Market research applied as educational innovation: an interdisciplinary academic consulting project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35564/jmbe.2025.0028Keywords:
market research, educational innovations, empirical research, consumer behaviourAbstract
Teaching market research requires active methodologies that link theory and practice. This study focuses on a classroom simulation applied to the Market Research I course, aimed at strengthening understanding of qualitative research, specifically in-depth interviews, through an analysis of tourist behavior in Valencia. The objective was for students to explore the factors that determine the choice of tourist booking channels (physical agencies vs. OTAs) and apply field methodologies in a realistic context. The literature review highlights the transformation of the tourism sector and the importance of experiential methodologies and the development of cross-cutting skills in higher education. The methodology consisted of five phases: design of the simulated scenario, instruction on qualitative techniques, fieldwork, data analysis with specialized software, and presentation of results. The results showed improvements in the understanding of qualitative research, motivation, critical thinking, communication, and professional ethics. The discussion highlights that classroom simulation allows for the consolidation of practical skills and the transfer of theoretical knowledge to real contexts, promoting deep and applied learning in university students.
Downloads
References
Akpomi, M.E., & Amadi, N.S. (2010). The relevance of entrepreneurship education in the implementation of national gender policy in Nigeria. Journal of Association of Female Teachers, 1(2), 115-21.
Azanza, G., Fernández-Villarán, A., & Goytia, A. (2022). Enhancing learning in tourism education by combining learning by doing and team coaching. Education Sciences, 12(8), 548. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12080548
Chura, D. C., & Vargas, S. A. F. (2022). Impactos económicos del turismo en proveedores de servicios turísticos a nivel mundial: Una revisión sistemática. Puriq: Revista de Investigación Científica, 4(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.37073/puriq.5.540
Coronado-Maldonado, I., & Benítez‐Márquez, M.-D. (2023). Emotional intelligence, leadership, and work teams: A hybrid literature review. Heliyon, 9(10), e20356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20356
de Moraes, T. R. M., Freire, O. B. D. L., & de Oliveira, F. Q. P. (2025). Distância temporal na avaliação de hotéis e seus efeitos na satisfação e no boca-a-boca. Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa em Turismo, 19, 3057-3057. https://doi.org/10.11606/d.100.2022.tde-08062022-224631
Ebaid, I.E. (2023). Teaching quality attributes from the perspective of undergraduate accounting students in Saudi Arabia: a survey. Journal of Management and Business Education, 6(1), 78-95. https://doi.org/10.35564/jmbe.2023.0005
Garín-Muñoz, T., & Pérez-Amaral, T. (2011). Internet usage for travel and tourism: the case of Spain. Tourism Economics, 17(5), 1071-1085. https://doi.org/10.5367/te.2011.0080
Hertel, J.P., & Millis, B. (2002). Using Simulations to Promote Learning in Higher Education: An Introduction (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003448594
Hsu, C. H. (2018). Tourism education on and beyond the horizon. Tourism management perspectives, 25, 181-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2017.11.022
Inversini, A. (2025). Human centered digital transformation in travel: a horizon 2050 paper. Tourism Review, 80(1), 326-337. https://doi.org/10.1108/tr-12-2023-0886
Ivanov, I. (2020). THE IMPACT OF OTA–TRANSFORMING CONTEMPORARY TOURISTS’INTENTIONS. Deputy Chief Editor, 50. https://doi.org/10.37708/el.swu.v2i2.5
Joshi, M. & Chugh, R. (2009). New paradigm in teaching and learning of accounting: Use of educational blogs for reflective thinking. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, 5(3), 45-62. http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/viewissue.php?id=21
Kalıpçı, M. B., Şimşek, E. K., & Eren, R. (2024). Decoding the trends and the emerging research directions of E-commerce and tourism in the light of Resource Dependence Theory: A bibliometric analysis. Heliyon, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28076
Küster, I., & Vila, N. (2024). A netnographic study to understand the determinants of experiential tourism destinations. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03156-5
Lestari, E. D.; Rizkalla, N. & Purnamaningsih, P. (2022). The effect of perceived university support, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and proactive personality in promoting student entrepreneurial intention in Indonesia. Journal of Management and Business Education, 5(2), 169-197. https://doi.org/10.35564/jmbe.2022.0011
Mandalia, S. (2023, November). Tourism education in the digital era: navigating innovation and transformation. In International Conference on Social Science and Education 2023. Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-142-5_48
McClellan, R., & Hyle, A. E. (2012). Experiential learning: Dissolving classroom and research borders. Journal of Experiential Education, 35(1), 238-252. https://doi.org/10.5193/jee35.1.238
Mohammed, A., Usman, H. N., Shehu, S., & AbdulRafiu, A. (2025). Assessment of pedagogical challenges on soft skills training acquired among business education students. Journal of Management and Business Education, 8(2), 299–312. https://doi.org/10.35564/jmbe.2025.0016
Ohaka, N.C. (2020). Corporate planning and crisis containment strategies: Insights for 21st century business educators. International Journal of Innovative and Law Research. 6(1), 100-108.
