ASSIGNMENT.

-1
MARKETING.RESEARCH..
BY:.AHISHEK.PATHAK
.ROLL.NO:.00280401715

Ques.1;.define.marketing.research.and.its.types?

.is.required.at.all.the.stages.of.the.marketing.research.process..The.procedures.followed.at
.each.stage.are.meth..Marketing.research.is.the.systematic.gathering,.recording,.and.ana
lysis.of.data.about.issues.relating.to.marketing.products.and.services..The.term.is.commo
nly.interchanged.with.market.research;.however,.expert.practitioners.may.wish.to.draw.a.
distinction,.in.that.market.research.is.concerned.specifically.with.markets,.while.marketin
g.research.is.concerned.specifically.about.marketing.processes.

Marketing.research.is.often.partitioned.into.two.sets.of.categorical.pairs,.either.by.target.
market:

Consumer.marketing.research,.and.
Business-to-business.(B2B).marketing.research.

Or,.alternatively,.by.methodological.approach:

Qualitative.marketing.research,.and.
Quantitative.marketing.research.

Marketing.research.may.also.be.described.as.the.systematic.and.objective.identification,.c
ollection,.analysis,.and.dissemination.of.information.for.the.purpose.of.assisting.manage
ment.in.decision.making.related.to.the.identification.and.solution.of.problems.and.opport
unities.in.marketing..The.goal.of.marketing.research.is.to.identify.and.assess.how.changin
g.elements.of.the.marketing.mix.impacts.customer.behavior.

The.task.of.marketing.research.is.to.provide.management.with.relevant,.accurate,.reliable,
.valid,.and.current.information..Competitive.marketing.environment.and.the.ever-
increasing.costs.attributed.to.poor.decision.making.require.that.marketing.research.provid
e.sound.information..Sound.decisions.are.not.based.on.gut.feeling,.intuition,.or.even.pure.
judgment.

Marketing.managers.make.numerous.strategic.and.tactical.decisions.in.the.process.of.ide
ntifying.and.satisfying.customer.needs..They.make.decisions.about.potential.opportunitie
s,.target.market.selection,.market.segmentation,.planning.and.implementing.marketing.pr
ograms,.marketing.performance,.and.control..Marketing.research.helps.the.marketing.ma
nager.link.the.marketing.variables.with.the.environment.and.the.consumers..It.helps.remo
ve.some.of.the.uncertainty.by.providing.relevant.information.about.the.marketing.variabl
es,.environment,.and.consumers..Ongoing.marketing.research.programs.provide.informati
on.on.controllable.and.non-
controllable.factors.and.consumers;.this.information.enhances.the.effectiveness.of.decisio
ns.made.by.marketing.managers..

Traditionally,.marketing.researchers.were.responsible.for.providing.the.relevant.informati
on.and.marketing.decisions.were.made.by.the.managers..However,.the.roles.are.changing
.and.marketing.researchers.are.becoming.more.involved.in.decision.making,.whereas.mar
keting.managers.are.becoming.more.involved.with.research..The.role.of.marketing.resear
ch.in.managerial.decision.making.is.explained.further.using.the.framework.of.the."DECI
DE".model:

D.
Define.the.marketing.problem.
E.
Enumerate.the.controllable.and.uncontrollable.decision.factors.
C.
Collect.relevant.information.
I.
Identify.the.best.alternative.
D.
Develop.and.implement.a.marketing.plan.
E.
Evaluate.the.decision.and.the.decision.process.

The.DECIDE.model.conceptualizes.managerial.decision.making.as.a.series.of.six.steps..T
he.decision.process.begins.by.precisely.defining.the.problem.or.opportunity,.along.with.t
he.objectives.and.constraints..Next,.the.possible.decision.factors.that.make.up.the.alternat
 ive.courses.of.action.(controllable.factors).and.uncertainties.(uncontrollable.factors).are.e
numerated..Then,.relevant.information.on.the.alternatives.and.possible.outcomes.is.collec
ted..The.next.step.is.to.select.the.best.alternative.based.on.chosen.criteria.or.measures.of.s
uccess..Then.a.detailed.plan.to.implement.the.alternative.selected.is.developed.and.put.int
o.effect..Last,.the.outcome.of.the.decision.and.the.decision.process.itself.are.evaluated.

Marketing.Research.has.3.basic.principles.or.guidelines.for.generating.information.useful
.to.managers.

Attend.to.the.timeliness.and.relevance.of.research.
Define.research.objectives.carefully.and.clearly.
Do.not.conduct.research.to.support.decisions.already.made.

These.principles.are.simple.and.perhaps.even.intuitive..Nevertheless,.they.are.crucial.to.t
he.proper.and.successful.application.and.marketing.research.

First,.marketing.research.is.systematic..Thus.systematic.planning.odologically.sound,.wel
l.documented,.and,.as.much.as.possible,.planned.in.advance..Marketing.research.uses.the.
scientific.method.in.that.data.are.collected.and.analyzed.to.test.prior.notions.or.hypothese
s.

Marketing.research.is.objective..It.attempts.to.provide.accurate.information.that.reflects.a
.true.state.of.affairs..It.should.be.conducted.impartially..While.research.is.always.influenc
ed.by.the.researcher's.research.philosophy,.it.should.be.free.from.the.personal.or.political.
biases.of.the.researcher.or.the.management..Research.which.is.motivated.by.personal.or.p
olitical.gain.involves.a.breach.of.professional.standards..Such.research.is.deliberately.bias
ed.so.as.to.result.in.predetermined.findings..The.motto.of.every.researcher.should.be,."Fi
nd.it.and.tell.it.like.it.is.".The.objective.nature.of.marketing.research.underscores.the.imp
ortance.of.ethical.considerations,.which.are.discussed.later.in.the.chapter.

