A Business Report on International Marketing
A Research Hub: Understanding the motivations of Industry & Government when seeking researchers Griffith University is a public research university based in South-East Queensland. Ranked in the top 5 percent of institutions globally, Griffith University has a leading role as a quality provider of higher education in the Asia-Pacific. The university has a strong reputation for innovative teaching and excellent research. E-Research Services, a department of Griffith University, is looking to provide opportunities for academics to connect with external stakeholders seeking to undertake research projects. The primary aim is to upgrade and provide a user-friendly online research hub (currently known as the Scholars Hub). The following three stakeholders have been identified as key research purchasers:
Horticulture Innovation Australia (formerly HAL), Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR) and the Franchise Council of Australia (FCA). The brief:
1. You are the International Marketing Research officer for this project. You have been asked to prepare a business report for your Project Director to inform the project in the first phase. E-Research Services is trying to understand the international research purchaser market for external research projects in terms of their motivational segment.
2. Your task is to conduct secondary research ONLY on the specific motivational segment of one (from a choice of three) external research purchasers' requirements (e.g. expression of interest (EOI) processes), and review the current offering from 2 x Australian G8 Universities and 2 x leading universities from China (Beijing or Shanghai) and/or the United States in terms of competition for university research providers. Your report is required to address the specific elements of:
• The ‘External Research Purchaser' motivational segment (for example, the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation). Consider the requirements of the motivational segment relevant to your external research purchaser. How will this determine what the external research purchaser is looking for when approaching universities?
• Include key statistics and data for your chosen research provider from a wide range of relevant and recent sources; these do not need to relate specifically to the organization. Some examples will be provided during the associated workshop (recording).
• An overview of the current competitive research hub offerings from your four chosen tertiary universities. Consider how other universities use Google analytics to ensure easier access for research purchasers (research purchasers primarily look for research providers online).
3. The outcome of your report should provide a profile of research providers for your chosen institution. Consider the relative strengths of the competitive offerings provided by your chosen tertiary institutions. Use this information to determine 3-5 recommendations for Griffith University's E-Research services. One of these recommendations should provide a new name for the research hub (currently Scholars Hub). A full list of references must also be provided.