ROYAL BEE ELECTRIC FISHING REEL Session – 5 & 6

Q1 - What business research problem does Royal Barton face? What are his information needs? Outline some
survey research objectives for a research project on the Royal Bee system

Market Validation for the Royal Bee Reel

Royal Barton requires market validation to ensure the Royal Bee reel caters to the correct user base and
experiences sufficient demand. This necessitates gathering user data from individuals with limited upper limb
dexterity. The research should assess:

 Target Market Awareness: Gauge awareness of the Royal Bee reel among individuals with one-arm
mobility and evaluate its perceived usefulness.

 Usability Testing: Identify any usability challenges encountered during operation. Analyze these
difficulties to determine potential modifications that can optimize the reel's functionality for the
target audience.

Market Research Considerations:

While the Royal Bee reel caters to a specific need within the fishing industry, broader market research is
recommended to optimize its success. This research should delve into the following:

 Market Segmentation Analysis: Identify existing market segments within the fishing rod industry and
their defining characteristics.

 Electric vs. Manual Rod Preferences: Analyze purchasing trends to understand which market
segments favor electric fishing rods over traditional manual options. This will provide insights into
potential target markets where the Royal Bee reel holds a competitive advantage.

 Customer Preference Evaluation: Determine the most valued features sought after by fishing rod
customers. This analysis can inform potential adjustments to the Royal Bee reel, ensuring it aligns with
the preferences of a specific and profitable market segment.

Research Objectives:

By conducting this market research, Barton aims to achieve the following objectives:

 Market Segment Identification: Identify market segments with the highest potential for the Royal Bee
reel, considering both user needs and profitability.

 Product Optimization: Determine modifications required to broaden the Royal Bee reel's appeal and
cater to a wider target audience within the identified profitable market segment.

This approach focuses on user research for the specific target audience while incorporating broader market
research to optimize the Royal Bee reel's overall market fit and profitability.

Q2 –What type of survey-personal interview, telephone interview, mail or computer survey should be selected?
Why?

While various research methods exist, personal interviews offer distinct advantages for gathering user feedback
on the Royal Bee reel, particularly due to the product's novelty and target audience.

 Enhanced User Experience: Personal interviews facilitate a hands-on approach. Users can directly
experience the Royal Bee reel, fostering a more informed and insightful feedback process compared to
methods like surveys, which rely solely on verbal descriptions. This is crucial since the product is new
and potential users may not be familiar with electric fishing reels or their benefits.
  Detailed Feedback and Exploration: Unlike phone interviews, face-to-face interaction allows
researchers to guide participants through the product's functionalities and ask probing questions to
elicit detailed feedback. This can uncover usability issues, feature suggestions, and potential areas for
improvement to broaden the product's appeal.

 Effective Communication and Clarification: The researcher can explain the research concept and the
Royal Bee system's functionalities in greater detail during a personal interview. This personalized
approach ensures participants have a clear understanding of the product and its purpose, leading to
more accurate and relevant feedback compared to methods like mail surveys.

 Targeted Recruitment: Conducting interviews at locations frequented by the target audience, such as
hospitals or rehabilitation centers, optimizes participant selection. This allows for live demonstrations
of the Royal Bee reel, enhancing user understanding and providing valuable insights from the intended
user base.

By leveraging these advantages, personal interviews create a richer data collection environment for the Royal
Bee reel, leading to more comprehensive and actionable user feedback.

Q3 -. What sources of survey error are most likely to occur in a study of this type?

Potential Survey Errors in Royal Bee Research

The Royal Bee electric fishing reel user research should be mindful of two potential survey errors to ensure
data accuracy and generalizability:

 Measurement of Upper Limb Dexterity: Accurately assessing the degree of an individual's upper limb
dexterity during an interview can be challenging. While interviews can provide valuable qualitative
data on user experience, a more objective assessment of a participant's physical limitations may be
necessary. This could involve incorporating standardized clinical assessments or partnering with
occupational therapists to develop a more precise evaluation method.
 Selection Bias: Interviewing only a limited group of people who are extremely passionate about
fishing can introduce selection bias. This could skew the results towards a specific user type and
potentially overlook valuable insights from individuals with more casual fishing habits or those who
might benefit from the assistive technology but haven't considered electric reels due to lack of
awareness.

Technical Considerations for Participant Selection:

To mitigate selection bias, a well-defined recruitment strategy is crucial. Here are some technical
considerations:

 Sample Representativeness: The participant pool should reflect the target audience's demographics
and range of upper limb dexterity limitations. This may involve collaborating with relevant healthcare
organizations or disability advocacy groups to identify potential participants.
 Stratification: Stratifying the sample by factors like age, fishing experience level, and disability
severity can ensure a more representative cross-section of the target population and reduce bias.
 Sample Size: A statistically significant sample size is necessary to draw generalizable conclusions from
the research. Consulting a statistician can help determine the appropriate sample size based on the
research objectives.

By addressing these potential errors and implementing a robust participant selection strategy, the Royal Bee
research can gather more accurate and generalizable data that informs product development and marketing
efforts.

Q 4 - What means should be used to obtain a high response rate?

Achieving a high response rate in the Royal Bee user research is crucial for gathering reliable data. Here are
some effective strategies to consider:

Interview Method Selection:

 Weighing Options: While door-to-door and in-person interviews can boast high response rates due to
direct contact, their resource intensiveness and geographical limitations might not be ideal.
Telephone interviews offer wider reach at a lower cost, but explaining a new product like the Royal
Bee over phone could be challenging.

Optimizing Response Rates for Any Method:

 Follow-Up Calls: Regardless of the chosen method (phone or in-person), implementing follow-up calls
demonstrates researcher commitment and increases the likelihood of participant engagement.
 Emphasize Participant Value: Highlighting the importance of participant feedback and its potential to
benefit future users with similar limitations can motivate participation. Framing the research as
contributing to a product that enhances accessibility for people with upper limb limitations can
resonate with the target audience.

Alternative Recruitment Strategies:

 Online Surveys: While online surveys can be cost-effective and reach a broad audience, they might
not capture the user experience effectively for a product requiring hands-on exploration like the Royal
Bee reel.
 Targeted Online Forums: Engaging with online communities dedicated to fishing or disability
advocacy can be a valuable recruitment strategy. This allows researchers to connect with potential
participants who are already interested in these topics and potentially more receptive to participating
in the research.

Additional Considerations:

 Sample Representativeness: The chosen recruitment method should ensure a participant pool that
reflects the target audience's demographics and range of upper limb dexterity limitations.
Collaboration with relevant healthcare organizations or disability advocacy groups can aid in
identifying potential participants.
 Selection Bias Mitigation: A well-defined recruitment strategy can help mitigate selection bias.
Techniques like stratification (grouping participants by factors like age and disability severity) and
ensuring a statistically significant sample size are crucial for drawing generalizable conclusions.

By combining these strategies and carefully considering the target audience and research objectives,
researchers can optimize their approach and achieve a high response rate for the Royal Bee user research.