ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Due date: THURSDAY 26TH OF OCTOBER, 11:59PM (AEDT), via the MKTG1045 Canvas.

Your final assessment should be formatted and submitted according to the instructions below. It is your responsibility to carefully read and completely adhere to these instructions, as well as the assessment requirements, also stated below.

This assessment totals to 50 marks and is weighted at 50% of your final grade for this course.

FORMATTING AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Your final assessment should be submitted via the Canvas link called “Assessment 3: Consulting

Report” . The submission process includes your assessment being put through Turnitin, where it will be checked for similarity with other students’ assessments and outside sources (including course lecture slides). Plagiarism will be investigated as a breach ofacademic integrity.

Your submission must adhere to the following guidelines:

-    The final assessment must be submitted as a written document (Word or PDF file). No other file types (e.g., Pages) will be accepted.

-    Times New Roman size 12 font, 1.5 line spacing, 2.5cm margins should be used (except where otherwise instructed in the final assessment – see Assessment Question 2).

-     Paragraphs should be concise and follow a logical order. Bullet points can also be used where appropriate and useful (e.g., listing information).

-    Tables may be used where instructed (again, see Assessment Question 2).

-    You can format text in bold, italic, underline, or highlight where appropriate and useful.

-    All pages are to be numbered in the bottom right corner.

-     Please clearly label your response to each question (e.g., Question 1). You should not repeat the text of the question in your submission (this creates problems for Turnitin).

-    Your name, student number, and course code should be included in the header of your

submission document or on a cover page (a cover page is not included in the page limit).

-     Do not include a table of contents, executive summary, introduction, or conclusion. Your

submission should only include the written responses to the four (4) assessment questions.

-    There is also no need to include a reference list since you are not required to draw on outside material. If you make the choice to include outside materials, you will need to  reference these appropriately and include in the page limit.

-    Appendices are not required and will not be marked.

THERE IS A STRICT 10-PAGE LIMIT FOR YOUR SUBMISSION, USING THE FORMATTING INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE. ANYTHING THAT EXCEEDS 10 PAGES WILL NOT BE MARKED.

ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

•    First, you will be presented with a market research brief accompanied by supplementary materials, as follows:

o A market research brief (see pages 3-4)

o A questionnaire (‘Green & Graze Questionnaire’ file, see Canvas where you downloaded this document)

o SPSS data analysis output (‘Green & Graze Data Analysis Output’ file, see Canvas where you downloaded this document)

•    Students will need to utilise and analyse all these materials to address the assessment questions.

•    Second, you will be presented with four (4) assessment questions (see pages 5-8). Students are required to act as a market research consultant whose role is to prepare a written report, responding to the assessment questions. Doing so will require analysis and interpretation of  assessment materials, critical reflection, and strategic recommendations.

•    Students must answer EACH and ALL assessment questions.

•    The marks available for each question are listed next to it.

•    Your responses to these questions should reflect your applied learning and resonate key

knowledge and recommendations that are appropriate to the client and market research

brief. Importantly, the questions seek your application, not regurgitation, of theory. You are  expected to go above and beyond repeating information, and you must show application of theory, critical analysis, strategic insight, and structured thinking.

•    It is recommended that you rely on your own learning and acquired knowledge in responding

– that is, there should be no need to go outside the material you have already been provided (in the market research brief and supplementary materials and the knowledge and skills you  have learned throughout the semester) to respond to the questions. Please use your own

words and strategic insights rather than looking to simply apply that directly of others.

•    You are required to complete this task individually without conferring with others (this

includes your tutors and fellow students). Any student who is found to have breached this rule by engaging in consultation or discussion with others, through any form of media or   contact, will be investigated for academic misconduct.

•    Please direct ALL questions about the final assessment to the course coordinator, Dr. Amanda Spry ([email protected]) prior to the deadline.

o Please note: The course coordinator can only answer questions related to

administrative, clarification, or technical issues. They will not be providing guidance or advice on how to complete the questions nor will they review your answers.

•    ***IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIAL CONSIDERATION***

o Each student is responsible for correctly submitting their final assessment prior to the deadline.

o Should you be unable to submit the final assessment prior to the deadline, you will require approval forSpecial Considerationor an extension from the course

coordinator.

•     Note that extensions can only be granted for a period of 7 calendar days or less and must be applied for by 23:59 on the Wednesday before the assessment is   due. Supporting evidence is required (see examples of appropriate evidence

here).

•    Applications for extensions must be made via the Assessment Extension Tool, which can be foundhere.

•     If you need an extension of time beyond seven (7) days or if you have missed the one (1) working day requirement to submit this request, you should apply

forSpecial Consideration .

