This document summarizes the key aspects of marketing research: 1. Marketing research involves systematically collecting and analyzing data to help companies make better marketing decisions. It provides information on customer preferences, reactions to products and strategies, and market trends. 2. The marketing research process includes defining problems, setting objectives, designing the study, collecting and analyzing data, reporting findings, and making decisions. Common data collection methods are surveys, interviews, and observations. 3. Marketing research benefits companies by identifying opportunities and problems, guiding strategies, and facilitating decision-making. However, it also has limitations such as costs, time requirements, and inability to study all issues.

1. Marketing
Research

2. Marketing Research: Role &
Significance
Dr. Sunita Sukhija
Assistant Professor
Govt. National College, Sirsa

3. Marketing Research: Introduction
• Marketing research provides information about consumers
and their reactions to various products, prices, distribution,
and promotion strategies. Marketers who collect accurate and
relevant information quickly and design their strategies
quicker than their competitors are more likely to be
successful.
• The basic reason for carrying out the marketing research is to
find out the change in the consumer behavior due to the
change in the elements of the marketing mix (product, price,
place, promotion).
• The marketers need to know about the changing trends in the
market viz. Changes in the customer’s tastes and preferences,
the new products launched in the market, prices of the
competitor’s product, the close substitutes of the product, etc.

4. Marketing Research: Introduction
• A market researcher, like a doctor, can describe the situation of ill-
health and prescribe the remedies. Marketing research is of
particular importance to manufacturers, distributors, advertising
agencies and the government. Each stands to benefits to the extent
one depends on this managerial tool because, it has the power of
problem solving and decision-making.
• Systematic planning is required at all the stages of the marketing
research process. The procedures followed at each stage are
methodologically sound, well documented, and, as much as
possible, planned in advance. Marketing research uses the scientific
method in that data are collected and analyzed to test prior notions
or hypotheses.
• Definition: The Marketing Research is the systematic
collection, analysis, and interpretation of data pertaining to the
marketing conditions.

5. Definition of Marketing Research:
• "Marketing research is a systematic problem
analysis, model building and fact finding for the
purpose of improved decision-making and control in
the marketing of goods and services." It Can also
defined as “The systematic and objective process of
generating information for aid in making marketing
decisions.”
• The process of systematically gathering, recording,
and analysing data concerning a particular
marketing problem
• • Thus marketing research is used in specific
situations to obtain information that is not
otherwise available to decision makers

6. Definitions of Marketing Research:
• According to Richard D. Crisp, “Marketing
research is the systematic, objective and
exhaustive search for and study of the facts
relevant to any problem in the field of
marketing”.
• According to Philip Kotler, “Marketing research
is systematic problem analysis, model building
and fact finding for the purpose of improved
decision making and control in the marketing of
goods and services”.

7. Characteristics of Marketing
Research:
• 1. Systematic and Continuous
Activity/Process
• 2. Wide and Comprehensive in Scope
• 3. Emphasizes on Accurate Data
Collection and Critical Analysis
• 4. Offers Benefits to the Company and
Consumers
• 5. Tool for Managerial Decisions
• 6. An Applied Research

9. 1. Identification and Defining the
Problem:
• The market research process begins with the
identification “of a problem faced by the company. The
clear-cut statement of problem may not be possible at
the very outset of research process because often only
the symptoms of the problems are apparent at that stage.
Then, after some explanatory research, clear definition
of the problem is of crucial importance in marketing
research because such research is a costly process
involving time, energy and money.
• Clear definition of the problem helps the researcher in
all subsequent research efforts including setting of
proper research objectives, the determination of the
techniques to be used, and the extent of information to
be collected.

10. Statement of Research Objectives:
• After identifying and defining the problem with or
without explanatory research, the researcher must take a
formal statement of research objectives. Such objectives
may be stated in qualitative or quantitative terms and
expressed as research questions, statement or
hypothesis. For example, the research objective, “To find
out the extent to which sales promotion schemes affected
the sales volume” is a research objective expressed as a
statement.
• On the other hand, a hypothesis is a statement that can
be refuted or supported by empirical finding. The same
research objective could be stated as, “To test the
proposition that sales are positively affected by the sales
promotion schemes undertaken this winter.”

11. 2. Planning the Research Design or
Designing the Research Study:
• After defining the research problem and deciding the
objectives, the research design must be developed. A
research design is a master plan specifying the procedure
for collecting and analysing the needed information. It
represents a framework for the research plan of action.
• The objectives of the study are included in the research
design to ensure that data collected are relevant to the
objectives. At this stage, the researcher should also
determine the type of sources of information needed, the
data collection method (e.g., survey or interview), the
sampling, methodology, and the timing and possible
costs of research.

12. There are three types of research
design:
• Exploratory Research Design - is defined as collecting
information in an unstructured and informal manner.
Examples: Reading periodicals, visiting competitors
premises, examine company sales and profits vs.
industry sales and profit, clipping service.
• Descriptive Research Design - refers to a set of methods
and procedure that describe marketing variables. Portray
these variables by answering who, what, why and how
questions. example: consumer attitude survey to your
companies services.
• Casual Research Design – designs allow us to isolate
causes and their effects. Casual research is conducted by
controlling various factors to determine which factor is
causing the problem.

