Marketing Research

Course code: MKT 375

Term and year: Fall 2026

Day and time: Friday 11:15-14:00

Instructor: Emel Yarimoglu, Ph.D.

Instructor contact:  emel.yarimoglu@aauni.edu

Consultation hours: Friday 14:00-14:30

1. Course Description

This course is designed to equip students with the essential skills and knowledge needed to conduct effective marketing research in a dynamic business environment. Students will learn how to identify and define marketing problems, develop research objectives, and design appropriate research methodologies. The course emphasizes both qualitative and quantitative research techniques, providing a comprehensive understanding of how to collect, analyze, and interpret data to support informed decision-making in marketing. Throughout the course, students will engage with real-world scenarios and case studies that illustrate the practical application of marketing research concepts. Interactive lectures, seminars, and hands-on activities will encourage students to actively participate in the learning process, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

A key component of the course is the development of research proposals and the execution of research projects. These projects will allow students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical research problems, enhancing their ability to conduct thorough and effective research. By the end of the course, students will be able to design and implement marketing research studies, analyze data, and present findings in a clear and compelling manner. This course is ideal for students who aspire to careers in marketing, business analytics, or any field where data-driven decision-making is crucial. It prepares students to navigate the complexities of the market, understand consumer behavior, and contribute to strategic marketing decisions through rigorous research.

2. Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

●        Comprehend and have a clear understanding of the relationship between market research and decision making.

●        Comprehend and have a clear understanding of the processes used in formulating and conducting market research projects.

●        Place in context and lend perspective to the market conditions under which research may be undertaken and the impact of these conditions on the type of research to be conducted, including methodologies and project management.

●        Comprehend and clearly understand the range of qualitative and quantitative techniques and methods available in marketing research, including applicability and limitations.

●        Comprehend and clearly understand how to design market research to obtain actionable information as a decision support and make a Request for Proposal for a market research project.

●        Place in context and lend perspective to the language of marketing research as practitioners and business people use it.

●        Place in context and lend perspective to more common qualitative and quantitative techniques, including proposal/survey construction, data collection/fieldwork, analysis, and reporting.

3. Reading Material

Required Materials:  

o    Textbook: Naresh K. Malhotra (2021). Basic Marketing Research. Pearson. (Selected Chapters will be available on NEO).

o    Perlego Book: Babin Barry (2016). Essentials of Marketing Research. Cengage (available on NEO)

Recommended Further Reading and Scientific Journals’ Articles

o    Kumar, V., Ashraf, A. R., & Nadeem, W. (2024). AI-powered marketing: What, where, and how? International Journal of Information Management, 77, 102783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2024.102783  (available on NEO)

o    McDaniel, C. D., & Gates, R. H. (2021). Marketing research: Using analytics to develop market insights. Wiley.  (available on NEO)

4. Teaching methodology

In the course, the professor employs a combination of interactive lectures, case studies, and discussions to create a highly engaging and dynamic learning environment. The interactive lectures are not just about presenting key concepts; they are designed to provoke thought and encourage active participation from students through questioning and dialogue. This approach helps students critically engage with the material and directly apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. Case studies are utilized to facilitate in-depth exploration of topics through collaborative activities, allowing students to practice applying concepts in practical settings, which strengthens their understanding. The professor incorporates student-led discussions, where students take the lead in guiding conversations while the teacher acts as a facilitator. This method encourages autonomy, critical thinking, and the development of leadership and communication skills among students. The inclusion of case studies supports these discussions by providing practical examples that students can analyze and debate, thereby enhancing their problem-solving and analytical abilities. These teaching methods have been chosen because they actively involve students in the learning process, foster critical thinking, and bridge the gap between theory and practice, effectively preparing students for the challenges they will face in the field of marketing research. By employing these diverse methodologies, the course aims to create an engaging and immersive learning environment that prepares students to not only analyze but also demonstrate their own ability to influence data-driven decision-making.

5.    Course Schedule

6.    Course Requirements and Assessment (with estimated workloads)

*1 = Critical Thinking; 2 = Effective Communication; 3 = Effective and Responsible Action

7. Detailed description of the assignments

Attendace:

Students’ physical and timely attendance to every class. Attendance is mandatory at AAU School of Business.

Class Participation:

Participation is evaluated on the quality of your contribution to the learning experience of the class. Participating by actively responding to questions, asking questions, and engaging in class discussions will help you earn your participation grade. Simply attending every class is not a participation.

RP: Research Proposal (Design and Presentation):

The goal of the Research Proposal is to design a research proposal individually. Students will search selected topics individually.  Read literature and find topics that you can analyze in the course. You should refine and select one research topic, then develop your own research proposal. Each student should develop a unique proposal. Students will discuss their topics in class, then students group will be generated based on the topics. This will form the basis of students‘ future qualitative and quantitative research studies. Ensure that the selected research problem is suitable for both qualitative and quantitative research approaches.

In this assignment, these tasks should be completed:  

1. Literature Review: To select a good topic, you should review the literature by reading previous studies. Each student should examine 3 to 5 scholarly published articles. If you need help to reach those articles, please ask the professor for help . 

2. Refine the Research Problem: Based on previous studies, understand the gap in literature and explain the research problem. Refine the problem statement as needed to align with research methods. Ensure the research problem, objectives, and methodology are well-defined and relevant to the current market context. Clarify the importance of the topic, aim of the research, objectives of the research, and research questions (RQs).

3. Proposal Development: Focus on literature review, and, for example, if you read 5 different scholarly articles, present those articles first. Second, show the gap and explain why you selected this topic. Then, explain the importance of the topic, aim of the research, objectives of the research, and research questions.  