Marketing.research.involves.the.identification,.collection,.analysis,.and.dissemination.of.i
nformation..Each.phase.of.this.process.is.important..We.identify.or.define.the.marketing.r
esearch.problem.or.opportunity.and.then.determine.what.information.is.needed.to.investi
gate.it.,.and.inferences.are.drawn..Finally,.the.findings,.implications.and.recommendation
s.are.provided.in.a.format.that.allows.the.information.to.be.used.for.management.decision
.making.and.to.be.acted.upon.directly..It.should.be.emphasized.that.marketing.research.is.
conducted.to.assist.management.in.decision.making.and.is.not:.a.means.or.an.end.in.itself
..The.next.section.elaborates.on.this.definition.by.classifying.different.types.of.marketing.
research.

Types.of.marketing.research.

..Marketing.research.techniques.come.in.many.forms,.including:
 Ad.Tracking..also.known.as.post-testing.or.ad.effectiveness.tracking.is.in-
market.research.that.monitors.a.brands.performance.including.brand.and.advertising.awa
reness,.product.trial.and.usage,.and.attitudes.about.the.brand.versus.their.competition.

Today,.most.ad.tracking.studies.are.conducted.via.the.Internet..Some.ad.tracking.studies.
are.conducted.continuously.and.others.are.conducted.at.specific.points.in.time.(typically.
before.the.advertising.appears.in.market,.and.then.again.after.the.advertising.has.been.run
ning.for.some.period.of.time)..The.two.approaches.use.different.types.of.analyses,.althou
gh.both.start.by.measuring.advertising.awareness..Typically,.the.respondent.is.either.sho
wn.a.brief.portion.of.a.commercial.or.a.few.memorable.still.images.from.the.TV.ad..Othe
r.media.typically.are.cued.using.either.branded.or.de-
branded.visual.of.the.ad..Then,.respondents.answer.three.significant.questions.

1. Do.you.recognize.this.ad?.(recognition.measure).
2. Please.type.in.the.sponsor.of.this.ad..(unaided.awareness.measure).
3. Please.choose.from.the.following.list,.the.sponsor.of.this.ad..(aided.awareness.measure).

The.continuous.tracking.design.analyzes.advertising.awareness.over.time,.in.relation.to.a
d.spending;.separately,.this.design.tracks.brand.awareness,.and.then.develops.indices.of.e
ffectiveness.based.on.the.strength.of.the.correlations.between.ad.spending.and.brand.awar
eness.

The.most.popular.alternate.approach.to.the.continuous.tracking.design.is.the.Communicu
s.System.longitudinal.design,.in.which.the.same.people.are.interviewed.at.two.points.in.ti
me..Changes.in.brand.measures.(for.example,.brand.purchasing.and.future.purchase.inten
tions).exhibited.among.those.who.have.seen.the.advertising.are.compared.to.the.changes.i
n.brand.measures.that.occurred.among.those.unaware.of.advertising..By.means.of.this.me
thod,.the.researchers.can.isolate.those.marketplace.changes.that.were.produced.by.adverti
sing.versus.those.that.would.have.occurred.without.advertising.

Advertising.Research.
.a.specialized.form.of.marketing.research.conducted.to.improve.the.efficiency.of.advertisi
ng..According.to.MarketConscious.com,.It.may.focus.on.a.specific.ad.or.campaign,.or.m
ay.be.directed.at.a.more.general.understanding.of.how.advertising.works.or.how.consume
rs.use.the.information.in.advertising..It.can.entail.a.variety.of.research.approaches,.includ
ing.psychological,.sociological,.economic,.and.other.perspectives..

Brand.equity.research.-
.refers.to.the.marketing.effects.or.outcomes.that.accrue.to.a.product.with.its.brand.name.c
ompared.with.those.that.would.accrue.if.the.same.product.did.not.have.the.brand.name..A
nd,.at.the.root.of.these.marketing.effects.is.consumers'.knowledge..In.other.words,.consu
mers'.knowledge.about.a.brand.makes.manufacturers/advertisers.respond.differently.or.ad
opt.appropriately.adept.measures.for.the.marketing.of.the.brand..The.study.of.brand.equit
y.is.increasingly.popular.as.some.marketing.researchers.have.concluded.that.brands.are.o
 ne.of.the.most.valuable.assets.that.a.company.has..Brand.equity.is.one.of.the.factors.whic
h.can.increase.the.financial.value.of.a.brand.to.the.brand.owner,.although.not.the.only.on
e.

In.the.early.2000's.in.North.America,.the.Ford.Motor.Company.made.a.strategic.decision.
to.brand.all.new.or.redesigned.cars.with.names.starting.with."F"..This.aligned.with.the.pr
evious.tradition.of.naming.all.sport.utility.vehicles.since.the.Ford.Explorer.with.the.letter.
"E"..The.Toronto.Star.quoted.an.analyst.who.warned.that.changing.the.name.of.the.well.k
nown.Windstar.to.the.Freestar.would.cause.confusion.and.discard.brand.equity.built.up,.
while.a.marketing.manager.believed.that.a.name.change.would.highlight.the.new.redesig
n..The.aging.Taurus,.which.became.one.of.the.most.significant.cars.in.American.auto.hist
ory,.would.be.abandoned.in.favor.of.three.entirely.new.names,.all.starting.with."F",.the.Fi
ve.Hundred,.Freestar.and.Fusion..By.2007,.the.Freestar.was.discontinued.without.a.replac
ement..The.Five.Hundred.names.were.thrown.out.and.Taurus.was.brought.back.for.the.ne
xt.generation.of.that.car.in.a.surprise.move.by.Alan.Mulally.."Five.Hundred".was.recogni
zed.by.less.than.half.of.most.people,.but.an.overwhelming.majority.was.familiar.with.the.
"Ford.Taurus".

