Market Research

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

BBS Degree in Marketing and Management Limerick Institute of Technology Spring 2009

Year 3: MARKET RESEARCH

“Evaluate emerging student trends for rented accommodation�

Lecturer: Eoghan Sadlier

Students: James J. Keane, K00002935 1

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Contents

Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 4 Problem Definition .................................................................................................................... 6 Research Methods ..................................................................................................................... 9  

Exploratory research ............................................................................................................................ 9 Descriptive research ........................................................................................................................... 10

Secondary Research ................................................................................................................ 11   

The Accommodation‟s Office at the University of Limerick ............................................................. 11 Associated banks in Ireland i.e. Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank ..................................................... 12 Higher Education Authority in Ireland ............................................................................................... 13

Research Tools ........................................................................................................................ 15         

Sample size determination ................................................................................................................. 15 Interview ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Focus groups ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Questionnaire ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Computer applications ....................................................................................................................... 17 Tabulation of survey results ............................................................................................................... 17 Mathematical Tools ............................................................................................................................ 18 Graphical representation of data......................................................................................................... 18 Presentation of findings ...................................................................................................................... 19

Research Findings ................................................................................................................... 20       

Profile of the respondents? ................................................................................................................. 20 Features that categorize accommodation as standard or luxury according to students ...................... 23 Rent students pay and will pay for different types of accommodation .............................................. 24 Students opt for luxury accommodation ............................................................................................ 28 Students‟ personal preferences in beds and central heating ............................................................... 31 Correlation between students‟ expectations of accommodation and their family home .................... 32 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................ 32

Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 34 Limitations of the Research Findings ...................................................................................... 35 Appendix A ............................................................................................................................. 37 Appendix B.............................................................................................................................. 38 Appendix C.............................................................................................................................. 40 Appendix D ............................................................................................................................. 41 Appendix E .............................................................................................................................. 42 Appendix F .............................................................................................................................. 45 Appendix G ............................................................................................................................. 46 Appendix H ............................................................................................................................. 48 Appendix I ............................................................................................................................... 49 Appendix J ............................................................................................................................... 53 Appendix K ............................................................................................................................. 54 Appendix L .............................................................................................................................. 55         

Question 1 .......................................................................................................................................... 55 Question 2 .......................................................................................................................................... 55 Questions 4 & 5 .................................................................................................................................. 64 Question 6 .......................................................................................................................................... 66 Question 7 .......................................................................................................................................... 66 Question 8 .......................................................................................................................................... 69 Question 9 .......................................................................................................................................... 69 Question 10 ........................................................................................................................................ 70 Question 11 ........................................................................................................................................ 70

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Market Research 2008-09

Question 12 ........................................................................................................................................ 74 Question 13 ........................................................................................................................................ 75 Question 14 ........................................................................................................................................ 76 Question 15 ........................................................................................................................................ 76 Question 16 ........................................................................................................................................ 77 Question 17 ........................................................................................................................................ 77 Question 18 ........................................................................................................................................ 77 Question 19 ........................................................................................................................................ 78 Question 20 ........................................................................................................................................ 78 Question 21 ........................................................................................................................................ 79 Question 22 ........................................................................................................................................ 79 Question 23 ........................................................................................................................................ 79 Question 24 ........................................................................................................................................ 80 Question 25 ........................................................................................................................................ 80 Question 26 ........................................................................................................................................ 80 Item L10 ............................................................................................................................................. 81 Item L11 ............................................................................................................................................. 83 Item L3 ............................................................................................................................................... 85 Item L4 ............................................................................................................................................... 85 Item L5 ............................................................................................................................................... 86

Appendix M............................................................................................................................. 88 Appendix N ............................................................................................................................. 89 Appendix O ............................................................................................................................. 92 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 94

5,812 words

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Market Research 2008-09 Executive Summary

The impetus for this study was the competitive market for student accommodation in the environs of the University of Limerick. The client sought information in making a decision to adopt a new marketing strategy by providing standard accommodation with luxury features to students.

The researchers used both exploratory and descriptive research in resolving after highlighting objectives for the study. They began by conducting in-depth interviews with experts in the domain of student accommodation. This was followed by using a focus group to unearth more qualitative information. This was coupled with information from a number of quality secondary research reports. From this basis a probing questionnaire was devised and circulated to 109 subjects for completion after a pre-test was conducted.

The findings showed that 62% of students are living away from home and accommodation is their biggest expenditure. 65% of students would choose luxury accommodation over standard. 67% have a part-time job which is their main source of finance. They also rely on family, government grants and personal savings to finance their life style.

The study states the Sky TV, broadband, 42” plasma TV, double bed, dishwasher, and tumble dryer are the defining features of luxury student accommodation. Students are prepared to pay extra money for the luxury features which would comfortably finance the investment; that amounts to €9 per week per student. This would yield a healthy profit for the client as well as make his task of filling his bed spaces easier. In total students are prepared to pay a maximum of €75 to €80 per week for this class of accommodation.

The study highlights one principle caveat. As there is a recession, this will impact on the supply of accommodation, the number of students attending college, introduction of fees, and the ability of students to secure part-time work to finance their

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accommodation. While that maybe so secondary research has shown that children of professional people are very happy with their finances without the need to work.

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Market Research 2008-09 Problem Definition

There is an oversupply of accommodation being provided in the Castletroy area for the students attending the University of Limerick (UL). Our client, Mr. Ryan sometimes has difficulties filling his rental accommodation with students for the entire college year. He has observed that UL campus accommodation and some of his fellow landlords are invariably successful in achieving complete tenancy occupancy.

He has also noted that a growing and huge percentage of students own their own cars and consume large amounts of alcohol in his accommodation. 80% of his student tenants own cars. Because of this he believes that they have a high disposable income.

He concludes that they demand and are prepared to pay for a higher quality of life, not just for cars and alcohol but also for their accommodation.

In this very competitive environment he finds it challenging to fill all his bed spaces even though his rental charges are comparative with other landlords. Since other landlords seem likely to lower their rents our client wishes to embark on a different strategy. He wishes to increase the likelihood of success by identifying and meeting potential studentsâ€&#x; needs. Since all accommodation is rather homogonous he wishes to differentiate his accommodation from that of others. By being different and offering increased value for a little higher rent he believes that his business will grow, prosper, and thrive.

After further discussion with Mr. Ryan the research group clarified that he did not want the group to identify why other providers were more successful than he was.

Neither did he want them to identify features external to the house that students valued e.g. distance from the college, reputation of the location. The fundamental problem he wished the group to identify was threefold:

1. What are the features of private rented accommodation that single Irish students class as standard and class as luxury?

2. How much will these students pay for standard and luxury accommodation?

3. How much do they value each of the luxury features?

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The students sign the tenancy agreement on the basis of their 15 to 20 minute assessment of the rental accommodation. Each assessment is contrasted with other assessments of accommodation. What they view as providing the greatest value in that brief assessment will be the winning accommodation.

Customer value “is dependent on how the customer perceives the benefits of an offering and the sacrifice that is associated with its purchase” (Jobber and Fahy, 2006, p. 6). Once the features of luxury accommodation are identified they will need to be valued individually. By identifying what students‟ value and how much they value it Mr. Ryan will be able to cost those different features against the value students place on them. Where the cost is less than the net present value of the total future return from students and future possible loss of revenue without the presence of these features then he will include those features in the accommodation.

Coupled with the three objectives above, Mr. Ryan wants to know:

4. Have the students the willingness and ability to pay for the extra luxury features?

5. What is the size of the group that will actually pay for these luxury features?

6. The reasons students opt for the most popular type of accommodation.

7. Is there a correlation between the student‟s home and the choice of accommodation they are choosing?

8. What personal preferences do students have in their choice of bed and central heating?

This will require identifying factors that indicate whether they have the ability to pay for a particular quality accommodation. The percentage of students that can afford this will impact greatly on whether our client will introduce these new luxury features.

In clarifying the above problem experts in the area of student accommodation were consulted e.g. accommodation officer in UL, Limerick Institute of Technology, Estate Agent, Landlady, and a Student tenant. Their contributions are available in both the Primary and Secondary Research below. The client was met a number of times 7

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before, during and after these interviews until the group ensured that the eight objectives above were sufficient to provide the information he needed in making his particular marketing decisions.

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Market Research 2008-09 Research Methods

This research profited greatly from the use of both exploratory and descriptive research. Even though all the group researchers had some familiarity with the issue of student accommodation they felt they needed a broader perspective on the problem of evaluating student preferences. For that reason exploratory research was embarked on.



Exploratory research

It explored the issue of student accommodation and gave the group some new insights and a basic understanding of it. It was an essential foundation on which to prepare for descriptive research.

The exploratory research was conducted by the use of in-depth interviews with experts and stakeholders in the problem area. A focus group with students was used.

Relevant literature was also reviewed.

The informality of these methods was very valuable. The face to face encounters were semi-structured which facilitated the exploring of issues that the group had not contemplated. It gave the researchers the freedom to explore different avenues of interest and change the direction of the enquiry.

In the words of Domegan and Fleming (2003, p. 63) “exploratory research is about establishing trends, patterns and ranges of behaviour.” This research threw light on students‟ perceptions, experience and knowledge of rented accommodation. Hearing first hand from students and service providers helped in identifying a broader range of variables on which to conduct further research.

Appendices B, C, D, E, F, G, H and the bibliography give fuller details, especially procedure details, of the exploratory research that was conducted.

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Market Research 2008-09

Descriptive research

Once the exploratory stage was completed the researchers were enabled to embark on descriptive research. Descriptive research relies on prior knowledge and background information being available. The group took the known variables and prepared a questionnaire on which to quantify them. This research was also based on taking pricing data from relevant sources for computational purposes in the later analysis stage.

The researchers pursued cross-sectional data. It displays the who, what, where, when and how of the relevant variables at a particular point in time. It measures the number and amount of a variables present. For example, it quantifies the number of people who expect broadband in their accommodation or the amount a particular group of students will pay for luxury accommodation.

The researchers needed to evaluate and assess the various aspects of the accommodation, and its price. What are students looking for in accommodation?

What do they value and how much do they value it?

From this information the client, Mr. Ryan, would be able to identify a unique selling point and be able to cost it. He also wanted to be able to segment the market and quantify the size of the market who would be interested in his unique selling point. He needed to know how much they would be able to pay for it. The size of the market would be quantified as a percentage of the target market.

