Focus Group Interviews: Exploratory Research in Introductory Marketing Classes

Involving marketing students in a focus group interview is an exciting way to introduce them to exploratory market research. In this article, the authors provide step-by-step procedures and a “script ” that helps instructors organize the focus group and use it as a basis for short- and long-term projects. In 1977, when Calder described the use of focus group interviews in the Jounial of Market-ing, he emphasized how useful this research tool can be for the initial exploratory phases of marketing research (pp. 353-364). By 1986, we can see in Kotler’s 3rd edition of The Principles of Marketing that the importance of focus groups has grown. In fact, focus group inter-viewing, Kotler writes, “is becoming one of the major tools for gaining insight into consumer thoughts and feelings ” (p. 104). The centrality of focus group interviewing as an initial marketing research tool is a concept we stress in our introductory marketing manage-ment courses. Moreover, we have found that setting up a focus group interview in class is an excellent way to involve students in the initial stages of exploratory market research. Instruc-tors may use a focus group exercise to introduce the market research component of a course or to pave the way for a comprehensive marketing project. OVERV I EW The focus group exercise, which involves at least an hour of class time, should center on a familiar product. We have found products such as beer and soft drinks work well because stu-dents are familiar with several brands. During the class, the instructor or a student acts as group leader. We use this exercise in an intro-ductory class where we find the instructor ca