hiring, training, and motivation might RFS develop and implement chain-wide that would prevent declining service among Ramada's customers? Research question: What characteristics are indicative of workers capable of delivering exceptional customer service? Which employee characteristics should be used in hiring Ramada workers? Which approaches to training are exceptional-service firms using? Which of these can be adapted to Ramada's franchisees? What employee motivational programs can sustain exceptional customer service? Investigative questions: Students should be able to use their personal experience to help them identify some of the following as investigative questions: What skills and
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characteristics are present in Ramada's current superior customer service personnel? What training approaches are used by RFS franchisees? Which should be retained or serve as models? Which should be discarded or modified? What do current employees consider "exceptional" or "superior" customer service? To what degree do they feel they personally are responsible for superior customer service? What motivation programs have been used by franchisees with what success? How do employees view motivation programs? Within such programs, what do they like and dislike about the structure, duration, and rewards? 2. A. Exploration's role: RFS used a series of primary and secondary exploration techniques. First they used the case-study design to delve into the successful practices of Disney, Southwest Airlines, and TGI Friday. Each such study revealed special processes and features of these processes that these exceptional-service companies had developed. Students may want to discuss why Disney, a seeming competitor, would be willing to participate in such a study. An obvious answer is that Disney theme parks depend on a variety of hotel partners to provide services to Disney visitors, as well as the fact that Disney does not compete directly with Ramada in the mid-tier segment of the industry. But a less obvious answer might be that they didn't need Disney's cooperation to study it as a best-practice model. It is from this best-practice exploration via expert interviews that Ramada identified the three areas of possible change. RFS also subscribed to Shifflet's study of customer perceptions' of hospitality service. Ask your students to classify the Shifflet study and hypothesize about how RFS discovered that it wasn't experiencing the downward trend of the industry, but rather a stable trend in perceived customer service. RFS also conferred with American Hotel and Motel Education Institute for additional information on hiring and motivation practices being used in the industry. B. Management-research question hierarchy & Exploration: Clearly, the managementresearch question hierarchy is fully integrated with the exploratory research described above. The management dilemma would have led Ramada to review its own service scores from prior Shifflet studies. This in turn led to the question of what others in the hospitality industry were doing to deliver exceptional service that RFS might also do. This led to the exploratory study of three super-stars in hospitality service. Finally, the discovery of a three-pronged approach to exceptional service led to the research questions' focus on hiring, training, and employee motivation programs. C. Research Proposal: RFS is a management company that serves the various 900 Ramada franchisees. As a result, any major programs must be authorized by the franchisees themselves, as the financing for such programs comes from them. So a proposal designed to convince franchisees of the necessity of research, and of the necessity of following through on research-revealed program initiatives, would have been a major step in the research process.
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D. Research Design: Due to the lack of structure afforded by the party-like atmosphere of the research, students may have trouble describing the sampling plan. This is a perfect case for discussing the value of a census vs. a sample. It is also a good case for discussing probability vs. nonprobability sampling techniques. A multi-stage design is used in the RFS project. After their exploration phase, RFS outsourced research to Predictive Index, to identify characteristics used in the hiring and training of self-motivated workers. Then they used 24 of their own staffers to visit 900 franchised properties in a six-month period, where they did a series of formal and informal interviews with managers and employees, respectively. While interviewers drafted a detailed report of observations, as well as recorded suggestions and attitudes of employees, RFS did not use a structured interview instrument. This is an opportunity to discuss structured vs. unstructured response strategies. E. Data Collection: The primary data collection portion of the RFS study took six months. Data preparation and analysis took almost as long. This is a good time to discuss coding of interview data, especially when an unstructured instrument is used. Coding in this instance would be like coding thousands of free-response questions. Students may suggest that RFS may have summarized data and refined the interviewing process within the 6-month collection process. This assumption can lead to a discussion of the error issues associated with studies that take a long time, including study instruments that can experience significant modifications over time. F. Research Reporting: Their annual franchisee meeting afforded RFS the opportunity to present the information from the research and make the recommendation of the Personal Best program. An important part of this study is the recognition by RFS for the need to track results of their new program. This is an opportunity to discuss the idea that every new program or program modification introduced by a business has repercussions or results that make excellent data for tracking or monitoring research. G. Party-like Atmosphere: This has the potential for a very interesting discussion of the science of research vs. the need for participant motivation. If we can't get selected respondents to participate, or give us their full cooperation when they do, it doesn't bode well for the success of the research process. As long as the interviewers are well trained, the more festive atmosphere may have the effect of reducing employee anxiety of sharing their ideasand often criticismwith the corporate office. The party-like environment could also have indicated the importance that management placed on the employee's participation, making them more open about sharing their ideas.
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3. The research results are reflected in the hiring (characteristics of self-motivated employees discovered by Predictive Index used as hiring screens), training (use of interactive CDs, humorous approach, and flexibility of self-paced learning), and motivation (numerous every-day-experience prizes, shorter timeframe to earn rewards) programs known as Ramada's Personal Best.
Case: Retailers Unhappy with Displays from Manufacturer

