BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology

Assignment No. 01 (Group – 2)

Assignment on: -
“PRIMARY VERSUS SECONDARY DATA”
“MARKETING RESEARCH PROPOSAL”
“SURVEY & OBSERVATIONS METHOD”

Submitted To: S.M. Akterujjaman

Associate Professor
Department of Business Administration, BUFT
Submitted By: Saifur Rahman, Mourin Sarkar Ela, Toufiq
Ahmed
Id: 172-006-0-415, 172-009-0-415, 172-024-0-415
BBA, Section: 01
Course Title: Marketing Research
Course Code: MKT 4102

Date of Submission: 20th August, 2020

 Primary Versus Secondary Data
Definition of Primary & Secondary Data:
Primary data, which are collected for the specific purpose of the research project
at hand, and which are collected as a fresh and first time by the researcher and thus
happen to be in original character.
Secondary data, which were collected for the purpose other than the research
project at hand, someone collected it in past for another purpose and which passed
through some statistical processes.

Differences between Primary & Secondary data:

Bases of difference Primary Secondary
Objective of collection For the purpose of For the problem
problem at hand other than at hand
Collection High involvement Rapid and quick
Process and complex
Cost of High Comparatively low
collection
Collection Long Short
time
Reliability More reliable Less reliable

Criteria for evaluating secondary data:

1.Specification:
Methodology used to collect the data

2. Error:
Accuracy of the data
3. Currency:
When the data were collected

4. Objective:
The purpose for which the data were collected

5. Nature:
The content of the data

6. Dependability:
How dependable are the data?

1.Specification:
The Methodology used to collect the data should be critically tested to identify the
possible bias. Such methodological consideration includes size and nature of
sample, response rate and quality, questionnaire design, fieldwork procedure, and
data analysis and reporting procedure. These tests provide information about the
reliability and validity of the secondary data and help to take decision whether the
secondary data can be generalized to the problem at hand or not.

2.Error:
The researcher must determine whether the data are accurate enough for the
purpose of present research. Secondary data have a number of error or inaccuracy
such as:
– Error in approach.
– Error in research design.
– Error in data collection in method.
– Error in the process of data analysis.
– Error in reporting.
Moreover, it is difficult to evaluate the accuracy of secondary data because the
present researcher did not participate in that research. Researcher can compare
the data using standard statistical procedure. Researcher also can verify the
accuracy of secondary data by conducting pilot studies or by other appropriate
methods.

3. Currency:
Secondary data may not be current and longtime gap may exist between data
collection and publication. Moreover, the data may not be updated frequently
enough for the purpose of the problem at hand. Marketing research requires
current data but secondary data can’t always provide current information. So,
before using the secondary data researcher should make ensure that the data is
enough current to serve the purpose.

4. Objective:
The purpose for which the data were collected: Data are invariably collected with
some objective in mind, and a fundamental question to ask is why the data were
collected in the first place. The objective for collecting data will ultimately
determine the purpose of the problem at hand. There is a specific objective of the
collection of any data. So, the prime question is why were the data collected first
time?” The objective of data collection at first time determines the relevancy and
usefulness of that data in current study.

5. Nature: The content of the data:

The nature or content of secondary data must be examined. It can be examined on
the basis of definition of key variables, the unit of measurement, and categories
used. If the key variables have not been well defined or defined but not consistent
with the researcher’s definition, then the usefulness of secondary data is limited.
Similarly, the measurement unit of secondary data may not be appropriate for the
current problem. For instance, income can be measured by individual, family,
household or individual unit. But the used unit may not serve the current
requirement.

6. Dependability: How dependable are the data?

An overall indication of the dependability of data may be obtained by examining
the expertise, credibility, reputation, and trustworthiness of the source. The
dependability of Secondary data must be examined. The dependability of the data
depends on the expertise, credibility, reputation, and trustworthiness of the
sources. This information can be obtained by checking with others who have used
the information provided by the source.