Brand.association.research.
.refers.to.researches.on.what.do.consumers.associate.with.the.brand?.

Brand.attribute.research.
.refers.to.researches.on.what.are.the.key.traits.that.describe.the.brand.promise?.

Brand.name.testing.
.refers.to.researches.on.what.do.consumers.feel.about.the.names.of.the.products?

The.annual.list.of.the.worlds.most.valuable.brands,.published.by.Interbrand.and.Busines
s.Week,.indicates.that.the.market.value.of.companies.often.consists.largely.of.brand.equit
y..Research.by.McKinsey.&.Company,.a.global.consulting.firm,.in.2000.suggested.that.st
rong,.well-
leveraged.brands.produce.higher.returns.to.shareholders.than.weaker,.narrower.brands..T
aken.together,.this.means.that.brands.seriously.impact.shareholder.value,.which.ultimatel
y.makes.branding.a.CEO.responsibility.

Commercial.eye.tracking.research.-
.examine.advertisements,.package.designs,.websites,.etc.by.analyzing.visual.behavior.of.t
he.consumer..Eye.tracking.is.commonly.used.in.a.variety.of.different.advertising.media..
Commercials,.print.ads,.online.ads.and.sponsored.programs.are.all.conducive.to.analysis.
with.current.eye.tracking.technology..Analyses.focus.on.visibility.of.a.target.product.or.lo
go.in.the.context.of.a.magazine,.newspaper,.website,.or.televised.event..This.allows.resea
rchers.to.assess.in.great.detail.how.often.a.sample.of.consumers.fixates.on.the.target.logo,
 .product.or.ad..In.this.way,.an.advertiser.can.quantify.the.success.of.a.given.campaign.in.t
erms.of.actual.visual.attention.

Concept.testing.-
.to.test.the.acceptance.of.a.concept.by.target.consumers..is.the.process.of.using.quantitati
ve.methods.and.qualitative.methods.to.evaluate.consumer.response.to.a.product.idea.prior
.to.the.introduction.of.a.product.to.the.market..It.can.also.be.used.to.generate.communicat
ion.designed.to.alter.consumer.attitudes.toward.existing.products..These.methods.involve.
the.evaluation.by.consumers.of.product.concepts.having.certain.rational.benefits,.such.as.
"a.detergent.that.removes.stains.but.is.gentle.on.fabrics,".or.non-
rational.benefits,.such.as."a.shampoo.that.lets.you.be.yourself.".Such.methods.are.commo
nly.referred.to.as.concept.testing.and.have.been.performed.using.field.surveys,.personal.i
nterviews.and.focus.groups,.in.combination.with.various.quantitative.methods,.to.generat
e.and.evaluate.product.concepts.

Today,.with.the.advent.of.the.Internet,.concept.testing.has.experienced.resurgence..Arme
d.with.the.ability.to.show.thousands.of.respondents.images.of.an.actual.concept,.many.m
arket.researchers,.and.organizations,.have.had.their.faith.restored.in.this.once.questionabl
e.method..Online.survey.takers.now.have.the.ability.to.view.a.potential.product.in.a.simil
ar.manner.to.how.they.would.view.the.same.product.in.a.retail.environment..In.addition,.
with.online.retailing.become.increasingly.prominent,.many.online.respondents.are.also.on
line.consumers..Thus,.they.are.able.to.easily.place.themselves.in.the.mindset.of.a.consum
er.looking.to.buy.goods.or.services..Since.the.arrival.of.these.methods,.market.researcher
s.have.been.able.to.make.better,.more.accurate,.suggestions.to.their.clients.regarding.the.
decision.to.move.forward,.revise,.or.start.over.with.a.product.concept..Online.Choice.Mo
deling.for.example.can.produce.detailed.econometric.models.of.demand.for.various.attrib
utes.of.the.new.product.such.as.feature,.packaging.and.price.

Cool.hunting.-
.to.make.observations.and.predictions.in.changes.of.new.or.existing.cultural.trends.in.area
s.such.as.fashion,.music,.films,.television,.youth.culture.and.lifestyle..In.this.they.resembl
e.the.intuitive.fashion.magazine.editors.of.the.1960s.such.as.Nancy.White.(Harper's.Baza
ar.1958
1971)..Cool.hunters.operate.most.notably.in.the.world.of.street.fashion.and.design,.but.th
eir.work.also.blurs.into.that.of.futurists.such.as.Faith.Popcorn..Many.web.loggers.now.ser
ve.as.online.cool.hunters,.in.a.variety.of.cultural.and.technological.areas.

Buyer.decision.processes.research.-
.to.determine.what.motivates.people.to.buy.and.what.decision-making.process.they.use.

Copy.testing.
.is.a.specialized.field.of.marketing.research,.it.is.the.study.of.television.commercials.prior
 .to.airing.them..It.is.defined.as.research.to.determine.an.ads.effectiveness.based.on.consu
mers.responses.to.the.ad.and.covers.all.media.including.print,.TV,.radio,.Internet.etc..Alt
hough.also.known.as.copy.testing,.pre-
testing.is.considered.the.more.accurate,.modern.name.(Young,.p.4).for.the.prediction.of.h
ow.effectively.an.ad.will.perform,.based.on.the.analysis.of.feedback.gathered.from.the.tar
get.audience..Each.test.will.either.qualify.the.ad.as.strong.enough.to.meet.company.actio
n.standards.for.airing.or.identify.opportunities.to.improve.the.performance.of.the.ad.throu
gh.editing.

