Secondary data is the data that have been already

collected by and readily available from other sources. Such data are cheaper and more quickly obtainable than the primary data and also may be available when primary data can not be obtained at all. Secondary data analysis saves time that would otherwise be spent collecting data and, particularly in the case of quantitative data, provides larger and higher-quality databases than would be unfeasible for any individual researcher to collect on their own. In addition to that, analysts of social and economic change consider secondary data essential, since it is impossible to conduct a new survey that can adequately capture past change and/or developments.

INTERNAL DATA
The term internal data is used here to denote any information useful to the decisionmaking process found within the company. Internal data are usually derived from six sources the accounting system, sales reports, the client list, a Web site hits report, company staff, and previous studies. It should be pointed out that a survey or study performed by the company is considered primary data gathering at the time of the study, but that the report retained as a file then becomes part of the internal data. These are all valuable tools for measuring the performance of cultural organizations. The accounting system can furnish a great deal of interesting information for example, the break-even point for the company as a whole or for each company -product individually. It also enables the marketing manager to measure how profitable corporate marketing efforts have been. An analysis of the data supplied by the accounting system can orient the firm and the gathering of primary and secondary data. Companies can also use data drawn from sales reports generated by the box office or customer billings. Box-office data enable the marketing manager to plot the sales curve of a particular event, compare it to previous years, and decide, if necessary, what measures to take. These measures may affect one or several variables in the marketing mix. For example, if there is always a drop in sales a few weeks after the start of an

event, it might be worth increasing the promotion budget for this period in order to maintain or increase attendance figures. Such data enable a company to correct a strategy, based on the results obtained. Over the years, company standards may develop as guidelines not only for analyzing or forecasting sales figures but also for enhancing the marketing planning process. The client, subscriber, or donor list of an organization, be it commercial or non-profit, is a mine of interesting information. The geographic location of customers, for example, is actually a companys trading area. For other useful information, the marketing manager need look no further than the staff members who actually come into contact with the customers. These include telephone operators, ticket agents, ushers, security guards, guide-interpreters, and restaurant and bar personnel. Employees in communications or sales can collect data that may prove highly relevant to those making the final decisions. Of course, every analyst must be well acquainted with previous studies or surveys. Although the information may have become outdated, it can provide important clues on how to analyze the current situation. It might even be worthwhile repeating the experiment to compare the new data with the old. Finally, thanks to the proliferation of Web sites, it is relatively easy for a company to obtain information on a particular industry. For example, all professional associations in the arts and cultural sector have an Internet site, many of which provide direct links to the associations member organizations.
Advantages of Secondary data

1. It is economical. It saves efforts and expenses. 2. It is time saving. 3. It helps to make primary data collection more specific since with the help of secondary data, we are able to make out what are the gaps and deficiencies and what additional information needs to be collected. 4. It helps to improve the understanding of the problem. 5. It provides a basis for comparison for the data that is collected by the researcher.
Disadvantages of Secondary Data

1. Secondary data is something that seldom fits in the framework of the marketing research factors. Reasons for its non-fitting are:a. Unit of secondary data collection-Suppose you want information on disposable income, but the data is available on gross income. The information may not be same as we require. b. Class Boundaries may be different when units are same.
Before 5 Years 2500-5000 5001-7500 7500-10000 After 5 Years 5000-6000 6001-7000 7001-10000

c. Thus the data collected earlier is of no use to you.

2. Accuracy of secondary data is not known. 3. Data may be outdated. a. Difficult or costly access b. Unsuitable aggregations and definitions c. Does not meet the purpose of study d. No real control over data quality

Advantages:
Ease of Access There are many advantages to using secondary research. This includes the relative ease of access to many sources of secondary data. In the past secondary data accumulation required marketers to visit libraries, or wait for reports to be shipped by mail. Now with the availability of online access, secondary research is more openly accessed. This offers convenience and generally standardized usage methods for all sources of secondary research. Low Cost to Acquire The use of secondary data has allowed researchers access to valuable information for little or no cost to acquire. Therefore, this information is much less expensive then if the researchers had to carry out the research themselves. Clarification of Research Question The use of secondary research may help the researcher to clarify the research question. Secondary research is often used prior to primary research to help clarify the research focus. May Answer Research Question The use of secondary data collection is often used to help align the focus of large scale primary research. When focusing on secondary research, the

researcher may realize that the exact information they were looking to uncover is already available through secondary sources. This would effectively eliminate the need and expense to carry out there own primary research. May Show Difficulties in Conducting Primary Research In many cases, the originators of secondary research include details of how the information was collected. This may include information detailing the procedures used in data collection and difficulties encountered in conducting the primary research. Therefore, the detailed difficulties may persuade the researcher to decide that the potential information obtained is not worth the potential difficulties in conducting the research.

Disadvantages:
Quality of Research There are some disadvantages to using secondary research. The originators of the primary research are largely self-governed and controlled by the marketer. Therefore, the secondary research used must be scrutinized closely since the origins of the information may be questionable. Moreover, the researcher needs to take sufficient steps to critically evaluate the validity and reliability of the information provided. Not Specific to Researchers Needs In many cases, secondary data is not presented in a form that exactly meets the researchers needs. Therefore, the researcher needs to rely on secondary data that is presented and classified in a way that is similar to their needs. Incomplete Information In many cases, researchers find information that appears valuable and promising. The researcher may not get the full version of the research to

gain the full value of the study. This is because many research suppliers offer free portions of their research and then charge expensive fees for their full reports. Not Timely When using secondary research, one must exercise caution when using dated information from the past. With companies competing in fast changing industries, an out-of-date research reports many have little or no relevance to the current market situation.