Marketing research process is a set of six steps which defines the tasks to be a

ccomplished in conducting a marketing research study. These include problem defi

nition, developing an approach to problem, research design formulation, field wo
rk, data preparation and analysis, and report generation and presentation. [1]

Stages of marketing research process

Step 1: Problem Definition
Step 2: Development of an Approach to the Problem
Development of an approach to the problem includes formulating an objective or t
heoretical framework, analytical models, research questions, hypotheses, and ide
ntifying characteristics or factors that can influence the research design.
'Step 3: Research Design Formulation'
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing resea
rch project.
Step 4: Field Work or Data Collection
Step 5: Data Preparation and Analysis
Step 6: Report Preparation and Presentation

Secondary data analysis

Secondary data are data collected for some purpose other than the problem at han
d. Primary data, on the other hand, are originated by the researcher for the spe
cific purpose of addressing the research problem. Secondary data include informa
tion made available by business and government sources, commercial marketing res
earch firms, and computerized databases. Secondary data are an economical and qu
ick source of background information. Analysis of available secondary data is an
essential step in the problem definition process: primary data should not be co
llected until the available secondary data have been fully analyzed.
Qualitative research
Information, industry experts, and secondary data may not be sufficient to defin
e the research problem. Sometimes qualitative research must be undertaken to gai
n a qualitative understanding of the problem and its underlying factors. Qualita
tive research is unstructured, exploratory in nature, based on small samples, an
d may utilize popular qualitative techniques such as focus groups (group intervi
ews), word association (asking respondents to indicate their first responses to
stimulus words), and depth interviews (one-on-one interviews which probe the res
pondents' thoughts in detail). Other exploratory research techniques, such as pi
lot surveys with small samples of respondents, may also be undertaken.[1]

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