Case Study 2

Abstract

This paper investigates the research conducted by the research team at Penton Media. The research team explores a multistage communication analysis to determine reader’s long-term viability. This paper answers two questions about the case study found in the article “Inquiring Minds Want to Know—Now!” The first question explores the strengths and weaknesses of the sampling plan Penton Media’s research team used. The second question explores the strengths and weaknesses of the research design Penton Media’s research team used for this study.

Case Study 2

The article “Inquiring Minds Want to Know—Now!” discusses how the research team from Penton Media determined the dilemmas of the company. Penton Media’s research team explores the uses of publication reader service cards within their magazines during 1992 and 1997. The growth of technology caused a decline in the use of the publication reader service cards. In previous years, the reader and/or subscriber would use the publication reader service cards to get more information from an advertiser. The decline in use of publication reader service cards lead to questions pertaining to the need for the cards and the interest level of readers and/or subscribers. Penton Media’s research team had to create a sampling plan and a research design to collect data to answer these growing questions.

Describe the sampling plan. Analyze its strengths and weaknesses.

A sample is “a group of cases, participants, events, or records consisting of a portion of the target population, carefully selected to represent that population” (Cooper & Schindler, 2014, p. 665). Penton Media’s research team sent out a mail survey and conducted a phone survey. Phone surveys are a weakness for Penton media because researchers loose context clues by limiting the interview to a telephone survey. Face-to-face interviews allow the researcher to acknowledge body language, emotion, and facial expressions. A survey can be looked at as a strength...