Analysis would be carried out on these findings. An interpretation can be drawn by correlating the different pieces of data into a cohesive mosaic. This will then facilitate recommendations being made to the client.

Appendices I and J give procedural details of the descriptive research that was conducted.

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Market Research 2008-09 Secondary Research

In order to reach their findings the research group conducted desk research to gather secondary data. They endeavoured to ensure that it was as relevant to the project objectives. Before this data was included in the project the quality of the original data and its comparability with the current project were assessed; the data was not too dated for inclusion in this project (Domegan et al., 2003, 78-9).

If data offered background to the current study it would also be included. The data was externally sourced from the following bodies. Since it comes from multiple and reputable sources increased validity is added to it when there is compatibility. The secondary research was used to collaborate the findings of the primary research. It was also used to highlight internal weaknesses and strengths, and external opportunities and threats enjoyed by this client. The following are the findings from the three sources of secondary research.



The Accommodation’s Office at the University of Limerick

A listing of accommodation in UL environs that is registered with the Accommodation Office was availed of. It specifies where the property is located, the landlord‟s contact details, and a basic description of the dwelling and the cost of rental.

The following information was elicited from the rental charges: Minimum

€40.00

Maximum

€90.00

Average

€64.55

Median

€65.00

Mode

€65.00

Standard deviation

€7.95

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Rose supplied a member of the research group with a brochure detailing „On Campus Accommodation‟ at UL. The associated prices were downloaded from the website, www.ul.ie/campuslife/fees.htm. The accommodation varies from an eight bed house to a two bed apartment. Rents do include the following features free of charge: 1. Maintenance 2. Security 3. Internet connection 4. Cable TV including TV license 5. Refuse collection 6. Refuse sacks 7. Light bulbs 8. A cost for limited usage of energy

The weekly rental charges are: Minimum

€94.61

Maximum

€138.11

Average

€118.61

Median

€125.17

Mode

€125.17

Standard deviation

€16.18

The fuller details can be seen in Appendix M.

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Associated banks in Ireland i.e. Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank

In summary research from the banks highlight 1. The majority of students have a part-time job and are living away from home.

2. There is a move away from parents and towards the job to be their main source of finance.

3. Rented accommodation is their highest monthly expenditure costing on average €251 per month.

4. Students are thrifty and have savings accounts. Savings are a big source of finance for holidays at 88% with parents at 40% 12

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According to the Ulster Bank in 2005, four out of every five students receive money from their parents, while an estimated 63% work part-time to support living costs (http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0809/survey.html, 2005).

In 2006, the Bank of Ireland commissioned research which shows that having fun is the number one priority for today's students who are spending an average of €121 each month on socialising and going out. The findings also demonstrated that parents do no foot the bill for student socialising. 41% of the students stated that they receive most of their income from part-time employment. Only 32% now cite their parents as their main source of funding during college. The research further highlights that 43% of those in part-time jobs are working between 10 and 20 hours per week and most earning more than €300 per month. With 62% of students now living away from home, the research shows that accommodation is the highest monthly student expenditure - costing an average of €251. (Bank of Ireland, 2006).

Bank of Ireland found that students are cautious when it comes to their finances, according to research in 2007. Just one in five of its student customers have a credit card. Even more impressively, only one in eight have a loan and three-quarters of them clear their credit card bill every month or operate a credit balance. (http://www.bankofireland.com/press_room/latest_releases/2007/press_releases_news _111927_13.html, 2007)

From research in 2008, the Bank of Ireland stated that 88% of third level students used savings as their source of funding, while 40% funded their trips with gifts from family and friends. (http://www.bankofireland.com/press_room/latest_releases/2008/General_Content_10 00308.html, 2008)



Higher Education Authority in Ireland

A „typical‟ full-time student is studying a primary degree (67%), single (88%), and it on average 22 years of age.

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In 2003/04, the average monthly accommodation in Limerick costs €341. Students were generally satisfied with their accommodation: 48% were „very satisfied‟, 33% were „satisfied‟, 15% considered their accommodation „acceptable‟, 3% were „dissatisfied‟ and 1% „very dissatisfied‟ with their living conditions.

Students under 20 years of age pursuing a primary degree are more likely to live with their parents/ relatives or in designated student accommodation than older students.

Students living in student accommodation spend more on average on their accommodation compared to other groups. Students living with their parents or relatives expressed the highest level of satisfaction with their accommodation while satisfaction levels were lowest among those living in student accommodation. Overall the average distance of students‟ accommodation from college was 2.5 miles.

Employment is the main source of income. Over half of students receive some income from their family while 40 per cent receive some support from the State (in the form of grants, social welfare payments or State scholarships). 54% of students also receive indirect support from their family in the form of a subsidy towards accommodation or other expenses. The proportion of students receiving such subsidies is higher among the younger age group. The highest proportion of a student‟s money goes on accommodation and food. Students spend an average €611 per month on various items.

Female students were more likely to report being in regular paid employment than their male counterparts (47% compared with 39%) However, students whose parents have third-level qualifications are less likely to hold regular jobs than whose parents have lower educational levels. The largest single group of students in employment work 6 to 10 hours per week with just 7 per cent working more than twenty hours per week. In general, students‟ term-time jobs in Ireland are not related to their main field of study.

In general, third-level students participating in the survey tend to describe their current financial situation as „fair‟ or „good‟. Students from the professional classes are more likely to report being „very satisfied‟ with their material well-being compared to those from working-class backgrounds. (Darmody, et al., 2005).

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Market Research 2008-09 Research Tools

„Market research is the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, dissemination and use of information for the purpose of improving decision making..‟ according to the American Marketing Association (Malhotra, 2004, 7). A research tool is any entity that facilitates the more effective execution of that process. In this study numerous tools were used from interview to mathematical models to using Microsoft PowerPoint to present the findings. These are outlined below.

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Sample size determination

Sampling is about taking a small proportion of the entire population in order to elicit responses for certain questions. The challenge is to ensure that the sample is representative of the population. The population for this study was about 6,200 students from UL that were living in rented accommodation. After consultation with Mr. Eoghan Sadlier, an expert in research, it was agreed that 100 students from different years in the Limerick Institute of Technology would be representative.

109 students responded to the questionnaires of which 28 were from UL. Their responses are the primary source of information for the study‟s findings and recommendations. One small focus group meeting was held at the beginning. There were also in-depth interviews with experts in the field of student accommodation held. These were used to give direction to where the descriptive research should go.

Non-probability sampling method was used in this study of which there are four types: purpose, judgement, quota, and convenience sampling. The latter two types of sampling were used to varying degrees. Quota sampling was the type that was most widely used by the researchers. It attempts to replicate the population without using random selection. Year of study was the predetermined control that was used in choosing the sample. The group used this one-dimensional control believing that it would allow the sample to be representative of the population.

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Since it wasn‟t easy to gain access to classes convenience sampling was also used. It is attractive because questionnaires can be filled much quicker. The danger is that it may not be representative of the population. (Domegan et al., 2003, 370-3).



Interview

In-depth interviews are an unstructured and direct way of obtaining information. The researchers used it to explore the area of student accommodation. They approached some pertinent stakeholders such as a landlord, auctioneer, college accommodations office personnel, UL students, LIT students. These subjects were classed as “experts in the field” because of both their personal and professional experience on a daily basis. It was highly beneficial to the study because it uncovered information that the researchers wouldn‟t have sought. It also allowed the interviewees to reveal attitudes and motives that would be unbecoming in other research channels. (Domegan et al., 2003, 153-7). The practicalities and fruits of these interviews can be seen in appendices B, C, D, G, and H.



Focus groups

The five subjects in the focus group were students living in rented accommodation.

They were randomly chosen. The moderator, a member of the research team, had both theoretical and practical experience of counselling. When the group dynamic is alive in a focus group then it can lend to a huge outflow of ideas and feelings. Ideas from one person can trigger a chain reaction of ideas from others. (Domegan et al., 2003, 143-153). It funded the research group with ideas that contributed very positively to the structuring of their questionnaire. The practicalities and fruits of this focus group can be seen in text and DVD in appendices E, and F.

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Market Research 2008-09

Questionnaire

The questionnaire had a total of 70 variables so the researchers endeavoured to make it easy for the respondents to fill out. Ten minutes was viewed as the maximum allowable time to fill out a questionnaire. The final questionnaire required all that time. Except for three open ended questions most of the others were dichotomous or multiple-choice questions.

The questionnaire opened with a welcoming salutation and promise of confidentiality and concluded with a word of gratitude. The first question was a filtering question with the personal questions left to the end. The opening questions were the easiest to answer. Effort was put into the layout of the questionnaire with lots of white space throughout the four pages.

The questionnaire was pretested on a random sample of five from the population and administered by those who were eventually going to have that task. A sample questionnaire is available in Appendix I and a brief description of its implementation in Appendix J. (Malhotra, 2004, 276-309; Domegan et al., 2003, 272-311).



Computer applications

Most of the data produced in this project was by SPSS. Its main program is frequencies. Its main cross-tabulation is Crosstabs. Both of these were used to great effect in this project and produced almost all the data that was used in analysis.

(Malhotra, 2004, 461)



Tabulation of survey results

Once all the survey results are stored in SPSS they then need to be tabulated. The most basic form of tabulation is the one-way frequency table. One variable is considered at a time. The objective is to count the number of responses associated

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with different values of a variable. The frequency of different values of a variable is expressed as a percentage or a number. (McDaniel, C., Gates, R., 1993, 537)

Crosstabulation is the next analytical tool that was used in this study. Even though it is a powerful analytical tool it is simple to understand. “Many marketing research studies, possibly most, go no further than crosstabulations in terms of analysis” (McDaniel et al., 1993, 540). It examines the responses of one variable in response to one or more variables. The output can be represented as numbers or percentages in tables or graphs. This can be easily understood by those who are not statically orientated.

The chi-square statistic is used to measure the strength of association between two variables (Malhotra, 2004, 444).

Microsoft Excel offers many analytical tools e.g. correlations, minimum, maximum, average, median, mode, standard deviation. Correlations can be determined by using the CORREL function. It can only be used when a correlation coefficient of two cell ranges is needed. It could be used to find a correlation coefficient between the year a student is in and the amount of weekly rent they are prepared to pay. The CHITEST function assesses the correlation between actual results and expected results.



Mathematical Tools

The internal rate of return was used to calculate the net present value of investing money in luxury items when compared to the extra money that students were prepared to pay for them.



