1. The Distance Education Council (DEC) wants to conduct a research among the various
distance learners across different colleges, universities and courses across India. Since the
population of distance learners is widely dispersed, the research team at DEC feels that it
may be effective to conduct an online or telephonic survey. However, these methods have
their own drawbacks. Besides, the information to be collected is quite detailed which is
prompting the researchers to consider other approaches such as a face-to-face survey.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various data collection methods available
to the researchers at DEC and recommend an approach
2. Nestle wanted to understand the key challenges that their brand Maggi is likely to face in its
comeback; in the wake of more aggressive competition from competitors such as Sunfeast
Yippee noodles and Patanjali Atta noodles. The research agency took this brief from Nestle
and gave instructions to its team to find out the customer satisfaction with Maggi and its
arch rivals. “Specifying the research objective in the most clear and precise form, is the most
crucial step involved in the research process”. Evaluate this statement in the light of this case
and discuss how the steps involved in this research process (as proposed by the research
agency) will turn out to be different from what Nestle expects as the research outcome.
3. Scene 1: Nivedita, an interviewer for a data collection agency, approached a couple at the
mall seeming to be hailing from a rural background and asked the woman, if she would like
to participate in a marketing research survey. The couple quickly walked away. A group of
teenage girls overheard Nivedita and asked her if they could participate. They were from
rural areas, and they would like to answer Nivedita's questions. Nivedita was ecstatic! She
could fill a good portion of her sample with these helpful girls!
Scene 2: Nivedita had a list of names and contact details of 100 women in Faisapur in U.P.
She started with the top 5 names. In 4 out of 5 cases, the women either didn’t respond to her
request or refused to participate. Only one woman took the survey. How will she reach out
to these 100 shortlisted women in one week? It seemed to be a daunting task as of now.
Nivedita was confused.