4. Report Submission: This proposal should be written in MS Word around 5 pages. Times New Roman, 12 font, justified, spacing 6 pt before and after, single line spacing. References will not be included to the page number. Use APA style for all references. Due date is before the class on the fourth session. All submissions should be uploaded to NEO.    

5. Discussion: The proposals will be discussed in class. During presentations, the report, which is submitted to NEO (MS Word document), can be used as a visual document on the board. It is important to discuss topics in class since these discussions will create a brainstorming and give students different aspects regarding the research topics. Students will present their topics around 15 minutes.

Assessment breakdown

R1: Qualitative Research Study (Design, Conduct, Analyze, Present)

The goal of this assignment for micro-teams is to collaboratively design and execute
a qualitative research study. The focus will be on data collection and data analysis, enabling students to explore the depth and complexity of qualitative data and present their findings in a coherent and insightful manner. The assignment description is below:

1. Review Literature and Develop Research Questions: Review literature again, show the gap, explain the problem, write the importance and aim of the research, develop research objectives. Develop clear and open-ended research questions that guide your qualitative inquiry.

2. Plan Data Collection: Decide about the qualitative data collection method that you will use, such as interviews or focus groups. Justify your choice of methods and explain how they will help you explore this research problem.

3. Sampling Strategy: Define your approach to selecting participants for the study. Describe your target population, sampling method, and the rationale behind your sample size.

4. Conduct Research: Collect data ensuring that you gather rich, detailed qualitative data that addresses your research questions. Start early! Collecting data takes time!

5. Analyze Data: Analyze the collected data using thematic or content analysis. Identify key themes, patterns, and insights that emerge from the data. Be thorough in your analysis, ensuring that it captures the complexity and nuances of the qualitative data.

6. Presentation: Summarize your research process by explaining the aim of the research, research questions, brief literature review, data collection method, sampling techniue, sampling size, data analysis, and key findings in a clear and organized PowerPoint presentation. Your presentation should effectively communicate the depth of your qualitative insights. The presentation should be formed by statements, bullet points, tables, figures, and only related images. Each micro-team will present their findings in a 25-30 minute in-class presentation. The presentation will be followed by a discussion where you will need to answer questions and demonstrate a deep understanding of your research.

The presentation should include a title slide, followed by slides that cover the brief literature, research problem, research aim, research questions, data collection method, sampling strategy (sampling method and sampling size), data analysis, key findings, and their interpretations as conclusion.

7. Submission: The PowerPoint submission to NEO before the class.  

Assessment Criteria Breakdown

All assignments will be evaluated for clarity of writing, critical analysis of the issues, proper use of references to support positions taken, quality and diversity of sources, the extent to which the assignment meets the requirements specified, and the timely submissions of materials. Due to different responsibilities in presentations, students can take different grades.

R2: Quantitative Research Study  (Design, Conduct, Analyze, Present)

The goal of this assignment for micro-teams is to collaboratively design and execute
a quantitative research study. In this assignment, teams will execute a quantitative study, analyzing data and presenting the findings. The assignment description is below:

1. Literature Review: Review the literature and refine the research questions and objectives as needed, making sure they are precise and align with the quantitative methods you plan to use. Review the Research Questions and develop hypotheses.

2. Data Collection: Use surveys that will allow you to collect the necessary data to address your research questions. Outline the process for gathering data, including the tools and techniques you will use. Ensure your data collection methods are valid, reliable, and ethical. Prepare questionnaire by using valid and reliable scales that exist in literature.

3. Sampling Strategy: Clearly identify the target population and describe the sampling method that you will use. Justify the sample size and ensure it is sufficient to generate reliable results. Implement the sampling strategy, ensuring that the sample is representative of the target population.

4. Conduct Research: Conduct the data collection as per your plan. Ensure the data gathered is accurate, relevant, and sufficient to meet the research objectives.

5. Analyze Data: Use statistical tools and techniques to analyze the collected data. Focus on interpreting the results in relation to your research objectives. Look for significant findings. Ensure that your findings are presented using clear and effective visual tools to enhance understanding and communication of the data insights.

6. Presentation: Summarize the entire research process, from the problem statement and objectives to data analysis and key findings in a clear and organized PowerPoint presentation. Ensure the presentation is clear, concise, and visually engaging. Ensure that your findings are presented using clear and effective visual tools to enhance understanding and communication of the data insights. The presentation should be formed by statements, bullet points, tables, figures, and only related images. Each micro-team will present their findings in a 25-30 minute in-class presentation. Following the presentation, be prepared to answer questions and engage in a discussion with your peers and instructor.

The presentation should include a title slide, followed by slides that cover the brief literature, research problem, research aim, research questions, data collection method, sampling strategy (sampling method and sampling size), data analysis, key findings, and their interpretations as conclusion.

7. Submission: The PowerPoint submission to NEO before the class.

Assessment Criteria Breakdown

All assignments will be evaluated for clarity of writing, critical analysis of the issues, proper use of references to support positions taken, quality and diversity of sources, the extent to which the assignment meets the requirements specified, and the timely submissions of materials. Due to different responsibilities in presentations, students can take different grades.

General Requirements and School Policies

General requirements

All coursework is governed by AAU’s academic rules. Students are expected to be familiar with the academic rules in the Academic Codex and Student Handbook and to maintain the highest standards of honesty and academic integrity in their work. Please see the AAU intranet for a summary of key policies regarding coursework.

Course specific requirements

There are no special requirements or deviations from AAU policies for this course.