1、 to accompanyNaresh MalhotraJohn HallMike ShawPeter Oppenheim to accompanyChapter 2The Marketing Research ProcessChapter ObjectivesAfter reading this chapter you should be able to:Appreciate that specific information is required to make business decisionsDefine the marketing research problem (MRP) f

2、or any particular decisionUnderstand the importance of clearly specifying the information required from researchApply methods that help to define the information in measurable termsApply procedures to estimate the value of researchChapter Objectives (continued)Understand the contents and structure o

3、f the research briefDescribe the purpose of the elements of the research briefUnderstand the relationship between the management decision making problem and the research briefExplain the importance of ethical behaviourChapter OutlineFrom management decision problem to marketing research problemDefin

4、ing the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemThe research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary TopicFrom management decision problem to ma

5、rketing research problemDefining the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemThe research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary From Managemen

6、t Decision Problem to Marketing Research ProblemThe management decision problem (MDP) states what the DM needs to doIt is action-orientedThe marketing research problem (MRP) asks what information is needed and implies how it can be best obtainedIt is information-orientedFrom Management Decision Prob

7、lem to Marketing Research ProblemThere is a distinction between the management decision problem and the marketing research problemCollaboration between the DM and the researcher required to formulate the marketing research problemTopicFrom management decision problem to marketing research problemDef

8、ining the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemThe research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary Defining the Marketing Research ProblemTh

9、e MRP is a broad and comprehensive description of the information required to make the management decisionWhen defining the MRP it should:Guide the researcher towards all information needed to address the management decision problemAssist the researcher in formulating the specific research objective

10、sSuggest possible ways the data could be collected (the research design)Defining the Marketing Research ProblemTwo traps when defining the MRPDefine it too broadlyDoes not provide clear guidelinesDefine it too narrowlyPrecludes some alternative courses of actionPrevents the researcher from addressin

11、g important concernsResults in trivial and unimportant findingsBroad MDP Increase market shareBroad MRP What factors will result in an improved market share?Defining the Marketing Research ProblemTo reduce the chance of making these definitional errorsState the MRP in broad termsIdentify its specifi

12、c componentsThe broad statement of the MRP provides perspective and acts as a safeguard against committing the second type of errorTopicFrom management decision problem to marketing research problemDefining the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemThe research br

13、iefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary Tasks in Defining the Marketing Research ProblemThe tasks defining the MRP are:Description of the information required for decision makingCo

14、nsideration of the criteria that will be used to make decisionsEstimate the value of the project to the organisationSet a budgetDescribing the Information RequiredSpecify the key aspects of the problemSet clear guidelines on how to proceed toward the research objectivesDescription of the information

15、Provides insights into the nature of the decisionAllows DM to clarify the decision making processSetting the Decision CriteriaDecision criteriaAre the levels of achievement on key outcomes that will result in the business decision being made?Should be set before the research is conductedThe DM shoul

16、d specify the criteriaExplicit decision criteria provides the researcher with guidelines for making recommendationsEstimating the Value of Research and Setting a BudgetResearch is a cost and a budget is a mustValue of research what does the research contribute towards a better decision?Alternative a

17、pproachesExpected valueReturn on investmentValue contributionExpected Value (EV)Return on Investment (ROI)Project likely to return $1mCost of project is $4mTherefore ROI = $1m/$4m = 25%In the public and social areas a cost-benefit approach applicableRelates benefits against meeting public and social

18、 objectivesValue ContributionWhat is the value of perfect information?It is the amount the DM would be willing to spend to remove all uncertainty from the decisionFirst step is to calculate the EVThe value of perfect information is the EV of the loss if it is a failureCan spend up to this amount and

19、 be now worse offAn example is illustrated in Fig 2.4 (next slide)Value ContributionSetting a BudgetResearch budget set by:Resources availableAmount considered reasonableGuesstimate Intuition Applying these approaches does not guarantee the most appropriate researchTwo schools of thought about wheth

20、er to include a budget in a research brief: (1) if set then researcher may design to that amount thereby ignoring better methodologies; and (2) if not set then the research agency cannot tell how important the study is and could guess incorrectlyTopicFrom management decision problem to marketing res

21、earch problemDefining the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemThe research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary The Research BriefFormal

22、brief should be the outcome of defining the research problemIt is a document that describes the business decision problem and the expectations of a research study design to collect information to make the decisionTwo types of briefs:PrescriptiveOpen The Research BriefPrescriptiveFor regularly replic

23、ated research or when the client has extensive research experienceOpenWhen client is interested in creative solutionsA briefing meeting can clarify issues or even indicate design preferenceBenefit of a brief lie in the process of preparation and documentation it provides on the nature of the problem

24、The Research BriefBrief requires:Background informationConsideration of the management problemInformation required to make decisionsSpecification of decision criteriaBudget estimateIndication of timingStudents should refer to Appendix 2A (Reaching agreement on a market research project) and Appendix

25、 2B (Writing a research brief) for more detailsThe Research BriefNature of brief will vary depending upon:Type of research being plannedClient-researcher relationshipValue of the projectBrief includes:Refer to Table 2.2 in the text for a detailed list of what a brief containsSelecting a Research Sup

