This document provides an overview of business research, including definitions, purposes, types, and processes. It defines business research as a systematic process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to address business problems and opportunities. The summary discusses how business research is used to identify issues, generate and evaluate business performance, and improve understanding of business operations. It also outlines common types of business research such as market research, marketing research, and problem-solving research.

1. Introduction to
Business Research

2.  A ‘Scientific research study’ is a systematic, controlled
empirical & critical investigation of hypothetical
propositions about presumed relations.
 It provides information that may assist business managers to
recognize & react to business opportunities & problems.

3. Redefining Business Research
A systematic and scientific procedure of data
collection, compilation, analysis, interpretation
and implication pertaining to any business
problem
The function that links the consumer, the
customer, and public to the marketer through
INFORMATION

4. Business Research
 It is an important tool to
collect information of
business for decision making
in any business activities.
 The information must have
certain characteristics:
 Accurate
 Current
 Sufficient
 Availability
 Relevant

5. Business Research
Used to identify and define
business opportunities and
problems
Generate, refine, and
evaluate business
performance
Monitor business
performance
Improve understanding of
business as a process

6. Business Research
 But now the scenario has
changed & business
research is needed due to -
 Physical separation
 Intermediaries
 Job specialization
 Size of the market
 Complexity of the market
 Need for more information

7. Business Research
 It aims at collecting the data from
customer & market, analyzes it &
provides relevant & required
information.
 So its functions can be divided as
 Description
 Explanation
 Prediction & Evaluation of data and
 Provide accurate information
 It supplies the necessary inputs
for
 Planning for future activity
 Control of business operations in
the present
 Evaluation of business results

8. Business Research
It is highly practiced in American
companies or abroad
In India it is still not applied in
all companies
In India the companies uses the
marketing research mainly for -
Estimating the market potential,
analyzing the market share,
characteristics or sale
It is also used for forecasting the
sale & understanding the
business trends

9. Basic and Applied Research
Basic
To verify the acceptability of a given theory
Performance behaviour
Pavlov’ classic conditioning
Applied
To answer the questions about some specific
business problems
Product failure causes
 Higher attrition rate causes

10. Classification of Marketing Research
 Problem-Identification Research
 Research undertaken to help identify problems which are
not necessarily apparent on the surface and yet exist or
are likely to arise in the future. Examples: market
potential, market share, image, market characteristics,
sales analysis, forecasting, and trends research.
 Problem-Solving Research
 Research undertaken to help solve specific marketing
problems. Examples: segmentation, product, pricing,
promotion, and distribution research.

11. A Classification of Marketing Research
Marketing Research
Problem
Identification Research
Market Potential Research
Market Share Research
Market Characteristics Research
Sales Analysis Research
Forecasting Research
Business Trends Research
Problem
Solving Research
Segmentation Research
Product Research
Pricing Research
Promotion Research
Distribution Research

12. Problem-Solving Research
SEGMENTATION RESEARCH
 Determine the basis of segmentation
 Establish market potential and
responsiveness for various
segments
 Select target markets
 Create lifestyle profiles:
demography, media, and
product image characteristics
PRODUCT RESEARCH
 Test concept
 Determine optimal product design
 Package tests
 Product modification
 Brand positioning and repositioning
 Test marketing
 Control score tests

13. Problem-Solving Research
PROMOTIONAL RESEARCH
 Optimal promotional budget
 Sales promotion relationship
 Optimal promotional mix
 Copy decisions
 Media decisions
 Creative advertising testing
 Evaluation of advertising effectiveness
 Claim substantiation
PRICING RESEARCH
 Pricing policies
 Importance of price in brand selection
 Product line pricing
 Price elasticity of demand
 Initiating and responding to price changes $ALE

14. Problem-Solving Research
DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH
Determine…
 Types of distribution
Attitudes of channel members
 Intensity of wholesale & resale coverage
Channel margins
 Location of retail and wholesale outlets

15. Business Research Process
Step 1: Defining the Problem
Step 2: Developing an Approach to the Problem
Step 3: Formulating a Research Design
Step 4: Doing Field Work or Collecting Data
Step 5: Preparing and Analyzing Data
Step 6: Preparing and Presenting the Report

