UNIVERSITY OF SARAJEVO

SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS SARAJEVO

Syllabus

“MARKETING RESEARCH”
EIM – MAN 311

Professor Emir Kurtović, PhD

Tutor Denis Berberović, MSc

Sarajevo, 2017.

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 CONTENTS

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES.......................................................................................2

COURSE SCHEDULE..............................................................................................................................3
REQUIRED READINGS..........................................................................................................................4
COURSE ORGANIZATION.....................................................................................................................4
EXAMS AND GRADING.........................................................................................................................4
CONTACT INFORMATION AND OFFICE HOURS..............................................................................6

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 COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Without proper information about the market, a company is unable to create efficient marketing
strategy. Information is a crucial component, whether a company is just joining the market, broadening
its operations or rationalizing its global activities.

Business decisions have to be based on reliable market research results. The main point of market
research is to collect valid and reliable information which helps decision making, planning, problem
solving and monitoring business success.

Marketing research is done in order to get information necessary for marketing managers in business
decision making. The following definition of “Marketing research” by American Marketing
Association (AMA) is often used:

“Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer
through information. That information is used to:
 Identify and define marketing opportunities and problems;
 Generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions;
 Monitor marketing performance; and
 Improve understanding of marketing as a process.”

Marketing research encompasses specification of information requirements, explaining how to:

 Define methods for collecting information
 Organize and implement the process of information collection
 Analyze results
 Write reports and make conclusions

The research process can be divided in multiple stages, from defining the research problem to
implementing recommendations.

There are companies which realize the importance of market research and which base their most
important strategic decisions on that research. Unfortunately, it’s only few companies like that. The
main issue here is that research efforts exist only for strategic decisions or only when companies really
go into trouble.

Primary course objective is to enable undergraduate students to fully understand the process of
marketing research, which includes:
1. Estimating needs and fitness of analytical tools to be used
2. Developing and strengthening skills for solving marketing problems and for decision making
3. Developing written and oral communication skills

In order to fulfill these objectives at the undergraduate level it is required to get to know all aspects of
marketing research methodology and to acquire all skills of individual and teamwork by analyzing real-
life cases and by doing research in our own environment.

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 COURSE SCHEDULE

WEEK TOPIC / CHAPTER

I
Introduction, Course Information, Procedures, Syllabus
II
Marketing Research as a Support for Marketing Decision Making
III
Scientific Method as a Basis for Marketing Research
IV
Marketing Research Planning
V
Secondary Data Collection
VI Primary Data Collection – Methods of Inquiry and Observation
Implementing Sampling Techniques in Marketing Research
VII
Online – MID-TERM TEST
VIII
No classes - RESULTS

IX
Organizing Primary Data Collection

X Collected Data Analysis – Preparing the Data for Analysis, Descriptive Analysis,
Defining Hypotheses
XI Online Collected Data Analysis - Analysing One, Two or More Variables,
Interpretation, Reports
XII
Marketing Information Systems – MIS
XIII Online Sales Forecast and Preinvestment Research
International Marketing Research
XIV
FINAL TEST
XV
No classes - RESULTS

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 REQUIRED READINGS

Fundamentals

Alvin C. Burns, Ronald F. Bush: Marketing Research – online research applications, 4th edition,
Prentice Hall, 2003

Additional and Advanced Readings

Aaker-Kumar-Day: Marketing Reserach, 5th edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1995

COURSE ORGANIZATION

A marketing researcher has to learn 3 fundamental components of knowledge and skills: theoretical
knowledge, learning about macro- and micro-environment in which research is done and learning about
the company which is in the focus of that particular research.

Therefore, course is composed of professor’s lectures, group discussions, analyzing real-life cases and
doing research in groups.

It is expected that all students actively take part in all aspects of this course, to take part in discussions,
preparing the cases, doing the analysis and research.

EXAMS AND GRADING

Minimum required attendance is 70% of total number of course hours and activities are graded
inidividually. There are 4 elements that combine into a final grade, each bearing particular number of
points, totaling 100.

1. Exam I 30 pts.
2. Exam II 30 pts.
3. Presentation (professor classes) 20 pts.
4. Research project (TA classes) 20 pts.
TOTAL 100 pts.

EXAMS

Exam I is scheduled for November 15 (VII Week). There are 30 questions and each correct answer
brings one point; no open-ended questions, no essays. Exam II is scheduled for January 03 (XIV
Week), also 30 questions, one point for each correct answer.
After week XV students who collected 55 points and above passed the whole course and need to
register their exam at Student Affairs Office (ISSS registration) for grade registration.

After week XV students who collected fewer than 55 points are allowed to take remedial exam on a
first available date of February exam term 2018. (decision will be made by Student Affairs Office).
Only students who collected at least 25 points are allowed to take remedial exam on first February

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exam term (those points can be earned on Exam I, Exam II, presentations, class activity or combination
of these).

PRESENTATIONS (professor classes)

During the course, students will make presentations on certain topics as agreed with the professor
during lecture times. This activity earns a maximum of 20 points. Groups prepare presentations where
every student needs to actively engage and present his or her part. Solutions and recommendations are
to be consolidated by the group. Presentation groups usually have 4 or 5 students. Each student
presents. No plain reading from the slides. Using projector, posters and samples is recommended.

Presentation must demonstrate both individual efforts and group cooperation. A presentation lasts 15 to
20 minutes. The following elements are graded: preparation, presentation style, using presentation
tools, group coherence, topic relevance, real life examples and alignment to above mentioned rules.

RESEARCH PROJECT (TA classes)

Following the logic of “learning by doing” the syllabus for this module encompasses a student research
project. Aim of the project is to give students the opportunity to work on a real research project and
thereby bring to their attention necessary knowledge and skills. Students will be requested to form
groups and work the whole semester on a research project. Groups are free to choose a topic of their
own interest, although the topic will have to be approved by the teaching assistant. The research project
will be discussed during classes and in office hours. Further details will be discussed in class.

REMEDIAL EXAM

According to the university rules, a student who does not earn a passing grade has right to take a
remedial exam. A student can earn points by taking remedial exam by taking Exam I or Exam II,
depending on which one student scored less points. Points earned up to that point are taken into account
(exams, presentation) and summed up with the results of a remedial exam.

It is not possible to take a remedial that is an equivalent of an integral exam because according to the
university rules a student must collect at least 50% of total points during regular course activities.

Final grade is based on the number of points received for each of the 4 elements:

No.of points Final grade

• 0 - 54 5
• 55 - 64 6
• 65 - 74 7
• 75 - 84 8
• 85 - 94 9
• 95 - 100 10

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IMPORTANT: Professor does not „give” a grade nor does the teaching assistant – it’s the student who
deserves the grade.

You can find additional information and course materials online (courseware): MAN 311 – Marketing
Research or search by professors name.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Associate Professor Emir Kurtović, PhD

Marketing Department, School of Economics and Business in Sarajevo
Phone: (+ 387 33) 275-937
E-mail: emir.kurtovic@efsa.unsa.ba
Office: 4th floor, room no. 96

Senior Teaching Assistant Denis Berberović, MSc

Marketing Department, School of Economics and Business in Sarajevo
Phone: (+ 387 33) 253-775
E-mail: denis.berberovic@efsa.unsa.ba
Office: 3rd floor, room no. 81