Abstract
This article looks back over the past two decades to describe how teaching of undergraduate marketing research has (or has not) changed. Sweeping changes in technology and society have certainly affected how marketing research is designed and implemented—but how has this affected teaching of this important topic? Although the purpose of marketing research is still to better understand target customer needs, the tools are different now: customer data are typically collected using technology-based interfaces in place of such instruments as mailed, telephone, or in-person surveys. Observational techniques collect more data electronically rather than requiring a human recorder. Similarly, sampling has changed: sample frames are no longer widely used. Many of these changes are not yet fully discussed in marketing research courses. On the other hand, there is increasing interest in and availability of courses and programs in marketing data analytics, which teach specialized skills related to analysis and interpretation of electronic databases. Perhaps even more importantly, new technology-based tools permit greater automation of data collection and analysis, and presentation of findings. A critical gap is identified in this article; specifically, effort is needed to better integrate the perspectives of data collection and data analysis given current research conditions.
Keywords
The goal of this article is to describe how changes in society and technology affect teaching of the undergraduate marketing research course. In particular, new tools and techniques have made advanced data collection and analysis possible, while a greater focus on ethics makes it important to understand the impact of social change on how marketing research is actually carried out. The article begins by revisiting how the undergraduate marketing research course was designed and delivered two decades ago, as described by Bridges (1999). This classic study expressed goals to improve the image, content, and teaching methodology in the course. Following a brief review of the course characteristics 20 years ago, the present article looks at subsequent literature that describes changes in the course over time. Next, findings from depth interviews conducted with current instructors to better understand the present situation and to evaluate changing course curricula, are described. Finally, this article observes changes that have occurred both internal to the course and in the external environment.
Twenty years ago, marketing research was typically a required course taken by undergraduate marketing majors. The course goals as described by the typical textbook at the time covered the research process, use of secondary data and databases, qualitative research, observation, surveys, experiments, question/questionnaire design, sampling/sample size, data analysis, and presentation of findings (e.g., McDaniel & Gates, 1999). Because it was typically the only research-related course taken by marketing majors, marketing research covered a broad variety of topics in some depth and built on background material ranging from psychology to statistics. Based on findings at the time (Bridges, 1999), most students did not look forward to the course and seemed especially averse to the quantitative work. From the instructor point of view, the marketing research course was thought to be more difficult to teach than other marketing courses; obtaining positive student evaluations was also less likely than in other marketing courses.
As society and technology have changed over the years, the content that is available to a marketing research course has grown; absorbing the increasing amount of material requires tough choices, especially because the course was already content-rich. Although the same list of topics covered in the undergraduate marketing research course generally continues to be used today, the presentation, content coverage, and experiential activities have been updated. Possibly because subsequent research-related courses are more available today (e.g., marketing analytics), instructors perceive that they can select among topics and/or reduce the depth of coverage to better suit an introductory course. The tables of contents in four current textbooks include lists of topics that have not changed much in two decades; they include the research process, use of secondary data and databases, qualitative and/or exploratory research, surveys, question/questionnaire design, sampling/sample size, data analysis, and presentation of findings (Babin & Zikmund, 2016; Burns & Veeck, 2020; Hair et al., 2021; Malhotra, 2019). Two of these current textbooks also include observation, experiments, and descriptive studies among their contents. This suggests that authors have reduced attention to observation and experiments, whereas there appears to be an increase in attention to both use of large databases and to marketing research ethics in the current textbooks. It is important to better understand how today’s instructors make the difficult choices as to what should be included and in what depth.
Returning to the Bridges (1999) research, focus groups with student moderators and respondents were used to develop understanding of incoming marketing research students’ typical background, including their pre-course perceptions and content expectations as well as thoughts regarding who should take the course. In addition to perceptions of difficulty, the marketing research course was found to have an image of being both important and interactive, requiring interpersonal skills and teamwork on large projects (including focus groups and survey/data collection). Anticipated course outcomes included research skills and better understanding of consumers, which were expected to be useful, both in other courses and on-the-job. Students were found to prefer teamwork and interactive activities to lectures and independent work; furthermore, they did not prefer quantitative work, such as using statistics or analyzing databases. Finally, students viewed the professional marketing researcher as someone with good interpersonal skills but no analytical skills in particular, which suggests that they did not view quantitative skills as important to understanding customer needs. Due to changing technology and availability of data, this is an important area of course design in which needs must be better assessed.