Graphical representation of data

Even though software applications are invariably defaulted to output survey results in tabular format they can also be configured to present them in graphical format.

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Microsoft Excel would be amongst the most powerful tools for graphical representations. It offers column, line, pie, bar and area charts.

In this study the results were initially outputted in tabular structures which were collated in the Appendices. From there most of them were copied to Excel where they were represented in pie, line or bar charts.



Presentation of findings

The popular Microsoft PowerPoint will be used in the display of the final results to the client and his audience by the research team.

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Market Research 2008-09 Research Findings

Through the use of SPSS and Microsoft Excel this section will take the answers from the questionnaires and present them in graphical format with commentary. It will begin by examining the profile of the sample. It will then show the findings for the eight objectives under the following headings.

1. Features that categorise accommodation as standard or luxury according to students.

2. Rent students pay and will pay for different types of accommodation.

3. Students opt for luxury accommodation.

4. Students‟ personal preferences in beds and central heating.

5. Correlation between students‟ expectations of accommodation and their family home.



Profile of the respondents?

109 questionnaires were completed for this project. They were unmarried Irish third level students living in rented accommodation (Appendix L, Question 1). This is the primary source of this report‟s findings. It is also substantiated by secondary research, four interviews with various stakeholders and one focus group with students.

The following 4 graphs give a profile of the 109 student respondents to the questionnaire.

College Year of Participating Students First 18%

Post-Grad 20% Fourth 18%

Second 24%

Third 20% (Appendix L, Question 19) 20

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Gender Size

Females 48%

Males 52%

(Appendix L, Question 21)

Home Residence

Urban 48%

Rural 52%

(Appendix L, Question 22)

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Age

Age profile of Respondents 33 31 29 28 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Percentage 79% of the respondents varied in age from 18 to 23 years of age, with 21 year olds occupying the largest portion of that group (Appendix L, Question 20).

Number of accommodation units visited

Percentage of students who make a particular number of accommodation examinations before chooing one 29 25 20 13 11 10 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 0 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Percentage of students who visited 70% of the respondents made from 2 to 5 accommodation inspections before choosing one (Appendix L, Question 10).

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Market Research 2008-09

Features that categorize accommodation as standard or luxury according to students

This is the first objective that the client needed answered (Appendix L, Question 2).

What follows is a listing and ranking of these features:

Item

Standard

Cleanliness inside Cooker Fridge/Freezer small Microwave Bed Type: single Suite of Furniture Aerial to receive the 4 Irish channels Insulated house Window Coverings Windows (single glaze) Electric shower 22 inch TV House well maintained Insulated hot tank Washing machine Fridge/Freezer medium Windows (double glaze) Wall decorations Cut lawns Free Refuse service Cable television Tumble Dryer Broadband installed Bed Type: double DVD player Dishwasher Shed Fridge/Freezer large Free Electricity 32 inch plasma TV En-suites in each bedroom Free Heating Sky television 42 inch plasma TV 50 inch plasma TV

Luxury

97% 96% 96% 95% 93% 93% 92% 92% 91% 89% 87% 84% 83% 82% 82% 73% 69% 63% 60% 52% 50% 51% 53% 56% 56% 61% 68% 71% 73% 73% 73% 74% 93% 97% 99%

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Market Research 2008-09

Rent students pay and will pay for different types of accommodation

What is the highest rent student respondents are willing to pay for a single room in house accommodation?

Weekly rent

Maximum weekly rent student are willing to pay for a single room in house accommodation €120 €110 €100 €99 €90 €85 €83 €80 €75 €72 €70 €66 €65 €60 €55 €50 €45 €40 €25 €10 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Percentage

67% of students will pay a maximum of €60 to €80 per week for a single room in house accommodation. 47% of students will pay a maximum of €70 to €80 per week for a single room in house accommodation. 39% of students will pay a maximum of €70 to €75 per week for a single room in house accommodation. There are only 8% of respondents who will pay €80 per week. There is a total of 21% who will pay above €80 per week. €70 to €75 per week is the pertinent figures to take from these statistics (Appendix L, Question 14).

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Weekly rent

Maximum weekly rent would respondents pay for standard accommodation 100 85 83 80 75 72 70 65 63 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Percentage

74% of students would pay from €50 to €70 per week for standard accommodation.

The highest concentration of 30% would pay €60 per week. 17% would pay more than €70 per week with 9% paying less than €50 per week (Appendix L, Question 4&5).

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Weekly rent

Weekly rent respondents would pay for standard accommodation with all the luxury features €135 €120 €100 €99 €95 €90 €85 €83 €80 €75 €73 €70 €66 €65 €60 €55 €50 €48 €45 €40 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Percentage of people who would pay a particular weekly rent

49% of students would pay a maximum of €70 to €80 per week for standard accommodation with all the luxury features. If the range is increased from €65 to €90 per week then 70% of students will pay that amount. The highest concentration is 33% of students prepared to pay between €75 and €80 per week (Appendix L, Question 4&5).

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Weekly rent

Weekly rent respondents actually pay for accommodation 110 100 99 90 88 85 84 83 82 80 75 72 70 65 64 60 55 50 40 36 35 0 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Percentage of people who pay a particular amount

64% of respondents actually pay from â‚Ź60 to â‚Ź75 per week. 25% will pay varying amounts above that range while 11% will pay below that range (Appendix L, Question 12).

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Market Research 2008-09

Students opt for luxury accommodation

Which accommodation would respondents actually choose?

Choice of accommodation Standard 35%

Luxury 65%

Almost 2 to 1 of the respondents would actually choose Standard accommodation with all the luxury features as described above in preference to standard accommodation.

Reason why Students choose Luxury Accommodation

Other 28%

Comfort 36%

Ease Living 36%

It is worth noting that 69% of students who choose standard accommodation did so because of price (Appendix L, Question 7).

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Percentage of students who are willing to pay different prices for each of the luxury features Sky TV 7% 13% 20%

Broadband

28%

Double bed

29% 34% 35%

42 inch Plasma TV 19%

Dishwasher

27% 18% 21% 34%

Tumble dryer

32%

Chorus TV

25%

Landline

28%

DVD player

56%

17% 31%

57%

0 cent

30%

18%

15% 16% 21%

18% 17% 11% 15%

11% 11% 12% 6% 5%

11% 8% 6% 7% 5% 4% 3% 6% 3%

14% 10% 12% 6% 3% 3% 3% 3% 1%

€1.00– €1.99

€2.00–€2.99

€3.00– €3.99

€4.00–€4.99

19%

18%

19% 1-99 cent

Figure 1A

The landline and DVD player are being dropped from the offering since 56% and 57% respectively would give nothing for them. Chorus television is also being dropped since it would be only costing 4 cent per week per student extra than the highly popular Sky Television.

Weekly rent per week per student 42'' Plasma TV €1.00 Double Bed €0.56 Dishwasher €0.27 Tumble Dryer €0.25 €2.08

Weekly per week per student Sky TV €1.37 Broadband €2.66 €4.03

(Appendix L, Question 1).

The above tables show that products are much cheaper to supply than services. These are the amounts that need to be recouped when products are supplied using an internal 29

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

rate of return of 0%. This would give the breakeven point if the cost of capital was free. If the cost of capital was 4% then the weekly rental charge per student would rise to €2.33. That means that the cost of supplying both services and products would amount of a total rental increase of €6.36.

Figure 1A above shows that on average 60% of students are prepared to pay from 1 cent to €2.99 per week for the six features that would be included in luxury accommodation as outlined above. If an average figure of €1.50 was used the return would be €9 per week income. This would more than compensate for the total investment in these luxury features.

Students have shown an appetite for luxury accommodation and are willing to pay in the region of €75 to €80 per week as shown in Table 1B below. This is the market segment that our client felt was not being met and wanted to enter.

Type of accommodation situations Weekly rent respondents would pay for standard accommodation Week rent respondents actually pay for accommodation Highest rent student respondents are willing to pay for a single room in house accommodation Weekly rent respondents would pay for standard accommodation with all the luxury features Table 1B

30

€ to € 60 65 65 70 70

75

75

80

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Students’ personal preferences in beds and central heating

The client sought information that is represented in the following which is an addendum to the main focus of this study.

Type of Bed Preference

Hard 45% Soft 55%

(Appendix L, Question 8).

Type of Central Heating

Oil 46% Gas 54%

(Appendix L, Question 9).

31

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Correlation between students’ expectations of accommodation and their family home

The client wanted to know if the student‟s expectations for accommodation were dependent on what they had at home. If this dependency existed then improvements in household amenities should be similarly matched in student rented accommodation. It was examined under two variables: broadband and dishwashers.

Broadband Having broadband at home has a reasonable impact on whether students class it as a standard or luxury item in their rented accommodation. 71% of students who do not have broadband at home class it as a luxury. Only 52% of those who do have broadband at home class it as a luxury (Appendix L, Item 4).

The value of .115 from the Cramer‟s V test indicates that the relationship is not strong. A value of zero indicates that there is no relationship, while a value of one indicates a perfect relationship. (Janssens et al., 60-65, 2008).

Dishwasher Having a dishwasher at home has also a reasonable impact on whether students class it as a standard or luxury item in their rented accommodation. 71% of students who do not have a dishwasher at home class it as a luxury. Only 51% of those who do have dishwasher at home class it as a luxury (Appendix L, Item 5). The value of .116 from the Cramer‟s V test indicates that the relationship is not strong.

Both findings were very similar and show that the amenities in a family home do not impact greatly on students expectations from their rented accommodation.



Conclusions

The students come from the different year groups, equally divided between males and females, urban and rural, with their ages varying from 18 to 23 years. They inspect 32

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

between 2 and 5 accommodations before choosing one. A list of 35 items details what is standard and luxury. Students are willing to pay from €60 to €85 per week for accommodation. 65% of students would choose luxury accommodation if offered it.

Comfort and ease of living are the two main reasons for their choice. They are prepared to pay €9 extra per week for six of the top luxury features.

33

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Recommendations

The findings from this study put forward a number of recommendations with regard to student accommodation. They are:

1. There is a market for standard accommodation with luxury features.

2. Sky TV, broadband, 42” plasma TV, double bed, dishwasher, and tumble dryer are defining features of luxury student accommodation and should be provided.

3. The market can bear a weekly rental from €75 to €80 per week.

4. The group that should be targeted come from all year groups especially postgraduate students. They tend to be female, rural students with part-time jobs.