In.1982,.a.consortium.of.21.leading.advertising.agencies.including.N.W.Ayers,.DArcy,.
Grey,.McCann-
Erikson,.Needham.Harper.&.Steers,.Ogilvy.&.Mather,.J.Walter.Thompson,.Young.&.Ru
bicam.etc.released.a.public.document.where.they.laid.out.the.PACT.(Positioning.Advertis
ing.Copy.Testing).Principles.on.what.constitutes.a.good.copy.testing.system..According.t
o.PACT,.a.good.copy.testing.system.is.one.that.meets.the.following.criteria:

1..Provides.measurements.which.are.relevant.to.the.objectives.of.the.advertising.2..Requi
res.agreements.about.how.the.results.will.be.used.in.advance.of.each.specific.test..3..Prov
ides.multiple.measurements.
.because.single.measurements.are.generally.inadequate.to.assess.the.performance.of.an.ad
vertisement.4.Based.on.a.model.of.human.response.to.communications.
.the.reception.of.a.stimulus,.the.comprehension.of.the.stimulus.and.the.response.to.the.sti
mulus..5..Allows.for.consideration.of.whether.the.advertising.stimulus.should.be.exposed
.more.than.once..6..Recognizes.that.the.more.finished.a.piece.of.copy.is,.the.more.soundl
y.it.can.be.evaluated.and.requires,.as.a.minimum,.that.alternative.executions.be.tested.in.t
he.same.degree.of.finish..7..Provides.controls.to.avoid.the.biasing.effects.of.the.exposure.
context..8..Takes.into.account.basic.considerations.of.sample.definition..9..Demonstrates.
reliability.and.validity.

Customer.satisfaction.research.-
.quantitative.or.qualitative.studies.that.yields.an.understanding.of.a.customer's.of.satisfact
ion.with.a.transaction.
Demand.estimation.-.to.determine.the.approximate.level.of.demand.for.the.product.

Distribution.channel.audits.-
.to.assess.distributors.and.retailers.attitudes.toward.a.product,.brand,.or.company.

Internet.strategic.intelligence.-
.searching.for.customer.opinions.in.the.Internet:.chats,.forums,.web.pages,.blogs....where.
people.express.freely.about.their.experiences.with.products,.becoming.strong."opinion.for
mers".
 Marketing.effectiveness.and.analytics.-
.Building.models.and.measuring.results.to.determine.the.effectiveness.of.individual.mark
eting.activities..

Mystery.Consumer.or.Mystery.shopping.-
.is.a.tool.used.by.market.research.companies.to.measure.quality.of.retail.service.or.gather.
specific.information.about.products.and.services..Mystery.shoppers.posing.as.normal.cust
omers.perform.specific.tasks
such.as.purchasing.a.product,.asking.questions,.registering.complaints.or.behaving.in.a.ce
rtain.way..and.then.provide.detailed.reports.or.feedback.about.their.experiences.

Mystery.shopping.was.standard.practice.by.the.early.1940s.as.a.way.to.measure.employe
e.integrity..Tools.used.for.mystery.shopping.assessments.range.from.simple.questionnaire
s.to.complete.audio.and.video.recordings..Many.mystery.shopping.companies.are.comple
tely.administered.through.the.Internet,.allowing.potential.mystery.shoppers.to.use.the.Inte
rnet.to.register.for.participation,.find.mystery.shopping.jobs.and.receive.payment.

The.most.common.venues.where.mystery.shopping.is.used.are.retail.stores,.movie.theater
s,.restaurants,.fast.food.chains,.banks,.gas.stations,.car.dealerships,.apartments.and.health.
clubs,.as.well.as.health.care.facilities..In.the.UK,.mystery.shopping.is.increasingly.used.t
o.provide.feedback.on.customer.services.provided.by.local.authorities.and.other.non-
profit.organizations,.such.as.housing.associations.and.churches.

Positioning.research.-
.how.does.the.target.market.see.the.brand.relative.to.competitors?.-
.What.does.the.brand.stand.for?.

Price.elasticity.testing.-.to.determine.how.sensitive.customers.are.to.price.changes.

Sales.forecasting.-
.to.determine.the.expected.level.of.sales.given.the.level.of.demand..With.respect.to.other.
factors.like.Advertising.expenditure,.sales.promotion.etc..

Segmentation.research.-
.to.determine.the.demographic,.psychographic,.and.behavioral.characteristics.of.potential.
buyers.
A.focus.group.-
.is.a.form.of.qualitative.research.in.which.a.group.of.people.are.asked.about.their.attitude.
towards.a.product,.service,.concept,.advertisement,.idea,.or.packaging..Questions.are.aske
d.in.an.interactive.group.setting.where.participants.are.free.to.talk.with.other.group.memb
ers.
 The.first.focus.groups.were.created.at.the.Bureau.of.Applied.Social.Research.by.associate
.director,.sociologist.Robert.K..Merton..The.term.itself.was.coined.by.psychologist.and.m
arketing.expert.Ernest.Dichter.

Store.audit.-
.to.measure.the.sales.of.a.product.or.product.line.at.a.statistically.selected.store.sample.in.
order.to.determine.market.share,.or.to.determine.whether.a.retail.store.provides.adequate.
service.
Test.marketing.-.a.small-
scale.product.launch.used.to.determine.the.likely.acceptance.of.the.product.when.it.is.intr
oduced.into.a.wider.market..in.the.field.of.business.and.marketing,.is.a.geographic.region
.or.demographic.group.used.to.gauge.the.viability.of.a.product.or.service.in.the.mass.mar
ket.prior.to.a.wide.scale.roll-
out..The.criteria.used.to.judge.the.acceptability.of.a.test.market.region.or.group.include:

(1).A.population.that.is.demographically.similar.to.the.proposed.target.market;.and.

