1. Knowledge is Power
A Marketing Information System (MIS) determines what information managers need and then gathers, sorts, analyzes, stores, and distributes relevant and timely marketing information to system users
3 components of MIS
data
computer hardware and software
MIS experts

2. The Marketing Information System

3. Marketing Information System
Internal Data System - internal system for communication (e.g., intranet)
Marketing Intelligence - method to get information about the environment
Marketing Research - process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data about customers, competitors, and the business environment to improve marketing effectiveness

4. Marketing Research Data
Syndicated research reports
secondary data collected and compiled by firms on a regular basis and sold
Custom research reports
primary data collected to provide answers to specific questions

5. Ford Ford conducts extensive market research on consumers’ car
preferences

6. Search for Gold: Data Mining
Customer
Acquisition
Customer
Retention
Customer
Abandonment
Market
Basket
Analysis

7. Steps in the Research Process
Define the Problem
Determine Research Design
Choose Data Collection Method
Design the Sample
Collect the Data
Analyze and Interpret Data
Prepare the Research Report

8. Step 1: Define the Problem
Specify the research objectives
Identify the consumer population of interest
Place the problem in an environmental context

9. Mercedes-Benz
Based on research, Mercedes decided to soften its image

10. Step 2: Determine the Design
Can the information be acquired from existing data?
If so, secondary data sources will be utilized
If not, primary research will be necessary

11. Research Design

12. Internet Sites for Marketing Research

13. Research Design

14. Exploratory Research Generally provides qualitative data
May take several forms
Consumer interviews
Focus groups
Case studies
Ethnography
Projective techniques

15. Descriptive Research Large samples Quantitative data Longitudinal
Cross-sectional

16. Causal Research Cause-and-effect relationships Independent Variables
Experimental design allows researchers to control possible explanations for the effect

17. Step 3: Choose the Data Collection Method
Communication
Mail questionnaires
Telephone
Face to face
Online questionnaires
Observation
Personal
Mechanical

18. Mail Questionnaires Advantages Respondents feel anonymous Low cost
Good for ongoing research
Disadvantages
Slow return speed
Low response rates typical
Inflexible questionnaire
Length of survey is limited

19. Telephone Interviews Advantages Fast High flexibility in questioning
Low cost
Limited interviewer bias
Disadvantages
Decreasing levels of cooperation
Limited questionnaire length
Consumers screen calls

20. Face-to-Face Interviews
Advantages
Flexibility of questioning
Long questionnaires possible
Can help explain questions
Can use visuals
Disadvantages
High cost
Interviewer bias possible
Time requirements are high

21. Telephone Interviews Telephone interviews
may take place from a call center and use CATI equipment

22. Online Questionnaires
Advantages
Instant data collection
Flexible question patterns
Low cost
No interviewer bias
Access regardless of geographic location
Disadvantages
Unclear who is responding
No assurance of honesty
Limited questionnaire length
Limitations inherent with self-selected samples

23. Observation Personal Observation Unobtrusive Measures Mechanical

24. Garbologists Search for Clues

25. Step 4: Design the Sample
Non-Probability
Probability

26. Step 5: Collect the Data Implementation phase
Special issues in data collection
Gathering Data in Foreign Countries
Single-Source Data

27. Checkout Scanners
Checkout scanners enable marketers to collect single-source data

28. Step 6: Analyze and Interpret Data
Enter, clean, and code data
Choose appropriate techniques for analysis
Interpret analysis

29. Step 7: Prepare the Research Report
Executive Summary
Description of
Research Methods
Discussion
Limitations
Conclusions/
Recommendations

30. Online Research Online Tracking Cookies
Testing, Questionnaires, and Focus Groups

31. Online Tracking
The Internet offers the ability to track and monitor consumers while they surf
Several behaviors can be monitored
What sites are visited?
How long did the visitor stay?
What types of information did they collect at the site?
Where did they go after they left?

32. Coremetrics
Coremetrics specializes in tracking the online behavior of all visitors to their clients’ Web sites

33. Cookies
Cookies are text files inserted on a user’s hard drive by an Internet site
Cookies allow for details of a Web visit to be stored and tracked with future visits
For marketers, cookies allow a way of observing behavior and customizing Web sites and offerings to specific users
For consumers, cookies represent a trade-off between privacy and customization

34. Purposes of Internet Research
Develop
new products
Estimate market
response
Test markets
Assess
attitudes

35. Limitations of Online Research
Representativeness of the population
Self-selection bias
Influence from hackers
Threats of competitive intelligence