OTHM Ltd Cert2

Primary and Secondary

Research Techniques
Introduction to the
Business Environment - Session 13
OTHM Ltd Cert2
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the session students will
be able to:
Explain the uses of secondary and
primary data
Explain the benefits of secondary and
primary data
Explain the limitations of secondary and
primary data


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Secondary data is information
that has been previously gathered
for some purpose other than the
current research project
Secondary Data
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Helps to clarify research requirements
Answers some of the research needs
Enables more insightful interpretation of
primary data
Provides comparative data
Provides information that cannot be obtained
through primary research
Uses of Secondary Data
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Faster
Less expensive to collect
Internet can be used, increasing
speed further
Benefits of Secondary Data
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Availability
Applicability
Accuracy
Comparability
Limitations of Secondary
Data
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Flowchart for Evaluating
Secondary Data
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Sales figures
Operational data stock levels, etc
Customer satisfaction results
Advertising spend
Customer complaints records
Effectiveness data from promotional campaigns
Marketing research reports from past studies
Internal Secondary
Research Sources
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Internet single search engines, and multiple
search engines
Directories
Country information
Published marketing research reports
News sources
Newsgroups and discussion lists
External Secondary
Research Sources
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Off-the-peg research
Made-to-measure research
Primary Data
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Primary research
Narrative, not numerical
Undertaken to gain understanding of
customer behaviour and perceptions
Qualitative Research
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Unstructured interviews
Depth interviews
Projective techniques
Focus groups
Qualitative Methodologies
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Research aimed at producing
data that can be statistically
analysed and whose results
can be expressed numerically
For example: market share,
spend per customer, market
size
Easier to analyse than
qualitative data
Quantitative Research
OTHM Ltd Cert2
Face to Face Surveys or Interviews
Telephone surveys
Postal surveys
Observation
In home scanning
In store testing
Recording data
Retail shop audit
Experimental research
Continuous research

Quantitative Methodologies