Project 1: Researching Consumer Buying Behavior
For this project, you will need to have a solid understanding of your client’s consumers in order to develop, evaluate, and implement effective marketing strategies. You have two weeks to finish and should aim to complete all seven steps in this project by the end of Week 2 of the course:

• Step 1: Complete Your Skills Gap Analysis
• Step 2: Attend Meeting with ACME
• Step 3: Review Marketing Information on Consumer Buying Behavior
• Step 4: Conduct a Consumer Buying Behavior Study
• Step 5: Complete Your Value Proposition
• Step 6: Complete Your Final Consumer Buying Behavior Report
• Step 7: Submit Your Work

If you have any questions, ask your instructor. To get started, click Step 1: Complete Your Skills Gap Analysis.
Competencies
Your work will be evaluated using the competencies listed below.

• 1.1: Organize document or presentation clearly in a manner that promotes understanding and meets the requirements of the assignment.
• 1.3: Provide sufficient, correctly cited support that substantiates the writer’s ideas.
• 1.6: Follow conventions of Standard Written English.
• 2.1: Identify and clearly explain the issue, question, or problem under critical consideration.
• 2.5: Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions or decisions, checking them against relevant criteria and benchmarks.
• 6.1: Identify the general (external) environment in which an organization operates and discuss the implications for enterprise success.
• 6.2: Evaluate strategic implications for domestic and international markets of an organization’s industry.
• 6.4: Develop and recommend strategies for an organization’s sustainable competitive advantage.
• 12.2: Analyze marketing information.

• Project 1: Researching Consumer Buying Behavior
  Step 1: Complete Your Skills Gap Analysis
• INBOX: 1 New Message
• From: Denna Chartreuse, HR Specialist, MCS
• To: You
• Greetings,
• We are asking all MCS employees to complete a skills gap analysis.
• Use this skills gap analysis instrumentto self-evaluate your knowledge and skills before beginning your assignment. Select the Project 1 worksheet in the bottom left of the file to complete this step.
• When you have completed your self-evaluation, use the text box at the bottom of the worksheet to write a reflection of 400–500 words describing two to three gaps you will work to reduce, why you selected them, and the activities you will pursue to develop your selected competencies.
• Thank you for your attention to this request,
• Denna
• Submit your preliminary skills gap analysis to the submission dropbox located in the final step of this project. In the next step, you will start to review the basics of marketing and consumer buying behavior.

Step 2: Attend Meeting with ACME
Monday morning, you meet with Jillian in her office. “We are so glad that you have come back to help us grow at Maryland Creative Solutions,” Jillian says. “As you know, with shifting markets, I have decided to reposition the company to focus more on clients with branding and digital strategy consulting needs. I feel that your long-term knowledge of our company and global mindset are perfect for leading the way on some of our new projects.
“To get you started, we have just signed on with ACME. I would like you to meet with their leadership: Tarek Fahmy, the company’s head of new-product innovation, and ACME’s CEO, Erik Knops, to finalize the details of their request. Again, it is a pleasure to be working with you. I am really looking forward to seeing your creative approaches in our partnerships.”
Calendar Invite: Startup Meeting with ACME
Client Name:
Meeting Organizer: Jillian Best
Attendees: You, Erik Knops, Tarek Fahmy
Click to attend the ACME meeting
After the meeting, proceed to Step 3 to enhance your knowledge about concepts relevant to ACME’s request.
 
Course Resource
Print
ACME Meeting
Client Name: ACME
Industry: Appliances
Product Line: Automatic washing machines
Customers: Automatic washing machine buyers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany 
Competitors:     1. Whirlpool (including Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Indesit, Bauknecht, Ignis; among others). Whirlpool is the leading producer of home appliances worldwide.

2. Electrolux (including Frigidaire, Gibson, Philco, Kelvinator, Zanussi, AEG, White Westinghouse; among many others) Electrolux is the second leading producer of home appliances worldwide.
3. Haier (including GE Appliances, Fischer, Aqua; among others).

