RESEARCH PROJECT GUIDELINE

Unit: Survey and Multivariate Analysis

1. Overview

Students in groups are required to practically conduct a marketing research project to extract information that
is potentially meaningful to decision makers of a certain company. This assignment serves as an opportunity for
students to applying instructed knowledge, skills and techniques into a research project. Specifically, the group
project aims to equip students with initial experience in using advanced techniques to analyze quantitative data
of a research project. Thus, this project mainly focuses on quantitative phase of research process. By finishing
the research project, groups can understand:

 How to conduct a quantitative research project;

 The requirements for running each analysis technique;
 How to run analysis techniques by using SPSS and/or AMOS;
 Which information can be provided, for which purpose, by utilizing each analysis technique;
 How to interpret the analysis results.
2. Steps to conduct

The steps employed in doing a research project can vary due to different approaches and objectives. Since this
assignment mainly emphases on the quantitative phase of research procedure, groups can follow these
suggested steps for completing this assignment:

 Step 1 - Select a specific research topic in an appropriate scope and identify the importance of the
research to the decision makers/company:
 Groups are free to choose any research topic of interest. Some suggested topics are stated below
serve as reference:
 Factors affecting consumers’ satisfaction
 Factors affecting consumers’ loyalty
 Factors affecting buying intention of consumers
 Impact of website characteristics on online consumers’ trust
 Impact of shopping values on repurchase intention
 Factors affecting consumers’ behavior or preference
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 Based on the selected research topic, groups narrow the scope of the research to a specific brand /
product / environment / … that ensures the feasibility in terms of relevant participants. Specifically,
because quite large sample size is necessary for running the analysis techniques, groups should
choose the brand / product / environment / … from which groups can easily identify and invite
relevant participants.
 Groups identify how the project contributes to the decision makers / company that reflect the
necessity of the research.

Example: Group A decides to conduct a research project investigating the determinants of consumers’
satisfaction in making purchase with Lazada. This is feasible because many (ISB) students have
purchased with Lazada and group can easily achieve the required minimum sample size. Then, groups
figure out what Lazada managers can do if they have the information about the key factors determining
their consumers’ satisfaction and / or how Lazada’s product / service can be improved based on the
research results.

Note: All the groups introduce the potential topics for the group project in session 2 - 17/01/2024

 Step 2 – Review literature and questionnaire design. Typically, all research projects must be underlined
by existing theories and/or existing findings of related studies. Thus, based on the selected research
topic, groups look for relevant papers and review the research models studied in those papers and
measurement scales used to measure the variables in the research models. Then, groups can adopt
and/or combined those models to identify the research model of the group project and borrow related
measurement scales, applying to the identified scope. The research model of the group project must
have, at least:
 1 dependent variable that is metric variable (measured by using Likert or semantic differential scale)
 5 independent variables (antecedents and/or mediators) that are metric variables
After identifying the research model and scales for measuring each variable in the model, groups do
wording task and design the survey questionnaire that will be used to collect quantitative data.
Note:
 All metric variables must be measured by multi-items scales.
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 Demographic information (gender, age, income, …) and/or other non-metric variables (in
example, shopping frequency) are also required to be included since some techniques are to
analyze non-metric variables.
Note: All the groups introduce the research model for the group project in session 3 – 24/01/2024.
 Step 3 – Design a quantitative survey questionnaire. Based on the previous 2 steps, groups design
survey questionnaire that includes all the necessary contents. The sample survey questionnaire is
available in e-learning system.
Note: All the groups introduce the draft survey questionnaire for the group project in session 4 –
31/01/2024 and finalize the survey questionnaire before session 6 – 28/02/2024.

 Step 4 – Collecting and analyzing data: Once the survey questionnaire has been approved, groups start
collecting data from relevant participants. Required minimum sample size is 120 that includes both
online and offline data (50% - 50%). After that, the collected data is cleaned, edited and then,
transcribed into dataset. Based on the data set, groups use SPSS and/or AMOS software to run
appropriate analysis techniques (discussed in the previous 5 sessions) to extract information.
Note:
 Session 6 (28/02/2024) is for collecting survey data – no class-participation needed.
 All the groups prepare the collected data and start analyzing by using appropriate techniques
from session 7 – 06/03/2024.

 Step 5 – Continue analyzing data, interpret results and finalize research report. Based on the
quantitative data set, groups use SPSS and/or AMOS software to run appropriate analysis techniques to
extract information. Groups are expected to utilize as many analysis techniques as possible. Then, all
groups interpret the results and finalize the written report of the project. Groups can use the form of
group project report that is posted in e-learning system.

Note:
 All the groups continue analyzing the data by using appropriate techniques until session 10 –
27/03/2024.
 Session 11 (03/04/2024) is for discussing and finalizing the final report.
 All the groups submit the draft version of the final report before session 12 – 10/04/2024.
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 Step 6 – Sharing research report. All groups share your research project report in Session 12 -
10/04/2024. Then, all the groups have 1 more week to modify / update the report and submit the final
version (17/04/2024).

3. Additional information
Referencing styles: All citations and references in the written reports should follow Vancouver citation
style.