5. „Comfort‟ and „ease of living‟ should be highlighted in promoting this type of accommodation.

6. Soft beds should be installed since they are slightly more popular.

7. Gas central heating is preferred over oil.

8. Since there isn‟t a strong correlation between family home amenities and student expectations of their accommodation, then the improvements to family homes is a weak guide as to what students class as luxury accommodation.

34

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Limitations of the Research Findings

1. The research group had no experience of research in the accommodation sector.

2. Due to time constraints there was only 109 questionnaires used.

3. The absence of funding limited the extent of the study. With additional financial resources the scope of the study could have been enlarged resulting in a more representative study.

4. The impact of the possible downturn in the economy due to the current recession needs to be included in decisions that the client will be making.

5. It would be interesting to know how UL can command premium rates.

6. The study examined only the internal factors that affect the student‟s decision when choosing their accommodation. External factors like distance from college, external environs, type of desirable neighbourhood were not examined.

7. The non-increase in the number of accommodation places, and the possible introduction of college fees need to be considered when the client is making future decisions. Rising unemployment will possibly increase the numbers of post-graduate students. With co-operative jobs becoming more difficult to get there is a likelihood of an increased demand for accommodation places. These are factors that will affect the students‟ decisions in choosing accommodation that could become scarce. It should also impact on the offerings that Mr. Ryan will be making to his tenant students.

8. Ideally this should be carried out when students have just examined a house.

This wasn‟t possible or practical especially considering the time constraints imposed on the group.

9. Another possible research topic could examine what students actually view and don‟t view when examining a residence. What kind of information, persuasion, and reassurance they need? This survey will emphasise the items that need to be highlighted to order to differentiate the client‟s residence from others. The handing out of a flyer when leaving the residence could be another means of keeping the strong differentiating features to the fore of their minds.

35

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

10. Another possible research topic could examine what students actually view and donâ€&#x;t view when examining a residence. What kind of information, persuasion, and reassurance they need? This suggested survey could discover the items that need to be highlighted to order to best differentiate one residence from others.

11. All student rental accommodation is not homogenous. Therefore the rental payments that students quote need to be understood in the context.

36

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix A

All four members of the Group attended the following meetings. There were other occasions where there were informal meetings of some or all of the members to facilitate a particular task that a member was doing.

Date

Location

Purpose

January 19

Lecture room

Choosing the research topic.

February 27

Library Meeting Room

Planning the project. Allotting work.

March 3

Room 4A01

Review of Focus Group Meeting.

March 6

Eoghan Sadlierâ€&#x;s Office

Review of the groupâ€&#x;s work to date.

March 11

Lecture room

Planning the actual filling in of the 100 questionnaires.

37

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix B

J. J. Keane interviewed Rose Merrigan, University of Limerick Accommodation Office (061-202331, rose.merrigan@ul.ie) on Friday February 27th 2009, at her office.

Rose Merrigan identified the most important items as being 

Distance from the college



Fridge/freezer size and



Availability of a microwave in the kitchen

The next most important items were: 

Cost of the rent



Security



Cooker



Washing machine

The next ranking was 

Cleanliness of the house



Bed type



Heating system



Cable TV



Double glazed windows



Presence of a tumble dryer

The next grouping was: 

Student friendly neighbourhood



Dishwasher



DVD player



Window coverings



En-suite bathrooms



Insulated house with an insulated hot tank 38

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Market Research 2008-09

The next ranking was: 

Distance from Kilmurry Lodge Hotel



Grocery shops



Availability of Broadband



Type of suite of furniture

The items Rose felt that students ranked least when inspecting a house were: 

Cut lawns



Garden shed



Wall decorations



Paint colour



Distance from a bus stop

Rose Merrigan stated that students expect a standard of accommodation that is a little below the accommodation they are used to at home. Cable television is important to them for watching matches. For that reason she believed that the availability of Setanta is important to sports fans.

Rose supplied J. J. Keane with a brochure detailing On Campus Accommodation at the University of Limerick. The associated prices were downloaded from the website, www.ul.ie/campuslife/fees.htm.

She also supplied him with a listing of accommodation in the UL environs that is registered with the Accommodation Office. It specifies where the property is located, the landlord‟s contact details, and a basic description of the dwelling and the cost of rental.

39

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix C

J. J. Keane conducted a telephone interview with Aoife from the University of Limerick Student Academic Affairs (061-202700) on Friday, February 27th 2009.

Aoife confirmed that approximately 25 percent of UL students were on maintenance grants. That amounted to 3,000 out of 12,000 students. They received between â‚Ź1,140 and â‚Ź2,000 in three payments throughout the academic year.

40

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix D

J. J. Keane interviewed Richard de Courcy, of de Courcy Estate Agents, Glentworth Street, Limerick (061-415188) on Saturday, February 28th 2009 at his office.

The items that he highlighted as important to tenants were: 1. Clean both inside and outside the house.

2. Bright house by good choice of paint, papering, or furnishings.

3. Comfortable house.

4. Warm house.

5. Thoughtful and planned layout of items in the house.

6. House and furniture must not be dated or tacky.

7. Television receiving more than the basic Irish channels. Accommodation would need to have either Sky TV or Chorus Multi-channel or something similar.

8. Broadband need not be supplied if there is a landline or a connection to Chorus Multi-channel.

A list of rental accommodation and their associated prices were furnished to J. J. Keane by Richard de Courcy for further analysis.

41

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix E

Focus Group met in Room 4A01, LIT on Tuesday, March 3rd at 3:00 p.m. The moderator was J. J. Keane. The other team members had roles at it. Vicki Ryan acted as camera person. Kieran Curtin took minutes of the meeting. Lucas was one of the participants in the focus group. The participants were students from LIT: Conor, Claire, Anne-Marie, Lucas, and Cathy. These were 3rd year students. The meeting lasted for 18 minutes. The DVD can be located in Appendix F.

The following questions were asked:

1. What words would you use to describe the accommodation that you would like to choose? This concerned matters both internal and external.

2. Which of these internal items are viewed as standard or luxury?

3. What weekly rent do students pay for accommodation?

4. What words would you use to describe accommodation that you dislike?

5. How long would you spend examining potential accommodation before signing up?

6. In choosing accommodation what features would you look for? What criteria do you use when choosing accommodation?

7. How much would plasma TV appeal to you?

8. Does the character of the landlord impact on you?

42

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

9. What extra features would your dream accommodation contain, over and above standard accommodation?

10. Where do you do your washing?

11. Do you prefer gas or oil central heating?

12. Is a landline necessary in student accommodation?

13. Is a microwave standard in houses?

14. Where do you eat your main meal each day?

15. How do students finance their accommodation?

Answers from the respondents:

Students could spend up to of 2 days visiting 5 dwellings and spending 30 minutes in each visit. These would tend to be the maximum figures.

They choose accommodation on the basis of: 1. Vicinity to the college or gym 2. Electric shower 3. Television 4. People who they would be sharing with 5. Broadband present 6. Cost to the accommodation: value for money 7. Clean and fresh.

43

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Students disliked: 1. Noise from parties and loud music 2. Cold or damp house 3. Storage heaters not good for student with asthma

Luxury items would be classed at 1. Presence of channel television was important for some respondents who had moved from home. It kept them out of the pub and trouble. This was also a financial saving.

2. Bigger room 3. House well insulated 4. More storage space 5. Privacy 6. Double bed 7. Bigger fridge freezer 8. Dishwasher as it lessens fights about who does the wash-up.

9. Tumble dryer, but it is very expensive

Students generally finance their accommodation by a combination of many sources e.g. family, job, maintenance grant, and savings. They have their main meal in their accommodation. Microwaves are classed as standard in accommodation. A landline is not necessary since students have mobile phones. Students generally do their washing in their family home but occasionally they will need to do it in their accommodation.

Accommodation could cost as high as â‚Ź85 per week for a room with a double bed and en-suite.

44

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix F

DVD from the Focus Group meeting in Room 4A01, LIT on Tuesday, March 3rd at 3:00 p.m. which is detailed in Appendix E.

45

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix G

J. J. Keane conducted a 22 minute phone interview with Cathy Crawford, a Landlady (087-1253018), who manages a number of student residences in Castletroy, Limerick, on Monday, March 9th 2009.

She stated that students would inspect 3 to 5 houses before choosing one. They would spend about 10 minutes in each dwelling. Rents vary from €50 to €55 for a box room, €65 for a standard room, with a room containing an en-suite fetching €70 to €75 per week. As students move up through the college their expectations increase. First and second years would settle for standard accommodation, while third, fourth, and postgraduates would expect more. Many students have jobs to finance their life style.

First and second years tend to take their laundry to their family home while the senior students tend to do it in their accommodation.

Cathy outlined many features that she believed students valued: 1. Closeness to the college 2. Warm house.

3. Double glazing 4. Clean house 5. Reasonable rent, about €65 per week for a room 6. Large upstairs room 7. All the appliances are in working order 8. Large fridge freezer 9. Microwave 10. Cooker where the hob and oven are separate 11. Preference for gas central heating over oil 12. Who they would be sharing with. Fourth years do not want to live with first years.

13. The less students residing in the accommodation the more preferable 14. Having the landlord close by so he can carry out maintenance and repairs promptly 46

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

15. Students prefer to pay their refuse, heating and electricity bills themselves 16. Senior students would be expecting Chorus or Sky television.

Cathy Crawford believed that students would class the following items as luxuries: 1. DVD player 2. Landline 3. Broadband 4. Tumble dryer 5. Dishwasher 6. Larger television

47

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix H

Kieran Curtin interviewed Wayne Dalton the Accommodation Officer in the Limerick Institute of Technology on Thursday 19th March 2009, from 12.15pm 12.30pm at LIT Student‟s Union.

During the course of the interview Wayne stated that LIT accommodation office generally works as a referral service i.e. they give students a potential list of properties which fits the student‟s accommodation criteria. The LIT accommodation does not get involved in the actual tenancy agreement as that is between the students and the landlord but does try to negotiate the lowest price for the students.

In general first and second year students tend to rent rooms in Cratloe and Thomand villages, while third and fourth years stay in private residential accommodation. In most cases LIT students pay €65 to €80 per week for their student accommodation.

In his opinion features like 42inch plasma televisions, Chorus and Sky television and electric showers would be luxuries that student may not be willing to pay for. Features such broadband, cleanliness, parking facilities and well maintained accommodation would be high on the list of priorities and essential when students are choosing their accommodation.

