Process of Marketing Research Chapter 3

Stages in the Research Process Formulate Problem Determine Research Design Determine Data Collection Method Design Data Collection Forms Design Sample and Collect Data Analyze and Interpret the Data Prepare the Research Report SLIDE 3-1

Questions That Need Addressing at the Various Stages of the Research Process Stage in the Process Typical Questions Formulate problem What is the purpose of the study--to solve a problem? Identify an opportunity? Is additional background information necessary? What information is needed to make the decision? How will the information be utilized? Should research be conducted? How much is already known? Can a hypothesis be formulated? What types of questions need to be answered? What type of study will best address the research questions? Can existing data be used to advantage? What is to be measured? How? What is the source of the data? Are there any cultural factors that need to be taken into account in designing the data collection method? What are they? Are there any legal restrictions on data collection methods? What are they? Can objective answers be obtained by asking people? How should people be questioned? Should the questionnaires be administered in person, over the phone, through the mail, via fax, on the Internet, or through email? Should electronic or mechanical means be used to make the observations? What specific behaviors should the observers record? Determine research design Determine data collection method SLIDE 3-2

Questions That Need Addressing at the Various Stages of the Research Process (cont.) Stage in the Process Typical Questions Design data collection forms Should structure or unstructured items be used to collect the data? Should the purpose of the study be made known to the respondents? Should rating scales be used in the questionnaire? What type of rating scale would be most appropriate? Design sample and collect the data What is the target population? Is a list of population elements available? Is a sample necessary? Is a probability sample desirable? How large should the sample be? How should the sample be selected? Who will gather the data? How long will the data gathering take? How much supervision is needed? What operational procedures will be followed? What methods will be used to ensure the quality of the data collected? Who will handle the editing of the data? How will the data be coded? Who will supervise the coding? Will computer or hand tabulation be utilized? What tabulations are called for? What analysis techniques will be used? Who will read the report? What is their technical level of sophistication? Are managerial recommendations called for? What will be the format of the written report? Is an oral report necessary? How should the oral report be structured? Analyze and interpret the data Prepare the research report SLIDE 3-3

The Concept of Total Error Poorly Written Research Report Poor Problem Formulation Poor Logic TOTAL ERROR Selection of Improper Research Design Improper Use of Statistical Procedures Inadequate Sample Size Poor Data Collection Methods Inadequate Sample Design SLIDE 3-4

Questions That Need Asking to Apply the Utilitarian (Teleological) Model What are the viable courses of action available? What are the harms and benefits associated with the course of action available? Can these harms and benefits be measured? How long will these harms and benefits last? When will these harms and benefits begin? Who is directly harmed? Who is indirectly harmed? Who is directly benefited? Who is indirectly benefited? What are the social and/or economic costs attached to each alternative course of action Which alternatives will most likely yield the greatest net benefit to all individuals affected by the decision? Or, if no alternative yields a net benefit, which one will lead to the least overall harm? SLIDE 3-5

Questions That Need Asking to Apply the Rights Model Does the research violate the participants’ anonymity? Does the research expose the participants to mental stress? Does the research ask participants questions detrimental to their self-interest? Does the research involve special equipment and does the use of the special equipment violate any basic rights of the participants? Does the research involve participants without their knowledge? Does the research use deception? Does the research use coercion in any way, obvious or subtle? Does the research deprive participants of their right to self-determination? SLIDE 3-6

Two Ethical Dilemmas to Contrast Teological and Deontological Analyses Consider the situation of a small-town sheriff in a “grade-B” Western movie: Twelve individual men are being held as suspects in a murder case. The town is upset, and a mob threatens to kill all 12, unless the individual who committed the heinous crime comes forward. The sheriff can’t stop the mob, so he picks one person at random and turns him over to the crowd, thus saving the other 11. Or consider this case: The CEO of a company is under attack because the company recently experienced some setbacks, which were caused entirely by external circumstances. Stockholders stand to lose much of their investments, and the entire leadership of the company is threatened. The CEO decides to blame one of his vice presidents, picked at random and without any reason. The entire company is saved. Here’s the issue: Did the sheriff or the CEO act rightly in either or both cases? Source: Taken from the comments made by Myles Brand, provost and vice president for academic affairs at The Ohio State University, while serving as a moderator for the session “Academia Fostering Values” at the Fourth Biannual W. Arthur Cullman Symposium, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, April 25, 1988. SLIDE 3-7

Seven Step Moral Reasoning Model What are the relevant facts? What are the ethical issues? Who are the primary stakeholders? What are the possible alternatives? What are the ethics of the alternatives? What are the practical constraints? What actions should be taken? SLIDE 3-8