16. Business Research Process

17. The Role of Marketing Research
Controllable
Marketing
Variables
• Product
• Pricing
• Promotion
• Distribution
Customer Groups
Marketing
Research
Marketing
Decision
Making
Providing
Information
Assessing
Information
Needs
Marketing Managers
• Market Segmentation
•Target Market Selection
• Marketing Programs
• Performance & Control
Uncontrollable
Environmental
Factors
• Economy
• Technology
• Laws &
Regulations
• Social & Cultural
Factors
• Political Factors
• Consumers
• Employees
• Shareholders
• Suppliers

18. Power Decisions’ Methodology
Solve Problem
Client
Needs Find Seek Plan Act
Achieve Goal
How We
Help
Clarify
Decisions
Research
Analysis
Evaluate
Interpret
Facilitate
Recommend
Market
Plan
Research
Advise
Assist
Execution
Opportunity scan
Option generation
Refine options
Decision

19. Strategy
A plan of action or policy designed to
achieve a major or overall aim.
A long-term planning to achieve or to
shape the future in right direction

20. Components of Strategy
‘Vision’
Where you want to be?
Strategic Gap!!!
‘Mission’
How you will reach there?
Where you are right now?
Objectives
Goal

21. Vision
A statement which describes ‘Where do you want to be
in future?’
An aspirational description of what an organization would
like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term or long-term
future. It is intended to serves as a clear guide for
choosing current and future courses of action.
It provide you a direction to move ahead.

22. Mission
Mission statement describes ‘ How will you
achieve your vision?’
A sentence describing a company's function,
markets and competitive advantages; a short
written statement of your business goals and
philosophies

23. Objectives
To accomplish your mission statement, when you divide your
path into some smaller steps, those steps are known as
objectives.
A specific result that person or system aims to achieve within
a time frame and with available resources. In general, objectives
are more specific and easier to measure than goals.
Objectives are basic tools that
underlie all planning and strategic activities.
They serve as the basis for
creating policy and evaluating performance.

24. Goal
The end result of an objective
An observable and measurable end result having one or
more objectives to be achieved within a more or
less fixed timeframe.

25. Tactics
The way to plan out a strategy
Means by which a strategy is carried out; planned
and ad hoc activities meant to deal with the demands of
the moment, and to move from one milestone to other in
pursuit of the overall goal(s).
In an organization, strategy is decided by the board of
directors, and tactics by the department heads for
implementation by the junior officers and employees.

26. Top 15 U.S. Marketing Research Firms
U.S Organization Headquarters Website U.S. Global Non-U.S.
2007
1 The Nielsen Co. New York nielsen.com $2,173.0 $4,220.0 48.5%
2 IMS Health Inc. Norwalk, Conn. imshealth.com 801.0 2,192.6 63.5
3 Kantar Group* Fairfield, Conn. kantargroup.com 526.8 1,551.4 66.0
4 Westat Inc. Rockville, MD westat.com 467.8 467.8 —
5 IRI Chicago infores.com 441.0 702.0 37.2
6 TNS U.S. New York tnsglobal.com 379.8 2,137.2 82.2
7 Arbitron Inc. New York arbitron.com 338.5 352.1 3.9
8 GfK AG USA
Nuremberg,
Germany gfk.com 319.7 1,603.00 80.1
9 Ipsos New York ipsos-na.com 281.2 1,270.30 77.9
10 Synovate London synovate.com 250.4 867.0 71.1
11 Maritz Research Fenton, Mo.
maritzresearch.co
m 187.4 223.3 16.1
12 J.D. Power and Associates*
Westlake Village,
Calif. jdpower.com 184.5 260.5 29.2
13 Harris Interactive Inc. Rochester, N.Y.
harrisinteractive.c
om 161.0 227.0 29.1
14 The NPD Group Inc.
Port Washington,
N.Y. npd.com 160.4 211.1 24.0
15
Opinion Research/
Guideline Group Omaha, Neb. infousa.com 124.7 206.7 39.7
16 Opinion Research Corp. Princeton, N.J.
opinionresearch.c
om 97.5 179.5 45.7

27. Major Indian Marketing Research Firms
1 The Nielsen Co.
2 Ad Point
3 Advantage Strategies Pvt. Ltd.
4 B D B India
5 Cherry International
6 Data Search P Ltd.
7 Ameya Dyechem, India P LTd.
8 Genpact
9 Delphi Research Services
10 Research Services Bureau
11 Ugam Soultions
12 Melt Data Business Solution
13 Norma
14 IMRB International
15 GMRB
16 TNS

