Submitted by: Submitted by itsdarealmamun
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Words: 1939
Pages: 8
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 09/08/2013 04:07 PM
Group Discussion Board Forum 1 – Part 1
1. Ch.1 - 8 -- As area sales manager for a company manufacturing and marketing outboard engines, you have been assigned the responsibility of conducting a research study to estimate the sales potential of your products in the domestic (U.S. or Canadian) market. Discuss key issues and concerns arising from the fact that you, the manager, are also the researcher.
There are a few dilemmas that raise a concern. Foremost is the concern for conflicting interests that may arise from being the sales manager and the researcher. This may result in a biased study as the goals for each of these positions vary. Additionally, the research calls for the review of a broader market than the one that is currently managed. For this reason, the decision making process may be limited only to the scope of experience of an area sales manager. Furthermore, this may be the first time that manager has conducted research which may lead to a flawed solution.
2. Ch.1 - 10 -- Apply the principles in Exhibit 1-4 to the research scenario in question 8.
• Clarifying the Research Question
Applying the principles in exhibit 1-4 begins by clarifying the research question. This process involves identifying the management dilemma, defining the management question, defining the research question(s), and refining the research question(s) (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). In the above scenario, we are not given a specific dilemma. According to Cooper & Schindler (2011), “The dilemma could have stemmed from a condition in the environment that signaled the need for the decision” or research (Cooper & Schindler, 2011, p. 81). As a hypothesis, the need for this research could have stemmed from a decline in business sales, and thus, drove a desire to expand into a bigger market. The management question could be “Should we expand sales to the domestic market?” The research question is readily identifiable as “What is the estimated sales potential of outboard engines...