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Academic Years: 2022/23 and 2023/24
Summer Term: 2022/23 and Terms 1 & 2: Michaelmas and Lent 2023/24
MKTG310: Marketing Research and
Consultancy Project: Market Research in
Practice
Module Leader: Helen Meek
Contact Details: Room WP D57, Lancaster University Management School, h.meek@lancaster.ac.uk
Virtual Office Hour: TBC
Supervisors: TBC
SPSS/ Qualtrics Support: TBC
Employability: Catherine Ford
Credits: 30
Communications URL: https://modules.lancaster.ac.uk/course/view.php id=35473
Contents
MKTG310: Marketing Research and Consultancy Project: Market Research in Practice…………………..1
Introduction/overview…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Allocation of Projects…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Course aims………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
Learning outcomes………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Employability skills………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Communication & inquiries………………………………………………………………………………………………….5
Module Leader……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5
Project Tutor………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5
Course structure …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
Sessions………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
Workshops……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
Project Supervision ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
C.V. Support ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
Assessment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8
Individual Employability Portfolio (40%)……………………………………………………………………………..8
Group Assessment (60%)………………………………………………………………………………………………….8
Group Work: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9
Coursework Assessment Criteria ……………………………………………………………………………………….9
Reading (All available via the Resource List on Moodle)…………………………………………………………..9
Marketing 211 and Marketing 212 course materials. …………………………………………………………..9
Other Research Methods Resources ………………………………………………………………………………….9
Employability Textbook…………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Academic support……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Further information …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Multi-group Projects – 2/3 groups working on 1 project …………………………………………………….10
Project Deadlines…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
Managing the client ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….11
Ethics……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13
Health and safety …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..13
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ………………………………………………………………………………………13
Data protection and information security …………………………………………………………………………13
Expenses……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14
Detailed timetable …………………………………………………………………………………………………………15
2
Introduction/overview
This module is an action-learning based capstone module. It is designed as a natural progression
from the second year modules – Qualitative Marketing Research (MKTG211) and Quantitative
Marketing Research (MKTG212) where students were introduced to key concepts and techniques in
marketing research. This module provides students with the opportunity to work with a real-life
company and to put into practice the ideas and techniques of marketing research. It is assumed
students will be competent in all the areas studied on MKTG211 and MKTG212. It also provides
students with the opportunity to improve their employability skills.
Successful completion of the module also necessitates the understanding and deployment of
relevant concepts and techniques from all other marketing modules students have undertaken up to
this point.
Students work together in teams to negotiate, design and deliver a market research project for a
company/public sector organisation. The companies/organisations involved may be large or small,
global, national or local, for profit or not for profit. The clients for your projects are not involved for
the fun of it, or because they just want to help you get an education; they want, sometimes
desperately need, the results! Students will be working with a real life company on a live project
and the client may have concerns about confidentiality and budget. However, the market research
they ask you to undertake is important, sometimes crucial to their business/operational
development – particularly if they are a start-up company.
Allocation of Projects
Students work together in teams to negotiate, design and deliver a market research project for a
company/organisation. Teams will be formed through a combination of self-selection and tutor
intervention. If you miss the session at the beginning of week 1 of Michaelmas Term you will not be
able to choose who you work with, or which project you prefer. If you are unable to join this session
please email me to let me know.
Outlines of the available projects will be posted on the MKTG310 Moodle page before the beginning
of the Michaelmas term (term 1). Teams will then apply and bid for their preferred choices by 2pm
on Wednesday 11 October (week 1). The application will consist of an email to Helen Meek with a
list of your project preferences ranked 1-x, a letter of application explaining why the group would be
particularly suited to the first and second choice project along with a copy of each student’s CV.
Teams will then be allocated projects by Thursday of Week 1. It will be unlikely that every group will
be successful in their bid as this is a competitive process. No matter what project you are allocated
it will provide you with an excellent opportunity to develop your consultancy skills and help improve
your CV.
Each project will be unique but certain activities will be common to all groups:-
Indicate the preferred project.
Take responsibility for the allocated project.
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Develop working practices in consultation with the supervisor.
Produce an agreed research proposal.
Undertake appropriate research
Produce a professional client presentation and report by the completion date agreed by
both the client and supervisor. The usual completion date is week 20 at the end of the Lent
term.
Course aims
To provide students with the opportunity to deploy the ‘science’ of market research and
practise the art of market researching in the ‘real world’.
