Describe the various stages or steps in marketing research process.
Stages or Steps in Marketing Research Process
Marketing research exercise may take many forms but systematic enquiry is a feature common to all such forms. Being a systematic process. Though it is not necessary that all research processes would invariably follow a given sequence, yet marketing research aften follows a generalized pattern, which can be broken down and studied as sequential stages stages. The various stages or steps in the marketing research process may be discussed as follows:
1. Identification and Defining of the Problem
The market research process begins with the identification of a problem faced by the company. The clear cut statement of problem may not be possible at the very outset of research process because often only the symptoms of the problems are apparent at that stage. Then, after some explanatory research, clear definition of the problem is of crucial importance in marketing research because such research is a costly process involving time, energy and money. Clear definition of the problem helps the researcher in all subsequent research efforts including setting of proper research objectives, the determination of the techniques to be used and the extent of information to be collected. It may be noted that the methods of explanatory research popularly in use are : survey of secondary data, experience survey or pilot studies i.e. studies of a small initial sample. All this is also known as preliminary investigation.
2. Statement of Research Objectives
After identifying and defining the problem with or without explanatory research, the researcher must make a formal statement of researcher objectives. Such objectives may be stated in qualitative or quantitative terms and expressed as research questions, statement or hypothesis. For example, the research objective. "To find out the extent to which sales promotion schemes affected the sales volume" is a research objective expressed as a statement. On the other hand, a hypothesis is a statement that can be refuted or supported by empirical findings. The same research objective could be stated, "To test the proposition that sales are positively affected by the sales promotion schemes undertaken this winter." Example of another hypothesis may be. "The new packaging pattern has resulted in increase in sales and profit." Once the objective or the hypothesis are developed, the researcher is ready to choose the research design.
3. Planning the Research Design or Designing the Research Study
After defining the research problem and deciding the objectives, the research design must be developed. A research design is a master plan specifying the procedure for collecting and analyzing the needed information. It represents a framework for the research plan of action. The objectives of the study are included in the research design to ensure that data collected are relevant to the objectives. At this stage, the researcher should also determine the type of sources of information needed, the data collection method (e.g. survey or interview), the sampling methodology and the timing and possible costs of research.
4. Planning the Sample
Sampling involves procedures that use a small number of items or parts of the population (total items) to take conclusion regarding the population. Important questions in this regard are; who is to be sampled as a rightly representative lot? Which is the target - population? What should be the sample size - how large or how small? How to select the various units to make up the sample?
5. Data Collection
The collection of data relates to the gathering of facts to be used in solving the problem. Hence, methods of marketing research are essentially methods of data collection. Data can be secondary, i.e. collected from concerned reports, magazines and other periodicals, especially written articles, government publications, company publications, books etc. Data can be primary i.e. collected from the original base through empirical research by means of various tools. There can be broadly two types of sources - (i) Internal sources - existing within the firm itself, such as accounting data, salesmen's reports etc. (ii) External sources - outside the firm.
6. Data Processing and Analysis
Once data have been collected these have to be converted into a format that will suggest answer to the initially identified and defined problem. Data processing begins with the editing of data and its coding. Editing involves inspecting the data collection - forms for omission, legibility and consistency in classification. Before tabulation, responses need to be classified into meaningful categories. The rules for categorizing, recording and transferring the data to "date storage media" are called codes. This coding process facilities the manual or computer tabulation. If computer analysis is being used the data can be key-product and verified.
7. Formulating Conclusions, Preparing and Processing the Report
The final stage in the marketing research process is that of interpreting the information and drawing conclusion for use in managerial decision. The research report should clearly and effectively communicate the research findings and need not include complicated statement about the technical aspect of the study and research methods. Often the management is not interested in details of research design and statistical analysis but instead in the concrete findings of the research. If need to the researcher may bring out his appropriate recommendation or suggestions in the matter. Researchers must make the presentation technically accurate, understandable and useful.