Overview

• Introduction to marketing research

• Research design
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Reporting results
 Nature of marketing
research (MR)

• Systematic and objective process of

planning, gathering, analysing and
reporting data
• Used to solve specific problem or
opportunity
 Characteristics of MR

• Quantitative vs. qualitative

• Applied vs. basic research
• Can be inaccurate
• Time and budget constrains
Remember the benefits of marketing research – Page 8
 Role of MR in decision making

• Provides info
• Functional roles
– Descriptive
– Diagnostic
– Predictive
• Factors influencing MR
– Time
– Data availability
– Nature of decision
– Cost-benefit
– Lack of resources
 IMPORTANCE OF
MARKETING RESEARCH IN
DECISION MAKING

• Necessary to keep existing

customers
• Provides insight to an ever changing
market
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Participants should be comfortable

• Participants should not be deceived
• Participants should be willing and
informed
• Data should be held in confidence
 MIS

• Prerequisites for an effective MIS:

– Quality and value of information
– Costs
• Components of an MIS:
– Internal data
– Marketing intelligence
– Marketing research
– Marketing decision support system
 TYPES OF MR
• Exploratory
– Secondary
– Experience
– Pilot
• Descriptive
– Longitudinal
– Cross-sectional
• Causal
– Laboratory
– Field experiments
 MR PROCESS
Step 1: Identify and formulate problem

 Research questions
Step 2: Determine research objectives  Hypotheses
 Research scope

Step 3: Develop a research design  Information requirements

 Research sources

Step 4: Conduct secondary research

Decide whether formal marketing investigation is required

No Yes

 Observation
Step 5: Select primary research method  Experimentation
 Survey

Step 6: Determine the research frame

Step 7:Gather the data

Step 8: Process the data

Step 9: Reporting the research findings

Step 10: Follow-up

 SECONDARY RESEARCH

• Advantages and disadvantages

• Internal data sources

• External data sources

• The Internet
 SURVEY RESEARCH
• Errors
• Types of surveys
– Personal
• Door-to-door
• Executive
• Mall intercepts
– Telephone
– Mail
• Internet
• Self-administered interviews
 OBSERVATION

• Advantages and disadvantages

• Methods
– Human vs. machine
– Natural vs. contrived
– Disguised vs. undisguised
– Structured vs. unstructured
– Direct vs. indirect
 EXPERIMENTS

• Laboratory vs. field

• Internal vs. external validity

• Test marketing
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

• Focus groups
• Depth interviews
• Projective techniques
– Word association
– Sentence or story completion
– Third-person technique or role playing
– Cartoon tests
MEASUREMENT CONCEPTS

• Levels of measurement of scales

• Open-ended response format

• Fixed –alternative response

– Comparative scales
– Non-comparative scales
QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
• Considerations
– Info requirements
– Question content
– Question structure
– Question wording
– Question sequence
– Layout
• Reliability issues
 SAMPLING

• Define population
• Determine sample frame
• Select sampling technique
– Probability
– Non-probability
• Determine sample size
• Execute sampling process
 FIELDWORK

• Selecting fieldworkers
• Training fieldworkers
• Supervising fieldworkers
• Validating fieldworkers
• Evaluating fieldworkers
 DATA PREPARATION

• Validation
• Editing
• Coding
• Data entry
• Data cleaning
 DATA ANALYSIS

• Tabulation
• Graphic
• Descriptive statistics
 HYPOTHESIS TESTING

• Formulate null hypothesis

• Choose appropriate statistical test
• Decide on desired significance level
• Calculate value of test statistic
• Compare observed value of test
statistic with critical value and arrive
at conclusion
 RESEARCH REPORT
• Title page
• Letter of transmittal
• Table of contents
• Executive summary
• Introduction
• Methodology
• Findings
• Conclusions and recommendations
 GENERAL

• Received all study material?

• Take note of contact numbers in 201

• Log onto Myunisa

• Call centre numbers

 ASSIGNMENT QUERIES

• General queries

• Specific question queries

• Marks on Myunisa or call centre

• Tutorial letter 201 on Myunisa

 EXAM

• Exam date can be confirmed on Myunisa

website

• Previous exam papers not available

• 2 hours

• 70 marks
 EXAM STRUCTURE

• Section A
– Compulsory
– 20 multiple choice questions
• Section B
– Mini-Case study
– 3 x 25 mark questions (Answer any 2)
• Total = 70 marks
 BASIC TIPS - MCQ

• Read the entire question

• Eliminate the most obvious incorrect options

• Mark clearly on mark reading sheet – one

option only

• Do not waste time on this section

 TYPES OF QUESTIONS

You should be able to:

• Distinguish between concepts

• Discuss and describe concepts
• Apply knowledge; develop something
• Compile a report
 EXAM – LONG QUESTIONS

• Read the entire question

• Identify key words

• Relate answer to the case study for all

options

• Give detailed answers – show insight

 EXAM – LONG QUESTIONS
• Look at structure of answer

• Use paragraphs

• Use numbered headings

• Give practical examples

 WHAT TO STUDY
• All chapters to be studied

• Use the study guide to guide

• Work through self-assessment

assignments

• Look at assessment questions in study

guide
 KEY TOPICS

• Role of marketing research in marketing

• Types of research
• Research process
• Research objectives, questions & hypothesis
• Nature of secondary research
• Types of surveys
• Observation research
• Experimental research
 KEY TOPICS

• Qualitative research
• Measurement and scaling
• Questionnaire design process
• Sampling methods
• Fieldwork process
• Data preparation
• Reporting research results
Use the full
two hours
QUESTIONS?

Dr Wiid 011 471-2321