Masaryk University Faculty of Economics and Administration Field of study: Business Management QUANTITATIVE MARKETING RESEARCH Diploma work Thesis superviser: Author: Ing. Radoslav ŠKAPA, Ph.D. Ilya SHAIDEROV Brno, 2012 ii Masaryk University Faculty of Economics and Administration Department of Corporate Economy Academic year 2010/2011 ASSIGNMENT OF DIPLOMA THESIS For: Shaiderov Ilya Field: Business Management Title: Quantitative Marketing Research P r i n c i p l e s o f t h e s i s w r i t i n g: Objective of the thesis: The objective of the thesis is to conduct an individual research project. Approach and methods used: The author is expected to: 1. suggest a marketing-related research topic (e.g. consumer research), 2. to prepare a research design that utilizes the quantitative analytical methods, 3. to collect the data, 4. to analyze the data using statistical methods and 5. to interpret the results. ii The extent of graphical works: according to the supervisor's guidelines, the assumption is about 10 charts and graphs The thesis length without appendices: 60 – 70 pages List of specialist literature: Cooper, Donald R. - Schindler, Pamela S. Business research methods. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. xix, 857 s. ISBN 0-07-249870-6. Smith, Scott M. - Albaum, Gerald S. Fundamentals of marketing research. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2005. xii, 881 s. ISBN 0-7619-8852-1. Malhotra, Naresh K. Marketing research: an applied orientation. 6th ed., Global edition. Boston: Pearson, 2010. 929 s. ISBN 9780136094234. Hair, Joseph F. - Bush, Robert P. - Ortinau, David J. Marketing research: within a changing information environment. 3rd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2006. xxvii, 700. ISBN 0-07-283087-5. Sekaran, Uma - Bougie, Johan Roger Gisbert. Research methods for business: a skill building approach. 5th ed. Chichester: Wiley, 2009. xx, 468 s. ISBN 9780470744796. Diploma thesis supervisor: Ing. Radoslav Škapa, Ph.D. Date of diploma thesis assignment: 20/3/2011 Submission deadline for Diploma thesis and its entry in the IS MU is provided in the valid Academic Calendar. Department Head Dean In Brno on 20/3/2011 iii Abstract The objective of this paper is to analyze the reasons for choosing Masaryk University among international students studying in English language; and identify the ways on how to improve Masaryk University overall attractiveness among this market segment based on best practice solutions in this sphere and obtained primary data. The trend of the work represents theoretical analysis of marketing research insights and their further application into practical part. Practical part consists of survey design and its implementation along with collected data analysis and future recommendations. Exploratory research has been chosen as a research design in order to clarify relevant issues and uncover variables associated with a research goal. Primary data was collected through structured quantitative questionnaires which gathered 26 respondents. Data was coded and tabulated by Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application. Results suggest that current and prospective students perceive two most important criteria for choosing Masaryk University: ―people‖ – which is competitive academic staff and employability after graduation. Two other criteria: ―processes‖ and ―physical evidence‖ were not in students‘ main concern, even though Masaryk University has above average scores of those two criteria. So it has been recommended to improve previous two criteria (―people‖ and employability) along with promotion the other two (―processes‖ and ―physical evidence‖). KEYWORDS: marketing research, higher education, quantitative research, marketing mix, viral marketing, website analytics, blogs, marketing Declaration I declare that this work has been completed by me independently under the direction of Ing. Radoslav Škapa, Ph.D. I have used no sources or aids other than those cited. Brno, 26.04.2012 __________________________________ Ilya Shaiderov iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work would not gain such academic and practical weight as it would not be under constant coordination of Ing. Radoslav Škapa, Ph.D.: his persistence and patience. Choosing a topic and further theoretical and practical implications in this work were supported by my internal motivation to truly conduct all steps of marketing research. Topic ―Quantitative marketing research‖, proposed by Ing. Radoslav Škapa, Ph.D. was indeed something I was looking for. It encompasses two main steps in any research: theory and its implication which to my point of view prepares a good specialist for the professional career. I am also grateful to all respondents who participated in my survey for their time and serious approach to this process. Brno, in April 2012 Ilya Shaiderov Number of words: 17 750 v ACRONYMS HE Higher education MU Masaryk University vi Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................... 3 1. THEORETICAL PART ............................................................................ 5 1.1. Marketing versus Market research .................................................. 5 1.2. Quantitative versus Qualitative Research ........................................ 5 1.3. Marketing Research Process .......................................................... 6 1.4. The Research Plan ........................................................................ 13 1.5. Measurement ................................................................................ 13 1.6. Designing Questionnaires ............................................................. 14 1.7. Inaccuracy ..................................................................................... 15 1.8. Ambiguity ....................................................................................... 16 1.9. Hints to improve quality of questionnaire: ...................................... 18 1.10. Sampling procedures in Marketing Research ................................ 20 1.11. Editing, Coding and Descriptive Analysis ...................................... 23 1.12. Research Errors ............................................................................ 24 2. PRACTICAL PART ............................................................................... 25 2.1. Marketing Research Process Applied ............................................ 25 2.2. Analysis and interpretation of data ................................................ 28 2.3. Secondary data ............................................................................. 28 2.4. Primary data .................................................................................. 35 RESEARCH REPORT .............................................................................. 45 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 49 REFERENCES ......................................................................................... 51 Appendix A: Questionnaire ....................................................................... 54 1 INTRODUCTION ―The elements of globalization in higher education (HE) are widespread and multifaceted and the HE market is now well established as a global phenomenon, especially in the major-English speaking nations: Canada, the US, Australia and the UK. In the context of increasing competition for home-based and overseas students, higher educational institutions now recognize that they need to market themselves in a climate of international competition.‖ (Hemsley-Brown J.V. and Oplatka, I.,2006) The main idea of this research is to analyze secondary information about HE marketing around the world to detect potential solutions to MU (Masaryk University) problem (attraction of international students). After this set of potential solutions will be developed, there will be next step – verification on the extent of those solutions match with real MU situation. To get this verification researcher should proceed to obtain primary data including questions that will prove or disprove world practices in HE marketing solutions. The final result of this procedure will be mix of proved MU problems which exist in world practices (solutions will be applied according to secondary data) and problems which inherent only in MU university (in this case researcher should propose potential solutions which will improve current situation). In order to increase accuracy of primary data collection common research errors will be taken into consideration and verified according to proposed procedures. Errors are briefly mentioned in the practical part but the detailed explanation of some of them will take place only if one of those will arise during the research process. Research goal of this study is to identify ways on how to increase students` inflow into MU by means of detecting general preferences of MU customers (prospective and current students). The motivation to reach this goal is coming from the secondary information gathered. Despite the fact that HE marketing is a new stream in marketing itself, there are many tools on how to increase students‘ enrollment. University potential to increase international students‘ inflow derives from university image, reputation, branding, mobile marketing, Google analytics and many more which is explained in secondary information part. Motivation to improve MU HE marketing activities comes from the point that current students