48

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix I

Student Questionnaire Thanks for volunteering to complete this questionnaire. All information supplied will be treated with the strictest confidentiality and will only be used for this current class project.

1. Are you an unmarried Irish third level student living in rented accommodation? (please tick)

ď ˛ yes ď ˛ no 2. Mark in the appropriate column whether in your opinion a feature is Standard or Luxury in student rented accommodation.

Features considered when inspecting a house for Rental 1. Cleanliness inside 2. Broadband installed 3. Tumble Dryer 4. Dishwasher 5. Washing machine 6. Fridge/Freezer small 7. Fridge/Freezer medium 8. Fridge/Freezer large 9. Cooker 10. Microwave 11. Bed Type: single 12. Bed Type: double 13. 22 inch TV 14. 32 inch plasma TV 15. 42 inch plasma TV 16. 50 inch plasma TV 17. Aerial to receive the 4 Irish channels 18. Cable television 19. Sky television 20. DVD player 21. Suite of Furniture 22. Wall decorations 23. Window Coverings 24. Electric shower 25. En-suites in each bedroom 26. Windows (single glaze) 27. Windows (double glaze) 28. Insulated house 29. Insulated hot tank 30. Shed 31. Cut lawns 32. House well maintained 33. Free Refuse service 34. Free Electricity 35. Free Heating

49

Standard Luxury

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

3. Please outline below extra features that you would like in your accommodation and rate them as either Standard or Luxury.

Extra Features

Standard

Luxury

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

4. What weekly rent would you actually pay for a single room in standard accommodation as outlined above in question 2 and 3 by you? €___________ per week

5. What weekly rent would you actually pay for a single room in standard accommodation with all the luxury features as outlined above in question 2 and 3 by you? €___________ per week

6. Which accommodation would you actually choose? (please tick)

 standard accommodation  standard accommodation with all the luxury features 7. Outline reasons for your choice: (i)

________________________________________________________________

(ii)

________________________________________________________________

8. What type of Bed do you prefer? (please tick)

 firm  soft 9. What type of Central Heating do you prefer? (please tick)

 gas  oil 10. When looking for accommodation how many different accommodation units do you examine on average before choosing one? ________ units

50

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

11. If the items listed below were present in your accommodation, how much extra would you actually pay per week for each of them?

Features

1-99 cent

0 cent

€1.00– €1.99

€2.00– €2.99

€3.00– €3.99

€4.00– €4.99

1. 42 inch Plasma TV 2. Double bed 3. Dishwasher 4. Tumble dryer 5. Chorus TV 6. Sky TV 7. Broadband 8. Landline 9. DVD player Other items

10.

11.

12.

13.

12. How much a week do you pay for accommodation? €___________ per week 13. Please tick if your rent includes any of the following:

 ESB

 heat

 refuse

14. What is the highest rent that you are willing to pay for a single room in house accommodation? €___________ per week 15. Where is your laundry done? (please tick)

 accommodation  elsewhere 16. Do you have a dishwasher at your family home? (please tick)

 yes  no 17. Do you have broadband at your family home? (please tick)

 yes  no 18. What is the largest size TV you have in your family home?

51

_________ inch

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

19. What year are you in college? (please tick whichever applies)

1. first 2. second 3. third 4. fourth 5. post-graduate 20. Age:

________________

(in years)

21. Sex:

 male  female

(please tick whichever applies)

22. Home residence? (please tick)

 urban residence  rural residence 23. Do you receive a maintenance grant? (please tick)

 yes  no 24. How do you finance your accommodation? (please tick whichever applies)

1. family 2. grant 3. job 4. savings 5. other 25. Do you have a part-time job? (please tick)

 yes  no 26. How much on average is your take home pay per week from you part-time job? (please tick)

 less than €50  €50 to €99  €100 to €149  €150 to €199  €200 to €249  €250 to €299  greater than €299 Thanks for your time and effort in filling out this questionnaire. Have a good day!

52

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix J

Vicki Ryan conducted the distribution, completion, and return of one hundred and nine questionnaires to LIT and UL students during lecture periods with the consent of the relevant authorities during the week beginning Wednesday, 11th March 2009. She was ably assisted by Kieran Curtin.

53

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix K

Rose Merrigan, University of Limerick Accommodation Office (061-202331, rose.merrigan@ul.ie) supplied J. J. Keane on Friday February 27th 2009 with the following written documentation for descriptive research:

1. A brochure detailing On Campus Accommodation at the University of Limerick. The associated prices were downloaded from the website, www.ul.ie/campuslife/fees.htm.

2. A listing of accommodation in the UL environs that is registered with the UL Accommodation Office. It specifies where the property is located, the landlordâ€&#x;s contact details, and a basic description of the dwelling and the cost of rental.

54

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix L



Question 1 Are you an unmarried Irish third level student living in rented accommodation?

Valid

Yes No Total

Missing

Missing

Total



Frequency 98

Percent 89.9

Valid Percent 89.9

Cumulative Percent 89.9 100.0

11

10.1

10.1

109

100.0

100.0

0

0

109

100.0

Question 2 Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Cleanliness inside

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Frequency 106

Percent 97.2

Valid Percent 97.2

Cumulative Percent 97.2

3

2.8

2.8

100.0

109

100.0

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Broadband installed

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

51

46.8

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

47.2

47.2 100.0

57

52.3

52.8

108

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

missing

Total

Percent

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Tumble dryer

Frequency Valid

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Standard

53

48.6

48.6

48.6

Luxury

56

51.4

51.4

100.0

109

100.0

100.0

Total

55

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Dishwasher

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Frequency 42

Percent 38.5

Valid Percent 38.5

Cumulative Percent 38.5 100.0

67

61.5

61.5

109

100.0

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Washing machine

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Frequency 89

Percent 81.7

Valid Percent 81.7

Cumulative Percent 81.7 100.0

20

18.3

18.3

109

100.0

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Fridge/Freezer small

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

103

94.5

96.3

96.3

4

3.7

3.7

100.0

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Fridge/Freezer medium

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Valid Percent 73.3

Cumulative Percent 73.3

25.7

26.7

100.0

96.3

100.0

Frequency 77

Percent 70.6

28 105 4

3.7

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Fridge/Freezer large

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing Total

missing

Frequency 30

Percent 27.5

Valid Percent 28.6

Cumulative Percent 28.6 100.0

75

68.8

71.4

105

96.3

100.0

4

3.7

109

100.0

56

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Cooker

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Frequency 105

Percent 96.3

Valid Percent 96.3

Cumulative Percent 96.3 100.0

4

3.7

3.7

109

100.0

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Microwave

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Frequency 104

Percent 95.4

Valid Percent 95.4

Cumulative Percent 95.4 100.0

5

4.6

4.6

109

100.0

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Bed Type single

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

101

92.7

92.7

92.7

8

7.3

7.3

100.0

109

100.0

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Bed Type double

Frequency Valid

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Standard

47

43.1

43.9

43.9

Luxury

60

55.0

56.1

100.0

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Total Missing

Percent

missing

Total

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: 22 inch TV

Frequency Valid

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Standard

92

84.4

84.4

84.4

Luxury

17

15.6

15.6

100.0

109

100.0

100.0

Total

57

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: 32 inch Plasma TV

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

Frequency 29

Percent 26.6

Cumulative Percent 27.1 100.0

78

71.6

72.9

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

missing

Total

Valid Percent 27.1

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: 42 inch Plasma TV

Frequency Valid

Missing

Standard

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

3

2.8

2.8

2.8

Luxury

104

95.4

97.2

100.0

Total

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

missing

Total

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: 50 inch Plasma TV

Frequency Valid

Missing

Standard

Percent

1

.9

Luxury

106

Total

107 2

1.8

109

100.0

missing

Total

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

.9

.9

97.2

99.1

100.0

98.2

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Aerial to receive the 4 Irish channels

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Frequency 100

Percent 91.7

Valid Percent 91.7

Cumulative Percent 91.7 100.0

9

8.3

8.3

109

100.0

100.0

58

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Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Cable Television

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Frequency 54

Percent 49.5

Valid Percent 49.5

Cumulative Percent 49.5 100.0

55

50.5

50.5

109

100.0

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Sky Television

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Valid Percent 7.5

Cumulative Percent 7.5

90.8

92.5

100.0

98.2

100.0

Frequency 8

Percent 7.3

99 107 2

1.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: DVD player

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Valid Percent 43.5

Cumulative Percent 43.5

56.0

56.5

100.0

99.1

100.0

Frequency 47

Percent 43.1

61 108 1

.9

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Suite of Furniture

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing Total

missing

Percent

100

91.7

Valid Percent 92.6

92.6 100.0

8

7.3

7.4

108

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

59

Cumulative Percent

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Wall decoration

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Frequency 67

Percent 61.5

Valid Percent 62.6

Cumulative Percent 62.6 100.0

40

36.7

37.4

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Window Coverings

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Percent

96

88.1

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

90.6

90.6 100.0

10

9.2

9.4

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Electric shower

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Percent

94

86.2

14 108

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

87.0

87.0

12.8

13.0

100.0

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: En-suites in each bedroom

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing Total

missing

Valid Percent 26.9

Cumulative Percent 26.9

72.5

73.1

100.0

99.1

100.0

Frequency 29

Percent 26.6

79 108 1

.9

109

100.0

60

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Windows (singles glaze)

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Frequency 96

Percent 88.1

Valid Percent 88.9

Cumulative Percent 88.9 100.0

12

11.0

11.1

108

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Windows (double glaze)