To enable students through complex experiential learning to both exploit and challenge the
learnings of Marketing 211 and Marketing 212.
To provide students with the opportunity to gain real life marketing experience and improve
their employability skills.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to:
Deploy the learnings of Marketing 211 and Marketing 212 in a real world market
research/consulting context, and as a result consolidate and enhance the quality of those
learnings/insights.
Undertake problem/question definition, method selection, ’data’ collection and
presentation, analysis, report-writing and formal presentation.
Understand, and learn how to manage, the realities and complexities of doing market
research in practice.
Understand, and learn how to manage, the realities and complexities of client management.
Develop your project management skills.
Further develop your team-working skills
Further develop your critical and creative thinking skills
Employability skills
In each module you study in the Marketing Department you will learn subject specific knowledge
and more general, transferable skills which are applicable beyond your specialism and are thought
valuable by employers. Many skills will be put into practice by you across your programme of study
but this course will focus on developing four core employability skills:
Project management skills: A key part of this consultancy project will involve managing the
project from interpreting the clients brief through to delivering the final report over a period
of 6 months. This is an important skill that future employers will value. In the workplace
you will be expected to manage projects in whatever capacity you are employed.
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Team working skills: Throughout the consultancy project you will be working in a team of 5
or 6 students. This experience will prove to be highly beneficial as teams can often achieve
far greater results than individuals. However, it is likely that you will also encounter
challenges associated with working in a team. Working as part of a team and dealing with
such challenges will prepare you for the realities of the workplace where you will
undoubtedly have to work as part of a team.
Critical and creative thinking skills: As part of the consultancy project you will be expected
to provide recommendations to the client based on your research. This will provide you
with the opportunity to develop your critical thinking skills as well as enable you to enhance
your creativity skills. Future employers will be seeking graduates with both critical thinking
and the ability to develop creative marketing plans.
Data analysis and reduction skills: You will be expected to undertake research (secondary
and/ or primary) and then analyse the data (quantitative or qualitative) and then translate
this data in to marketing information in the form of a report and presentation. These are
key skills that future employers are seeking in marketing graduates.
Working on the consultancy project provides you with a great opportunity to improve your
employability skills. In order to assess your employability skills and to help you make the most of
your experience whilst working on MKTG310 we are going to undertake an audit of each student’s
employability skills. You will be asked to complete a short questionnaire at the beginning of the
module and then again at the end of the module. The individual assignment will build on this
employability audit.
Communication & inquiries
Please check the Moodle course website regularly. Lectures slides, readings and announcements will
be posted there throughout the term.
Module Leader
For general inquiries for the Module Leader, please use the general Moodle discussion space on the
course website.
Project Tutor
For any project specific queries or other specific/individual concerns, please contact your project
tutor in the first instance or discuss any issues in your weekly group meetings. You will also be
allocated a Microsoft Team specifically for your group.
If your project tutor is unable to answer your query, please then contact the Module Leader via the
Moodle discussion space, unless your query is of a personal nature and then you should email the
Module Leader. The Module Leader and tutors are also available during their specific office hours to
discuss individual or group concerns. Alternatively, the lecturer/tutor may agree to schedule
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individual or group meetings at other times as long as the time is convenient for both parties and
there has been prior notification (via e-mail or Teams).
Course structure
This course does not follow the traditional Department of Marketing course structure. The course
will be launched in the summer term of your second year. There will be an in-person whole group
session in week 21 (summer term – year 2) to launch the module, 2 whole group sessions in week 1
of Michaelmas (final year) and 1 in the Lent term. The remaining sessions on topics such as ethics
and briefing for the employability assessment will be available as recorded lectures which can be
watched at a time that is convenient to you. The majority of contact time will be in your groups
with your tutor at your weekly meetings which will be held either via MS Teams or in person on
campus depending on student location and/or tutor’s shielding needs. There will also be small
group sessions scheduled for supporting data analysis and the opportunity for 1 to 1 support on your
CV.
Sessions
Summer Term 2023
Week 21 – In-person Session
Tuesday 25 April 2022: 10am-12pm (LUMS LT8)
Introduction to MKTG310 and briefing for employability assessment
Michaelmas Term 2023/24
Week 1 – In-person Sessions
Monday 9 October 2023: TBC
Introduction to MKTG310, projects and groups
Tuesday 10 October 2023: TBC
MKTG310 projects and meet your team.