Observation of the current teaching environment in undergraduate marketing programs suggests that social expectations have also changed in meaningful ways. This is substantiated by studies of values and behaviors of different generations of students, especially Millennials, who were undergraduates 20 years ago, and members of Gen Z, who are present now. For instance, Curtin (2019) described three key categories of social change during this time period: (1) increasing acceptance of gender-fluid beauty concepts; (2) increasing storytelling, particularly about food; and (3) increasing consumer excitement for new products, especially in entertainment, due to social media. Curtin also mentioned similarities in social issues between the two generations: the importance of mental health and the value obtained due to personalized data (such as availability of subscription boxes) have not changed during the two decades. According to Beall (2016), members of Gen Z are less focused than Millennials, due to faster information processing and shorter attention spans; however, they are also better at multitasking. They are thought to seek uniqueness, and to be more global in their thinking, interactions, and relatability (Beall, 2016); the observed characteristics result in a desire for efficiency among members of Gen Z, who are more likely to forego higher education to begin working earlier. In summary, younger students are found to be more independent and entrepreneurial than older ones, and to have higher expectations for themselves and others.
Due to both social and technological changes, it has become increasingly important to include analytics in the skill sets and competencies developed in marketing research courses (Mintu-Wimsatt & Lozada, 2018; Rohm et al., 2019). Furthermore, given the desire of today’s students to be independent and able to make their own decisions on the basis of data, it would not be surprising for some students to show greater appreciation of the value of marketing analytics. However, before undertaking their own data analyses, they need to be able to evaluate the conditions under which data were gathered—such as who participated in a study, how questions were presented, and environmental conditions that could affect outcomes—and it is important to consider how this information might be included in the introductory marketing research course. For instance, Castleberry (2001) suggested that marketing research courses should make students aware of the large amount of secondary data that is available, teach them how to find the information they need, help them understand when primary data might be required, and cover evaluation of secondary data quality. Bove and Davies (2009) pointed out the increasing importance of correctly using statistical techniques in marketing research projects. Evaluating data quality and performing statistical analyses should be carefully considered in the updated design of an undergraduate marketing research course.
Although marketing research has historically been considered difficult to teach, some current social changes might actually be causing other courses to become similarly demanding for instructors. Perhaps because information is so readily available using the technology they have had since birth, younger students want instructors to carry out more of the steps in the learning process than did earlier students. For instance, students expect to receive complete sets of course materials, such as lecture notes and/or PowerPoint slides, and many of them do not take any notes during class time. Furthermore, perhaps because learning itself has become more interactive (Neill & Etheridge, 2008), today’s students anticipate more team projects and other hands-on activities. Such accommodations allow for greater variety of learning styles, but also place a heavier burden on the instructors who must make these additional learning tools available.
In summary, social and technological changes have had an outsized impact on topical choices as well as depth of coverage in the undergraduate marketing research course. Some topics have had to be deleted or coverage decreased in order to make room in the course to address increasing emphases on quantitative techniques, digital technologies, and providing for a wider range of learning styles. To better understand the impact of changing needs, data collection for this article was undertaken using two approaches. First, literature published during the 20-year window covering marketing research course design was briefly reviewed. Second, observations from the literature were used in developing an interview guide, and depth interviews were conducted with current instructors of undergraduate marketing research courses to better understand their course design choices. The outcomes of these efforts are detailed in the next two sections.
Marketing Research Education Literature Development
This section describes literature published during the past 20 years that relates directly to design and teaching of the undergraduate marketing research course. Some specific ways to improve the undergraduate marketing research course were identified by Bridges (1999); one in particular was to make potential students aware of desirable outcomes that would be achieved in the course. Experiential outcomes included knowledge of interviewing techniques, questionnaire design skills, ability to collect and analyze data (including use of spreadsheets), and written/oral presentation skills. Consistent with the idea that active learning is efficacious for most students (Ackerman & Hu, 2011), the research findings suggested providing opportunities for team interaction, hands-on experience, and connection to industry through guest speakers, case studies, field trips, and assignments intended to develop quantitative analysis and computer skills. Specific topics worthy of more attention were identified, including use of statistics, obtaining/using data in decision making, and upholding ethical standards.
To better understand how attention to various topics in the undergraduate marketing research course has changed owing to changes in technology and society, a brief literature review was conducted. In particular, all articles found in the EBSCO data base during the 20-year period that used the term marketing research OR market research AND the term education OR teaching in the abstract were evaluated. Although not all articles identified in the search could be included in the brief literature review, all were considered for their relevance to the present research goals. In particular, those which had a purpose of offering specific suggestions related to course design were retained. Based on reading and evaluating the included articles, some topics were identified to be covered in the depth interview discussion guide that was developed. In addition, current textbook contents were considered, which identified several additional topics to consider when designing or redesigning an undergraduate marketing research course (Babin & Zikmund, 2016; Burns & Veeck, 2020; Hair et al., 2021; Malhotra, 2019).
