Marketing Research? Meaning Marketing Research has two words, viz., marketing and research. Marketing means creating, communicating and delivering value to the customers & managing customer relationships. Research means a systematic and complete study of a problem. It is done by experts. It uses scientific methods. Thus, we can say, “Marketing Research is a systematic method of collecting, recording and analyzing of data, which is used to solve marketing problems.”

Definition Marketing research is "the process or set of processes that links the consumers, customers, and end users to the marketer through information — information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process

Market Research problem a research problem, in general, refers to some difficulty which a researcher experiences in the context of either a theoretical or practical situation and wants to obtain a solution for the same.

Thus, a research problem is one which requires a researcher to find out the best solution for the given problem.

A research problem is the situation that causes the researcher to feel apprehensive, confused and ill at ease. It is the demarcation of a problem area within a certain context involving the WHO or WHAT, the WHERE, the WHEN and the WHY of the problem situation. The research problem should always be formulated grammatically correct and as completely as possible. You should bear in mind the wording (expressions) you use. Avoid meaningless words. There should be no doubt in the mind of the reader what your intentions are.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMThe prospective researcher should think on what caused the need to do the research (problem identification). The question that he/she should ask is:

Are there questions about this problem to which answers have not been found up to the present

Research originates from a need that arises. A clear distinction between the PROBLEM and the PURPOSE should be made. The problem is the aspect the researcher worries about, thinks about and wants to find a solution for. The purpose is to solve the problem, i.e. find answers to the question(s). If there is no clear problem formulation, the purpose and methods are meaningless.

There are many problem situations that may give rise to research. Three sources usually contribute to problem identification.

Own experience or the experience of others may be a source of problem supply.

A second source could be scientific literature. You may read about certain findings and notice that a certain field was not covered. This could lead to a research problem.

Theories could be a third source. Shortcomings in theories could be researched.

Research can thus be aimed at clarifying or substantiating an existing theory, at clarifying contradictory findings, at correcting a faulty methodology, at correcting the inadequate or unsuitable use of statistical techniques, at reconciling conflicting opinions, or at solving existing practical problems.

• Defining the problem is the most important step, because only when a problem has been clearly and accurately identified can a research project be conducted properly.

• Defining the marketing research problem sets the course of the entire project.

Importance of Defining the Problem Only when marketing research problem has been clearly defined can research be designed and conducted properly. Inadequate problem definition is a leading cause of failure of marketing research project. Better communication and more involvement in problem definition are the most frequently mentioned ways of improving the usefulness of researchBecause problem definition sets the course of the entire project.Because the client is paying for the research so both need to know what to expect.Because mistakes made at this level grow into larger, more expensive mistakes later on.

Own experience

Scientific literature

Theories

The problem definition process provides guidelines on how to correctly define the marketing research problem.All the effort, time and money spent from this point on will be wasted if the problem is not properly defined.Because this is the Critical first step in research processIf problem definition is not correct, research will be wasted regardless of how well research is conductedOften requires some preliminary research to help define the problem

Necessity of defining a problem

To discriminate the relevant data from the irrelevant oneDefining research problem make research faster and easy.formulates a clear, concise, and manageable research problem

Real life example of problem definition failure

Coca-Cola conducted blind taste tests in the early 1980s to determine consumer taste preferences.

• Results indicated that consumers preferred a sweeter product, similar to Pepsi Cola. Coca- Cola introduced the new taste Coke and named it “New Coke” and discontinued the original Coke.

• In less than 3 months, New Coke was discontinued after customer outrage over the removal of the original Coke.

• It has been suggested that Coca-Cola narrowly defined the research problem.

• Coca-Cola failed to measure the emotional attachment and loyalty to the existing brand name and its effect on subsequent purchase and consumption behavior.

Sources of research problem

Personal Experiences: Day-to-day personal experience of a research may serve as good source of ideas to formulate research problem. There may be so many such life experiences of researcher, which he can used in his research.

