1. Learning Objectives Chapter 6: Marketing Research
Define marketing research.
Describe the reasons for doing marketing research (the five Cs) and explain why marketing research is sometimes not done.
Explain how research is used in each step of the hospitality and travel marketing system.
List and describe the five key requirements for good research information.
List in order and explain the six steps in the marketing research process.

2. Learning Objectives Chapter 6: Marketing Research
Describe the internal and external sources of secondary research.
Explain the differences between primary and secondary research and list their respective advantages and disadvantages.
List and describe the primary research methods and differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research.
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of personal interviews, mail, telephone, in-house, self-administered, and online surveys.

3. Learning Objectives Chapter 6: Marketing Research
Explain the focus group approach and how it can be used in making effective marketing decisions.

4. Marketing Research
The function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information. The information is used to:
1. Identify and define marketing opportunities and problems.
2. Generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions.
3. Monitor marketing performance.
4. Improve understanding of marketing as a process.

5. Reasons for Doing Marketing Research: The Five Cs
Customers: To determine how well customer needs are being met, investigate new target markets, and assess and test new services and facilities.
Competition: To identify primary competitors and pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses.
Confidence: To reduce the perceived risk in making marketing decisions.

6. Reasons for Doing Marketing Research: The Five Cs
Credibility: To increase the believability of promotional messages among customers.
Change: To keep updated with changes in travelers’ needs and expectations.

7. Reasons for Not Doing Marketing Research
Timing: It will take to much time.
Cost: The cost of the research is too high.
Reliability: There is no reliable research method available for doing the research.
Competitive intelligence: There is a fear that competitors will learn about the organization’s intentions.
Management decision: Management prefers to use own judgment.

8. Five Key Requirements of Marketing Research Information
Utility: Can we use it? Does it apply to us?
Timeliness: Will it be available in time?
Cost-effectiveness: Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
Accuracy: Is it accurate?
Reliability: Is it reliable?

9. Marketing Research Programs and Projects
A plan or program to investigate several marketing opportunities or problems (several projects).
Marketing Research Project:
An individual element of a marketing research program in which a specific marketing opportunity or problem is investigated.

10. Marketing Research Process
Formulate Problem:
Define research problem
Identify research objectives and related questions
Select Research Design And Data Collection Method:
Collect and analyze secondary information
Select research design and primary data collection method

11. Marketing Research Process
Select Sample And Collect Data:
Decide on sample design and collect primary data
Analyze And Interpret Data
Analyze and interpret primary data
Prepare Research Report:
Draw conclusions and make recommendations
Communication of the Research Results
Present results to all interested parties

12. Sources of Secondary Research Information
Internal Data
External Data
Registrations or reservations
Government agencies
Sales or customer mix
WWW. Magazines, journals, newspapers, radio, TV
Databases
Associations
Inquiries
Research companies and consultants
Unfulfilled reservations/
turn-aways
Universities and Colleges

13. Secondary and Primary Research
Published information available from other sources, either internal or external
Primary:
Data collected for the first time, by a method other than secondary research, to answer specific questions.

14. Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Research
Inexpensive
Easily accessible
Immediately available
Disadvantages
Frequently outdated
Potentially unreliable
May not be applicable

15. Advantages and Disadvantages of Primary Research
Applicable and usable
Accurate and reliable
Up-to-date
Disadvantages
Expensive
Not immediately available
Not as readily accessible

16. Primary Research Methods & Techniques
Quantitative Data
Qualitative Data
Surveys
Personal interview (intercepts)
Mail
In-house, self-administered
Telephone, fax, , Web
Experiments
Focus groups
Individual depth
interviews
Mechanical
observation
Human
observation
Simulation
Case studies

17. Primary Research Methods
Experimental (e.g., test marketing)
Observational (human and mechanical)
Survey (mail, telephone, personal interview, in-house self-administered, online)
Simulation (mathematical and computer modeling)
Focus groups (groups of 8 to 12 people with moderator trying to reach a consensus of opinions)

18. Personal Interviews Advantages High response rate
Great flexibility (ability to adapt/explain questions)
Can show or demonstrate items
Fuller explanations can be given
Very timely data

19. Personal Interviews Disadvantages Relatively expensive
Possibility of interviewer bias
Personal nature of questions (e.g., age or income)
Respondents not relaxed (put on the spot)
Time may not be convenient for respondents

20. Mail Surveys Advantages Relatively inexpensive No interviewer bias
Consistent questions (for all respondents)
Large number of respondents can be included
Anonymity
Respondents can choose the most convenient time to answer

21. Mail Surveys Disadvantages
Low response rates (relative to other survey types)
Junk mail syndrome
Impersonal nature

22. Telephone Surveys Advantages More flexibility compared to mail surveys
Quick and inexpensive
High response rates
Disadvantages
More obtrusive than mail
Greater difficulties in rapport building
Long-distance calls are expensive

23. In-House, Self-Administered Surveys
Advantages
Completed by customers within the premises of a hospitality and travel organization
Convenient
Disadvantages
Generate low response rates

24. Online Surveys Advantages Relative speed and flexibility
Large and growing audience
Disadvantages
Technical skills and time required to develop questionnaires