The Marketing Research Process

ExploringMarketingResearchWilliamG.ZikmundChapter3:TheMarketingResearchProcessCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Information•ReducesUncertainty•HelpsfocusdecisionmakingCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.TypesofResearch•Exploratory•Descriptive•CausalCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.COMPLETELYCERTAINABSOLUTEAMBIGUITYCAUSALORDESCRIPTIVEEXPLORATORYUncertaintyInfluencestheTypeofResearchCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.ExploratoryResearchDescriptiveResearchCausalResearch(UnawareofProblem)(AwareofProblem)(ProblemClearlyDefined)“Oursalesaredecliningand“Whatkindofpeoplearebuying“Willbuyerspurchasemoreofwedon’tknowwhy.”ourproduct?Whobuysourourproductsinanewpackage?competitor’sproduct?”“Wouldpeoplebeinterested“Whichoftwoadvertisinginournewproductidea?”“Whatfeaturesdobuyersprefercampaignsismoreeffective?”inourproduct?”DegreeofProblemDefinitionCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.ExploratoryResearchSecondaryDataExperienceSurveyPilotStudiesCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.ExploratoryResearch•Initialresearchconductedtoclarifyanddefinethenatureofaproblem•Doesnotprovideconclusiveevidence•SubsequentresearchexpectedCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.DescriptiveResearch•Describescharacteristicsofapopulationorphenomenon•SomeunderstandingofthenatureoftheproblemCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.“Ikeepsixhonestservingmen,(theytaughtmeallIknew),theirnamesare--RudyardKiplingwhat,andwhy,andwhen,andhow,andwhereandwho.”Copyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.DescriptiveResearchExampleWeightWatchersaveragecustomer:•Womanabout40yearsold•Householdincomeofabout$50,000•Atleastsomecollegeeducation•TryingtojugglechildrenandajobCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.DescriptiveResearchExampleMen’sfragrancemarket:•1/3sizeofwomen’sfragrancemarket•Butgrowingatafasterpace•Womenbuy80%ofmen’sfragrancesCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.CausalResearch•Conductedtoidentifycause-and-effectrelationshipsCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.IDENTIFYINGCAUSALITYAcausalrelationshipisimpossibletoprove.Evidenceofcausality:1.Theappropriatecausalorderofevents2.Concomitantvariation--twophenomenavarytogether3.AnabsenceofalternativeplausibleexplanationsCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.StagesoftheResearchProcessProblemDiscoveryandDefinitionResearchDesignSamplingDataGatheringDataProcessingandAnalysisConclusionsandReportDiscoveryandDefinitionandsoonCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.ResearchStages•Cyclicalprocess-conclusionsgeneratenewideas•Stagescanoverlapchronologically•Stagesarefunctionallyinterrelated–Forwardlinkages–BackwardlinkagesProblemdiscoveryProblemdefinition(statementofresearchobjectives)Secondary(historical)dataExperiencesurveyPilotstudyCasestudySelectionofexploratoryresearchtechniqueSelectionofbasicresearchmethodExperimentSurveyObservationSecondaryDataStudyLaboratoryFieldInterviewQuestionnaireSelectionofexploratoryresearchtechniqueSamplingProbabilityNonprobabilityCollectionofdata(fieldwork)EditingandcodingdataDataprocessingInterpretationoffindingsReportDataGatheringDataProcessingandAnalysisConclusionsandReportResearchDesignProblemDiscoveryandDefinitionCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Copyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.TheMarketingResearchProcessProblemDiscoveryExploratoryResearchSelectionoftheBasicResearchMethodSelectionofSampleDesignCollectionoftheDataCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.TheResearchProcess(cont.)EditingandCodingDataProcessingInterpretationoftheFindingsReportCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.StagesintheResearchProcess•Problemdiscoveryandproblemdefinition•Researchdesign•Sampling•Datagathering•Dataprocessingandanalysis•ConclusionsandreportCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.ProblemDiscoveryandDefinition•Firststep•Problem,opportunity,ormonitoroperations•Discoverybeforedefinition•Problemmeansmanagementproblem“Theformulationoftheproblemisoftenmoreessentialthanitssolution”AlbertEinsteinCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Copyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.StatetheresearchquestionsandresearchobjectivesCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Hypothesis•AstatementthatcanberefutedbyempiricaldataCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Ifyoudonotknowwhereyouaregoing,anyroadwilltakeyouthere.Copyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Secondary(historical)DataPilotStudyExperienceSurveyCaseStudyExploratoryResearchCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.ExploratoryResearchTechniques-TwoExamples•SecondaryData(HistoricalData)–PreviouslyCollected–CensusofPopulation–LiteratureSurvey•PilotStudy–AnumberofDiverseTechniquesCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.FocusGroupInterviewCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.ResearchDesign•Masterplan•Frameworkforaction•SpecifiesmethodsandproceduresCopyright©2000byHarcourt,Inc.Allrightsreserved.BasicResearchMethods•Surveys•Experiments•Se