Practical Experiences: researcher gets plenty of ideas to formulate research problems from their experiences. Every researcher has several questions to be answered which are encountered during their professional l experience. Such experiences could be rich sources of ideas to identify a significant research problem.

Critical Appraisal of literature: When we critically study books & articles relating to the subject of our interest, including research report, opinion articles, & summaries of research issues, pertinent questions may arise in our mind. These may strike reader’s mind indirectly by stimulating imagination & directly by stating what additional research is needed.

Previous Experience: A body of knowledge should be developed on a sound foundation of research findings. Usually at the end of a research further research problems are suggested, based on the shortcomings of previous research, which can be investigated.

Existing theories: Research is a process of theory development & theory testing. It an existing theory is used in developing are searchable problem, a specific statement from the theory must be isolated. Generally, a part of the theory are subjected to testing in the situation.

Social issues: Sometimes, topics are suggested by more global contemporary social or political issues community.

Brainstorming: Brainstorming sessions are good techniques to find new questions, where an intensified discussion among interested people of the profession is conducted to find more ideas to formulate a good research problem. For example, ideas for studies may emerge from reviewing research priorities by having brainstorming session with other experts, researchers

Intuition: Traditionally institutions are considered good sources of knowledge as well as sources to find new research problems. It is believed that reflective mind is good sources of ideas, which may be used to formulate a good research problem.

Folklores: Common beliefs could be right or wrong. For examples, it is generally believed that studying just before the test decrease the score. We believe we should not study just before test to relax our mind. Researchers can conduct a research study on whether one should study before the test or not.

Exposure to field situations: During field exposure, researchers get variety of experiences, which may provide plenty of ideas to formulate research problems.

Consultation with experts: Experts are believed to have sound experience of their respective field, which may suggest a significance problem to be studied. In addition, expert may help in finding a current problem of discipline to be solve, which may serves basis for formulation of research problem.

Some other Sources of problem:

Books/reports Resource Newspapers/TV/radios/medias Seminars, workshops/conferences Relations organizations/research centers/research institutes Encyclopedia Own critical observations Discussions with fellows, colleagues, friends, etc.

ESSENTIALS FOR SELECTING A GOOD RESEARCH ROBLEM

Interest: IT should be the most important consideration in selecting a problem. keeps the researcher involved in it throughout the research process.

Researchable – can be investigated through the collection and analysis of data, using case study or other techniques

Sufficient knowledge:-Having sufficient knowledge about the research process. Not too broad or too big not too narrow Manageable, specific and clear.

Understandable and logically build up – well formulated and has logical structure with main question and following sub-questions.

Manageable – fits the level of researcher’s level of research skills, needed resources, and time restrictions.

Purposeful – establishes cooperation between researcher and business which should lead to economical and practical development of both sides

Measurement of concept ◦ Make sure that you are clear about the indicators and measurement of concepts (if used) in your study.

Level of Expertise ◦ Make sure that you have adequate level of expertise for the task you are proposing since you need to do the work yourself.

Relevance ◦ Select a topic that is of relevance to as a professional.

Contributes to the improvement: Problem should contributes to the improvement and understanding of educational theory and practice.

Availability of data ◦ before finalizing the topic, make sure that data are available within the budget.

Ethical Issues ◦ Research problem should not harm to participants, person/society involved.

Variable reviews for problem identification

Selection of a research area Delimiting the research topic Understanding the nature of the problem. Surveying the available literature. Developing the ideas through discussions Evaluating the research problem Rephrasing the research problem into a working proposition. Statement of the problem in a general way

Selection of a research area Formulate of a research problem begins with selection of a broad research topic from personal experience, literature, previous research, & theories in which researcher is interested & has significance.

Delimiting the research topic In this step, researcher proceeds from a general area of interest to more specific topic of research to conduct study.

“The formulation of the problem is often more essential than its solution.” Albert Einstein

Understanding the nature of the problem.

The researcher needs to discuss the problem with those related to the subject matter in order to clearly understand the origin of the problem, its nature, objectives, and the environment in which the problem is to be studied.

