Marketing

Research
Ch 1: Introduction to Marketing Research
3 section
rd

By: Marwa Ahmed

 A formalized set of procedures for
Figure 1.6 generating, analyzing, storing, and
The Development of MIS and DSS distributing pertinent information to
marketing decision makers on an ongoing
basis

Internal Billing,
Production, and Other + External
Market = Marketing
Information Systems
Records Information

Decision Support
Systems

Note An information system that

FedEx “Federal Express” relies enables decision makers to
heavily on DSS for its daily interact directly with both
operations and for making strategic databases and analysis models
decisions.
 International Marketing Research
• The United States accounts for about 40% of worldwide
marketing research expenditures; another 40% is attributable
to Western Europe and about 10% to Japan.
• International marketing research should be sensitive to
differences in customs, communication, and culture.
• The environment in the countries or international
markets that are being researched influences the way the
six steps of the marketing research process should be
performed.
• These environmental factors include marketing, government,
legal, economic, structural, informational, technological, and
sociocultural factors.
Note: International marketing research is critical to the
success of a multinational corporation. Figure 1.7
Framework for International Marketing Research
 Marketing Research & Social Media

All social media share certain common characteristics that make them very
relevant as a domain for conducting marketing research:
–Social media are marked by user-generated content.
–Users can rate, rank, comment on, review and respond to the new world of media.
–People form online communities by combining one-to-one (e.g., email and instant
messaging), one-to-many (web pages and blogs) and many-to-many (wikis) communication
modes.
–Social communities open up new avenues for understanding, explaining, influencing
and predicting the behaviors of consumers in the marketplace.

Note: Social media has emerged as an important domain for marketing

research.
 Limitations of Social Media
1) While the standard for objectivity is high for journalists, expectations about
objectivity among bloggers and other social media users are lower.
2) Social media users may not be representative of the target population in many
marketing research applications.
3) Social media as a source of samples suffers from at least two biases: from self-
selection and from advocacy.
Yet, as long as these limitations are understood, insights from social media analysis
can uncover useful information that can inform marketing decisions.

Social Media Summary

• We advocate the use of social media as an additional domain in which to
conduct marketing research to supplement and complement, but not to
replace, the traditional ways in which research is conducted.
• Social media research services: Nielsen ([Link]), Attensity
([Link]), BrandsEye ([Link]).
1. A formalized set of procedures for generating, analyzing, storing, and distributing pertinent information to
marketing decision makers on an ongoing basis is called a(n) .
A) transactions processing system
B) formal system
C) marketing information system
D) expert system
E) research directorate
Answer: C

2. An information system that enables decision makers to interact directly with both databases and analysis
models is called a(n) .
A) transaction processing system
B) decision support system
C) expert system
D) marketing information system
E) information load
Answer: B
3) Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a limitation of social media for conducting marketing
research.
A) objectivity standards for social media are lower
B) self selection bias
C) advocacy bias
D) expressive bias
E) all of these are mentioned as limitations
Answer: D

4) Which of the following stakeholders is NOT mentioned as being affected by marketing research
activities?
A) the government
B) the client
C) the respondent
D) the public
E) the marketing researcher
Answer: A
5) Which of the following regions accounts for about 10% of worldwide marketing research expenditures?
A) Japan
B) Western Europe
C) The United States
D) Asia
Answer: A

6) Which of the following is a limitation of using social media in marketing research?

A) High objectivity standards
B) Representative sample of target population
C) Self-selection bias
D) None of the above
Answer: C

7) Which of the following is a limitation of using social media for marketing research?
A) Lack of engagement from users
B) Lower objectivity standards compared to traditional media
C) Inability to track user behavior
D) All users are equally likely to participate
Answer: B
8) Which factor does NOT influence international marketing research?
A) Economic factors
B) Government regulations
C) Cultural sensitivity
D) all of the above influence international marketing research
Answer: D

9)Which of the following is an example of social media bias in marketing research?

