Essentials of
Marketing Research
William G. Zikmund
Chapter 3:
The Marketing Research Process
Information
• Reduces uncertainty
• Helps focus decision making
Types Of Research
• Exploratory
• Descriptive
• Causal
Uncertainty Influences
The Type Of Research
CAUSAL OR
DESCRIPTIVE
COMPLETELY
CERTAIN
ABSOLUTE
AMBIGUITY
EXPLORATORY
Degree of Problem Definition
Exploratory Research
(Unaware of Problem)
“Our sales are declining and
we don’t know why.”
“Would people be interested
in our new product idea?”
Descriptive Research
(Aware of Problem)
Causal Research
(Problem Clearly Defined)
“What kind of people are buying “Will buyers purchase more of
our product? Who buys our
our products in a new package?
competitor’s product?”
“Which of two advertising
“What features do buyers prefer campaigns is more effective?”
in our product?”
Exploratory Research
• Initial research conducted to clarify and
define the nature of a problem
• Does not provide conclusive evidence
• Subsequent research expected
Descriptive Research
• Describes characteristics of a population or
phenomenon
• Some understanding of the nature of the
problem
I keep six honest serving men, (they
taught me all I knew), their names are
what, and why, and when, and how,
and where and who.”
--Rudyard Kipling
Descriptive Research Example
•
•
•
•
•
Weight Watchers average customer
Woman about 40 years old
Household income of about $50,000
At least some college education
Trying to juggle children and a job
Descriptive Research Example
•
•
•
•
Men’s fragrance market
1/3 size of women’s fragrance market
But growing at a faster pace
Women buy 80 % of men’s fragrances
Causal Research
• Conducted to identify cause and effect
relationships
Identifying Causality
• A causal relationship is impossible to prove.
• Evidence of causality:
– 1. The appropriate causal order of events
– 2. Concomitant variation--two phenomena
vary together
– 3. An absence of alternative plausible
explanations
Stages of the Research Process
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Research
Design
Discovery and
Definition
and so on
Conclusions and
Report
Sampling
Data Processing
and Analysis
Data
Gathering
Research Stages
• Cyclical process - conclusions generate new
ideas
• Stages can overlap chronologically
• Stages are functionally interrelated
– Forward linkages
– Backward linkages
Problem
discovery
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Sampling
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Secondary
(historical)
data
Experience
survey
Probability
Pilot
study
Case
study
Data
Gathering
Data
Processing
and
Analysis
Problem definition
(statement of
research objectives)
Experiment
Laboratory
Conclusions
and Report
Survey
Field
Interview
Nonprobability
Collection of
data
(fieldwork)
Editing and
coding
data
Data
processing
Selection of
basic research
method
Research Design
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Questionnaire
Observation
Secondary
Data Study
Interpretation
of
findings
Report
The Marketing Research Process
Problem
Discovery
Selection of
Sample Design
Exploratory
Research
Collection of the
Data
Selection of the
Basic Research
Method
The Research Process (cont.)
Editing and
Coding
Data Processing
Interpretation of
the Findings
Report
Stages In The Research Process
•
•
•
•
•
•
Problem Discovery and Problem Definition
Research Design
Sampling
Data Gathering
Data Processing and Analysis
Conclusions And Report
Problem Discovery And
Definition
• First step
• Problem, opportunity, or monitor
operations
• Discovery before definition
• Problem means management problem
“The formulation of the problem
is often more essential than its
solution”
Albert Einstein
STAGE 1: Defining the Problem Results
in Clear Cut Research Objectives
Symptom Detection
Analysis of the Situation
Exploratory Research
(Optional)
Problem Definition
Statement of Research Objectives
The Process of Problem Definition
Ascertain
the
decision
maker’s
objectives.
Understand
the
background
of the
problem.
Isolate and
identify the
problems,
not the
symptoms.
Determine
the unit
of analysis
Determine
the
relevant
variables
State the
research
questions
and
research
objectives.
Ascertain the Decision Maker’s
Objectives
Understand the Background of
the Problem
Isolate and Identify the Problems,
Not the Symptoms
The Iceberg Principle
Organization
Twenty-year-old
neighborhood
swimming
association in a
major city.
Symptoms
Membership has been
declining for years.
New water park with
wave pool and water
slides moved into
town a few years ago.
Problem Definition
Based on Symptom
True Problem
Neighborhood
residents prefer the
expensive water
park and have
negative image of
swimming pool.
Demographic changes:
Children in this 20year-old neighborhood
have grown up. Older
residents no longer
swim anywhere.
Determine the Unit of Analysis
• Individuals, households, organizations, etc.
• In many studies, the family rather than the
individual is the appropriate unit of
analysis.
Determine the Relevant Variable
• Anything that may assume different
numerical values
Types of Variables
•
•
•
•
Categorical
Continuous
Dependent
Independent
Hypothesis
• An unproven proposition
• A possible solution to a problem
• Guess
State the research questions and
research objectives
If you do not know where you are going,
any road will take you there.
Exploratory Research Techniques
• Secondary data (historical data)
• Pilot study
• Experience survey
Focus Group Interview
Experience Survey
“If you wish to know the road up the
mountain, you must ask the man who
goes back and forth on it.”
-- Zenrinkusi
Specific
objective - 1
Statement of
marketing
problem
Exploratory
research
(optional)
Broad
research
objectives
Specific
objective - 2
Specific
objective - 3
Research
design
Results
Research Design
• Master Plan
• Framework For Action
• Specifies Methods And Procedures
Basic Research Methods
•
•
•
•
Surveys
Experiments
Secondary data
Observation
Sampling
•
•
•
•
Subset of population
Who is to be sampled
How large a sample
How will sample units be selected
Data Gathering Stage
Data Processing and Analysis
Conclusions And Report Writing
Research Proposal
• A written statement of the research
design that includes a statement
explaining the purpose of the study.
• Detailed outline of procedures
associated with a particular
methodology
Research Program Strategy