Here are some suggestions for activities that consolidate the language and vocabulary of market research.
Quick Questions
Why do companies conduct market research?
What is the difference between primary and secondary research?
What are some of the methods used in market research?
Is market research important?
Small Group or Pair Activities
- Companies have made many mistakes when conducting market research.
Each group takes one company or brand that made a mistake in the past and addresses the following points:
- Briefly describe the company / brand
- Briefly describe the competitive landscape
- What mistake(s) did the company make in doing market research?
- What were the consequences?
- What does the case teach you about market research?
Example cases:
Amazon fire phone, Kodak digital cameras, PepsiCo’s Kendall Jenner Advertisement, Google +, Coca Cola energy drink
but students can select material from other cases or cases they know.
Each group does research on the questions and makes a short presentation of their findings.
2. Hypothesising
Each group takes a successful marketing campaign and addresses the following points:
- In your opinion, what kinds of market research were carried out before developing the campaign?
- What objectives did the company set for market research?
- What recommendations were made on the basis of market research in your opinion?
Each group makes a short presentation.
3. There are many examples of major companies that have failed in international markets.
Each group takes one example or case and addresses the following points:
- Briefly describe the company / brand, its domestic market and the target international market
- What assumptions did the company make about the target market and what would market research have told them?
Example cases:
Walmart in Japan or Germany, Dolce & Gabbana in China, Starbucks in Australia, IKEA in Saudi Arabia, Tesco in the United States
but students can select material from other cases or cases they know.
Each group does research on the questions and makes a short presentation of their findings.
4. PEST Analysis
Allocate each group a product (e.g. television, computer, potato chips, car and …). The product is successful in the domestic market. Allocate each group a country or international market.
The group conducts a PEST analysis of the target market and presents this.
5. Everybody receives online surveys and questionnaires!
Each group takes a survey or questionnaire (preferably in English) and addresses the following:
- Is the survey or questionnaire too long or too short? – why?
- Are the questions good or bad in your opinion? – why?
- What limitations do the questions have?
- Can you identify the research objectives?
The Flipped Classroom
Students are going to have to take ownership of their learning at some stage if they are to be successful.
Studying Business English involves learning business concepts and the vocabulary needed to discuss and apply those concepts. The vocabulary just has to be understood and learnt.
In the end, the teacher can’t pass the exam for the student. What the teacher can do is provide input on learning strategies and study techniques, introduce activities that consolidate learning as well as repeat vocabulary and then give feedback. Contact time between the teacher and student is limited in university courses and depends on the size of the class and demands of the curriculum. There is often a lot to cover and learn in a relatively short time.
These are reasons why a flipped classroom approach can be so effective in teaching Business English.
Instead of this:
Do this:
Small group activities and project work give students the opportunity to practise the language they have learned. They discuss in detail, engage with the material actively and consolidate their learning by repeating concepts and vocabulary. In short, they have more fun.
Listening to lectures is a passive exercise. In many universities, students attend many lectures where they are required to listen for a longer period of time. This poses its own challenges and limitations. The Business English classroom can be an environment that provides variety, encourages students to engage with materials and develops critical thinking.
Before students prepare before the class, direct them to the sources you would like them to access. There are many videos and articles online on the subject of market research, there may be a unit or section on market research in your course book or the students may have dealt with market research in other lectures. Marketing Study Guide is designed so that students can prepare for a flipped classroom and I deal with the basic concepts and vocabulary of Market Research in Unit 2.
