The Marketing Research Process

Implementing
Defining the Developing the Interpreting
the research
problem and research plan and reporting
plan -- collecting
research for collecting the findings
and analyzing
objectives information
the data
Marketing Research Process
Step 1. Defining the Problem &
Research Objectives

Exploratory •Gathers preliminary information

that will help define the problem
Research and suggest hypotheses.

•Describes things as market

Descriptive potential for a product or the
Research demographics and consumers’
attitudes.

Causal •Test hypotheses about cause-

Research and-effect relationships.
 Marketing Research Process
Step 2. Develop the Research Plan

• Research plan development follows these

steps:
– Determining Specific Information Needs

– Gathering Secondary information

– Planning Primary Data Collection

 Develop the Research Plan
Gathering Secondary Information

Both Must
Be:
Information That
Already Exists Relevant Information
Somewhere. Collected for the
Accurate Specific Purpose
+ Obtained More at Hand.
Quickly, Lower Cost. Current

- Might Not be Impartial

Usable Data.
 Develop the Research Plan
Planning Primary Data Collection
Contact Methods (Table 4.3)
Mail Telephone Personal Online
Flexibility Poor Good Excellent Good
Quantity of Good Fair Excellent Good
Data Collected
Control of Excellent Fair Poor Fair
Interviewer
Control of Fair Excellent Fair Poor
Sample
Speed of Data Poor Excellent Good Excellent
Collection
Response Rate Fair Good Good Good
Cost Good Fair Poor Excellent
 Develop the Research Plan
Planning Primary Data Collection
Observational Research Approaches
Research
Survey
Gathering data Research
by observing
people, Asking Experimental
actions and individuals Research
situations about attitudes,
(Exploratory) preferences or Using groups of
buying people to
behaviors determine
(Descriptive) cause-and-effect
relationships
(Causal)
Develop the Research Plan
Planning Primary Data Collection
Probability or Sampling Who is to be
Plans surveyed?
Non-probability
(What Sampling
sampling?
Unit?)
Sample -
representative
segment of the
population
How should the How many
sample be should be
chosen? surveyed?
 Research Problem Areas
• 1. Making assumptions
• 2. Lack of Qualitative information
• 3. Failing to look at segments within a
sample
• 4. Improper use of sophisticated statistical
analysis
• 5. Sample is not representative of the
population
• 6. Using biased questions in surveys
 Marketing Research Process
Step 3. Implementing the Research
Plan
Collecting the
Data

Processing the
Data Research Plan

Analyzing the
Data
 Marketing Research Process
Step 4. Interpreting and Reporting
Findings
Researcher Should Present Important Findings that are Useful in the
Major Decisions Faced by Management.

Step 1. Interpret the Findings

Step 2. Draw Conclusions

Step 3. Report to Management