1. Steps in the Marketing Research Process lDefine the research problem lEstablish research objectives lDetermine the sources of information to fulfill the research objectives lConsider the costs and benefits of the research

2. Steps in the Marketing Research Process (continued) lGather the relevant data from secondary and/or primary sources lAnalyze, interpret, and summarize the results lEffectively communicate the results to decision makers.

3. Secondary Data Problems Availability—types of data common or popular in the U.S. may not be collected in other countries Reliability—data may be falsified or altered to further the source’s agenda Comparability—there are no historical series data available for comparison, or data summarization categories are outdated

4. Questions for Validating Secondary Data lWho collected the data? lFor what purpose were the data collected? Would there be any reason for purposely misrepresenting the facts? lHow were the data collected (methods)? lAre the data internally consistent and logical in light of known data sources or market factors?

5. Should I use quantitative or qualitative methods? Quantitative Research—Information gathered in a structured fashion from large groups of people and then summarized in numerical form using percentages, statistics, etc. Qualitative Research—In-depth information gathered from small groups or individuals; used to increase understanding; done without regard for “statistical representation”

6. Primary Data Problems Ability to Communicate Opinions—depends on the complexity or unfamiliarity of the topic under study Willingness to Respond—depends on the gender or social status of the respondent, or on the degree of sensitivity of the topic under study Language and Comprehension—affected by literacy levels, idiom differences, and difficulty of exact translation

7. Sampling—A Special Problem Lack of available lists or directories (sampling frames)—e.g. outdated phone directories, no official census Lack of adequate demographic and/or economic data—e.g. no reliable age or income distributions to verify sample results Lack of infrastructure to support representative sampling—e.g. spotty telephone service, unreliable postal service

8. On-Line Research Opportunities oOn-Line Surveys and Buyer Panels oOn-Line Focus Groups oWeb Visitor Tracking oAdvertising Measurement oCustomer Identification Systems oE-Mail Marketing Lists oEmbedded Research