Secondary Data
What is Secondary Data?
• Data gathered and recorded
previously for purposes other than
the current project.
–Usually historical and already
assembled
–Require no access to respondents
or subjects
A Comparison of Primary and Secondary Data
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PRIMARY DATA
SECONDARY DATA
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Collection purpose
For the problem at hand
For other problems
Collection process
Very involved
Rapid and easy
Collection cost
High
Relatively low
Collection time
Long
Short
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Advantages
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Time savings
Relevance
Availability
Obtainable in a short period of time
Low cost
Accessibility
Complements primary data
Disadvantages
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May be inaccurate
May be inconsistent
Inconvenient to compare
May be inaccessible
Outdated information
Collected for a purpose other than the
purpose at hand
• Variations in definitions of terms
• Different units of measurement
Is the Secondary Data appropriate
for your study?
• Is the subject matter consistent with your
problem definition?
• Do the data apply to the population of
interest?
• Do the data apply to the time period of
interest?
• Do the data appear in the correct units of
measurement?
• Do the data cover the subject of interest in
adequate detail?
Additional Questions to Ask
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Who collected the data?
For whom was the data collected?
What was the purpose of the research?
When was the data collected?
How was the data collected?
How was the data analyzed?
How does the data compare with
similar information from different
sources?
Common Secondary Data Study
Objectives
• Fact-finding
– Identifying consumption patterns
– Tracking trends
• Model building
– Estimating market potential
– Forecasting sales
– Selecting trade areas and sites
• Database marketing
– Enhancing customer databases
– Developing prospect lists
Index of Retail Saturation
• Calculation that describes the
relationship between retail
demand and supply
• Calculation
–Local market potential (demand)
divided by
–Square feet of retailing space
Example Using the Index of Retail
Saturation
• Assume
– Population = 261,785
– Annual per capita shoe sales = $54.43
– Local market potential = $14,249,000
– Square feet of retail space used to sell shoes =
94,000 sq. ft.
– Index of retail saturation = 152
• Compare to other areas to determine which
sites have the greatest potential with the least
amount of retail competition.
• Index values above 200 are considered to
indicate exceptional opportunities.
Plagiarism
• Using someone’s work
without giving credit or
without obtaining
permission, where
necessary
Tips for Avoiding Plagiarism
• NEVER use someone else’s research and fail to
cite the individual(s).
• Do not copy information from a source text without
proper acknowledgement
• Always use quotation marks when reproducing
material from a source text, and use proper
documentation
• Do not paraphrase material from a source text
without appropriate documentation
• Always cite the research service when purchasing
completed research from the service
Adapted from Strong, William S. (1993), The Copyright Book: A
Practical Guide, (London: MIT Press), 1.
Getting Copyright Permission
• Determine if permission is needed
– Is the material protected under law?
– Would your use of the material violate the law?
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Identify the owner
Identify the rights you need
Plan ahead for permissions
Negotiate whether payment is required
Get it in writing
Source: Stim, Richard (2000), Getting Permission: How to License &
Clear Copyrighted Materials Online & Off, (Berkley, CA: Nolo
Press), 1-6.
A Classification of Secondary Data
Secondary
Data
Internal
Ready to
Use
Requires
Further
Processing
External
Published
Materials
Syndicated
Services
Computerized
Databases
Sources of Secondary Data
• Internal Sources
– Accounting records
– Marketing records
– Production personnel
– Information systems personnel
– Sales force
– Other expert employees
Sources of Secondary Data
• External Sources
– Government agencies
– Libraries
– The Internet
– Vendors
– Producers
– Books & Periodicals
– Media Sources
– Trade Associations
– Commercial Sources
A Classification of Published Secondary Sources
Published Secondary
Data
General
Business
Sources
Guides
Directories
Government
Sources
Statistical
Data
Indexes
Census Data
Other
Government
Publications
A Classification of Computerized Databases
Computerized
Databases
Online
Internet
Special
Purpose
Databases
Bibliographic
Databases
Numeric
Databases
Offline
Full- Text
Databases
Directory
Databases
National Trade Data Bank (NTDB)
• Established by the Omnibus Trade and
Competitiveness Act of 1988
• Purpose was to provide reasonable public
access, including electronic access, to an
export promotion data system that was
centralized, inexpensive, and easy to use
• Over 1,000 libraries offer access to the
NTDB through the Federal Depository
Library system.