A) Inaccurate reporting
B) Soliciting unfair concessions from researchers
C) Advocacy bias
D) Embarrassing respondents
Answer: C
10) What is one of the primary advantages of using social media for marketing research?
A) Limited sample sizes
B) Direct access to user-generated content
C) High levels of control over responses
D) Unbiased population representation
Answer: B
11. The U.S. accounts for 60 percent of the marketing research expenditures worldwide.
Answer: FALSE

12. Expectations about objectivity among bloggers and other social media users are lower.
Answer: TRUE

13. The book advocates the use of social media to replace the traditional ways in which research is
conducted.
Answer: FALSE

14. FedEx relies heavily on decision support systems (DSS) for its daily operations and strategic decisions.
Answer: True

15. Social media research should completely replace traditional marketing research methods.
Answer: False

16. International marketing research does not need to consider sociocultural factors in different markets.
Answer: False
17. International marketing research must adapt to local customs and cultural differences when entering
new markets.
Answer: True

19. Social media can be used to form online communities, which are valuable for understanding
consumer behavior.
Answer: True

20. Objectivity is the main standard upheld by all social media users when providing feedback.
Answer: False (Expectations for objectivity among social media users are lower.)

21. Marketing research plays a crucial role in effective decision-making by gathering and analyzing
information for managers.
Answer: True
 Ethics in Marketing Research
Marketing research activities affect four stakeholders:
1. the marketing researcher
2. the client
3. the respondent
4. the public.

• Ethical issues arise when conflict occurs between

these stakeholders, and this can happen at each step of
the marketing research process.
• In the face of conflict, the behavior of the stakeholders
should be guided by codes of ethics.
• Several organizations, including the Marketing Research
Association (MRA) and the American Marketing Figure 1.8
Stakeholders in Marketing Research: An Ethical Perspective
Association (AMA), provide codes in the area of ethical
research behavior.
Overview of Ethical Issues in Marketing Research

I. Problem Definition
• Using surveys as a guise for selling or fundraising
• Personal agendas of the researcher or client
• Conducting unnecessary research

2. Developing an Approach
• Using findings and models developed for specific clients or projects for other projects
• Soliciting proposals to gain research expertise without pay
• Inaccurate reporting.
 Overview of Ethical Issues in Marketing Research (cont.)

3. Research Design
• Formulating a research design more suited to the researcher's rather than the client's needs
• Using secondary data that are not applicable or have been gathered through questionable
means
• Soliciting unfair concessions from the researcher
• Using measurement scales of questionable reliability & validity
• Designing overly long questionnaires, overly sensitive questions, piggybacking
• Using inappropriate sampling procedures and sample size
• Disguising the purpose of the research
• Not maintaining anonymity of respondents
• Disrespecting privacy of respondents
• Misleading respondents
• Disguising observation of respondents
• Embarrassing or putting stress on respondents
Overview of Ethical Issues in Marketing Research (cont.)

4. Field Work
• Increasing discomfort level of respondents
• Following unacceptable field work procedures

5. Data Preparation and Analysis

• Identifying and discarding unsatisfactory respondents
• Using statistical techniques when the underlying assumptions are violated
• Interpreting the results and making incorrect conclusions and recommendations

6. Report Preparation and Presentation

• Incomplete reporting
• Biased reporting
• Inaccurate reporting
Acronym: Research

The role and salient characteristics of marketing research can be described by

the acronym RESEARCH:
R ecognition of information needs
E ffective decision making
S ystematic and objective
E xodus/dissemination of information
A nalysis of information
R ecommendations for action
C ollection of information
H elpful to managers
1. Which of the following is an example of unethical behavior during the ‘Field Work’ phase?
A) Using secondary data
B) Violating the privacy of respondents
C) Increasing discomfort levels of respondents
D) Misleading clients
Answer: C

2. The Marketing Research Association (MRA) provides:

A) Surveys for consumer insights
B) Codes of ethical behavior for marketing research
C) Analytical tools for international marketing
D) Technical tools for data collection
Answer: B
3. Which ethical issue is associated with using research for personal agendas?
A) Research Design
B) Data Collection
C) Problem Definition
D) Report Preparation
Answer: C

4. Which organization provides codes of ethics for marketing research behavior?

A) American Marketing Association (AMA)
B) Nielsen
C) Attensity
D) BrandsEye
Answer: A

5. For the acronym RESEARCH “H” refers to that research helpful to managers.
Answer: True
6. Ethical conflicts in marketing research can arise between the marketing researcher, the client, the
respondent, and the public.
Answer: True

7. Using marketing research results for clients without consent is an ethical violation.
Answer: True

8. Ethical issues in marketing research only arise during the data collection phase.
Answer: False

9. Using overly long questionnaires in marketing research is an ethical issue that can arise in the research
design phase.
Answer: True

10. Ethical issues in marketing research can be avoided by simply focusing on accurate reporting.
Answer: False Ethical issues can arise at multiple stages, not just reporting.

18. Marketing research activities have the potential to affect only the researcher and client.
Answer: False
 Thanks For
Good Listening
See you next week
Happy weekend!