1. The document introduces marketing research and outlines its key concepts, functions, features, importance, scope and process. 2. Marketing research involves gathering and analyzing data to help companies make better decisions regarding products, pricing, distribution and promotion. 3. The marketing research process involves defining the problem, designing the research, collecting and analyzing data, and reporting findings to aid decision making. The goal is to provide accurate information to reduce risks and improve business performance.

1. INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING
RESEARCH
.

2. CONCEPT OF MARKETING RESEARCH
 According to Henry Mintzberg, a manager
performs interpersonal, informational & decision
making or disturbance handling roles. But in
absence of exact accurate information, there are all
the more chances to have taken a wrong decision.
 “ It takes years to get a customer and it takes
second to lose one. ” 
 In Second words of marketing research means
gathering, recording, collecting, analyzing and
interpreting the data collected are the activities
done in marketing research.

3.  Definitions:
Marketing is the activity, set of institutions
and process for creating that have value for
customers, client, partners and society.
The word ‘Re’ in search suggests the
continuity required for research effort, as market
evolves, changes, discards, adopts, newer futures in
the product offerings, answering customers choices
is again a task of marketing research IMRB
international, TNS India and Synovate India are
some of the top market research companies.

4.  Marketing wants precise answers & emerging
trends on
1. Who ( The target customer )
2. Why ( Features, decision process, role of
influencers & information )
3. What ( Product choices, element of
individuality & loyalty )
4. Where ( Distribution channel made use of,
impact of relations etc. )
5. When ( Trends in purchase pattern –
seasonality, cyclicality, irregularity or festival
impact of social events )
6. How ( Choices of all four Ps )

5. FUNCTIONS OF MARKETING SEARCH.
 It enables getting information for effective
decision making.
 It helps in preserving historical records and
marketing knowledge.
 Managing research process in totality.
 Becoming light bearer in terms of market
expenditure.
 Making market intelligence available to all the
departments as a central resources.
 Ensuring research design to be in line with
research objectives.
 Integrating research activities, so that all the
departments can avail crucial relevant information

6. FEATURES OF MARKETING RESEARCH
 Features of marketing research are as follows.
 Variety of methods.
 Art-Science Scientific basis of collection and individual
ability or art in finding solutions.
 Applied research.
 A Package.
 Phases.
 Process cum tool.
 Fills and links the market gaps.
 Advantage : Company – Consumer.
 Strategy or Trade Secret.
 No Auto mode – Self corrections.
 New borne – Wide acceptance.
 Systematic, Objective & accurate.

7. IMPORTANCE OF MARKETING RESEARCH
 Large spending & inbuilt expectation of return on
investment expenditure
 Confident step forward
 Meeting marketing objectives
 Helps in decision making
 Finding solution to marketing problems
 New markets or avenues
 Key questions get answered

8. SCOPE OF MARKETING RESEARCH
 Scope of marketing research is very wide & broad.
 Sales Research.
 Market Research.
 International Marketing Research.
 Product Research.
 Pricing Research.
 Distribution Research.
 Advertising Research.

9.  Media Research
 Consumer Research
 Packaging Research
 Motivation research
 Policy research

10.  Sales Research:
Data compared between inter-territorial zones &
intra-territorial zones. Its shows change in tastes
and preferences of customer.
Survey of Sales people and future demand,
change required in selling method etc. can be
known through such research.
o Market research:
A firm operates in a market environment which
consist of competition. Different prices, strategies
of competitor & result impact in sales etc. are
assessed through market research. Sales territories,
sales quotas and sales targets can be fixed with such
research.

11.  International Marketing research:
Opportunity in one country may die down,
whereas the same product in other country can be
high demand. Environmental threats and
opportunity profile can be created and SWOT
analysis for entering various global markets can be
prepared.
The decision can be achieved through
international marketing research by studying
consumption patterns abroad, competition,
consumers from foreign countries, governmental
role and impact on sales, alliances or full fledged
operations.

12.  Product Research:
It studies the impact of change in product
design, colour, size, shape, quality, packaging,
brand name, price sensitivity, accessories,
attachments and price of product on sales.
Innovation, modification, product life cycle
based strategies, classification of products as per
BCG matrix facilitated through product research.
o Pricing Research:
It is studies of pricing of product. It selects a
suitable method of pricing. It fix the price of the
product. It compares the company’s product price
with price of competitor's. It also fixes the discount
& commission which are given to middlemen.