Surveying the available literature

All available literature including relevant theories, reports, records, and other relevant literature on the problem needs to be reviewed and examined.

This would help the researcher to identify the data available, the techniques that might be used, types of difficulties that may be encountered during the study, possible analytical shortcomings, and even new methods of approach to the present problem.

Developing the ideas through discussions ◦

Discussing the problem with colleagues and others related to the concerned subject. ◦ This helps the researcher to generate new ideas, identify different aspects on the problem, gain suggestions and advices from others, and sharpen his focus on certain aspects within the field. ◦ However, discussions should not be limited to the problem only, but should also be related to the general approach to the problem, techniques that might be used, possible solutions, etc.

Evaluating the research problemOnce researcher is clear about the specific research problem, next the research problem must be carefully evaluated for its significance, research ability, &feasibility. Feasibility of the research problem should be evaluated for time, cost, availability of subjects &resources, administrative & peer support, ethical consideration, & researcher’s competence & interest.

Rephrasing the research problem into a working proposition

Rephrasing the problem means putting the problem in specific terms that is feasible and may help in the development of working hypotheses. ◦ once the researcher has gone through the above steps systematically, it is easy to rephrase the problem into analytical and operational terms.

State the problem in general termsState the problem in general terms with respect to some practical, scientific or intellectual interest. For this, the researcher may himself read the concerned subject matter thoroughly or take the help of the subject expert.

Environmental Context of the ProblemTo understand the background to a marketing research problem, the researcher must understand the client’s firm and industry. • In particular, the researcher analyze the factors that have an impact on the definition of the marketing research problem such as:

Past information and forecast pertaining to the industry and the firm; Resources and constraints of the firm Objective of the decision maker; Buyer behavior; Legal environment; Economic environment; and Marketing and technological skills of the firm.

Process of problem definitionDefining the problem is the most important step, because only when a problem has been clearly and accurately identified can a research project be conducted properly. Defining the marketing research problem sets the course of the entire project. Careful problem definition would have avoided cost and delay of research.

The process of defining the problem involves stating it I a very concise manners and narrowing it down to workable size. Research problem can be stated in two formats:

A statement of research problem could be in declarative or interrogative

a. Declarative format: In this format, a research problem is stated in declarative statement. . For the formulation of a research problem it is preferable

b. Interrogative format: In interrogative format, a research problem is stated in question form.

The choice of either of these two types of format formulation of a research problem depends on the researcher’s preference & institutional policies.

Steps in defining problem

1. Ascertain the decision’s maker’s objectiveResearcher needs to understand:

The decision maker’s objectives (i.e. desirable end-states that the decision maker hopes to achieve within a future time frame) for conducting the research

The business context in which the decision maker operates objectives

2. Translate into research objective(s) (what information is needed)

After understand the management problem, researcher convert this problem into research problem and then set objectives to solve that problems

Following is an example to clear this pt.

Management Problem

What price should we charge for our new product?

Research Problem

What are our costs of production and marketing (COGS)?What are our pricing objectives and position in the market?What price does similar types of products sell for?What is the perceived value of our product in the marketplace?Are there any norms or conventional practices in the marketplace (e.g., customary prices, continual discounting)

Research Objectives

To assess the costs involved in producing and selling our productTo determine corporate objectives and their implications for pricingTo examine current prices for direct and indirect competitionTo determine potential customer reaction to various prices and their perception of the benefits of owning the product

Ascertain the decision’s maker’s objective

Developing a hypothesis

Situational analysis

Isolate cause and symptom

Unit of analysis

Determine relevant data

Situational analysis

3. Situational analysis- Informal gathering of background information to familiarize the researcher and manager with the decision-making environment situation.

4. Isolate cause and symptomsSymptom – the sign (indicator) that something is wrong (e.g. sales decline)

Problem – the actual reasons (possible causes) for the discrepancy between what is (current situation) and what is desired (e.g. lack of motivation among salespeople)

Tackling the symptoms may not necessarily solve the problem, the real (root) causes must be identified and tackled.

