Marketing research provides decision makers with information to make good marketing-related decisions. When correctly conducted, good marketing research can provide valuable insights into markets, customers, competitors and the environment within which the firm must operate. Among other things, marketing research can help identify and evaluate marketing opportunities, both in the United States and in other countries, can provide input for strategic development, and help monitor performance. Information can also be used as market research, to assess demographic and economic potential.

This course teaches you how to evaluate research as well as how to do it. We will examine all the phases of the research process, emphasizing techniques to develop high-quality marketing research. Topics include survey design, questionnaire design, statistical analysis of results and reporting. We will place a strong emphasis on creating, administering, and analyzing surveys, and using the information to help professionals make decisions under uncertainty. The course will use industry standard software tools: SPSS (data analysis), Qualtrics (online surveys) and GIS (geographic information systems). Students will work as consultants to an actual client, the Monterey Jazz Festival, to develop and conduct a comprehensive marketing research project. This project will involve personal interviewing, focus groups and online surveying. The results of this project will be used by Monterey Jazz Festival to guide future planning and decision making.