Portelli, K. (2024). Advantages and Disadvantages of Traditional Travel Agencies Vs. Online Travel Agencies. The Online Open Access Repository of the Institute of Tourism Studies (Malta).Prado Roman, M., Prado Roman, A., & Paz Gil, I. (2021). Business simulation as a tool to develop the scenario analysis capacity. Journal of Management and Business Education, 4(1), 44–60. https://doi.org/10.35564/jmbe.2021.0003
Price-Howard, L. K., & Lewis, H. (2023). Perceived usefulness of simulation learning in hospitality education. International Hospitality Review, 37(2), 384-393. https://doi.org/10.1108/ihr-05-2022-0028
Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453-465. https://doi.org/10.1177/1080569912460400
Romero, M. E. P., Flores-Romero, M. B., Alfaro-García, V. G., & Merigó, J. M. (2023). Tourism competitiveness: Bibliometric analysis of global scientific production from 1991 to 2018. Inquietud Empresarial, 21(1), 55-73. https://doi.org/10.19053/01211048.11476
Serrano-Amado, A. M., Montoya-Restrepo, L. A., & Cazares, I. (2018). Analysis of the sustainability and competitiveness of tourism in Colombia. Gestión y Ambiente, 21(1), 99. https://doi.org/10.1108/17554211011037840
Silva, G. L. D., Mendes, L., & Marques, S. (2019). Analysis of the perception of accommodation consumers on the use of online travel agencies (OTAs). Revista Brasileira de Pesquisa em Turismo, 13, 40-57. https://doi.org/10.31336/jtlr.2021.8.33.8.127
Starks, P., & Carroll, W. (2018). Hospitality business simulations today: New generation simulations for new generation students in a new generation marketplace. In J. A. Oskam, D. M. Dekker, & K. Wiegerink (Eds.), Innovation in Hospitality Education (Innovations and Change in Professional Education, Vol. 14, pp. 181-193). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61379-6_12
Tofighi, M. (2022). Differential effect of client-based and non-client-based projects on marketing students’ course performance and evaluations. Marketing Education Review, 32(1), 65–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/10528008.2021.1871851
Torres Taborda, S., Casillas Martín, S., & Cabezas González, M. (2024). Innovación en el estilo formativo para transformar realidades en Educación Superior. Revista de Estilos de Aprendizaje = Journal of Learning Styles, 17(34), 30-51. https://doi.org/10.55777/rea.v17i34.7115
Turnšek, M., & Radivojević, V. (2025). Platformization in Tourism: Typology of Business Models, Evolution of Market Concentration and European Regulation Responses. Platforms, 3(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/platforms3010001
Vélez, A., & Alonso, R. K. (2025). Business simulation games for the development of decision making: Systematic review. Education Sciences, 15(2), 168. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020168
Wilson. S. (2023). Asynchronous lecturer-supported discussion forum in teaching quantitative methods to business students. Journal of Management and Business Education, 6(2), 122-141. https://doi.org/10.35564/jmbe.2023.0007
Zeqiri, A. (2024). From traditional to digital: The evolution of business models in hospitality through platforms. Platforms, 2 (4), 221-233. https://doi.org/10.3390/platforms2040015
Zhou, Q., Shankar, A., Dixit, A., Bhatia, M., & Mehrotra, A. (2024). Current dynamics and future growth of online travel agencies. Journal of Global Information Management, 32(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.4018/JGIM.341797
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Management and Business Education
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
License terms at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode
