UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Economic and Management Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄
Marketing Research
Assignment 01 Action First Funerals Case Study
⋄ ⋄ ⋄
MNM3702
Module Code:
Marketing Research
Module Name:
01
Assignment No:
01
Semester:
28 March 2026
Due Date:
University of South Africa (UNISA)
Institution:
50
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial ful
lment of the requirements for MNM3702 UNISA 2026
,UNISA | MNM3702 Marketing Research
Contents
Question 1 3
1(a) Critical Management Decision, Management Problem and Marketing Research Prob-
lem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1(b) Research Objectives and Research Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1(c) Research Design: Choice and Justi
cation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1(d) Target Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Question 2: Secondary Data Sources 8
2.1 Secondary Data Source 1: Statistics South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Secondary Data Source 2: FSCA Funeral Insurance Market Data . . . . . . . . . . 10
Question 3: In-Depth Interview 11
3.1 Interview Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.2 Summary of Interview Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.3 Signed Consent Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Reference List 18
Page 2 of 18
, UNISA | MNM3702 Marketing Research
Question 1
1(a) Critical Management Decision, Management Problem, and Marketing Research
Problem
Critical Management Decision
Action First Funerals is facing a critical management decision about whether to expand its
service oering and marketing eorts to attract and retain clients in a highly competitive and
price-sensitive funeral services market. With more players entering the funeral and burial plan
space, and with many low-income consumers struggling to keep up with monthly premiums,
the organisation needs to decide how to position itself to stay relevant and grow its client base
(Cant, Wiid & Redelinghuys, 2019).
Management Problem
Critical Consideration
Management Problem: Action First Funerals does not know whether its current
service oering, pricing structure, and brand awareness are su
cient to attract new
policyholders and retain existing ones in a competitive funeral services environment.
The management problem translates the business decision into something that research can
meaningfully address. Managers at Action First Funerals are working with incomplete infor-
mation about what drives consumer choices in the funeral plan market, speci
cally whether
clients choose them for price, trust, service quality, or brand familiarity (Cant et al., 2019).
Marketing Research Problem
Key Distinction
Marketing Research Problem: To what extent are consumers in the target mar-
ket aware of Action First Funerals' services, and what factors in
uence their decision
to purchase and maintain a funeral or burial plan with the organisation rather than a
competitor?
The marketing research problem reframes the management problem as an information gap.
Page 3 of 18
College of Economic and Management Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄
Marketing Research
Assignment 01 Action First Funerals Case Study
⋄ ⋄ ⋄
MNM3702
Module Code:
Marketing Research
Module Name:
01
Assignment No:
01
Semester:
28 March 2026
Due Date:
University of South Africa (UNISA)
Institution:
50
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial ful
lment of the requirements for MNM3702 UNISA 2026
,UNISA | MNM3702 Marketing Research
Contents
Question 1 3
1(a) Critical Management Decision, Management Problem and Marketing Research Prob-
lem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1(b) Research Objectives and Research Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1(c) Research Design: Choice and Justi
cation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1(d) Target Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Question 2: Secondary Data Sources 8
2.1 Secondary Data Source 1: Statistics South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Secondary Data Source 2: FSCA Funeral Insurance Market Data . . . . . . . . . . 10
Question 3: In-Depth Interview 11
3.1 Interview Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.2 Summary of Interview Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.3 Signed Consent Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Reference List 18
Page 2 of 18
, UNISA | MNM3702 Marketing Research
Question 1
1(a) Critical Management Decision, Management Problem, and Marketing Research
Problem
Critical Management Decision
Action First Funerals is facing a critical management decision about whether to expand its
service oering and marketing eorts to attract and retain clients in a highly competitive and
price-sensitive funeral services market. With more players entering the funeral and burial plan
space, and with many low-income consumers struggling to keep up with monthly premiums,
the organisation needs to decide how to position itself to stay relevant and grow its client base
(Cant, Wiid & Redelinghuys, 2019).
Management Problem
Critical Consideration
Management Problem: Action First Funerals does not know whether its current
service oering, pricing structure, and brand awareness are su
cient to attract new
policyholders and retain existing ones in a competitive funeral services environment.
The management problem translates the business decision into something that research can
meaningfully address. Managers at Action First Funerals are working with incomplete infor-
mation about what drives consumer choices in the funeral plan market, speci
cally whether
clients choose them for price, trust, service quality, or brand familiarity (Cant et al., 2019).
Marketing Research Problem
Key Distinction
Marketing Research Problem: To what extent are consumers in the target mar-
ket aware of Action First Funerals' services, and what factors in
uence their decision
to purchase and maintain a funeral or burial plan with the organisation rather than a
competitor?
The marketing research problem reframes the management problem as an information gap.
Page 3 of 18