(2).Relative.isolation.from.densely.populated.media.markets.so.that.advertising.to.the.test
.audience.can.be.efficient.and.economical..

Viral.Marketing.Research.-
.refers.to.marketing.research.designed.to.estimate.the.probability.that.specific.communica
tions.will.be.transmitted.throughout.an.individuals.Social.Network..Estimates.of.Social.N
etworking.Potential.(SNP).are.combined.with.estimates.of.selling.effectiveness.to.estimat
e.ROI.on.specific.combinations.of.messages.and.media..

All.of.these.forms.of.marketing.research.can.be.classified.as.either.problem-
identification.research.or.as.problem-solving.research.

There.are.3.main.tools.for.data.collection.as.follows:

Secondary.Participation

Data.collection.tools.involving.secondary.participation.require.no.direct.contact.to.gather.inf
ormation..Examples.of.secondary.data.collection.tools.would.include:

Postal.mail.
Electronic.mail.
Telephone.
Web-based.surveys.
These.data.collection.tools.do.not.allow.the.researcher.to.truly.gauge.the.accuracy.of.the.info
rmation.given.by.the.participants.who.responded.

In-Person.Observations

Data.collection.tools.used.in.personal.contact.observations.are.used.when.there.is.face.to.fac
e.contact.with.the.participants..Some.examples.of.this.type.of.data.collection.tool.would.incl
ude:

In-person.surveys..used.to.gain.general.answers.to.basic.questions.
Direct.or.participatory.observations.
.where.the.researcher.is.directly.involved.with.the.study.group.
Interviews..used.to.gain.more.in.depth.answers.to.complex.questions.
Focus.groups.
.where.certain.sample.groups.are.asked.their.opinion.about.a.certain.subject.or.theory

These.data.collection.tools.not.only.allow.for.a.true.measurement.of.accuracy.but.also.let.the
.researcher.obtain.any.unspoken.observations.about.the.participants.while.conducting.researc
h.

Case.Studies.And.Content.Analysis

Case.studies.and.content.analysis.are.data.collection.tools.which.are.based.upon.pre-
existing.research.or.a.search.of.recorded.information.which.may.be.useful.to.the.researcher.i
n.gaining.the.required.information.which.fills.in.the.blanks.not.found.with.the.other.two.type
s.during.the.data.collection.process..Some.examples.of.this.type.of.data.collection.tool.woul
d.include:

Expert.opinions..leaders.in.the.field.of.study.
Case.studies..previous.findings.of.other.researchers.
Literature.searches..research.articles.and.papers.
Content.analysis.of.both.internal.and.external.records.
.documents.created.from.internal.origin.or.other.documents.citing.occurrences.within.th
e.research.group.

These.three.data.collection.tools.are.the.primary.sources.for.gaining.information.during.resea
rch..The.most.effective.being.the.In-
Person.Observations.with.the.use.of.Case.Studies.and.analysis.for.verification.resources..Wh
ile.each.type.of.data.collection.tool.can.be.used.alone,.most.often.they.are.used.in.either.com
bination.or.conjunction.with.each.other.in.various.ways.

Other.main.types.of.collection.include.census,.sample.survey,.and.administrative.by-
product.and.each.with.their.respective.advantages.and.disadvantages..A.census.refers.to.data.
collection.about.everyone.or.everything.in.a.group.or.population.and.has.advantages,.such.as
 .accuracy.and.detail.and.disadvantages,.such.as.cost.and.time..A.sample.survey.is.a.data.coll
ection.method.that.includes.only.part.of.the.total.population.and.has.advantages,.such.as.cost
.and.time.and.disadvantages,.such.as.accuracy.and.detail..Administrative.by-
product.data.is.collected.as.a.byproduct.of.an.organizations.day-to-
day.operations.and.has.advantages,.such.as.accuracy,.time.simplicity.and.disadvantages,.suc
h.as.no.flexibility.and.lack.of.control.

Marketing.Research.has.3.basic.principles.or.guidelines.for.generating.information.useful
.to.managers.

Attend.to.the.timeliness.and.relevance.of.research.
Define.research.objectives.carefully.and.clearly.
Do.not.conduct.research.to.support.decisions.already.made.

These.principles.are.simple.and.perhaps.even.intuitive..Nevertheless,.they.are.crucial.to.t
he.proper.and.successful.application.and.marketing.research.

First,.marketing.research.is.systematic..Thus.systematic.planning.odologically.sound,.wel
l.documented,.and,.as.much.as.possible,.planned.in.advance..Marketing.research.uses.the.
scientific.method.in.that.data.are.collected.and.analyzed.to.test.prior.notions.or.hypothese
s.

Marketing.research.is.objective..It.attempts.to.provide.accurate.information.that.reflects.a
.true.state.of.affairs..It.should.be.conducted.impartially..While.research.is.always.influenc
ed.by.the.researcher's.research.philosophy,.it.should.be.free.from.the.personal.or.political.
biases.of.the.researcher.or.the.management..Research.which.is.motivated.by.personal.or.p
olitical.gain.involves.a.breach.of.professional.standards..Such.research.is.deliberately.bias
ed.so.as.to.result.in.predetermined.findings..The.motto.of.every.researcher.should.be,."Fi
nd.it.and.tell.it.like.it.is.".The.objective.nature.of.marketing.research.underscores.the.imp
ortance.of.ethical.considerations,.which.are.discussed.later.in.the.chapter.