Topics identified for the depth interview discussion guide included determining the purpose of the research, assessing whether the research objective requires a qualitative or quantitative approach, designing the study (including sampling/sources, instruments), collecting/analyzing the data, and presenting the findings. Details are provided below on the research articles and other publications found in each of three key topical areas, including use of both qualitative and quantitative research skills; the changing nature of sampling, data, and analysis; and implementation of ethical standards relevant to marketing research.
Qualitative and Quantitative Research Skills
The decision as to whether to perform qualitative or quantitative marketing research follows directly from the research problem or question, and is perhaps the highest-order decision that must be made by a marketing researcher, after determining that it is necessary to engage in primary marketing research to address a specific problem or question. Thus, the marketing research course instructor must make a difficult tradeoff between these two research approaches when designing the course and determining how to allocate the relative emphases. This is important, because understanding the motivations behind consumer choices may require use of qualitative research skills, whereas quantitative data analysis techniques are increasingly useful as numerical data have become more available in digital forms. Articles in the 20-year window provide a variety of viewpoints on the importance of this difficult tradeoff. Although both research approaches are typically included in marketing research textbooks (Babin & Zikmund, 2016; Burns & Veeck, 2020; Hair et al., 2021; Malhotra, 2019), it is up to individual instructors how much of the course time and effort should be spent in each area.
At one end of the spectrum, Evans et al. (2002) stated that qualitative marketing research techniques are not sufficiently covered in undergraduate courses; these authors blame marketing research textbooks. They observe, “It is no wonder that few marketing students enter industry with anything other than a belief that quantitative research
At the other end of the spectrum, some authors recommended that marketing research courses should allocate additional time to quantitative, rather than qualitative, skills. For instance, Paas (2019) commented that many marketing research courses are stagnant and need specific changes to increase relevance; these include developing quantitative skills, especially the ability to convert data into managerial advice using marketing analytics. Paas (2019) stated that current courses in “marketing research (are) possibly becoming obsolete” (p.234) in industry, because the skills that result are being replaced by analytics that do not rely on survey data. Issues that he stressed marketing researchers should develop include better defining the focal strategic issue and better communicating analytical results to managers. Conceptual understanding of quantitative techniques and the use of analytics are important to accomplishing these objectives, particularly the use of analytical results in making strategic and tactical marketing decisions. Evans et al. (2002) also supported additional coursework on analytics, because students must learn to interact effectively with statisticians and interpret the results of data analyses.
In summary, although some authors pushed for more coverage of qualitative methods whereas others encouraged greater coverage of marketing analytics instead, there is agreement that students need to be able to use marketing research findings in decision making. Thus, it is up to instructors to determine how to allocate class time between qualitative and quantitative skill development appropriate to marketing decision making. This makes this tradeoff an interesting and important topic to include in instructor interviews.
Sampling, Instruments, and Planned Data Analyses
Continuing with topics to consider when designing a marketing research course, next are designing a sampling plan and instrument(s), and planning data analyses. As mentioned above, the current literature suggests a strong focus on data analysis, consistent with the recent high level of interest in “big data” and analytics. However, it is important to pay attention to the data collection process, specifically (1) design of the measurement instrument and (2) selection of respondents. The latter is especially important if there is a desire to claim that the resulting sample is representative of some specific population. These topics are addressed in the interviews (see next section), because these are possibly the areas of the course undergoing the greatest amount of change. In particular, the literature indicates that sample frames are no longer used; instead, respondents are gathered online using convenience samples (e.g., Nunan & Di Domenico, 2019). Therefore, this reality must be taken into account in design of the marketing research course; it is important to assess the impact of this change on course topics and presentation.
Nunan and Di Domenico (2019) pointed out that marketing research courses must be constantly updated to keep up with changes in society. Growth of digital marketing has resulted in new forms of customer data that can be unobtrusively obtained, reducing the need for fieldwork-based data collection. Thus, according to these authors, the traditional focus on data collection in marketing research courses is becoming irrelevant, and analysis is becoming increasingly important. Nunan and Di Domenico (2019) discussed courses in both marketing research and marketing analytics, wherein they audited current course design, identified weaknesses, and made suggestions. In marketing research courses, they found insufficient coverage of data analysis skills; they suggested this might instead be addressed by (more advanced) analytics courses, which are much newer to marketing curricula. In summary, skills and techniques are required that are suitable for the digital economy; the current focus is on identification of data sources and synthesis of information. Finally, Nunan and Di Domenico (2019) observed that it may be helpful to move to more visual forms of presenting results, rather than submitting a printed “report.”