MARKET RESEARCH BRIEF

Please read the market research brief below. It is provided by your client called Green & Graze*.

This case is based on a real-life project that is no longer active and current. Facts,

information and materials relating to the research have been altered for the purpose of this assessment.

Company Background

Green & Graze * (which can be abbreviated to GG) is positioned in the market as a creative,   sustainable and inclusive brand for consumers who want delicious and satisfying plant-based (vegan) food and drinks made locally in Melbourne. Green & Graze proves that vegan food is much more than just a bowl of lettuce! Their product range includes plant-based burgers, pizza, noodles,  desserts, juices, smoothies and more.

Taking advantage of the increase in plant-based eating in Australia, Green & Graze has experienced promising growth in the last year, since it opened at the start of 2022 . It so far has one restaurant, in the CBD, but it would like to expand when it increases customer numbers. Customers can eat at the restaurant or have food and drinks delivered at home.

Current Situation

One of the strongest trends forecast for Australia for the 2020s is plant-based (vegan) eating becoming mainstream. This trend is driven by two factors. First, there is growing awareness of the    lack of sustainability of the meat industry, which is encouraging consumers, especially Generation Z and Millennials, to shift away from traditional meat consumption. Second, there is now greater availability of plant-based foods. Brands such as Impossible Food and Beyond Meat have made names for themselves as brands that introduced non-meat proteins (e.g., burger patties) to the market. Furthermore, when it comes to eating out or ordering take away, the culinary landscape of Melbourne is undergoing a remarkable transformation. From the elegant dining rooms of high-end  restaurants to the bustling kitchens of food trucks, the embrace of plant-based menus is reshaping the way Melbournians dine.

In Melbourne’s hospitality industry, plant-based menus are now stepping into the spotlight. As chefs and restaurateurs recognise the growing demand for plant-based options, they are crafting innovative dishes that not only satisfy taste buds but also cater to diverse dietary preferences. They are doing this by offering an exciting range of flavours and cuisines, sourcing quality local ingredients and educating customers to inform and spark interest for those who might be new to the concept. Market research also plays a role by encouraging customer feedback and suggestions for  plant-based offerings to show that their input is valued. Listening to customer preferences enhances customer satisfaction and drives menu improvements.

However, the Melbourne restaurant market is notoriously competitive. Some of the leading players in this space are Smith & Daughters (Fitzroy), Funghi e Tartufo (CBD) and Matcha Mylkbar (St. Kilda). Despite these positive trends, the economic and social upheaval caused by COVID-19 continues to impact restaurants and this industry is projected to take another 12 months to fully recover. As such, restaurants are required to develop strong positioning and respond to changing consumer needs.

Against this challenging background, Green & Graze believes it is more important than ever before to understand their customers and ensure all aspects of the restaurant experience - from food and beverage to ambience and reservations - appeal to the target market. They are striving to become a leading brand in the increasingly competitive plant-based restaurant market in Melbourne.

Current Market Research

Green & Graze would like to learn more about their customer profile and competitive situation.

Specifically, their research aims to be conclusive, generalisable to their customer base and address the following research questions.

Research questions:

1.  What are the best ways to communicate and engage with Green & Graze customers?

2.   How do customers perceive Green & Graze and its offering, and what are the factors that are important when selecting a restaurant?

3.  What tactics can be used to increase customer visits to the Green & Graze restaurant?

Status of the current market research:

Green & Graze (your client) has collected some data using a survey method (see the Green &

Graze Questionnaire and the Green & Graze Data Analysis Output files) but requires assistance in   developing a plan to analyse and interpret this data. Further, the client has constructed an additional draft questionnaire (attached on pages 7-8 of this document), which they want to use in a follow-up   survey of their existing customers. The client also wants to include an experiment as part of this research project but is unsure how to design and conduct it.

To assist with the above aspects of the project, you have been given the task of preparing a report for the client that addresses the Assessment Questions 1 to 4, on pages 5-8 of this document.

Remember that you will need to use the above brief, as well as the ‘ Green & Graze

Questionnaire’ and ‘Green & Graze Data Analysis Output’ files (both on Canvas where you downloaded this document), to answer the Assessment Questions.

Please note:

* The brand name has been altered in this case. The brand name used in the case, Green & Graze, is purely fictitious.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

You need to complete all FOUR (4) assessment questions below. Ensure you respond to these questions adhering to the instructions and requirements stated on pages 1-2.

All the information you need to complete these questions is contained within this document,

the Green & Graze Questionnaire and the Green & Graze Data Analysis Output files, in combination with the knowledge and skills you have learned throughout the semester.