Abstract: This case asks the student to design an experiment to test a new display design for Raid, following the release of survey results by a retail advisory board that revealed 60% dissatisfaction with current racking systems provided to retailers by manufacturers. 1. Design an experiment to test the new display for Raid. Be sure your design will test for both customer and retailer satisfaction with design. This case introduces the student to the necessity of testing a new display against a control. Also, the student should assess the merits of a laboratory versus field study. In designing an experiment to test the new display for Raid, the student should recognize that there are two basic issues that need to be investigated: retailer and consumer satisfaction with the new display. The case specifies exactly what information needs to be collected. The problem facing the student is what type of design should be used. There are many different designs that could answer the question. This is a good place to introduce the factors influencing validity, as well as the difference between pre-experimental and true experimental designs. Students should be encouraged to relate their designs using the symbols in Exhibit 14.3. One possible design is a controlled store test. The sample of stores should be matched on relevant characteristics (e.g., size, volume, traffic, etc.) within different geographic regions. For each test site there should be a sample of test and control stores. The test stores will have a prototype of the new display and the control stores will have the current display. Store audits should be used to monitor any inventory control problems and movement over the test period. (Also the researchers might schedule interviews with key retailer personnel at the end of the study period to assess other perceptions/problems with current and test displays.) A typical design might include weekly visits by an auditing team for a three-month period. To assess consumer satisfaction with the display, in-store intercepts could be used for a sample of shoppers that choose a Raid product. These interviews would probably be scheduled at the end of the test period.
Case: Starbucks, Bank One, and Visa Launch the Starbucks Card Duetto Visa
Abstract: The case describes a study conducted by Starbucks Coffee Company, a leading specialty coffee company, who partnered with Bank One and Visa in an effort to test the viability of a dual function card concept. Starbucks Coffee Company, who pioneered the study, aimed to take their customers satisfaction experience to another level. As such, research was conducted to explore how receptive customers would be to the marrying of their existing pre-paid stored-value card with that of a major credit card. Preliminary findings from the study indicated that the dual function card concept yielded success.
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This case relates well to various chapters. Used with Chapters 4 and 5, you can build the managementresearch question hierarchy, as the introductory stage of the research project. Exhibit 4-2 provides an example. Exhibits 5-4, -5, -6 display the management-research question hierarchy and provide students with detailed steps, stepping from the management dilemma up through the process. The case can also be used with Chapter 11 to discuss data collection methodologies such as surveys and interviews. Used with Chapter 16, you can discuss basic sampling concepts, and Chapters 13 and 14 allows students to explore different measurements and measurement scales used in research. This case is also a video case. We suggest that you review the video case analysis as well as the answers to the questions below, as even if you dont assign the video your students may discover it on the DVD and use it as a means to prepare for discussion. We suggest that you assign the video case as it enriches the students understanding of the full scope of the research.
1. What types of research were done at each stage? Discuss the strengths of each different type given the stage of the project. Starbucks conducted three types of studies, product functionality, product optimization and a brand tracking study, all of which provided further insight and understanding as to the nature and complexities of their target market.
Product functionality study: This study was carried out at the concept testing stage of the research, through the use of an online survey. The purpose was to understand which of the two credit card concepts customers preferred (the dual-function or two separate cards). This type of study is beneficial to the research being conducted, as it sought to reveal how appealing the concept was, as well as measuring how much customers understood the dual- function aspect of the card. Owing to the information the study served to provide, this would essentially aid in determining what areas of the dual-function card needed refining or restructuring in addition to its marketability or lack thereof. At this early stage of the research, if findings were to reveal that the dual-card concept was not appealing to its target market, or that it would hurt more that enhance the image of Starbucks because of its partnering with other companies, this information would give researchers the opportunity to adjust or change strategies. If the product did not function as Starbucks desired, the findings of this study would be pertinent information to assist Starbucks and its affiliates in determining the strengths and/or weaknesses of the studys design. Product optimization study: This study was also conducted at the concept testing stage of the research and also utilized an online survey. Here Starbucks aimed to determine how certain features from the dual-function card would impact the customers decision to apply for the card. They also sought to discover which features had the greatest potential to increase sales. A predictive mechanism was incorporated at this stage, as the yielded results would determine which features to include that would prove more beneficial, and therefore encourage customers to apply for the card. Being able to determine who would not only apply for the card but also use it would help Starbuck gauge their profit margin based on the features that appealed most to customers. This concept testing stage of the research gives Starbucks the ability to experiment with other types of features the card provided. This would assist
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in uncovering what issues were salient to customers, and, in so doing, decide what would more likely encourage customers to be use the card. The giving back to the community feature that the card presented could appeal to customers who see this as a necessity, and so would enjoy the convenience of a dual function card, that also allows them to give back to society. Brand tracking study: This is an important step of the research, which was performed at the measuring return on marketing investment stage of the study. At this final stage, the purpose was to evaluate feedback after the launch of the product. At this step Starbucks reviewed and compared the findings based on its set goals and criteria for success. This study was completed via an on-line survey and measured how aware participants were of the promotional materials, whether they applied for the card, and why or why not. This type of study at this stage of the project facilitates an assessment of their success, how they achieved it and whether their stated goals were accomplished. It strengthens the research as it has the potential of providing feedback that could benefit Starbucks, in terms of areas in which their initial objectives were not realized. If they chose to conduct future studies, they could benefit from knowing some of the salient customer concerns; why they chose not to apply for the card; or if they have applied for the card, what are the reasons for not using it.
