Environment Study

Paper details:

Environment Study
MKTG 300 Consumer Behavior
Spring 2016

As market research experts, you have been commissioned to conduct a “secret shop’” environment study on a retail store or restaurant in your area. In your plan related groups, (approx. two or three students per group, you might have to divide up), your job is to observe the brand consistency of the image, atmosphere, and delivery of your chosen service. You are to report back to management (class) your findings. Please read Babin/Harris textbook Ch. 11 before conducting your study.

Environment Fieldwork – Due on March 15

In small groups, spend time in a local retail store or restaurant and conduct the following activities:

• Take pictures and/or video materials of what was observed in the setting.
• Take detailed notes on the various environmental factors. Note the location, layout, stimuli, signs and price, color schemes, space and displays, music, scents, and customer service (including any service scripts observed).
• Transform your rough field notes into twenty manageable themes, write these on Post-it notes and bring to class along with your images.

Materials Needed

• Notebook or recording device to note down observations.
• Method to record visually what was observed (photos or video, smart phone is fine).
• Post-it notes.
Written Assignment

In a two to three-page paper, 12 point font and utilizing 1.5 line spacing, please individually report your findings by responding to the points below.

• As a group, create one set of twenty (20) themes using your Post-It notes (in your paper you should describe what these are).
• Next, reduce your twenty (20) themes by grouping them into no more than three, “high level” labels – your top three (3) themes (describe what these are).
• Based on your top three (3) themes (high level labels), describe how the various environmental factors effectively combine to create the overall brand image and atmosphere. Also, discuss if any of these factors could be improved.
• Finally, provide a brief statement that encapsulates your three (3) high level labels – for e.g. the retail or restaurant brand experience is…

Properly cite the appropriate reference material according to the APA standards. The paper should draw on at least two journal article resources, including sources from the consumer behavior textbook and/or literature.