Case analysis frameworks and methodologies

¶ … Royal Bee system addresses a narrow niche: passionate fishermen who also have a physical handicap (although, as the case study has shown, this was extended to fishermen who had a physical handicap in the past, but no longer do). The survey should propose to find from the survey information on the necessary features that the product could add in the future to ease the handicapped fishermen, as well as better understand the needs of the targeted market. The survey should be able to show how large the market is, what its purchasing power is, where it is located etc.

Most likely, a personal interview, face-to-face with the potential client, is the best solution in this case, mainly because such an option can also be used to promote the advantages of the product to the potential future consumer and explain how technology can help him continue fishing. The problem with such a method is cost-related: it is more difficult to gather the list of participants and one would need to have individuals go from house to house and complete these interviews (and thus be paid an appropriate per hour rate for that activity).

In order to decrease the costs for personal interview, the company can use the hospital and nursing homes in which potential clients might temporarily reside. Through agreements with nursing homes management (agreement obtained by marketing the new product as a leisure activity that can help the patients in their recovery), people from the company can complete the interviews in such locations.

3. After developing a position on the market, the company could use online interviewing to complete interviews in a much faster manner and to conduct its research at a higher speed and lower cost. Such a solution would imply that the user of Royal Bee (or the potential user of Royal Bee, perhaps a friend of a user who has heard about the product) would log online and complete a survey online. In order to encourage such an activity, the company could provide a free product or other similar amenities. On the other hand, the company would obtain useful information on the use of the product and would be able to address any issues that the users point out.

4. Coverage error could represent a potential survey error in this case, mainly because the interview option was chosen. With the interview option, the individuals conducting the research are limited from a geographic perspective by the fact that they can only interview people in a certain geographic area, which may create errors in the survey. At the same time, from the case study, one can understand that the potential consumers can be divided into two different categories: the handicapped individuals and the individuals who have been handicapped in the past, but are no longer physically challenged. The survey should be differentiated between these two categories of consumers, because, most likely, each category has its own particularities, so the adapted product should differ and the survey as well.

Finally, non-response error should also be considered. Part of the people with a physical handicap may not be able to take the survey because of their current poor health condition, even if they may be potential consumers.