Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• Potential Problems
Market Research vs Marketing Research
(strictly speaking...)
Manufacturing
44% Companies
13%
Public sector
21%
Service companies
The Ten Most Common Market Research
Activities
Directly
Activity Percentage of companies doing relevant to
activity* NPD
Sales analysis 92
Studies of business trends 91
Short range forecasting 89
Competitive product studies 87
Long range forecasting 87
Pricing studies 83
Source: BMRA
Market Research Budgets
of this:
Don’t simply
hand M.R.
over to
marketing!
Types of Market Research
Qualitative Quantitative
Type of Question Probing Simple
Sample Size Small Large
Information per respondent High Low(ish)
Questioner’s skill High Low(ish)
Analyst’s skill High High
Type of analysis Subjective, Objective,
Interpretative Statistical
Ability to replicate Low High
Areas probed Attitudes Choices
Feelings Frequency
Motivations Demographics
Benefits of Qualitative Market Research
vs Quantitative
Benefit Comment/Example
Source BMRA,
Types of Market Research: By Objective
Steps
Distinguish between Decide on Information is Statistical Overall conclusions
the research type - budget collected manipulation of to be presented
needed e.g. according to the data collected rather than
- data sources
the plan (N.B. (e.g. regression) overwhelming
- exploratory - research or subjective
approaches it is often done statistical
- descriptive analysis of focus methodologies
- research by external
- causal firms) groups
instruments
- sampling plan
- contact methods
Comments
If a problem is The plan needs This phase is Significant Can take various
vaguely defined, to be decided the most costly difference in forms:
the results can upfront but and the most type of analysis - oral presentation
have little flexible enough liable to error according to
- written conclusions
bearing on the to incorporate whether market supported by analysis
key issues changes/ research is
iterations quantitative or - data tables
qualitative
Potential Problems with Market
Research
Lack of resources
Closed mindset
Research results not
Poor actionable
timing
re:
market
Late timing re: place
process Vague
objectives
Low High
Buyer Suppliers
• Technical problems
Problems With Research Buyers vs Suppliers - Detail
Problems with Buyer Problems with Supplier
of Research of Research
- Narrow concept of research - Variable quality of market researchers
• many managers see M.R. as no more • little uniformity of professionalism
than fact-finding across the industry
• they therefore spend little time • many small, poorly qualified
defining the problem or explaining the companies
context
• the results are irrelevant - Market researchers are not sufficiently
demanding
• a vicious circle arises • upfront time often insufficient
- Research used tokenistically
• little contact throughout process
• used to confirm existing views rather
than objective look at marketplace - Technical problems arise e.g.
- Unrealistic view of time frames • problem ill-defined
• often results are expected very rapidly • questionnaires poorly constructed
• research therefore commissioned too
late
• research firms bow to time pressure and
results are sub-optimal
Differing styles
M.R. documents are often phrased in an abstract, tentative way (and rely
on jargon) whilst managers expect concrete, down to earth
recommendations
Problems with Supplier of Research
5. What are the most salient and - What’s meant by ‘salient’ and
determinant attributes in your ‘determinant’?
evaluation of airlines? - This sounds pompous and
arrogant even if people do
understand
Reasons* Now:
- Adjusted
- Late swing to Tories (maybe accounts for 1/4 of error)
polls
- Inadequate weighting of results to incorporate: “weight”
results
• Tory voters’ reluctance to reveal intentions
- Some
•“Spiral of silence” - reluctance to go against the fashion polls done
by secret
- Poor sampling methods ballot
• interactive development