Discussion: Focus Groups
1. Next week, we will simulate an in-class focus group to attempt to better understand consumer behavior of the target market consisting of college students between the ages of 17 and 25. In order to do so, market researchers must better understand this target market's attitudes, values, interests, perceptions, motivation, and preferences in the marketplace. The client for which our class is conducting this focus group is the management team that oversees the strategic marketing of Eastland Mall located in Bloomington. Your task is to craft a minimum of fifteen qualitative questions for our in-class focus group to answer the research problem: How can Eastland Mall generate more traffic from our predesignated target market? (During class, we will break into groups, share these questions with elected moderators, and conduct a focus group to better understand buyer behavior).
2. In your opinion, what are the challenge(s) of conducting an effective focus group? Please respond using a minimum of three full paragraphs to this discussion forum.