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Percent

74

67.9

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

69.2

69.2 100.0

33

30.3

30.8

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Insulated house

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Percent

99

90.8

Valid Percent 91.7

91.7 100.0

9

8.3

8.3

108

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

Cumulative Percent

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Insulated hot tank

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing Total

missing

Valid Percent 82.2

Cumulative Percent 82.2

17.4

17.8

100.0

98.2

100.0

Frequency 88

Percent 80.7

19 107 2

1.8

109

100.0

61

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Shed

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Frequency 34

Percent 31.2

Valid Percent 32.1

Cumulative Percent 32.1 100.0

72

66.1

67.9

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Cut lawns

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Percent

64

58.7

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

60.4

60.4 100.0

42

38.5

39.6

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: House well maintained

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Percent

89

81.7

18 107

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

83.2

83.2

16.5

16.8

100.0

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Free refuse service

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing Total

missing

Valid Percent 51.9

Cumulative Percent 51.9

46.8

48.1

100.0

97.2

100.0

Frequency 55

Percent 50.5

51 106 3

2.8

109

100.0

62

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Free Electricity

Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing

missing

Total

Frequency 29

Percent 26.6

Valid Percent 27.4

Cumulative Percent 27.4 100.0

77

70.6

72.6

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental: Free heating

Frequency Valid

Standard Luxury Total

Missing Total

missing

Percent

28

25.7

Valid Percent 26.4

26.4 100.0

78

71.6

73.6

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

63

Cumulative Percent

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Questions 4 & 5 Statistics

N

Valid

Weekly rent for standard accommodation 108

Weekly rent for standard accommodation with all the luxury features 106

Missing

1

3

Mean

68.08

87.79

Median

60.00

80.00

60

80

Mode

Weekly rent for standard accommodation

Frequency Valid

Cumulative Percent

1

.9

.9

.9

30

1

.9

.9

1.9

35

1

.9

.9

2.8

40

5

4.6

4.6

7.4

45

2

1.8

1.9

9.3

50

13

11.9

12.0

21.3

55

5

4.6

4.6

25.9

60

32

29.4

29.6

55.6

63

1

.9

.9

56.5

65

12

11.0

11.1

67.6

70

17

15.6

15.7

83.3

72

1

.9

.9

84.3

75

3

2.8

2.8

87.0

80

8

7.3

7.4

94.4

83

1

.9

.9

95.4

85

1

.9

.9

96.3

100

3

2.8

2.8

99.1 100.0

Total Total

Valid Percent

25

690 Missing

Percent

9999

1

.9

.9

108

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

64

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Weekly rent for standard accommodation with all the luxury features

Valid

40

Frequency 1

Percent .9

Valid Percent .9

Cumulative Percent .9

45

2

1.8

1.9

2.8

48

1

.9

.9

3.8

50

3

2.8

2.8

6.6

55

1

.9

.9

7.5

60

5

4.6

4.7

12.3

65

8

7.3

7.5

19.8

66

1

.9

.9

20.8

70

12

11.0

11.3

32.1

73

1

.9

.9

33.0

75

16

14.7

15.1

48.1

80

19

17.4

17.9

66.0

83

1

.9

.9

67.0

85

9

8.3

8.5

75.5

90

7

6.4

6.6

82.1

95

2

1.8

1.9

84.0

99

2

1.8

1.9

85.8

100

7

6.4

6.6

92.5

120

5

4.6

4.7

97.2

135

1

.9

.9

98.1

401

1

.9

.9

99.1 100.0

702 Total Missing Total

9999

1

.9

.9

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

65

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 6

Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Valid

Standard accommodation

Frequency 38

Percent 34.9

Valid Percent 35.2

Cumulative Percent 35.2

Standard accommodation with all the luxury features

70

64.2

64.8

100.0

108

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

Total Missing

Missing

Total



Question 7 Case Processing Summary Cases Valid N

Outlines (I) reasons for your choice * Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Outlines (II) reasons for your choice * Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Missing Percent

N

Total

Percent

N

Percent

84

77.1%

25

22.9%

109

100.0%

35

32.1%

74

67.9%

109

100.0%

66

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Outlines reasons for your choice * Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Crosstabulation

Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Standard Standard accommodatio accommodatio n with all the n luxury features Outlines(I) reasons for your choice

Price

Count

% within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Comfort

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Easier to live

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Useless for student

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Risk damaged

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Other

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Total

Total

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

67

20

2

22

69.0%

3.6%

26.2%

0

20

20

.0%

36.4%

23.8%

1

20

21

3.4%

36.4%

25.0%

4

1

5

13.8%

1.8%

6.0%

1

0

1

3.4%

.0%

1.2%

3

12

15

10.3%

21.8%

17.9%

29

55

84

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

Outlines reasons for your choice * Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Crosstabulation

Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Standard Standard accommodatio accommodatio n with all the n luxury features Outlines(II) reasons for your choice

Price

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Easier to live

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Useless for student

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Risk damaged

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Other

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Make college easier

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

9

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Total

Standard accommodatio n

Count

% within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Comfort

Total

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

68

3

1

4

25.0%

4.3%

11.4%

1

6

7

8.3%

26.1%

20.0%

0

7

7

.0%

30.4%

20.0%

3

0

3

25.0%

.0%

8.6%

2

0

2

16.7%

.0%

5.7%

3

4

7

25.0%

17.4%

20.0%

0

4

4

.0%

17.4%

11.4%

0

1

1

.0%

4.3%

2.9%

12

23

35

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 8 What type of Bed do you prefer?

Valid

Firm

Frequency 48

Percent 44.0

Valid Percent 44.9

Cumulative Percent 44.9

Soft

58

53.2

54.2

99.1 100.0

3 Total Missing

Missing

Total



1

.9

.9

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Question 9 What type of Central heating do you prefer?

Frequency Valid

Total

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Gas

57

52.3

54.3

54.3

Oil

48

44.0

45.7

100.0

105

96.3

100.0

4

3.7

109

100.0

Total Missing

Percent

Missing

69

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 10 How many different accommodation units do you examine before choosing one?

Valid

0

Frequency 4

Percent 3.7

Valid Percent 3.8

Cumulative Percent 3.8

2

16

14.7

15.4

19.2

3

23

21.1

22.1

41.3

4

15

13.8

14.4

55.8

5

19

17.4

18.3

74.0

6

7

6.4

6.7

80.8

7

7

6.4

6.7

87.5

8

3

2.8

2.9

90.4

10

4

3.7

3.8

94.2

11

1

.9

1.0

95.2

13

1

.9

1.0

96.2

20

1

.9

1.0

97.1

25

1

.9

1.0

98.1

29

1

.9

1.0

99.0 100.0

99 Total Missing

999

Total



1

.9

1.0

104

95.4

100.0

5

4.6

109

100.0

Question 11 How much extra would you actually pay per week for 42 inch Plasma TV?

Frequency Valid

Cumulative Percent

21

19.3

20.4

20.4

1-99 cents

19

17.4

18.4

38.8

€1.00-€1.99

29

26.6

28.2

67.0

€2.00-€2.99

16

14.7

15.5

82.5

€3.00-€3.99

6

5.5

5.8

88.3

12

11.0

11.7

100.0

103

94.5

100.0

Total Total

Valid Percent

0 cent

€4.00-€4.99 Missing

Percent

Missing

6

5.5

109

100.0

70

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

How much extra would you actually pay per week for Double Bed?

Valid

Frequency 29

Percent 26.6

Valid Percent 27.6

Cumulative Percent 27.6

1-99 cents

22

20.2

21.0

48.6

€1.00-€1.99

19

17.4

18.1

66.7

€2.00-€2.99

22

20.2

21.0

87.6

€3.00-€3.99

7

6.4

6.7

94.3

€4.00-€4.99

6

5.5

5.7

100.0

105

96.3

100.0

4

3.7

109

100.0

0 cent

Total Missing

Missing

Total

How much extra would you actually pay per week for Dishwasher?

Frequency Valid

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

0 cent

30

27.5

29.4

29.4

1-99 cents

35

32.1

34.3

63.7

€1.00-€1.99

18

16.5

17.6

81.4

€2.00-€2.99

11

10.1

10.8

92.2

€3.00-€3.99

5

4.6

4.9

97.1

€4.00-€4.99

3

2.8

2.9

100.0

102

93.6

100.0

Total Missing

Percent

Missing

Total

7

6.4

109

100.0

How much extra would you actually pay per week for Tumble dryer?

Frequency Valid

Cumulative Percent

35

32.1

34.0

34.0

1-99 cents

32

29.4

31.1

65.0

€1.00-€1.99

18

16.5

17.5

82.5

€2.00-€2.99

11

10.1

10.7

93.2

€3.00-€3.99

4

3.7

3.9

97.1 100.0

Total Total

Valid Percent

0 cent

€4.00-€4.99 Missing

Percent

Missing

3

2.8

2.9

103

94.5

100.0

6

5.5

109

100.0

71

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

How much extra would you actually pay per week for Chorus TV?

Valid

Frequency 35

Percent 32.1

Valid Percent 34.7

Cumulative Percent 34.7

1-99 cents

30

27.5

29.7

64.4

€1.00-€1.99

18

16.5

17.8

82.2

€2.00-€2.99

12

11.0

11.9

94.1

€3.00-€3.99

3

2.8

3.0

97.0 100.0

0 cent

€4.00-€4.99 Total Missing

Missing

Total

3

2.8

3.0

101

92.7

100.0

8

7.3

109

100.0

How much extra would you actually pay per week for Sky TV?

Frequency Valid

0 cent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

7

6.4

6.7

6.7

1-99 cents

20

18.3

19.0

25.7

€1.00-€1.99

33

30.3

31.4

57.1

€2.00-€2.99

18

16.5

17.1

74.3

€3.00-€3.99

11

10.1

10.5

84.8

€4.00-€4.99

14

12.8

13.3

98.1

44

1

.9

1.0

99.0

47

1

.9

1.0

100.0

105

96.3

100.0

4

3.7

109

100.0

Total Missing

Percent

Missing

Total

How much extra would you actually pay per week for Broadband?

Valid

Frequency 14

Percent 12.8

Valid Percent 13.2

Cumulative Percent 13.2

1-99 cents

29

26.6

27.4

40.6

€1.00-€1.99

27

24.8

25.5

66.0

€2.00-€2.99

16

14.7

15.1

81.1

0 cent

€3.00-€3.99

9

8.3

8.5

89.6

€4.00-€4.99

11

10.1

10.4

100.0

106

97.2

100.0

Total Missing Total

Missing

3

2.8

109

100.0

72

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

How much extra would you actually pay per week for Landline?

Valid

Frequency 57

Percent 52.3

Valid Percent 55.9

Cumulative Percent 55.9

1-99 cents

19

17.4

18.6

74.5

€1.00-€1.99

11

10.1

10.8

85.3

€2.00-€2.99

6

5.5

5.9

91.2

€3.00-€3.99

6

5.5

5.9

97.1 100.0

0 cent

€4.00-€4.99 Total Missing

Missing

Total

3

2.8

2.9

102

93.6

100.0

7

6.4

109

100.0

How much extra would you actually pay per week for DVD player?

