The%20Marketing%20Research%20Process

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• The Marketing Research Process

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The Research Purpose

• A shared understanding between manager and
  researcher about
• Problem or opportunity to be studied
• Exploratory (qualitative) research to identify
  problems or opportunities
• Goal is to move from exploratory to confirmatory
  (quantitative) research (decision-focused)
• Evaluation of decision alternatives
• If there are no decision alternatives, no
  research is necessary
• Research users
• External bodies may require high-quality research
  designs

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Research Purpose Example Case

• Example Case Promoting a New Health Cub in town
• Research problem Consumers largely ignore
  advertising
• Research opportunity Competitors facilities are
  outdated

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Market Research Process

• Agree on Research Purpose
• Establish Research Objectives

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Research Objective

• A statement, in as precise terminology as
  possible, of what information is needed to
  satisfy the research purpose
• What do we plan to achieve (know) through this
  research, that dovetails into the research
  purpose
• Case Promoting a New Health Club in town
• Research Objective

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Explicating the Research Objective

• Research Question
• What specific information do we want under the
  broad research objective
• Hypothesis Development
• Can we make a specific statement about a research
  question which we believe to be accurate
• Research Boundaries
• Who should be included / excluded from the
  research

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The Research Question (RQ)

• Specifies information the decision maker needs to
  achieve the research purpose
• One Research Objective may lead to many research
  questions
• RQs used when we do not have sufficient
  information to state a hypothesis

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Case New Health Club Research Questions
Consumers Ignore Advertising
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Case New Health Club Research Questions
Outdated competitors facilities
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The Hypothesis

• A statement related to the research question
  which you believe to be accurate
• Two types (Null Research) research to reveal
  which of these are correct
• Specify variables to be measured with / without
  value OR variables to be measured and
  relationship between them

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Hypothesis Development
Theory Management Experience Exploratory
Research
Research Question
Research Design
Hypothesis
Research Purpose
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Role of the Hypothesis

• Introduces more detail than the RQ
• RQ Why are sales in the Northeast lower than the
  national average?
• H1 The competitor released a new ad campaign
• H2 The weather was abnormally cold
• H3 A distribution problem prevented products
  from reaching the retailers
• Introduces variables to be included in the
  research design (e.g. new ad campaign,
  temperature, distribution problems)

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Case New Health Club Hypotheses Consumers
ignore advertising?
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Case New Health Club Hypotheses Outdated
competitors facilities
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The Marketing Research Process (Research
Objective)
Research
Research Question

Hypothesis

Purpose

Develop a can
How effective is
The design that
design for the
each of several
conforms to the
new Miller beer

different design
advertising message
alternatives?

is best.

Increasing
What is the current
Builders Squares
Builders Square
image of Builders
image is not as good
store traffic
Square?

as its competitors

image.


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The Research Process Pyramid
Research Problem
Abstract level
Research Objectives
Research Questions
Hypotheses
Operational level
Questionnaire Items