4. 6-4
Learning objectives
• Be aware of research tools for rural market
• Understand role of rural marketing consulting agencies
in rural marketing research
• Comprehend the challenges & limitations for
conducting rural marketing research
5. 6-5
Rural Market Research
The systematic design , collection,
analysis and reporting of data and
findings relevant to a specific
marketing situation facing the company
6. 6-6
Types of Rural Studies
• Quantitative studies
– Since penetration and consumption of most products
are low, the market is under development, hence
quantitative studies cannot be done for most products
• Qualitative studies
– 4As of Rural marketing – Acceptability, Affordability,
Awareness and Availability
– U &A (Usage & Attitudes) or KAP (Knowledge,
Attitude and Practices)
– Feasibility
– Mapping distribution, promotion and communication
channels
7. 6-7
Sources & Methods of Data Collection
• Ensuring the support of opinion leader
• Behaving in a manner to be liked by rural people
• Being at right places:
- Village Chou pal
- Retail outlet
- Fairs
- Haats
8. 6-8
Data Collection
• Secondary Data –
– Census of India, NCAER, CSO, DRDA, Panchayat
office
• Primary data
– In-depth interview, focus group discussion,
– social research (PRA),
– Scaling method, wheel, faces of rating,
– Questionnaire,
– Sampling
9. 6-9
Primary data
• PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) technique
– Is a set of approaches and methods to enable
rural people to share, enhance and analyze their
knowledge of life and conditions, to plan and to
act.
• PRA Tools
– Social mapping : capture house location/ caste distribution
– Resource mapping : availability of resources
– Seasonality diagram : information on the basis of seasons
– Venn diagrams : to identify various issues with relative
importance
10. 6-10
Advantages of PRA with FGD
Participatory Rural Appraisal Focus Group Discussion
Large, heterogeneous
Expression both verbal& non
verbal, all peoples participate
Attitudes and behavioral
oriented
Spot analysis by participants
Cross checking and validation
of data by other members of
group
Small, homogeneous
Only verbal, out spokes
person dominate the
discussion
Action oriented
Analysis done by moderators
FGD needs to be verified with
more FGD till a consensus is
reached
11. 6-11
Research Tools for Rural Market
• Semiotic Analysis – (AC Neilson ORG-MARG)
appropriate colors, signs and symbols to avoid
inappropriate ones. Helps advertising agencies in
promotion mix
• Customer eQ – (AC Neilson) quality, satisfaction and
loyalty which provides information about brand equity
• Advanced Tracking Programme (ATP) – (IMRB) tracking
brand health and brand equity to analyze different
brands performance
12. 6-12
Research Tools for Rural Market
• Consumer ID – (IMRB) different consumers relate
and react to different variables of product
• Lincompass – (Lintas) a software tool maps rural
market
• Mapping software – ARCVIEW - agricultural maps,
socio-cultural maps, national and state highway ,
identifies potential market up to village level and
provides with respect to accessibility, coverage and
penetration
13. 6-13
Urban Vs. Rural Market Research
Aspect Urban Rural
Respondents
Time
Accessibility
Literate, brand aware,
individuals respond
individually
Willing to respond. Have
time pressures. Spares little
time for researchers
Easy to access, though
many suffer from research
fatigue
Semiliterate or
illiterate, brand
unaware. Difficult to
get individual
responses. Generally
group responses
Hesitant. But devotes
time.
Tough to access,
Geographical barriers.
Do not speak easy to
outsiders
14. 6-14
Urban Vs. Rural Market Research
Aspect Urban Rural
Secondary
data source
Primary data
sources
Sampling
Data collection
Internal data, syndicate research,
publish media. Many sources and
large data
Large number of middle men,
experts, sales force, consumers,
opinion leaders
Respondents from relatively
homogeneous group. Income can
be criterion
Sophisticated instrument, style
and administration. Respondents
comfortable with numbers ratings
and timelines
Less number of all
categories
Less number of all
categories
Heterogeneous group.
Income and land holdings
to be carefully applied
Simplified instruments,
respondents comfortable
with colors, pictures &
stories
15. 6-15
Do’s and Don’ts in rural market research
Wears simple clothes
Familiar with local language or accompany a known person
Spent time with villagers even though it is not needed to his
research
Purpose and its benefits to villagers should be explained in
order to get correct data's.
Issues sensitive to respondents should be carefully handled
Male researchers should approach a woman through her
husband or guardian of the woman.
Avoid one- to-one interact as they gather as crowd.