“Thank you for meeting with us today,” Tarek says. “Market intelligence has shown that our major competitors—Whirlpool, Electrolux, and Haier—are all developing new efficient automatic washing machines. These new machines have attractive designs, use less electricity and water, are durable, and are available in different colors. In addition, these washing machines are competitively priced for the features that they have.”
Tarek looks to you: “As ACME is debating whether to enter this market, we need you to participate in a new cross-functional product development team that will research the buying habits of automatic washing machine customers in our three main markets: the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. We also need to know if there’s an unmet demand for such efficient washing machines in those markets,” he says. Erik Knops, ACME’s CEO, nods his head in agreement.
Tarek continues, “We need to take into consideration the different needs and preferences of automatic washing machine buyers in those markets; as well as the demographics of those buyers such age and gender. The customer requirements for each of those markets are quite different. For example, washing machines in Europe are usually 5 kg capacity front loaders that heat their own water, while Americans prefer larger top loaders that take hot water from the home’s water heater.”
Finally, Tarek remarks, “In addition, we need to know where those customers buy their automatic washing machines from and if there is any seasonal variation in sales.”
Erik nods his head again, smiles, and adds, “Tarek and I want you to research the automatic washing machine buyers’ needs and preferences for those three markets, and provide us with a customer buying behavior report in two weeks. Remember, the report should focus on the customers, and not on the companies!”
You know that to give Erik and Tarek the most in-depth report, you will need to conduct an analysis of the automatic washing machine buyers in those markets. Each market has to be discussed and analyzed separately under its own headings and subheadings (three different discussions and analyses). In addition, you have to create a value proposition for ACME’s proposed product. The value proposition should be clear and specific to ACME’s proposed new product. What value do customers see in the proposed product and what would compel them to buy it?
 
 
 
 
 
 
Step 3: Review Marketing Information on Consumer Buying Behavior
As you read through the following materials, begin to think about how this information will apply to the report you will prepare for Erik and Tarek. To successfully complete the report, you’ll need an understanding of marketing. You’ll also benefit from a keen understanding of digital marketing, consumer buying behavior, and evaluating business attractiveness.
As you conduct your analysis of ACME’s consumer environment, remember that there are two types of market research: primary and secondary research. Both types of research are required in real-life, and each of them has its pros and cons. However, for this Project, only secondary research is required.
Finally, to fully understand ACME’s position, read about offerings—what a company provides its customers, be it a product, a service, or a mix of both. Also consider the differences between a product and a service. You know that a product can be more than just a physical good, it can be a service attached to a physical product, a “pure” service, an idea, a place, an organization, or even a person.
After you have read these materials, proceed to the next step, where you will begin your analysis of the specified consumer markets
Step 4: Conduct a Consumer Buying Behavior Study
INBOX: 1 New Message
From: Tarek Fahmy, Head of New Product Innovation, ACME
To: You
How are things going?
As previously mentioned, I would like you to conduct an analysis of the consumers in our main markets. Your analysis should consider both current and potential product users and should address the following questions:

1. What needs are being met by the product purchase? What are the benefits to the consumers? Make sure that you differentiate between features and benefits; go beyond manifest motives and consider latent motives.
2. Who is involved in the purchase process? Who are the influencers? Who are the buyers? Who are the end users?
3. Where are the products sold, and what are the distribution channels?
4. How often are the products purchased? Is there seasonality to sales?

Deliverable: By the end of Week 1, I need you to produce a six-page preliminary consumer buying behavior report (excluding cover page, reference list, tables, graphs, and exhibits) explaining your findings on consumer needs, wants, and preferences in these markets. Make sure that your report is specific to consumers of ACME’s potential product and not to consumers in general.
Support your work with the course readings and at least two scholarly sources and eight reliable nonscholarly sources, such as Reuters, Bloomberg, Yahoo! Finance, Barrons.com, Morningstar.com, Money, Forbes, Fortune, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Business Review, as well as the school Library databases, such as Hoover’s and ABI/INFORM. All sources need to be cited using APA formatting, both within the text and in the reference list. The report should be organized using headings and subheadings to improve its readability.
Expecting your best efforts on this,
Tarek
 
Submit your report to the dropbox located in the final step of this project. Then proceed to the next step, where you will create a value proposition.
 
 
        
Step 5: Complete Your Value Proposition
Early in Week 2, submit a one-page value proposition to Erik.
INBOX: 1 New Message
From: Erik Knops, CEO, ACME
To: You
Just a quick note,
I wanted to clarify that a customer-focused value proposition explains the reason why a customer purchases a product or uses a service (i.e., the value that a company delivers to its customers).
Deliverable: Based on your research of consumer needs in our main markets, describe your value proposition, or the benefits that ACME and its potential new product would provide to customers. Remember, a value proposition is essentially the promise that is made to the customer. Also provide a half-page recommendation to ACME on whether or not to manufacture that product.
Support your work with the course readings, scholarly sources, and reliable nonscholarly sources, such as Reuters, Bloomberg, Yahoo! Finance, Barrons.com, Morningstar.com, Money, Forbes, Fortune, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Business Review, as well as the school Library databases, such as Hoover’s. All sources need to be cited using APA formatting, both within the text and in the reference list. The value proposition should be organized using headings and subheadings to improve its readability.
I know these are tight turnarounds, but I have no doubt you’ll knock this out,
Erik
Submit your report to the dropbox located in the final step of this project. In the next step you will finalize your consumer buying behavior report and write an executive summary.