2. Build the management-research question hierarchy for this project. The issue facing Starbucks and its partners is more dealing with capitalizing on an opportunity, rather than on a particular dilemma. The issue being dealt with is how receptive customers would be to the dual function card. They were also concerned about how well customers understood the dual card concept and their willingness to apply for and use the card. Starbucks was also interested in ensuring that its partners, Bank One and Visa, were committed to delivering the exceptional customer service that its customers were accustomed to receiving. Management questions: What steps can Starbucks take to increase customers understanding of the purpose of the dual function of the card? What should be done to encourage customers to apply for the card and use it? What types of features should be included to encourage customers to apply for the card? What measures should Starbucks put in place to ensure that its partners maintained the high standards of customer satisfaction that it was dedicated to delivering to its customers? Research Questions: Should Starbucks utilize the surprise and delight and monthly reward features the card offers as a means of testing its appeal? Should the give back to the community component of the card be used to gauge sales lift and determine how likely customers were to apply for the card? Should the dual card concept be modified? Investigative Questions: How will customers benefit from the features the card offers? How easy will the transition be from the old Starbucks card to the new dual function card? How receptive are customers to the existing features of the current Starbucks card and what kind of problems do customers encounter with this card?
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How does Starbucks anticipate mitigating some of the confusion that may evolve with the use of the dual function card? Measurement Questions: The actual instruments were not included.
3. Discuss the choice of an online survey to assess Starbucks three objectives of functionality, brand fit, and benefits. What are the pros and cons of choosing this survey method?
Starbucks utilized focus groups and online surveys at different points of the research. Here you can have students explore other types of data collection methods that Starbuck could have used, which could have potentially yielded additional feedback from respondents. You can use Exhibit 11-2, Selecting a Communication Data Collection Method, and Exhibit 11-5, Comparison of Communication Approaches, as a springboard to guide students to the types of data collection methodologies that would be appropriate for this research. You can ask students to explore why a phone interview was not carried out or why an intercept study was not chosen where customers could be asked to complete a short survey while they waited to be serviced (consider service response times with this question). Given that Starbucks came in direct contact with its target market on a daily basis, why was a more impersonal mechanism as the on-line survey chosen?
Given the large target market that Starbucks and its associates appealed to, the use of an online survey to test functionality, benefit, and brand fit aided in the timely execution of the survey, however it presents drawbacks that could possibly affect the findings. Functionality: The use of an online survey to assess functionality of the product may not be as effective given the feedback yielded from the focus groups. Starbucks aim was to ensure that customers understood the dual function purpose of the card. Based on the results from the focus groups, some amount of confusion was still evident as many found the concept difficult to grasp. Though the online survey allowed for timely completion and flexibility, it has potential drawbacks. Given the confusion and apprehension that existed, an intercept study or phone interview could have provided more direct human contact where respondents would have the opportunity to clarify their concerns or questions. Brand fit: In terms of brand fit, the online survey served an important purpose as it allowed respondents to remain anonymous given the nature of Starbucks objective where "brand fit" was concerned. Here they aimed to determine if there were any negative connotations associated with past credit card experiences. Given the fact that Starbucks had partnered with Visa and Bank One, if customers previous experiences with credit card companies were not favorable, then this could affect their interest in the card. The online survey gave then the opportunity to voice concerns while maintaining their confidentiality. Benefits: To assess benefits, where Starbucks sought to determine whether customers valued the instant rewards feature of the card, the online survey could prove advantageous. Here Starbucks has the ability to utilize visual stimuli, to enhance its presentation of the features it anticipated using to appeal to customers. Starbucks also had concerns about customers choosing to use other cards that offered enticing rewards such as hotel stays or airline miles. The online survey gives them the ability to be creative with visual aids so as to further entice customers. The use of the online
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survey does, however, present drawbacks despite of its many pluses. This can be a very effective tool that calls for skill and expertise, which can be extremely costly. In addition, there may be persons who are interested in the dual card concept, but do not have access to computers or may not be Web savvy. The elderly population is one such group who may appreciate the convenience of the card and the ability to give back. In this regard an intercept study, mail or phone survey may prove more advantageous in securing depth information. 4. The Duetto Card team turned to Greenfield Online to recruit a panel for one of its online surveys. How might you build a sample frame of appropriate respondents for future online or phone surveys? For future online or phone surveys, the Duetto Card team could consider maintaining a database of all persons who applied for the card, whether they were approved or not. For supplemental listings, Starbucks could also maintain a database of persons who have applied for, possess and use the Starbucks pre-paid card. Some of these customers may have opted to not apply for the Duetto Card, or may have applied for the Duetto Card, but were not approved. A listing of such customers can serve as a useful sample frame and should be maintained for future research purposes. Prior to the launching of the product, a press release was delivered from the Duetto team encouraging Web site visitors to share their views of the new card. The team received significant feedback from visitors to their Web site and this would be an opportune time to secure and store these e-mail addresses, so as to be able to use this group as part of future studies. 5. What measurement questions would you use to assess the effectiveness of the Starbucks Duetto Visa in a future customer survey? This question will allow students to discuss the different type of scales that can be used when designing surveys. Here you can discuss Exhibit 14-1 Sample Rating Scales (Chapter 14), and have students brainstorm measurement questions and choose appropriate measurement scales, using the Exhibit as a guide, and for constructing measurement question, you can also refer to Chapter 15. To assess effectiveness of the Starbucks Duetto Visa, here are some suggested measurement questions: Do you find the Duetto Visa card as a more useful card compared to the Starbucks pre-paid card? Has the Duetto Visa Card enhanced your customer satisfaction experience? Do you find it more convenient to be able to make purchases with one primary card rather than two? How would you rate the level of customer satisfaction experience you have received from Bank One? How would you rate the surprise and delight component of the card? How often do you use the Duetto Card to make purchases at Starbucks? How often do you use the Duetto Card to make purchases outside of Starbucks? Have you used the card to make contributions to the community on a regular basis?
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Case: State Farm: Dangerous Intersections

