Design the focus group study and develop the interviewer's guide In early January 1987, Barbra Lott, vice president of marketing for Parkside Corporation, a leading manufacturer in the recreational vehicle (RV) market, was approached by Paul Ransom. Parkside's president and chief executive officer Ransom, sensitive to con- tinuing developments in the RV market, was concerned with whether Parkside's strategy of concentrating on the motor home segment of the RV market was still sound. Given the company's strong cash position. Ransom told Lott that she should analyze from a marketing perspective whether Parkside should expand into other RV markets and or vertically integrate forward or backward in the RV supplier-manufacturer- distributor chain. If so, Ransom said that he knew of two companies that could be purchased. The first company. Travelall, was a respected, medium-sized manufacturer of travel trailers. The second company, Flushaway, was a small and expanding regional manufacturer of toilets for RVs, boats, and aircraft. Lott recognized the need for marketing research as part of the process of addressing these strategic questions. She first talked with her assistant, Joel Christopherson, about the situation. Christopherson was a recent graduate of a leading business school and had specific training in the area of marketing research. After thoroughly discussing the decision situation. they formulated the following statement: Management objective: To expand Parkside's long-term profitability by entering new market segments within the RV market and or by integrating forward or backward in the RV business.