26、plierExternal supplier used when tasks cannot be undertaken internallyBasic criteria for supplier selection:ReputationComplete on scheduleMaintain ethical standardsFlexibilityHigh quality projectsExtent and type of experienceExperience in similar projectsLevel of technical and non-technical expertis

27、eClient communication skillsSelecting a Research SupplierExternal supplier used when tasks cannot be undertaken internallyBasic criteria for supplier selection:ReputationComplete on scheduleMaintain ethical standardsFlexibilityHigh quality projectsExtent and type of experienceExperience in similar p

28、rojectsLevel of technical and non-technical expertiseClient communication skillsResearch project often a trade-off between costs and quality. Cheapest bid not always the best. Obtain competitive (written) bids and compare on quality and price. TopicFrom management decision problem to marketing resea

29、rch problemDefining the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemThe research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary Marketing Research Supplier

30、s and ServicesMarketing research department with a firmOutside firm hired to supply research dataMarketing Research Suppliers and ServicesSyndicated servicesCompanies that collect and sell common pools of data designed to serve information needs shared by a number of clientsOmnibus surveyA regularly

31、 scheduled multi-client and multi-topic survey that is available for any client to add questions on a shared-cost basisStandardised or branded servicesThose that are available on the same basis over time to many different businessesMarketing Research Suppliers and ServicesCustomised ad hoc servicesR

32、esearch services tailor-made to suit the specific needs of a particular client. Each project is treated uniquelySpecialist qualitative data collection servicesThose provided by organisations that specialise in non-numerical data collection using techniques of conversation and discussionLimited servi

33、ce providersTypically offer the ancillary services to a marketing research project such as fieldwork, data entry and data analysisMarketing Research Suppliers and ServicesField servicesFocus on data collection via mail, personal or telephone interviewingCoding and data entry servicesInvolve transfer

34、ring data from a questionnaire to computer readable formAnalytical servicesOffer statistical design and questionnaire construction services, including the design of paper-based forms or Internet surveysMarketing Research Suppliers and ServicesData analysis servicesProvide both simple and complex dat

35、a analysis techniques used to understand the meaning of the information collectedInternet fieldworkArrange access to survey facilities on the NetTopicFrom management decision problem to marketing research problemDefining the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemT

36、he research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary The Importance of Ethics in Marketing ResearchThe process of evaluating and addressing whether a particular action is right or

37、 wrong, good or badPertinent for marketing and marketing research because of the amount and variety of contact that marketers have with the publicMarketers must adhere to ethical standards as consumer research requires the cooperation of the publicThe Importance of Ethics in Marketing ResearchFive m

38、ajor characteristics of ethical decisions:Extended or long term effectsDecisions are rarely black or whiteAlternatives have both positive and negative outcomesOutcomes will be uncertain and unpredictableDecisions have personal implicationsTopicFrom management decision problem to marketing research p

39、roblemDefining the marketing research problemTasks in defining the marketing research problemThe research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary Stakeholders in Marketing Resear

40、chAny group or individual who is, or can be, affected by the process under scrutinyFor the relationship to work ethically responsibilities must be accepted and players must act honestlyPublic at large, respondents, client and researcherEthical concerns revolve around:Methods of generating research r

41、esultsReporting of research resultsIncomplete ReportingMisleading ReportingBiased Research Impact on the PublicWhen researcher does not reveal negative findingsDistortion of informationResearch process performed improperlyImpact on the RespondentConducting a survey to sell productsSugging the use of

42、 marketing research to deliberately disguise a sales effortFrugging the use of marketing research to deliberately disguise fund-raising activitiesDugging developing a database under the guise of marketing researchInvasion of the privacy of respondents:Promised anonymity and confidentiality must be p

43、rovidedThere are unacceptable times to contact peopleImpact on Client and ResearcherFishing briefsAbuse of PositionUnnecessary ResearchUnqualified ResearcherDisclosure of IdentityNon-confidential DataMisleading PresentationsClient using a brief to acquire expertiseResearcher must use correct researc

44、h proceduresResearcher duty not to perform unnecessary researchResearcher should not accept work if not qualified to undertakeClient identity not released without consentClient owns the data researcher cannot use data without client consentNot overstate precision and avoid unnecessarily technical te

45、rmsImpact on Client and ResearcherImproper SolicitationProprietary TechniquesMisrepresentation of FindingsThe researcher is also vulnerable to the unethical behaviours of the respondentsAssumes they will provide truthful and well-thought-out responsesWhen a client passes a brief to another researche

46、rResearcher expects the client not to pass these to other researchersResearcher should not distort findings for its own benefitCode of Professional set of ethical behaviours standardsTopicFrom management decision problem to marketing research problemDefining the marketing research problemTasks in de

47、fining the marketing research problemThe research briefMarketing research suppliers and servicesImportance of ethics in marketing researchStakeholders in marketing researchInternational marketing researchSummary International Marketing ResearchMarketing research problem definition more difficult in the international setting:Unfamiliarity with environmental factorsSelf-reference criterion (SRC) unconscious reference to own cu