MARKET RESEARCH REPORT FOR SWANSEA UNIVERSITY’S WHOLEFOODS

Case Study – Swansea University’s Wholefoods
As part of the plans to become more environmentally friendly, Swansea University’s Campus has invited “Wholefoods” to open a shop on campus selling food which are healthy alternatives. This supermarket will have a wider range of organic and healthier food choices.

Important Note: This is a fictitious case and you should not contact the company to get information regarding this coursework.

COURSEWORK TASK
The Estates Manager of Swansea University wants to get an insight into the general health concern of students, as well as their attitudes and behaviour towards buying healthy food. The primary purpose of the online survey was to ascertain students’ favourite lunchtime foods, what students take into account when buying food on campus for their lunch, their general concern for their health, the emotions evoked when they eat healthier food, and their behavioural intention of buying their lunch from the shop in future. In December 2015, a questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 1,000 students from Swansea University. To increase the return rate, a small prize draw of vouchers for Campus Catering was used. A total of 309 responses were received. The SPSS data set which is named ‘MN-M521 Marketing Research Wholefoods n=321.sav’ can be found on Blackboard.

The data analysis section of your research report should provide the following information:
1. Provide a short demographic profile including gender, age and level of study of respondents.

2. Analyse the data obtained from Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6 provide the key findings for the survey using descriptive statistics only (e.g. frequencies, means).

3. Using chi-square tests, analyse whether demographics (i.e. gender, level of study, age) have any significant effects on students’ favourite lunchtime food (Q1).

4. Carry out three factor analyses separately for the following variables: health concern (all items of Q3), emotions (all items of Q7), and behavioural intentions (all items of Q8). Interpret and name the new factors and test the reliability for each new factor. Report the results for these. Compute a new variable for each factor using the mean (e.g. means calculated for the new factors) for further analysis.

5. Using independent samples t-tests analyse whether gender and level of study has any significant effect on behavioural intention (the new factor computed for Q8 variables in task 4). Then using an ANOVA test analyse whether age has any significant effect on behavioural intention. Note: use the new factor for behavioural intention computed for task 4.

6. Using the factors you created in task 4, perform regression analysis to see if there is there a possibility to predict behavioural intention based on emotions and health concern. If there is, how good is the prediction? What is a better predictor of behavioural intention – emotions or health concern?

To support your findings for the tasks above, you must use graphs and tables which are most appropriate to the information you are presenting. Summarise the key results from the analysis and give recommendations to the Estates Manager of Swansea University on how to promote the new Wholefoods store, and who to target on the basis of the results of this survey.

You are asked to:
• Choose appropriate data analysis techniques, justify your choice and interpret the results
• Provide results and interpret findings (use appropriate tables and graphs in your report to illustrate the results clearly)
• Structure them in a brief marketing research report form which should look professional.

Your assignment is a research report and as such its contents should mirror those found in commercial marketing research reports. The specific section headings will be (i) executive summary, (ii) research questions, (iii) research methodology, (iv) data analysis (see 6 analysis tasks on previous page), and (v) conclusions & recommendations.

A table of contents and appendices with the SPSS outputs used are required.

Key marking criteria will include:
Ø Initiative: originality, innovativeness of answer
Ø Report structure: clarity of aims, objective, structure and presentation
Ø Appropriateness and innovativeness of data analysis methods and presentation of findings
Ø Justification of data analysis methods
Ø Accuracy of interpretation of results and findings
Ø Insightfulness of analysis: Interest and usefulness of findings, conclusions drawn, and the suitability of the analytical techniques adopted as well as suitability of methods adopted to present findings
Ø Quality of writing: Readability and ability to convey key message(s) concisely
Ø Quality/scope of literature and justification of decisions: Understanding of established knowledge
Ø Suitability of literature/supporting evidence: Use of suitable sources, focused to answer key research aims
Ø Understanding: Assignment demonstrates students have understood key topics
Ø Overall Quality of Assignment