MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

Student No : MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

Course : Unit 6

Module No : Business Decision making

Tutor : Jeevesh Goolab

Assignment No : 2

Submission date: 31/08/2010

SIRM Education

M. JUNAID 1
MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

P1

Plan for the collection of primary and secondary data for given business problem.

1. Primary data:
According to Lancaster (2002), if secondary data do not provide sufficient information to
satisfy research objections, primary data must then be collected. Therefore primary data is
necessary when a researcher cannot find the data needed in secondary sources. Market
researchers are interested in primary data about demographic/socioeconomic characteristics,
attitudes/opinions/interests, awareness/knowledge, intentions, motivation, and behaviour
(Proctor, 2003)

Qualitative and quantitative researches are often used into single studies. The patterns
displayed in quantitative research can be enriched with that addition of qualitative
information (Proctor, 2003). However, qualitative research is usually less expensive to
conduct that quantitative studies and it can prove the quality of quantitative research.

Product launches and promote

Once a product is developed, effectively product launch becomes the critical step to its
success. The Product Launch Process must address all the steps necessary to start volume
production, plan and execute marketing activities, develop needed documentation, train sales
and support personnel (internal and external), fill channels, and prepare to install and support
the product. There are different ways to promote a product in different areas of media.
Promoters use internet advertisement, special events, endorsements, and newspapers to
advertise their product. Many times with the purchase of a product there is an incentive like
discounts, free items, or a contest. This is to increase the sales of a given product.

Secondary data:

Secondary data is the data collected by others to be re-used by the researcher. It is also the
data that have already been collected for purposes other than the problem at hand (Malhotra
2004). This data includes both quantitative and qualitative data and can be located quickly
and inexpensively (Proctor 2003). According to Malhotra (2004), secondary data can be
classified as either internal or external.

Internal data are those generated within the organization for which the research is being
conducted and it may be available in a ready-to-use format or with considerable processing
M. JUNAID 2
MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

requirements to extract it. On the other hand, external data are those generated by sources
outside the organization. Through the method of Desk research it is possible to extract it in
the form of published material, online databases, or information made available by syndicated
services.

Classification of Secondary data

SECONDARY

DATA

INTERNAL EXTERNAL

Requires
Published Computerized Syndicated
Ready to use Further
Materials Databases Services
Processing

Source: Naresh K. Malhotra, Marketing Research, Fourth Edition, 2004, p. 107.

A focus group is a direct technique to collect primary and qualitative data which involves a
meeting with an invited group of participants to share their thoughts, feelings, attitudes and
ideas on certain subject (Krueger and Casey, 2000).

Focus groups are often used as an input to design. A focus group is quick, cheap and
relatively easy to assemble. Krueger, R. (1998). According to Malhotra (2004), focus groups
are good for getting rich data in participant’s own words. People are able to build on one
another’s responses and come up with ideas they might not have thought in a 1-on-1
interview.

M. JUNAID 3
MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

P2

Project plan for an activity: Critical path

Project planning is part of project management, which relates to the use of schedules such
as Gantt charts to plan and subsequently report progress within the project environment.
Initially, the project scope is defined and the appropriate methods for completing the project
are determined. Following this step, the durations for the various tasks necessary to complete
the work are listed and grouped into a work breakdown structure. The
logical dependencies between tasks are defined using an activity network diagram that
enables identification of the critical path.

The critical path method (CPM) is a mathematically based algorithm for scheduling a set of
project activities.[1] It is an important tool for effective project management. CPM is
commonly used with all forms of projects, including construction, aerospace and defence,
software development, research projects, product development, engineering, and plant
maintenance, among others. Any project with interdependent activities can apply this method
of mathematical analysis. Although the original CPM program and approach is no longer
used, the term is generally applied to any approach used to analyze a project network logic
diagram.

Following is the activity for a project of construction and critical path has been identified to
complete the project on time.