Ethical Issues in Marketing Research
One final topic that must be considered in the interviews and in design of the marketing research course is ethical aspects of data collection and use, which have been particularly affected by technology-related change. Two decades ago, most data were collected through respondent self-completion of surveys; ethical issues included proper use of research, avoiding bias in both instrument design and data analysis, and preserving the privacy of the respondent (McDaniel & Gates, 1999). Today, proper use of research data continues to be important. However, most data are gathered through use of observational technologies rather than through surveys; as a result, consumers may be unaware that their data are even being collected. Therefore, questionnaire design is decreasingly important whereas design of data collection software is becoming more important. Ethical usage requirements also persist in the data analysis stage of the marketing research process, although analysis itself has considerably less human input—“big data” are handled almost entirely through technology-based analytical tools. Preserving the privacy of the respondent continues to be an issue and has moved to the forefront owing to the scale of personal data collection and usage.
As Nunan and Di Domenico (2013) argued, marketing research ethics are more important today than ever before. It is necessary to obtain continuing cooperation of respondents, “both in terms of providing data for research studies and in giving permission for these data to be analysed” (p. 2). However, when asked, an increasing percentage of potential respondents refuse to participate owing to perceived violations of privacy. Technology permits more effective insights to be obtained, but at a cost of doing so without the express permission of respondents. Nunan and Di Domenico (2019) concluded that analytics courses can avoid consumer privacy issues by using commercially available data rather than collecting new data. Furthermore, this method encourages a course focus on finding new ways to use already-available data to better understand consumer needs and make better marketing decisions.
Summary
In summary, research in the past 20 years suggests it is important to consider a number of key topics in design of the undergraduate marketing research course. Based on the two decades of literature on marketing research course design described herein, an interview discussion guide was developed to elicit instructor opinions regarding course objectives, course topics (research purpose, qualitative and/or quantitative approach, designing the sampling plan/sources and instruments, collecting/analyzing the data), course format/learning activities, difficulty of teaching and need for analytical skills, and how changes in course design affect the potential market for the course.
New Primary Research Using Depth Interviews
To better understand current needs in the undergraduate marketing research course, the present article relies on a qualitative study based on recent depth interviews with marketing faculty who have taught the course for time periods varying from 1 year to more than 20 years. A convenience sample of eight instructors who teach undergraduate marketing research was recruited to participate in these depth interviews, which were described as being between 30 and 60 minutes in duration. Although the sample size is small, it is sufficiently large to achieve the study goals. Experts in qualitative research recommend considering whether additional data collection is likely to reveal any previously unmentioned ideas or insights (e.g., Bryman, 2012; Lindlof & Taylor, 2002; Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Thus, when the last couple of interviews provided diminishing returns, judgment-based methods of assessing sample size indicated that the eight completed interviews were sufficient. For descriptive details regarding each of the interviewees, please see Table 1.
Descriptive Information About the Interviewees.
An interview discussion guide was developed to focus primarily on the issues identified in the literature review. It began by asking about the respondent’s academic background and experience teaching marketing research. This was followed by describing the major goals of the course and how they had changed over time (for more experienced instructors). Specifics regarding course topics were then discussed in some detail, and the course format, including details of activities and time usage, was described. Any teaching difficulties were mentioned, followed by details of the target market, students who actually take the course, and suggested changes in these areas. Use of this discussion guide ensured that key topics were covered, but allowed for customization to reflect instructor experience and digression into related areas as they came up in the interview. Thus, a broader picture was obtained of how the course has changed over time and how current instructors have developed and taught it; this is enhanced by their thoughts and ideas regarding best practices. The interview discussion guide is provided in Figure 1.
Interview guide—customized in use to respondent’s teaching experience.
Purposive sampling was used to recruit individuals teaching undergraduate marketing research courses, owing to the relationship between the sample and the research question (Bryman, 2012). Because members of this target population are difficult to find and/or obtain for participation, it was appropriate to augment the sample using snowball sampling (Bryman, 2012; McDaniel & Gates, 2010). A total of eight interviews were conducted, four of which were with experienced faculty and four of which were with faculty who had been teaching undergraduate marketing research for only a short time (1-2 years). Prior to beginning the interview, each respondent gave verbal permission and all interviews were recorded in full. Confidentiality of identity was promised unless the respondent was willing to be named in an acknowledgement upon publication.
