LECTURE 1: INTRODUCTION TO MARKETING RESEARCH

The American Marketing Association Redefines Marketing Research

The New Definition: Marketing research is the function which links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through

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

The Role of Marketing Research

-Customer Groups (Consumers, Employees, Shareholders, Suppliers)

-Controllable Marketing Variables (Product, Pricing, Promotion. Distribution)

-Uncontrollable Environmental Factors (Economy, Technology, Laws & Regulation,Social & Cultural Factors, Political Factors)

-Assessing Information Needs

-Providing Information

-Marketing Decision Making

--Marketing Managers (Market Segmentation, Target Market Selection, Marketing Programs, Performance & Control

Market Research

-Specifies the information necessary to address these issues

-Manages and implements the data collection process

-Analyzes the results

-Communicates the findings and their implications

Classification of Marketing Research

- Problem 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

--Promotion Research

--Distribution Research

Problem Solving Research

-Segmentation Research

--Determine the basis of segmentation

--Establish market potential and responsiveness for various segments

--Select target markets

--Create lifestyle profiles: demography, media, and product image characteristics

-Product Research

--Test concept

--Determine optimal product design

--Package tests

--Product modification

--Brand positioning and repositioning

--Test marketing

--Control score tests

- Pricing research

--Importance of price in brand selection

--Pricing policies

--Product line pricing

--Price elasticity of demand

--Initiating and responding to price changes

- Promotional research

--Optimal promotional budget

--Sales promotion relationship

--Optimal promotional mix

--Copy decisions

--Media decisions

--Creative advertising testing

--Claim substantiation

--Evaluation of advertising effectiveness

-Distribution Research

Determine…

--Types of distribution

--Attitudes of Channel members

--Intensity of wholesale & resale coverage

--Channel margins

--Location of retail and wholesale outlets

Management Information Systems versus Decision Support Systems

MIS

-Structured Problems

-Use of Reports

-Rigid Structure

-Information Displaying Restricted

-Can Improve Decision Making by Clarifying Data

DSS

-Unstructured Problems

-Use of Models

-User Friendly Interaction

-Adaptability

-Can Improve Decision Making by Using “What if” Analysis

Marketing information system (MIS)

-MIS – is a system to generate, store, and disseminate information to marketing managers (internal Data, -External Data)

-Recurrent info – info provided by a MIS on a periodic basis

-Monitoring info – info derived from regular scanning of selected sources

-Requested info – info developed in response to a specific request by a marketing manager

Marketing Research Supplier and Services

RESARCH SUPPLIERS

INTERNAL

-FULL SERVICE (Syndicate Services, Standardized Services, Customized Services, Internet Services)

EXTERNAL

-LIMITED SERVICE (Field Services, Coding and Data Entry Services, Analytical Services, Data Analysis Services, Branded Products and Services)

Organization of Marketing Research at Oscar Mayer

-Brand Research

--Conducts Primary & Secondary Research

--Serves As Marketing Consultants

--Analyzes Market Trends

--Advances the State of the Art in Marketing Research

-Marketing Systems and Analytics (MSA)

--Performs Sales Analysis Based on Shipment & Store Scanner Data

--Supports Computer End Users within Marketing Department

--Serves as Source of Marketing Information

Top market research firms on the Russian market

-Comcon – 2 (main information product – R-TGI Russian Target group index – 36000 respondents from-13 regions and cities of Russia) – Panel research

-Gallup media research

-AC Nielsen

-ROMIR

-GFK-Russia

-A/R/M/I-marketing

-MAGRAM market research

-Ipsos-F-squared research

Selected Marketing Research Career Descriptions

Vice-President of Marketing Research: The senior position in marketing research. The vice president (VP) is responsible for the entire marketing research operation of the company and serves on the top management team. This person sets the objectives and goals of the marketing research department.

Research Director: Also a senior position. The research director has the general responsibility for the development and execution of all the marketing research projects.

Assistant Director of Research: Serves as an administrative assistant to the director and supervises some of the other marketing research staff members.

(Senior) Project Manager: Has overall responsibility for design, implementation, and management of research projects.

Statistician/Data Processing Specialist: Serves as an expert on theory and application of statistical techniques. Responsibilities include experimental design, data processing, and analysis.

Vice President of Marketing Research

-Part of company’s top management team

-Directs company’s entire market research operation

-Sets the goals & objectives of the marketing research department

Research Director

-Also part of senior management

-Heads the development and execution of all research projects

Assistant Director of Research

-administrative assistant to director

-supervises research staff members

Senior Project Manager

-Responsible for design, implementation, & research projects

Senior Analyst

-Participates in the development of projects

-Carries out execution of assigned projects

-Coordinates the efforts of analyst, junior analyst, & other personnel development of research design and data collection

-Prepares final report

Analyst

-Handles details in execution of project

-Designs & pretests questionnaires

-Conducts

-Preliminary analysis of data

Junior Analyst