Research Paper Assignment
Outline
Follow this outline as you write your research report:
1. Product
State your choice of product and provide a rationale (i.e., explain why you chose this product). Use at least three credible academic resources in researching your product. Wikipedia is not considered a credible academic resource for this assignment.
2. Marketing Mix (The Four Ps)
Outline the four Ps for your choice of product.
The Four Ps
· Product: a good, service, or idea to satisfy the consumer's need
· Price: what is exchanged for the product
· Promotion: a means of communication between the seller and buyer
· Place: a means of getting the product to the consumer
3. Environmental Scan
Conduct a scan of the environmental forces that affect your product.
Environmental Forces
· Social
· Economic
· Technological
· Competitive
· Regulatory
4. Market Segmentation
· Demographics and/or psychographics (choose one or both to describe).
· What are the demographics of the market segment(s) for your product?
· Describe consumers of your product using a psychographic profile.
5. Ethical Issue
Within your product choice, there are ethical issues. Present both the pros and cons of your choice of an ethical issue and your position on it as it applies to your product. For example, online retail products are impacted by privacy issues and the Internet.
6. Social Responsibility Issue
Within your product choice, there are issues of social responsibility. Present support or opposition for your position on a social responsibility issue as it applies to your product. For example, should companies that sell certain products commit to cause-marketing, like Coca-Cola does when sponsoring local Boys and Girls Clubs?
7. Global Marketing and the Internet
Discuss how the Internet can be used globally by a company selling your product choice in order to identify new marketing opportunities. New marketing opportunities could include development of new products or the extension of existing products into the marketplace.
What are the benefits? What are the potential problems a company should consider, including cultural considerations?
8. Recommendation
Make your recommendation as to the best method for marketing the selected product or service.
9. Executive Summary
An executive summary is a one-page report that provides the reader, usually an executive, with a condensed version of a lengthy report. After reading the executive summary, readers exercise their judgment in deciding whether or not to read the entire report. If the summary is comprehensive, the executive will save time by not having to read the entire report. Write your executive summary after you have completed the research report and present it at the beginning of the completed document.
Executive Summary Format (One Page)
· State the purpose of the report.
· In this report, your purpose is to make a professional recommendation, based on information gathered through your research, as to the best method for marketing your particular product.
· Highlight the key facts (gathered through research) that inform or influence your recommendation.
· Make the recommendation.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.