13.  Distribution Research:
It includes answers of questions such as
1. How the product reaches to the customer ?
2. Are there region wise prefers ?
3. Do they prefer to purchase products from retailer
or do they go for online purchase or do they have
any prefers for distributors ?
o Advertising Research:
it is studies about advertising of the product. It
fixes the advertising objectives. It also fixes the
advertising budget. It decides about advertising
message, layout, copy, slogan, headline etc. It
selects a suitable media for advertising

14.  Media Research:
In media research Ad. budget, campaigns,
promotional strategies & its impact on sales is
assessed of media like TV, Radio, Newspaper,
Magazines, Internet etc. Media cost, media
planning and sales promotional planning are
facilitated with it. Effectiveness of media, timing of
advertising are answered with this research.
o Consumer Research:
Consumer’s needs changes in them cyclicality,
seasonality, irregularity, like-dislike, awareness
level, interest & desire in purchase action,
purchasing attitude, impact of demographics like
age, gender, income, location, buying motives etc.

15.  Packaging Research:
Ease, attractiveness, level of value creation, packaging
cost and relevant packaging material gets decide due to
packaging research. The packaging should be for better
handling or storage. Customer prefers packaging for
ease and its attractiveness.
o Motivation Research:
Buying motives, rationale behind buying influence
and impact of sales promotion on sales is measured
through marketing research.
o Policy Research:
marketing polices, inventory polices, sales
policies, distribution policies, pricing policies etc
allows a company to from streamlined policies

16. MARKETING
RESEARCH
PROCESS.

17. Define the
Problem.
Primary
Survey
Finalising
Objective
Sourcing
out Data
Research
Design
Preparing
Questionnaire
Sample
Respondents
Data
Collection
Data
Processing
Analysis of
Data
Drafting
Research Report
Presenting
finding for
decision,
following

18.  Define the problem:
The first step in a marketing research process is to identify
the problem or opportunity. The problem may be about
decrease in sales, increase in competition, expansion of
market, etc.
 Primary Survey:
It makes a point to ask a question, whether the problem is an
outcome or is it a cause. even if it being a cause its aggravation
could be due to several other serve factors. Stopping at out comes
does not help in digging out the exact problem or concerns.
 Finalising objective:
After the survey, the researcher comes to know the cause
behind the situation. In this stage its like a flow chart which is
finding result of various causes and its varying level of impact
leading to problem.

19.  Sourcing out data:
The researcher first collects secondary data. This
is because it is easily available and less costly. It is
collected by Desk Research. Desk Research can be
internal for e.g. collected from company's records or
external i.e. acquired from libraries, trade journals,
government sources, etc. If the secondary data is
not sufficient to solve the marketing problem, then
primary data is wheeled.
Collecting primary data is very costly and time
consuming. It can be collected by using survey
methods, i.e. by doing personal interviews,
telephone interviews and mail surveys. It can also
be collected by using observational method and
experimentation method.

20.  Research Design:
Research design is a plan for conducting a research. It
guides the researcher in data collection. It gives proper
direction to the research.
 Preparing Questionnaire:
In this stage, primary data is collected with the
help of a questionnaire. So the researcher has to
prepare a questionnaire. A questionnaire is a list of
questions. These questions are asked to the
respondents for collecting data. The questionnaire
must be suitable so that the require data is collected
easily, quickly and correctly. It is used for
conducting person interview, telephone interviews
and mail survey. The researcher must decide about
the type of the information required, the type of
questioned to be asked, the wordings of the
questionnaire, its order, etc.

21.  Sample Respondents:
Ensuring no lapses in structure or wording of
questionnaire, a dry run or rehearsal is attempted.
This stage is also known as pilot survey.
 Data Collection:
Data can be collected such as mail survey
method, with help of trained interviewers in case of
personal interview method. Collected data should
be reliable, magnifiable, sufficient & complete.

22.  Data Processing:
collected data is processed for drawing out
larger picture. Classification of data, scrutiny of
data, editing, coding etc are done in this stage. It is
arrangement & processing of data for analysis.
 Analysis and interpretation of data:
In this stage, the researcher analyzes and
interprets the data. That is, he studies the data very
careful and draws conclusions from it. These
conclusions are then used to solve the marketing
problem.

23.  Drafting Research report:
In this stage, the researcher prepares the final research
report. This report contains a title of the report, method
used, findings, conclusions and suggestions about how
to solve the marketing problem. The language of the
report must not be very difficult. The report must be
submitted to the marketing executives for
recommendations and implementation.
o Presenting finding for decision, following:
Finally, the last step in a marketing research process is
to do a follow up.
In this stage, the marketing executive makes changes
in the product, price, marketing policies, etc. as per the
recommendations of the report. Here, the researcher
should find out, whether his recommendations are
implemented properly or not. He should also figure-out,
whether the marketing problem is solved or not.

24. LIMITATIONS OF MARKETING RESEARCH.
 Limitations of Marketing Research are as follows:
 No Auto mode or readymade solution.
 Not a one size fits all.
 Data dependent.
 Not Dynamic as the world out there is.
 Can avoid a risk, but not without a cost .

25.  Not an effective prediction.
 Dependence on skilled researcher.
 Customers and competitors make the environment
 Applicability is the key.
 Old data = No data.
 Communication is Important
 Urban – Rural disparity
 Back to square one

26. .