1. Research Methodology Lecture 6Ms Farha Hassan

2. Secondary Data

Data gathered and recorded by someone else prior to and for a purpose other than the current project

Is often:

Historical

Already assembled

Needs no access to subjects

3. Advantages of Secondary Data

Inexpensive

Obtained Rapidly

Information is not Otherwise Accessible

4. Government Data Is Often Free Copyright 2000 by Harcourt, Inc. All rights reserved. 5. Disadvantages of Secondary Data

Uncertain Accuracy

Data Not Consistent with Needs

Inappropriate Units of Measurement

Time Period Inappropriate (Dated)

6. Secondary Data may be Dated The Economic Census profiles the U.S. economy every 5 years, from the national to the local level. 7. Evaluating Secondary Data Does the data help toanswer questionsset out in theproblem definition? Does the data apply to the time period ofinterest? Does the data apply to the population ofinterest? Applicability to project objectives 8. Do the other termsand variableclassificationspresented apply? Are the units of measurementcomparable? If possible, go to theoriginal source of the data? Evaluating Secondary Data (continued) Applicability to project objectives Accuracy of the data 9. Is the cost of data acquisition worth it? Accuracy of the data Is there a possibilityof bias? Can the accuracy ofdata collection beverified? 10. Objectives for Secondary Data Studies

Fact Finding

Model Building

Data Based Marketing

11. Common Research Objectivesfor Secondary Data Studies Fact Finding - Identifying consumption patterns - Tracking trends Model building - Estimating market potential - Forecasting sales - Selecting trade areas and sites Data Base Marketing - Development of Prospect Lists - Enhancement of Customer Lists 12. Fact Finding

Identify consumer behavior

Trend analysis

Environmental scanning

13. Model Building

Market potential

Forecasting sales

Analysis of trade areas

14. Data Based Marketing

Practice of maintaining a customer data base

Names

Addresses

Past purchases

Responses to past efforts

Data from numerous sources

15. Internal Data

Internal and proprietary data is more descriptive

Accounting information

Sales information

Backorders

Customer complaints

16. Data Mining 17. External Data

Created, recorded, or generated by an entity other than the researchers organization

Government

Trade associations

Newspapers and journals

18. External Data

Libraries

The Internet

Vendors

Producers

Books and periodicals

19. External Data

Government sources

Media sources

Commercial sources

20. Government Sources 21.

U.S. Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, July 1, 1997

(in thousands)

WhiteBlackAmerican IndianAsian & Pacific

& Alaska NativeIslander

non-Hispanic194,57132,3241,9779,532

Hispanic 26,7461,649 347598

22. Commercial Sources

Market share data companies like A.C. Nielsen provide information about sales volume and brand share over time

Demographic and census updatesmany organizations supply census updates, in easy-to-use or custom formats

23. Commercial Sources

Attitude and public opinion researchsyndicated services report the findings of opinion polls

Consumption and purchase behavior data

Advertising researchreadership and audience data

24. Single Source Data

Diverse types of data offered from a single source

- e.g., television viewing and scanner purchase data