market research

• Marketing Information System (MIS)


  A formalized set of procedures for generating, analyzing, storing and distributing information to marketing decision makers on an ongoing basis
• Information obtained by the MIS


  • Internal records
  • Marketing intelligence
  • Marketing research (only provides information on the basis of ad hoc research)
• All the information obtained by the MIS will be used in decision making
• Marketing research


  Systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, dissemination, and use of information for the purpose of improving decision making related to the identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing
• Aspects of marketing research


  • Systematic
  • Scientific method
  • Accurate information
  • Data collection methods
  • Findings
• Marketing research


  Provides information needed to determine customer needs and implement marketing strategies
• Factors that have increased the need for more and better marketing information


  • Firms have become national and international in scope
  • Consumers have become more affluent and sophisticated
  • Competition has become more intense
  • Environment is changing more rapidly
• Sound decisions are based on sound information but in combination with intuition or experience
• Research design


  A framework for conducting the marketing research project
• Marketing research approaches


  • Exploratory research
  • Descriptive research
  • Causal research
• Exploratory research


  • Flexible
  • Versatile
  • Often the front end
  • Small and non-representative samples
• Descriptive research


  • Preplanned
  • Formal (formulation of hypotheses)
  • Structured design
  • Questionnaires
  • Large and representative samples
  • Findings are conclusive
• Causal research


  • Manipulation of one or more independent variables
  • Control of other mediating variables
• Methods used in exploratory research


  • Expert surveys
  • Pilot surveys
  • Secondary data
  • Qualitative research
• Methods used in descriptive research


  • Secondary data
  • Surveys
  • Panels
  • Observation
• Methods used in causal research

  • Experiments
• When little is known about the problem

  Better to begin with exploratory research
• Exploratory research


  Should be followed by descriptive or causal research
• Not necessary to begin every research with exploratory research
• Exploratory research can be the only step
• Exploratory research is generally the initial step
• The aim of the empirical research was to gain deeper insight of people's perception and evaluation on ICON
• The aim of the Red Cross advertising campaign research was to analyse the advertising campaign's effectiveness among University of Valencia students
• Specific objectives of the Red Cross advertising campaign research


  • Awareness (spontaneous recall, suggested recall, where and how students faced the ad, ability to describe the ad)
  • Assessment (does the ad catch people's eye, do they like it, do they identify the ad with Red Cross, does it transmit the proper message, how convincing/persuasive was the ad, do people identify with the message/values, how do people perceive Red Cross in comparison to other NGOs)
• Marketing Research Process


  1. Problem definition

  2. Research design and formulation

  3. Fieldwork

  4. Data preparation and analysis

  5. Results presentation
• Marketing Research Process


  • Understand the major factors influencing marketing research
  • Explain marketing research as a systematic and scientific process
  • Describe the research process and explain the various steps
  • Discuss the implementation of the process with a real case study
• Step 1: Problem Definition


  1. It is the most important step

  2. Considerations to take into account: purpose of the study, relevant background information, information needed, how it will be used in decision making

  3. Involves discussion with: decision makers, industry experts, secondary data, qualitative research
• Management Decision Problem (MDP)


  Asks what the decision maker needs to know. It is action-oriented.
• Marketing Research Problem (MkRP)


  Asks what information is needed and how can it be obtained. It is information-oriented.
• There is a general rule to be followed in defining the MkRP: State the problem in broad, general terms, Identify its specific components (Approach to the problem)
• Step 2: Development of an Approach to the Problem


  1. Research questions: Statements of the specific components of the problem. They are interrogative

  2. Hypothesis: unproven statements or propositions about a phenomenon that is of interest to the researcher. They are declarative

  3. Information needs: pieces of information that should be collected
• Approach to the Problem


  • Background: Theoretical framework, Analytical models
  • Formulation: Research questions, Hypothesis, Information needs
• Step 3: Research Design and Formulation


  1. Definition of the information needed

  2. Secondary data analysis

  3. Qualitative research

  4. Methods of collecting quantitative data

  5. Measurement and scaling procedures

  6. Questionnaire design

  7. Sampling process and sampling size

  8. Plan of data analysis
• Qualitative


  • Focus groups
• Quantitative


  • Survey, Questionnaire, Sample: 16,000
• Step 4: Fieldwork or Data Collection

  1. Mail surveys

  2. Field force: In the field, From an office, Through mail, Electronically

  3. Selection, training, supervision & evaluation
• Step 5: Data Preparation and Analysis


  1. Preparation: Editing, Coding

  2. Dataset: Transcription, Verification of data

  3. Analysis: Univariate and multivariate techniques
• Step 6: Report Preparation & Presentation


  1. Written report: Research questions, Approach, Research design, Data collection, Data analysis procedures, Results & major findings

  2. Oral presentation
• Empirical Research: Purpose, Information background, Decision making, Involvement
• Pinhole Exhibition & Survey: Steps 1 & 2


  Problem definition & Approach to the problem: MgDP, MkRP, Research questions