Exploring Marketing Research

Exploring Marketing Research

Information • Reduces Uncertainty • Helps focus decision making

Types of Research • Exploratory • Descriptive • Causal

Uncertainty Influences the Type of Research

CAUSAL OR DESCRIPTIVE

COMPLETELY CERTAIN

ABSOLUTE AMBIGUITY

EXPLORATORY

Degree of Problem Definition

possible situation

Exploratory Research Research (Unaware of Problem) Clearly Defined)

Descriptive Research (Aware of Problem)

Causal (Problem

“Our sales are declining and “What kind of people are buying “Will buyers purchase more of we don’t know why.” our product? Who buys our our products in a new package? competitor’s product?” “Would people be interested “Which of two advertising in our new product idea?” “What features do buyers prefer campaigns is more effective?” in our product?”

Exploratory Research Secondary Data Experience Survey Pilot Studies

Exploratory Research • Initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of a problem • Does not provide conclusive evidence • Subsequent research expected

Descriptive Research • Describes characteristics of a population or phenomenon • Some understanding of the nature of the problem

“I keep six honest serving men, (they taught me all I knew), their names are and what, and why, and and where and when, how, who.” --Rudyard Kipling

Descriptive Research Example Weight Watchers average customer: • Woman about 40 years old • Household income of about $50,000 • At least some college education • Trying to juggle children and a job

Descriptive Research Example Men’s fragrance market: • 1/3 size of women’s fragrance market • But growing at a faster pace • Women buy 80 % of men’s fragrances

Causal Research • Conducted to identify cause-and-effect relationships

IDENTIFYING CAUSALITY A causal relationship is impossible to prove. Evidence of causality: 1. The appropriate causal order of events 2. Concomitant variation--two phenomena vary together 3. An absence of alternative plausible explanations

Stages of the Research Process Problem Discovery and Definition

Research Design

Discovery and Definition

and so on Conclusions and Report

Sampling Data Processing and Analysis Data Gathering

Research Stages • Cyclical process - conclusions generate new ideas • Stages can overlap chronologically • Stages are functionally interrelated – Forward linkages – Backward linkages

Problem discovery

Problem Discovery and Definition

Selection of exploratory research technique

Sampling

Selection of exploratory research technique

Secondary Experience (historical) survey data

Pilot study

ProbabilityNonprobability

Case study

Data Gathering Data Processing and Analysis

Problem definition (statement of research objectives)

Experiment Laborator y

Field

Survey Intervie w

Questionnair e

Editing and coding data Data processing

Selection of basic research method

Research Design

Collection of data (fieldwork)

Conclusions and Report

Secondary Observation Data Study

Interpretation of findings

Report

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The Marketing Research Process Problem Selection of Discovery

Sample Design

Exploratory Research

Collection of the Data

Selection of the Basic Research Method

The Research Process (cont.)

Editing and Coding

Data Processing

Interpretation of the Findings

Report

Stages in the Research Process • • • • • •

Problem discovery and problem definition Research design Sampling Data gathering Data processing and analysis Conclusions and report

Problem Discovery and Definition • • • •

First step Problem, opportunity, or monitor operations Discovery before definition Problem means management problem

“The formulation of the problem is often more essential than its solution”

Albert Einstein

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State the research questions and research objectives

Hypothesis • A statement that can be refuted by empirical data

If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there.

Secondary (historical) Data

Pilot Study

Experience Survey

Exploratory Research

Case Study

Exploratory Research Techniques - Two Examples • Secondary Data (Historical Data) – Previously Collected – Census of Population – Literature Survey

• Pilot Study – A number of Diverse Techniques

Focus Group Interview

Research Design • Master plan • Framework for action • Specifies methods and procedures

Basic Research Methods • • • •

Surveys Experiments Secondary data Observation

Selecting a Sample

Sample: subset of a larger population.

SAMPLE

POPULATION

Sampling • Who is to be sampled? • How large a sample? • How will sample units be selected?

Data Gathering Stage

Copyright © 2000 by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Processing and Analysis

Copyright © 2000 by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved.

Conclusions and Report Writing • Effective communication of the research findings

Research Proposal • A written statement of the research design that includes a statement explaining the purpose of the study • Detailed outline of procedures associated with a particular methodology

Research Program Strategy

Defining Problem Results in Clear Cut Research Objectives Symptom Detection Analysis of the Situation Problem Definition Statement of Research Objectives

Exploratory Research (Optional)