1. 5.02 Understand the steps in the marketing research process, and identify international data collection problems

2. Marketing Research
Systematic process of gathering information to help make marketing decisions
Used to lower risk associated with developing new products or entering new markets
Identifying Market Opportunities - Screening
Pursue no new products or markets
Introduce new products into existing markets
Introduce existing products into new markets
Introduce new products into new markets

3. Steps in the marketing research process
Define problem – identify the area to be researched – look at all factors
Analyze secondary data
Collect primary data
Perform data analysis & decision-making

4. Analyze secondary data
Data that has been previously collected for different purpose
Not always applicable to specific problem being researched
Difficult to compare between countries with different reporting methods
Often easy to obtain from company records or government data
Secondary data may not be as accurate as primary data

5. Analyze secondary data (cont.)
Environmental scanning: process of collecting information from various sources
Int’l business journals
News programs
Internet
Industry trade magazines

6. Collect primary data
Data specific to research problem that has not been previously collected
Design data collection plan
What is the game plan to collect data?
Collect primary data
Survey—most common method of collecting quantitative data
Sample—smaller number of people who have same profile as larger population
Quantitative data—allows for statistical analysis
Qualitative data—interviews or focus groups asking open- ended questions that provide non-numeric information
Perform data analysis and decision making process

7. International data collection problems
Some countries have no infrastructure for collecting information
Individuals in some cultures may not respond because they do not trust researchers
Cross-cultural equivalence—problem of dealing with how similar or different research results are across cultures
In these instances, Environmental scanning will assist in gaining information

8. Cross-cultural equivalence
Conceptual equivalence—questions in 1culture may have different meaning in another culture
Translation equivalence—different languages require back-translation to ensure same meaning exists in each language
Sample equivalence—respondents from different samples may not share same needs or have same authority to purchase
Measurement equivalence—survey results differ because respondents respond differently to survey questions
Data collection equivalence—researchers are unable to collect data in similar ways across cultures

9. Other data collection problems
Some countries do not have reliable mail or telephone systems
May be difficult to identify segments researcher wants to sample
Privacy laws in some countries do not allow researchers to contact subjects without prior approval
Subjects in one-party governments may fear anyone who asks for their opinions, or they may be afraid to answer honestly

10. Global research organizations
Specialize in collecting data across many cultures
Leading int’l research companies:
ACNielsen
GFK Group
TNS Global
IPSOS Group

11. IMH – 5.02 Activity
Students work with their IBP partner and do the following:
Provide steps utilized in their IBP of marketing research – list the steps and provide examples
Identify secondary data used, how obtained and why important
Identify primary data used, how obtained and why important – note: if not obtained, students should provide how they would have obtained primary data. Provide two examples explaining what they would do and how they would do it.