Examples of Information Contained
in the NTDB
• Agricultural commodity
production & trade
• Basic export information
• Calendars of trade fairs
• Capital markets & export
financing
• Exchange rates
• Export licensing info
• International trade terms
directory
• Maritime & shipping
information
• Market research reports
• Overseas contacts
• Price indexes
• Overseas & domestic
industry information
• Small business info
• State exports
• State trade contacts
Syndicated Sources of
Secondary Data
Syndicated Sources (Services)
• Firms that collect and sell common pools
of data designed to serve information
needs shared by a number of clients,
including competing firms in the same
industry.
A Classification of Syndicated Services
Unit of Measurement
Households/
Consumers
Institutions
A Classification of Syndicated Services: Household/Consumers
Electronic
Scanner
Services
Household Consumers
Mail Diary
Panels
Surveys
Psychographic
& Lifestyles
Volume
Tracking
Data
Purchase
Media
Advertising
Evaluation
General
Scanner
Diary
Panels
Scanner Diary
Panels
w/ Cable TV
Classification of Syndicated Survey Research
Surveys by Syndicated Firms
Periodic
Psychographic
and Lifestyles
Panel
Advertising
Evaluation
Shared
General
Surveys
• Periodic Surveys
– Collect data on the same set of variables at
regular intervals, each time sampling from a
new group of respondents.
• Panel Surveys
– Measure the same group of respondents over
time but not necessarily on the same
variables.
• Shared Surveys
– Developed and executed for multiple clients,
each of whom shares the expense.
Surveys
• Psychographic Surveys
– Quantified psychological profiles of individuals
and psychologically based measures of
lifestyles, such as brand loyalty and risk taking.
• Lifestyle Surveys
– Data that describes individuals’ distinctive
pattern of living
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Described by the activities people engage in
The interests they have
The opinions they hold of themselves
The opinions they hold of the world around them
Surveys
• Advertising Evaluation Surveys
– Measure the size and profile of the advertising
audience, and
– Assess the effectiveness of advertising using
print and broadcast media
• General Surveys
– Conducted for a variety of other purposes (I.e.,
examination of purchase and consumption
behavior)
Consumer Diary Panels
• Made up of a group of individuals and
households that record their purchases and
behavior in a diary over time.
• Frequent attempts are made to maintain the
representativeness of the panel in relation to
the U.S. population (on the basis of
demographics)
Consumer Diary Panels
• Diary Purchase Panels
– Data-gathering technique in which respondents
record their purchases in a diary.
• Diary Media Panels
– Data-gathering technique composed of samples
of respondents whose television viewing
behavior is automatically recorded by electronic
devices
– Supplemented by the purchase information
recorded in a diary
Electronic Scanner Services
• Scanner Data
– Data obtained by passing merchandise over a
laser scanner that reads the UPC (Universal
Product Code) from the packages.
– Volume-tracking Data
• Scanner data that provides information on purchases
by brand, size, price, and flavor or formulation
– Scanner Diary Panels
• Panel members issued an ID card allowing panel
members’ purchases to be linked to their identity
– Scanner Diary Panels with Cable TV
• Combination of scanner diary panels with
manipulations of the advertising that is being
broadcast by cable television companies.
Classification of Syndicated Services : Institutions
Institutions
Retailers
Wholesalers
Audits
Direct
Inquiries
Industrial
Firms
Clipping
Services
Corporate
Reports
Syndicated Data from Institutions
• Retailer and Wholesaler Audits
– Collect of product movement data for
wholesalers & retailers
– Periodic audits may be
• A physical count of inventory, or
• May be managed through a link to the scanning
process
– Track inventory flow, current inventory levels,
and the impact of both promotional & pricing
programs on inventory levels
• Industrial Research Services
– Secondary data derived from industrial sources
& intended for industrial use