Abstract: State Farm positions itself as a full-service insurance company. Its Dangerous Intersections initiative was a tactic designed to strengthen this position. By data mining its extensive claims database and relating that to traffic information, State Farm was able to identify the intersections. It then offered capital for improvements to the cities where the most dangerous intersections were located. General Comments This case was written for discussing the data mining process, why firms use such processes, and the success or failure of the use of data mining. But while the obvious discussion with this case is on data-mining (Chapter 5), this case has numerous tie-ins to various chapters and research concepts: Chapter 1 Discuss manager-researcher conflicts...............................Question 4 Chapter 3 Discuss concepts and constructs.......................................Question 2, 5 Chapter 3 Discuss hypotheses...........................................................Question 2 Chapter 8 Discuss research design....................................................Question 3 Chapter 16 Discuss sampling design...................................................Question 3 Questions for Discussion 1. This question helps the student distinguish between a concept and a construct. In the case the transportation engineers raise questions about the variables that State Farm used to define the construct: dangerous intersection. This is a good place to start the discussion, as the transportation engineers preferred different concepts to be included in the formation of the construct, dangerous intersection. Students may also want to challenge State Farms definition of an intersection, which is the perfect opportunity to stress the importance of operational definitions for both concepts and constructs. Some of the concepts the case reveals: intersection, intersecting roads, highway access and egress ramps, accident fault, internal incident report, and police report. Some of the constructs the case reveals: accident severity, dangerous intersection, traffic volume, traffic count, and traffic pattern. 2. You can use this case to discuss various hypothesis types. You could ask students to mentally approach an intersection in their experience that is the site of numerous accidents or near accidents. What might be the causes of such accidents? You might have them complete the sentence: A dangerous intersection is one Some causes are hinted in the case footnotes: with confusing traffic signals with impeded visibility of the intersection Other possibilities are where the approach speed is high that has a long delay between traffic signal changes with numerous directional signs where drivers are forced into quick lane changes by unannounced restrictedpurpose traffic lanes (e.g. right-turn only or left-turn only lanes)
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Once your students generate the list, have them identify the type of each hypothesis. Youve set them up to generate descriptive hypotheses; now ask them how the hypothesis could be changed to be a relational, correlational, or explanatory hypothesis. For example, if we use a dangerous intersection is one where the approach speed is high, you might get the following: a dangerous intersection will have a higher approach speed than a safe intersection (relational) the level of danger of an intersection increases as approach speed increases (correlational) a decrease in approach speed will reduce the accident rate of the dangerous intersection (explanatory) 3. State Farm made both sampling and data collection design decisions in designing its study. Students should be encouraged to identify these. If you assume that state Farm has a very large database of accidents (cases) with numerous details (variables) about each accident, then you can start your discussion with either part of research design. For sampling, State Farm used a multi-stage sampling design when choosing incident reports. First, it chose incident reports of accidents at or related to intersecting roads. Second, it chose only incident reports of accidents where State Farm drivers were at fault. Third, it chose to study all accidents within this reduced pool of accidents. For data collection design, State Farm data-mined its own data warehouse of incident reports. It chose not to collect additional and available data from public records. For this choice, traffic engineers strongly criticized their methodology. State Farm also chose to exclude certain variables in its own database, including gender, age, driving record, and geographic variables related to weather, etc. You should ask students to evaluate the persuasiveness of the State Farm arguments for not using data from public records, such as police reports, traffic counts or intersection volume. You should also ask for reasons why State Farm chose to exclude data from its own database (gender, age, etc.) that might have helped to explain the accident. This question is also the perfect opportunity to discuss the issue of comparability of data if State Farm changes its methodology in subsequent years to include such data as described above. You can also use this question to discuss scaling of dangerfrom 0 to X+Y. You might ask students what other scales might be possible for this study. Using the actual dollars of property damage and the dollar payout for personal injury awards might be suggested. A lively discussion can result from those who do not wish to debate severity of accidents based on payout and those that argue that the nature of State Farms business make this a natural and likely occurrence.
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4. This question is an opportunity to discuss the researcher-management conflicts and how important "buy-in" is to research success. State Farm has a public relations problem with the traffic engineers. It needs traffic engineers to embrace the study results, and act on them to improve intersection safety, if the value of decrease in future claims is to exceed the millions State Farm is investing in the dangerous intersection initiative. You might ask students what conflicts are obvious and how they would address each. Both knowledge gap and job status/internal coalition conflicts exist here. While the specific citys traffic engineers might have data-mined their own records, they didnt have the data to compare results to some external standards as State Farm did. Also, traffic engineers dont necessarily see themselves as researchers. To that end, the $20,000 grants for follow-up studies should help bring the engineers closer to State Farm. The community pressure for immediate corrections poses a very different problem. Traffic engineers have been handed a problema hot potatofor which the solution may take money and significant time, neither of which the traffic engineer now has. The $100,000 grants offered by State Farm might be a mere pittance compared to the cost of the necessary solution. Asking students for their ideas to alleviate these conflicts should reveal the importance of manager involvement in research planningsomething State Farm did not do. You might also ask students if they can see similar situations in their own experience, where research results were delivered without preparation or request on the part of the manager. 5. This question wraps back around to the issue of construct definition: what is a dangerous intersection. Consider dividing the class into groups with one taking the Yes, include traffic counts and the other defending the position No, exclude traffic counts. After they develop their arguments, and a spokesperson for each group presents these arguments, ask, If State Farm adds traffic volume measures, do they change the types of accidents that will be considered? Would the inclusion potentially ignore truly dangerous intersections because traffic volume is below some volume threshold? As the case states, State Farm is currently struggling with this issue. We wont know the result of their deliberations until the results are released in 2003.
Case: Sturgel Division

