Is your research assistant any good?
A junior researcher went off to answer the research question, ‘To what extent is there space in the market in Shanghai Pudong for a new international school“. Your task as a manager is to evaluate the quality of the researchers work!
#1 Primary research (Survey)
Research Topic: “To what extent is there space in the market for a new international school in Shanghai, Pudong?”
Don’t you agree that Shanghai really needs more international schools?
How much do you love international schools?
- A lot
- Kind of
- Meh
- How likely are you to enroll your child in our school?
- Very likely
- Somewhat likely
- Not likely
- Do you support international education and global harmony?
- Yes
- No
What’s your opinion on the curriculum, teaching quality, facilities, and extracurricular offerings of all international schools in Pudong?
What age are your children?
- 3–5
- 6–10
- 11–13
Would you rather your child studied in a dusty old public school or a shiny new international school with native speakers?
Do you want more international schools built in Pudong immediately?
- Yes
- Maybe
How satisfied are you with the price, location, transport, and IB/A-Level choice offered by our future school?
How do you feel about international schools?
Task 1: Evaluate the survey design
- Identify any problems within the framing of each question
- Re-write each question if you feel it can be improved
#2 Primary research (Interview)
Interviewer (Researcher): “Hi! Thanks for agreeing to speak with me today. Let’s jump right in.”
1. Interviewer: “So, would you say international schools in Pudong are kind of overpriced and overcrowded, yeah?”
Interviewee: “Umm… I guess they can be, but I haven’t really—”
Interviewer (interrupting): “Exactly! That’s what most people are saying.”
2. Interviewer: “Don’t you think a new school—one that focuses on sports and music—is just what the area needs?”
Interviewee: “I mean… maybe? I’d need to know more about it.”
Interviewer: “Right, but it’s obvious there’s nothing like that around here, right?”
3. Interviewer: “Would you enrol your kids in our school if we opened tomorrow with all the best facilities?”
Interviewee: “I don’t even have kids…”
Interviewer: “Oh. Okay. But hypothetically, you’d be interested, right?”
4. Interviewer: “So you don’t mind all the current schools being kind of bland and academically repetitive?”
Interviewee: “I wouldn’t say that… I think some are really strong in academics.”
Interviewer: “But wouldn’t it be better if they had more creativity and, like, innovation?”
5. Interviewer: “I mean, you’d probably recommend our school to others, right?”
Interviewee: “I’m not sure—I really don’t know enough to say.”
Interviewer: “Got it, so that’s a ‘yes, if it meets expectations.’ I’ll put that down.”
Task 2: Evaluate the interview
- Identify the types of bias and interviewer errors.
- Rewrite one or more of the questions to be open, neutral, and appropriate.
- Discuss how the interviewer’s behavior affected the validity of the data.
The research assistant has run a focus group to explore the local demand for a new international school in Pudong (Shanghai). They invited four participants—two parents, one student, and one teacher. Your job is to examine the transcript!
Researcher: “Thanks everyone for coming. So, we all agree there should be more international schools in Pudong, right?”
Parent A: “Umm, well—”
Researcher: “Cool, so let’s start from there.”
Researcher: “I think our proposed school would be amazing—top teachers, sports, music, IB, A-Levels—you’d all want to send your kids, yeah?”
Teacher: “Well, it does sound good in theory, but—”
Researcher: “Exactly, that’s what I thought.”
Student: “Would it be expensive?”
Researcher: “Of course, but it’s worth it, don’t you think?”
Parent B: “I’m not sure the area even needs another school.”
Researcher: “Interesting. But we’re not focusing on that right now—let’s get back to the facilities.”
Parent A: “I wish we had more time to discuss fees, actually.”
Researcher: “We’ve already got a general sense. Let’s move on.”
Task 3: Evaluate the focus group
- List 3 things the researcher did poorly in terms of moderating the discussion.
- Identify 2 examples of where participant responses were interrupted, ignored, or misinterpreted.
- Was this focus group likely to produce valid and useful data? Why or why not?
- Suggest 2 better focus group questions the researcher could have asked.
- What could have been done to ensure more balanced, open discussion among participants?
# 4: Primary research (Observation)
Manager:
“So—how did the observation part of the research go? Did you manage to collect anything useful?”
Junior Researcher:
“Yes, it went really well actually. I did four different observations, and they were quite insightful. Let me walk you through them!”
