Marketing Research
Friday, November 10
What is marketing research?
Marketing research is the link between the marketer
and the market…
It is the starting point of marketing…
Marketing research is the systematic design,
collection, analysis, and reporting of data and
findings relevant to a specific marketing situation
facing the company.
MIS: consists of people, equipment, and procedures
to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate, and distribute
needed, timely, and accurate information to
marketing decision makers.
Marketing research goals
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•
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•
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UNDERSTAND
EXPLAIN
MEASURE
FORECAST
VERIFY
Marketing research content
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PRODUCT ANALYSIS
CONSUMER ANALYSIS
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
DISTRIBUTOR ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
Marketing research process
Define problem and
research objectives
Develop the research plan
Analyze the information
Collect the information
Present the findings
Research design
• The research design formally describes the
characteristics of the survey and the procedures used to
conduct the study.
• It is the methodological framework of the research.
• Contents:
– Goals
– Information sources
– Variables
– Survey method
– Sampling method
– Data analysis
– Calendar
Internal validity
External validity
Types of marketing research
-Documentary
EXPLORATORY
DESCRIPTIVE
CAUSAL
-Qualitative
-Documentary
-Quantitative
-Experimentation
-Observation
Research methods
• Observational research
- Audit: inventories, facing, pantry check…
- Mechanical: scanning, EDI, pupilometer…
• Experimental research
- Product/concept tests: prototype, comparative
or not
- Market/store tests: laboratory stores, catalog
sales,
mobile stores, in-store tests, city tests…
• Survey or Ad hoc research
- Qualitative research: interviews, focus
Qualitative and quantitative
research
• The distinction between qualitative and
quantitative research depends on the
nature of the research problem.
• If “why?” or “how?”
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• If “how many?” or “how much?”
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Information Sources
• Secondary sources: Existing data. All forms
of documentary research.
DESK RESEARCH
• Primary sources: Data collected for a
specific situation at company’s request.
FIELD RESEARCH, AD HOC
• These sources can be internal or external.
• The choice will depend on the marketing
problem, objectives, resources…
Information sources
Secondary
Primary
Internal
Accounting documents
Sales documents
Customer complaints or
suggestions
Marketing plans, reports
Organizational chart
Previous studies…
Interviews with sales team
Group meeting with management
Brainstorming
Survey conducted on staff
Internal product test
External
Public institutions (INSEE,
CFCE, CCI…)
Trade institutions (FFF, AMA,
CIVL…)
Private institutions (consultants,
trade press…)
Research institutes
Consumer focus groups
Interviews with distributors
Consumer survey
Market tests
Documentary Research
• First step to marketing research
• 4 steps
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Define the topic (clear, feasible, pertinent)
Identify key words associated to the topic
Search for available sources of information
Consult, sort and summarize information
• Questions to ask
– Does the data correspond to the situation?
– Is there a risk of obtaining biased
information?
– Was the research design technically
coherent?
– Are the findings clear, precise…?
Research and polling institutes
• These institutes collect information for
resale.
• They can give 2 types of information:
– Standardized periodic information:
panels, longitudinal studies. Firms subscribe
to this information. This is a secondary
information source.
– On-order studies: reserved solely for one
company. This is a primary information
source.
Advantages and disadvantages of
information sources
Secondary
Primary
Advantages
Low in cost
Diversity
Available
Problem definition
Familiar with market
Adapted information
Recent, up-to-date
Not available to
competitors
Disadvantages
Incomplete, outdated Costly
Inadequate
Difficult to collect
False information
Time consuming
Difficult to control
Sequence and relationship
between different sources of
information
SECONDARY SOURCES
(Desk Research)
Internal
External
PRIMARY SOURCES
(Field Research)
Qualitative
Quantitative