Qualitative versus Quantitative research:

• Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is an unstructured exploratory research which is conducted
based on small samples intended to get insight and understanding of the
problem.
Qualitative research is a form of exploratory research which
– Provides an understanding of the problem and its underlying factors
• Is unstructured and flexible
• Based on small samples

Quantitative research:
Quantitative research is a structured research based on representative sample
and executed to find the solution of the problem and passes through statistical
analysis.

Differences between Qualitative Research and Quantitative

Research:

Bases of Difference Qualitative Quantitative

Objectives To get understanding and To find the solution
underlying reasons of the through quantify the data
problem and generalize the result
from the sample to the
population
 Sample Small number and non- Large number &
representative representative

Data Unstructured Structured

collection
Data analysis Non-statistical Statistical
Out come Develop an initial Recommended a final
understanding course of action

Marketing Research proposal

Steps of Marketing Research Proposal:
1. Executive Summary
2. Background
3. Problem Definition/Objectives of
the Research
4. Approach to the Problem
5. Research Design
6. Fieldwork/Data Collection
7. Data Analysis
8. Reporting
9. Cost and Time
10. Appendices

1. Executive Summary: The executive summary is an extremely important

part of the report, because this is often the only portion of the report that
executives read. The summary should concisely describe the problem, approach,
and research design that was adopted. A summary section should be devoted to
the major results, conclusions, and recommendations. The executive summary
should be written after the rest of the report has been completed. The proposal
should begin with a summary of the major points from each of the other sections,
presenting an overview of the entire proposal.

2. Background: The background of your study will provide context to the

information discussed throughout the research paper. Background information
may include both important and relevant studies. This is particularly important if a
study either supports or refutes your thesis. In addition, the background of the
study will discuss your problem statement, rationale, and research questions. It
links introduction to your research topic and ensures a logical flow of ideas. Thus,
it helps readers understand your reasons for conducting the study.

3. Problem Definition/Objectives of the Research: This section of the

report gives the background to the problem,highlights the discussions with the
decision makers and industry experts, and discusses the secondary data analysis,
the qualitative research that was conducted, and the factors that were
considered.Moreover,it should contain a clear statement of the management
decision problem and the marketing research problem. Normally, a statement of
the problem, including the specific components, should be presented. If this
statement has not been developed, the objectives of the marketing research
project should be clearly specified.

4. Approach to the Problem: This section should discuss the broad

approach that was adopted in addressing the problem. This section should also
contain a description of the theoretical foundations that guided the research, any
analytical models formulated, research questions, hypotheses, and the factors that
influenced the research design. A review of the academic and trade literature
should be presented, along with some kind of an analytical model. If research
questions and hypotheses have been identified, then these should be included in
the proposal.

5. Research Design: The section on research design should specify the details
of how the research was conducted. This should include the nature of the research
design adopted, information needed, data collection from secondary sources,
scaling techniques, questionnaire development and pretesting, sampling
techniques, and fieldwork, these topics should be presented in a nontechnical, easy
-to-understand manner. The technical details should be included in an appendix.
This section of the report should justify the specific methods selected. Here the
researcher should design the research, whether it is exploratory, descriptive, or
causal, should be specified.

6. Fieldwork/Data Collection: All fieldwork involves the selection, training,

and supervision of persons who collect data. The validation of fieldwork and the
evaluation of fieldwork process. Although we describe a general process, it should
be recognized that the nature of fieldwork varies with the mode of data collection,
and the relative emphasis on the different steps will be different for telephone,
personal, mail, and electronic interviews. The proposal should discuss how the data
will be collected and who will collect it. If the field work is to be subcontracted to
another supplier, this should be stated. Control mechanisms to ensure the quality
of data collected should be described.

7. Data Analysis: Data analysis in a market research project is the stage when
qualitative data, quantitative data, or a mixture of both, is brought together and
scrutinized in order to draw conclusions based on the data. This section should
describe the plan of data analysis and justify the data analysis strategy and
techniques used. The techniques used for analysis should be described in simple,
nontechnical terms. The kind of data analysis that will be conducted and how the
results will be interpreted should be described.

