Marketing Research Report

Assignment Brief

This paper deals with writing a Marketing Research Report in which you have to evaluate your organisation’s marketing environment to identify a research problem and design research solutions to the identified problem(s). Along with this, you have to focus on the following aspects:

• Discuss a  review of a hotel organisation’s marketing environment to identify a research problem from a marketing perspective

• Employ marketing research theories and methods

• Choose one of the given hotels to conduct the research

• Outline proper structure of the report

Instructions 

The Brief for Research for Marketing module

Your workgroup has been allocated a hotel organisation. In your role as a Marketing Executive, you are required to produce a Marketing Research Report. To do this, you need to evaluate your organisation’s marketing environment to identify a research problem and design research solutions to the identified problem(s). Your Marketing Research Report should show the choices made at each stage of the process.

Format

Your report should be submitted in report format – refer to the guidance given in this assessment brief document for further information. Word Count 4000 words maximum

Overall Instructions

You are required to produce a marketing research report, on an individual basis, covering a review of a hotel organisation’s marketing environment to identify a research problem from a marketing perspective. Your report should include appropriate marketing research theories and methods and you must justify the choices made at each stage of the research process for undertaking the project. To do this assignment you will be required to work in groups from the onset. Your group will be given one of the four hotels:

1. Harts Hotel, Nottingham – award-winning independent boutique hotel

2. Igloo Hybrid Hostel – Nottingham’s quirky accommodation choice featuring Japanese inspired SleepBoxes

3. Lace Market Studio Apartment – Luxury student accommodation in the heart of Nottingham`s exclusive Lace Market

4. Nottingham-Crusader Mezzanine – executive apartment hotel; part of Huku Kwetu Corporate Housing

Your group will then develop a research brief based on the allocated hotel. You will present your research brief to your seminar group in week commencing 28th October 2019. Your group will receive verbal feedback after the presentation and written feedback the following week. Please note that under no circumstances must you contact the hotel directly. To do so is a breach of your Student Code of Conduct and any infringements will be dealt with severely

Key features of your Research Brief Presentation are outlined below: The Task You will develop a peer-assessed 10-minute group presentation of your research brief. Your group presentation should demonstrate the development of your thinking in the following areas:

• Background information of your organisation.

• Critical literature review of your organisation, its services and its markets to identify a problem and/or opportunity. Perform internal analyses using Resource-Based View (RBV) or Porter’s Value Chain and external analyses of your organisation using PESTLE and Porter’s 5 forces.

• Rationale for research – Provide some justification for research.

• Objectives – Develop a clear and achievable set of objectives based on distinct areas of problem and opportunities identified from your literature review. It could be a problem relating to any of the marketing mix – product, place, price, promotion, physical evidence, processes or people.

• Outline possible research method needed to collect data (quantitative and qualitative method).

• Timescale – Use Gantt chart to show duration of research, what it entails, and those involved in undertaking the study. You will present your brief to the seminar group in the week commencing 28th October 2019. You will be required to respond to 5 minutes of questions and receive verbal feedback on your presentation after the session and written feedback the following week. Please read the feedback carefully and make sure that you improve on your research questions and objectives and methods appropriately.

Formative activity 2

Individual Research Proposal After presenting your research brief, you will develop a written research proposal that will comprise a detailed plan of action. The purpose of this formative assessment is to help you to fine-tune your research objectives and/or questions, provide a clear rationale for doing research and to design a workable research method and timescale. The Task You will develop 1000-1200-word individual research proposal. Your written proposal should follow the outline below:

• Introduction – background information of organisation

• Review of organisation’s markets and products (PEST and Porter’s 5 forces)

• Review of your organisation’s internal capabilities (using Resource-Based View or Porter’s Value chain)

• Justification for doing research

• Objectives

• Proposed method (quantitative or qualitative)

• Timing

• Ethical approval considerations

Sample Answer

Evaluating Harts Hotel’s Marketing Environment

Introduction

Harts Hotel in Nottingham is an award-winning independent boutique hotel positioned near Nottingham Castle. It is widely recognised for its contemporary design, fine dining experience and commitment to personalised service. The hotel attracts both leisure and business travellers who are looking for an upscale yet intimate accommodation experience. Over the last few years, however, Nottingham’s hospitality sector has become increasingly competitive. Digital transformation, rising consumer expectations and broader economic pressures have forced independent hotels like Harts to rethink their marketing strategies. This report critically evaluates Harts Hotel’s marketing environment, identifies a clear research problem, and develops a structured marketing research plan that can support more effective decision making.

Review of the Marketing Environment

The external environment surrounding Harts Hotel is shaped by several macroeconomic factors. Politically, the post-Brexit environment has contributed to labour shortages within the UK hospitality industry, making it more difficult for hotels to recruit and retain skilled staff. This has a direct impact on service delivery and guest experience. Economically, rising inflation and increased energy costs have placed pressure on both operating budgets and consumers’ discretionary spending, which has affected demand for boutique accommodation options. Social factors are equally important. Travellers increasingly value experiences over traditional luxury and show a growing interest in sustainable tourism practices. This shift in consumer behaviour places pressure on hotels to offer more authentic, personalised, and environmentally responsible experiences.

Technological changes are also reshaping the competitive landscape. The dominance of digital booking platforms and online review systems means that hotels can no longer rely solely on their reputation or location. Customers make booking decisions based on digital visibility, user-generated content, and competitive pricing. Legally, hotels must adhere to strict health and safety standards as well as data protection regulations such as GDPR, especially when engaging with guests through digital marketing and personalised offers. Environmental considerations have also become central to marketing strategy. Travellers are more aware of sustainability issues and increasingly expect accommodation providers to adopt eco-friendly initiatives such as energy efficiency and responsible sourcing.

Industry competition is intense. Nottingham’s hospitality sector includes major hotel chains, serviced apartments, and alternative accommodation platforms such as Airbnb. This level of rivalry forces Harts Hotel to compete not just on product quality but also on pricing, convenience, and customer experience. Bargaining power is high among consumers due to the abundance of alternative options and the transparency of online comparison platforms. Supplier power is moderate but rising, especially given labour shortages and higher costs of hospitality goods and services. New entrants remain a persistent threat because of the city’s appeal as a tourist and business destination. Substitutes such as serviced apartments and budget boutique hotels are increasingly attractive to cost-conscious guests.

Internally, Harts Hotel has several strategic strengths. Its location, strong reputation and premium service offering give it an advantage in targeting a high-value customer segment. Its brand identity is well established, and it benefits from positive guest feedback, particularly around service quality and ambience. However, the hotel’s relatively small scale and independent status limit its marketing reach compared to larger chains with significant digital budgets. There are also gaps in digital engagement, particularly around direct bookings, social media presence, and loyalty programmes. Analysing these internal capabilities through Porter’s Value Chain highlights that while service delivery is strong, marketing and outbound logistics (in this case, the digital customer journey) are areas requiring improvement.

Identification of the Research Problem

The environmental analysis indicates that Harts Hotel faces increasing competition from both traditional hotel chains and digital-first accommodation providers. At the same time, changing guest preferences for experiential, sustainable, and digitally accessible stays are reshaping demand patterns. The key research problem identified is the need to understand how Harts Hotel can improve its digital marketing effectiveness and customer engagement to strengthen its market position. This problem is rooted in the hotel’s limited digital presence, reliance on third-party booking platforms, and insufficient insight into how potential guests interact with its marketing channels.

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