Marketing research: Brief and proposal

MBA-BM (2022-24, Sec A&B)

Prof. Nirali Shah

E-mail: [email protected]
 Definition of marketing research (MR)

• According to AMA,
Function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through
information –
Information that used
• To identify and define marketing opportunities and problems
• To generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions
• To monitor marketing performance
• To improve understanding of marketing as a process
 Definition of MR

• MR is the systematic and objective identification, collection, analysis, dissemination,

and use of information for the purpose of improving decision-making related to the

identification and solution of problems and opportunities in marketing.

 A classification of MR

Marketing Research

Problem-identification research Problem-solving research

• Market potential research • Segmentation research

• Market share research • Product research
• Image research • Pricing research
• Market characteristics research • Promotion research
• Sales analysis research • Place (distribution) research
• Forecasting research
• Business trends research
 Role of MR in marketing decision-making
Customer groups
• Consumers
• Employees
• Shareholders
• Suppliers

Controllable marketing M a r ke t i n g Re s e a rc h Uncontrollable

variables environmental factors
• Marketing mix • PESTEL
Assessing Providing Marketing
info. info. decision-
needs making

Marketing managers
• Market segmentation
• Target market selection
• Marketing programs
• Performance and control
 MR suppliers and services

Research suppliers

Internal External

Full-service Limited-service

Syndicated Internet/ Technical &

Customized Field Qualitative Other
service social media analytical
service service service services
service service
 Criteria for selecting a research supplier

• What is the reputation of the supplier?

• Do they complete projects on schedule?
• Are they known for maintaining ethical standards?
• Are they flexible?
• Are their research projects of high quality?
• What kind and how much experience does the supplier have? Has the firm had
experience with projects similar to this one?
• Do the supplier's personnel have both technical and non-technical expertise?
• Can they communicate well with the client?
Competitive bidding process on the basis of quality as well as price
 Seven Cs of interaction between research supplier and client

• Communication

• Cooperation

• Confidence

• Candor

• Closeness

• Continuity

• Creativity
 Ethics in marketing research

• Problem definition
• Developing an approach
• Research design
• Field work
• Data preparation and analysis
• Report preparation and presentation
 Ethical issues in MR process
• Problem definition • Research design
– Using survey as a guise for selling or fundraising – Formulating RD more suited to researcher
– Conducting unnecessary research – Disguising the purpose of research
– Following personal agenda of the researcher – Not maintaining anonymity of respondent
– Disrespecting privacy of respondents
• Developing an approach – Misleading respondent
– Using findings for other projects – Disguising observation of respondent
– Soliciting proposal to gain free research expertise – Using scale of questionable reliability & validity
– Using inappropriate sampling process & size
• Fieldwork
– Increasing (dis)comfort level of respondents • Report preparation and presentation
– Following (un)acceptable fieldwork procedures – Giving incomplete report
– Making biased report
• Data preparation and analysis – Presenting inaccurate report
– Identifying & discarding unsatisfactory respondents
– Using techniques when violations of basic assumptions
– Incorrect conclusions and recommendations
 MR process

Problem definition

Developing an approach

Research design formulation

Fieldwork for data collection

Data preparation & analysis

Report preparation & presentation

 Problem definition

• A broad statement of the general problem

• And identification of the specific components of the MR problem

Marketing research Problem

Broad Statement

Specific Components
The process of defining the problem & developing an approach
 Tasks involved

Discussions with Interview with Secondary data Qualitative

decision makers experts analysis research

Environmental context of the problem

Step 1: Problem definition

Management decision problem

Marketing research problem

Step 2: Approach to the problem

Objective / Analytical model: Specification of

Research
theoretical verbal, graphical, Hypotheses information
questions
foundations mathematical needed

Step 3: Research design

 Problem audit

A comprehensive examination of a marketing problem with the purpose of

understanding its origin and nature
• Events that led to the decision that action is needed
• Alternative courses of action available to the decision-maker (DM)
• Criteria that will be used to evaluate the alternative courses of action
• Potential actions that are likely to be suggested on the basis of research findings
• Information that is needed to answer the DM's questions
• Way the DM will use each item of information in decision-making
• Corporate culture as it relates to decision making
16
Management decision problem Vs. MR problem

Management decision problems Marketing research problems

On the needs of the On the information needed and

Examines
decision-makers how to avail those information

Orientation Action Information

Emphasis on Symptoms Underlying causes

Should a new product be To determine consumer preferences

introduced? and purchase intentions for the
Examples proposed new product
Should the advertising To determine the effectiveness of
campaign be changed? current advertising campaign
Development of research questions and hypotheses

Components of the
marketing research problem

Objective/
theoretical
Framework Research questions

Hypotheses
 The role of theory in applied marketing research
Research task Role of theory
Conceptualizing and identifying key Suggest key dependent and independent variables
variables
Operationalizing key variables Suggest independent and dependent variables
naturally occurring in the real world.
Selecting a research design Indicate to adopt a causal or descriptive design
Selecting a sample Useful in defining the population and suggesting
variables for qualifying respondents, imposing
quotas, or stratifying the population
Analyzing and interpreting data Guide the selection of a data analysis strategy and
the interpretation of results
Integrating findings Interpretation in the light of previous research and
integration with the extant knowledge
 Elements of marketing research proposal

1. Executive summary
2. Background
3. Problem definition / objectives of the research
4. Approach to the problem
5. Research design
6. Fieldwork / data collection
7. Data analysis
8. Reporting
9. Cost and time
10. Appendices