8. Reporting: The entire project should be documented in a written report that

addresses the specific research questions identified; describes the approach, the
research design, data collection, and data analysis procedures adopted, and
presents the results and the major findings. The findings should be presented in a
comprehensible format so that management can readily use them in the decision-
making process. In addition, an oral presentation should be made to management
using tables, figures, and graphs to enhance clarity and impact. The proposal should
specify whether intermediate reports will be presented and at what stages, what
will be the form of the report, and whether a formal presentation of the results will
be made.
9. Cost and Time: Estimated costs for marketing research make an important
part of the proposal. The decision-making authorities must be given a succinct idea
of the cost which will be incurred on the research. This part must include a
complete breakdown of cost in relation to the research tools. If more research
analysis tools are being employed by the researcher, then a comparison of tools
and their cost must be presented to the research committee. This section also
emphasizes on validity and reliability. The proposal also must include the duration
of the marketing research project. The research administration is interested in
knowing the stages where the primary, intermediary and final report will be
submitted. The cost of the project and a time schedule, broken down by phases,
should be presented.

10. Appendices: An appendix contains supplementary material that is not an

essential part of the text itself but which may be helpful in providing a more
comprehensive understanding of the research problem or it is information that is
too cumbersome to be included in the body of the paper. A separate appendix
should be used for each distinct topic or set of data and always have a title
descriptive of its contents. Any statistical or other information that is of interest to
only a few people should be contained in appendices.

SURVEY AND OBSERVATION METHODS

Survey and Observation Methods:
• Survey Method: A structured questionnaire given to respondents and
designed to elicit specific information. Survey research is any form of marketing
research in which data is gathered systematically from a sample of people by means
of a questionnaire. Surveys are usually conducted by means of face-to-face
interviews, telephone interviews, or mailed questionnaires. Survey Research is
defined as the process of conducting research using surveys that researchers send
to survey respondents. The data collected from surveys is then statistically analyzed
to draw meaningful research conclusions. The traditional definition of survey
research is a quantitative method for collecting information from a pool of
respondents by asking multiple survey questions. This research type includes the
recruitment of individuals, collection, and analysis of data. It’s useful for
researchers who aim at communicating new features or trends to their
respondents.

• Observation Method: Observation method is used in cases where you want

to avoid an error that can be a result of bias during evaluation and interpretation
processes. It is a way to obtain objective data by watching a participant and
recording it for analysis at a later stage. Observation involves recording the
behavioral patterns of people, objects, and events in a systematic manner to obtain
information about the phenomenon of interest. Observation research is a
marketing research in which respondent’s actions are monitored without direct
interaction, without using an interviewer. As the name suggests, it is a way of
collecting relevant information and data by observing. It is also referred to as a
participatory study because the researcher has to establish a link with the
respondent and for this has to immerse himself in the same setting as theirs. Only
then can he use the observation method to record and take notes.

A classification of survey methods:

Telephone interview: Telephone interviews are often conducted by
employers in the initial interview round of the hiring process, this type of interview
allows an employer to screen candidates on the candidate's experience,
qualifications, and salary expectations pertaining to the position and the company.

Under Telephone interview there are two types:

∑ Traditional Telephone Interviews: involve phoning a sample of
respondents and asking them a series of questions. The interviewer uses a

Advantages -
completely eliminated.
∑ Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) is a telephone
surveying technique in which the interviewer follows a script provided by a
software application. ... The software is able to customize the flow of the
questionnaire based on the answers provided, as well as information already
known about the participant.

Personal Interview: Personal Interview is the foremost tool to judge

the abilities of a person. In the face-to-face contact between the interviewer
& interviewee, it is possible to record more than only verbal responses;
which are often superficial.