Abstract: This case profiles Martha, the manager of the Information Services division of Sturgel. She is trying to determine whether a survey of users should be conducted annually to assess the quality of service provided to the other divisions of the company, with the results used to make policy and procedural changes in her division. If a survey is deemed appropriate, the student is asked to design the survey. Students get to consider how to design and administer a survey in this case. Since no data are provided, they are forced to focus on the basic processes of obtaining the data. Many different results and emphases are possible in this case and the discussions can be revealing as the students' differing assumptions come to light.
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Questions for Discussion
You may pick and choose from the questions listed within the case, depending on the concepts you wish to cover.
1. What kind of survey should Martha run, or should she?
One basic question should be considered at this stage: Is a survey appropriate for the varied services the IS department provides? Students will use a variety of approaches, and most of these can be well defended depending on the students' assumptions about the nature of the services and the firm. Exhibit 11-1 is the basis of most of this discussion. You may need to remind them that a simple survey is more likely to be answered than a more complicated one. You also may wish to point out that students may see this kind of problem again in the realm of market research, where survey design and administration play such a large role, or in human resources management, operations management or strategic planning. Martha is doing internal market research, to be sure, but market research just the same. Exhibit 11-4 Factors influencing Respondent Motivation can be introduced into this phase of the discussion. Students may wish to expand or modify the exhibit based on the fact that the respondents will be company employees.
2. How should it be administered?
As she is evaluating internal operations that are continuous, Martha would probably be well advised to rely more on repeated use of one survey (focusing on changes from period to period) than on any single administration. Discussion should focus on number of times to administer the evaluation, time frame between measures, and method of communication. Exhibit 11-2 is a natural starting point for this discussion.
3. What kind of forms, questionnaires, or other survey approaches should be developed?
Depending on the decisions made in 2 & 3 above, the instruments designed for measurement may vary considerably. You may wish to return to Exhibits 9-1 and 9-2, regarding rating and ranking scales, as you discuss the students' ideas for developing their measurement instruments.
Case: T-Shirt Designs

