Research Methods & Report Preparation

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Redefining Marketing Research

The American Marketing Association (AMA) redefined Marketing Research as: The function which links the consumer, the customer, and public to the marketer through INFORMATION

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Redefining Marketing Research Used to identify and

define market opportunities and problems Generate, refine, and evaluate marketing performance Monitor marketing performance Improve understanding of marketing as a process

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Definition of Marketing Research

Marketing research is the 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.
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Market Research
Specifies the information necessary to address these issues Manages and implements the data collection process Analyzes the results Communicates the findings and their implications
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The Role of Marketing Research

Customer Groups Controllable Marketing Variables Product Pricing Promotion Distribution Assessing Information Needs Providing Information Marketing Decision Making Consumers Employees Shareholders Suppliers Uncontrollable Environmental Factors Economy Technology Laws & Regulations Social & Cultural Factors Political Factors

Marketing Research

Marketing Managers Market Segmentation Target Market Selection Marketing Programs CHARU BISARIA Performance & Control

Definition of MR
American Marketing Association defines MR as- MR is the function which links the consumer, customer & public to the marketer through information, information used to identify & define marketing opportunities & problems, generate, refine & evaluate marketing actions, moniter marketing performance & improve understanding of marketing as a process MR specifies the information required to address these issues, designs the method for collecting information, manages & implements the data collection process, analyses the results & CHARU BISARIA communicates the findings & their implications

Why MR has evolved & grown

Managers are seperated from their final consumers Managers need information from their final consumers regarding target market, products/services, price, distribution & promotion There has been a shift from a sellers to a buyers market Emergence of specialists such as statisticians, psychologists & behavioural scientists in a fairly large number enhanced the importance of MR
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OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
To discover answers to questions through the application of scientific procedures To find out the truth which is hidden and which has not been discovered as yet To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it To portray accurately the characterstics of a particular individual, situation or a group To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else To test a hypothesis of a casual relationship between variables
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Motivation in Research
Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work Desire to be of service to society Desire to get respectability
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Interaction between Management & MR

Some of the managements complaints about researchers are1)Research is not problem oriented. It tends to provide plenty of facts & not actionable results 2)Researchers are too involved with techniques & they appear to be reluctant to get involved in management problems 3)Research is slow, vague & of questionable validity 4)Researchers cannot communicate, they do not understand & they do not talk the language of management CHARU BISARIA

 Researchers have their complaints about management1)Management does not include research in discussions of basic problems. Management tends to ask only for specific information about parts of problems 2)Management pays no more than lip service to research & does not really understand or appreciate its value 3)Mangement does not allow enough time for research. They draw preliminary conclusions based on early or incomplete results 4)Mangement relies more on intuition & judgement than on research. Research is used CHARU BISARIA as a crutch, not a tool

Types of Research
Descriptive Vs Analytical Research- Descriptive Research includes surveys & fact finding enquiries of different kinds. The major purpose is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present. The main characterstics of this method is that the researcher has no control over the variables, he can only report what has happened or what is happening eg frequency of shopping, preference of people etc. Ex post Facto studies also include attempts by researchers to discover causes even when they cannot control the variables In analytical research the researcher has to use facts or information already available & analyse CHARU BISARIA these to make a critical evaluation of the material

Applied Vs Fundamental Research

Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem facing a society or an industrial/business organisation. Research aimed at certain conclusions facing a concrete social or business problem is applied research Fundamental Research is mainly concerned with generalisations & with the formulation of a theory. Gathering knowledge for Knowledges sake is termed pure or basic research eg generalisations about human behaviour

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Quantitative Vs Qualitative Research

Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or amount. It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity Qualitative research is concerned with phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind ie discovering underlying motives & desires- Motivational research
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Conceptual Vs Empirical Research

Conceptual research is that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generally used by philosophers & thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones Empirical research relies on experience or observation alone, often without due regard for system & theory
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One time research Vs Longitudinal Research

One time research is confined to a single time period Longitudinal research is carried on over several time periods

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Field setting research Vs Laboratory Research Vs Simulated Research

Depends upon the environment in which it is to be carried out

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Clinical or Diagnostic Research

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Historical Research
Historical research is that which utilises historical sources like documents, remains etc to study events or ideas of the past

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Conclusion oriented Vs Decision oriented

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Criteria of good research

The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common concepts be used The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to permit another researcher to repeat the research for further advancement, keeping the continuity of what has already been attained The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield results that are as objective as possible The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in procedural design & estimate their effects upon the findings The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance & the methods of analysis used should be appropriate. The validity & reliability of the data should be checked carefully Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research & limited to those for which the data provide an adequate basis Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher is experienced, has a good reputation in research & is a person of integrity
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Qualities of a good research

Good research is systematic- It means that research is structured with specified steps to be taken in a specified sequence in accordance with the well defined set of rules Good research is logical- Logical reasoning makes research more meaningful in the context of decision making
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Significance of Research
Research inculcates scientific & inductive thinking & it promotes the development of logical habits of thinking & organisation The role of research in several fields of applied economics, whether related to business or to the economy as a whole, has greatly increased in modern times Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies in our economic system Research has its special significance in solving various operational & planning problems of business & industry Research is equally important for social scientists in studying social relationships & in seeking answers to various social problems To those students who are to write a masters or Ph.D thesis, research may mean a careerism or a way to attain a high position in the social structure To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a source of livelihood To philosophers & thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new ideas & insights To literary men & women, research may mean the development of new styles & creative work To analysts & intellectuals, research may mean the generalisations of new theories
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Ethics in Market Research

Intrusions on privacy Misuse of research findings Competitive information gathering Sugging ( selling under the guise of marketing research) Unrealised promise of anonymity Use of disguised questionnaires & interviews Faked sponsor identification Lying about research procedure Faked testing in experimental research Promise of undelivered compensation Implication of required response

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