Research Methods in Marketing

(MBA 8601)

JeremyKees,Ph.D.

My Research

Advertising
Keeset.al(JournalofAdvertising,forthcoming)
Kees,Jeremy(JCIRA,forthcoming)
FramingEffects

PharmaFairBalance
Keesetal.(PsychologyandMarketing,2008)

Nutrition
Burtonetal.(AmericanJournalofPublicHealth,2006)
MenuLabeling

My Research

Smoking/Tobacco
Keesetal.(JournalofPublicPolicyandMarketing,
2006)
GraphicWarningLabels

Pricing
Jensenet.al(JournalofInteractiveMarketing,2003)
ReferencePrices

Finance
Howlettetal.(JournalofConsumerAffairs,2008)
TemporalOrientationandLongTermFinancialPlanning

The Value of Marketing

Research
Reducesriskindecisionmaking
Letsmoveawayfrommaking
decisionsbasedonanecdotal
evidence(i.e.,informationor
casualobservationthatisnotbased
onfactsorcarefulstudy)

Important Topics
PartI:Nondataresearchissues

ResearchProcess
ProblemIdentification
StudyDesign
Sampling

PartII:DataAnalysis
Crosstabs/Correlation
Regression/ttests/ANOVA
Conjoint/PerceptualMapping

How does research fit into the

broader scope of marketing
management??

Review of Marketing Management

pro
du

ce
i
r
p

ct

target

n
o
i
t
o
m
o
pr

market

pla
ce

The External Environment

Economic
Environment
Competitive
Environment
Marketing
Strategy
Technological
Environment
Natural
Environment

Political
and Legal
Environment
Customer
Value and
Behavior
Social
Environment

Marketingresearchisthefunctionwhichlinks
theconsumer,customer,andpublictothe
marketerthroughinformationinformation
usedtoidentifyanddefinemarketing
opportunitiesandproblems;generate,refine
andevaluatemarketingactions;monitor
marketingperformance;andimprove
understandingofmarketingasaprocess.
AmericanMarketingAssociation

Marketing Research Defined

Marketingresearchisthesystematicandobjective
identification
collection
analysis
dissemination
anduseofinformation
Forthepurposeofimprovingdecisionmakingrelatedtothe
identificationofproblemsandopportunitiesand
solutionofproblemsandopportunitiesinmarketing.

10

Using Information.
Used to identify and
define market
opportunities and
problems
Generate, refine, and
evaluate marketing
performance
Monitor marketing
performance
Improve understanding
of marketing as a
process
11

The need for information

MRfocusesontheuseofinformationas
asourceofstrategicadvantage
Asmarketers,weshouldstrivefora
thoroughknowledgeofcustomers,and
theirattitudes,tastes,preferences
Weshouldalsowanttokeepaneyeon
competition(e.g.,benchmarking)
Thisinformationwillhelpusmaking
strategicmarketingdecisions(e.g.,4
Ps)

Tosum.thefunctionofmarketing
researchistoprovidemanagers
withinformation

Marketing Research

Problem /Opportunity
Identification Research
Market Potential Research
Market Share Research
Market Characteristics
Research
Sales Analysis Research
Forecasting Research
Business Trends Research

Problem-Solving
Research

Segmentation
Research
Product Research
Pricing Research
Promotion Research
Distribution Research
14

Users of Market Research

Fortune500Firms
e.g.,Producttweeks,shelflocation

Entrepreneurs
e.g.,Marketsize,growthpotential,
viability

Andeveryoneinbetween

Marketing research can tell us

Howourcustomerserviceisperceivedbyourcustomersandwhat
particularareaswecanimproveonoremphasize
Howcustomersshopandhowwecanadjustouratmosphericsto
maximizesales
Whatnewproductsornewproductfeaturesdocustomerswant
Howcustomersperceiveusinrelationtoourkeycompetitor(ordothey
evenrecognizeusasakeyplayerintheindustry)
Whoourmostloyalcustomersareandhowdowecatertothis
importantsegment
Whoourprototypicalcustomeris
Howcanwesegmentthemarketinmoremanageablegroups
Whatmarketingcommunicationsaremosteffectiveatreachingvarious
segmentsofthemarket
Whatisgoingtobethedemandforanewproductoranexisting
productinanewmarket
Whereshouldwebuildournextretaillocation
Atwhatpricepointwecanmaximizeprofitabilityandmaintain
consumerdemand
Whichmediavehicleswillbemosteffectivetocommunicateour
advertisingmessage
Etc.

