Marketing research in context (MR, unit 4)

The stages of the market research process (DODCAR)

1. Definition - identify and define the opportunity or threat
2. Objectives - what you need to know to deal with O/T
3. Design - the research and methods to be used
4. Collect
5. Analyse
6. Report

(if sending a research brief to an agency, stop at stage 2)

Stage 1) Definition
Arises from strategic & marketing planning processes. Need to ascertain how the market is likely to react to possible solutions you may have to these opportunities & threats.

Stage 2) Objectives
Set out precise information required as clearly as possible. Consider budget, timescale and outline methods to be used.
Must:
- reference the decisions its finding will influence
- be well designed & carried out
- have conclusive results
(Wilson 02) suggests early consultation & involvement of all those involved in actioning the results. Those closest to a project are likely to know what information an organisation has and what needs to be asked.

Stage 3) Design the research & methods to be used
Research methods should involve as little cost & time as possible, use as much existing research as possible

Determine the category of research
Exploratory - breaks new ground

• customers might be disinterested and need to abandon
• customers might not understand how a product benefits them (simplify or introduce in new way)
• research methods may be inappropriate or target wrong group

Descriptive - cross-sectional study (single snapshot - happening now) or longitudinal study (several snapshots - over limited time)

• published market research reports are examples of descriptive research
• difficult to ensure respondents are same group of people over a time period. If no possible, answers from very similar respondents are aggregated
• methods include telephone research, specially hired panels of respondents

Casual - attempts to identify relationships between all the variable & determine if one variable affects the value of others

• experimental research, deliberately change one variable to see what else affected
• research methods similar to longitudinal study but information may be more extensive and time period longer

Stage 4) Collect
Secondary - data collected for another purpose not specifically related to the proposed research e.g. published reports, govt information, trade magazines
Primary - information collected specifically for the study. May be quantitative, qualitative or observational

Stage 5) Analyse the data
Enter on PC, use stats and other analytical means to find out what revealed

Stage 6) Report on the findings
Powerpoint presentations & detailed written reports with appendices of figures & tables