HOW TO: Write a market research proposal
Author: Jyotishman Goswami, marketing frontrunner-NCT at De Montfort University
A well-planned proposal will ensure you get the most out of your market research activity. Jyotishman Goswami, marketing frontrunner-NCT at De Montfort University provides 10 key steps to consider
Marketing research is vital in all businesses
and it is important that a proposal is written before any formal
research activity takes place. Businesses often find themselves in a
challenging situation and need to find reliable answers to key questions
in order to make the right decisions. The research proposal is a
statement of intent and explains the purpose for the research to take
place. Below are 10 key points to consider when structuring your
proposal.
1. Title and keywords
The title of the proposed investigation should be clear, precise and accurate. A short main title outlining the area of the research may be followed by a secondary part of the title that includes more specific information.
Keywords are normally required to identify the content of the proposal. An average of four to six words should suffice.
2. Aims and objectives
The primary aim of the
proposal is to identify the purpose of the research and the research
questions/issues it attempts to address. You should provide a sequence
of statements (normally between two and five) that gives an overview of
what the research is trying
to achieve.
3. Background analysis
This
section needs to justify the proposal with a brief account of the
practical issues the research will address. It should attempt to
demonstrate the importance of the proposed investigation in relation to
specific problems, contexts etc. References of facts, figures, reports
and authors will be useful.
4. Research hypothesis
This
part should specify the exact questions to be investigated. This needs
to be precise and should take the form of hypotheses or statements
(normally between two and four). It should specify what indicators will
be measured in order to address the broad issues identified within the
aims and background sections.
5. Data collection
The
data collection methods must be described succinctly. They should
include a description of the data collection process and the strategy to
be adopted (survey method or case study). If a survey method is used,
then you should mention the geographic regions or demographic to be
covered. Mention should be made of the sample frame and sampling
technique utilised. Statistical knowledge helps and there are many books
available on this topic. Careful attention needs to be paid in
selecting the sample if it is to represent the demographic being
investigated. The sample also needs to be determined based on confidence
interval and confidence level. A useful tool to determine these is
available at surveysystem.com (click on the research aids sample
calculator).
6. Research methodology
The research methodology
section should explain the key reasons for choosing the proposed
methods. The research strategy and data collection methods should be
discussed and evaluated, in terms of their suitability and their
implications for the quality of the data to be collected. The benefits
should also be compared to possible alternative approaches.
This
section may also discuss the need for depth and breadth of information
and the benefits of using qualitative or quantitative data, the likely
validity of the data collected, the probability of the respondents
providing honest responses and the reliability of the methods utilised.
7. Schedule of activity
This
is an important section as the proposed research should be conducted
within time and budgetary limits. The feasibility of the proposed
research should be considered in relation to the availability of
resources. An estimate needs to be provided in terms of total hours
required for completion of the project – designing the questionnaire,
planning, scheduling and conducting interviews, data analysis
(qualitative/quantitative), and writing up the report (first draft/final
draft). A Gantt chart may help to outline this plan.
8. Code of conduct
This
section will articulate the way the researcher will comply with the
spirit and practice of research ethics and will conduct their activities
within the political/legal context within which the research will be
conducted. Factors to address may include: confidentiality and anonymity
statements, undertaking informed consent, authorisation for access to
people and/or data and data security.
9. Research limitations
The
researcher needs to acknowledge any limitations that may be inherent in
the research design and to the extent it may affect the accuracy of the
research findings. Examples could include: how far the findings can be
generalised to the whole demographic/situation, restrictions arising
from time and resources, and issues around objectivity.
10. Outcomes
The
end-products likely to be produced as a result of the research activity
are described in this section. The outcomes are not similar to
findings. Examples would include: new practices, guidelines for good
practice and recommendations.