This is a summary as preparation for the exam of Marketing Research. It includes information discussed during the lectures, tutorials, as well as information about the exam questions.
Marketing Research Summary
University of Groningen (RUG) – 2022/2023
Management decision problem:
- Asks what the decision maker needs to do.
- Action oriented.
- Focused on symptoms.
Marketing research problem:
- Asks what information is needed and how it should be obtained.
- Information oriented.
- Focuses on causes.
Marketing research process:
1. Problem definition
2. Development of an approach
a. Objective / theoretical framework: which variables should be investigated.
b. Model: variables and their interrelationships.
c. Hypotheses: statements about relationship between two or more variables.
3. Research design formulation
a. Purpose is to design a specific study.
b. Framework for conducting the marketing research.
c. Types:
i. Exploratory: discover ideas, insights, understanding processes
(qualitative research)
ii. Descriptive: describing important characteristics / markets, by surveys
or panels (quantitative research) Conclusive
iii. Causal: determine cause-effect relations, by experiments (quantitative
research) Conclusive
d. 6 W’s: Why, what, way, who, when, where.
4. Field work or data collection
5. Data preparation & analysis
6. Report preparation
Primary data Secondary data
Collected for Problem at hand Similar problems
Cost Expensive Inexpensive
Time Takes longer Takes little time
Actuality Current Potentially older
Relevance High Potentially low
Source Known Trusted?
Strengths of qualitative research:
- Collect rich, detailed data
- Flexibility
- Suitable for sensitive topics
, However, there are also limitations: small number of cases/observations and subjective
nature of data collection and analysis.
Qualitative research can be done in two ways: direct and indirect.
Direct:
- Depth interviews:
o Personal interview in which a single respondent is probed by a highly skilled
interviewer to uncover underlying motivations, beliefs, attitudes, and feelings
on a topic.
o Used in sensitive, complex, or personal issues.
- Focus groups:
o An unstructured or semi-structured interview conducted in a natural manner
by trained moderator among a small group of respondents from the
appropriate target market.
o Very popular qualitative research technique in marketing, since marketing
researchers can listen in.
Indirect (attempt to disguise the research purpose):
- Projective techniques:
o Association techniques: First thing that comes to mind associated with a
stimulus.
o Completion techniques: Complete a sentence or story.
o Construction techniques: Like completion but less structured. Picture
response, tell a story starting from a picture.
o Expressive techniques: Role play, third person.
Survey Methods Telephone Personal Mail Internet
Costs Moderate High Low Low
Response rate Moderate High Low Low
Info Simple Complex Limited Complex
Social desirability Limited High Low Low
Sample control High High Low Low
Speed High Moderate Low Very high
Survey: A structured questionnaire given to a sample of population designed to elicit specific
information from respondents, typically using a direct approach.
Observation: Recording the behavioral patterns of people, objects, and events in a
systematic manner to obtain specific information about a phenomenon.
Observation methods:
- Structured vs. Unstructured: Can the researcher specify upfront what is to be
observed?
- Disguised vs. Undisguised: Are subject aware that they are observed?
- Natural vs. Contrived: Does the behavior take place in the natural environment or in
a fake / test scenario?
A good research design involves:
- Definitions of information needed.
- Design of exploratory/descriptive/causal phases of research.
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