M. JUNAID 4
 MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

Critical path

C E
G
A 4W 5W
2W

2w
H
Start 2W End

0
F
D 3W
B
4W
3W

Critical Path: A,C,E,G,H, 15 weeks

P3

Questionnaire design:

M. JUNAID 5
MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

What do you want to know?

Before you even write the first question, it is important that you have a very clear idea about
what you want your questionnaire to achieve. Write down your research goals, and think
about what information you need to elicit from respondents to meet those goals. Think also
about how you are going to analyse each question to get the results you need. Remember
there is a difference between things you need to know, and those it would be nice to know.
Eliminate unnecessary lines of questioning at the planning stage.

Questionnaire:
Interviewer: Date/time:
Hello, my name is... I’m working on behalf of The British Museum. The Museum is
continually seeking to improve the standard of its galleries. To help them do this we are
seeking the views of visitors to the HSBC Money Gallery. We would be grateful if you could
spend 4 or 5 minutes answering some questions.

1. How many times have you previously visited The British Museum?
None 1-5 more than 5
2. When was the last time you visited?

Within last 6 months within last year 1-3 years More than 3 years ago

3. Are you visiting the Museum?

Alone With 1other 2-4 others 5 or more others

4. Did you know about the Money Gallery before you visited the Museum?
Yes No (If yes, go to 5, if no go straight to 6)

5. How did you hear about the Money Gallery?

Newspaper Poster Recommendation from someone Internet Other
(please state)

6. Approximately how long have you spent in the gallery?

Passing through 1-5 minutes
5-10 minutes 10 to 15 minutes More
M. JUNAID 6
MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

7a. could you see all of the objects clearly?

Yes G No G (If yes go to 8, if no go to 7b)
7b. Why not?
8. How easy was it to understand the panels and labels with the objects?
Very easy quite easy (go to 9a)
Neither easy nor difficult (go to 10) Quite difficult Very difficult (go to 9b)

9a. What made the panels and labels easy to understand?

9b. What made the panels and labels difficult to understand?

10. Are you aware of any publications linked to this gallery?

Yes No
11a. Are you aware that a gallery leaflet is available for use with the HSBC Money
Gallery?
Yes No (If yes go to 11b, if no go to 12)
11b. Did you buy it?
Yes No (If yes go to 11c, if no go to 12)

11c. Did you find the gallery leaflet:

Very useful Quite useful Not particularly useful Not useful at all

12. If you were describing this gallery to a friend, which three words would you use?

bright useless exciting uncomfortable fun relevant noisy boring cheerful uninteresting good
for kids special airless interesting doesn’t relate to me attractive hard to understand

13. What, if anything, do you find particularly attractive or appealing about the gallery?

14. It is perfectly acceptable to find that there are some things you did not like about the
gallery. Would you be willing to tell me something you did not like about the gallery?

15. Many galleries are about places in time, like Ancient Egypt or Ancient Greece. This
one is about a particular theme –Money. Do you like galleries better if they are themed or
historical?
16. Could you please tell us a little about yourself?

M. JUNAID 7
MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

Age: 8-16 years old 17-24 years old 25-34 years old 35-44 years old
45-54 years old 55-64 years old 65+ years old

Sex: Male Female

Where do you live? London area Rest of UK outside UK

17. Are there any additional comments you would like to make, either about the HSBC
Money Gallery or about The British Museum as a whole?

Thank you very much for your time.

References:

M. JUNAID 8
MJB/HNC-BM/0909/8609

Krueger, R., Casey, M., (2000). “Focus groups: A Practical Guide for Applied
Research” Third Edition, Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage

Lancaster, G. (2002) “Essentials of Marketing”, Fourth Edition, Mc Graw Hill, U.K.

Malhotra, N.,(2004) “Marketing Research” Fourth Edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

Proctor T, Essentials of Marketing Research, 3rd Edition, 2003, U.K.

http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-planning-step-by-step.html

http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documentation_and_templates_project_plan_.asp

http://www.mindtools.com/critpath.html

http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~kate/qmcweb/qcont.htm

http://www.internationalgraduate.net/information-systems.htm

M. JUNAID 9