Step 6: Complete Your Final Consumer Buying Behavior Report

Deliverable: Combine the first two deliverables into a single report after making any necessary corrections and edit them to ensure that there is clear flow of ideas from one section to the other. In addition, prepare a one-page executive summary (following the cover page) that highlights the most important findings of the report. APA style should be applied to in-text citations and in the reference list.
Your final report to Erik should be eight to nine pages, excluding cover page, executive summary, the reference list, and appendices. Any graphs, tables, and figures should be included as appendices. Your report should have one-inch margins and be double spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font. The report should be organized using headings and subheadings to improve its readability.
 
 
 
 

The APA Methods Section
The APA methods section starts right after the last Hypothesis and the word “Methods” is a centered
heading. It does not begin on a new page. The APA methods section contains three subsections:
Subjects, Materials (and/or Apparatus), and Procedures. In addition, the materials subsection includes
references to the Appendix. Instructions for the Appendix is included here also.
Participants
Report the number of subjects you plan to use in your study. The total number may be broken down
into males and females, or in the case of quasi-experiments in the various groups from which the
subjects were selected. For example you may have beginners, novices, and experts and need 20 in each
category. How do you know how many subjects you will need? The past research that is summarized in
your introduction included subject’s information…how many was typical in past research? That’s about
how many you should use too. If you are doing correlation research you will need 30 subjects per
variable at least. If you are doing group research the minimum number is 5 per group, but 10 per group
is better, at the minimum. These are rough guidelines; let the past research guide you.
In addition to the total number of subjects, include how many groups and how many per group (if you
have groups), but do not define the groups or discuss what you will be doing with them – that info goes
in the procedures subsection to be written later. Include the kind of subjects you plan to use. By this I
mean college students or general population, special populations like women aged 35-55 only, etc. If
you plan to have a specific number of females and males, or equal numbers of various ethnic
backgrounds, include this too. If you just plan to have males and females but don’t know how many of
each and it’s not really important anyway, you can leave out the numbers, but do say both males and
females will be included.
In addition to number and kind, include a detailed description of your selection method. Random
selection? Stratified sampling? Use the terms learned in class and tell the reader exactly how you plan
to implement the selection strategy. For example, let’s the research you’ve been reading typically uses
quota sampling to ensure that equal numbers of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are
represented. You decide that 40 of each class will work fine. Now tell the reader how will do quota
sampling at MTSU. How does one go about “getting” freshmen? sophomores? juniors? and seniors?
You could talk to professors and ask to come their classes and recruit volunteers for your study. You
could stand in the Student Center, the lobby of the Library, and other locations where students gather
and simply ask people to volunteer as they walk by. You could wait in the hall outside of classes and talk
to students as they leave class. If you ask enough students, hang out near or in 1000-level classes, 2000-
level, 3000 and 4000 level, you will get enough volunteers of each category – just be sure that one
question you ask on a demographic survey is their college class. Once all the surveys are in you can then
simply split them into the four class categories for analysis. If you are doing experimental (not survey)
research, then you must first determine the college class. You might put up flyers around campus
requesting volunteers to meet at a designated location or you might ask professors to encourage
students to volunteer by giving them extra credit (and announcing the meeting location and time). Once
the volunteers show up, you then simply ask them their college class and assign them to the
experimental group or control group using a counterbalanced procedure (as described in the textbook).
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Materials
This second subsection of the Methods section reports the materials to be used in the study. Materials
refer to Questionnaires. One that everyone will include is the consent form. The MTSU official consent
form is available in D2L Content. The form is one that I already filled out for some past research. I’ve
highlighted in yellow the parts that you must change to correspond to your proposed research. I could
have provided a blank copy, but I think if you see one that was actually used in real-life research you will
have an easier time filling it out.
A second survey that most everyone will include is a demographic form. Almost always we need to
know if the person is male or female, their age, and other subject information. Sometimes these
questions can be included as first or last questions on some other survey, but often there are sufficient
numbers of these that a one-page demographic sheet is needed.
If your proposed research is a survey type, then you will have one or more questionnaires to describe in
this section. Provide the official name of the survey, how many questions it has, how the questions are
scored, the range of possible scores, the meaning of a high score and a low score, as well as quoting a
question or two as examples. Also include a full copy of the questionnaire in the appendix (every form is