Marketing.research.involves.the.identification,.collection,.analysis,.and.dissemination.of.i
nformation..Each.phase.of.this.process.is.important..We.identify.or.define.the.marketing.r
esearch.problem.or.opportunity.and.then.determine.what.information.is.needed.to.investi
gate.it.,.and.inferences.are.drawn..Finally,.the.findings,.implications.and.recommendation
s.are.provided.in.a.format.that.allows.the.information.to.be.used.for.management.decision
.making.and.to.be.acted.upon.directly..It.should.be.emphasized.that.marketing.research.is.
conducted.classifying.different.types.of.marketing.research.to.assist.management.in.decis
ion.making.and.is.not:.a.means.or.an.end.in.itself..The.next.section.elaborates.on.this.defi
nition.by.

Measurement.is.the.process.observing.and.recording.the.observations.that.are.collected.as
.part.of.a.research.effort..There.are.two.major.issues.that.will.be.considered.here.
 First,.you.have.to.understand.the.fundamental.ideas.involved.in.measuring..Here.we.consi
der.two.of.major.measurement.concepts..In.Levels.of.Measurement,.I.explain.the.meanin
g.of.the.four.major.levels.of.measurement:.nominal,.ordinal,.interval.and.ratio..Then.we.
move.on.to.the.reliability.of.measurement,.including.consideration.of.true.score.theory.an
d.a.variety.of.reliability.estimators.

Second,.you.have.to.understand.the.different.types.of.measures.that.you.might.use.in.soci
al.research..We.consider.four.broad.categories.of.measurements..Survey.research.include
s.the.design.and.implementation.of.interviews.and.questionnaires..Scaling.involves.consi
deration.of.the.major.methods.of.developing.and.implementing.a.scale..Qualitative.resear
ch.provides.an.overview.of.the.broad.range.of.non-
numerical.measurement.approaches..An.unobtrusive.measure.presents.a.variety.of.measur
ement.methods.that.don't.intrude.on.or.interfere.with.the.context.of.the.research..

By.the.time.you.get.to.the.analysis.of.your.data,.most.of.the.really.difficult.work.has.been
.done..It's.much.more.difficult.to:.define.the.research.problem;.develop.and.implement.a.s
ampling.plan;.conceptualize,.operationalize.and.test.your.measures;.and.develop.a.design.
structure..If.you.have.done.this.work.well,.the.analysis.of.the.data.is.usually.a.fairly.straig
htforward.affair.

In.most.social.research.the.data.analysis.involves.three.major.steps,.done.in.roughly.this.o
rder:

Cleaning.and.organizing.the.data.for.analysis.(Data.Preparation).
Describing.the.data.(Descriptive.Statistics).
Testing.Hypotheses.and.Models.(Inferential.Statistics).

Data.Preparation.involves.checking.or.logging.the.data.in;.checking.the.data.for.accuracy;
.entering.the.data.into.the.computer;.transforming.the.data;.and.developing.and.document
ing.a.database.structure.that.integrates.the.various.measures.

Descriptive.Statistics.are.used.to.describe.the.basic.features.of.the.data.in.a.study..They.pr
ovide.simple.summaries.about.the.sample.and.the.measures..Together.with.simple.graphi
cs.analysis,.they.form.the.basis.of.virtually.every.quantitative.analysis.of.data..With.descr
iptive.statistics.you.are.simply.describing.what.is,.what.the.data.shows.

Inferential.Statistics.investigate.questions,.models.and.hypotheses..In.many.cases,.the.con
clusions.from.inferential.statistics.extend.beyond.the.immediate.data.alone..For.instance,.
we.use.inferential.statistics.to.try.to.infer.from.the.sample.data.what.the.population.thinks
..Or,.we.use.inferential.statistics.to.make.judgments.of.the.probability.that.an.observed.dif
ference.between.groups.is.a.dependable.one.or.one.that.might.have.happened.by.chance.i
n.this.study..Thus,.we.use.inferential.statistics.to.make.inferences.from.our.data.to.more.g
eneral.conditions;.we.use.descriptive.statistics.simply.to.describe.what's.going.on.in.our.d
ata.
In.most.research.studies,.the.analysis.section.follows.these.three.phases.of.analysis..Descripti
ons.of.how.the.data.were.prepared.tend.to.be.brief.and.to.focus.on.only.the.more.unique.aspe
cts.to.your.study,.such.as.specific.data.transformations.that.are.performed..The.descriptive.st
atistics.that.you.actually.look.at.can.be.voluminous..In.most.write-
ups,.these.are.carefully.selected.and.organized.into.summary.tables.and.graphs.that.only.sho
w.the.most.relevant.or.important.information..Usually,.the.researcher.links.each.of.the.infere
ntial.analyses.to.specific.research.questions.or.hypotheses.that.were.raised.in.the.introductio
n,.or.notes.any.models.that.were.tested.that.emerged.as.part.of.the.analysis..In.most.analysis.
write-
ups.it's.especially.critical.to.not."miss.the.forest.for.the.trees.".If.you.present.too.much.detail,
.the.reader.may.not.be.able.to.follow.the.central.line.of.the.results..Often.extensive.analysis.d
etails.are.appropriately.relegated.to.appendices,.reserving.only.the.most.critical.analysis.sum
maries.for.the.body.of.the.report.itself. . In the social sciences, quantitative research refers
to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their
relationships. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical
models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is
central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between
empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships.