13. • Planning the Sample:
• Sampling involves procedures that use a small number of items or parts of
the ‘population’ (total items) to make conclusion regarding the ‘population’.
Important questions in this regard are— who is to be sampled as a rightly
representative lot? Which is the target ‘population’?
• What should be the sample size—how large or how small? How to select the
various units to make up the sample?
• Determine Sample Plan and Size : A sample plan identifies who is to be
sampled and how to select them for study.
• A sample element refers to a unit of the entity being studied.
• A sample Frame is a list from which the sample elements are drawn for the
sample.
• A sample plan specify how to draw the sample elements from the sample
plan.
• Methods are available to help the researcher determine the sample size
required for the research study.
• Data collection is usually done by trained interviewers who are employed by
field data collection companies to collect primary data.

14. 3. Data Collection:
• The collection of data relates to the gathering of facts to
be used in solving the problem. Hence, methods of
market research are essentially methods of data
collection. Data can be secondary, i.e., collected from
concerned reports, magazines and other periodicals,
especially written articles, government publications,
company publications, books, etc.
• Data can be primary, i.e., collected from the original base
through empirical research by means of various tools.
• There can be broadly two types of sources
• (i) Internal sources—existing within the firm itself, such
as accounting data, salesmen’s reports, etc.
• (ii) External sources—outside the firm.

15. There are several different methods of
collecting primary data
• Telephone surveys
• Mail surveys
• Door-to-door interviews
• Mall-intercept studies
• New data collection methods are emerging like Google form
• Data Collection Tools/Techniques
• Questionnaires and observation forms must be designed with great care.
• Questionnaires – which record the information communicated by
respondents or the respondent’s behaviour as observed by the researcher
• Structured Questionnaires - list questions that have pre-specified answer
choices.
• Unstructured questionnaires – have open ended questions and/or
questions that are asked based on a response.
• Disguised-true object of the study is not identified.
• Undisguised- respondent is made fully aware of the purpose/or sponsor of
the survey.

16. 4. Data Processing and Analysis:
• Once data have been collected, these have to be converted into a format that
will suggest answers to the initially identified and defined problem. Data
processing begins with the editing of data and its coding. Editing involves
inspecting the data-collection forms for omission, legibility, and consistency
in classification. Before tabulation, responses need to be classified into
meaningful categories.
• The rules for categorizing, recording and transferring the data to ‘data
storage media’ are called codes. This coding process facilitates the manual
or computer tabulation. If computer analysis is being used, the data can be
key punched and verified.
• Analysis of data represents the application of logic to the understanding of
data collected about the subject. In its simplest form analysis may involve
determination of consistent patterns and summarising of appropriate
details.
• The appropriate analytical techniques chosen would depend upon
informational requirements of the problem, characteristics of the research
designs and the nature of the data gathered. The statistical analysis may
range from simple immediate analysis to very complex multivariate
analysis.

17. 5. Formulating Conclusion, Preparing
and Presenting the Report:
• The final stage in the marketing research process is that of
interpreting the information and drawing conclusion for
use in managerial decision. The research report should
clearly and effectively communicate the research findings
and need not include complicated statement about the
technical aspect of the study and research methods.
• Often the management is not interested in details of
research design and statistical analysis, but instead, in the
concrete findings of the research. If need be, the
researcher may bring out his appropriate
recommendations or suggestions in the matter.
Researchers must make the presentation technically
accurate, understandable and useful.

18. 6. Make the Decision:
• This is the last step of the marketing research,
once the findings are presented to the top level
management it is up to them either to rely on the
findings and take decisions or discard the
findings as unsuitable.
• Limitations of Market Research
• Cost & Limited time to collect data
• Customer commitment/validity of data
• Time lag between research and application

19. Significance/Advantages of Marketing
Research:
• 1. Indicates Current Market Trends
• 2. Pinpoints Deficiencies in Marketing
Policies
• 3. Explains Customer Resistance
• 4. Suggests Sales Promotion Techniques
• 5. Guidance to Marketing Executives
• 6. Selection and Training of Sales Force
• 7. Facilitates Business Expansion
• 8. Facilitates Appraisal of Marketing Policies
• 9. Suggest Marketing Opportunities
• 10. Facilitates Inventory Study
• 11. Provides Marketing Information

20. Disadvantages of Marketing
Research:
• 1. Offers Suggestions and not Decisions
• 2. Fails to Predict Accurately
• 3. Cannot Study All Marketing Problems
• 4. Resistance to Research by Marketing
Executives
• 5. Time-Consuming Activity
• 6. Costly/Expensive Activity
• 7. Dearth of Qualified Staff
• 8. Complexity of the Subject

21. Coca Cola Case Study
• Example of how blind taste tests missed the point
• In the mid 1980’s, almost 2,00,000 consumers took part in taste
tests, old Coke vs. new Coke flavour
• April 23rd, 1985 – Coke changes its flavour; Renames product to new
Coke as results suggest new Coke taste is preferred
• 1990- Diet Coke • 2000-New Coke Flavours – Zero Coke
• Research failed to show consumers felt a bond with their old Coke
• Announcements that old Coke was coming off the shelves, spurred
many to stock up their basements • One man bought $1000 worth of
bottles
• July 11th, 1985: Old Coke returns • Old Coke is renamed Coca Cola
Classic • Consumers rejoice;
• Coke company realises Coca Cola is more than just a soft drink
• ‘Diet Coke’ targeted to Female Drinkers
• Zero Coke targeted to Male Drinkers
• Raspberry Coke

22. Thanks