Week 2
Client Briefing (TBA)
Lent Term
Week 14 (TBA) In-person Session
Report Writing and Presentations
Week 20 (TBA)
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Client Presentation
Workshops
SPSS/Qualtrics Support Sessions
We have timetabled a series of sessions with xxxx to support your research project. You
will have the opportunity to discuss your questionnaire design and analysis. In the past we
have found student groups have developed a questionnaire, collected data and then found
that it was in such a format they could not analyse the data.
Week 8/9 (Michaelmas Term)
This session is designed to help you make sure that you will be able to analyse your
questionnaire (if you are using one) effectively. If you have any specific issues that you
would like addressing in the session please email these to the tutor xxx x@lancaster.ac.uk
at least 48 hours before your session. The available times and locations will be made
available on Moodle and you will be asked to select a particular appointment.
Week 14 (Lent Term)
This session is designed to provide support on the analysis of your data. If you have any
specific issues that you would like addressing in the session please email these to the tutor
xxx x@lancaster.ac.uk at least 48 hours before your session. The available times and
locations will be made available on moodle and you will be asked to select a particular
appointment
Project Supervision
Teams will be scheduled to meet with their tutor every week to report on progress, discuss
problems/plans and agree future work. It is recommended that you agree a specific time slot each
week with your tutor. If you decide it is not necessary to meet your tutor one week you must
communicate this to your tutor.
Around 20 hours of staff/student contact can be expected on this module. This equates to one hour
per week throughout the project period. Actual staff/student contact, in both frequency and
volume, is likely to vary depending on the idiosyncrasies of any one project; however you are
entitled to at least 20 hours tutor contact. The supervisor is responsible for guiding you on the
project but will not be involved in any fine detail.
C.V. Support
You will have the opportunity to have 1-2-1 support (online via MS Teams) with Catherine Ford to
discuss your C.V. before the submission in week 27 of summer term (2023). Appointments can be
made through LibCal in Moodle in either weeks 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25.
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Assessment
Assessment Weighting: Coursework: 100% (no exam)
Coursework Assessment
Coursework assessment has individual and group components, weighted 40/60 respectively
Individual Employability Portfolio (40%)
Further information on this assessment is available in a separate briefing document located in the
Individual Assessment: Briefing and Submission folder on Moodle.
Group Assessment (60%)
There are 4 group submissions required during the course of the project.
1. Research proposal (10%)
2. Client report (first draft) (15%)
3. Client report (final draft) (20%)
4. Client presentation (15%)
Research Proposal (10%)
Further information on this assessment is available in a separate briefing document located in
the Research Proposal: Briefing and Submission folder on Moodle.
Client Report
1. First Draft Report (15%)
2. Final Client Report (20%)
Further information on this assessment is available in a separate briefing document located in
the Client Report: Briefing and Submission folder on Moodle.
Client Presentation (15%)
Further information on this assessment is available in a separate briefing document located in
the Client Presentation folder on Moodle.
Assessment of coursework is moderated internally and project reports are made available to
the external examiner
Clients do not take part directly in the assessment procedures but their opinions may be taken
into account when deciding marks. N.B. It is also quite possible for the client organisation to
indicate complete satisfaction with the project but for the formal assessment to be relatively
low. The supervisor assesses the project not the client.
Group Work:
This coursework assessment, like many in Marketing is team based. This is because collaborative
and deliberative skills are crucial for a successful career and this team-working is excellent
practice, but also because of the proven powerful impact discussion, deliberation and debate
has on your learning and the development of your critical thinking.
You will have some opportunity to choose some of your team-mates but remember – IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THE TEAM WORK! To see guidance on dealing with group work in
learning groups – please see the ‘Student Group Work Guidance’ document on Moodle.
Microsoft Teams
Each group is allocated to a Microsoft Team, along with your tutor. This will provide you with a
confidential collaborative space in which you can work on your project and save your work on
OneDrive.
Coursework Assessment Criteria
Your coursework will be assessed against, and you will receive feedback on, the criteria detailed in
the feedback form included in each assignment brief.
These criteria are those typically used to evaluate written coursework in the Department of
Marketing. Feedforward provides guidance to help you translate these criterial into what is needed
for this particular piece of coursework.
You can also use the general grade descriptors to help you critically evaluate your own work. The
grade given to your work is a summary of the overall standard of the piece of work across all criteria.
In accordance with Lancaster University academic regulations all these assessment will not be
anonymously marked. That means that students’ names will be visible during the marking process.
Reading (All available via the Resource List on Moodle)
Marketing 211 and Marketing 212 course materials.