1. Arrival Traffic Observation
“So, I sat in my car just across from Harmony International School one morning. I observed students arriving between 8:55 and 9:00am—only about 20 came in, so I assumed the school isn’t very popular. I figured five minutes was enough to get the gist of things.”
2. Playground Analysis
“Later in the day, I walked past the school’s playground during recess. There were a lot of kids playing football, which clearly shows high demand for sports programs. That’s definitely something we can replicate.”
3. Academic Atmosphere Assessment
“I went back during exam week and walked around outside the classrooms. It was super quiet, so I made a note that not much learning was happening. I don’t think they had many lessons going on that day.”
4. General Campus Vibe Check
“I also dropped by another school but didn’t have time to go in. I peeked through the window and got a feel for the place. I didn’t write much down, but from memory, it seemed kind of average and not very innovative.”
Junior Researcher (concluding):
“I think we’ve got enough now to say there’s definitely a gap in the market—these schools aren’t particularly busy or exciting. I didn’t need to overdo it since I already got the general picture.”
Task 3: Evaluate the focus group
- Spot the Mistakes
- Rewrite the Method
- Why is structure important in observation?
- What are the risks of drawing conclusions from limited evidence?
KEY TERMS FROM THE BRIEF
Unit 4.4: Market Research — The Lifeline of Smart Business Decisions
IB Business Management
In the world of IB Business Management, few topics are as dynamic and impactful as Unit 4.4: Market Research. Whether launching a new product, tweaking a service, or expanding into a new region, market research is the compass that guides businesses through the fog of uncertainty. When done right, it fuels success. When ignored or executed poorly, the consequences can be catastrophic.
What is Market Research?
At its core, market research is the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data related to customers, competitors, and market conditions. This data-driven approach helps firms make informed decisions about pricing, product development, promotion, and place—key elements of the marketing mix.
There are two main types: primary research (original data collected first-hand through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observation) and secondary research (existing data such as government reports, academic journals, or competitor websites). Both play a vital role in giving businesses a clear view of consumer behavior and market trends.
Why Market Research Matters
Think of market research as the voice of the customer before a company makes a move. It helps reduce risk, spot opportunities, and improve customer satisfaction. One famous success story is Apple, which uses a blend of quantitative research (e.g., sales data) and qualitative insights (e.g., focus groups and feedback forums) to refine product features and improve user experience. Their market research helped identify consumers’ need for intuitive interfaces, fuelling innovations like the iPhone and iPad.
On the flip side, New Coke remains one of the biggest market research disasters in history. In the 1980s, Coca-Cola made the bold move to change its century-old recipe. While field research (taste tests) indicated that people preferred the sweeter formula, Coca-Cola failed to consider customer loyalty and emotional attachment. The backlash was swift and brutal, forcing the company to bring back “Coca-Cola Classic” within months. The lesson? Market research must go beyond surface-level data and dig into consumer psychology and brand identity.
Techniques and Tools in IB Business Management
In IB Business Management, students explore how different sampling techniques—such as random sampling, quota sampling, and convenience sampling—are used to ensure results are both reliable and valid. For example, a school launching a new IB or A-Level stream might use quota sampling to interview equal numbers of parents across different grade levels, ensuring a representative sample.
Students also learn about ad hoc market research, which refers to one-off studies used to solve specific problems, and continuous market research, which involves tracking changes over time. Both are essential depending on the nature of the business challenge.
Focus groups, for instance, are fantastic tools for gaining deep insights. Tech companies often use them to test prototypes or ad campaigns before launch. On the other hand, desk research (a type of secondary research) is cost-effective and fast—ideal for gathering competitor data or studying general trends.
Quality Control and Data Reliability
Good market research doesn’t end with data collection. It must be evaluated for accuracy, bias, and timeliness. Companies must apply quality control measures—double-checking survey design, verifying sources, and using appropriate sample sizes—to ensure the findings are trustworthy.
The Future of Market Research
In today’s digital age, market research is being revolutionized by AI and big data. Firms can now analyze consumer behavior in real-time using predictive analytics and sentiment analysis. Even small businesses can access detailed customer profiles through CRM systems and Google Trends.
But no matter how advanced the tools, the core objective remains the same: understanding people. And in IB Business Management, Unit 4.4 reminds us that market research is more than just charts and numbers—it’s about empathy, curiosity, and informed decision-making.