Assignment.:
This is the first in a series of team assignments designed to help students compose their final market research report for Nick Thomas and Advanced Automobile Concepts. As part of the company's market research team, your first task is to identify the most appropriate research design for Advanced Automobile Concept's market research problem. This assignment asks students to define the problems facing Advanced Automobile Concepts, write research objectives to solve those problems, and determine what role qualitative research could play in the project (Steps 2, 3, and 4 in the marketing research process in Figure 3.1 in chapter 3 of the textbook). Review the details of Case 3.2 and Case 4.2 at the end of chapters 3 and 4 and then complete the following two activities:
1. Describe the "source" of the problem(s) facing Nick Thomas?
2. Describe the major areas of opportunity identified in the Douglass report. Define, as specifically as possible, the problem underlying each of those opportunities. What major research questions need to be answered in order to sufficiently address those problems/opportunities?
3. Write the research objectives intended to address each one of the problems addressed in part 2. These will be the primary objectives that guide the writing of the market research report for Advanced Automobile Concepts. Students may revise their objectives as they work further into the cases and collect more information. There is additional information on writing research objectives on page 58-71 in the textbook. Students can also utilize the Research Objective Mapping Tool for assistance related to writing clear objectives.