Abstract: This case focuses on research done by Julio, a student looking to raise money to pay off a portion of his student loans. The case provides a survey and data set, then asks the student to prepare a report recommending one of two prototype t-shirts Julio is considering. This case offers the students a chance to apply some nonparametric techniques and to criticize the design of a survey instrument. There really isn't much of any relationship or difference to be found in the data. In the context of the case, that's useful information. There are 64 cross-sectional observations, 6 variables.
You can steer this one in a lot of different directions. There's much to criticize in the survey itself. You can use it to bring up the need for nonparametric techniques, since the PREFER score
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is clearly on an ordinal scale. Or you can use it without a lot of structure to see how well students can define their own problem. 1. Reconstruct the management-research question hierarchy. A. Management Dilemma: Julio needs funds to pay back student loans. B. Management Question: What school memorabilia can Julio sell to raise funds? C. Research Question: Which of two prototype T-shirt designs, party time (red) or traditional (white), will sell the best? D. Investigative Questions: Which prototype shirt is preferred? E. Measurement questions: see instrument. 2. Evaluate the sampling design. A. The results of Julio's non-probability, convenience sample will be difficult to infer to the population of students at PU University. The soda inducement may affect the type of student who stops at the student union table where Julio is conducting his survey and the seriousness with which they answer the survey. B. 53% of respondents were men and 47% were women. This may or may not reflect the current enrollment patterns of PU University. C. 12 Students (18.75%) were gainfully unemployed. This raises serious questions about their ability to purchase a non-necessity like a piece of memorabilia 3. How would you judge the quality of the survey instrument? Explain. A. For the purpose he intends, the instrument quality is poor. You may wish to focus the students on Exhibit 15-1, 15-2, 15-5, and 15-9, the exhibits which detail the development of a measurement instrument. Julio needs to measure the student's intention to purchase as well as or rather than preference of T-shirt design. Just determining which shirt is preferred will not necessarily reduce Julio's risk of investing in T-shirt printing then being unable to sell the shirts for a profit. Additional target questions relating to motivation for purchase, strength of affinity for the university, why one design is preferred to another, and target price the student is willing to pay for the shirt would have given Julio some information that he could have used in marketing the T-shirt. Some classification questions (degree of ambidextrous mobility, GPA) do not have a clear relationship to the research question, and others affecting the success of the T-shirt order (size of shirt usually worn) are clearly missing.
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4. Interpret the data in reference to Julio's management dilemma. Histogram of PREFER for Julio's T-Shirts
x x x x x x x x x x x x x + 2
x x + 1
x x x + 3
x x x x x x x x x x x + 4
x x x x x + 5
PREFER A. At first glance, opinions are clearly bi-modal, although the strongest opinions seem to lean toward the more traditional and conservative white shirt, as there are more 5s than 1s. Students should be encouraged to study preference patterns by gender, income, and age as well as overall. Men are evenly split between the two shirts, and don't feel strongly about either. Women are also fairly evenly split, but with more strength of opinion for the traditional shirt. 5. Prepare a report about the preferences revealed. A. The report should discuss the limitations of the sampling and research design. If raising funds is the objective, then Julio may want do more research to reduce his financial risk or he might as well order an even number of both shirts. The assignment questions above can serve to begin the discussion. You can emphasize the ones that best fit best your class session purpose. Students with any kind of experience in survey design or market research may have quite a few things they don't like about the survey. Once the discussion gets into this area, it will probably stay there. So you may want to be fairly directive at first, at least until you're satisfied that any technical material you want covered has been covered.
Before you leave the discussion, make sure to wrap it up by returning to the original management dilemma. After all, we've learned something from the survey.
Case: USTA: Come Out Swinging