Malhotra NK, Birks DF and Wills P. (2013), Essentials of Market Research, Pearson Education
Other Research Methods Resources
Fielding, N, (2017), The Sage handbook of online research methods, 2nd Ed, Sage Inc, California,
Available online.
Sage Research Methods Online (Database) Available online
All students MUST be familiar with the Market Research Society Code of Practice to be found at:
MRS Code of Conduct 2019 and also the university’s own code of ethics (posted on Moodle website).
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Employability Textbook
For support for your individual assignment, it is recommended that you consult the following text:-
Lumley, M. & Wilkinson, J. (2013), Developing Employability for Business, Oxford University Press,
Oxford.
There are copies of this text in the library but a copy of Chapter 9 – ‘Preparing the Evidence’ is
available on your resource list as this is key to your individual assignment.
The exact nature of the project and the specified task will determine any further reading.
Academic support
If you need help with your academic writing and study you can visit the ‘Learning
Development’ team in LUMS. Visit here for LUMS Learning Development
Basic info about what the Effective Learning team do is available on the university website:
Check here for LUMS Study Support (UG)
Further information
Multi-group Projects – 2/3 groups working on 1 project
This year we are running a system where in some cases 2/3 student groups will be working on the
same project. The rationale for this is that some projects are more popular than others and this will
give more students the opportunity to work on what I think will be attractive projects. All groups
will have the opportunity to present to the client. However, if any group is struggling to produce
work of the necessary standard then the tutor and Course Leader may decide that it is not
appropriate for this group to present to the client. There will be additional information available on
Moodle for those groups that are working on one of these projects.
Project Deadlines
Despite having 6 months to work on the projects students often leave the majority of the work until
too late and put themselves under a great deal of pressure at the end of the Lent term to deliver
high quality projects to the client. To try to support you and avoid stress at the end of the Lent term,
interim deadlines have been introduced to help you with time management and assist in project
managing the client projects. All deadlines, including deadlines for assessments are shown in the
timetable at the end of this document. However, the main deadlines are highlighted here:
Draft Proposal – week 4
Final Proposal (including ethics forms and budget if applicable) – week 6 (Friday 17
November)
Research Tools (questionnaire, topic guides etc) – week 10 (Friday 15 December)
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Secondary Research Chapter – week 13 (Friday 2 February)
Draft Report – week 17 (Monday 26 February 10am)
Presentation – week 19 (Monday 11 March) to be presented in week 20. (Multi-group
projects will re required to have their presentation ready for feedback in week 18 and will be
assessed in week 19 ready for the client presentation in week 20).
Final Report – week 20 (make available to client at presentation and submit to moodle by
Friday 22 March 5pm)
You can always submit work before these dates. We appreciate that all projects are different and
some flexibility will be necessary depending on the project. However, by providing additional
deadlines it is hoped that this will improve project planning.
MS Planner – this year you will be expected to use the MS Planner app in MS Teams to plan and
manage your workflow. You can allocate tasks to team members and track progress.
Managing the client
Communication
Every client will be different and it is important to manage each client’s expectations carefully.
Communication is key to a successful project and some clients will expect regular updates whilst
others will be happy for you to contact them when you require further information/ clarification.
Remember that your client is also involved in running a business and may not be available on
demand to answer your queries. Try to plan ahead in your communication, especially if you need to
get their approval.
It is suggested that one member of the team takes over as the key point of contact for the client
(receiving numerous emails from different students can become confusing). It is also helpful to copy
in your tutor when emailing the client (this will depend on your tutor’s preferences).
Consider carefully whether your method of communication is appropriate for the information you
wish to obtain. If your query has one potential outcome e.g. if you are asking for specific data then
an email would be most appropriate as this gives your client time to collate the information for you.
If, however, you wish to discuss something with your client that may have multiple outcomes, which
may then in turn have further multiple outcomes e.g. how your client wishes you to proceed with a
particular part of your research, a Teams call is often much more effective and less time-consuming.
Initial Client Meeting
It is likely that you will virtually meet your client in the second week of term. This meeting must take
priority over other commitments and if it means missing a session then you must apologise to your
tutor. At your first meeting with your client, as well as discussing the project, it is advisable to cover
the following issues:
1. Establishing links – make sure that you and your client swap contact details to establish
channels of communication. (It is recommended that one member of the team takes over
this responsibility).
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2. Establish if your client will be unavailable at any point during the project (e.g. if they have
holidays booked, time off over Christmas etc.) and who you should deal with in their
absence.
