The acquisition, evaluation, and use of competitor and consumer information for goods and services. A diverse variety of methods including the use of both electronic data such as the Internet, computer data bases, scanner data and behavioral research including focus groups, observations, survey research, and experiments are explored. There is an emphasis on the timeliness and validity of information in making effective market place decisions regarding competitor and consumer behavior. Each student consulting team is assigned a project and faculty member for the semester. Seminar sessions are scheduled to encourage exchange of information between teams and the development of consulting skills.
Projects are normally with a business firm, although other learning experiences can be proposed.
The purpose of individual research is to permit investigation into a particular subject in more depth than accommodated by an existing course. Students work closely with an individual faculty member. Approval by the department chair and graduate program director required.