Abstract: The case describes a participation research study pioneered by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), who aimed to change the elitist perception of tennis. Employing the research skills of the Taylor Research and Consulting Group and the advertising experience of Vigilante (NY), an advertising marketing agency, the objective of the USTA was to engage the interest of diverse populations in the game of tennis. They also sought to
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encourage former tennis players to return to the game while retaining and recruiting new tennis enthusiasts. This case works with Chapter 4 where you can build the management-research question hierarchy, with Chapter 9 on Qualitative Research, and Chapter 11 where you can tie in survey data collection methods and why Vigilante felt it important to conduct peer-to-peer intercept interviews. Used with Chapter 14, you can discuss various measurement scales used in the research. In Chapter 16 your students can identify varying sampling concepts, and discuss the steps related to the sample design used for the 2003 Tennis Participation Study. A USTA Come Out Swinging video case is also included on your text DVD. We encourage you to review the video discussion guide for this case as well as the answers to the discussion questions below.
1. Create the management-research question hierarchy for USTA.

This question gets the student in the habit of formulating the management-research question hierarchy (Chapter 4) as a basis for launching a research project. The management dilemma facing the USTA was three fold. The USTA was challenged by the elitist stereotypes attached to the game of tennis; it struggled to attract younger and more diverse audiences to learn and play the game while recruiting and retaining current players, and lastly, encouraging former tennis players to return to the game.
Management questions: What should be done to change the stereotypes associated with tennis? What methods can the USTA employ to encourage former players to return to the game? How can we entice persons of different ethnic backgrounds and socio-economic status to want to learn and play tennis? How can the USTA recruit and retain players? Research questions: Should USTA change its advertising mechanisms? Should the Tennis Welcome Centers project be expanded? Be more inclusive? Should the tennis introductory programs be modified? Should USTA go into low income neighborhoods to teach the game and recruit tennis players? How should USTA encourage former players to return to the game? Investigative questions: How do persons of different backgrounds perceive the game of tennis? How likely are these individuals to want to learn and play the game if presented with the introductory program? What motivates persons to play other sports and why? Which geographic regions are more likely to have established tennis facilities? How accessible are tennis facilities to various neighborhoods (including low income)? How aware are current and former players of the Tennis Welcome Center program? Measurement questions: The Taylor Research Group yielded data from two different phone surveys: a 5-minute random-digit-dialed phone survey and a 10-15 minute extended phone survey. The number of participants from both surveys ranged from 2032 to 66,000. The survey questions were comprised of mostly closed ended questions that delved into who had most influenced participants to play tennis, where they played the most, and who their favorite tennis player was?
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2. Define the sample parameters for the 2003 Tennis Participation Study. The sample parameters for the 2003 study included the following: Household members over 6 years of age Current tennis players: persons who have played tennis over the past 12 months Former tennis players: persons who have stopped playing tennis for at least one year Those who had never played tennis: persons who have never played tennis or tried to play tennis 3. Discuss the sample design for the 2003 Tennis Participation Study. You can use Chapter 16 as a guide to discuss with students the sampling techniques used in the study. The sample was drawn from similar populations used by the USTA in conducting related studies in 2002. Due to the studys replication this would indicate that USTA had an existing data base from which to draw. This would then make the sampling process more efficient. The sample size reflected participants from 17 regional divisions of the USTA, called sections (sample frame). The Taylor Group used screening questions and random dialing procedures to identify households that met the parameters described in Discussion Question #2. This process implies that a stratified random sampling technique was employed. Students may question the quality of feedback yielded from the 5-minute survey that was administered, given the number of participants in both phone surveys. This is an opportune time to discuss the following: The pros and cons of using a stratified sampling method vs. simple random sampling. What factors determine sample size. The effects of using such a large sample given that USTA expected a small margin of error. 4. What are the pros and cons of using the Street Spies ethnography methodology to guide the choice of creative approach for the ad campaign? This question addresses intercept interviews, a survey method, and videotaped ethnographic techniques (Chapter 9). Vigilante chose this method, as the team felt the need to obtain more direct feedback from the sample regarding their perception of tennis. The process entailed 30-40 peer-to-peer intercept interviews, that took place in different settings, some in the streets, others in clubs. Students may debate the appropriateness of the environment in which the data was gathered. You can ask students to identify some of the drawbacks to using this method as well as its usefulness. The accompanying video actually shows footage from the street ethnographic interviews. PROS:
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Researchers could obtain direct responses of what would more likely appeal to the target audience. This method provided a short turnaround of findings at a low cost. The method of pairing interviewers with participants who shared similarities such as ethnicity, lifestyle characteristics and age, allowed for better rapport building and accessibility to obtain feedback. Participants may have felt more comfortable expressing certain views with persons who they feel share some commonalities. A respondent from a particular ethnic group may feel more comfortable telling an interviewer of the same ethnic group that the way in which the game of tennis is marketed does not appeal to him/her. The use of Vigilante staff members and contract workers as interviewers coupled with the use of a videographer during interviews would provide more channels of information resulting in the ability to review the recorded material for decisionmaking purposes. Conducting interviews in the natural setting gives the researcher the opportunity to delve further (based on the participants responses) into areas the interviewer may not have anticipated.
CONS: The environment in which the interviews were conducted (in clubs and in the streets) may distort the process of data collection. Gathering feedback from participants who are hurried or otherwise engaged can be problematic. These persons may be disinterested and therefore provide responses not well thought out. Interviews conducted in a club setting have inevitable distractions causing participants to feel pressured for immediate responses, raising questions about the credibility of the findings. Pairing interviewers with respondents who share similar ethnicity, age and lifestyle characteristics could potentially bias responses. Respondents may decline to participate or may modify their responses because of the presence of a videographer. 5. Evaluate the measurement scales used in the USTA survey. The survey incorporated the following scales: Single Response Category Scale, Multiple Choice Single-Response Scale, Multiple Choice Multiple-Response Scale and the Likert Scale. Single response Category Scale: Given that the measurement questions were primarily close-ended, this scale was useful as it forces a response from participants. Its also saves on time as participants are only required to provide yes or no responses to questions asked. Multiple Choice, Single-Response:
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This scale appropriately allows for the who and where asked in the questions in the survey. Respondents are given a list of answers from which they must select one response. Since the survey was conducted via phone it may become lengthy when respondents forget the answers to certain questions. For example, questions of who had most influenced them to play tennis may take time to remember if the participant began playing tennis at a very young age. Additionally, if the options provided does not correspond to their answer, this could also become time consuming. The other option provided allows participants to provide additional responses the survey may not have given.
Multiple Choice, Multiple-Response Scale: This scale, similar to the previous one, requires survey participants to select more than one alternative. This scale has drawbacks owning to the number of answers participants must choose from. Had this been a mail survey, participants would be better able to visualize their options and possibly save some time in completing the question. The interviewer may be asked to repeat the responses several times and this may force participants to not want to complete the survey due to its length. Likert Scale:
This scale may perhaps be most favored by participants, as they are able to place a numerical value to reflect their opinions of a particular issue. This scale will also assist the USTA in making comparisons among the responses. Like other scales used in this survey, participants may find it difficult to visualize the scale being described to them. This can cause participants to become less interested in completing the survey. Considering that this is a phone survey, participants may choose to terminate the call out of frustration. Ask students to list some of the drawbacks to completing the surveys via phone. Have them identify potential benefits of using Web or mail surveys or other forms of data collection methods that would be beneficial to the USTA study. Chapter 11 can be used as a preface to this discussion.
6. Evaluate the survey structure and organization.

