Marketing research: Brief and proposal
MBA-BM (2022-24, Sec A&B)
Prof. Nirali Shah
E-mail: nirali@xim.edu.in
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
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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
