Essentials of
Marketing Research
William G. Zikmund
Chapter 4:
The Human Side of Marketing Research
MISSION STATEMENT
IDENTIFIES THE RESEARCH
DEPARTMENT’S PURPOSE WITHIN
THE ORGANIZATION
Continuum of Marketing Research Sophistication
Intuition-Centered
Decision Making
Stage of intuitive
decision making
Stage of development
Stage of
sophistication
Research-Centered
Decision Making
RESEARCH DEPARTMENTS PERFORM A
STAFF FUNCTION
•
•
•
•
CLIENTS
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
RESEARCH ANALYSTS
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS
Structure of a Medium-Sized Research Department
Director of marketing research
and sales forecasting
Research analyst
(project director)
Research assistant
(entry-level trainee)
Manager of
sales research
Forecast
analysts
Managers
Researchers
1. Decision oriented
1. Technique oriented
2. Intuitive
2. Analytical
3. Managers like to confirm
4. Time orientation toward:
a. project immediacy (“I need it now.”)
b. results about future behavior
(“what will sales be next year?”)
3. Researchers like to explore
5. Frugal (“keep the cost down”)
6. Results orientation:
a. managers do not like surprises--when they
are surprised they tend to reject the
results
b. concern (“aren’t we number one yet?”)
c. certainty (“is it or isn’t it?”)
7. Proactive
4. Time orientation toward:
a. Project prolongment (“later when
we have time for a complete study”)
b. results about past behavior
(“our trend has been . . .”)
5. Not cost conscious (“you get what you pay for”)
6. Results orientation:
a. researchers love surprises
b. abstraction (“our exponential gain. . .”)
c. probability (“may be”)
7. Reactive
Probable Areas of Top ManagementMarketing Research Conflict
Research responsibility
Research personnel
Budget
Assignments
Problem definition
Research reporting
Use of research
RESEARCH SUPPLIER
• A COMMERCIAL MARKETING
RESEARCH SERVICE THAT
CONDUCTS MARKETING RESEARCH
ACTIVITIES FOR CLIENTS
• SYNDICATED SERVICE
• STANDARDIZED SERVICE
• PROVIDES CUSTOMIZED RESEARCH
Considerations for Hiring
Outside Suppliers
•Expertise
•Urgency of the decision
•Personnel resources
•Economic factors
•Objectivity
•Confidentiality
•Quality control
ETHICAL ISSUES
• PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS
• SOCIETAL NORMS
• CODES OF BEHAVIOR
Rights and Obligations of the
Respondent
• The obligation to be truthful
• Privacy
• Deception
• The right to be informed
Rights and Obligations of the
Researcher
• The purpose of research is research
• Objectivity
• Misrepresenting research
• Protect the right to confidentiality of
both subjects and clients
• Dissemination of faulty conclusions
• Advocacy research
Rights and Obligations of the
Client Sponsor (User)
• Ethics between buyer and seller
• An open relationship with research suppliers
• An open relationship with interested parties
• Privacy
• Commitment to research
• Pseudo-pilot studies
ADVOCACY RESEARCH
RESEARCH TO SUPPORT A SPECIFIC
LEGAL CLAIM
PSEUDO-PILOT STUDIES
THE RESEARCHER IS TOLD THAT THE
STUDY IS THE FIRST OF MANY IN A
MORE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY