Exam Preparation: MKT3014
The exam is based on a case study that involves franchising. Your task is to research how franchises operate and how opportunities are marketed to potential franchisees. The case study also includes ice cream parlours, so having some understanding of the relevant industry could be beneficial.
Here are some suggestions on where to begin your research:
MetaLib is a great starting point for your research. This contains links to all of the main information sources that we recommend you use. To access MetaLib, go to the
Library Catalogue and select Subject Resources and Enter MetaLib with your campus login details (usually your student number and date of birth). Choose a Subject and then a category from the list on the left.
Market Reports
You will find Market Reports on the databases listed under the Market Research and Statistics category.
Key Note reports are available on Franchising. There is one hard copy of the 2008 report on the shelves at the back of the 400-699 book floor, but you can also find this report on Key Note online. From MetaLib, go to the Marketing subject area and then look for Market Research and Statistics. You will need to log in to Key Note with your Athens username and password and then search for Franchising. Scroll down the pages until you reach the 2008 report and then click on one of the links to view the contents. There is also a report on Ice Creams and Frozen Desserts, which could be useful.
Mintel online is another good source for information on the market for ice cream. Login with Athens and enter ice cream in the search box at the top. Although the 2009 report for ice cream is not yet available to access, you might find some of the earlier reports helpful.
Journal articles
Have a look under the journals category for ABI, Emerald and ScienceDirect. These are the most useful databases for business and marketing topics. While Emerald and ScienceDirect are more likely to offer you academic research on franchising, you may find the practitioner and trade news offered on ABI is also useful. If you are using Emerald, always untick Backfiles and EarlyCite on the QuickSearch page as this will eliminate most of the padlocked items that you find. ABI is an American database but it contains international sources, so it is worth a look.
News
Go to the news category and chooseLexisNexis. This is a Law database, but it has a news section that may be particularly helpful for your research. It is a very large database which contains most of the broadsheet newspapers as well as tabloids and some regional papers. For this reason, I would suggest that you limit your search by date and perhaps search only the UK Broadsheets. Also try using different search terms and restricting your search to the headlines using the options provided.
Websites
You always have to be careful when searching the Web because there is a lot of unreliable information out there. Government websites such as Business Link that offers advice to local businesses may be a good starting point. The British Franchise Association is an organisation which specialises in franchising could also provide some valuable information. You will also find a lot of websites dedicated to offering advice on choosing a franchise or providing the contact details of franchises already in operation, including Which Franchise and the UK Franchise Directory. This may give you an indication of marketing activities that are taking place online.
Finally, don’t forget to use the Library Catalogue to search for any books that may be of interest, including the more generic titles that may have small sections relating to franchising.
If there is anything specific that you are looking for and cannot find it, please get in touch with your Academic Librarian - Joanne Farmer