Frequency Valid

Total

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

0 cent

59

54.1

57.3

57.3

1-99 cents

20

18.3

19.4

76.7

€1.00-€1.99

15

13.8

14.6

91.3

€2.00-€2.99

5

4.6

4.9

96.1

€3.00-€3.99

3

2.8

2.9

99.0

€4.00-€4.99

1

.9

1.0

100.0

103

94.5

100.0

6

5.5

109

100.0

Total Missing

Percent

Missing

73

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 12 How much a week do you pay for accommodation?

Valid

Missing

Frequency 1

Percent .9

Valid Percent 1.0

Cumulative Percent 1.0

35

1

.9

1.0

1.9

36

1

.9

1.0

2.9

40

2

1.8

1.9

4.8

50

5

4.6

4.8

9.6

0

55

1

.9

1.0

10.6

60

14

12.8

13.5

24.0

64

1

.9

1.0

25.0

65

21

19.3

20.2

45.2

70

17

15.6

16.3

61.5

72

2

1.8

1.9

63.5

75

12

11.0

11.5

75.0

80

5

4.6

4.8

79.8

82

3

2.8

2.9

82.7

83

2

1.8

1.9

84.6

84

3

2.8

2.9

87.5

85

5

4.6

4.8

92.3

88

1

.9

1.0

93.3

90

3

2.8

2.9

96.2

99

1

.9

1.0

97.1

100

2

1.8

1.9

99.0

110

1

.9

1.0

100.0

Total

104

95.4

100.0

9999

5

4.6

109

100.0

Total

Actually weekly rents €69.76 €70.00 €65.00 €12.81 €35.00 €110.00

Average Median Mode Standard deviation Minimum Maximum

74

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 13 Please tick if your rent includes ESB

Valid

Include Not Include Total

Frequency 44

Percent 40.4

Valid Percent 40.4

Cumulative Percent 40.4

65

59.6

59.6

100.0

109

100.0

100.0

Please tick if your rent includes Heat

Frequency Valid

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Include

40

36.7

36.7

36.7

Not Include

69

63.3

63.3

100.0

109

100.0

100.0

Total

Please tick if your rent includes Refuse

Frequency Valid

Include Not Include Total

Percent

54

49.5

Valid Percent 49.5

49.5 100.0

55

50.5

50.5

109

100.0

100.0

75

Cumulative Percent

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 14

What is the highest rent that you are willing to pay for a single room in house accommodation?

Valid

Missing

10

Frequency 1

Percent .9

Valid Percent .9

Cumulative Percent .9

25

1

.9

.9

1.9

40

1

.9

.9

2.8

45

1

.9

.9

3.7

50

5

4.6

4.6

8.3

55

3

2.8

2.8

11.1

60

12

11.0

11.1

22.2

65

9

8.3

8.3

30.6

66

1

.9

.9

31.5

70

28

25.7

25.9

57.4

72

1

.9

.9

58.3

75

13

11.9

12.0

70.4

80

9

8.3

8.3

78.7

83

1

.9

.9

79.6

85

5

4.6

4.6

84.3

90

9

8.3

8.3

92.6

99

1

.9

.9

93.5

100

5

4.6

4.6

98.1

110

1

.9

.9

99.1

120

1

.9

.9

100.0

Total

108

99.1

100.0

9999

1

.9

109

100.0

Total



Question 15 Where is your laundry done?

Frequency Valid

Accommodatio n Elsewhere Total

Missing Total

Missing

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

57

52.3

52.8

52.8

51

46.8

47.2

100.0

108

99.1

100.0

1

.9

109

100.0

76

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 16 Do you have dishwasher at your family home?

Valid

Yes No Total

Missing

Missing

Total



Frequency 83

Percent 76.1

Valid Percent 77.6

Cumulative Percent 77.6

24

22.0

22.4

100.0

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Question 17 Do you have broadband at your family home?

Valid

Yes No Total

Missing

Missing

Total



Valid Percent 81.5

Cumulative Percent 81.5

18.3

18.5

100.0

99.1

100.0

Frequency 88

Percent 80.7

20 108 1

.9

109

100.0

Question 18 What is the largest size TV you have in your family home?

Valid

Missing Total

20-28

Frequency 17

Percent 15.6

Valid Percent 16.5

Cumulative Percent 16.5

29-33

22

20.2

21.4

37.9

34-42

51

46.8

49.5

87.4

42<

13

11.9

12.6

100.0

Total

103

94.5

100.0

6

5.5

109

100.0

Missing

77

3rd Year Group Project ď&#x201A;ˇ

Market Research 2008-09

Question 19 What year are you in college?

Valid

Frequency 19

Percent 17.4

Valid Percent 17.8

Cumulative Percent 17.8

Second

27

24.8

25.2

43.0

Third

21

19.3

19.6

62.6

Fourth

19

17.4

17.8

80.4

Post-graduate

21

19.3

19.6

100.0

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

First

Total Missing

Missing

Total

ď&#x201A;ˇ

Question 20 Age of Respondent

Valid

17

Frequency 1

Percent .9

Valid Percent .9

Cumulative Percent .9

18

8

7.3

7.3

8.3

19

11

10.1

10.1

18.3

20

14

12.8

12.8

31.2

21

24

22.0

22.0

53.2

22

14

12.8

12.8

66.1

23

15

13.8

13.8

79.8

24

6

5.5

5.5

85.3

25

4

3.7

3.7

89.0

26

3

2.8

2.8

91.7

28

1

.9

.9

92.7

29

3

2.8

2.8

95.4

31

1

.9

.9

96.3

33

1

.9

.9

97.2 100.0

999 Total

3

2.8

2.8

109

100.0

100.0

78

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 21 Sex of Respondent

Valid

Male

Frequency 48

Percent 44.0

Valid Percent 45.3

Cumulative Percent 45.3

58

53.2

54.7

100.0

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

Female Total Missing

No response

Total



Question 22 Home residence?

Valid

Urban residence

Percent 46.8

Valid Percent 47.7

55

50.5

51.4

99.1

1

.9

.9

100.0

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Rural residence 21 Total Missing

Missing

Total



Cumulative Percent 47.7

Frequency 51

Question 23 Do you receive a maintenance grant?

Frequency Valid

Total

Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Yes

49

45.0

45.8

45.8

No

58

53.2

54.2

100.0

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Total Missing

Percent

Missing

79

3rd Year Group Project 

Market Research 2008-09

Question 24 How do you finance your accommodation?

Valid

Frequency 37

Percent 33.9

Valid Percent 34.6

Cumulative Percent 34.6

Grant

32

29.4

29.9

64.5

Job

87.9

Family

Missing

25

22.9

23.4

Savings

9

8.3

8.4

96.3

Other

4

3.7

3.7

100.0

Total

107

98.2

100.0

2

1.8

109

100.0

Missing

Total



Question 25 Do you have a part-time job?

Valid

Yes

Percent 65.1

Valid Percent 67.0

34

31.2

32.1

99.1

1

.9

.9

100.0

106

97.2

100.0

3

2.8

109

100.0

No 3 Total Missing

Missing

Total



Cumulative Percent 67.0

Frequency 71

Question 26 How much on average is your take home pay per week from you part-time job?

Valid

Missing Total

Frequency 10

Percent 9.2

Valid Percent 11.8

Cumulative Percent 11.8

€50 to €99

24

22.0

28.2

40.0

€100 to €149

30

27.5

35.3

75.3

€150 to €199

9

8.3

10.6

85.9

€200 to €249

5

4.6

5.9

91.8

€250 to €299

2

1.8

2.4

94.1

Greater than €299

5

4.6

5.9

100.0

Total

85

78.0

100.0

Missing

24

22.0

109

100.0

Less than €50

80

3rd Year Group Project ď&#x201A;ˇ

Market Research 2008-09

Item L10

Weekly rent for standard accommodation with all the luxury features * Which accommodation would you actually choose? Cross tabulation

Weekly rent for standard accommodation with all the luxury features

40

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

48

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

50

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

55

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

60

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

65

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

66

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

70

Total

Standard accommodatio n with all the luxury features

Standard accommodation with all the luxury features

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

3

3

4.3%

4.3%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

3

3

4.3%

4.3%

6

6

8.7%

8.7%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

9

9

13.0%

13.0%

Count

% within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

45

Which accommodatio n would you actually choose?

Count % within Which accommodation would you 81

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 actually choose?

73

75

80

83

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

85

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

90

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

95

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

99

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

100

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

120

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

702

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

82

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

15

15

21.7%

21.7%

7

7

10.1%

10.1%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

7

7

10.1%

10.1%

3

3

4.3%

4.3%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

4

4

5.8%

5.8%

2

2

2.9%

2.9%

1

1

1.4%

1.4%

3rd Year Group Project Total

Market Research 2008-09 Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

ď&#x201A;ˇ

69

69

100.0%

100.0%

Item L11

How much a week do you pay for accommodation? * Which accommodation would you actually choose? Cross tabulation

How much a week do you pay for accommodation ?

0

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

36

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

40

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

50

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

60

65

Total

Standard accommodatio n with all the luxury features

Standard accommodatio n with all the luxury features

1

1

1.5%

1.5%

1

1

1.5%

1.5%

1

1

1.5%

1.5%

1

1

1.5%

1.5%

3

3

4.4%

4.4%

10

10

14.7%

14.7%

15

15

Count

% within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

35

Which accommodatio n would you actually choose?

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Count

83

3rd Year Group Project

70

72

Market Research 2008-09 % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

75

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

80

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

82

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

83

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

84

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

85

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

88

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

90

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

100

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

110

Count

84

22.1%

22.1%

9

9

13.2%

13.2%

1

1

1.5%

1.5%

6

6

8.8%

8.8%

4

4

5.9%

5.9%

2

2

2.9%

2.9%

2

2

2.9%

2.9%

3

3

4.4%

4.4%

3

3

4.4%

4.4%

1

1

1.5%

1.5%

2

2

2.9%

2.9%

2

2

2.9%

2.9%

1

1

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

Total

1.5%

68

68

100.0%

100.0%

Count % within Which accommodation would you actually choose?

ď&#x201A;ˇ

1.5%

Item L3 What year are you in college?

Valid

ď&#x201A;ˇ

Frequency 16

Percent 22.9

Valid Percent 22.9

Cumulative Percent 22.9

Second

14

20.0

20.0

42.9

Third

10

14.3

14.3

57.1

Fourth

11

15.7

15.7

72.9

Post-graduate

19

27.1

27.1

100.0

Total

70

100.0

100.0

First

Item L4

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental : Broadband installed * Do you have broadband at your family home ? Crosstabulation Do you have broadband at your family home ?