The interviews ranged from 30 to 60 minutes in length and were transcribed by the primary researcher within 24 hours after completion, to reduce sources of bias and ensure accuracy in the results. The transcription process resulted in a high level of data familiarity over numerous readings of the transcripts, and copious notes were taken, which were examined in identifying emerging themes. Thus, data collection and analysis took place concurrently, with memo writing and comparison of ideas to refine emerging theory, as recommended by Charmaz (2014) and by Corbin and Strauss (2008).
Continuing with this qualitative approach, the transcribed interviews were analyzed using open coding; as this progressed, the data and the coded results were compared to begin to observe relationships, and themes were identified. Following completion of open coding, axial coding was performed to identify relationships between themes. Finally, selective coding integrates these relationships to tell a coherent story describing the interpretable findings.
Open Coding
Open coding identifies key themes emerging from the interviews. The first theme to become clear was the primary goal of the undergraduate marketing research course. The interviewees generally agreed that current course goals are to (1) identify a research question or need for primary research, (2) design research—both instrument and sample—to address this question, (3) analyze the resulting data, and (4) communicate the findings. This provides support for the idea that the major topics covered in the course have stayed relatively constant during the 20-year period under study. Transcript verbatims describing course goals are provided in Figure 2.
Primary course goal verbatims.
The four interviewees who were more experienced in teaching marketing research provided insights into how both the course goals and the approaches to teaching have evolved during the past 20 years. Changes they observed in terms of course objectives include the following:
More use of secondary data: “Years ago, I assumed that you needed to collect information, but I would say that now companies are sitting on tons of data. Secondary data analysis is extremely important for today’s research course. (I am) teaching more about ‘how can you learn from this dataset?’”
Increasing need for analytics: “Companies are starting to expect a little bit more in terms of quantitative skills, but I can’t push any more content. I’m pretty happy if they can just do the very plain survey analysis.”
Replacing secondary data work with statistics: “I am moving away from teaching marketing research to teaching more statistics. I used to have my students do more secondary work. I think it is as important as ever, but I can cover less than I used to be able to cover in teaching, and that is one thing that has gone.”
Greater use of technology-based tools: “Technology has changed a bit (e.g., Qualtrics, SPSS); for communicating findings we are using ‘infographics’ (e.g., Venngage).”
All instructors interviewed recognized today’s increasing use of technology and importance of marketing analytics; however, preferred data sources (primary vs. secondary, qualitative vs. quantitative, etc.) tended to vary among interviewees.
Changes observed in use of class time include the following:
Using more varied teaching techniques: “In a typical class period, I might check in with every team; then, we’ll have some lecture, which will usually involve some experiential component. (For example) I recently talked about sampling, and after I had talked about the different types, then I had some scenarios and we went through those and they said what type of sampling approach it is.”
Increasing use of projects and in-class discussion: “Sixteen years ago I did mostly lecturing. (Now) I get them to talk about their projects and get other students to help them come up with better ways of designing and measuring.”
Flipping the classroom (using online tools to allow more class time for interaction): “I made a drastic change such that most of the class time is not lecture; there are (only) three lectures that are in person. The rest is all delivered online and I always have some activity that builds on this. Unless (students) have done each and every step of the research process, I don’t think they really learn it, so I give them time in the class to get into groups and work on that.”
Thus, instructors reported making greater use of enhanced technological tools to provide opportunities for more hands-on learning in class, and for accommodation of a greater variety of learning styles. Two rather specific topics that came up repeatedly during the interviews were (1) the teaching and use of sampling methods and (2) the need and desire for marketing analytics. Therefore, additional detail is provided in these areas. (Verbatims are available in Figures 3 and 4.)
Sampling topic verbatims.
Marketing analytics verbatims.
Although most marketing research textbooks cover the topic of sampling in much the same way as they did two decades ago, several interviewees brought up this course content because they have struggled with how to handle it. Sampling is a topic the instructors did not report enjoying, and it was often the first thing cut when they were short of time. This may be the result of an internal conflict: instructors realize that a convenience sample does not represent any known population, and yet such samples are increasingly used because participants can be easily obtained and data conveniently collected using online tools. Because instructors do not have time to teach or the ability to demonstrate the sampling topic in the best way, they often choose to avoid it altogether and instead work to justify the use of more readily available convenience samples.
On the other hand, the availability of enhanced technology has opened some new possibilities in the area of sampling. For instance, one interviewee mentioned the use of technology to create artificial samples based on stored data from actual customers. Such artificial intelligence–driven samples would not have been possible even a few years ago, but now they can effectively simulate decisions made by actual humans. Another option mentioned by an interviewee is to demonstrate sampling techniques using secondary databases, rather than collecting new primary data. (Samples are then representative of the secondary data.) Several interviewees also mentioned that customer data can be provided by client companies for use in class projects.
