Inquiring Minds Want to Know Now Questions 1 &2

Case Assignment 1: Questions 1 & 2

Ashley Jonsson

BUSI600-B13

February 2, 2014

Inquiring Minds Want to Know—Now

Background details

Penton Media is a publishing company for many business magazines such as Industry Week. Reading through the case study it is clear that Penton Media has accomplished significant growth of their company between the years of 1992 to 1998 based on their successful research methods. Their research method of choice has been to include reader service cards inside their magazines which their readers could fill out and send in their feedback. Until recently this had been a successful approach; but by 1998, Ken Long, director of Penton Research Services, believes that many areas of the business are beginning to generate fewer leads which could ultimately lead to lower advertising revenues. The decrease is responses was the result of outdated technology; people no longer wished to respond by mail but rather by electronic means, via websites and email. In response to this hypothesis Penton developed a questionnaire that would help them to determine how their subscribers preferred to make inquiries or leave feedback.

Discussion Question 1: Build the management-research question hierarchy.

Beginning to analyze this study the management-research question hierarchy needs to be developed. The first step is to determine the management dilemma. The management dilemma presented in this case is if Penton will realize lower advertising revenues due to their lack of alternative methods of generating leads, and their current inability to track the source of their leads. The next step is to define the management question. For Penton Media that question is which magazines are generating fewer leads than in previous years? The last step of the management-research question hierarchy is to define the research questions. Ultimately, Penton Media needs to know whether or not to continue including reader service cards in the magazines they...