Observation that in many (if not most) cases only a very small amount (the 'tip') of information is available or visible about a situation or phenomenon, whereas the 'real' information or bulk of data is either unavailable or hidden. The principle gets its name from the fact that only about 1/10th of an iceberg's mass is seen outside while about 9/10th of it is unseen, deep down in water. Decision makers often respond to ‘symptoms’ and believe they are confronting the actual problem.

For example , if the quarterly or monthly reports show a decline in sales or market share then decision makers tend to label these issues as the problem. Their perspective represents the 10% or that which is both observable and measurable.

Researchers, on the other hand, are cautioned to step back and look beneath the waves. This is where we find the 90%, or that which is neither typically observable nor clearly understood by managers . When we probe deeper we may find the loss in sales or market share is actually a function of declining customer satisfaction, advertising that is not effectively reaching its target, or a sales force that is insufficiently trained. This awareness comes via the researcher’s ability to delve into the psyche of the customer and prospect through one or a series of market surveys.

Another Example of differences between symptoms and problems,

5. Unit of analysisDetermine the Unit of Analysis

• Individuals, households, organizations, etc.

• In many studies, the family rather than the individual is the appropriate unit of analysis.

The target population from whom data needs to be collected to serve the research objectives

These could be:

Individuals (maybe even further classified by demographics, geographic location, etc.) Households Organizational customers (e.g. retailers, wholesalers) Competitors

Sometimes a single research problem may require investigation at one or more levels of analysis

6. Determine relevant dataAnything that may assume different numerical values

• Types of variables can be:

– Categorical variable is any variable that has a limited number of distinct values.

– Continuous variable is any variable that has an infinite number of values.

– Dependent variable is a criterion or a variable that is to be predicted or explained.

– Independent variable is a variable that is expected to influence the dependent variable. Its value may be changed or altered independently of any other variable.

7. Developing a hypothesis

Once the problem to be tackled has been finalized, the variables identified, the relationship stated, the researcher should now formulate a tentative solution to the problem. Theses proposed solutions are called as hypothesis. Which the researcher would proceed to formulate on the basis of facts known or collected by him.

Conclusion: that’s why it’s very important to identify problem properly because when marketing research problem has been clearly identified, only then research can be designed and conducted properly

Inadequate problem definition is a leading cause of failure of marketing research project. All the effort, time and money spent from this point on will be wasted if the problem is not properly defined. If problem definition is not correct, research will be wasted regardless of how well research is conducted

Syndicated Research

A research study which is conducted and funded by a market research firm but not for any specific client is called a syndicated research. The result of such research is often provided in the form of reports, presentations, raw data etc. and is made available in open market for anyone to purchase.

In syndicated research the research problem and scope of research is formulated by market research companies based on their experience and methodology. Thus they often need refinement when you want to use them in lieu of custom market research.

The Benefits of Syndicated Research

1. Providing a Representative Overview of the Market: While custom research often focuses on a smaller subject/issue or population, good syndicated research ensures a representative sample of the overall market. It provides a clear representation of the players in the market, whether they are customers, clients, or businesses. The sample should be large enough and weighted appropriately to accurately provide relevant and actionable intelligence.

2. Identifying Industry Trends: Because syndicated research is undertaken on a large scale, it often provides a macro-level overview of the issues facing a particular industry. Syndicated research is useful for organizations looking to understand the market landscape and their position in it, as well as those looking to gain a jump-start on issues likely to affect the industry in the future.

3. Measuring Brand Awareness, Strength, and Perceptions: Similarly, this market overview perspective allows multiple companies who invest in syndicated research to see how their brands and product offerings are viewed among customers and potential customers compared to those of their competitors.

4. Offering Competitive Intelligence. By offering insights on macro-level industry trends as well as a detailed understanding of specific issues within an industry or market, syndicated research can be a valuable source for competitive intelligence professionals seeking to gain information on how best to position their companies in a competitive market.

Why syndicated research is conducted?