Project vs. Info Systems

InformationSystemsApproach

(MISMarketingInformationSystem)
Ongoingdecisiontool
Interactive/Nontechnicalmodels
DatabaseMarketing
e.g.,RetailLink

ProjectBased(thefocusofthis
discussion)

Research $$ are spent on

How Might Each of These Institutions Use

Marketing Research?
*An outdoor advertising firm
*A local bank
*The Los Angeles Lakers
*The Food and Drug Administration

19

The Research Process

Just to reemphasize

Marketingresearchisthemarketers
linktounderstandingtheconsumer
andtheexternalenvironment
TheSOLEpurposeofmarketing
researchistoinformdecisions
Everyresearchprojectisdifferent...

Step 1: Problem Formulation

Awelldefinedstudybeginswitha
clearlydefinedobjective

Theformulationofaproblemisoftenmoreessential
thanitssolution AlbertEinstein

Theproblemisrarelyclearcut
Slightvariationsinresearchquestions
canleadtosubstantialchangesinthe
researchprocess(sobecareful)

Drivesdecisionsrelatedtoresearchdesign,
measurement,sampling,analysis,etc.

Step 1: Problem Formulation

Stageinthe
Process

TypicalQuestions

Formulateproblem

Whatisthepurposeofthestudy(i.e.,
tosolveaproblem?Identifyan
opportunity?)
Isadditionalbackgroundinformation
necessary?
Whatarespecificresearchquestions
andwhatinformationisneededto
makethedecision?
Howwilltheinformationbeutilized?
Hasadecisionalreadybeenmade?
Shouldresearchbeconducted?

Step 1: Problem Formulation

AttackingtheObesityEpidemic:AnExaminationofthePotentialHealth
BenefitsofNutritionInformationProvisioninRestaurants,American
JournalforPublicHealth(2006)

FormulateProblem
Obesityisthe2ndleadingcauseofpreventabledeathintheUS
Whatcanbedone?
Cantheprovisionofnutritioninformationhelpconsumersmake
better(healthier)foodconsumptiondecisions?(decisionproblem)
Howgood(accurate)areconsumersatestimatingthenutritional
contentofrestaurantfoods?andCanprovidingobjectivenutrient
informationimprovefoodevaluationandchoice(researchproblems)
Statehypothesestobetestedbasedontheory
BasedonExpectancydisconfirmationtheory:
H3a:Whenobjectivenutritioninformationislessfavorablethan
consumersexpect,nutritioninformationprovisionwillhavea
greaternegativeinfluenceonproductattitudesandpurchase
intentionsandagreaterpositiveinfluenceonperceivedlikelihood
ofweightgainandheartdisease.

Step 2: Determine Research Design

Dictatedbytheproblemorresearch
question
ExploratoryResearch
Discovery

DescriptiveResearch
Relationships

CausalResearch
Experiments

Step 2: Determine Research Design

Stageinthe
Process

TypicalQuestions

Determineresearch
design

Howmuchisalreadyknown?
Canahypothesisbeformulated?
Whattypesofquestionsneedtobe
answered?
Whattypeofstudywillbestaddress
theresearchquestions?

Step 2: Determine Research Design

AttackingtheObesityEpidemic:AnExaminationofthePotentialHealth
BenefitsofNutritionInformationProvisioninRestaurants,American
JournalforPublicHealth(2006)

DetermineResearchDesign
Tworesearchproblems(questions)requiretwodesigns
Howgood(accurate)areconsumersatestimatingthenutritional
contentofrestaurantfoods?
Simplesurveythatasksparticipantstoestimatenutritionalcontentof
commonrestaurantfoods

Canprovidingobjectivenutrientinformationimprovefood
evaluationandchoice
Betweensubjectsexperiment

