Example:

Exploratory Research – Why are we

losing market share?
Descriptive Research – How do
consumers evaluate our brand
compared to competing brands?
Causal Research – By how much will
our sales increase if we
decrease the price by 5, 10, or 15
percent?
Descriptive Research – describe
attitudes, perceptions, characteristics,
activities and situations

- examines who, what, when , where,

why and how questions

- performed after information needs have

been entirely specified, the problem has
been well defined, and tentative hypothesis
have been generated
Surveys conducted in April of 2006 show that 73% of
adults, approximately 147 million adults, use the
Internet. High speed internet connections are becoming
more prevalent with 42% of home users having
broadband service. That’s up from 29% as recently as
January 2005. Income levels reflect significant
differences in internet use with 91% of adults online in
households with incomes greater than $75,000. Where
household incomes are between $50,000 and $75,000,
86% adults are online.
The percentage of users decreases as income decrease.
Between $30,000 and $50,000 the number drops to
80%. At the lowest levels, those households with less
than $30,000 yearly income, only 53% of adults use
the Internet. Education is a key indicator for internet
use. Of adults with a college degree, the percentage of
users is 91%. Those with some college, 84%, with a
high school education, 64% and 40% of adults with
less than a high school education are online.
Characteristics of Descriptive
Research

a. Builds on previous information – assume

that the researcher has considerate
knowledge about the problem
b. Shows a relationship between variables –
shows that there is an association between
2 variables
c. Representative samples are required – a
sample should be large enough to be
representative of the target population
d. requires substantial resources – entails
huge amount of money to conduct
e. Research plan is structured – descriptive
research specify:
e.1. why and what will be examined
e.2. how the research will be carried out
e.3. who will be responsible for it
e.4. when and where it will be administered

f. Findings are conclusive – results can be used

to help marketing managers make decisions
Causal Research – provides evidence that a
cause –and-effect relationship exists or does not
exists

The premise is that something (an

independent variable) directly influence the
behavior of something else (the dependent
variable)

Ex. P&G wants to know the extent of the effect of

their advertising (independent variable) on the
sales (dependent variable) of Tide laundry
detergent
Dependent Variable – affected or predicted
through research
- value is unknown until the research is
completed

Independent Variable – causes or explains

variations in the dependent variable
- the value is known before the research
started
Research Frequency – researcher must decide
how often a conclusive research must be
performed. The 2 major choices are:
A. cross-sectional study (one-time study)
- most common
- determines what is occurring at one moment at a time
Ex.
A study examined the work related differences and
similarities of 241 Generation X (those born
between 1965 and 1980) and Baby Boomer (born
between 1946 and 1964) employee of the
government sector. Researchers found that there is
a more homogeneous pattern in the work of these
employees
Advantages:
a.1. it can generate a realistic picture of what was
going on at a particular point in time
a.2. it may be performed at a relatively low cost
a.3. it may not take much of the respondents time
a.4. data may be gathered in a relatively short
period of time

Disadvantages:
a.1. it may draw an artificial picture of what was
going on at a particular time
a.2. the data obtained may be outdated
B. Longitudinal study – is continuous, where the
same respondents are questioned or observed
during predetermined time intervals over a span
of time

Ex.
A local newspaper contacts 1,000 subscribers by
telephone and obtains permission from them to
contact each of them every six months over a five-
year period to inquire about their level of
satisfaction with the newspaper.
Advantages:
b.1. the information obtained will usually be more
reliable
b.2. it takes into consideration changes in time

Disadvantages:
b.1. it can be relatively expensive to carry out
b.2. the information takes longer to collect
b.3. it takes a lot of cooperation from the
respondents
Step 4: Prepare for data collection – The researcher
should ask “Where will we get the information”

The data may come from:

a. Primary data – original data gathered to acquire
the information needed by the study
b. Secondary data – data that has already been
collected
Essence of Sampling

Sample – a group of individuals or objects from a

target population that is chosen to represent the
target population

Population – the entire group of people, markets,

companies or products that is being investigated by
the researcher
Types of Sample:
a. Probability sample – a subset of a population in
which the probability of obtaining each sample can
be computed and is nonzero for every unit of the
population
b. Nonprobability sample – the probability cannot be
computed
- not considered statistically representative

How will the data be gathered?

a. Internal data – when the information is obtained
from within the organization
b. External data – when the information is gathered
from outside the organization
Data may be:
a. Qualitative data – used to understand a group’s
feelings and insights
- gathered from a small sample of the population
- does not involve number

Ex.
what features do respondents would like in a new car

b. Quantitative data – gathered from many members

of the organization
- information gathered can be quantified
- involves numbers, statistical procedures
How will the questionnaire be designed?
Researchers must conduct a well-designed
questionnaire that address the problem definition
adequately and is compatible with the research
design

Step 5: Collect the Data

Information is gathered through:
a. Personal interviews
b. Telephone surveys
c. Mail surveys
d. Computer-assisted surveys
Step 6: Analyze the Data
Questionnaires usually are not answered
legibly, completely and honestly. There is a need
for editing and coding.

Editing – carefully checking survey data for

completeness, legibility, consistency and
accuracy

Coding – process of assigning each survey

response a numerical score or code to
facilitate identification and analysis
Step 7: Write and Present the Research Report

The research design is briefly discussed by

the research team to the marketing manager.

Once management understands how the

study was conducted, the findings and
recommendations can be presented.