Syndicated research is conducted by market research companies for various purposes:

1. To update their knowledge base on key industries on which they specialize or wish to specialize.

2. To utilize human resources during slack period.

3. To improve visibility of their company by using syndicated research as means to get publicity.

4. To show-off the skills of the company.5. To update industry tracker and databases provided to their clients on subscription.

These are the major reasons why a market research company invest its funds and time in conducting a syndicate research without any assurance of recovering its cost.

PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING SYNDICATED RESEARCH

Syndicated research is often used during exploratory research which follows an unstructured format. It is also used in following cases:

1. When you want to find information about a market before making a plan for full scale custom market research.

2. When you want to use data pointers and charts during presentations and have no-time to conduct custom research.

3. When you want to create an investor pitch and need various data pointers on short notice.

4. When you are running short on your research budget.5. When you need information for use in your research thesis.6. When you are working in news agency and want data for your article or news story.7. You are a venture capitalist or investor and want to be updated about trends happening

in various industries, markets and companies of your interest.

Why should you use syndicated research?

Syndicated research reports should be used during exploratory research process to gain more information about a market, industry or company at a lesser cost and in shorter time span. Many companies providing syndicated research reports often provide customization services too. This can really help you identify the companies you should be asking for research proposals in future when you want to go ahead with custom market research.

In short when you are building your knowledge base about a business/research problem and don’t want to spend huge amount or have very less time you should use syndicated research repo

Where to find syndicated research?

Now comes to question of how or where to acquire syndicated research reports. Well, syndicated research reports can be acquired from any of the following sources:

1. Industry Association

Industry Associations are good sources to find ready-made information about their industry and market. They hire market research companies to conduct study for them and then often provide the results of that study publically for everyone.

They can be a good source when you want to find macro level information about any industry or market but can be very little use if your needs are very specific.

2. University Libraries

University or b-school libraries often have access to digital databases which provide research information and if you have access to them then you can find a vast collection of information. This again has limitations when you are looking for something very specific, but often provide enough information which can help you to a greater extent.

3. Market Research Reports Portals

This is the most convenient way to find and buy syndicated market research reports. You can use portals like Market Research Reports to find and purchase syndicated research reports. These portals distribute syndicate reports offered by many renowned global market research companies.

They can also help you in finding the best suited research for your requirements. Moreover since they work with market research companies directly they can also help in customizing a syndicated report or conducting full-fledged custom market research study.

1. MARKETING RESEARCH 

“A systematic manner of objective collection and analysis of data about a particular target market, competition, and/or environment”.Marketing or business research always incorporates some form of data collection whether it is secondary research or primary research which is collected directly from a respondent.The purpose of marketing research is to gain a proper understanding on the subject matter to derive effective business insights. As the markets are becoming competitive on a global level, market research is on the agenda of all organizations to collect targeted and specific data.

2. MARKETING RESEARCH PROPOSAL

A marketing research proposal can be defined as, “A plan that offers ideas for conducting research”. “A marketing research proposal details the who, the what, the where, the when and the how of research and the information and costs associated with it”.

• A research proposal is a document written by a researcher that provides a detailed description of the proposed program. It is like an outline of the entire research process that gives a reader a summary of the information discussed in a project.

• It is a detailed plan of action for inquiry• It tells what the researcher intends to do, how, why, where and when.

3. PURPOSE

• To present the management question to be researched and relate its importance.• To discuss the research efforts of others who have worked on related management

questions.• To suggest the data necessary for solving the management question and how the data will

be gathered, treated and interpreted.• To present the researcher's plan, services and credentials.• To help the researcher to define the contents and to plan and execute his/her

research project.• To inform potential collaborators and supporters about the topic and the expected quality

of the research.

4. PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

5. TYPES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

RESEARCH PROPOSALS

EXTERNAL PROPOSALS

SOLICITED PROPOSAL

UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL

INTERNAL PROPOSALS

5.1. INTERNAL PROPOSALS

• A proposal done by staff specialists or by the research department within the organization is called internal proposal. These are used within companies to plan or propose new projects or products

5.2. EXTERNAL PROPOSAL

A proposal sponsored by university grant committees, Government agencies, Government contractors, non-profit organizations, or corporation is called External proposal.

