Marketing research is the systematic, ethical process of designing a study; collecting,
measuring, and managing data (qualitative and quantitative); analyzing and interpreting
evidence about customers, markets, competitors, and the firm’s marketing programs;
and reporting actionable insights and recommendations that link the organization to its
environment and reduce decision uncertainty across the marketing mix (product/offer, price,
place, promotion) and performance outcomes. It encompasses problem definition, research
design, sampling, instrument development, fieldwork, data quality assurance, analysis, and
communication, and it is conducted under professional standards for privacy, consent,
transparency, and responsible data use. The ultimate purpose of marketing research is to inform
and improve managerial decisions—shaping strategy, guiding innovation, optimizing customer
value, and enabling accountability.
References (APA)
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American Marketing Association. (2017). Marketing research (AMA
Dictionary). https://www.ama.org/
Burns, A. C., Veeck, A., & Bush, R. F. (2020). Marketing research (9th ed.). Pearson.
Malhotra, N. K., & Birks, D. F. (2017). Marketing research: An applied approach (5th
ed.). Pearson.
ICC/ESOMAR. (2017). International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and
Data Analytics. ESOMAR.