Marketing Research Report: Hiring Unqualified Marketing Staff

This marketing research report investigates the reasons behind businesses hiring unqualified or less qualified individuals for marketing positions, exploring the implications of such practices. The report outlines the aims and objectives, research questions, and the chosen deductive research approach, emphasizing a mixed-methods approach using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. It details the sample size and selection process involving HRM departments, marketing managers, and academics from various Australian companies. The research utilizes questionnaires and Microsoft tools for data analysis, including thematic and statistical analysis to identify the reasons behind hiring decisions and their impact on business productivity. The expected outcomes include insights into the preference for less qualified staff and recommendations for improving hiring practices, aiming to help companies recruit the best marketers for effective product promotion. The report also includes a cost estimate, a timeline for the research activities, and references for further reading.

MARKETING RESEARCH ESSENTIAL
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Table of Contents
Background..................................................................................................................................3
Aims and objectives.....................................................................................................................3
Research questions.......................................................................................................................4
Research approach and method...................................................................................................4
Sample size and selection............................................................................................................4
Research type (qualitative/quantitative)......................................................................................5
Research tools..............................................................................................................................5
Proposed method of analysis.......................................................................................................6
Proposed outcomes......................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
Appendix 2A....................................................................................................................................8
Cost..............................................................................................................................................8
Timing..........................................................................................................................................8
Specification assumptions...........................................................................................................9
Services......................................................................................................................................10
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................10
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Topic: Why Businesses Hire Unqualified or Less Qualified People and Reject Qualified Ones
When Hiring Marketing Staff or Professionals.
Background
In the modern era businesses have started to focus on their marketing activities, and in
order to carry out overall marketing activities, different experts are hired for conducting the
overall activities in the proper manner (Armstrong & Taylor 2014). Human department of every
organization focuses on hiring the most talented employees that possess right skill and
knowledge for conducting the business operations in an effective manner. Further, sometimes
there is the possibility that highly qualified people are not hired within the workplace, and it
directly depends on the nature of the business or the job role that is being offered to the
individuals. Hiring unqualified people is sometimes considered to be beneficial for the business
as they are less costly for the business regarding salary (Cristiani & Peiró 2015).
Further, companies focus on providing them training as the unqualified professionals are
considered to be more affordable for the organization in every possible. But it is quite difficult to
understand the concept why businesses are hiring less qualified staff members who are unable to
carry out the job responsibilities properly. Moreover, in the comparison between high and low
qualified workforce, it has been identified that highly qualified individuals are efficient enough
in conducting business operations and this becomes one of the main reason behind business
success (Nieves & Quintana 2016). Sometimes hiring less qualified individuals hampers the
productivity of the organization and this has adverse impact on the business.
Aims and objectives
The main objective of the present study will be to assess why companies prefer to hire less
qualified or unqualified professionals mostly in the of field of marketing and what are the
effective ways to avoid it. Some specific objectives will be framed which are as follows:
 To identify the valid reasons due to which companies are hiring less qualified individuals
or candidates and rejecting the individuals that are fit for the position
 To assess the impact of hiring less qualified people at the expense of those who ought not
to be rejected in the company
 To recommend the effective measures that companies can take so that they can ensure
that qualified people are hired by not rejecting candidate who should not be rejected.
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Research questions
 Why do companies hire less qualified individuals at the expense of candidates who
should not be rejected?
 What is the impact of hiring less qualified people at the expense of job applicants who are
fit for the job?
 What strategies can be undertaken by the companies to ensure that they are hiring
qualified people by ensuring that highly qualified professional are rejected?
Research approach and method
It is regarded as the plan and procedure through which entire research can be carried out
in the proper manner. Further, it leads to in-depth analysis, and in turn, all the objectives linked
with the study can be accomplished easily and in the proper manner (Flick 2015). Two types of
approaches are present that are undertaken in the research, and they are inductive and deductive.
