market and social research part 2

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Research ProcessLearning outcomes:• Identify the steps involved in the

research process;• Specify the components of the 'need' for

research;• Discuss the strengths and weaknesses

of survey, observation and experimental research techniques;

• Different types of research• Managing a research project

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The need for research in decision making:

The marketing concept is central in marketing thinking. It enables managers to:

•Be consumer oriented•Stress long-run profitability•Adopt a cross-functional perspective•Keep customers and build relationships•Implement a total-quality management approach

Research supports all the decision making involved in pursuing these objectives. It takes us from:


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The need for research in decision making:

Absolute Uncertainty Complete Ambiguity Certainty


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Complete plan, proposal, project mgt.

Identify the problem

Set the parameters, define terms, understand the nature of the research

Create the research design

Select sampling procedure

Collect the data

Write up and present findings

Process and analyse the data

Monitor and follow up recommendations

Select the research methodology/data collection techniques

ProblemsFeedback


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Research ProcessOther writers break the research process down into eight stages from conception to completion:

•Identify the problem•Create the research design•Choose the research methodology•Select the sampling procedures•Collect the data•Analyse the data•Write and present the data•Follow up


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Research ProcessSurveys, observation and experimental research techniques:

Surveys: ‘A method of collecting primary data in which information is quick, inexpensive, efficient and accurate means of assessing information about a problem

Disadvantages: interviewer error, bias, sampling errors

Need to consider: budget, time frame, quality requirements of data, difficulty of the task, stimuli needed to elicit a response, amount of information needed, sensitivity of the topic, diversity of informants, accessibility of informants, willingness/ability of informants to participate


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Research ProcessObservation: The systematic process of recording the behavioural patterns of people, objects and occurrences as they are witnessed

Advantage: it records behaviour without relying on reports from respondentsNo distortion, inaccuracies or other response biasGive us insights we may not get through interviewing aloneAllow us to see the bigger pictureAllow us to see things happen

Disadvantages: records, but does not explainPossible ethical issuesStudy Skills and Learning

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Research Process

Experimental research design: a research method in which conditions are controlled so that one or more independent variables can be manipulated to test a hypothesis about a dependent variable.

See causal research and test marketing

Can be a difficult and expensive, not always possible in real world to isolate all the variables


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Research Process

Types of marketing research:

•Exploratory research

•Descriptive research

•Causal research

•Conclusive research


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Research Process

Descriptive research - the purpose of this is to describe characteristics of a population, a social phenomenon, a set of experiences. Descriptive research seeks the answers to the questions who, what, when, where and how.


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Research Process

Exploratory research is conducted to clarify ambiguous problems. Exploratory research is not intended to provide conclusive evidence from which to determine a particular course of action but from exploratory research a hypothesis may be generated for testing


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Research Process

Researchers often state objectives in the form of a hypothesis.

The Market Research Society defines a hypothesis as: “Any supposition, whether based on evidence, or an assumption made as a basis for reasoning.”

Kerling has two criteria for acceptable hypothesis. They should be:Statements of possible relationships between variablesTestable


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Research Process

Causal research - the main goal of this is to identify cause-and-effect relationships among variables. Exploratory and descriptive research normally precede cause-and-effect relationship studies.


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Research Process

Conclusive research - intended to verify insights and to aid decision makers in selecting a specific course of action.


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Research Process

Exploratory research

Descriptive research

Causal research

‘Our sales are declining and we don’t know why

Would people be interested in our new product idea?

‘What kind of people are buying our product? Who buys our competitors’ products?

What features do buyers prefer in our product?

‘Will buyers purchase more of our product in a new packaging?

Which of two advertising campaigns is more effective?

Conclusive Research

Do customers really like X? If they do, then we will give them more of it


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Research Process

‘

Complete Uncertainty AbsoluteCertainty ambiguity

Relationship of uncertainty to types of marketing research:

Causal Descriptive Exploratory research research research(Problem clearly (Partially defined (ambiguous defined) problem) problem)


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Research Process

Research can be either:

Ad hoc – one-off, designed to address a specific problem or a particular issue at a specific period in time

Continuous – where the research is on-going, possibly using the same subjects and/or methodology


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Research Process

A research project has to decide whether it requires qualitative data, quantitative data, or a mixture of both.

Neither is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. The data is only appropriate or inappropriate depending on the needs of the project and the terms of reference outlined


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TOPIC Quantitative research Qualitative research

Research enquiry

Exploratory, descriptive, causal Exploratory and descriptive

Nature of questions and responses

Who, what, when, where, why, how many?Relatively superficial and rational responsesMeasurement, testing and validation

What, when, where, why?Below the surface and emotional responsesUnderstanding, exploration and idea generation

Sample size Relatively large Relatively small

Data Numbers, percentages, meansLess detail or depthNomothetic (universal principles) descriptionContext poorHigh reliability, low validityStatistical inference possible

Words, picturesDetailed and in-depthIdeographic descriptionContext richHigh validity, low reliabilityStatistical inference not possible

Cost Relatively low cost per respondent

Relatively high cost per respondentStudy Skills and Learning

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Research ProcessLimitations of research – factors that inhibit it:

•Poor definition of the problem•Lack of understanding of the brief•Poor or inappropriate research design•The limitations of the methods used•Poor execution of the research itself•Poor or inappropriate interpretation of the results•The status of the knowledge (context and bias of researcher)•The use or misuse of research evidence by the decision makers•The time that elapses between collecting the data and applying the findings


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Research Process1.0 Introduction2.0 Research objective3.0 Terms of reference4.0 Approach5.0 Issues for inclusion in the survey6.0 Methodology 7.0 Costs and timing:

7.1 Costs7.2 Timing

8.0 Points to consider/clarify before the research begins:9.0 Confidentiality10.0 Relevant previous experience11.0 Terms of business

Appendix A: Curriculum vitae


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Reading:

• Malhotra & Birks Ch’s 2 & 3• McGivern Ch 2• BUTLER,P. (1994) Marketing problems: from analysis to

decision, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 12 (2), 4 -13

• BARKER, A., NANCARROW, C. and SPACKMAN, N (2001) Informed eclecticism: a research paradigm for the twenty-first century, International Journal of Market Research, 43 (1): 3-27

• CRESSWELL, J. (2003) Research Design. Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Approaches. London: Sage.


market and social research part 2

Education

learning resources http

research projectstudy

participatestudy skills

research methodologyselect

research designchoose

research processspecify

datafollow upstudy skills

decision making