Individual Case Assignment 4: Descriptive Presentation Scenarios 1. Focus Groups and Infographics Scenario Background Focus groups are designed to gain reactions from participants about a particular topic and to generate ideas and concepts that will help a client understand the subject area under study. The output from a focus group study is typically used as preliminary data helpful in putting together more conclusive, quantitative studies involving a larger number of respondents. The output is also used to supplement and illustrate constructs from the quantitative findings that are based upon large samples from welldefined populations. Sometimes the focus group findings are in contrast to the quantitative results that are based upon systematic evidence. The results from focus group research should never be considered representative of any population segment or a point of view of a specific target universe. The nonrandom method of recruitment and the small size of the sample do not permit this type of generalizability. However, results of focus groups can provide a great deal of rich insight into the relevant aspects of any issues discussed and should be used accordingly. Scenario A focus group was conducted at the University of Saskatchewan Western College of Veterinary Medicine. (https://wcvm.usask.ca/) The focus group consisted of 12 students in the first month of their veterinary school education. The focus group was audio and video recorded and lasted between 60 and 85 minutes. Each participant received a bookstore gift certificate as compensation for their time. The audio was transcribed and the transcripts used in data analysis. Discussion was guided around the factors influencing career focus decisions among students, student knowledge of veterinarian medicine careers, images and perceptions of different career choices, and the effectiveness of methods for building interest among students for veterinary medicine. The discussion guide (below) served as the blueprint for the focus group session. The focus group interviews at the University of Saskatchewan had three specific objectives: To gain insight into the factors influencing students career focus decisions. To gain insight into the level of knowledge students have about careers in veterinary medicine and the image of those careers. To gain insight into potential initiatives for the university that may serve to build interest in veterinary medicine. Focus group topic #1: Relationship between School Debt and Salary I think Ill be graduated with roughly $150,000 in loan debt. This is undergraduate plus graduate and its stifling to the point that I feel like I absolutely need to get into something that pays well whether it be a specialty or something but I need to make a good sum of money to pay that back. I dont want to be saddled with debt the rest of my life. So, Im heavily motivated by the need for money. All the statistics that weve even been shown since weve been here in the doctoring class when we first started out, they were showing how the incomes were changing and for the most part going down and how the livestock industry and how the food animal industry is considerably lower than the small animal practice and the equine practices and those that specialize in research and its almost why would I want to go that direction [food animal] to come out of school and stay in debt and be impoverishedI could do that now. when you get out of school, unless you do the hardship plan where youre paying off your student loan over 30 years at 92% interest.the payment was $1,200 a month and Im thinking okay thats my loan payment where do I eat? Ill have to walk to work, carry my tools on my back and live in the box that Ive pasted together from all the supplies that Ive purchased. It doesnt seem appealing to me to spend all this time in school just to get out there and be average. .you know were likely telling [employers] that we need more [money] than this but at the same time were so desperate coming out of school being so poor that were gonna have to take whatever it is they give us and if we start out at $35,000 a year or $45,000, its like I shouldnt have even gone to vet schoolits that bad. Focus Group Topic #2: The Nature of the Career I guess what would motivate me to specialize is that I would be one of a few and I would also have the ability to expand the borders of that profession. Small animal practiceI mean theres not much else you can doyou practice and you go and the medicine is pretty much the same and you know theres this and that; but ophthalmology .theres only 80 ophthalmologists in this whole country. So this is providing me with an area that I can make a name for myself, because Im also interested in research where I can hopefully discover something. Well, I guess the main point of that is just the human animal bond is something that is a reality. Its a rewarding thing to facilitate. When you are able to see many different types of people coming into your offices and youre helping facilitate keeping a relationship in their life that is very important to them, thats really rewarding. Ill probably do companion animals for a few reasons. One is that pets are just becoming bigger and bigger parts of peoples lives. They are really important to a lot of people. This is about helping people and helping animals live better lives. Focus Group Topic #3: Perceptions of Job Availability I believe theres likely 75 percent more small animal veterinarians than there are rural veterinarians. So I think that the opportunities out there are wide or more available for people interested in rural practice. [A science] graduate theyre going to be doing most of the things that were taught graduating hereyour c-section, all your animal health care. On the farm you cant afford to outsource that to a veterinarian all the time and pay those kinds of costs. Modern vets are more schooled in pharmaceuticals and science that the old-school vets. Newlytrained vets should easily replace the old-timers. I know that big animal food companies have vets on staff for food testing and diagnostics. So I am thinking that there are still many jobs out there in big cities. There should be openings in the market because there is a more technical side to being a vet these days than in the past and modern technical training is really important. In western Canada there are lots of farms with tons of animals, so having a vet in close proximity is probably a thing. Having modern technical training will be a real benefit to farmers. Most of the jobs should be located in small rural towns. Because the farm is becoming so high-tech, there will be a demand for recent vet grads that are up to date with technology and the latest science. Being a vet is being a scientist, so as farms become more scientific in their management, they should have a greater need for vets, I feel that there will be a growing demand in rural Canada all over. Focus Group Topic #4: Physical Demands of the Job Its just hard because with large animals it depends so much on strength and you know after getting out of school and everything how many good years do I have left before [I cant work with large animals anymore]. Career longevity counts for me. I enjoy being outside in the field, in the weatherIm okay with all that, but to the point where it may be so physically draining that its actually going to possibly end my career in that area it was like I need to take another look at exactly how this is will work for me. How long can I do this job? Im personally afraid of breaking a bone and having my head kicked in; whereas I can get bitten in an urban clinic, but its generally not the end of the world. This job will definitely keep me in shape. There will be times when strength and agility on my part will be in high demand. Also, if I want a long and rewarding career Ill have to have stamina. Task Word Clouds: Word clouds are a way to visually communicate open-ended data. Open-ended data typically comes from a source such as focus groups. Word cloud software allow users to give more visual weight to words or phrases that have a higher frequency of use. The difference in sizes helps differentiate emphasis for viewers of the graphic. Free providers of online word cloud software include https://worditout.com A) Using the Worditout software, analyze the focus group transcripts. With the assistance of the software output, design one summary sentence for each of the four focus group topics that best describes the students feelings. Take screenshots of your four Word Clouds. B) Based on your answers to question A), what might you suggest to the university as a potential promotional message for a veterinary medicine recruitment effort and why

2. Audience Analysis Scenario Your Research Methods class team has previously completed Case #3, Port Arthur Power & Light. This scenario assumes the research study performed by PAP&L is now complete. Task Assuming that you are PAP&Ls marketing manager, what questions about audience analysis should you address in advance as you plan your research presentation to the recipients of the research study? List them with a short explanation for each. 3. Framework for Organization Scenario Assume that you are a representative for a marketing research company which has been commissioned to perform an analysis on the effectiveness of an advertising campaign designed and delivered by Toyota Motor Corporation. You are preparing to give an in-person presentation, based on the results of your research, about the effectiveness of Toyotas recent advertising campaign to restore public confidence in the wake of their delays in solving the airbag malfunction and antilock braking problems for Toyotas high-tech hybrid vehicles. Task Explain how each of three frameworks of organization as discussed in your textbook might be used in the above scenario referencing Toyotas problems and consumer confidence. The three frameworks in question are: Problem/Solution, Past/Present/Future, and Cause/Effect/