Quantitative research is used widely in social sciences such as sociology, anthropology, and
political science. Research in mathematical sciences such as physics is also 'quantitative' by
definition, though this use of the term differs in context. In the social sciences, the term
relates to empirical methods, originating in both philosophical positivism and the history of
statistics, which contrast qualitative research methods.

Quantitative research is generally made using scientific methods, which can include:

The generation of models, theories and hypotheses

Qualitative research is a method of inquiry appropriated in many different academic

Qualitative research was one of the first forms of social studies, but in the 1950s and 1960s
as quantitative science reached its peak of popularity (The Quantitative Revolution) it was
diminished in importance and began to regain recognition only in the 1970s. The phrase
'qualitative research' was until the 1970s used only to refer to a discipline of anthropology or
sociology, and terms like were used instead. During the 1970s and 1980s qualitative research
began to be used in other disciplines, and became a significant type of research in the fields
of education studies, social work studies, women's studies, disability studies, information
studies, management studies, nursing service studies, human service studies, psychology,
communication studies, and many other fields. Qualitative research occurred in the consumer
products industry during this period, with researchers investigating new consumer products
and product positioning/advertising opportunities. The earliest consumer research pioneers
including Gene Reilly of The Gene Reilly Group in Darien, CT, Jerry Schoenfeld of Gerald
Schoenfeld & Partners in Tarrytown, NY and Martin Calle of Calle & Company, Greenwich,
CT, also Peter Cooper in London, England, and Hugh Mackay in Mission, Australia. There
continued to be disagreement about the proper place of qualitative versus quantitative
research. In the late 1980s and 1990s after a spate of criticisms from the quantitative side,
new methods of qualitative research evolved, to address the perceived problems with
reliability and imprecise modes of data analysis.[2] During this same decade, there was a
slowdown in traditional media advertising spending, so there was heightened interest in
making research related to advertising more effective.

In the last thirty years the acceptance of qualitative research by journal publishers and editors
has been growing. Prior to that time many mainstream journals were prone to publish
research articles based upon the natural sciences and which featured quantitative analysis.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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(6) Experimentation in Market Research

A. An experiment involves the creation of a contrived situation in order that the researcher
can manipulate one or more variables whilst controlling all of the others and measuring the
resultant effects. For instance, when United Fruits were considering replacing their Gros
Michel variety of banana with the Valery variety, a simple experiment was first carried out.
In selected retail outlets, the two varieties were switched on different days of the week and
sales data examined to determine what effect the variety had on sales volumes. That is, the
variety was being manipulated whilst all other variables were held constant. United Fruits
found that the switch back and forth between Gros Michel and Valery had no effect upon
sales. United Fruit were therefore able to replace Gros Michel with Valery.

Boyd and Westfall have defined experimentation as:

"...that research process in which one or more variables are manipulated under conditions
which permit the collection of data which show the effects, if any, in unconfused fashion."

Experiments can be conducted either in the field or in a laboratory setting. When operating
within a laboratory environment, the researcher has direct control over most, if not all, of the
variables that could impact upon the outcome of the experiment. For example, an agricultural
research station may wish to compare the acceptability of a new variety of maize. Since the
taste characteristics are likely to have a major influence on the level of acceptance, a blind
taste panels might be set up where volunteers are given small portions of maize porridge in
unmarked bowls. The participants would perhaps be given two porridge samples and the
researcher would observe whether they were able to distinguish between the maize varieties
and which they preferred. In addition to taste testing, laboratory experiments are widely used
by marketing researchers in concept testing, package testing, advertising research and test
marketing.

QUES.2:.EXPLAN.THE.APPLICATION.OF.MARKETING.RESEACH?

ANS:
Types.of.Marketing.Research.Applications
Marketing.research.is.the.gathering,.recording,.and.analyzing.of.data.t
hat.relates.to.a.specific.problem.in.marketing.products.or.services..Whi
le.this.definition.implies.a.systematic.approach.to.marketing,.marketing
.research.is.often.performed.as.a.reaction.to.a.problem.that.occurs..Ma
rketing.research.efforts,.therefore,.often.are.undertaken.for.specific.pro
jects.that.have.set.beginning.and.ending.points.

Market.and.Economic.Analysis
Market.analysis.involves.analyzing.market-
segment.factors.to.determine.the.market.potential.of.a.given.product.or
.service..The.marketing.researcher.gathers.data.and.analyzes.the.fact
ors.that.affect.possible.sales.in.a.given.market.segment..The.economic
.analysis.is.also.used.by.marketing.research.departments.to.determine
:

.How.actively.a.company.should.market.in.a.given.market.segment.
.How.much.money.it.should.invest.in.marketing.to.that.segment.
.How.much.it.may.have.to.produce.to.fulfill.the.needs.of.the.market.s
egment

Economic.analysis.often.involves.economic.forecasting,.which.analyze
s.and.attempts.to.forecast.developing.market.trends.and.demands.

Product.Research
Marketing.research.departments.conduct.product.research.for.a.variety
.of.reasons,.including:

.Measuring.potential.acceptance.of.new.products.
.Finding.improvements.or.additions.for.existing.products.
.Making.changes.or.improvements.in.product.packaging.
.Determining.acceptability.of.a.product.over.a.competitor's.product

When.a.new.product.is.being.developed,.marketing.research.departme
nts.will.often.use.product.concept.testing.to.see.how.customers.might.r
eact.to.the.new.product..Typically,.before.a.business.invests.in.the.dev
elopment.of.a.prototype.for.a.new.or.improved.product,.it.will.have.its.
marketing.researchers.verbally.describe.or.visually.depict.the.prospecti
ve.product.to.a.group.of.potential.customers.in.the.target.market.

