The New Concept of Combining a Sports Bar with a Fitness Center - Research Proposal Example

Research Proposal for the New Concept of Combining a Sports Bar with a Fitness center Introduction In the recent times, the increased concerns regarding the health of the civilians have resulted in the opening of a large number of Sports Bar and Fitness Centers in Alexandria. However, the competition is getting tougher and stores need to bring out innovative ways to attract and retain customers. This scenario makes it an interesting proposition to provide a combination of both the sports bar along with a fitness center along with the best facilities. This research proposal contains the information that shall be useful to take an informed decision about the prospects of such a store in the area. Data Sources Any market research needs certain data sources that are necessary to conduct the research. Secondary data is the one that has already been collected previously for some other purpose and is available. This may include past market research done by the company, sales report or customer database (McQuarrie, 2006). Primary data is the one that is collected for the purpose of specific research. For the purpose of this research, the researcher proposes a combination of both primary as well as secondary sources. The researcher wants to have a brief understanding of sports bar and fitness center. For this purpose, the researcher will make use of secondary data sources. This data might be in the form of company report, sales, or some other research in the field of fitness levels in the area. The researcher will also make use of primary data sources in order to gather data that can be used for this research. The reasons of using this are two-folds: firstly, there is no secondary data source that has data pertaining to a combination of sports bar and fitness center, moreover, primary data sources will enable the researcher to collect and address specific questions pertaining to this research. Research Instruments There are various research instruments that can be used for collecting the primary data meant for this research. Defined in simplest of terms, research instruments are devices used for collecting the information that can be useful for research (Wilkinson and Birmingham, 2003). Some of the research instruments are: psychological tests, questionnaires, focus groups, rating scales etc. Each instrument is having its own advantages and disadvantages and is most suitable for a specific type of research. For the purpose of this research, the researcher wants to know the attitude of people towards their health quotient and their affinity towards the idea of a combined fitness center with sports bar. The researcher also wants to know about the satisfaction levels of people who are already clients of fitness centers or sports bar. The author therefore proposes a survey questionnaire for the purpose of this research. The questionnaire shall have four sections. The first section shall have questions regarding the attitude of people in the area towards their health. The section shall have questions regarding the respondents exercising habits (Are u a member of some fitness center or sports bar or not?) (How many hours, per week do you work out? and so on); eating habits (How many times in a week you eat junk food? and so on.) and the occupation of the respondent (Is your job primarily sedentary or involves much physical labor?). The second section will be applicable only to those respondents who are member of some fitness center or sports bar. This section will inquire into the satisfaction levels of these respondents. The respondents will be asked to rate the various facilities at their center, the things that they find good at their centers or bars, and the possible areas of improvement of their centers. The third section will ask the respondents to rate the idea of a combined sports bar and a fitness center. This will more of an attitudinal questionnaire where the respondents will be asked to rate the idea of a combined sports bar and a fitness center. The respondents will also be asked to list down the various facilities that they would like to have at such a store. The fourth section is meant to collect data for demographic study. It will have questions asking the respondents about their gender, age, name and nationality. Sampling Plan A sampling plan is amongst the most important aspect of a research design. A good sampling plan is one that is a true representation of the larger population and reduces systemic bias and the sampling error (Brent, Scott and Spencer, 1998). The sampling frame for the purpose of this research is the entire population of Alexandria till the age of 55. The upper limit on age has been fixed keeping in mind the target market of the proposed center. The various sampling techniques include probabilistic sampling techniques such as simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling and some non-probabilistic sampling methods such as the convenience sampling, snowball sampling and so on. For the purpose of this research, the researcher proposes stratified sampling technique to get the whole representation of the population. The two subsets will be: People who are a member of some fitness center or a sports bar People who are not a member of any fitness center or a sports bar The researcher will then use independent simple random sampling in order to take out sample elements from the two subsets. Such a sampling technique will allow the researcher to get the complete picture of the entire population. The sample size shall be such that it is not too costly to collect the data and at the same time shall be large enough to represent the population. At the same time, it shall be ensured that the size of two subsets shall be in the same ratio as there in the population. Therefore, the sample size for the research can not be finalized at this stage. Once, the researcher is having enough information about the demographics and the actual ratio of people who do have membership viz-z-viz people who do not have any membership. The actual size can be determined only after the researcher has a true picture of the fitness center market in the area through secondary data sources. Contact Methods While conducting research, there are many ways in which primary data can be collected. Some of the ways are through e-mail, in person, internet, by post or through telephone. For the purpose of this research, the researcher proposes two methods of collecting the data. One of the methods of data collection will be through questionnaires being filled in person by the respondent. This method will primarily be used to gather the responses from the people who are members of some fitness center or a sports bar as they are easily accessible. The second source will be an internet questionnaire which will be posted on a website. The prospective respondents will be sent an e-mail stating the purpose of the research and the link to the questionnaire. Other Issues There are certain other issues that have arisen because of the research design chosen. One of the concern areas is the issue of being ethical in the research process. The researcher will ensure that no copyright violations are made during the secondary data analysis and no confidential data is shared with parties that can misuse it. The researcher will also ensure that the primary data collected will not be used for any purpose other than the research. The researcher will ensure that no unethical steps are taken during the research process. Another issue is the cost of conducting the research. The researcher has tried to reduce the same by using internet as a tool for collecting data sources. The research process shall follow certain time-line. The researcher will ensure that the research is progressing according to the plan by using the Microsoft Project Professional. References Brent E.E., Jr. Scot J. K., & Spencer, J.C.(1988). Ex Sample™: An expert system to assist in designing sampling plans. User’s Guide and reference Manual (version 2.0). Columbia MO: The Idea Works Inc. McQuarrie, E.F., 2006. The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for beginners, 2nd ed; p: 53. SAGE Wilkinson, D. and Birmingham, P. 2003. Using Research Instruments: A Guide for researchers, illustrated edition; p: 3. Routledge. Read More