QUESTION 1

Green & Graze have requested your advice on a survey that they intend to conduct with a representative sample of their existing customers aimed at addressing Research Question #1.  Green & Graze have sent you a draft survey, which you will see on pages 7-8 of this document under the heading ‘ Green & Graze Draft Follow-up Survey’ .

You are required to review the draft survey and:

(a) Identify the research design that involves a survey data collection method and explain to the client how this research design will be useful for addressing Research Question #1.

(b) For each survey question, first, identify and explain any problem/s with the question wording and/or the measurement scale used. Second, rewrite the survey question and/or measurement scale in a way that addresses the problem/s you identified. If you do not see any problem/s with a survey question, state this and then explain why this is the case.

(c) Make a recommendation to Green & Graze as to which survey mode they should use to distribute this survey. In your response, justify your recommendation by outlining three factors that you considered and how each factor influenced your decision of which survey mode to recommend to Green & Graze.

(d) Outline for the client three possible sources of survey error, and how you would recommend that these be addressed. (15 marks)

QUESTION 2

This question relates to Research Question #2, and it requires you to work with the Green & Graze   Questionnaire. Green & Graze has not conducted any data analysis for this research question and    requests that you outline a data analysis plan based on the Green & Graze Questionnaire they have given you.

A note about formatting for Assessment Question 2: You can choose to present your data analysis plan in text or a table. IF YOU CHOOSE A TABLE, you may use (1) landscape or   portrait formatting and (2) single-line spacing to aid readability and a neat format.

For each of the following eight research objectives, please state:

•    The most correct inferential statistical test

•    The number of variables involved , and the specific variables involved from the questionnaire

•    The level of measurement scale each variable is expressed upon

•    A justification for why the proposed test is correct for the research objective

RO1: To determine whether familiarity with Green & Graze is significantly greater amongst those who live in Melbourne than those who live in regional Victoria.

RO2: To determine whether the average number of menu items ordered by customers is greater than 5.

RO3: To determine whether rating of range of menu options is associated with whether customers received menu recommendations from their server.

RO4: To determine whether the importance of the restaurant’s online booking system is significantly different between generation groups.

RO5: To determine whether participants’ level of concern for animal welfare predicts how appealing Green & Graze is to them personally.

RO6: To determine whether participants’ average rating of satisfaction with product sustainability is significantly different to their average rating of satisfaction with price.

RO7: To determine whether perceptions of the Green & Graze brand as ‘progressive’ are negatively associated with participants’ age.

RO8: To determine whether gender, annual income and level of political engagement significantly predict likelihood to visit Green & Graze in future. (14 marks)

QUESTION 3

This question also relates to Research Question #2, and it requires you to work with the Green & Graze Data Analysis Output and the Green & Graze Questionnaire files.

Green & Graze has analysed some of the survey data for this research question, and you will find their SPSS output in the Green & Graze Data Analysis Output file. Specifically, you will find five research objectives (labelled RO1 to RO5) and the SPSS output for each research objective.

For each of the five research objectives, you are required to:

(a) Name the specific statistical test that has been conducted.

(b) Provide your written interpretation of the SPSS output. This should be written in text and

contain your interpretation of all relevant parts of/numbers from the SPSS output provided and what they mean in relation to the research objective tested. *You should not include the SPSS output in your submission document, given the page limit*(10 marks)

QUESTION 4

This question relates to Research Question #3. From secondary data that informed this market research brief, Green & Graze understand that many Melbournians are either not aware of Green &  Graze as a newcomer to the market, or they are not persuaded to visit Green & Graze with so many other vegan restaurants on offer.

They have developed two potential social media campaigns to encourage people to visit the

restaurant. The first campaign focuses on storytelling about the Green & Graze brand. The second campaign focuses on Green & Graze’s superior offering as a restaurant. Due to time and budget constraints, only one social media campaign can be implemented. Therefore, the client would like to conduct an experiment to address the following research objective: to determine which social media campaign will be most effective at increasing customer visits to the Green & Graze restaurant.

You are required to:

(a) Explain to the client the advantages and disadvantages of using a causal research design to address this research objective.

(b) Recommend and describe a specific experimental design to select the most effective social media campaign. In your answer, outline the independent, dependent, and possible extraneous variables involved, as well as the recommended experimental setting.

(c) Justify your recommended experimental design and experimental setting by comparing and contrasting your recommendations to alternative experimental designs/settings. (11 marks)

GREEN & GRAZE DRAFT FOLLOW-UP SURVEY

Q1. How frequently would you like to receive information from Green & Graze?

Q2. Which of the following sources do you consult?

__ Green & Graze website

__ Social media

__ Search engine (e.g., Google)

__ TV advertising

__ Other forms of advertising

__ Family

__ Friends