Once.a.product.has.been.accepted.during.the.concept-
testing.stage,.the.business.may.move.on.to.develop.a.prototype.of.the.
product..The.marketing.research.department.may.then.conduct.produc
t.use.tests,.in.which.potential.customers.be.they.industrial.users.or.con
sumers.are.given.the.new.or.modified.product.to.try..Consumers.may.b
e.given.a.new.type.of.hot.breakfast.cereal.to.try.at.home.so.that.the.m
arketing.researcher.can.test.the.product.use.among.families;.industries
.may.be.given.a.new.type.of.telephone.system.to.test.in.their.offices.so
.that.the.marketing.researcher.can.receive.management's.evaluation.o
f.the.system.and.see.how.the.new.product.works.in.a.field.test.site.

After.product.concept.and.product.use.tests.are.completed,.businesse
s.may.decide.to.use.market.tests.before.they.go.full-
throttle.into.the.marketplace.with.their.products..These.market.tests.all
ow.the.business.tp.see.how.the.product.is.accepted.in.various.market.
segments.before.it.is.rolled.out.to.the.mass.market,.and.before.the.bus
iness.invests.in.a.full-
blown.release.of.the.product..While.test.marketing.is.viable.for.produce
rs.of.products.that.do.not.involve.millions.of.dollars.in.production.costs.
for.production.facilities,.it.may.be.cost-
prohibitive.for.businesses.producing.large,.expensive.goods..Soap.det
ergent.is.easily.test-
marketed.for.a.relatively.inexpensive.price.tag;.the.cost.of.test.marketi
ng.jet.airplanes,.on.the.other.hand,.is.not.cheap.

Pricing.Research.
Marketing.research.can.be.used.to.evaluate.the.acceptability.of.produc
t.or.service.prices.in.the.marketplace..While.businesses.must.price.thei
r.products.to.make.enough.money.to.cover.production.and.operating.c
osts,.often.the.formula.they.use.for.achieving.a.given.profit.margin.cau
ses.them.to.price.their.products.or.services.above.or.below.acceptable
.market.levels.

Pricing.research.activities.conducted.by.marketing.researchers.to.deter
mine.buyers'.perception.of.price.and.quality.factors.in.a.given.product.
can.be.used.to.determine.acceptable.price.levels.that.will.allow.busine
sses.to.achieve.desired.profits.and.gain.market.share..Marketing.resea
rch.can.help.to.determine.acceptable.price.levels..Because.of.the.com
petitive.marketplace,.however,.businesses.frequently.do.not.have.the.ti
me.to.conduct.an.elaborate.pricing.research.study;.therefore,.they.ofte
n.enter.the.marketplace.without.conducting.one.

Advertising.Research
Advertising.can.be.a.costly.endeavor.for.businesses..To.determine.the.
potential.effect.their.advertising.might.have.on.a.target.audience,.busin
esses.often.conduct.research.into.the.content,.the.media,.and.the.effec
tiveness.of.advertisements.before.they.invest.heavily.in.the.advertising
.campaign..Content.research.measures.how.the.desired.content.come
s.across.to.an.audience.sample.(a.limited.number.of.people).

If.the.advertisement.is.pretested,.a.sample.audience.may.be.asked.qu
estions.after.being.shown.a.television.commercial.or.after.viewing.a.lay
out.of.a.print.advertisement..If.the.advertisements.are.tested.after.they.
have.appeared.in.various.media,.customers.may.be.asked.what.they.r
emember.about.the.particular.advertisements.and.how.they.reacted.to.
them..By.pretesting.and.posttesting.customers,.marketing.researchers.
can.determine.whether.the.desired.message.is.getting.across.in.a.posi
tive.manner.
Media.research.involves.finding.the.best.mix.of.media.with.which.to.hit.
a.target.audience..Marketing.researchers.may.evaluate.market.studies
.of.various.media.outlets.(e.g.,.A..C..Nielsen.for.electronic.media,.or.W.
.R..Simmons.and.Company.for.print.media)..By.researching.the.media,
.marketing.researchers.can.determine.how.best.to.allocate.marketing.d
ollars.to.hit.the.desired.market.

To.perform.advertising.effectiveness.research,.businesses.must.state.
what.marketing.objectives.they.hope.to.accomplish.with.their.advertisin
g.efforts.before.they.roll.out.the.advertising.campaign..Marketing.resea
rch.must.be.done.prior.to.the.advertising.campaign.so.as.to.have.some
thing.to.measure.the.results.of.the.advertising.against..If.a.business.is.t
rying.to.increase.customer.awareness.of.one.of.its.more.overlooked.pr
oducts,.then.it.must.determine,.before.the.advertising.campaign.begins
,.how.well-
known.that.product.actually.is.so.that.the.business.will.be.able.to.meas
ure.how.well.advertising.increases.awareness.

Sales.Research.
When.a.marketing.research.department.conducts.a.sales.analysis,.it.st
udies.customer.records.and.other.available.data.to.determine.where.m
arketing.opportunities.lie.among.potential.target.markets..Selling.resea
rch,.on.the.other.hand,.analyzes.the.approach.used.by.the.person.selli
ng.the.product.or.service.to.determine.whether.the.sales.presentation.i
s.effectively.piquing.the.interest.of.customers.and.allowing.them.to.und
erstand.the.product..The.selling.research.can.determine:

.The.kinds.of.collateral.materials.(e.g.,.brochures,.charts,.lists).that.w
ork.best.to.sell.the.product.
.The.percentage.of.sales.that.are.closed.in.a.sales.call.
.Other.aspects.of.the.selling.process.that.show.what.methods.have.
been.most.effective.with.the.target.market