included in the appendix). Do this for each and every questionnaire.
Most research involves providing instructions to the subjects whether it’s experimental or observational
and those instructions must be written out, put in an appendix, and described in this materials
subsection. If you have different instructions for different groups, you must write out the instructions
for each group.
Some studies will use various machinery (stop watches, computers, exercise monitors, etc.) and that
would then be included in an “Apparatus” subsection just like Materials, but describing the machinery
(make, model, where purchased, calibrations, etc.). Some studies will have both materials and apparatus
and they may be combined into one subsection (Materials/Apparatus) or two separate side headings (it
doesn’t matter which comes first). It is possible that you may do a study that uses lots of stimuli that are
presented on a computer monitor or some other means of showing them to subjects. In that case you
may have a separate subsection called “Stimuli.”
It is possible that you may use some specialized equipment or articles that are used in your study, like
maps, or a special room with specific design features, or maybe the study is planned for outdoors in a
city park. These things may require a special subsection with a unique side heading…perhaps “Location
of the Study,” or “The Room of Silence” in which you would give exact descriptions and size, shape
details; you may even need to provide diagrams.
Procedures
The third subsection of the Methods section is procedures. Here is where you tell the reader exactly
what you plan to do in the order you plan to do it. The entire Methods section, with subjects, materials,
and procedures is like a cooking recipe. In recipe’s you have a list of ingredients and any particulars (like
if fresh or frozen). That part of the recipe is the things needed list and is like the subjects and the
materials (or apparatus). The part of the recipe that tells you how to combine the ingredients and how
to cook them is the procedures section. So the procedures section is what you plan to do with your
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subjects and the materials. It’s easiest sometimes to write this subsection in the order that you can
envision doing the research.
After randomly selecting subjects from a subject pool (for example) you may then have them all meet in
a room on campus where you randomly assign them to groups. Or maybe you plan face-to-face
interviews one-on-one in a convenience sample. And then you plan to have one group leave the room
and wait in the hall while you read instructions to the remaining group. Instructions are read to the
group (see appendix X). They first fill out the consent form, which is handed back to the researcher, and
then they are handed the survey packet with the demographic form on top. They fill out each page of
the packet (the contents were described in the materials subsection, so no need to do that again here).
Once all the questionnaire’s are completed the subjects turn in the entire packet to the researcher. This
is repeated in four locations across campus.
The above is a description of survey research in which students meet the researcher as a group. Imagine
how it would read if you plan one-on-one interviews around campus instead. Or what if you are
planning an experiment with four groups getting therapy? You would then describe the specific
instructions, treatments, durations, etc., for each group.
Appendix
Everyone will have an Appendix. The appendix will be composed of several items that are identified by
letter starting with A. The consent form in its entirety will be Appendix A. If you use a demographic
form it will be Appendix B. Instructions will be another appendix (C?) and so will the questionnaires (D,
E, F?). These appendices are full and complete copies of all the materials and/or stimuli that you plan to
use in the research. For proposals for research it is important to show that you are ready to go once
given the grant money or the IRB approval and the only way to convince people that you are ready is to
have one copy of all your materials ready.
I once had a grad student ask to go ahead with IRB submission without the questionnaire he planned to
use to save time. The questionnaire was difficult to obtain, but one copy was being mailed from the
publisher to arrive in a week or two. I said ok, IRB approved the project, but then when the survey came
in the mail, it was not what he thought it was and he had to rewrite the Methods and Results section
and then go back to the IRB for permission for the “new” research. This glitch cost him an extra
semester! And he discovered that the survey copy they sent was a “sample” and not the real thing at
all. The real thing cost $50.00 per copy! He planned on 200 subjects! The company also did not reveal
how the items were to be scored – you send the completed surveys back to the company who then
scores each one and returns the scores, but keeps the original surveys! So he had double mailing costs
as well. Working with MTSU officials in the Research Office we managed to get the company to provide
100 copies at a nominal cost. Many companies will do this for student research, but it does take time
and lots of communication back and forth. It is best to locate surveys that are free and publicly available
on the internet. Remember, one “rule” for this project is that it is something you can do, with your
current knowledge, your current skill and ability, and that you have access to everything you need to do
the project. Another rule is that you can complete the project in one semester. The basic idea is that
this is honest-to-goodness something you can actually do, not a pie-in-the-sky idealistic I-might-could-if!
The primary purpose of the Methods and subsections is to provide enough detail that anyone reading
your proposal could do the study exactly the same way.