3. Establish the budget that your client has for the project and arrangements for paying
expenses
4. Assure your client that you understand that you are working on a live project and that you
will be treating the project with the utmost confidentiality – in accordance with the Market
Research Society Code of Practice.
5. Agree to sign the company and student agreements using esign.
6. It may be useful to ascertain your clients’ previous experience of engaging with student
projects – especially Lancaster University student projects. If your client has received a
report from a previous project that is pertinent to the project you are working on, it may be
useful to request a copy of this previous work. Also, remember that clients who are new to
student projects may need more direction and/or communication to ensure that the project
goes smoothly.
7. Discuss the project brief and decide the direction of the project. Discuss possible research
methods and incentives if relevant.
8. Set a provisional date for the final client presentation (during week 20).
After the Initial Client Meeting
The nominated team member should send an email to your client as soon as possible after the initial
client meeting thanking them for submitting the project and for giving their time to meet with the
group. It is also a good opportunity to list the names of the other team members and their roles
within the team. Tell your client what will be happening next i.e. you will be submitting a Research
Proposal – and when they should expect this by. Include the dates of any meetings you have agreed
upon and what the purpose of the meetings will be.
Progress
You must send the client a progress report (via email) before the Christmas holidays so that your
client knows you are making progress. Make your client aware of when you will be resuming work
on the project in the New Year. Please copy in your tutor and Helen Meek.
An internal quality control process for student projects operates and Jennifer Peasnell (Company
Projects Manager), who is responsible for sourcing the projects, will be contacting the clients after
Christmas to check they are happy with progress with the projects. It is therefore imperative that
you update your client on a regular basis.
Problems with your client
Very rarely your project may not go to plan and you may find your client problematic to deal with.
This is usually down to simple misunderstandings and occasionally a lack of planning and can usually
be avoided by making sure that your client is aware of what you are able to deliver and your
progress against the project objectives as the project progresses. In the first instance, bring any
problems that you may be encountering to the attention of your supervisor. If the problem cannot
be solved then your supervisor may involve Helen Meek or request that Jennifer Peasnell, Company
Projects Manager, becomes involved to help mediate a solution.
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Ethics
All research must be carried out in accordance with both the MRS code of conduct and also the
university’s own code of ethics. These are posted on Moodle You must read and make yourself
familiar with the codes and then complete and sign the Department of Marketing Ethical Approval
Form also posted on Moodle. You must:-
Complete the form
Seek approval from your tutor
All students must sign the ethics section, the health and safety declaration and the AI
statement.
Tutor to approve and sign
Module Director (Helen Meek) to approve and sign
Students to append ethics forms to the final research proposal and upload to the research
proposal submission area with the client acceptance and budget request form (if relevant).
For further information see the university website guidance on ethics.
Read the Lancaster University Ethical guidance
Health and safety
You will be presented with key information relating to health and safety that you must be familiar
with. If you have any concerns about your health and safety during the projects please discuss these
with your tutor in the first instance. You must sign the Health and Safety declaration as part of your
ethics form.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
You will be presented with key information relating to the use of AI apps and you must sign to
indicate you understand you will not use AI apps for any data analysis.
Data protection and information security
If, as part of any student project, you collect personal/sensitive data on living people which would
identify them, you need to ensure you are compliant with the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and the
EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
This means that you should gain consent from participants, only collect information needed for your
project, handle and store all data securely and anonymously where possible and you should be
informing participants of:
Your study objectives
How long you will retain their information
How you will secure their data before it is anonymised or deleted
How a participant could withdraw their data from the project
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An appropriate person to receive complaints, e.g. your supervisor
This should be part of your project design and you should discuss this with your supervisor. A
Participant Information sheet (PIS) and consent form template are available on Moodle. The
completed PIS’s must be submitted with your ethics form.
You are required to undertake on-line training on data protection, information security and GDPR.
It is your responsibility to undertake this short on-line training programme by the end of week 2
(good to include on your C.V.). You must upload to Moodle a screen shot of your confirmation
that you have completed the training.
Information Security for Students: Please undertake this on-line training – the link is available in the
week 1 folder on Moodle.
Visit here for the Information Security Training you have to complete
You must store all data, documents, transcripts etc on in your MS Team and not on unsecured
USB’s, personal laptops or tablets. The department will set up an area in your MS Team on One
Drive for your group, tutor and course convenor to store and access all your files and