Marketing research involves systematically collecting, recording, and analyzing data to solve marketing problems. It has two main components - marketing and research. Marketing refers to creating value for customers, while research refers to a scientific study of a problem. There are three main steps to the marketing research process: 1) defining the problem, 2) designing the research, and 3) collecting and analyzing data. Problem definition involves understanding the client's needs, environment, and objectives. Research design specifies the methodology, including what data is needed and how it will be collected and analyzed. Overall, marketing research links customers and markets to organizations through insights gleaned from a systematic process.