In the inductive approach the results move from specific to general, and in the deductive
approach, it is vice versa. In the present study deductive approach will be employed where entire
research will be carried out in generalized form so as to understand about the concept of hiring
unqualified people within the workplace rather than qualified one. The research will not be
restricted to any company, and this is the main reason due to which deductive approach will be
selected rather than inductive one (Mackey & Gass 2015).
Sample size and selection
For conducting the present study, HRM department of various Australian companies will
be undertaken involving marketing manager, staff, HRM academics, etc. The target population
will be 20 HRM and marketing heads, 20 HRM academics and 80 marketing staff. The total
sample size will be 120 respondents that are adequate enough in order to attain the objectives of
the research. Information will be obtained from all these respondents in order to accomplish the
key objectives associated with the study. Further, both stratified and random sampling technique
will be undertaken in the research as they will be useful in the research (Panneerselvam 2014).
Through stratified technique, it will become possible for the researcher to classify the
respondents into marketing, management, and academic staff. Apart from this, respondents will
be selected randomly 30% respondents so that they will appear in the final sample. Final sample
will involve 6 HR and marketing managers, 6 academics and 18 marketing staff.
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Research type (qualitative/quantitative)
Qualitative research is carried out on the non numeric basis where statistical figures are
not at all present to carry out the research. On the other hand in quantitative research is carried
out with the help of statistical data through which the entire research can be carried out properly
(Roberts 2013). The present study will be qualitative and quantitative where the role of statistical
information is quite limited, and for data analysis, thematic analysis and statistical tools will be
undertaken where results will be shown with the help of themes and other statistics tools.
Statistical tools will also be undertaken in the present where descriptive analysis will be carried
out. The qualitative research focuses on the variety of method with the motive to develop deep
understanding of how people perceive social reality and in consequences. On the other hand,
quantitative research focuses on establishing the general law of behavior and the phenomenon
across different settings. The present study will be carried out from with the help of both
qualitative and quantitative method where both numeric and non numeric information will be
utilized for conducting the research in proper manner.
Research tools
It reflects the range of tools and techniques on the basis of which entire research is being
carried out in an effective manner. Selection of right research tool is significant in every research
and in turn, allows gaining expected findings (Salaberry & Comajoan 2013). In the present
study, different tools will be undertaken for conducting the entire research. Microsoft tools will
be employed where analysis will be done with the help of excel and word. Excel as one of the
tool will be adopted for preparing charts and another form of diagrams along with conducting
descriptive analysis that are most relevant for the research. Apart from this, Gantt chart will be
framed on the basis of which entire study will be carried out in proper sequence that is
significant for the research (Taylor, Bogdan & DeVault 2015). Apart from this, data will be
collected with the help of questionnaire where different questions will be framed keeping in view
the objectives of the study. It will allow in answering all the research questions. Moreover, for
analysis purpose, qualitative tools will be undertaken where themes will be formed for the
analysis purpose. No advanced software and tools will be undertaken in the present research as it
does not match with the requirement of the study. So, in this way, these are some of the tools
through which study will be conducted.
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Proposed method of analysis
Data analysis is one of the most significant parts in the study where data is analyzed
through suitable technique in order to gain expected findings (Silverman 2016). Further, two
techniques of data analysis are present that involves qualitative and quantitative. In the present
study data will be analyzed with the help of qualitative and quantitative technique where themes
will be formed along with the statistical analysis on the basis of response obtained from the
respondents. The statistical technique will include some form of tests such as descriptive analysis
that involves mean, mode, median etc. Moreover, charts, bar graph and other form of charts will
be adopted for representing the information and this will be beneficial for the entire study
(Tarone, Gass & Cohen 2013). This method of analysis will allow readers of the study to
understand about the results and will also allow in accomplishing the main goals associated with
the study. The main reason behind undertaking qualitative approach to data analysis is that
Proposed outcomes
For the present it will be expected that businesses are focusing on hiring the less qualified
workforce for conducting its overall operations but it is required for them to focus more on hiring
the qualified professionals in the field of marketing and another form of areas that are crucial for
the business. Through this it will become possible for the companies in the Australian market to
operate efficiently in the market and this can act as the development tool for them in every
possible manner. Apart from this, it will be expected that human error is also present where HR
professionals are not able to identify the right talent that can surely support business in gaining
the competitive edge.