Researcher always carry food, water and first aid kit to avoid
health problems
16. 6-16
Limitations & Challenges in Rural Marketing Research
• Nature of Rural Market
• Scarcity of Rural Marketing Research Budget
• Lack of Uniformity in Secondary Data
• Accessibility
• Lack of Facilities in Rural Areas
• Comprehension of Research Tools
• Sensitivity of Rural People
18. 6-18
18
RESEARCH REPORT
• A research report is:
– a written document or oral presentation based
on a written document that communicates the
purpose, scope, objective(s), hypotheses,
methodology, findings, limitations and finally,
recommendations of a research project to
others.
– It is more than a summary of findings; rather it is a
record of the research process.
19. 6-19
19
Types of Research Report
• Any research report contains:
– descriptions on methodology,
– results obtained,
– and recommendations made.
• The basic orientation of a research report
depends on its audience. Before writing the
report
– the researcher must know his or her audience;
– he/she may have to make assumptions about the
composition, background and interests of the
target readers.
21. 6-21
21
Types of Research Report
• Two types of reports:-
– Technical Report: suitable for a target
audience of
• researchers, research managers or other
people familiar with and interested in the
technicalities such as research design,
sampling methods, statistical details etc.,
– Popular Report: suitable for:
• a more general audience, interested
mainly in the research findings as it is
non-technical in nature.
22. 6-22
Layout of Research Report
• Preliminary pages
• Title
• Acknowledgement(preface or forward)
• Table of content
• List of tables and illustrations
• Main Text
• Introduction
• Review of literature
• Rationale
• Objectives
• Research methodology
• Statement of findings and recommendations
• Limitations
• End Matter
• Bibliography
• Appendices
23. 6-23
23
Report Format
• No universally accepted standard format or
style for research writing. Different
researchers may prepare their reports
differently.
– The personality, background, expertise, and
responsibility of the researcher and those of the
decision maker for whom the report is written
interact to give each report a unique character.
– Report formats are likely to vary with the nature of
the project itself. However, the research report
closely resembles the steps of the marketing
research process.
24. 6-24
24
Most research reports include the following
elements:
I. Title page
II. Letter of transmittal
III. Table of contents
IV. List of tables
V. List of graphs
VI. List of appendices
VII. List of exhibits
VIII. Executive summary
a. Major findings
b. Conclusions
c. Recommendations
IX. Introduction
a. Background to the
problem
b. Statement of the
problem
X. Approach to the
problem
XI. Research design
a. Type of research design
b. Information needs
c. Data collection from secondary sources
d. Data collection from primary sources
e. Scaling techniques
f. Questionnaire development and
pretesting
g. Sampling techniques
h. Field work
XII. Data analysis
a. Methodology
b. Plan of data analysis
XIII. Results
XIV. Limitations and caveats
XV. Conclusions and recommendations
XVI. Appendix
a. Questionnaires and forms
b. Statistical output
c. Lists
25. 6-25
25
The results...
• may be presented in several chapters of the
report.
– For example, a researcher conducting a
national survey, may perform the data
analysis in two stages.
• First, he or she may analyze the overall
national sample followed by 28 separate
analysis for each of the states.
• The results may then be presented in 29
chapters [ one overall plus nine state based]
instead of one.
26. 6-26
26
Report Writing I
• Effective report writing is an art.
• Some basic points to note in writing a
report.
– Readers
– Adherence to study objectives
– well organized, logically structured, and
clearly and lucidly written.
– Headings and sub-headings should be used
for different topics and subtopics
respectively..
27. 6-27
27
Report Writing II
• Objective: Report writing should always be guided by
objectivity.
– Should accurately present the methodology, results, and
conclusions of the project, without slanting the findings to
conform to the expectations of management.
• Selectivity: A researcher must use his or her discretion in
deciding what should be included in the report.
• Concise: A report should be concise. Yet brevity should not be
achieved at the expense of completeness.
• Presentation: The report should be professionally done with
quality paper, good typing, and attractive binding.
28. 6-28
28
Report Writing III
• Visual aids: Key information presented in the text of a
research report should be reinforced with tables, graphs,
pictures, maps, and other visual devices.
• Guidelines for Tables: Statistical tables are a vital part of the
report and deserve special attention.
– Every table should have a number and brief but clear title.
– Basis or unit of measurement should be clearly stated to facilitate
understanding.
– The arrangement of the data item should emphasize the most
important aspect of the data being presented.
– If necessary, explanations, comments etc. should be provided as
footnotes.
– If the table presents secondary data, the source(s) must be cited
clearly.
29. 6-29
Precautions in Preparing the Research
Report
• Length of the report
• Sustain reader's interest
• Abstract terminology and technical jargon should be
avoided
• Report must provide a ready availability of the findings
• Free from grammatical mistakes
• Report must present logical analysis of the subject
matter
• It shows the originality
• Appendices should be enlisted in respect of all the
technical data in the report.
