Defining the Research
Problem
The Marketing Research Process
Step 1: Defining the Problem
Step 2: Developing an Approach to the Problem
Step 3: Formulating a Research Design
Step 4: Doing Field Work or Collecting Data
Step 5: Preparing and Analyzing Data
Step 6: Preparing and Presenting the Report
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Problem
discovery
Sampling
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Secondary
(historical)
data
Experience
survey
Probability
Pilot
study
Case
study
Problem definition
(statement of
research objectives)
Experiment
Laboratory
Interview
Data
Gathering
Collection of
data
(fieldwork)
Data
Processing
and Analysis
Editing and
coding
data
Conclusions
and Report
Survey
Field
Nonprobability
Data
processing
Selection of
basic research
method
Research Design
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Questionnaire
Observation
Secondary
Data Study
Interpretation
of
findings
Report
The Problem Definition and Approach Development Process
Tasks Involved
Discussions with
Decision Makers
Interviews with
Experts
Secondary Data
Analysis
Qualitative
Research
Environmental Context of the Problem
Step 1: Problem Definition
Management Decision Problem
Marketing Research Problem
Step 2: Approach to the Problem
Analytical Framework
and Models
Research
Questions and Hypotheses
Step 3: Research Design
Specification of
Information Needed
Beware the Iceberg!
• The Iceberg Principle
– The dangerous part of many marketing problems is
neither visible to nor understood by many marketing
managers.
– “Submerged” parts of the problem must be
understood and including in the research design for
the research to be useful.
Symptoms vs. Problems
• Microbrewery
• Symptom
– Consumers prefer the taste of competitor’s brand
• PD based on the Symptom
– What type of reformulated taste is needed?
• True Problem
– Old-fashioned package influenced taste perception
Symptoms vs. Problems
• Manufacturer of palm-size computers
with Internet access
• Symptom
– Distributors complain prices are too high
• PD based on the Symptom
– Investigate business users to learn how much prices
need to be reduced
• True Problem
– Distributors do not have adequate product
knowledge to communicate product’s value
Management Decision Problems vs.
Marketing Research Problems
• Management
Decision Problems
– Ask what the decision
maker needs to do
– Action oriented
– Focus on symptoms
• Marketing
Research Problems
– Ask what information is
needed and how it
should be obtained
– Information oriented
– Focus on the underlying
causes
Translating Management Problems into
Research Problems (Questions)
• Management Problem
– Determine the best ways the firm can communicate with
potential purchasers of laptop computers
• Research Questions
– How familiar are consumers with the various brands of
computers?
– What attitudes do consumers have toward these brands?
– How important are the various factors for evaluating the
purchase of a laptop computer?
– How effective are the communications efforts of the various
competitive marketers in terms of message recognition?
Errors in Defining the Market Research Problem
Common
Errors
Problem Definition is
too Broad
•Does Not Provide
Guidelines for
Subsequent Steps
•e.g., Improving the
Company’s Image
Problem Definition
is too Narrow
•May Miss Some
Important Components
of the Problem
•e.g. Changing Prices in
Response to a
Competitor’s Price
Change.
“Bad” vs. “Good” Research
Questions
• Research questions should be
stated as clearly as possible
• “Bad” research question
– Is advertising copy X better than advertising copy Y?
• “Good” research question
– Which advertising copy has a higher day-after recall
score?
Development of Research Questions & Hypothesis
Components of
the Marketing
Research Problem
Research
Questions
Hypotheses
Analytical
Framework
and
Models
Analytical Framework & Models
• Research questions & hypotheses are
developed within analytical frameworks
– Basically, theories & models
• Theory suggests that satisfaction improves
morale & perceptions
• A sales manager who wants to increase
market share (management problem) may
– Ask how to encourage salespeople to generate more sales
(research question)
– State that (based on theory) higher job satisfaction leads to
greater sales productivity (hypothesis)