Marketing Research Problem - Essay Example

? MARKETING RESEARCH PROPOSAL By Management Decision Problem In general terms, the management problem entails the overarching objective that the management seeks to achieve in the process of marketing. In the particular case of the Hummer, this management decision problem revolves around the need to increase the appeal of the Hummer on the targeted market segments. Tied to this problem is the need to expand the market of the Hummer brand. Marketing Research Problem Marketing Research Problem basically revolves around the need to widen the customer base of a given product or improve on some specific areas that affect the levels of performance on the market (Majumdar, 2007, p. 14). With regard to the Hummer, the marketing decision problem is the changing of the market perceptions of the Hummer in order to enhance its performance through increased sales. Notably, the Hummer has been associated with some aspects of personality that do not augur well with its market objectives (Case 1.1, 2012). The core problem should be the devising of the most appropriate marketing strategies that would reverse these perceptions. Market Research Objectives The market research objectives usually relate to the precise reasons that behind the conducting of a particular market research. Basically, these objectives are the fundamental reasons that underpin all marketing research processes of any organization. The market research objectives of the Hummer brand are anchored on the need of finding the most effective strategy that could improve the performance of the Hummer on the market. Specifically, these objectives include the establishing of varieties of the brand to suit the diverse needs of the market, the seeking of opportunities to increase the volume of sales of the brand, and increasing the market reach and segmentations of the product. Appropriate Research Design This study will adopt an explorative research design. The value of an explorative research design lies in the development of insights into specific aspects that underpin the research problem. It seeks explanations of occurrences, trends, realities, and the nature of things in order to expand the understanding of the research problem. Explorative research designs are comprehensive in nature in the sense that they seek to harness sufficient amounts of information that appertain to the research problem. Generally, explorative research designs are suitable in situations that demand answers for a specified marketing challenge or problem. In the particular case of the Hummer, the explorative research design will be resourceful in providing the most relevant information that might assists the management in formulating the most appropriate responses. The explorative research design will also be imperative in finding strategies of expanding their market reach, changing of the prevailing negative perceptions about the brand, and engaging other strategies that are generally necessary for the improving the market performance and brand image of the Hummer. Research methods The most applicable research method for this research is a mixture of both qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative methods will guide the research in clarifying concepts and providing the general framework that would guide the research activity. These methods will be useful in expanding the understanding of the research problems in order to align the process with the authentic needs. Particularly, the research may require the application of the case study approach in order to furnish the study with sufficient insights. Moreover, the study could rely on extended literature about some of the specific aspects of the problem that relate to the objectives of the study. The incorporation of quantitative methods will enrich the study with specific facts that attend to the problem. For instance, the study will benefit from statistics on the various aspects of the research problem, which would help in the provision of solutions based on specifics. Generally, the research methods will rely on open ended questionnaires and interviews with experts from General Motors (GM), market dealers and end-users of the product in order to establish the trends, preferences, and other characteristics that will help in understanding the problem within the widest possible scope. The value of open-ended questionnaires is that they allow the respondent to provide his opinions from a wide perspective and in greater details. Secondary data will be collected from relevant documentations such as warranty cards and sales invoices. Target Population This study will target stakeholders within the automobile sector with particular focus on the Hummer brand. Particularly, this population will be based in the United States in the city of New York. The United States remains biggest market for the Hummer brand, which makes it appropriate for the purposes of this study. The study will target experts from the GM motors with the objective of obtaining resourceful information on the features of the car, the models available, trends in sales, and other features that relate to the market performance of the brand. The study will also target five dealers on the market with the intention of obtaining information on the performance of the brand, their suggestions for improvements based on customer preferences, and other factors that relate to the market. Finally, the study will focus on five end-users who will be expected to supply details on the performance, their opinions about the brand and other details that underpin the consumption of the product. Sampling Methods The respondents of this study will be sampled randomly from the Hummer production firms, the market, and end-users. The study will randomly pick the respondents from the company’s telephone directories, online chats from relevant websites, and other areas where the dealers can be reasonably expected to be found. The end-users and market players will be sampled randomly from the invoices to be obtained from the firms and other relevant points of source. The sample size will remain relatively small for the purposes of convenience and logistical advantages. The danger of the degree of error generally associated with smaller samples will be addressed through the corroboration of the acquired information with the data obtained from publications, websites, and other dependable sources from dealers, the company, and government documentations. Sample Open-Ended Questions for the Interview 1. What are your suggestions for the improvements of the Hummer models? 2. What is your opinion on the future performance of the Hummer models on the market? 3. What kinds of personalities do you think the Hummer is associated with? 4. How does the Hummer intend to break into the unexplored segments of the market? Scales for Measuring This study will use the Linkert scale in determining the opinions of the respondents on certain aspects of the study. The different categories of the questions will be assessed along the number lines of 1 to 5, with 1 representing the least measure of a given attribute while 5 representing the most extreme measure of the attribute. Generally, this linkert scale will be resourceful in presenting the general picture of the trends, feelings, and opinions of the respondents. Works Cited Case 1.1 2012, Launch of the Hummer, Retrieved from www.hummer.com Majumdar, R 2007, Marketing Research – Text, Applications and Case Studies, New Age International, New York. Read More