Marketing Research

MARKETING RESEARCH
LECTURE # 1

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: SHAGUFTA SALEEM BATCH: BBA 2K20

WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research always
starts with a
question to which
we seek an answer
using scientific
methods.

We define the
question as a
“Problem”.
 WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research is often described as an active, diligent,
and systematic process of inquiry aimed at
discovering, interpreting and revising facts.

The word research is derived from the French

language; its literal meaning is 'to investigate
thoroughly'.

Undertaking research is basically applying

scientific methods to find solution to a problem. It
is a systematic and explorative study carried out
to analyze and apply various solutions to a
defined problem.
Research can be classified into
two broad categories:
 BASIC RESEARCH
 Basic research is also called
fundamental or pure research. As the
name itself refers, Basic Research is of
basic nature which is not carried out in
response to a problem.

 It is more educative, towards

understanding the fundamentals and
aim at expanding the knowledge base
of an individual or organization.
 BASIC RESEARCH
Basic research seeks to extend the
boundaries of knowledge in a given area
with no necessary immediate application to
existing problems,

For example: the development of a

research method that would be able to
predict what people will be like x years in
the future.
 APPLIED RESEARCH
Applied Research on the other hand is
carried out to seek alternate solutions for a
problem at hand.
Applied research is done to solve specific,
practical questions; its primary aim is not to
gain knowledge.
It specifies possible outcomes of each of
the alternatives and its commercial
implications.
 APPLIED RESEARCH
Applied research,
also known as
decisional research,
attempts to use
existing knowledge
to aid in the solution
of some given
problem or set of
problems.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN APPLIED
RESEARCH AND BASIC RESEARCH
Applied Research  Basic Research
Solutions for specific Expand knowledge in
problems field of study

Solution-driven Knowledge-specific 

Practical-oriented Theory-oriented
Action-oriented &
Explanatory & analytical
synthetic
Objective method Subjective
 MARKETING RESEARCH
Kotler (1999) defines marketing research as
“systematic problem analysis, model-
building and fact-finding for the purpose of
improved decision-making and control in
the marketing of goods and services”.
 The American Marketing Association (AMA, 1961)
defines it as “the systematic gathering,
recording and analyzing of data relating
to the marketing of goods and services”.
 MARKETING RESEARCH
Green and Tull: has defined marketing
research as “the systematic and objective
search for and analysis of information
relevant to the identification and solution of
any problem in the field of marketing”.
 MARKETING RESEARCH
Research is the only tool an organization has to keep in
contact with its external operating environment. In order to be
proactive and change with the environment simple questions
need to be asked:

 What are the customer needs and how are they changing? How to
meet these changing needs? What does the customers think about
existing products or services? What more are they looking at?

 What are the competitors doing to retain customers in this

environment? Are their strategies exceeding or influencing yours?
What should you do to be more competitive?

 How are macro and micro environmental factors influencing your

organisation? How will you react to this environment?
 MARKETING RESEARCH
The aim of marketing management is
to satisfy the needs of the consumer.
Marketing research helps in achieving
this.

Marketing research is a systematic

and logical way of assessing ways of
satisfying customer needs.
 MARKETING RESEARCH
According to all the above definitions,
Marketing Research starts by stating the
problem or the issue to be investigated;
indicate what kind of information is
required to resolve the problem; identify
where and how to get it; specify the
methodology for analyzing the research
findings; sum up the research findings and
then suggest the best solution for
marketing decision making.
 Scope of marketing research:

Marketing research can be used in:

Product Management
 Sales analysis
 Corporate Research
 Advertising Research
 Scope of marketing research:
Product Management:
One of the major scope of marketing research is to manage the
current products and new products.
In product management Marketing Research is helpful in:

 Competitive Intelligence – To understand the competitive

product strategy.

 Prelaunch strategy for new products

 Test Marketing – To monitor the performance of the

brand by launching in a select area and then taking it
across the country. In other words it is a small-scale
product launch used to determine the likely acceptance
of the product when it is introduced into a wider market.
 Scope of marketing research:
Sales analysis:
Marketing research is used to study the sales trend
and make suitable strategies when required. It is
used to:

 Assess market potential

 Estimation of demand for a product
 Market share estimation
 Study seasonal variation for a product
 Market segmentation studies
 Estimate size of the market
 Need analysis to find out where the product fits in
 Scope of marketing research:

Corporate Research:

Marketing Research is used to analyze the

corporate effectiveness. Some examples
are:
 Assessing the image of the company
 Knowledge of the company activities
 Scope of marketing research:
Advertising Research:
Advertising is an area in which Marketing
Research is extensively used. Some scope
are:

 Readership feedbacks – Mainly carried out for

newspapers and magazines

 Advertising Recall – To assess the recall of

television or other advertising and thereby
assess its effectiveness.
 Research can also be:

Primary Marketing Research:

It is research conducted by an
organization for its own purpose which
addresses its requirements. It is
generally expensive but is specific and
objective to the organization's
requirement.
 Research can also be:
Secondary Marketing Research:
This is used if the organization is considering
extending its business into new markets or adding
new services or product lines.
This type of research is based on information
obtained from studies previously performed by
government agencies, chambers of commerce,
trade associations and other organizations.
This data can be found in local libraries or on the
Web, but books and business publications, as well
as magazines and newspapers, are also great
sources.
 Marketing Research Methods
Methodologically, marketing research uses four
types of research designs, namely:

Qualitative marketing research –

This is generally used for exploratory purposes. The data
collected is qualitative and focuses on people‘s opinions and
attitudes towards a product or service.

The respondents are generally few in number and the

findings cannot be generalized tot eh whole population. No
statistical methods are generally
applied.

Ex: Focus groups, In-depth interviews, and Projective

techniques
 Marketing Research Methods

Quantitative marketing research –

This is generally used to draw conclusions for a
specific problem. It tests a specific hypothesis and
uses random sampling techniques so as to infer
from the sample to the population. It involves a
large number of respondents and analysis is
carried out using statistical techniques.

Ex: Surveys and Questionnaires

 Marketing Research Methods
Observational techniques –
The researcher observes social phenomena in their natural
setting and draws conclusion from the same. The
observations can occur cross-sectionally (observations made
at one time) or longitudinally (observations occur over
several time-periods)

Ex: Product-use analysis and computer cookie tracing

Experimental techniques –
Here, the researcher creates a quasi-artificial environment to
try to control spurious factors, then manipulates at least one
of the variables to get an answer to a research

Ex: Test marketing and Purchase laboratories

THANKS….