5.2.1 Types of external proposals

5.2.1.1 solicited proposal:

A proposal which is made in response to a request for proposal is called solicited proposal.

5.2.1.2 Unsolicited proposal:

A proposal which represents a suggestion by a contract researcher for research that might be done is called unsolicited proposal.

ELEMENTS OF A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Title Page

Executive Summary/Abstract

Problem Statement

Research Objectives

Literature Review

Research methodology

Data analysis

Budget

Facilities and special resources

Bibliography

Appendices

1. TITLE PAGE

It consists of title of the project, the names of the preparers of the proposal, their contact information, Personal data (name, academic title, date of birth, nationality, contact information, institutional contact)

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY/ABSTRACT

To understand quickly the thrust of the project and to grasp quickly the essentials of the proposal without having to read the details, we should include brief summary statements of the management dilemma and management question, research objectives and the benefits of your approach. If the proposal is unsolicited, a brief description of your qualification is also appropriate. It should contain a gist of the study and the findings of the research. An effective summary states the problem addressed by the applicant, identifies the solution, and specifies the objectives and methods of the project. This summary should also outline funding requirements and describe the applicant’s expertise.

3. PROBLEM STATEMENT

The most important aspect of a research proposal is the clarity of the research problem.   The statement of the problem is the focal point of your research. As a part of the Introduction, effective problem statements answer the question “Why does this research need to be conducted?” 

Example of a problem statement:

"The frequency of job layoffs is creating fear, anxiety, and a loss of productivity in middle management workers."

4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

This describes the goals and objectives that are the targets and desired outcomes of work done by you to find answers to the problem or issue under investigation.The purpose often starts with a single goal statement that explains what the study intends to accomplish. A few typical statements are:

The goal of this study is to:    -overcome the difficulty with    -discover what

    -understand the causes or effects of    -refine our current understanding of    -provide a new interpretation of    -understand what makes ___ successful or unsuccessful

It is then followed by a paragraph which describes the objectives that support the goal of the research investigation.

5. LITERATURE REVIEW

This section examines recent research studies or reports that act as a basis for the proposed study. It develops broad ideas of what is already known in a field and what questions are still unanswered. This process will assist you in furthering narrowing the problem for investigation, and will highlight any theories that may exist to support developing hypotheses

Emphasize the important results and conclusions of other studies, the relevant data and trends from previous research and particular methods or designs. Close the literature review section by summarizing the important aspects of literature and interpreting them in terms of your problem.

6. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

It describes the method of conducting the research in technical terms. It provides description of following subjects:

Sampling design- Sampling unit, sampling method, research design to be followed, data collection design, instrument design.

7. DATA ANALYSIS

It describes how the data will be analyzed once they are collected. Factors affecting the type of data analysis are type of data, Research design, researchers’ qualifications, Assumptions underlying a technique.

8. BUDGET

Budget should be presented in the form of sponsor’s request. It should not be more than 1-2 pages. Additional information, backup details, quotes from vendors and hourly time &payment calculations should be put into appendix (if required).

9. FACILITIES AND SPECIAL RESOURCES

Exploratory study may need specialized facilities for focus group sessions, Computer-assisted telephone or other interviewing facilities. Requirements vary from study to study.

Proposal should carefully list the relevant facilities and resources that will be used. Cost of such facility used should be detailed in budget section.

10. BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES

For all the projects that require a literature review, a bibliography is necessary. Use the bibliographic format required by the sponsor. There are two main types of bibliography formats: MLA (Modern Language Association) and APA (American Psychological Association).

11. APPENDICES

Glossary: This simple section consisting of terms and definitions. It includes words that are unique to the research topic and not understood by the general management committee, Measurement instrument, other: it includes researcher vitae, profiles of firms or individual to which work will be contracted, budget details and lengthy descriptions of special facilities or resource