MARKETING CAPSULE
.
1. The following steps are involved in conducting marketing
c. Conducting the investigation
research:
d. Process ing the data/deliver the results
a. Making a preliminary investigation
b. Creating the research design
SUMMARY
Four maj or elements are involved in undertaking marketing research. The first element
a prelimi-
nary investigation. This in itial study permits the researcher to determine the purpose and scope of his research as well as to identi fy tentative question s.
Creating a research design to test the questions is the most important and most complicated
aspect of marketing research. It commences with the selection of the approach to be taken. The
most commonly used are the experi mental, the observational, and the survey approaches. Any given projec t may use one or more of the three.
It is also necessary to determi ne the types of data that will be needed to solve the marketing
problem and to locate sources where this information can be obtained. Data sources are
classifi ed as either primary or secondary. Secondary data are made up of previously collected information and are obtained from historical records, publications, govemment documents, and the like.
Primary data are gathered for the fi rst time. The survey method is probably the most frequently used method for collecting primary data. Data are by gathered by mail, by telephone, by personal interviewing, and online.
Another cri tical aspect of most marketing research projects is the selection of
probability sample involves the selection of respondents in such a way that every unit in the pool has the same chance of bei ng selected. One method of drawing a probability sample is by the use of a table of random digits. A nonprobability sample is drawn on a judgmental
respondents are
selected because they are considered to be representative of the group from which they are drawn.
The fi nal aspect of the research design is the anticipation of the re sults and the decision as to how the data will be summarized and reported. It is becoming more and more common in large market ing research projects to make use of a computer for the processing and tabulation of the research results. Some problems usuall y arise, however, and careful supervision and control of the data-collection activities are important. It is particularl y critical
various kinds of
bias
that can creep into a project.
MARKETER'S VOCABULARY
Marketing research
The scientific and controlled gatheli ng of nonroutine
information
undertaken to help management solve marketi ng problems.
Informal assessment
An unstructured search of the marketing
Research design
Plan proposed for testing the research questions as well as collecting and pro-
cessing information.
Experimental approach
Variable interest mu st be manipulated
ev(;ryone participating in the
experiment must have a known and equal chance of being selected.
PROJECT
71
Historical/case method
Reliance is placed on past experiences in seeking solutions to current
marketing problems.
Survey approach
Marketing infonnation is collected either from observation or by questionnaire
or interview.
Secondary source data
Information that has been previously published and can come from
within or outside the bu siness.
Primary information
Information gathered to address a particular problem.
Data processing
Procedures for sorting, assembling, and reporting data.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Marketing research is sometimes referred to as a "problem-solving tool." Explain what is meant by this statement.
2. It is often argued that only such fields as physics, chemistry, and mathematics are really "scientific" and that marketing research, as common with all behavioral research, cannot be scientific.
How would you respond to someone who stated this opinion?
3. Do you think that a distinction can be made between "pure" and "applied" research in marketing?
4. Select a local or campus enterprise with which you are familiar. Identify a marketing problem that it faces. (You may need to interview the manager of the establishment.) Translate this marketing problem into its informational
Conduct a small-scale informal investigation:
(a) What tentative hypotheses can you develop?
(b) What types of research design do you believe would be necessary to test these hypotheses?
5. A small manufacturer of highly specialized medical laboratory equipment and a manufacturer of a proprietary (nonprescription) cold remedy need information to as sist in planning new product introductions. What would be the advantages and drawbacks of using primary versus sec-
ondary marketing information for each
6. You are the advertising manager of a company that manufactures professional baseball equipment. Your firm employs fifty field salespeople who make periodic calls on sporting goods deal -
ers, large schools and colleges, and professional athletic organizations. You also place full-page in a trade publication for the sporti ng goods industry, Scholastic Coach. The president of your company has questioned the use of this publication and has asked you to find out
how effective it is in increasing awareness about your products and in stimulating sales. How
would you go about this task?
7. In 1970, Ford Motor Co. introduced its subcompact automobile, the Pinto. Suppose you had been a marketing research analyst working for another car manufacturer. What kinds of primary and
secondary marketing research would you have conducted to evaluate the success of this new prod-
uct introduction?
PROJECT
I)esign a short questionnaire (no more than 10 questions) intended to reveal whether or not another is a good prospect for a new laptop computer. Assume the purpose of this questionnaire is to
72