Yes Features considered when inspecting a house for rental : Broadband installed

Standard

Count % within Do you have broadband at your family home?

Luxury

Count % within Do you have broadband at your family home?

Total

Count % within Do you have broadband at your family home?

85

No

Total Yes

30

2

32

47.6%

28.6%

45.7%

33

5

38

52.4%

71.4%

54.3%

63

7

70

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Chi-Square Tests

Pearson Chi-Square

1

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) .168

1.160

1

.281

1.963

1

.161

Value 1.899(b)

Continuity Correction(a) Likelihood Ratio

df

Exact Sig. (2-sided)

Fisher's Exact Test

Exact Sig. (1-sided)

.232

Linear-by-Linear Association

1.871

1

.140

.171

N of Valid Cases 69 a Computed only for a 2x2 table b 0 cells (.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 6.29.

Symmetric Measures

Nominal by Nominal

Phi

Value .115

Approx. Sig. .337

.115

.337

Cramer's V

N of Valid Cases

70

a Not assuming the null hypothesis. b Using the asymptotic standard error assuming the null hypothesis.

ď&#x201A;ˇ

Item L5

Features considered when inspecting a house for rental : Dishwasher * Do you have dishwasher at your family home ? Crosstabulation Do you have dishwasher at your family home ?

Yes Features considered when inspecting a house for rental : Dishwacher

Standard

Count % within Do you have dishwasher at your family home ?

Luxury

Count % within Do you have dishwasher at your family home ?

Total

Count % within Do you have dishwasher at your family home ?

86

No

Total Yes

27

4

31

49.1%

28.6%

44.9%

28

10

38

50.9%

71.4%

55.1%

55

14

69

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Chi-Square Tests

Pearson Chi-Square

1

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) .168

1.160

1

.281

1.963

1

.161

Value 1.899(b)

Continuity Correction(a) Likelihood Ratio

df

Fisher's Exact Test Linear-by-Linear Association

Exact Sig. (2-sided)

.232 1.871

1

.171

N of Valid Cases 69 a Computed only for a 2x2 table b 0 cells (.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is 6.29.

Symmetric Measures

Nominal by Nominal

Phi Cramer's V

N of Valid Cases

Value .166

Approx. Sig. .168

.166

.168

69 a Not assuming the null hypothesis. b Using the asymptotic standard error assuming the null hypothesis.

87

Exact Sig. (1-sided)

.140

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix M

Our rental fees have not changed for the Academic Year 2009/10 Rental fees include all utilities as well as cable TV and high speed internet connection Plassey Village 8 Bed House 4 Bed House

Room Rate per person Energy Total Booking Deposit €3,160 €246 €3,406 €250 €3,622 €308 €3,930 €250

Kilmurry Village 8 Bed House 6 Bed House

Room Rate per person Energy Total Booking Deposit €3,320 €246 €3,566 €250 €3,690 €246 €3,936 €250

Dromroe Village 6 Bed Apartment 2 Bed Apartment

Room Rate per person Energy Total Booking Deposit €4,198 €308 €4,506 €250 €4,572 €400 €4,972 €250

Thomond Village/ Cappavilla 6 Bed Apartment 4 Bed Apartment 2 Bed Apartment

Room Rate per person Energy Total Booking Deposit €4,198 €308 €4,506 €250 €4,328 €308 €4,636 €250 €4,572 €400 €4,972 €250

88

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix N

The Eurostudent Survey II, Irish Report on the Social and Living Conditions of Higher Education Students 2003/2004 is a 95 page survey which explores the characteristics of Ireland‟s student population, the economic circumstances they find themselves in, and their living circumstances. It was sanctioned by the Higher Education Authority (Darmody, M. et al., 2005). The executive summary is contained below.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PROFILE Recent decades have seen a dramatic expansion of enrolment in higher education institutions in Ireland. This expansion has been accompanied by a diversification of the profile of students pursuing higher education. There are notable differences in the experiences and profiles of part-time and full-time students pursuing higher education in Ireland. A ‘typical’1 full-time student is on average 22 years of age, pursuing a primary degree (67%), single (88%), has no children and has entered higher education after the completion of the Leaving Certificate. Part-time students, however, tend to be older, on average 32 years of age, are more likely to be engaged in full-time or part-time employment and married with children (only 12% reported being single). Part-time students are also more likely to use ‘non-traditional’ (i.e. Mature Years, Access, etc.) entry routes to higher education.

ACCOMMODATION The highest proportion of full-time and part-time students live in a rented house or a flat (39%). Thirty-three per cent of students live with their parents/relatives, 17 per cent in their own household, 7 per cent in college residences either on or off the campus and 4 per cent in lodgings/digs. Students under 20 years of age pursuing a primary degree are more likely to live with their parents/ relatives or in designated student accommodation than older students. In general, all students spend a significant amount of their monthly income on accommodation, which is more expensive in larger towns and cities,

1

The median is used as the ‘average/typical’ age in this report. The median age is the point at which half of the

sampled students are older than this age while half are younger.

89

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

especially in Dublin where the total average monthly accommodation costs amount to €417. Students living in student accommodation spend more on average on their accommodation compared to other groups. Students living with their parents or relatives expressed the highest level of satisfaction with their accommodation while satisfaction levels were lowest among those living in student accommodation. Overall the average distance of students’ accommodation from college was 2.5 miles. The data also showed that, as might be expected, the further the accommodation, the longer students spent travelling to college.

INCOME The average monthly direct income received by third-level students is €830. As might be expected, part-time students have substantially higher monthly incomes than full-time students (€1934 compared with €578). For both full-time and part-time students, the main source of income is employment. Over half of full-time students receive some income from their family while 40 per cent receive some support from the State (in the form of grants, social welfare payments or State scholarships). Fifty-four per cent of students also receive indirect support from their family in the form of a subsidy towards accommodation or other expenses. The proportion of students receiving such subsidies is higher among the younger age group on full-time courses.

EXPENDITURE Expenditure among higher education students is highest on accommodation and food. In general, expenditure levels are significantly higher among part-time students who spend an average of €1110 per month on various items compared with €611 among full-time students.

EMPLOYMENT International studies show that more students are coming to university after working for a period of time and an increasing number are taking up employment while still in college.

In Ireland, part-time students are much more likely to have held a regular job before college than full-time students (73 per cent compared with 22 per cent). Over half (53%) of students participating in the study hold regular jobs, 15 per cent work occasionally while 32 per cent do not hold a paid job during term-time. Female students were more likely to report being in regular paid employment than their male counterparts (47% compared with 39%) However, full-time students whose parents have third-level

90

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

qualifications are less likely to hold regular jobs than whose parents have lower educational levels. The largest single group of full-time students in employment work 6 to 10 hours per week with just 7 per cent working more than twenty hours per week. In general, students’ term-time jobs in Ireland are not related to their main field of study.

The occupational profile of full-time and part-time workers differs markedly. In contrast to the concentration of full-time workers in service employment, part-time workers tend to be concentrated in professional and managerial employment. Students working during term-time tend to be less ‘satisfied’ with their workload than those not engaged in paid employment.

FINANCIAL WELL-BEING In general, third-level students participating in the survey tend to describe their current financial situation as fair or good. However, part-time students are much more likely to describe their financial situation as good (40%) compared to their full-time counterparts (24%), a pattern that must be seen in the context of higher incomes among this group.

Students’ satisfaction with their financial situation is also clearly linked with their income among both full-time and part-time students, those with higher satisfaction levels tend to have higher incomes. Students from the professional classes are more likely to report being ‘very satisfied’ with their material well-being compared to those from working-class backgrounds. Full-time students were more likely to report being ‘satisfied’ with their workload while part-time students were more likely to find their workload ‘acceptable’.

Dissatisfaction levels are related to the number of hours worked per week and to the number of hours spent in lectures and tutorials.

STUDENT MOBILITY Approximately 10 per cent of students had studied abroad at some point during their current course. Study-related activities abroad were more common among students from higher social classes and those whose parents were highly educated. Study abroad was more common among students on Humanities and Social Sciences courses than other areas. In general, students rely on their families or employment for funding their study abroad. Overall fluency levels in foreign languages are relatively low but proficiency is greater among those who have studied abroad.

91

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09 Appendix O

IRR for investing in a 42" plasma TV Year €1 p/w extra €1.25 p/w extra €1.50 p/w extra 0 -799 -799 -799 1 180 225 270 2 180 225 270 3 80 225 270 4 180 225 270 5 180 225 270 IRR 0.04% 12.61% 20.48%

IRR for investing in a Double Bed Year €0.56 p/w extra €0.60 p/w extra €1.00 p/w extra 0 -499 -499 -499 1 101 108 135 2 101 108 135 3 101 108 135 4 101 108 135 5 101 108 135 IRR 0.33% 2.69% 11.00%

IRR for investing in a Dishwasher Year €0.27 p/w extra €0.40 p/w extra €0.50 p/w extra 1 -309 -309 -309 2 49 72 90 3 49 72 90 4 49 72 90 5 -11 12 30 6 49 72 90 7 -11 12 30 8 49 72 90 9 49 72 90 10 49 72 90 IRR 0.54% 12.54% 20.50%

92

3rd Year Group Project

Market Research 2008-09

IRR for investing in a Tumble dryer Year €0.25 p/w extra €0.35 p/w extra €0.45 p/w extra 1 -279 -279 -279 2 45 63 81 3 45 63 81 4 45 63 81 5 -15 3 21 6 45 63 81 7 -15 3 21 8 45 63 81 9 45 63 81 10 45 63 81 IRR 0.43% 10.83% 19.82%

IRR for investing in a DVD Year €0.06 p/w extra €0.08 p/w extra €0.10 p/w extra 0 -50 -50 -50 1 11 14 18 2 11 14 18 3 11 14 18 4 11 14 18 5 11 14 18 IRR 2.62% 13.53% 23.44%

Yearly cost Weekly per week Chorus TV €240.00 €1.33 Sky TV €246.00 €1.37 Broadband €479.40 €2.66 Landline €305.64 €1.70 Total €7.06

93

3rd Year Group Project

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Kent, Raymond (1993) Marketing Research in Action. New York: Routledge.

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95