In regard to the need and desire for increased emphasis on marketing analytics, interviewees generally agreed that this is a “hot topic,” but many expressed concern about including it in the marketing research course. Based on these findings, it may be better to design the marketing research course as an introductory course in how to learn about customer needs, with less emphasis on data analysis, and to provide a more advanced “marketing analytics” elective for students who are so inclined. Two interviewees described the students as having a “bimodal distribution”; consistent with this, others estimated that only 25% to 33% of the students would have the desire or ability to continue with marketing analytics. Based on these instructors’ opinions, it may not be in the best interests of the majority of marketing students to include analytics in a required introductory marketing research course.
Finally, only one interviewee mentioned the importance of ethics in marketing research courses. This was one of the less experienced instructors, who said “the collection of the data, the ethics of collecting data has become really, really important.” This instructor continued, saying that ethics are “a topic that comes along in every class discussion, such as when we are talking about personalization or customization—it always comes up—especially the privacy aspects.” In summary, although the nature of data collection has evolved and only one of eight interviewees mentioned ethical issues, the need to respect customer privacy continues to be critical.
Axial Coding
In general, instructors reported having insufficient class time to cover all of the desired topics. There were two primary means of addressing this concern—making tradeoffs in terms of material covered and using technology to move lectures online to allow more class time for hands-on work. Possible reasons for this apparent increase in conflict over class time usage were suggested by interviewees, including a decrease in prior preparation of students as well as a greater tendency to avoid work viewed as undesirable (e.g., difficult data analysis work). A few of the specific tradeoffs are described here.
Although the interviewees tended to agree that use of secondary data in marketing research is important, they had differing opinions regarding its coverage in the course. Arguments made for greater coverage were that secondary data are currently heavily used in practice and that therefore, it is important to discuss how to find and use secondary information. Arguments for spending class time in other ways were that secondary data are initially collected in the same manner as primary data, and consequently, it is more important to cover primary research in class.
Interviewees also did not agree completely as to the appropriate amount of data analysis content in the course. Some felt that an increasing focus in this area is appropriate owing to the increasing need for this skill in business. However, many stated that further data analysis work is inappropriate in the introductory marketing research course, owing to the fact the only a small percentage of the students have both the desire and ability to perform advanced data analyses.
Instructors find that technological advances have dramatically affected the practice and also the teaching of marketing research. IT (information technology) tools now allow the entire process of survey creation, data collection, data analysis, and communication of findings to be streamlined. There is some disagreement, however, as to whether this capability is better in every way, in part because the newer technology-based approaches do not allow for representative samples of customers, although they do allow for representative samples of secondary data. Also, greater availability of enhanced software tools means that the researcher can avoid putting careful thought into the tasks of data collection and analysis, making use of software-based recommendations instead. Some concern was expressed that students would be unaware of how software-based recommendations were formed. Interviewees did generally agree that current software tools allow for much nicer presentation of marketing research results.
One particular example of change in utilization of class time, as compared with 20 years ago, relates to team activities. Instructors report that, more and more, they offer a variety of in-class activities to support greater experiential learning, and that lecture time is substantially decreased. This change not only accommodates a variety of learning modes; it also allows for more hands-on experience that benefits the students as they use the course material on-the-job. Most of the instructors interviewed recommended use of a survey project, and they offered some additional insights as follows.
• There was this moment when everybody said that big data is going to substitute for surveys. I think that moment has passed, though. We see marketplace evidence like SAP buying Qualtrics, and I think they paid a pretty big price. • We want (students) to know how to come up with a research question, how to tackle the research question, and know a systematic, step-by-step process to find a solution. There is a group project that they need to do. They choose a problem, develop a questionnaire, collect data, analyze the data, write a report and do a presentation. So, in a nutshell, as part of the project, they have to collect data in the form of surveys. • (Students) find a local business client, and they do the whole process of a marketing research project, starting with problem definition and ending up with a report. • (I want students) to know what marketing research is, how to evaluate research when they get it, (and have an) ability to understand how research is done. I view that as clearly giving them on-the-job literacy but also citizenship literacy. Surveys are great, but look at all this other stuff we can do: I want to teach them the breadth of what marketing research encompasses and it is not just surveys. • One student actually asked me “why do we do survey-type research?” What he was saying was—we are living in a world where there is so much data that we can have access to—do we actually need this tool? We offer an advanced level marketing research course that includes some of the advanced types of research. But for the marketing research course, I think the survey is still useful for them.