This question is designed to discuss chapters that speak to instrument structure (Chapter 15) as well as measurement and scaling concerns (Chapters 13 and 14). You can also tie in Chapter 11 that deals with Survey Data Collection Methods and have students discuss some of the drawbacks USTA would encounter using a phone survey.
With respect to the structure of the survey you can first address the length of the survey, with students. Questions that ask respondents to list the county they reside in may also raise some questions, if the participant does not know the county they reside in. Based on the structure of the survey, the interviewer is prompted to read the list (of several counties) if the respondent does not know the county in which they reside. This may cause participants to lose interest in the event the list has to be read. As a group activity, you can have students pretest the length of the survey, and have them consider the timing that would most likely encourage participants to want to continue the exercise. The survey did provide an appropriate introduction for participants, but failed to mention some of the main purposes of the study. Since subsequent questions delved into specific questions related to participants and tennis, there could have been some mention of this in the introduction. There were appropriate transitions between screening and classification
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questions. It may have proved useful to participants if the multiple response scales were grouped or asked simultaneously. This is especially true for telephone interviews.
Case: Yahoo! : Consumer Direct Marries Purchase Metrics to Banner Ads

Abstract: This case describes a multistage study aimed at tracking the efficiency and effectiveness of Internet advertising. Through the use of new metrics that serve to enhance Internet advertising of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Consumer Direct was able to track the purchasing behavior of Yahoo visitors. This was an attempt to discover how client exposure to CPG ads impacted sales activities. This case prepares students to outline and analyze the various components of a research design, from sampling through data collection. Used with Chapter 8, the student will be able to map the research design and identify strengths and weaknesses of different designs, discuss methods of data collection and the pros and cons of using a particular technique. Used with Chapter 7, you can address the ethical implications involved when dealing with the sometimes intrusive nature of conducting research. Here you can open the topic of the ethical treatment of participants and how best to debrief subjects when challenged by deception issues. Used with Chapters 13-1, you can discuss measurement tools and instrument design.
1. Describe the research design for Consumer Direct. After identifying their existing dilemma, Yahoo chose to expand the scope of its research by partnering with ACNielsen to utilize its Homescan panel (sample frame), which provided extensive demographic and lifestyle data necessary to track household purchases. With the data available, it recruited panel members whose Internet activities were tracked and compared to a control group based on exposure to consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) ads. A test group of approximately 2000 households was established based on two metrics, effectiveness of ad targeting and persuasiveness of the advertising. The test group was exposed to an advertisement and exposure was removed after a period of time, given the time frame of the ad campaign. Members from the control group (also panel members) were not exposed to tracked ads, but were able to view different ads. Purchases were tracked from both groups and the results were compared and analyzed over a two-week period with the use of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) methodology. Using data from previously tracked Homescan purchasing activities, comparisons (from both test and control groups) were analyzed for the 52-week pre-ad interval period. This process was replicated when Yahoo also partnered with Dynamic Logic, which provided additional metrics for further analysis of purchasing behavior.
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2. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the research design. The research design lacks a structured form of sampling plan. The Nielsen database allowed for the possibility of significant analysis of purchasing activities, owing to the available data. However, a more random sampling procedure, rather than having panelists opt-in to become subjects, would give more credibility to the results. Owing to the use of control groups, an integrated randomized method of choosing subjects is necessary in order to achieve equivalence between both groups (test and control). The case indicates the researchers were unsure initially as to how subjects would feel about their Internet activities being tracked. It states that panelists had previously agreed to allow the tracking of their purchases, however they chose the opt-in process so that participants could consent to allow the tracking of the Web site activity. Opting-in (prior consent) eliminates one ethical dilemma, but you can ask students to discuss the appropriateness of tracking Web behavior without such consent. Students may raise that even with prior consent participants might not fully understand the extent and nature of the research and what the possibilities of their on-line activities being tracked entailed. You can use this time to ask students to discuss the drawbacks of disclosing to customers the full extent of how tracking their activities will be used? Students may suggest that had ACNielsen fully revealed its intentions that participants may have been more hesitant to optin. You can suggest ways to overcome this dilemma, such as debriefing participants once the research is complete. This would involve explaining to subjects the purpose and goal of the study, sharing the results and explaining the reasons for the deception. The use of prior Homescan data creates the assumption that secondary data was used to supplement the analysis of post ad exposure tracking. This is an important aspect of this study as it creates the opportunity to discuss the importance of utilizing secondary data in research, to avoid recreating the wheel. In this regard, the researcher can take advantage of previously collected data, which may not have been useful in some research areas, but proves applicable to this study. This is also the perfect time to discuss longitudinal vs. crosssectional research designer. 3. How has the use of panels affected the research design? The use of ACNielsens Homescan panels expanded the scope of the research design as it allowed for the collection of extensive purchase data from households on a global perspective. However, due to the non-randomized fashion in which panels were used, it creates the question of how representative is the sample of the general Yahoo visitor population (the population that is exposed to the CPG ads). While ACNielsen works diligently to build representative panels for their Homescan studies, this case can be used to discuss the use of nonprobability samples, which may have been used in this study. This sampling method (panels), though cost effective, opens the door for bias that potentially affects the findings. Nonetheless, the study made use of a control group, which typically provides comparison data for more precise control in research.
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4. How have ethical issues influenced the research design? The issue of ethics in research is an important one that should spark interesting discussions among students. Given the purpose of this study and the mechanisms it demanded in order to gather useful data, both ACNielsen and Yahoo were fully aware of the intrusiveness of the data collection method. This is why they invited Yahoo members to participate through the opt-in procedure. The 19,000 participants who opted-in were obviously unconcerned. Another way of putting this to a skeptical observer of the process is that they might be unaware of the extent of just how much is revealed about them by tracking their Internet activity. Such tracking allowed Yahoo the ability to match the subjects purchasing behavior and extensive demographic data with the Web sites they visited and link all these to their ad exposure. This information could serve as potential marketing sites for Consumer Direct to further increase their knowledge of where to target their ads. The benefits and risks involved in deception (Chapter 7) can be discussed to better prepare students to design ethical but meaningful research. 5. Define the various measurements collected in Consumer Direct. The use of participants from the Homescan panel as both test and control groups, and the exposure of the test group to tracked CPG ads, implies that a repeated-measures test was utilized. Multiple measurements were collected during the ad campaign period and throughout the pre and post ad exposure stages, to assess the effectiveness of ad targeting and persuasiveness of the advertising. Matching was also employed, so as to ensure that both test and control groups possessed similar characteristics, such as household size and prior purchase behavior. Consumer Direct may have encountered difficulty randomly assigning HomeScan panel participants to particular groups. Given that Consumer Direct had access to HomeScan panel data, which includes household demographic and lifestyle data, a group time series design may have also been utilized as a way of collecting and analyzing trends in customers purchasing behavior. 6. What analysis would be appropriate for the data collected through Consumer Direct? This question can be used to discuss appropriate analysis techniques (Chapters 18 -22) based on the data collected and the objective of the study. Here Consumer Direct has utilized different metrics to test effectiveness of ad targeting as well as the persuasiveness of their CPG advertising to determine effects on sales activities. Given that sales lift is an important factor in this study, a multiple regression analysis could be employed to make predictions about trends in sales based on the use of particular metrics. If researchers could predict the likelihood of persons making a purchase based on exposure to an ad, they could gauge increases in sales based on the amount of persons exposed to a particular advertisement. Furthermore, they could also use this analysis to estimate the effectiveness and persuasiveness of their advertising, based on corresponding increases in the sale of low penetration products, or increases in the number of households who now purchase a particular item.
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Students are likely to make a case for the use of a bivariate analysis to compare the brand favorability with likelihood of buying an item. This is consistent with their statistical exposure at this point in their curriculum. However, it is worth pointing out that marketing researchers who evaluate two-variable relationships exclusively, and avoid multivariate tools, ignore the complexity of the relationships involved in sales activities and the potentially valuable information that can be obtained through higher-level analysis.
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07 Written Case Discussion Guides

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Written and Video Cases

WRITTEN CASE DISCUSSION GUIDES

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11.6% 21.6% 20.5% 25.0% 21.2%

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Dotplot of REP by USE

USE 3 (Each dot represents 3 points) . : : : : : : 5

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Case: BBQ Products Cross Over the Lines of Varied Tastes

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Case: Calling Up Attendance

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B. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various methodologies?

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Case: Can Research Rescue the Red Cross?

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If you created a RFP, what would it contain?

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High ethical standards applied:

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Subject Area (internal code 1=checked, 2=no checked)

B.A./B.S. Currently in M.A./M.S. program Ph.D. or currently enrolled in Ph.D. program.

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R.McNally City Rating 3A 2AA 2A 3A 3-AA 3A 3A 3A 3A 4B

Case: NCRCC: Teeing Up a New Strategic Direction

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Exhibit C-NCRCC 1-3: NCRCC Study Codebook

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Exhibit C-NCRCC 1-3: NCRCC Study Codebook

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Exhibit C-NCRCC 1-3: NCRCC Study Codebook

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Exhibit C-NCRCC 1-3: NCRCC Study Codebook