Step 3: Design Data Collection & Forms

Secondaryresearchnotnecessary
SurveyResearch
Lotsofwaystocollectdata

Measurement
Constructs/Variables

Step 3: Design Data Collection & Forms

Stageinthe
Process

TypicalQuestions

Determinedata
collectionmethodand
forms

Canexistingdatabeusedtoadvantage?
Whatistobemeasured?How?
Whatisthesourceofthedata?
Canobjectiveanswersbeobtainedbyasking
people?
Howshouldpeoplebequestioned?
Shouldthequestionnairesbeadministeredin
person,overthephone,orthroughthemail?
Shouldelectronicormechanicalmeansbeusedto
maketheobservations?
Shouldstructureorunstructureditemsbeusedto
collectthedata?
Shouldthepurposeofthestudybemadeknown
totherespondents?
Shouldratingscalesbeusedinthequestionnaire?

Step 3: Design Data Collection & Forms

AttackingtheObesityEpidemic:AnExaminationofthePotentialHealth
BenefitsofNutritionInformationProvisioninRestaurants,American
JournalforPublicHealth(2006)

DesignDataCollectionandForms
Quantitativedataneeded
Questionnaireswithestimations,multiitem
attitudinal/risk/intentionsvariables

Step 4: Design Sample and Collect Data

Determineyourtargetmarket
Determinenecessarysamplesize
SamplingMethodology
Logistics
Cost
Ethics

Step 4: Design Sample and Collect Data

Stageinthe
Process

TypicalQuestions

Designsampleand
collectthedata

Whoisthetargetpopulation?
Isalistofpopulationelementsavailable?
Isasamplenecessary?
Isaprobabilitysampledesirable?
Howlargeshouldthesamplebe?
Howshouldthesamplebeselected?
Whowillgatherthedata?
Howmuchsupervisionisneeded?
Whatoperationalprocedureswillbe
followed?
Whatmethodswillbeusedtoensurethe
qualityofthedatacollected?

Step 4: Design Sample and Collect Data

AttackingtheObesityEpidemic:AnExaminationofthePotentialHealth
BenefitsofNutritionInformationProvisioninRestaurants,American
JournalforPublicHealth(2006)

DesignSampleandCollectData
AdultSample
Recruitedbyundergrads
Mailpanel

Step 5: Analyze and Interpret the Data

Edit/clean/codethedata
Analyze
Interpret

Step 5: Analyze and Interpret the Data

Stageinthe
Process

TypicalQuestions

Analyzeandinterpret
thedata

Whowillhandletheeditingofthe
data?
Howwillthedatabecoded?
Whowillsupervisethecodingand
keypunching?
Whattabulations/statisticaltests/
analysistechniqueswillbeused?

Step 6: Analyze and Interpret the Data

AttackingtheObesityEpidemic:AnExaminationofthePotentialHealth
BenefitsofNutritionInformationProvisioninRestaurants,American
JournalforPublicHealth(2006)

Analyzeandinterpretthedata
Crosstabsandothersimplecomputations
ANOVA/MANOVA/ChiSquare

Resultsshowthatmostconsumersareunawareofhigh
levelsofcalories,fat,saturatedfat,andsodiumfoundin
manymenuitems.Provisionofnutritioninformationon
restaurantmenuscouldpotentiallyhaveapositiveimpact
onpublichealthbyreducingtheconsumptionofless
healthfulfoods

Step 6: Analyze and Interpret the Data

Knowyouraudience
Sellyourfindings

Step 7: Prepare Research Report

Stageinthe
Process

TypicalQuestions

Preparetheresearch
report

Whowillreadthereport?
Whatistheirtechnicallevelof
sophistication?
Aremanagerialrecommendations
calledfor?
Whatwillbetheformatofthe
writtenreport?
Isanoralreportnecessary?
Howshouldtheoralreportbe
structured?

Step 7: Prepare Research Report

AttackingtheObesityEpidemic:AnExaminationofthePotentialHealth
BenefitsofNutritionInformationProvisioninRestaurants,American
JournalforPublicHealth(2006)

PrepareResearchReport
Manuscriptpreparedforjournalsubmission

Form Groups and

Contrasttheprocesswehavejust
talkedaboutwiththatof
Andreasen