Marketing Research: Process and Systems for Decision Making

Transcription

1 Chapter 2 Marketing Research: Prcess and Systems fr Decisin Making High-Level Chapter Outline I. The Rle f Marketing Research II. The Marketing Research Prcess A. Purpse f the Research B. Plan f the Research Primary versus Secndary Data Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Cmpany versus Cntract Research C. Perfrmance f the Research D. Prcessing f Research Data E. Preparatin f the Research Reprt F. Limitatins f the Research Prcess III. Marketing Infrmatin Systems Detailed Chapter Outline I. The Rle f Marketing Research Marketing research is the prcess by which infrmatin abut the envirnment is generated, analyzed, and interpreted fr use in marketing decisin making. Marketing research des nt make decisins, but it can substantially increase the chances that gd decisins are made. Marketing managers shuld recgnize that: Even the mst carefully executed research can be fraught with errrs Marketing research des nt frecast with certainty what will happen in the future They shuld make decisins in light f their wn knwledge and experience, since n marketing research study includes all f the factrs that culd influence the success f a strategy Althugh marketing research des nt make decisins, it can reduce the risk assciated with managing marketing strategies. 2-1

2 It is vital fr investigating the effects f varius marketing strategies after they have been implemented. Tday, many marketing researchers wrk hand-in-hand with marketing managers thrughut the research prcess and have respnsibility fr making strategic recmmendatins based n the research. II. The Marketing Research Prcess Marketing research can be viewed as the systematic prcess fr btaining infrmatin t aid in decisin-making. There are many types f marketing research. The five Ps f the research prcess are (Figure 2.1): Purpse f the research Plan f the research Perfrmance f the research Prcessing f research data Preparatin f research reprt A. Purpse f the Research The first step in the research prcess is t determine explicitly why the research is needed and what it is t accmplish. Quite ften a situatin r prblem is recgnized as needing research, yet the nature f the prblem is nt clear r well defined nr is the apprpriate type f research evident. Managers and researchers need t discuss and clarify the current situatin and develp a clear understanding f the prblem. Managers and researchers shuld agree n: The current situatin invlving the prblem t be researched The nature f the prblem The specific questin r questins the research is designed t investigate This step is crucial since it influences the type f research t be cnducted and the research design. B. Plan f the Research A research plan spells ut the nature f the research t be cnducted and includes an explanatin f such things as the sample design, measures, and analysis techniques t be used. Three critical issues influence the research plan are: Whether primary r secndary data are needed 2-2

3 Whether qualitative r quantitative research is needed Whether the cmpany will d its wn research r cntract with a marketing research specialist Primary versus Secndary Data Primary data are the data cllected specifically fr the research prblem under investigatin. Secndary data are the data that have previusly been cllected fr ther purpses but can be used fr the prblem at hand. Secndary infrmatin has the advantage f usually being cheaper than primary data, althugh it is nt always available fr strategy- specific research questins. There are many types f secndary data that culd be useful fr understanding a market and fr answering a particular research questin. Sme f these data can be fund frm surces internal t the rganizatin such as sales invices, quarterly sales reprts, and marketing research dne by the rganizatin. Other secndary data must be btained frm surces external t the rganizatin and include infrmatin such as syndicated data prviders and by the gvernment, such as U.S. census data. Figure 2.2 lists the cmmn types f infrmatin that is available in a secndary data research. Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Qualitative research typically invlves face-t-face interviews with respndents designed t develp a better understanding f what they think and feel cncerning a research tpic. The tw mst cmmn types f qualitative research are fcus grup and lng interviews. Fcus grups typically invlve discussins amng a small number f cnsumers led by an interviewer and are designed t generate insights and ideas abut prducts and brands. Lng interviews are cnducted by an interviewer with a single respndent fr several hurs. Quantitative research invlves mre systematic prcedures designed t btain and analyze numerical data. There are fur cmmn types f quantitative research in marketing are bservatin, surveys, experiments, and mathematical mdeling. Observatinal research invlves watching peple and recrding relevant 2-3

4 facts and behavirs. Survey research invlves the cllectin f data by means f a questinnaire either by mail, phne, nline r in persn. Experimental research invlves manipulating ne variable and examining its impact n ther variables. Mathematical mdeling research ften invlves secndary data. It is useful because it prvides an efficient way t study prblems with extremely large secndary data sets. Cmpany versus Cntract Research Mst large cnsumer gds cmpanies have marketing research departments that can perfrm a variety f types f research. In additin many marketing research firms, advertising agencies, and cnsulting cmpanies d marketing research n a cntract basis. C. Perfrmance f the Research Perfrmance f the research invlves preparing fr data cllectin and actually cllecting them. In terms f actual data cllectin, a cardinal rule is t btain and recrd the maximal amunt f useful infrmatin, subject t the cnstraints f time, mney, and respndent privacy. Failure t btain and recrd data clearly can bviusly lead t a pr research study, while failure t cnsider the rights f respndents raises bth practical and ethical prblems. Thus, bth the bjectives and cnstraints f data cllectin must be clsely mnitred. D. Prcessing f Research Data Prcessing research data includes the preparatin f data fr analysis and the actual analysis f them. The apprpriate analysis techniques fr cllected data depend n the nature f the research questins and the design f the research. Qualitative research data cnsist f interview recrds that are cntent analyzed fr ideas r themes. Quantitative research data may be analyzed in a variety f ways depending n the bjectives f the research. A critical part f this stage is interpreting and assessing the research results. Marketing researchers shuld always duble-check their analysis and avid 2-4

