MARK5811 AMR1
Overview & Marketing Research
Process
T1-2024
Define marketing research
• Marketing research is the systematic and objective
identification, collection, analysis, dissemination, and use of
information.
• Marketing research is conducted for the purpose of improving
decision making related to the identification and solution of
problems, and opportunities in marketing.
Functions of marketing research
Marketing Research
Problem
Identification
Problem-
Solving
Functions of marketing research
• Problem-Identification: Research undertaken to help identify
problems which are not necessarily apparent on the surface and
yet exist or are likely to arise in the future.
• Problem-Solving: Research undertaken to help solve specific
marketing problems.
Marketing research process
Step 1: Defining the Problem
Step 2: Developing an Approach to the Problem
Step 3: Formulating a Research Design
Step 4: Collecting Data
Step 5: Preparing and Analyzing Data
Step 6: Preparing and Presenting the Report
Step 1: Defining the problem
• Discussion with decision maker(s)
• Interviews with experts
• Secondary data analysis
• Qualitative research
• Environmental context of the problem
Discussion with decision maker(s)
• To understand the nature of the problem decision maker
facing and what they hope to learn from the research
• Decision maker needs to understand the capabilities and
limitations of research
Interviews with experts
• Normally use unstructured personal interview
• Experts can be found inside and outside the firm
Secondary data analysis
• Data collected for some purpose other than the
problem at hand
• Include sources from government reports, commercial
marketing research firm, and computerized database
• An economical and quick source of background
information
Qualitative research
• It provides valuable insights to the problem and its
underlying factors
• It is unstructured, exploratory in nature, based on small
samples
Environmental context of the problem
• Past Information and Forecasts (e.g. past sales, market
share)
• Competitive environment
• Resources and Constraints (e.g. cost, time, research skills)
• Objectives (e.g. organizational objective)
• Buyer Behavior (e.g. preference, price sensitivity)
• Legal Environment (e.g. laws)
• Economic Environment (e.g. disposable income, savings)
• Marketing and Technological Skills (e.g. technology
advancement)
Marketing research questions
• Marketing research questions are refined statements of the
specific components of the problem.
• What could be potential research questions?
ØWhat criteria do households use when selecting department
stores?
ØWho are the customers? What are their demographic and
psychographic characteristics? Does it differ from the
profile of customers of competing stores?
ØWhat is the market share of Coles and its competitors for
specific product categories?
ØAre customer loyal to Coles? What is the extent of brand
loyalty?
Step 2: Developing an approach to the problem
• Objective/Theoretical framework
• Specification of the information needed
Step 3: Formulating a research design
Research design
Exploratory
Research Design
Conclusive Research
Design
Descriptive Research Causal Research
Cross-Sectional
Design Longitudinal Design
Single Cross-
Sectional Design
Multiple Cross-
Sectional Design
Exploratory research
Exploratory research intends merely to explore the research
questions and does not intend to offer final and conclusive
solutions to existing problems. This type of research is usually
conducted to study a problem that has not been clearly defined
yet.
Descriptive research
• It is conducted to describe the characteristics of relevant
groups, such as consumers, salespeople, organizations, or
market areas.
Cross-sectional design
• Involve the collection of information from any given sample of
population elements only once.
Longitudinal design
• A fixed sample (or samples) of population elements is
measured repeatedly on the same variables.
Cross-sectional vs. Longitudinal design
Sample
Surveyed at
T1
Sample
Surveyed at
T1
Same Sample
also Surveyed
at T2
T1 T2
Cross-
Sectional
Design
Longitudinal
Design
Time
Causal research
It is used to understand which variables are the cause
(independent variables) and which variables are the effect
(dependent variables) of a phenomenon.

Step 4: Collecting data
• Primary data are originated by a researcher for the specific
purpose of addressing the problem at hand.
• Secondary data are data that have already been collected for
purposes other than the problem at hand. These data can be
located quickly and inexpensively.
Step 5: Preparing and analysing data
Please take a minute to complete this small survey. The information that you share with us will be very
useful in helping us improve our service. Your answers will be kept confidential and will not be used for
any other reason other than this survey conducted by [NAME OF RESTURANT].
1. What is your general satisfaction level with this restaurant?
2. How would you rate the quality of the food served at this restaurant?
3. How would you rate the service of the staff in the restaurant?
Preparing data: Variable view of restaurant survey
Preparing data: Data view of restaurant survey
Analysing data
• Characteristics of the data
• Techniques
• Background and philosophy of the researcher

Step 6: Preparing and presenting the research report
• A report is a written and/or oral presentation of the research
process, results, recommendations, and/or conclusions to a
specific audience.
• Management decisions are guided by the report and the
presentation.
• Management's decision to undertake marketing research in the
future or to use the particular research supplier again will be
influenced by the perceived usefulness of the report and the
presentation.
Presenting report
• Easy to follow
• Creative communication
• Presentable and professional appearance
• Reinforce text with tables and graphs
Ethical principles
• Ethical principles fall into four main areas, namely, the need
to:
ØAvoid harm to participants (and producing benefits)
ØEnsure informed consent of participants
ØRespect the privacy of participants
ØAvoid the use of deception
Avoid harm to participants
• Research will be considered harmful if it causes a participant
to be:
Ø embarrassed.
Ø belittled.
Ø anxious.
Ø stressed.
Informed consent
• Researcher should provide information on:
ØThe aims of the research.
ØWho will be undertaking it.
ØWho is being asked to participate.
ØWhat kind of information is being sought.
ØHow much of the participant’s time is required
ØThat participation in the study is voluntary.
ØThat responding to all questions is voluntary.
ØWho will have access to the data once it is collected.
ØHow anonymity of respondents will be preserved.
ØWho should it be returned to and by when
Respect the privacy of participants
• Respondents have the right to withdraw at any time
• Data (in electronic and manual forms) must be kept securely
Avoid deception
• Best achieved by being open and transparent about the
research including:
Ø its objectives
Ømethods
Ø uses
Ø role of respondent, including time and any other
commitments
Checklist of ethical issues
Next Topic: AMR2 – Research Design:
Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods
• Design of quantitative studies
• Design of qualitative studies
• Designing and collecting qualitative data
• Mixed methods: Design, benefits, and types