Under Personal interview there are three types:

∑ In-home interview: An in-home interview pretty much does what it
says on the tin: it's an interview in person that takes place at your home.
Researchers find in-home interviews particularly useful as they are the best
way to find out what people are like in their home environment.
∑ Mall-intercept interview: A mall-intercept personal interview is a
survey whereby respondents are intercepted in shopping in malls. The
process involves stopping the shoppers, screening them for appropriateness,
and either administering the survey on the spot or inviting them to a research
facility located in the mall to complete the interview.
∑ Computer-Assisted Personal Interview: Computer-Assisted
Personal Interviews (CAPI) is a face-to-face data collection method in which
the interviewer uses a tablet, mobile phone or a computer to record
answers given during the interview.

v Mail Interview: The email interview is one of the shifts that we are
seeing in the way that information is gathered by media agencies and other
organizations. Often, celebrities, job candidates, scholarship applicants and
many more types of people are interviewed by email rather than having a
face-to-face interview.
v Mail Panel: A type of consumer panel where participants have agreed to
complete a limited number of mail surveys each year. The household
classification data of the participants is known in advance, which allows a
client to select a sample of respondents with whom to conduct a survey. Mail
panels can be local or national in scope.
v Internet Interviewing: An internet interview is an online research
method conducted using computer-mediated communication (CMC), such
as instant messaging, email, or video. Online interviews, like offline
interviews, typically ask respondents to explain what they think or how they
feel about an aspect of their social world.

Classification of Observation Method:

1. Personal observation: Personal observation is a subset category, in
which the researcher is the primary instrument for monitoring and data
collection, and is widely used with ethnography. Collection can be covert or
overt, participatory or not, and can vary in degree of invasiveness to the
participants' lives. An observational research strategy in which human
observers record the phenomenon being observed as it occurs.
2. Mechanical Observation: An observational research strategy in
which mechanical devices, rather than human observers record the
phenomenon being observed. Observation techniques involving mechanical
observers either in conjunction with, or in place of, human observers.
Examples include the motion-picture or video camera, the audiometer, the
psychogalvanometer, the eye-camera, and the pupilometer.
3. Audit: In an audit, the researcher collects the data by examining physical
records or performing inventory analysis. A marketing audit is a
comprehensive examination and analysis of your marketing activities, goals
and objectives. By implementing an audit, you're able to take a look at the
way your marketing efforts are planned and managed, and how they are
performing relative to the goals of your original marketing plan.
4. Content Analysis: Content analysis is defined as the objective,
systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of a
communication. Content analysis is a research technique used to make
replicable and valid inferences by interpreting and coding textual material.
By systematically evaluating texts (e.g., documents, oral communication, and
graphics), qualitative data can be converted into quantitative data.
5. Trace Analysis: An approach in which data collection is based on
physical traces, or evidence, of past behavior. Trace analysis is usually
analytical methods used to detect and/or quantify trace (very small
amounts) of substances.

v Observation Methods Personal Observation:

• A researcher observes actual behavior as it occurs.
• The observer does not attempt to manipulate the
 phenomenon being observed but merely records what takes place. For
example, a researcher might record traffic counts and observe traffic flows
in a department store.

vObservation Methods Mechanical Observation:

Do not require respondents' direct participation.
– the AC Nielsen audiometer, People meter (tv set)
– turnstiles that record the number of people entering or leaving a
building.
– On-site cameras (still, motion picture, or video)
Do require respondent involvement.
– eye-tracking monitors (records the gaze movements of the eye)
– pupilometers
– Psychogalvanometers (Skin)
– voice pitch analyzers
– devices measuring response latency (Time)

v Observation Methods Audit:

• The researcher collects data by examining physical
records or performing inventory analysis.
• Data are collected personally by the researcher.
• The data are based upon counts, usually of physical
objects.

v Observation Methods Content Analysis:

• The objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the
manifest content of a communication.
• The unit of analysis may be words, characters (individuals or
objects), themes (propositions), space and time measures (length or
duration of the message), or topics (subject of the message).
• Analytical categories for classifying the units are developed and the
communication is broken down according to prescribed rules.
v Observation Methods Trace Analysis:
Data collection is based on physical traces, or evidence, of past behavior.
• The number of different fingerprints on a page was used to
gauge the readership of various advertisements in a magazine.
• The age and condition of cars in a parking lot were used to
assess the affluence of customers.
• Internet visitors leave traces which can be analyzed to examine
browsing and usage behavior by using cookies.

Thank you