5 verstating the strength f their findings. E. Preparatin f the Research Reprt The research reprt is a cmplete statement f everything in a research prject and includes a write-up f each f the previus stages as well as the strategic recmmendatins frm the research. Figure 2.4 lists the types f questins marketing researchers and managers shuld discuss prir t submitting the final research reprt. Research reprts shuld be clear and unambiguus with respect t what was dne and what recmmendatins are made. Researchers shuld wrk clsely with managers t ensure that the study and its limitatins are fully understd. F. Limitatins f the Research Prcess Many prblems and difficulties must be vercme if a research study is t prvide valuable infrmatin fr decisin making. The majr gal f mst test marketing is t measure new prduct sales n a limited basis where cmpetitive retaliatin and ther factrs are allwed t perate freely. Prblems that culd invalidate test marketing study results are listed belw. Test market areas are nt representatives f the market in general in terms f ppulatin, characteristics, cmpetitin, and distributin utlets. Sample size and design are incrrectly frmulated because f budget cnstraints. Pretest measurements f cmpetitive brand sales are nt made r are inaccurate, limiting the meaningfulness f market share estimates. Test scres d nt give cmplete supprt t the study, such that certain package sizes may nt be carried r prices may nt be held cnstant during the test perid. Test-market prducts are advertised r prmted beynd a prfitable level fr the market in general. The effects f factrs influence sales, such as the sales frce, seasn, weather cnditins, cmpetitive retaliatin, shelf space, and s frth, are ignred in the research. The test-market perid is t shrt t determine whether the prduct will be repurchased by custmers. Careful research planning, crdinatin, implementatin, and cntrl can help reduce such prblems and increase the value f research fr decisin making. III. Marketing Infrmatin Systems 2-5

6 Mst marketers use cmputer-based systems t help them gather, srt, stre, and distribute infrmatin fr marketing decisins. A ppular frm f marketing infrmatin system is the marketing decisin supprt system, which is a crdinated cllectin f data, tls, and techniques invlving bth cmputer hardware and sftware by which marketers gather and interpret relevant infrmatin fr decisin making. These systems require three types f sftware: Database management sftware fr srting and retrieving data frm external and internal surces. Mdel base management sftware fr manipulating data in ways that are useful fr marketing decisin making. A dialg system that permits marketers t explre data base and use mdels t prduce infrmatin t address their decisin-making needs. Marketing decisin supprt systems are designed t handle infrmatin frm bth internal and external surces. External infrmatin is gathered frm utside the rganizatin and cncerns changes in the envirnment that culd influence marketing strategies. KEY TERMS Experimental research: Experimental research invlves manipulating ne variable and examining its impact n ther variables. Fcus grups: A type f qualitative research that typically invlves discussins amng a small number f cnsumers led by an interviewer and designed t generate insights and ideas abut prducts and brands. Lng interviews: A type f qualitative research cnducted by an interviewer with a single respndent fr several hurs and designed t find ut such things as the meanings varius prducts and brands have fr the persn r hw a prduct influences the persn's life. Marketing research: Marketing research is the prcess by which infrmatin abut the envirnment is generated, analyzed, and interpreted fr use in marketing decisin making. Mst ften cnsumers r rganizatinal buyers are the subject f the research. Mathematical mdeling: Mathematical mdeling invlves develping equatins t mdel relatinships amng variables t investigate the impact f varius strategies and tactics n sales and brand chices. 2-6

7 Observatinal research: Observatinal research invlves watching peple and recrding relevant facts and behavirs. Primary data: Primary data are data cllected specifically fr the research prblem under investigatin. Qualitative research: Qualitative research typically invlves face-t-face interviews with respndents designed t develp a better understanding f what they think and feel cncerning a research tpic, such as a brand name, a prduct, a package, r an advertisement. Quantitative research: Quantitative research invlves mre systematic prcedures designed t btain and analyze numerical data. Secndary data: Secndary data are thse that have previusly been cllected fr ther purpses but can be used fr the prblem at hand. Survey research: Survey research invlves the cllectin f data by means f a questinnaire either by mail, phne, r in persn. Test marketing: The majr gal f mst test marketing is t measure new prduct sales n a limited basis where cmpetitive retaliatin and ther factrs are allwed t perate freely. In this way, future sales ptential can ften be estimated reasnably well. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Burns, Alvin C. and Rnald Bush. Marketing Research, 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Churchill, Gilbert A., Jr.; Tm J. Brwn; and Tracy A. Suter. Basic Marketing Research. 8th ed. Masn, OH: Thmsn Suth-Western, Hair, Jseph F., Jr., Rbert P. Bush, and David J. Ortinau. Marketing Research. 4 th ed. Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw Hill/Irwin, Iacbucci Dawn, and Gilbert A. Churchill, Jr. Marketing Research: Methdlgical Fundatins. 10th ed. Masn, OH: Thmsn Suth-Western, Mlhatra, Naresh K. Marketing Research. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearsn Educatin,

8 Zikmund William G., and Barry J. Babin. Essentials f Marketing Research. 5th ed. Masn, OH: Thmsn Suth-Western,