In summary, some relationships emerged between issues related to design of the marketing research course. Instructors reported having to make tradeoffs between course topics as well as use of in-class time. They also indicated that there are tough decisions with regard to use of technology. For instance, virtual learning can be used to replace in-class lectures or discussions; therefore, instructors must decide which topics and activities are best handled online. Another decision they face is how much IT tools should be used versus how much of the basic work should be done by the student in order to develop skills and understanding. Finally, there are choices regarding the data to be used—instructors must determine whether students will collect their own data using a survey instrument—or rely on existing secondary databases.
Selective Coding
As mentioned earlier, interviewees generally agreed that marketing research course goals include students being able to (1) identify a research question or a need for primary research, (2) design research—both instrument and sample—to address this question, (3) analyze the resulting data, and (4) communicate the findings. Instructors indicated that their in-class and outside-class instructional time was completely filled by existing content. Therefore, any changes to course content or activities would require difficult choices between topics and between the learning activities used to deliver them.
Some of the trade-offs described were between collecting primary data or using available secondary data, increasing the course emphasis on analytics and/or statistics or moving these topics into a subsequent advanced course, and determining under what conditions to make use of newer IT tools to replace human decision making. A focus on primary data would allow students to better understand how customer opinions are collected and used, whereas a focus on secondary data might be seen as more realistic in the current business environment and also more efficient. Because only a small percentage of undergraduate students were thought to be both able and interested in performing high-level data analysis, instructors leaned toward moving this topic into a later course, although they were somewhat reluctant because they felt that all the students should have some understanding of basic analytics. Finally, the use of IT tools increases efficiency as well as standardization of research data collection and results, but it removes the human thought process from the equation. This factor is of concern because computers are consistent but not perceived as innovative; furthermore, their results are only as good as the programmer who developed the software.
Instructors interviewed reported increasing use of technology-based tools in “flipping the classroom” to obtain additional in-class time for interactive activities, engaging in experiential learning activities such as working in teams to solve mini-cases during class, using semester-long team projects to engage with local industry, and leading class discussion to further understanding of key issues. These findings are consistent with the suggestions offered by Stern and Tseng (2002). Of course, rapid improvements in technology have made many additional opportunities available, from fully online learning to better presentation of research results to more efficient and effective communication with industry for class projects.
Finally, there is one important topic that was infrequently mentioned in the interviews (and perhaps should have been included in the discussion guide). Ethics as related to marketing research might include customer privacy, reduction of researcher bias both in sampling and in data analysis, and proper use of research findings. These issues would have benefitted from additional discussion.
Findings and Conclusions
This study began by revisiting a seminal article on teaching marketing research (Bridges, 1999) and then briefly reviewing related literature published in the 20 years since. Following this review, eight individuals who currently teach undergraduate marketing research were recruited for interviews. Respondents included four who have been teaching the topic for many years and therefore could provide longitudinal assessments, and four who are relatively new to teaching this topic, providing fresh perspectives. In this section, the interview findings are integrated with suggestions made in earlier literature to close the loop, providing a picture of the current marketing research course design and trajectory. The section closes with some thoughts going forward.
Two decades ago, the learning goals of a typical undergraduate marketing research course included the research process, use of secondary data/databases, qualitative research methods, observation, surveys, experiments, question/questionnaire design, sampling/sample size, data analysis, and presentation of findings. These topics continue to be included in both textbooks and course goals today, although their relative emphases have changed to some extent. Understanding the research process and presentation of findings continue to be of critical importance, whereas qualitative research, experiments, and sampling/sample size have declined in emphasis. Although business usage of secondary data has certainly increased, instructors appear to be handling this in different ways. Some have responded by increasing coverage of secondary data in their courses, whereas others have addressed the issue by pointing out that secondary data must have been collected at some point in the form of primary data. Under this latter perspective, it makes sense to focus on primary data in the course, because this provides a foundation for use of secondary data.
Observation and surveys both continue to offer important means of collecting data. However, instructors who prefer to focus on primary data collection also tend to be those who assign more time and energy in the course to use of surveys. Their reasons range from needing a better understanding of customer thought processes, to needing to know where the data in the resulting databases come from. (As in industry, such surveys now tend to be carried out online.) On the other hand, instructors who have decided to use more secondary data in their courses are also typically the ones who have increased their emphasis on data analysis within the marketing research course. Those who have not increased this emphasis often recommend a second, more advanced elective course, to allow students with greater interest and ability in quantitative techniques to learn these topics in greater detail.