28. A C Nielsen in.nielsen.com A C Nielsen is one of the global leader in
market research, information and analysis
Ad Point adpointindia.com Ad Point is a Rajkot-Gujarat based Ad
Agency that provide all kinds of services
related to media and promotion
Advanced Strategist Pvt.
Ltd.
astrategies.com Established in India in 2001 as India’s
premier knowledge based emerging market
development company
NOrma normagroup.com NORMA, the most trusted research house in
Kerala
Center for Research and
Consultancy
crckochi.com Centre for Research & Consultancy (CR&C )
is the pioneer in Marketing Research and
Consultancy
Delphi delphiindia.com Delphi is a "specialist" research organization.
Market Pulse
marketpulseindia.com Market Pulse is a reputed marketing research
firm, with headquarters in New Delhi, India.
They are providing incisive market and
consumer insight to businesses in India, other
countries in Asia and USA.

29. Marketing Research Suppliers & Services
Internal suppliers
External suppliers
Full-service suppliers
Syndicated services
Standardized services
Customized services
Internet services
Limited-service suppliers
Field services
Focus groups and qualitative services
Technical and analytical services
Other services

30. Selected Marketing Research Career
Descriptions
 Vice President of Marketing Research
 The senior position in marketing research. The vice president (VP) is responsible for the
entire marketing research operation of the company and serves on the top management
team. This person sets the objectives and goals of the marketing research department.
 Research Director
 Also a senior position. The research director has the general responsibility for the
development and execution of all the marketing research projects.
 Assistant Director of Research
 Serves as an administrative assistant to the director and supervises some of the other
marketing research staff members.
 (Senior) Project Manager
 Has overall responsibility for design, implementation, and management of research
projects.
 Statistician/Data Processing Specialist
 Serves as an expert on theory and application of statistical techniques. Responsibilities
include experimental design, data processing, and analysis.

31. Selected Marketing Research Career Descriptions
Vice President of Marketing Research
• Part of company’s top management team
• Directs company’s entire market research
operation
• Sets the goals & objectives of the
marketing research department
Research Director
• Also part of senior
management
• Heads the development
and execution of all
research projects
Assistant Director of Research
• Administrative assistant to director
• Supervises research staff members
Senior Project Manager
• Responsible for design, implementation, & research
projects

32. Careers in Marketing Research
Career opportunities are available with marketing research
firms (e.g., AC Nielsen, Burke)
Careers in business and non-business firms and agencies with
in-house marketing research departments (e.g., Procter &
Gamble, Coca-Cola, the Federal Trade Commission, United
States Census Bureau)
Advertising agencies (e.g., BBDO International, Ogilvy &
Mather, J. Walter Thompson)
Positions: VP of marketing research, research director/assistant
director, project manager, field work director, statistician/data
processing specialist, senior/junior analyst, and supervisor

33. A Sample of Marketing Research Jobs

34. Preparation for a Career in Marketing
Research
Take all the marketing courses you can.
Take courses in statistics and quantitative methods.
Acquire Internet and computer skills. Knowledge of
programming languages is an added asset.
Take courses in psychology and consumer behavior.
Acquire effective written and verbal communication skills.
Think creatively. Creativity and common sense command a
premium in marketing research.

35. Marketing Research Associations Online
International
AAPOR : American Association for Public Opinion Research
(www.aapor.org)
AMA : American Marketing Association (www.ama.org)
ARF : The Advertising Research Foundation
(www.amic.com/arf)
CASRO : The Council of American Survey Research Organizations
(www.casro.org)
MRA : Marketing Research Association (www.mra-net.org)
QRCA : Qualitative Research Consultants Association
(www.qrca.org)
RIC : Research Industry Coalition (www.researchindustry.org)

36. Marketing Research Associations Online
International
ESOMAR: European Society for Opinion and Marketing
Research (www.esomar.nl)
MRS: The Market Research Society (UK)
(www.marketresearch.org.uk)
MRSA: The Market Research Society of
Australia (www.mrsa.com.au)
PMRS: The Professional Marketing Research Society
(Canada) (www.pmrs-aprm.com)