Moreover, the researcher also expects in understanding about the marketing related
strategic needs of the businesses, and it is possible that concept of attribution of error can
influence judgment and this can enable businesses to recruit the best marketer that can allow
organizations to promote their products in effective manner. So, these will be the expected
findings in case of present research. Apart from this, researcher will provide recommendations to
various Australian companies so that they may not do mistake of hiring unqualified professionals
within the workplace as it directly hampers productivity of the business.
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REFERENCES
Armstrong, M & Taylor, S 2014, Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice, Kogan Page Publishers, London.
Cristiani, A & Peiró, JM 2015, ' Human resource function strategic role and trade unions:
exploring their impact on human resource management practices in Uruguayan firms. ', The
International Journal of Human Resource Management, pp. 381-400.
Flick, U 2015, Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project., Sage, United Kingdom.
Klikauer, T 2014, 'Human resource management and Kohlberg’s scale of moral development. ',
Philosophy of Management, pp. 73-95.
Mackey, A & Gass, S 2015, Second language research: Methodology and design, Routledge,
Abingdon.
Nieves, J & Quintana, A 2016, 'Human resource practices and innovation in the hotel industry:
The mediating role of human capital', Tourism and Hospitality Research.
Panneerselvam, R 2014, Research methodology, PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd, Delhi.
Roberts, T 2013, ' Understanding the research methodology of interpretative phenomenological
analysis', British Journal of Midwifery, vol 21, no. 3.
Salaberry, MR & Comajoan, L 2013, Research design and methodology in studies on L2 tense
and aspect (Vol. 2)., Walter de Gruyter, Berlin.
Silverman, D 2016, Qualitative research, Sage, United Kingdom.
Tarone, EE, Gass, SM & Cohen, AD 2013, Research methodology in second-language
acquisition, Routledge, Abingdon.
Taylor, SJ, Bogdan, R & DeVault, M 2015, Introduction to qualitative research methods: A
guidebook and resource, John Wiley & Sons., New Jersey.
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Appendix 2A
Cost
To conduct the study, specific budget has been formulated and that would cost around
$50,000. While spending on the study, appropriate permission will be acquired from the
Australian organizations to collect feasible and valid outcomes. All the activities will be
managed as per the budget; therefore this will assist in managing all the resources in optimum
manner. Researcher has emphasized on the process of data collection to grab only suitable and
specific data about the subject matter.
Timing
Activity Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9
Writing
Research
Proposal
Reading
various
literature
Finalizing the
aims and
objectives
Draft
literature
review
Collect
secondary
data
Analyze
secondary
data
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Develop
research
approach
Draft
research
methodology
Develop
questionnaire
Arrange the
interview
Conduct the
interview
Accumulate
the data
Draft
Findings
Analyze data
Complete
remaining
chapters
Submit it to
tutor and
await for
feedback
As per the Gantt chart, the study will be completed within the period of 9 weeks and each
activity has been varied out as per the schedule.
Specification assumptions
 Number of questionnaire completed = 100
 Open ended questions are not included in the study
 Selected sampling method = random sampling
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 Selected Statistical tool has not been used
Services
Questionnaire has been developed to get data and sample size is being collected on the
basis of simple random sampling method.
Questionnaire
Questionnaire
Name:
Age
 25-30
 30-35
 35-40
 40 and above
What criteria do you undertake while selecting candidates?
 Knowledge level
 Educational background
 Level of experience
 All of the above
Do you think your recruitment practice sometime leads to selection of less qualified individual?
 Yes
 No
What is the most effective criteria to judge knowledge level of candidate?
 Personal interview
 Group discussion
 Case analysis
 All of the above
Selection of under qualified candidate affects business productivity?
 Strong agree
 Agree
 Neutral
 Disagree
 Strongly disagree
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