In making recommendations regarding use of class time, Bridges (1999) suggested replacing some lecture material with opportunities for team interaction, hands-on experience, and connection to industry. The latter types of applied skills could be implemented through guest speakers, case studies, field trips, and assignments intended to further develop quantitative analysis and computer skills. Specific topics identified as worthy of more attention included use of statistics, application of data to decision making, and upholding ethical standards. These suggestions have proven themselves over time; in fact, there continues to be an increasing emphasis on quantitative techniques, digital technologies, and providing for a wider range of learning styles. This is consistent with findings in the literature (Ackerman & Hu, 2011; Mintu-Wimsatt & Lozada, 2018; Neill & Etheridge, 2008; Rohm et al., 2019). The interviews with current instructors identified additional course design issues that did not come up in prior literature. Some of the most interesting of these thoughts are described here.
There is a necessary tradeoff between greater focus on the use of qualitative techniques and/or surveys, which allow customer attitudes to be expressed, and greater focus on the use of analytical techniques applied to secondary data. This decision is made by marketing departments and by individual instructors, and reflects their own values and what they believe will best prepare students for jobs in business. It is not clear at this time which path will become dominant and/or prove best, or what changes will occur going forward (e.g., growth in advanced electives such as marketing analytics). At present, inadequate student background leads to tough decisions regarding the best use of class time, whether to build student quantitative capabilities where they are lacking, or to focus on other topics and save development of analytical skills for smaller elective courses.
Another topic, for which there is not yet a clear answer, relates to sample selection. Current technology-based methods of attracting study participants and gathering information from them are more efficient than such systems were 20 years ago. However, they do not utilize a sample frame, and the samples are not selected using probabilistic methods that ensure representativeness of the resulting respondents. Most of the interviewees apparently believe that there is not a path back to obtaining representative samples; instead, they suggest that samples obtained be compared (e.g., using demographic data) to populations of interest. This is not an entirely satisfactory answer, but a better path has not yet been identified.
Another issue in performing marketing research relates to ethical aspects of data collection and use, which have been particularly affected by technology-related change. Because data are now typically collected electronically, respondents may not realize how much of their personal information is stored and utilized; furthermore, it is not clear that they would approve if they were fully aware of the practice. This is a critical ethical issue that has become more pervasive as more marketing research data comes from such databases. Other topics within marketing research ethics are not as well-developed. For instance, performing marketing research for new product design purposes could consider tradeoffs between ethical attributes and those not offering ethical content (Bridges et al., 2019). Other marketing tactics, such as pricing and distribution, could also be considered relative to their ethical contributions when performing marketing research studies.
This research is not without limitations. In particular, interviews conducted for the present study took place entirely within the United States. Therefore, the results and perspectives identified in this article are based entirely in American university courses and businesses. Another limitation is that the present study used exclusively qualitative methodology: specifically, depth interviews were conducted with marketing research instructors teaching at the undergraduate level. Because the sample is not representative, the findings cannot necessarily be generalized to other members of the population. Going forward, a survey of such instructors could be conducted using a representative sample and a quantitative instrument, to allow for statistical analysis and greater generalizability of the results.
During the 20-year time period studied, students have moved from being Millennials to being members of Gen Z. The literature suggests that students have become more accepting of individual differences (they value uniqueness), including differences in learning styles, and in class they anticipate more team projects and other hands-on activities. Members of Gen Z are also increasingly independent and better at multitasking; they value efficiency and have high expectations of themselves and others. However, based on comments from instructors, these younger students seem to expect that their teachers will carry out more of the steps in the learning process.
Going forward with design and teaching of the undergraduate marketing research course, members of younger generations will continue to enter business schools and assert their own needs and expectations. These are anticipated to be consistent with changes in the job market as well as the economy more generally (Schlee & Karns, 2017). In their jobs, marketers will often make use of research results in decision making, if they do not personally become marketing researchers. Therefore, it might be useful for undergraduate marketing research students to be familiarized with strategic marketing research organizations, such as Insights Association (insightsassociation.org), Quirk’s (quirks.com), or GRIT (grit.greenbook.org).
In addition to more predictable changes in the marketplace, such as continuing developments in technology and society, it is possible that the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic in 2020 will result in social and economic changes that cannot yet be seen or evaluated. Particularly because of such unanticipated and drastic change, it is important to revisit the topic of how this and other courses should be designed and taught at regular intervals.
Footnotes
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to express appreciation to all respondents who participated in depth interviews as a part of this project, including Aidin Namin, Iman Raoofpanah, Liz Wilson, Marsha Richins, Mujde Yuksel, Nino Hardt, Taegyu Hur, and Tuo Wang. In addition, she wishes to thank guest editor Adam Mills and three anonymous reviewers, who were instrumental in providing ideas and suggestions for improvement.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
